Chapter 87 The Prodigal Brother (Twenty-Seven): A Merchant's Son's Counterattack Against a King of a Different Surname...
Upon hearing this, Gu Tingxun immediately knelt on the ground with a thud, looking utterly panicked. "Father... this matter was mentioned when you made me Crown Prince. You said my elder brother, he actually..."
In fact, Prince Ding hadn't revealed a single word of the inside story to him after ascending the throne. But Gu Tingxun suddenly remembered what Consort Yan had said, and with a determined heart, he decided to take a gamble. After all, he was currently his father's only biological son.
"It seems you already know. Yes, Xuan'er is not my biological son. As for the Su family..." Prince Ding's face turned extremely ugly as he spoke.
“That shameless Su woman, as my wife, dares to… dares to seduce Your Majesty! This vile woman! This vile woman!” Prince Ding gritted his teeth and said, enunciating each word clearly.
Upon hearing this, Gu Tingxun quickly lowered his head, his heart churning with shock, desperately trying to suppress the look of astonishment on his face. Gu Tingxuan was actually his grandfather's son? Then, in terms of seniority, wouldn't he be his... own uncle?
“Xun’er, you’re right. Only by pushing this matter onto Gu Tingxuan can our Prince Ding’s Mansion turn the tide. After all, no man would be so heartless to his own flesh and blood, would he?”
The Prince of Ding's tone seemed calm, but Gu Tingxun felt a chill run down his spine when he heard it.
“Father is absolutely right. The only way now is to get rid of the person who made the needle without a trace for me as soon as possible, and frame him for this crime. As long as this matter can be covered up quickly, we will still have a chance. For the sake of Father’s great cause, we can only ask him to do this.”
After a long while, Prince Ding slowly opened his eyes. The situation was critical, and he... could no longer hesitate.
Meanwhile, the Jinwu Manor was brightly lit. After methodically deploying the investigation tasks, Chu Xu, the commander of the Jinwu Guard, waited in the manor for news from his subordinates.
Just after midnight, a subordinate rushed in to report that there had been new progress in the investigation of the hidden weapon.
"My lord, we thoroughly investigated the manager of Fu Ji Tang and, following the clues he provided, found the person who commissioned the hidden weapons. However, by the time we arrived, he had already committed suicide by poison. We searched his house carefully and discovered that he actually worked for the Prince of Ding's residence. In addition, we found a letter stating that it was Prince Yeling who ordered him to commission the hidden weapons, and that even the incident of the Crown Prince falling from his horse was orchestrated by Prince Yeling."
Upon hearing this, Chu Xu frowned and asked in surprise, "Prince Yeling? Gu Tingxuan?"
“That’s him,” the subordinate replied.
"Hmph! Do you really think we, the Imperial Guards, are just sitting around doing nothing? You think you can convict the Prince of Yeling based on just a letter? Continue your investigation and uncover the truth behind this!" Chu Xu sneered and gave a stern order.
"Yes, sir!"
Two days later, the groom who commissioned the hidden weapons had his life thoroughly investigated, including even embarrassing incidents like bedwetting at the age of eight. Chu Xu looked at a line of small print on the file: This man was transferred from Qifeng Courtyard, the residence of Gu Tingxuan, the heir of the Prince Ding's Mansion, to the stables to raise horses a year ago. Three months ago, due to the appreciation of the second young master of the Prince Ding's Mansion, his monthly allowance was increased to ten taels of silver.
Upon seeing this, Chu Xu's lips curled into a cold smile. One could only say that the person behind this was utterly foolish, thinking they could deceive everyone with such a shrewd scheme. Did they really think their Imperial Guards were all incompetent fools?
“Tomorrow morning, I will go to the palace to see His Majesty and explain this matter. I implore His Majesty to issue a decree for us, so that we can go to the Prince Ding’s residence to interrogate the relevant people.” Chu Xu paused briefly, then continued, “The brothers have been working for so long, let them all go back and rest!”
"Yes, sir!"
As night faded and dawn broke, Chu Xu entered the palace to request an audience with His Majesty, recounting in detail the findings of the Imperial Guard's investigation over the past few days. Upon hearing this, Emperor Hongjing was immediately enraged and dispatched the Imperial Guard to summon Prince Ding, Gu Tingxuan, and Gu Tingxun to the palace.
At this moment, inside the Prince Ding's residence.
Gu Tingxun had just finished breakfast when he rushed over to pay his respects to Prince Ding.
"Father, we haven't received any news yet, and I'm feeling uneasy," Gu Tingxun said, his face full of worry and unease.
"Don't worry about finding your son." Prince Ding smiled faintly and comforted him, "Your father will definitely not let anything happen to you."
Upon hearing this, Gu Tingxun immediately knelt down, his face full of gratitude, and said, "Thank you, Father!"
"Get up."
Just then, the commander of the Imperial Guards led a troop of Imperial Guards soldiers and arrived at the Prince Ding's residence in a menacing manner.
As the Imperial Guards marched along, they attracted the attention of the local nobles and gentry, who whispered amongst themselves, speculating which minister had offended Emperor Hongjing, prompting the Imperial Guards to be dispatched in person. Their curiosity only grew when Chu Xu, the commander of the Imperial Guards, led his men into the Prince Ding's residence with a polite yet forceful demeanor.
Prince Ding holds military power and has always been close to the Crown Prince. Could it be that Prince Ding has offended Emperor Hongjing? In any case, judging from this situation, it is definitely not a good thing.
At this moment, Prince Ding was sitting upright in the main seat. Seeing this scene, he did not raise any objections, but remained unusually calm. On the other hand, Gu Tingxun, who was standing to the side, had his head slightly lowered, and if you looked closely, you could see that his body was trembling slightly.
"I wonder what brings Lord Chu here?" Prince Ding picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked calmly.
"Greetings, Prince Ding. I am here on His Majesty's secret orders to invite Prince Ding, Prince Yeling, and the Second Young Master to the palace." Chu Xu said, his gaze fixed on Gu Tingxun, who was standing silently to the side.
"You, go and invite the eldest son over." Prince Ding slowly clenched his fist under his sleeve, pretending to be calm as he instructed the servant beside him.
"Yes, Your Highness." The servant acknowledged the order and hurried away.
Soon, Gu Tingxuan brought Guan Mao to the main hall. Chu Xu greeted Gu Tingxuan politely, saying, "This humble official greets Prince Yeling."
Gu Tingxuan nodded in return, his expression gentle, and said, "Lord Chu, there's no need for such formalities." After saying this, Gu Tingxuan looked at Prince Ding, "May I ask why Father summoned me here?"
"His Majesty has decreed that the three of us, father and sons, must come to the palace for an audience," Prince Ding said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Gu Tingxuan felt a chill run down his spine, but remained calm on the surface, nodding slightly and saying, "In that case, let us follow Lord Chu into the palace."
Upon hearing this, a complex emotion flashed in Prince Ding's eyes. It contained both disgust and a barely perceptible hint of pride.
Gu Tingxuan had been well-mannered since childhood and held his father, the King, in high esteem. Faced with the current situation, unlike Xun'er who was terrified and hid behind him, he remained a composed and elegant young gentleman.
This was exactly the kind of son he had always hoped his son would be... but alas, Gu Tingxuan wasn't his child. He had thought more than once, how wonderful it would be if Gu Tingxuan were truly his and Su's child?
The Su family! The Su family! It's the Su family again!
Gu Tingxuan clearly sensed that the Prince Ding's gaze towards him was extremely complex, not like that of someone looking at a son, but rather like that of a sworn enemy. That fleeting pride and admiration quickly transformed into undisguised malice. It was as if he were not his blood relative, but... an enemy.
The thought that his father... loathed him startled Gu Tingxuan. He had known since childhood that his father disliked him, but he had never imagined that one day he would see such disgust and hatred in his father's eyes.
He should have gotten used to it by now, shouldn't he?
Gu Tingxuan sighed softly, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his heart. He said nothing more, only lowered his head slightly, and followed behind Prince Ding, shoulder to shoulder with Gu Tingxun, leaving the palace with the Imperial Guards.
Soon, Chu Xu, accompanied by a group of Imperial Guards, and his two sons, arrived at the palace from the Prince Ding's residence. Along the way, Gu Tingxuan appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was rapidly considering his next move.
Why did His Majesty send Chu Xu to summon the three of them to the palace? Such a grand procession is no ordinary matter. Could it be that Father or Gu Tingxun did something to anger His Majesty?
It's no wonder Gu Tingxuan would make such a guess, since the last time he entered the palace was after His Majesty bestowed upon him the title of Prince of Yeling, and he went to the palace to express his gratitude. Since then, he has never set foot in the palace again.
Gu Tingxuan pondered all the way, but couldn't come up with a solution. When the group arrived at the palace gate, they were led into a side hall. Not long after, Emperor Hongjing entered the hall with only Chu Xu.
Seeing the gloomy-faced Emperor Hongjing, Prince Ding's heart tightened, and he quickly knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty." Gu Tingxuan and Gu Tingxun also knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your grandsons greet Your Majesty."
Emperor Hongjing looked down at Prince Ding, who was kneeling on the ground, and said coldly, "Qi'er, just a few days ago you swore to me that you had nothing to do with Yang Yan's death. Now, what explanation do you have?"
Prince Ding's heart skipped a beat, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He said in a panic, "Father, I really don't know the reason behind this, and I really don't know how to explain it to you! I am loyal to you without the slightest disloyalty. How could I have done such a thing to Eunuch Yang?"
Emperor Hongjing snorted coldly, "You may not know, but what about him? Does he also know nothing?"
When Gu Tingxun saw Emperor Hongjing staring at him with a face full of resentment, he immediately felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Your...Your Majesty..."
"You still remember that I am your imperial grandfather? Who gave you the audacity to commit such a treasonous act? Now that your crimes have been exposed, do you know your guilt?"
Gu Tingxun was already terrified by the emperor's wrath and immediately began to kowtow repeatedly, gritting his teeth as he said, "Grandfather, Xun'er... Xun'er really doesn't know what crime I have committed..."
"Good, good, good! Qi'er, you've raised a fine son!" Emperor Hongjing laughed in fury, slamming the evidence presented by Chu Xu down in front of Prince Ding. "The Imperial Guards have now determined that Yang Yan's death is inextricably linked to Gu Tingxun! The 'Traceless Needle' that killed Yang Yan was ordered by him to be custom-made at the iron shop of Fu Ji Tang! Even the Crown Prince's fall from his horse was orchestrated by him! Now that the truth has been revealed, he still dares to shamelessly tell me that he doesn't know what crime he has committed? Hmm?"
Upon hearing this, Prince Ding was startled. He immediately put on a look of horror and fear and exclaimed, "Father! Xun'er must be innocent! There must be some misunderstanding! Xun'er has always been well-behaved and takes His Highness the Crown Prince as his role model. How could he have done such a treasonous thing?"
After saying this, Prince Ding hurriedly picked up the stack of evidence and examined it carefully, page by page. When he saw the last one, his eyes suddenly lit up.
“Father! Father! Look, this servant’s suicide note clearly states that Gu Tingxuan orchestrated all of this! It has nothing to do with Xun’er!” Prince Ding crawled forward two steps, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Father... what did you say?" Gu Tingxuan was struck dumb, stunned on the spot, and turned his head to look at Prince Ding in disbelief, his eyes full of hurt.
Prince Ding gritted his teeth, hardened his heart, and turned his head away, a complex expression flashing across his face. "It's written clearly in black and white, Xuan'er, do you really have the heart to let your own brother die in your place?"
Gu Tingxuan felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. The Prince of Ding's actions had undoubtedly pushed him into an abyss. If the evidence were conclusive, the mere charge of plotting against the Crown Prince would be enough to kill him a hundred times over.
He barely suppressed his anger and shock, raised his eyes to look at Emperor Hongjing, and said in a trembling voice, "Grandfather, grandson... grandson has no..."
"Father! Think carefully, why would Xun'er plot to harm the Crown Prince? And even kill Eunuch Yang? He was just the second son of the Prince of Ding's mansion, not even the heir apparent, so why would he kill them? This doesn't make any sense!" The Prince of Ding said anxiously, clutching the suicide note.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Hongjing stared intently at Prince Ding, then casually pointed to the throne behind him, a symbol of supreme power, and said coldly, "If the Crown Prince is left with a limp or loses his life due to bad luck, I will certainly choose you as the new Crown Prince. You have always doted on Xun'er; in the future, won't the position of Crown Prince, or even the position of Emperor, be entirely in his hands? Whether or not you instigated Xun'er, I still don't know. Right now, your first thought is not to make Xun'er confess, but to make Xuan'er take the blame for Xun'er? In your eyes, does Xuan'er's actions make sense? Qi'er, you are far too biased."
At this point, Emperor Hongjing turned his gaze to Gu Tingxun: "Xun'er, you know perfectly well that if this matter comes to light, it will be a capital offense that implicates your entire family. Yet you still hardened your heart and committed this evil deed. If one day I displease you or get in your way, will you kill me along with me?"
Emperor Hongjing had sat on this high position for over twenty years. Even as an emperor, he couldn't escape his inherently cowardly nature. He glared fiercely at Gu Tingxun, wishing he could devour him alive.
Prince Ding never expected that Emperor Hongjing would say such hurtful things to Gu Tingxun! He clenched his teeth and choked out, "Father, Xun'er is still young. This matter... this matter must be a malicious frame-up. I beg Father to investigate thoroughly!"
When he said the word "someone," Prince Ding glared fiercely at Gu Tingxuan! His eyes seemed to wish he were dead on the spot.
Seeing Prince Ding's expression, Gu Tingxuan's eyes instantly reddened. He propped himself up with his hands, took a deep breath, and said, word by word, "Grandfather! I have absolutely no involvement in this matter. Even if I die, I would rather not bear this false accusation than let Grandfather misunderstand me." With that, he turned abruptly and, with the resolute air of someone facing death, strode towards the thick palace pillar not far away.
Seeing Gu Tingxuan's actions, Chu Xu immediately leaped forward. In the nick of time, Chu Xu delivered a precise chop to the back of Gu Tingxuan's neck, knocking him unconscious.
"Your Majesty..." Chu Xu was startled for a moment, but after calming himself down, he said, "The force with which Prince Yeling hit the pillar just now clearly showed that he was determined to die. If it weren't for my timely intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Upon seeing this, Emperor Hongjing hurriedly stepped forward to check on Gu Tingxuan's condition. After confirming that he was not injured and was merely unconscious, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, slowly settled down. His gaze swept over the bewildered Prince Ding and the stunned Gu Tingxun, and he suddenly laughed, a laugh carrying a complex and inscrutable meaning. He said to Prince Ding, "Qi'er, have I... been too lenient with you?"
When Prince Ding saw how anxious Emperor Hongjing was about Gu Tingxuan and heard him ask such a question, he felt as if the string that had been tightly stretched in his heart suddenly snapped.
"Father! I have only one son, Xun'er, in my entire life! If you wish to punish Xun'er, please punish me as well!"
Upon hearing this, the entire side hall fell into a deathly silence.
Chu Xu felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. He immediately lowered his head, wishing he could disappear on the spot. The Prince Ding's reckless and almost frantic tone suggested that he was about to reveal some royal secrets.
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Author's Note: Thank you for the watering, little angels~ I changed my name, don't get lost! (shyly snuggling) ︿(￣︶￣)︿
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