When the Crown Prince arrived at the Ministry of Punishments, the First Prince was having a headache!
"Second Prince, you've arrived. No matter how we torture these three people, they can only say 'innocent,' and that's it!" The eldest prince poured out his grievances to the crown prince.
The Crown Prince looked at the three eunuchs covered in blood and said, "Injustice? Who doesn't cry foul when they're in the Imperial Prison!"
"Your Highness, please investigate! We truly have no idea how we were brought to the Censorate!" The older eunuch in the middle cried out to the Crown Prince, protesting his innocence.
“Yes, Your Highness, this servant is truly innocent!” The other two eunuchs immediately echoed.
"The three of you are quite united!" the Crown Prince said with a gloomy face.
"Second Prince, could it be that we've really wronged them?" The eldest prince was now starting to doubt whether he had truly wronged the three men.
"The three of them all cried out that they were innocent. Don't you find that strange, brother?"
If Father Emperor wronged you, what would you do?
"Of course I want to find a way to prove myself!" the eldest prince said.
"Brother, those three just keep saying they're innocent, without saying a single word in their defense. Do you think they're truly innocent or just pretending?"
"I never expected them to be so cunning; I was almost fooled by them!" The eldest prince suddenly realized what the crown prince meant.
"Second Prince, don't worry, I'll definitely pry their mouths open today!" The eldest prince was prepared to use all the instruments of torture; he wanted to see just how stubborn these three men were.
"Brother, wait a moment, I have something to say!" The Crown Prince stopped his eager eldest son.
"Alright, go ahead and say it!" The eldest prince now completely believed the crown prince's words. As expected of the crown prince, his mind was much sharper than his.
"Whether you three are innocent or not, you know it in your hearts. I don't want to waste words with you. If you confess on your own initiative, I may be lenient with you!"
The eldest prince glanced at the crown prince and asked, "Why is the second prince using this trick again? Is this the only trick he knows?"
"I already know the relationship between the three of you. Whoever can tell me what I want, I will spare his life!" the Crown Prince continued.
The three of them looked at each other, then remained silent. I had no idea what they were thinking.
The crown prince saw this, and the eunuch in the middle shook his head at the two people next to him. The two people next to him immediately lowered their heads and stopped looking at the crown prince.
The Crown Prince didn't want to waste time with them now. In the past, he could have played around with them, but now he wanted to find the murderer immediately to avenge He Xue.
"He Zhu, bring the things over here!" the Crown Prince shouted to He Zhu.
He Zhu presented a stack of papers to the Crown Prince.
The crown prince took out all the information about the eunuch in the middle, "Before you entered the palace, your name was Zhang Da. You have a younger brother who is two years younger than you."
"All your monthly allowance has been sent back to your younger brother over the years. I heard that your brother's son is not young anymore. Tell me, if you don't tell me what I want to know, what should I do to vent my anger?" the Crown Prince said coldly.
"Your Highness, aren't you afraid that doing this will damage your wise image?" Zhang Da asked.
"Image? What use is it? What do I need an image for? It can't be used to eat!" the Crown Prince said disdainfully.
The eldest prince felt that the crown prince's words sounded so familiar.
He remembered that phrase, which Xue always had on her lips.
The Crown Prince walked up to Zhang Da and stepped on him. "I'll give you one more chance. If you don't talk, I'll have your brother and his family arrested! Why don't you bring your nephew into the palace so you can be reunited?"
"Your Highness, please spare them! They are innocent! Your Highness can ask me anything, please don't implicate innocent people!" Zhang Da pleaded.
He entered the palace for his younger brother's sake. The two brothers depended on each other for survival. Although their lives were poor, as long as they were together, there was hope.
But his younger brother suddenly fell ill, making their lives even harder. Moreover, curing his brother would require a sum of money, so he had no choice but to enter the palace.
As long as the younger brother is alive, the Zhang family has hope and will not die out.
Over the years, he had given all his money to his younger brother, who had married and had children. The Zhang family now had an heir, and he could finally face his deceased parents with a clear conscience!
"Innocent? You're telling me you're innocent? He Xue is the most innocent one!" the Crown Prince roared.
The crown prince increased the pressure of his foot, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "My patience is limited. If you don't speak, I will make your Zhang family line end!"
"Master, please tell us! Didn't you say your nephew is the hope of your Zhang family?" someone urged Zhang Da.
"Your Highness... Your Highness, I have said that I hope Your Highness will keep your word!" Zhang Da said haltingly.
"You have no right to negotiate with me! I'll ask you one more time, who exactly ordered you to harm He Xue? Speak now!" The Crown Prince's patience was almost exhausted.
"It was Eunuch Wu from the Imperial Household Department who instructed me to tell Consort Li in the Cold Palace every day that Xue Gege had bewitched the Emperor, which is why the Emperor was ignoring her."
As long as Princess He Xue is eliminated, the Emperor will continue to favor her.
Consort Li was already somewhat delirious, and as the servants kept telling her, she gradually came to believe them.
Today, Eunuch Wu found me and gave me a packet of drugs that would cause confusion, which I then gave to Consort Li. He also told Consort Li that I was in the Imperial Garden with Princess Xue today.
While the guards in the Cold Palace were slacking off, this servant released Consort Li!
"Your Highness, I have told you everything I know. These two men are obedient to me. Please, Your Highness, spare them!" Zhang Da said, pointing to the two men beside him.
The Crown Prince ignored Zhang Da and immediately said to He Zhu, "He Zhu, go to the Imperial Household Department immediately and ask Ling Pu for the person!"
"Yes, this servant will go right away!" He Zhu said and immediately went to the Imperial Household Department.
"If He Xue is alright, I might consider it, but if anything happens to her, you'd better pray for yourselves! I'll make you regret ever being born!" the Crown Prince said fiercely.
"Brother, let's go and meet that Eunuch Wu!" The Crown Prince said to his eldest brother, holding a confession signed and sealed by Zhang Da.
"Alright, but shouldn't someone guard this place? What if someone tries to silence us? Wouldn't that leave us with no way to prove anything?" the eldest prince asked worriedly.
"Brother, I am the witness, what other evidence do I need! Besides, if I want to kill him, I don't need any evidence at all!" the Crown Prince said domineeringly.
"Fine, you're the Crown Prince, you're in charge!" The eldest prince said, looking at the Crown Prince speechlessly.
"Your Highness, something has happened!"
Before the Crown Prince and the First Prince had even left the Censorate, they heard this sentence.
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