Dali Temple Prison.
Minister Su tied his prison clothes to the cell bars, made a knot, then turned around and buried his head in the knot, intending to end his life.
The crimes he was found guilty of would inevitably lead to his death. Rather than being beheaded in public, he might as well commit suicide in exchange for benefits with the prime minister.
He also wanted a complete corpse.
But just as he finished putting on the prison uniform and was about to tighten it around his neck, a cold glint flashed behind him, and the uniform loosened and fell off.
He turned around abruptly and saw a man in black standing outside the cell with a cold face and a sword in his hand.
"Who are you……"
You are Yu Nie, a close attendant of the Crown Prince.
Before he could finish speaking, the man in black stepped back, and Xie Tingzhou strode over, "So eager to die?"
Minister Su knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, I, Su Kuan, have come to pay my respects."
Xie Tingzhou didn't let him get up, and asked again, "Do you really want to die that badly? Or is someone in a hurry for you to die?"
Minister Su's heart sank. His Highness knew something, but what he said was, "This sinful subject has no face to live."
Xie Tingzhou nodded in agreement.
"You only had two children in your life. After your wife drowned your eldest daughter, she secretly brought her ex-fiancé's son, Su Yucheng, to live with you and raised him in place of your eldest daughter."
The second daughter, Su Yanwan, was deceived by Su Yucheng and secretly fell in love with him. Instead of stopping her, Madam Su indulged her.
She raised her rival's son for over twenty years, and her two biological daughters were killed at birth and ruined before they even got married.
"Only after I exposed the truth for you did you learn the real reason. You are indeed ashamed to live, but you must hate your wife to the core."
Vice Minister Su clenched his fist.
Yes, he truly hated that woman. She had deceived him his entire life, left him childless, and made him a laughingstock to the world.
However, since the Crown Prince was responsible for the Su family's imprisonment, and the Crown Prince is hardly a good person, his presence here and his words suggest he has ulterior motives. Therefore, he remained silent.
Then Xie Tingzhou continued, "Have you ever thought that you don't know about these things in the inner quarters of the Su family, but the person behind you knows them very clearly?"
You should hate that person more. You trusted him completely, yet he watched you live like a turtle for years without offering any guidance.
"Your Highness is too kind. This humble subject has no one to rely on."
Vice Minister Su refused to admit it.
Xie Tingzhou smiled and said, "If I'm not mistaken, Li Shiling has been the one treating the Su family all these years. Has Su Yanwan informed Minister Su about the opening of the Charity Hall?"
The events of that day naturally refer to the bombshell revelations made by Su Luoqing.
There was no need for Su Yanwan to inform him; the rumors among the powerful and influential were already widespread, and Minister Su naturally knew about it.
Xie Tingzhou then said calmly, "To be honest, Minister Su, I really didn't know that your son and daughter were so deeply in love."
Thanks to Qin Xue's loose tongue, who used the secrets of the inner quarters as a bargaining chip for boasting, I learned that I almost married an impure woman.
"As the Crown Prince, how dare the Su family present me with a woman who has been having an affair with my brother for many years! I am furious!"
He smiled and said, "After getting angry, I naturally had to investigate the Su family. The Su family has ended up in this state, and it's not my fault. It's all because Prime Minister Li is a heartless person."
He knew perfectly well that the Crown Prince would investigate thoroughly after taking a wife. Su Yanwan's affair—except for you, you muddle-headed fool, who would know such a thing?—couldn't withstand scrutiny. Yet he still ordered Su Yanwan to approach me. Why do you think he did that?
Vice Minister Su was startled.
The Crown Prince actually knew about Prime Minister Li.
Impossible. Although he has followed Prime Minister Li for many years, he has always remained in the shadows, and even the Su family does not know about him.
Aside from the fact that he needed Su Yanwan's cooperation to bring her into the East Palace, he only revealed a little bit of information because they couldn't withstand the interrogation and confessed.
They're all useless cowards who cling to life and fear death.
But this doesn't mean he has anything to do with Prime Minister Li. Minister Su pretended to be calm and said, "Is Your Highness trying to sow discord?"
Unfortunately, Your Highness has misplaced your efforts; I have little interaction with Prime Minister Li.
Xie Tingzhou's words were so obvious that it was hard for Minister Su not to understand his intentions.
But he and Li Xiang were already in the same boat, and besides, he needed Li Xiang to protect the Su family members for him.
He himself failed to leave any descendants for the Su family, and he couldn't let the rest of the Su family suffer the same fate. How could he face the ancestors of the Su family if he did that?
And then there's that bastard child, Su Yucheng. Prime Minister Li promised to get rid of him, so even if what the Crown Prince said is true and Prime Minister Li deceived him, he cannot betray Prime Minister Li.
"I guess so."
Xie Tingzhou laughed, "But my attempt to sow discord was not very effective. Minister Su is determined to be loyal to Li Heng to the death."
"Minister Su is indeed a man of integrity and loyalty. In comparison, Li Heng is far inferior to you. The Su family's laughingstock has been circulating in the Dark Study for days, and Li Heng hasn't stopped it."
"This humble subject does not know what Your Highness intends to do, but it is clear that Your Highness is going to waste your time."
Although Vice Minister Su spoke firmly, his heart was actually in turmoil.
The Crown Prince even knew about Prime Minister Li's secret study, which was Prime Minister Li's secret base with his confidants.
Judging from the Crown Prince's words, it seems that his people have infiltrated the Dark Palace. Will Prime Minister Li's great cause succeed?
Xie Tingzhou gave him the answer: "You scoundrel, you're full of ambition. Do you think he can just take over the Xie family's empire like that?"
Since Minister Su is unwilling to cooperate, then I'm too lazy to waste my time. Yu Nie, if he wants to die, I'll watch him die.
"I'll go talk to Su Yucheng. I think he'll be willing to cooperate in identifying Prime Minister Li in order to save his life."
"No, that bastard must die."
Minister Su's eyes were filled with rage. Su Yucheng's life was a disgrace to him, and he would die with his eyes wide open in disbelief.
He used to think Su Yucheng was his own son, and he always protected him and never let him get involved in illegal things. Therefore, in this case, Su Yucheng was only sentenced to exile.
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