Chapter 301 Destroy
Xue Quan was speechless with astonishment.
The mud dog, who had completely distanced himself from the matter, was dragged back into it by this thief's words.
It has to be said that if he hadn't known beforehand that the so-called elixir was problematic, he would have been tempted to believe it after hearing this.
Emperor Jingping believed him immediately and asked in a deep voice, "What grievances did the late Empress harbor?"
Master Miaoqing cast a blank glance toward the East Palace, her voice flat and emotionless: "The Crown Prince has been regent for several months, during which time the dragon's aura has gathered, which the late Empress sensed from the afterlife. Afterwards, His Highness the Crown Prince was reprimanded and confined by His Majesty, causing the late Empress to harbor resentment. Coincidentally, beneath the osmanthus tree she herself planted were old gifts she had given to the Crown Prince, which gave this resentment the power to harm..."
The power to harm? Isn't that what hurt him?
"So, my sudden discomfort was because of that mud dog!"
When the late empress was alive, he gave her plenty of face and even made the crown prince when the crown prince was still young. As a result, she harbored such great resentment towards him and wanted to harm him just because the crown prince was confined to his quarters!
“Your Majesty, the mud dog itself is not an evil spirit. His Highness the Crown Prince only misses the late Empress and did not do it intentionally…” Master Miaoqing stopped criticizing the Crown Prince and instead spoke up for him.
Upon hearing this, Xue Quan secretly shook his head.
This treacherous Taoist priest is truly adept at manipulating people's hearts. This tactic of feigning retreat will only make the Emperor even more resentful of the Crown Prince.
As expected, Emperor Jingping became even angrier: "Your Excellency, there's no need to defend that rebellious son! How could the late Empress's resentment harm me? It's clearly that the rebellious son harbors dissatisfaction with me, and the late Empress dotes on her son! Issue my decree: immediately cut down the osmanthus tree in the Eastern Palace's inner garden, smash that clay dog, no, smash all the gifts the late Empress gave to the Crown Prince. As for the Crown Prince—"
After a brief pause, Emperor Jingping sneered, "The Crown Prince will fast for three days starting today to accumulate blessings for the late Empress. Xue Quan, you will handle these matters personally!"
Upon meeting Emperor Jingping's icy gaze, Xue Quan quickly lowered his head and replied, "I obey the decree."
In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince returned to his bedchamber and quietly gazed out the window. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon him, a comforting warmth, yet his heart remained icy cold.
The secret letter that Xue Han had someone deliver was actually genuine.
When he learned that a palace eunuch had secretly buried the doll under the osmanthus tree, he found it hard to believe. But today, when his father came in a fit of rage, after hearing what the immortal Miaoqing had to say, he went straight to the osmanthus tree in the inner garden.
A wave of fear washed over him, engulfing him completely.
If Xue Han hadn't reminded him, and his father had seen the puppet being dug out with his own eyes, what would have become of him, the crown prince?
Forget about the position of crown prince, taking his life would be the least of his worries. The most likely outcome would be a tragedy like those in history, with countless deaths and injuries.
The sound of hurried footsteps approached, and the prince's heart suddenly raced, a sense of foreboding rising within him.
"Your Highness, His Majesty has sent people again!" The eunuch who delivered the message was still unclear about what Xue Quan and his group were doing there, but he was as frightened as a startled bird, and his voice trembled violently.
The crown prince suddenly stood up, closed his eyes to calm himself down, and walked out with a calm expression.
Xue Quanli stood in the courtyard, waiting for the Crown Prince to approach, and then conveyed Emperor Jingping's oral decree.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince turned pale: "Please, Eunuch Xue, do me a favor. I wish to see my father, the Emperor."
Xue Quan refused without hesitation: "His Majesty is currently studying alchemy with the True Man Miaoqing. Your Highness should wait for His Majesty's summons."
The crown prince's lips moved: "Eunuch Xue—"
Xue Quan sighed inwardly, stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, these are all material possessions; it's enough to keep them in your heart."
Going to the emperor for something destined to be destroyed is utterly useless, only making him more disgusted with it.
The prince shuddered, opening his mouth but unable to utter a sound.
Are they material possessions? But they represent his mother's love for him, and the memories she left him.
The crown prince watched in silence as the eunuchs brought by Xue Quan swung their axes and chopped at the cassia tree, each stroke seeming to strike his heart.
The osmanthus tree was not yet in bloom, and the familiar fragrance of osmanthus blossoms did not waft through the inner garden. The lush branches and leaves swayed violently with the felling, and finally crashed to the ground after yet another axe fell.
The crown prince bit his lip hard, his heart bleeding.
But that's not all.
The simple and honest clay dog, the rattle drum with a broken mallet, the kite made by the late empress herself, the sewn clothes, the sachet... one by one, the toys that he regarded as treasures were taken out of the wooden box and piled up together.
The eunuch in charge of handling the matter looked at Xue Quan.
Xue Quan nodded.
The hammer was raised and slammed down heavily on the objects.
"No...don't..." the prince cried out softly, his eyes reddening.
Time seemed to slow down dramatically, as if he were reliving his childhood.
He heard that the rattle drum was made by his mother herself, but he was too young to remember it. The clay dog was a gift from his mother when he was six, saying it would protect him from illness and misfortune. The sachet was a gift from his mother when he was ten and moved into the Eastern Palace alone; it contained spices to repel mosquitoes. And the jade thumb ring, smashed to powder, was prepared by his mother when he was learning horsemanship and archery…
From childhood to adolescence, he possessed too many things. After his mother passed away, no new items were added to those two large wooden chests.
He no longer had a mother, and no one would give him these trinkets that ordinary people would consider worthless.
Today, of all the old things he treasured, those that could be smashed were smashed to dust, and those that couldn't be smashed were burned to ashes. In the end, he had nothing left.
A tear fell and landed on the back of the prince's hand.
Why did things come to this? Not long ago, he was still acting as regent, gradually becoming more adept at handling things, experiencing hardship and exhaustion, but also feeling grounded and full of anticipation for the future.
The prince stared blankly at the scene of devastation, his shoulders trembling, his fists clenched tightly, suppressing an overwhelming wave of pain.
"Your Highness, your health is of utmost importance." From Xue Quan's position, this was all he could say before leading his men away from the Eastern Palace.
The prince rushed to the pile of fragments and ashes, reached out and scooped up the powder that was no longer recognizable, but the powder slipped through his fingers like the fleeting moments of his youth.
Xue Quan looked back as he left the East Palace, his heart heavy, and returned to the Hall of Longevity to report.
Emperor Jingping simply waved his hand casually, showing no concern for the Crown Prince. All his attention was focused on the batch of spiritual medicine that Master Miaoqing was preparing to refine.
Besides the young Taoist disciple who had followed Master Miaoqing for many years, Lingyun was also among his assistants.
Seeing Ling Yun's devout expression, Xue Quan secretly shook his head.
They've gone mad, they've all gone mad.
The fact that the Crown Prince's Palace was suddenly surrounded by the Imperial Guards could not be kept secret, and there were many speculations that very day. However, the Imperial Guards arrived and left quickly, so what exactly happened remained unclear.
Xue Quan went to see Xue Han and recounted his two visits to the Eastern Palace in detail.
"The sorcerer Miaoqing is spreading heretical words that are bewitching the mind; the Emperor listens to her every word. I fear the Crown Prince will be in danger—"
"Father himself must also be careful."
Hearing his adopted son's concern, Xue Quan was very pleased: "Don't worry about your father. The Emperor has even bestowed upon me a miraculous medicine. Although the Crown Prince has escaped this calamity, his situation is extremely perilous. Be prepared."
(End of this chapter)
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