The other princes rejoiced at the dethronement of the crown prince, having long disliked him. Thirty lashes—the crown prince was the first to receive such a punishment—showed the emperor's wrath. Without any significant achievements, the eldest prince's chances of being reinstated as crown prince were slim.
unless......
Upon hearing the news, the imprisoned Fourth Prince couldn't help but laugh sarcastically, "My absence only highlights the Crown Prince's foolishness. Those who are unqualified will be eliminated sooner or later. I've long anticipated the eldest prince's fate. It's a pity he has such a good uncle and father-in-law."
The fact that he was exposed this time was probably because he offended Duke Dingguo, otherwise, he would not be allowed to do what he wanted.
The Fourth Prince clicked his tongue twice, it was only a matter of time.
Thirty lashes! The Jinyiwei commander was a skilled martial artist, capable of lifting a stone lion with one hand. The eldest prince would probably be bedridden for two or three months. The fact that he wasn't dead was a sign that the Jinyiwei commander had some strength left.
The eldest prince was carried back. Several imperial doctors entered the prince's mansion and heard that he was covered in blood and was unconscious.
The concubines in the eldest prince's mansion cried as if they were already dead. The eldest prince's wife was so annoyed that she asked the guards to drive all the concubines away.
The eldest prince's wife consulted the imperial physician, and he was severely injured. It would probably take half a year to recover. Fortunately, the eldest prince had been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and he had a good physical foundation, so his life was not in danger.
It’s good that you are not dead. You have to bear the consequences of your own actions.
The eldest prince's wife didn't feel sorry at all. She and her father had advised him for a long time, but he just wouldn't listen. He brought this upon himself.
The eldest prince was punished, and no one except the queen came to intercede. It was so disappointing that the crown prince of a country would do such a thing.
The Queen yelled in Fengwu Palace, demanding to see the Emperor, "Your Majesty, you can't treat the eldest prince like this. I beg you, please give him another chance, please. This is all my fault. You can punish me however you want, but please spare the eldest prince."
The cries were shrill, as if the eldest prince was about to be executed.
She also wanted to see Duke Dingguo, and sent letters numerous times, but he never came.
The queen became even more desperate and kept shouting in the palace to see the emperor.
The emperor decided to go see her. When he opened the gate of Fengwu Palace, he saw the queen standing in the courtyard with her hair disheveled. The emperor was disappointed. "Look at you, you look crazy. How can you be the queen who is the mother of the country?"
The Queen didn't care about any of this at all. She ran over, knelt down, and kowtowed to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, this is all my fault. Please, for the sake of our friendship over the years, spare the eldest prince and give him another chance. I beg you, I beg you."
"The affection over the years?"
The queen nodded repeatedly, "Yes, it's the affection we have shown over the years."
"The Empress and I were young married. When we got married, we were deeply in love with each other and had a wonderful and sweet time together." The Emperor looked down at the Empress. "When did our relationship turn cold? Every time the Empress looks at me, her gaze is filled with disgust and rejection."
The emperor thought for a moment, "I later thought carefully about it. It was after Mo'er was born that the queen became unusually cold towards me. I want to know why."
"When Mo'er was born, the Queen had a difficult labor and later suffered a heavy hemorrhage, which was extremely dangerous. I think the Queen went through danger and almost lost her life, all for the sake of giving me children. It's only right that the Queen hates me. She hates Mo'er because of him, and it was because of him that the Queen almost died."
The Emperor asked the Empress, "As a mother, you dote on the eldest prince and wish you could give him all your love. Yet, when it comes to Mo'er, you wish he would die immediately. He's your child, so why are you so cruel to him?"
The Queen sneered, "All this is because of the Emperor. My poor child died in childbirth. Later, Mo'er was adopted by the Emperor from outside. I don't know which bitch's child it was. My child is gone, and I have to raise a child of unknown origin. I can't do it."
"I didn't kill him, which is already a sign of my kindness." The queen had a stubborn look on her face, and now she regretted not strangling the child to death.
The emperor shook his head in disappointment. "You, ever since you moved into the palace, have become cautious and suspicious, and you don't trust me. I'm the ruler of a country, and I've seen all kinds of beauties. Yet you're so lustful that you're trying to find one outside the palace, and even have a child with her."
"Do you think I'm that obsessed with beauty?" the emperor asked. "I did favor Noble Consort Shu during those years. Besides Noble Consort Shu, how many women are in my harem? I'm the ruler of a country, and there are times when I can't help myself."
"You had a difficult birth, and I was extremely worried. Mo'er almost died after he was born, but luckily the imperial physician saved him. You were bleeding profusely and unconscious, and I carried the child in to wake you up and give you the motivation to survive."
The emperor said disappointedly, "I never thought that my sincere feelings would lead to you misunderstanding me so deeply, and even caused Mo'er to suffer for so many years."
The queen did not believe the emperor's words at all. She already had a prejudice against the emperor. Ever since he had concubines in the harem and doted on Concubine Shu and her son, the couple had become estranged.
At this moment, the Queen did not want to say that. She just wanted the Emperor to restore the eldest prince's status as the Crown Prince. "Your Majesty, it's all my fault. Can you give the eldest prince another chance?"
"For a crown prince to do something like this is a disgrace to the state and a disgrace to the royal family. If I don't punish him severely, it will be difficult to explain to the victims, and I won't be able to explain to everyone in Jing Dynasty."
The emperor said disappointedly, "As the mother of a country, the queen doesn't even understand the most basic things, and she's still making a fuss in the palace. I'm so disappointed."
"I will not come again. Queen, please reflect on yourself and take care of yourself." After saying this, the emperor left without looking back and never looked at the queen again.
The Queen sat down on the ground. She saw what the Emperor was thinking. The Emperor was in his prime, and he could appoint a Crown Prince a few years later. But since the eldest prince had done something like this, there was no possibility of him being appointed Crown Prince.
"Mo'er, yes, it must be Mo'er, that little bastard." The Queen gritted her teeth, "The more you want to support him, the more I disagree."
Having been married for many years, the Emperor knew the Empress best and ordered, "Guard Fengwu Palace securely. Not even a fly can escape."
"yes."
When the Anchang Marquis' Mansion learned of the punishment for the prince, everyone applauded. They allowed him to be arrogant, to harm women, to be incompetent, and even a pervert. The emperor was too merciful to retain his status as a prince.
Mo'er was a little worried. "My mother must be very sad. She had high hopes for my eldest brother. She has invested so much in him over the years, and now it's all gone to waste."
Ah Mu comforted Mo Er, "Every cause has its effect. The eldest prince's current situation is partly due to the queen's doting and indulgence."
"Yeah." Mo'er understood, but those were his mother and eldest brother. Even if they treated him badly, they would still be worried when something like this happened, but they wouldn't be sad. This was the punishment they deserved.
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