About two incense sticks later, the eldest prince finally returned to the Hall of Supreme Harmony and reported to the emperor: "Father, after careful investigation, I found that there was something fishy about the woman who was dancing just now. No matter how I forced her to ask, she refused to tell the truth." Then, the guards took the woman to the front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and made her kneel.
The emperor asked seriously, "How did you realize there was something wrong with this woman?"
The eldest prince replied, "Father, I have learned that the dancer originally scheduled for today is not her. Her identity is unclear and very suspicious."
The emperor ordered majestically: "Drag her away and torture her severely until she confesses!"
At this moment, Jiang Meiyu stared at the woman, her heart filled with doubts. She noticed that the woman hadn't spoken a word, which seemed to indicate something was wrong. Most people in this situation would have begged for mercy.
The sounds of torture and the painful screams of women coming from outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony formed a sharp contrast with the nervous and uneasy mood of the many ministers and women in the hall, making them feel creepy and terrified.
A quarter of an hour later, the eldest prince entered the inner hall, followed by guards dragging the woman. She was covered in blood, with no intact flesh on her face or body.
"Father, she is willing to confess," the eldest prince said respectfully.
"Tell me, who ordered you to murder the prince? Confess the truth immediately," the emperor said angrily.
The woman pointed at the eldest prince, and everyone was shocked. Could it be that the eldest prince himself was the thief crying "stop thief"? The emperor looked incredulous. Unexpectedly, the woman turned her finger in another direction and pointed at the third prince and said, "It's him."
The Third Prince was completely stunned, then suddenly realized what was happening and knelt down in panic: "Father, I don't know her at all. She must have been instructed by someone else to frame me."
Concubine Xiao also knelt down in panic and said, "Your Majesty, Pei'er would never do such a thing. Someone must be trying to frame Pei'er."
The emperor frowned, his heart filled with confusion. This sudden accusation plunged the entire scene into chaos and tension. He stared sharply at the woman, trying to find any clues to the truth in her expression and eyes. The Third Prince, on the other hand, was pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, clearly frightened by this unexpected accusation.
The emperor was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Third Prince, I hope you can give me an explanation." His voice was low and serious, revealing the importance he attached to this matter.
The third prince anxiously defended himself, "Father, I really don't know who this person is! Why did she frame me? I have never had any connection with her. Please be discerning, Father!" His tone was sincere, and his eyes were full of innocence and grievance.
The emperor looked at the Third Prince, a trace of doubt rising in his heart. Although he was somewhat disappointed in this son, he was still his own flesh and blood, so he decided to trust him for once. Then, the emperor turned to the woman and asked coldly, "Do you have evidence to prove that the Third Prince ordered you to murder the Crown Prince? If you cannot provide conclusive evidence, I will punish you severely."
The woman, her lips trembling, struggled to answer, "Your Majesty, I do not have direct evidence to prove that the Third Prince ordered me to murder the Crown Prince. But..." She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "I have seen him outside the Third Prince's residence several times. Each time, he looked hurried, as if he was plotting something. And... and I also heard him and his men conspiring to deal with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, considering the woman's words. While these details weren't enough to convict him, they did raise suspicions. He decided to investigate the matter further to uncover the truth. At the same time, he also noticed the eldest prince's reaction. He stood quietly by, silent, but his eyes revealed a complex emotion. The emperor secretly wondered if he should re-examine the eldest prince's role in this matter.
At this moment, Concubine Xiao broke the silence. She knelt and took a few steps forward, tears streaming down her cheeks. She pleaded, "Your Majesty, I know you are always fair and just, but please get to the bottom of this and don't let innocent people be implicated. I believe Pei'er would never do such a thing. Someone must be trying to frame him."
The emperor looked deeply at Concubine Xiao, then nodded, declaring a thorough investigation. He ordered the woman brought in for rigorous interrogation and instructed the palace guards to strengthen their protection of the crown prince. He also ordered the eldest prince to assist in the investigation and identify the mastermind as quickly as possible.
A tense atmosphere permeated the palace as people speculated about the true purpose behind this conspiracy. Who was trying to murder the crown prince? And who was manipulating everything behind the scenes? A thrilling palace struggle was quietly unfolding.
Jiang Meiyu stood quietly by, watching everything unfold before her. She knew full well that both the First and Third Princes were likely plotting to murder the Crown Prince. Now, letting them investigate the murderer on their own would undoubtedly be tantamount to setting themselves up to fight each other. She couldn't help but sigh at the depth of scheming and wisdom hidden behind this seemingly simple decision. At the same time, she gave the Emperor a thumbs-up, praising his brilliant approach.
But at the same time, he sighed: "As expected of a royal family, they are indeed ruthless. There are only conspiracies and plots between fathers, sons and brothers."
Shortly after the Crown Prince fainted, the Emperor sent the Empress Dowager back to the Cining Palace. At this time, a group of ministers were still sitting below. The Empress spoke up, "Your Majesty, now that the murderer has been found, we just need to find the person behind it. Why not let the ministers return home and settle down so that they don't miss out on important matters at court?"
"Well, the Queen is right. I think so too. My dear ministers, please withdraw!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Everyone knelt down to express their gratitude and returned to their own residences with their families.
At this moment, a guard hurried in and knelt down to report: "Your Majesty, something has happened."
The emperor frowned and asked, "Why are you so flustered?"
The guard said, "Your Majesty, someone has posted a notice outside the palace, saying...that you condoned the Crown Prince's murder and framed innocent people. Now the news has spread throughout the capital, and the people are talking about it and demanding severe punishment for the murderer."
The emperor's face darkened and he slammed the table. "Damn it! Who dares to be so bold? Investigate immediately!"
Seeing this, the Queen quickly advised: "Your Majesty, please calm down. This matter may be a misunderstanding. We should investigate it thoroughly before making a decision."
The emperor pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay. Pass on my order and order the Dali Temple Minister to thoroughly investigate this case and get to the bottom of it."
The Queen continued, "Your Majesty, I feel this matter should not be made public, so as to avoid causing more unnecessary trouble."
The emperor agreed and said, "The queen is right. Let's not spread this matter for now. Let's find out the truth first."
At the same time, in another place, a mysterious man was looking at the note in his hand, which read: "Mission accomplished." The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a smug smile.
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