Chapter 32 The Death of the Mother
“Your Majesty,” Ye Wanning looked at the Emperor, “Miss Xiao Cui has come to tell the truth: His Highness the Crown Prince was framed by the Third Prince.”
"The truth? What truth?" The Emperor frowned.
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince did not actually plot against me. It was the Third Prince who threatened me and forced me to cooperate with him in framing His Highness the Crown Prince," Xiao Cui said, taking a few deep breaths and mustering her courage.
She told the Emperor in detail how the Third Prince had threatened her with her brother as a hostage and how he had made her pretend to be roughly dragged to the Imperial Garden by the Crown Prince.
The emperor's face grew increasingly grim, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Third Prince! What else do you have to say?!" The Emperor glared at the Third Prince.
The third prince was terrified, trembling all over, and quickly knelt down: "Father, I didn't! She's lying! She's slandering me!"
“I’m not lying!” Xiao Cui said. “My brother can testify! The Third Prince imprisoned him in the manor on Jade Spring Mountain, and it was Miss Ye and Prime Minister Pei who rescued him!”
The little boy also said, "Your Majesty, what she said is true! The Third Prince's men locked me in a basement and won't give me any food!"
Pei Zhi also said, "Your Majesty, I can testify. We did indeed rescue Xiao Cui's younger brother at the manor on Yuquan Mountain, and the guards there were all men of the Third Prince."
The Emperor looked at the Third Prince, his gaze growing increasingly cold: "What else do you have to say?"
The Third Prince knew that it was no use saying anything now. He slumped to the ground, his face ashen.
The Emperor slammed his fist on the table: "Guards! Seize the Third Prince! Lock him up in the Imperial Clan Court and await further orders!"
"Father! Your son is innocent! Father!" the third prince cried out, but the guards still dragged him away.
The Emperor looked at Xiao Cui and softened his tone: "Although you made a mistake, you took the initiative to tell the truth, which can be considered a merit. I will spare your life. Take your brother and leave the capital to live a good life."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiao Cui kowtowed gratefully and left with her younger brother.
The Emperor looked at Ye Wanning and Pei Zhi and nodded: "You have both done very well. The Crown Prince is innocent. Go and release him."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ye Wanning replied to Pei Zhi.
Stepping out of the study, Ye Wanning felt a great sense of relief. The Third Prince had finally been apprehended, and the Crown Prince had finally been exonerated; her efforts had not been in vain.
"This time, we really owe you a lot," Pei Zhi said to Ye Wanning with a smile.
"Hehe, this isn't just my achievement; everyone deserves credit," Ye Wanning said with a smile, shaking her head.
Looking at the red walls and yellow tiles of the imperial city, she didn't know what to say. This struggle had finally subsided. But she knew this wasn't the end; she wanted revenge for her mother and to punish those who had hurt her.
The day the Crown Prince was released was a beautiful, sunny day. The gates of the Eastern Palace were wide open, and everyone was smiling, welcoming his return. Ye Wanning, along with Pei Zhi, Minister Ye, and Ye Chengjing, went to the Eastern Palace, hoping to see him return.
The Crown Prince walked out of the East Palace gate with a relieved smile. As soon as he came out, he saw Ye Wanning and the others, and hurried over: "Miss Ye, Lord Pei, Lord Ye, Young Master Ye, thank you for saving me."
"Your Highness is too kind. This is what we should do," Ye Wanning said with a smile.
"Your Highness is blessed with good fortune and will surely turn misfortune into good luck," Pei Zhi also said.
The crown prince smiled and said, "If it weren't for you all, I might never have made it out. I will remember this kindness."
They sat in the East Palace for a while, briefly explaining their respective situations. The Crown Prince said that once he had settled everything, he would ask his father to severely punish the Third Prince and his cronies, restoring order to the court.
Ye Wanning knew that this was just the beginning. The Third Prince had been cultivating his power for so many years, and his faction was deeply entrenched; purging them all would not be something that could be done in a day or two.
After leaving the East Palace, Ye Wanning and Pei Zhi walked together towards the outside of the palace.
“Although the Third Prince has been imprisoned, his cronies are still around, so we can’t be careless,” Pei Zhi said.
Ye Wanning nodded: "Yes. Moreover, I always feel that there are people supporting the Third Prince behind him."
Pei Zhi frowned: "You mean..."
“I don’t know either,” Ye Wanning said. “But my intuition tells me that things aren’t that simple.”
Pei Zhi nodded and said, "You're right. I will investigate thoroughly and make sure to eliminate all potential threats."
As they approached the palace gate, Ye Wanning stopped. "Lord Pei, I'll head back now."
Pei Zhi nodded: "Okay. Be careful on your journey."
Ye Wanning nodded and turned to walk towards the Minister's residence.
Back at the Minister's residence, Ye Wanning felt like her whole body was about to fall apart. She went back to her room and collapsed into bed.
She slept very soundly, and when she woke up, it was already dark. Chun Tao brought her dinner, and only then did she realize she was hungry.
"Miss, you're awake?" Chun Tao asked. "Master and the eldest young master came to see you just now."
Ye Wanning nodded: "What did they say?"
"Master said that the Third Prince's henchmen have begun to be purged, and there will be significant changes in the court. He told you it's best not to go out during this time and to be extra careful," Chun Tao said.
Ye Wanning hummed in agreement: "I understand."
While eating, Ye Wanning began to think about recent events. The Third Prince had been arrested, and the Crown Prince should be safe. It seemed that everything was moving in a positive direction. However, she had a nagging feeling that something bad was about to happen.
After finishing her meal, Ye Wanning sat by the window, gazing at the moonlight outside. The moonlight, like water, spilled into the courtyard, creating a very peaceful atmosphere. Just then, she heard a soft footstep outside. Her heart tightened, and she held her breath, listening intently.
The soft footsteps drew closer and then stopped at her door.
"Who?" Ye Wanning asked.
There was a moment of silence at the doorway before a familiar voice came: "It's me, Chengjing."
Ye Wanning breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door: "Big brother, it's so late, is there anything I can help you with?"
Ye Chengjing entered the room with a complicated expression and said to Ye Wanning, "Ningning, there's something I want to discuss with you."
"What is it?" Ye Wanning asked.
Ye Chengjing hesitated for a moment: "I found out some things about my mother."
"What is it?" Ye Wanning pressed.
Ye Chengjing said, "I found out that when my mother died, it seemed to be related to the Third Prince's mother."
Ye Wanning was stunned: "What did you say?"
"I discovered it by accident," Ye Chengjing said. "When my mother was sick, the Third Prince's mother sent someone to deliver medicine. Moreover, after my mother passed away, the Third Prince's mother received many rewards from the Emperor."
Ye Wanning frowned: "You mean, Mother's death was caused by the Third Prince's mother?"
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