The Crown Prince pondered for a long time before interjecting, "Several hundred years have passed since the last plague outbreak. If this plague is man-made, where is the source? Minister Chen, please find out as soon as possible." Once the source is found, Zhao Bi will have no chance of escaping.
Yan Shiren and Chen Jianbo unconsciously smiled slightly. The kind of ruler they were meant to serve was one who did not kill the innocent indiscriminately and who always relied on evidence. In this society, the rule of law was still the best.
Zhao Shu didn't speak. If it were up to her temperament, she would have fed that beast the plague rats.
At this moment, the group was discussing strategies to clean up the mess in the front hall, but Zhao Bi was not having an easy time either.
A woman in her forties, her face covered by an octagonal flower mask, saw Zhao Bi and slapped him across the face.
Zhao Bi covered his face, and said aggrievedly, "Mother..."
"Slap!" Another slap landed, this time even crisper.
Zhao Bi didn't understand, and anger flashed across his face, but he didn't explode. "Mother, why did you hit your son?"
"Slap!" Another slap, so hard that Zhao Bi lost his balance and spun around. Just as he regained his footing, "Slap!" another slap.
The force was so great that red marks instantly appeared on Zhao Bi's fair face, and both sides of his face swelled up, burning with pain.
"Fool! Who gave you permission to destroy the dikes and spread the plague in the city?" The woman's icy voice seemed to come from hell.
Zhao Bi steadied himself, touched his face, and said with great grievance, "What's wrong with this? If we can't control the floods and a plague breaks out, Zhao Yi can no longer be the crown prince. What's wrong with that?"
Another slap landed, this time throwing Zhao Bi to the ground, where he crashed into a chair and coffee table, which then overturned.
"Why did the mother hit her son? Zhao Shu ruined her son's brocade workshop, and the son was merely returning the favor." The previous reason was clearly unconvincing, so he changed it.
"You scoundrel! If everyone dies, who will honor you as emperor? Jiangnan is prosperous, look at what you've done to it! How can a mere brocade workshop compare to the whole of Jiangnan, the whole world? Foolish!"
Zhao Bi remained unconvinced. It was just a flood, a few people died, what was the big deal? "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand," he said. "Great achievements are all built on piles of bones. What does it matter if a few ignorant people are just a few?"
But he was resentful, yet dared not express it, and kept his head down in silence.
"Pack your things and set off for Xiliang. Your father has ordered you to clear his name." The woman took out an imperial edict from her bosom and tossed it to Zhao Bi.
Zhao Bi took the document, unfolded it, and frowned, saying, "Why is it Xiliang?"
"Just go when I tell you to. Your royal uncle won't do anything to you." The woman didn't care at all.
Zhao Bi breathed a sigh of relief, not particularly surprised by the result. "What about Xiao Qi?"
"Mei'er hasn't seen you in a long time. Go and see her. If you wrong Mei'er, I'll kill you." The woman was extremely domineering. After saying that, she flung her robe and left.
Zhen Qizhong leaned against the door frame and walked out weakly, coughing violently. His face was flushed, making him look even more frail, but with a kind of sickly beauty.
Zhao Bi hurriedly went to help him up, saying, "Why did you come out? You should take good care of yourself."
"You're right, Madam. You haven't seen the Imperial Concubine for a long time." He said it casually, but Zhao Bi felt that he was forcing a smile, and he felt even more distressed.
Rewind a few days. In the Imperial Palace of the capital, Consort Ning emerged from the Empress Dowager's palace, her face covered with frost, while the deep worry in her eyes seemed to overflow.
Huanzi supported her and said softly, "Your Highness, why don't you ask the Imperial Concubine for a solution?"
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