"Don't kill me, don't kill me!" Consort Han waved her hands in terror. "I am your mother. I gave birth to you and raised you. Please don't kill me."
She was pampered and had fair and delicate skin, so the five-finger pinch mark on her neck was particularly noticeable, red with a hint of blue.
Seeing that the eldest prince was even willing to kill his own mother, everyone, from the servants in Qixiang Palace to the guards brought by the crown prince, showed a chilling expression.
Even if someone like him were to plot to seize the throne, could he possibly become the ruler of the world?
If the eldest prince were to become emperor, it would be a scourge to the court and the people of the land.
"Mother, you've gone mad! I'm your son, how could I have such thoughts? Mother, you're out of your mind, don't spout nonsense and slander your son."
“Mother, you need to rest now. I came to visit you because I was worried about you. It must be my clothes that frightened you, but I am under house arrest, so there is nothing I can do.”
As he spoke, he walked towards Consort Han.
Consort Han grew increasingly frightened. With nowhere to hide in the corner, she covered her head with her hands and desperately tried to squeeze her body into the wall.
"Don't kill me, Mother Consort did wrong, Mother Consort will change, Zhao'er, don't kill me, waaaah."
One hand trembled as he pressed his neck, his whole being looking lost and disoriented, as if he were about to lose his life at any moment.
The emperor arrived at some unknown time, accompanied only by Eunuch Qi and two guards.
He watched this scene without a trace of expression on his face.
The eldest prince sensed something, turned his head, and froze instantly.
As the Son of Heaven, the emperor commands respect without anger; the less emotion he reveals, the more terrifying he becomes.
"Father, Father Emperor," the eldest prince stammered.
"Even if your mother has made a thousand mistakes, you should not have the thought of killing her. Even tigers don't eat their cubs, and the reverse is also true," the emperor said slowly.
“You are already twenty-two years old. You are no longer at an age where you can be willful and reckless. This is not just a matter of reason, but a matter of human ethics, which are followed by everyone from humans to animals.”
The emperor's tone was calm and did not sound like he was lecturing, but it made the eldest prince extremely uneasy.
A prince murdering his mother is a grave and unforgivable crime. If the emperor confirms that he intended to do so, what hope does he have left for his life?
He quickly knelt down, crawled two steps, hugged the emperor's leg, and looked up to plead, "Father, Zhao'er did not do this. Zhao'er is innocent. Who saw me trying to kill my own mother? It's just that I'm under house arrest and not as carefree as before. Someone took advantage of my visit to my mother to make trouble for me."
"It's true what they say, once you fall from grace, everyone tramples on you."
He turned to look at the Crown Prince, his eyes full of sarcasm: "In the middle of the night, instead of sleeping properly, the Crown Prince is keeping a close eye on me. I am only thinking of my mother. The Crown Prince also has a mother, but he cannot understand my feelings. Instead, he tries to slander me. Brother, can you live with your conscience?"
The Crown Prince bowed to the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I have already gone to bed. I heard that there was some unusual activity at Qixiang Palace. I was worried that something might have happened to the Imperial Concubine. My brother is under house arrest and couldn't leave, so I came to check on the situation."
"I never expected to find this situation when I came here."
The emperor nodded slightly, indicating that he would not blame the crown prince.
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