“You bully palace maids and eunuchs every day, which has caused you a lot of trouble. You are a habitual liar, and who knows what bad ideas you are up to now.”
"These imperial guards are loyal to the court and serve the country. How could they possibly have a grudge against a mere child like you?"
"Could it be that you've decided to have some fun again, and have your palace eunuchs disguised as imperial guards in an attempt to frame someone?"
The Golden Palace was completely silent.
Emperor Hui's remarks were quite strange; this was not something he would normally say!
The court officials knew that the crown prince was not favored by the emperor, but the emperor still considered him somewhat acknowledging his previous performance.
That's definitely not the attitude we have now.
No one dared to speak, after all, the crown prince had indeed looked like that a year ago.
However, the Crown Prince has changed drastically in the past year or so.
Under Li Ting's tutelage, the Crown Prince behaved properly and was already considered one of the best among his peers in terms of scholarship.
He was adept at communicating with various ministers in daily life, and knew how to conduct himself appropriately.
Why was Emperor Hui still fixated on the former crown prince at this time?
The former crown prince was indeed spoiled rotten in Empress Zhao Yunwan's palace, but people grow up and change.
The current crown prince is no longer the same crown prince he once was.
The current crown prince will surely grow up to be a wise ruler like the late emperor. Many loyal court officials have already seen the shadow of the late emperor in the crown prince.
"Your Majesty, you have already corrected your ways. Does not Your Majesty know of your change?"
"Furthermore, my previous reckless behavior was all because no one taught me."
Xiao Sheng straightened his small frame and answered clearly and distinctly, "Emperor Hui."
"Your mother taught you with great care, how dare you say that no one taught you?"
Emperor Hui's anger gradually became apparent.
“I only have one mother, and she is dead. She died at the hands of Empress Zhao Yunwan, and because of your deliberate neglect and aiding and abetting your evil deeds!”
Xiao Sheng cried out these words that he had suppressed for more than a year.
Hearing Xiao Sheng's cries, all the civil and military officials dared not utter a sound!
"Guards, seize this rebellious son! He has shown disrespect to me and the Empress! Tie him up and await his fate!"
“I have evidence, how dare you tie me up? Have you forgotten the laws of Nan Chen Kingdom and the ancestral rules of the Xiao family?”
The Imperial Guards who were about to make their move stopped.
According to the laws of Nanchen Kingdom, the crown prince can only be bound unless he has committed ten heinous crimes.
According to the Xiao family's ancestral rule, as long as there is evidence, no matter what the case is, the criminal must present the evidence before punishment can be imposed.
Xiao Sheng stood up abruptly and pulled out the evidence from his pocket.
Several letters that look quite old.
"I would like to ask Prime Minister Wan, who holds a high position and is most respected among the people of our Nanchen Kingdom, to read these letters for me."
Xiao Sheng took the letter and walked toward Prime Minister Wannian.
"This is my mother's daily diary. She sent it out to her friends in the martial arts world."
Xiao Sheng finished speaking with tears in his eyes, then handed the letter to Wan Nian with both hands.
No sooner said than done, just as Wan Nian was about to take the letter, Yan Weian bumped into him and reached out to stop the few pages.
Linghu Yao had been paying attention to the commotion in the Golden Palace for some time.
As Yan Weian was about to leave, Linghu Yao flashed over and blocked Yan Weian's hand reaching for the letter.
Then, Yan Wei'an heard a cracking sound from his arm.
Then came the excruciating pain.
My hand is broken.
Yan Wei'an had acted improperly in the Golden Palace, so the Imperial Guards had no choice but to bind him first.
Yan Wei'an failed to destroy the evidence, so he had no choice but to accept it and stopped resisting as he was tied up.
Wan Nian unfolded the letter with trembling hands.
He read it aloud in his somewhat aged voice.
"In the sixth year of Yongding, the emperor's throne was secure. The emperor was grateful to me and held a banquet at Fengyi Palace."
"The emperor often placed rare flowers and exotic plants in places I frequented. I was unaware of this, and the soup I drank at the banquet triggered a strange poison."
"I used all my strength to force the poison to the tip of my left index finger."
"I have thoroughly searched through the medical records treasured by the Qianji Sect and learned that this poison is not found in the Nan Chen Kingdom, but is produced in a small country on the edge of the Cangxuan Continent."
"But the Huangfu family of the Great Yue Kingdom once had a genius gardener who successfully cultivated this flower."
"But how come there are flowers from the Great Yue Kingdom in the palace of the Southern Chen Kingdom?"
"Only later did I learn that my stepmother, Lady Chu, was from the Great Yue Kingdom."
"I earnestly request that you investigate all the details regarding Chu Ying."
After reading the first letter, the Prime Minister felt that Zhao Yunshu's life was too tragic.
He helped Emperor Hui consolidate his position, but was then sent to his death by Emperor Hui himself.
The second letter.
"In the spring of the seventh year of Yongding, during this period, the Emperor showed me the utmost favor. I actually became pregnant."
"Before I could inform Emperor Hui of my pregnancy, my half-sister Zhao Yunwan also said that she was pregnant."
"After much deliberation, I earnestly request that Dr. Wang Yangchun of the Imperial Medical Academy postpone the birth of my unborn child by a few days to ensure a smooth delivery."
"Unfortunately, the delivery date was brought forward, and she gave birth to the eldest son, whom Emperor Hui named Xiao Sheng."
“The next day, my half-sister also gave birth to a son, whom the emperor named Xiao Ding.”
"I only just realized that the Emperor already had plans to depose the Empress, and my son might be blocking someone else's path."
"The remaining poison in my body may flare up at any time. I hope you will protect my son's safety in the future."
"The Emperor threatened me with the safety of my child, demanding that I relinquish my position as Empress. After much deliberation, I agreed to the Emperor's terms, hoping only that my child could grow up safely."
"My half-sister gouged out my eyes."
"Thankfully, Sheng'er is still by my side."
“Sheng’er was able to speak when he was one year old, and Zhao Yunwan took him away.”
“When Sheng’er came to see me on his second birthday, I didn’t dare to see him. I just stood behind the screen, my voice hoarse, and told him to be obedient, study hard, and be a good person.”
“Sheng’er is three years old. My tongue has been pulled out and I can no longer speak. Only a palace maid by my side took pity on me and relayed the words that I used to say to Sheng’er.”
"As my life is about to end, I leave behind this diary as proof that Sheng'er will avenge me in the future. I entrust the diary to my old friend, the second-ranked hero in the martial arts world, Xiao Qingyun, for safekeeping."
"My eyes were gouged out, my tongue was pulled out, and the remaining poison on my fingertips was preserved in a crystal bottle using the secret method of the Qianji Sect. It was then entrusted to Linghu Yao, the secret guard of Emperor Hui, for safekeeping."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the Golden Palace gasped.
What kind of life is this?
Could this woman, who single-handedly secured Emperor Hui's throne so firmly that no one could challenge her, have died in such a way?
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