He didn't want things to come to this, but the things the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had done...
They deserved to die, but even their deaths don't mean everything can be put to rest.
The Chu Emperor gave Fu Lai a wink, and soon a group of palace servants came and cleaned up the disaster.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the entire palace was even filled with incense.
However, after what had just happened, the Chu Emperor had no intention of continuing the banquet.
He gave an order to Fu Lai.
"Arrange for people to escort the female relatives out of the palace."
"It is Your Majesty."
Fu Lai accepted the order and withdrew. Soon, the entire hall was filled with only the Empress, the Imperial Noble Consort, Lin Jiujiu, and officials of the fifth rank or above.
Among them, the Crown Prince's faction, especially the Lin family, were forced to kneel in the hall by palace guards.
As for those who had previously conspired with the Crown Prince in rebellion, they had long been eliminated by the people secretly arranged by the Emperor of Chu.
Looking at the officials kneeling on the ground, and those who used to be close to the Crown Prince, now standing there trembling.
The Chu Emperor did not rush to speak. In his usual temperament, it would be easier to kill these people.
But he doesn't intend to do that now. Although these people are not firm in their stance, as long as they have not done anything to harm the people, he does not intend to exterminate them.
However, necessary deterrence is still required.
The Chu emperor sat on his throne without speaking, which only increased the pressure on the courtiers below.
Many people were already feeling a chill down their spines and backs, with cold sweat pouring down their foreheads, looking as if they might collapse at any moment.
After a full incense stick's time had passed, the Chu Emperor, seeing that there wasn't much left, spoke in a low voice.
"The Crown Prince's faction conspired with the Crown Princess Lin Xian'er, whose father, Lin Chengze, plotted rebellion."
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were executed on the spot. Their titles are now stripped, and Lin Chengze's entire family is to be executed, with his nine generations of relatives exiled.
"cough."
No sooner had the Emperor of Chu finished speaking than a soft cough came from the side.
Before he could even turn his head, he heard Tantai Yueming's voice coming from the side.
"Brother, are you out of your mind? Lin Chengze's branch is a branch that split off from the former Duke of Zhenguo's lineage. If the nine generations are exiled, wouldn't that mean the entire family of the former Duke of Zhenguo would also be exiled?"
He had previously told his elder brother about Lin Jiujiu's relationship with the former Duke of Zhenguo's family; had his elder brother forgotten all about it?
When the Emperor of Chu heard this, he did not turn around to look at him.
Instead, he continued with the following path.
Where is the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?
As the Chu Emperor finished speaking, an elderly minister, over fifty years old, stepped forward from among the assembled officials.
Although his hair is completely white, he is still in good spirits.
"Your subject is present."
The Chu Emperor looked at this minister who had silently followed him since he was a prince.
The two were originally about the same age, but now they look like they've lived two different lifetimes, which makes me feel a bit emotional.
But he quickly composed himself and looked down at the Minister of Justice.
"The case of the Duke of Zhenguo was originally handled by the Crown Prince, but there are many doubts about it. I order you to investigate this case again and give justice to the wronged by morning."
Furthermore, all cases related to the Crown Prince and Crown Prince Xian shall be reopened for trial. I want to see just how many good deeds they have done over the years.”
After saying this, the Emperor of Chu turned and glared fiercely at the Empress.
The crown prince was her son, but the Chu emperor did not believe what the crown prince had done, and the empress was completely unaware of the truth.
If that's true, why did you help the Crown Prince plot against the An family's eldest daughter before?
The empress felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze.
The tragic deaths of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had already stirred her emotions, but now she didn't even have the courage to look at the Emperor of Chu.
It wasn't that she didn't hate Emperor Chu, but she still had a grandson, the bloodline of the Crown Prince. No matter what, she couldn't let her son's lineage die out.
But the more she tried to hide it, the less she could hide it.
The Chu Emperor looked at the fake Crown Prince whom she was protecting behind her and said to Fu Lai.
"Go, bring that brat here. I want to see who he really is."
Upon hearing this, Fu Lai waved his hand and summoned two guards to come forward with him.
Upon hearing Emperor Chu's words, the Empress stood even closer to the child, preventing Fu Lai from getting any closer.
He begged for mercy from the Chu Emperor.
"Your Majesty, he is also your grandson. He is still a child and doesn't understand anything. Please spare him."
The Chu Emperor was utterly disdainful of her words.
He had seen the child clearly during his time in the palace.
One can only say that he is indeed the son of the Crown Prince; his actions are exactly like the Crown Prince's—insidious and ruthless.
He abused almost all the palace servants who served him.
Otherwise, the Chu Emperor would not have discovered that his beloved grandson had been switched with another child.
The reason they had remained inactive was because they wanted to see if they could find any clues from him and find out who was behind it all and avenge their grandson.
Little did he know that all of this was thanks to his good son, the Crown Prince.
Since the Emperor of Chu had not spoken, Fu Lai would naturally not let the child go because of the Empress's obstruction.
Fu Lai stepped forward to stop the Empress, and the two guards behind him stepped forward and pulled out the child who was already terrified.
He held it in his hand as if it were a dead dog.
When the Chu Emperor saw the child, who was about the same age as Tantai Haoze, sitting slumped in front of him, his expression was inscrutable.
He had no idea that the Crown Prince had hidden such a big child. What was he planning to do?
Could it be that they were preparing for today's events long ago, leaving themselves a way out?
The more the Chu Emperor thought this way, the uglier his expression became.
He clenched his fist and gave the order.
"Guards, remove the disguise from his face. I want to see what he really looks like."
Upon hearing Emperor Chu's words, a secret guard skilled in such matters immediately emerged from the shadows.
The guard took out a medicine bottle from his pocket, poured out the medicine, and smeared it on the child's face.
Soon, a thin layer of fake skin slowly peeled up around the cheeks.
The guards slowly peeled away the fake skin along the edge, quickly revealing the true face underneath.
This child looks exactly like the Crown Prince, but at least seven-tenths similar.
Put them together, and no one would doubt that they are father and son.
The empress was so frightened by his face that she collapsed to the ground.
"Impossible...this is impossible..."
No one expected the Empress to react so strongly.
Since they are father and son, isn't it natural that they look alike?
Why would the Empress say it's impossible...?
Lin Jiujiu was also curious about why this was, and then she began to calculate with her hands hidden in her sleeve.
The more she calculated, the stranger her expression became.
Seeing her expression, Baili Chenyuan leaned closer and asked.
"What's wrong, Jiu Jiu? What did you figure out?"
Lin Jiujiu was at a loss for words.
It wasn't that she wanted to keep people in suspense, but rather that the whole thing was just too dramatic.
Even she didn't know where to begin.
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