Filial piety? The eldest prince murdered his mother, he has no humanity left, so where is the filial piety?
Personally, the day that handprint falls on his neck, or a sword pierces his heart, that would be a personal matter. As for his nature, to even poison his own mother is something no one with a shred of humanity would do; he was simply born evil.
How can such a person be given a lenient sentence?
Thinking of all the pampering he had given over the years, which had ultimately resulted in a bastard child who murdered his own parents, the emperor felt a pang of regret and remorse, and even a deep pain. But soon, this transformed into overwhelming rage and hatred.
He had made up his mind, turned and left with a flick of his sleeve, saying as he did so.
"The eldest prince, Chu Yaozhao, has attempted to murder his own mother, violating the laws of heaven and human ethics. He has been removed from the royal register and demoted to a commoner. He will be expelled from the palace starting tonight. Crown Prince, you shall carry out this order."
The eldest prince couldn't believe his ears. His eyes widened in horror, and all his strength seemed to have been drained from his body. He collapsed to the ground, his face drained of color, and his features and flesh trembled. He couldn't utter a single word.
Seeing that the emperor was about to walk out the door, he got up from the ground and staggered towards the emperor.
“Father, you can’t do this! I am your son! How can you abandon me and turn me into an ordinary citizen? How can you bear to do this?”
The Crown Prince made a gesture, and the First Prince was restrained, forced to watch helplessly as the Emperor disappeared around the corner.
"No, I don't want to be an ordinary person, I don't want to be a commoner. I am a noble prince, born to the emperor's most favored concubine. I was born with the highest honor."
“All the princes, including the crown prince, are no match for me. In my presence, they pale in comparison; they are nothing more than ants.”
The eldest prince, with a burst of strength from who-knows-where, forcefully shook off the guards holding him. He swayed, pointed at the crown prince, and burst into laughter, already showing signs of madness.
"Chu Yaoce, are you happy now? You've been scheming all this time just to see me like this. Do you really think that this will allow you to sit on the throne without any obstacles? Don't be naive. As long as I have a breath left, I will never let you succeed."
"You've really put me through this. You'd better be careful from now on, because misfortune might strike at any time."
The crown prince's expression remained indifferent, showing no sign of smugness.
“Elder brother, Father demoted you to a commoner because you committed a terrible mistake. He sent you to the common people to reflect on your actions. If you can repent properly, you might be able to be reinstated in the imperial register in the future. Why give up and say such hurtful things?”
"Hmph, stop pretending. Every word you say sounds noble, but you're pushing me into a fire pit. Chu Yaoce, the most vicious and scheming person isn't me, but you. I've truly fallen for your tricks. This is an irreconcilable enmity." The First Prince gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury.
"If my elder brother hates me or blames me, I have nothing to say. However, I must do what Father Emperor has instructed me to do." The Crown Prince said slowly, "Seal off the Hall of Union and Harmony, leave the eldest prince two sets of ordinary clothes and ten taels of silver, and expel him from the palace first thing tomorrow morning. He shall never set foot in the palace again."
The guards immediately sprang into action.
Eunuch Qi went to retrieve the jade register, and the Crown Prince used a vermilion pen to cross out the eldest prince's name, noting the reason: matricide.
Even if the emperor softens his heart and wants to restore the eldest prince's status in the future, seeing these two words will inevitably make his heart skip a beat.
At this moment, the eldest prince was tightly bound. Although the emperor had given the order, watching helplessly as he lost everything he owned, he felt as if a knife was cutting into his flesh, slicing his internal organs piece by piece, causing him excruciating pain that made it hard to breathe.
No, no—
The eldest prince muttered absentmindedly, a chilling light suddenly flashing in his eyes, so intense that even the guards beside him couldn't help but take a half step back.
Suddenly he roared, his veins bulging, and the ropes binding him snapped.
He swiftly drew the sword from a nearby guard, brandished a fierce killing move, and with a few quick steps, thrust it towards the Crown Prince.
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