However, he felt that Consort Zhu might be capable of such a thing. Consort Zhu's father was already planning a rebellion and had even contacted the Jie tribe to rise up together. He had already committed the crime of exterminating nine generations of his family, so sacrificing one or two people was nothing to him. It was just that this time, the people to be sacrificed were those related to Li Zhu...
"My beloved concubine, what exactly happened? Do you know who the murderer is?"
The emperor could only let Consort Zhu kneel beside him and ask her questions in this manner!
"Your Majesty, I do not know. I only know that the last person Xian'er came into contact with was His Highness the Crown Prince, and I heard that His Highness...to..."
"What is it? Just tell me..."
Consort Zhu looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, which made the emperor anxiously urge her on!
"I've heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is interested in children around ten years old..."
Urged on by the emperor, Consort Zhu hurriedly blurted out the rest of her words, but these words immediately caused a huge uproar. Everyone in the entire hall looked at Li Zhu with strange eyes…
Upon hearing Consort Zhu's words, Li Zhu knew he was doomed...
Spreading rumors may feel good for a moment, but debunking them will lead to crematoriums...
He's in a mess now, even if it's not shit, it's still shit, and he can't explain his hobbies anymore...
Those who claim to like men are from his own palace, and those who claim to like little girls are also from his own palace. And now, incredibly, someone actually believes them and is using these rumors to frame him…
"Li Zhu, do you have anything to explain?"
The emperor realized something was wrong; there was definitely something amiss. However, his most beloved youngest daughter had died, and his anger hadn't subsided. He needed to vent his fury on someone, no matter who it was…
"Father, I am innocent. Those things about me are nothing but rumors..."
Li Zhu said helplessly that his adoptive father, the emperor, knew many things. Even if he didn't say anything, the other party would know it wasn't him. But now, with so many voices accusing him, and after the Second Prince and the Third Prince laid the groundwork, Consort Zhu was now going to deliver the final blow, making Li Zhu the scapegoat...
"Everyone can testify that you were the last person to come into contact with Xian'er, but you can't prove you're not the murderer. Who do you think I should believe?"
The emperor looked at him coldly, while inwardly pondering who was behind this scheme. Not only had they orchestrated it right under his nose, but they had also used his little princess as a pawn. This person had to be found and killed…
"Father, there are too many unreasonable aspects to this matter. I beg you to see the truth!"
Li Zhu could only try to exonerate himself based on the facts, since he had no evidence to prove his innocence.
"Father, the Crown Prince is just making excuses. He takes an eleven or twelve-year-old girl with him wherever he goes. This is the best proof of his peculiar fetish..."
Hearing the Second Prince's slanderous words, Li Zhu felt a mouthful of blood choke in his throat. The reason he kept Xiaolongnu by his side was entirely for her safety, but this was something he couldn't explain...
You can't just say that Little Dragon Girl is connected to the Dragon Ring and can't leave his side; such a fantastical thing needs to be believed by people...
"Li Ke, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want..."
Li Zhu stared coldly at the Second Prince, who clearly dared not meet his gaze, lowering his head guiltily and stammering, unable to utter a coherent sentence…
"Your Majesty, shouldn't you be explaining why you tortured and killed Xian'er at this time? Instead, you're threatening your second brother. I think you're just feeling guilty."
The Third Prince directly used the presumption of guilt to trap Li Zhu, forcing him to explain himself clearly…
"Li Si, you are so certain that I killed Sister Xian'er, do you have any evidence?"
Li Zhu would never allow them to slander him like that, so he naturally retorted without any hesitation!
"Don't you find what you're saying ridiculous, Your Majesty? Everyone at the banquet saw you holding Xian'er's hand as you left, but in the end, Xian'er died at the entrance of Consort Zhu's palace. You still dare to say that you are innocent?"
"Xian'er is only ten years old, how could you be so cruel? I think if Xian'er has a spirit in heaven, she would also hope that her father would tear you, this villain, to pieces..."
The Third Prince adopted a compassionate attitude, placing himself on the moral high ground of justice!
"No way? The Crown Prince is actually that kind of person..."
"You can know a person's face but not their heart. He killed someone just because he didn't like them. What kind of person is he incapable of doing?"
"This is truly morally corrupt and a complete loss of moral principles; such a person should be executed by slow slicing..."
"Even if the Crown Prince is heartless and depraved, he couldn't possibly do such a thing, could he? That's his sister..."
"That's not necessarily true; who knows if he'll actually like that..."
At the banquet, everyone was talking about it. Those who spoke ill of Li Zhu were mostly from the factions of the Second Prince and the Third Prince, especially Jiang Moyan, who was the most active, constantly slandering Li Zhu and completely forgetting about kneeling down and calling him "Grandpa"...
The emperor naturally heard these words, and his face turned extremely ugly. Although there was no evidence to prove that Li Zhu was the culprit, everyone's testimonies pointed to him...
"Guards, place the Crown Prince under temporary house arrest in the Eastern Palace. He is not permitted to leave the Eastern Palace until the truth is revealed..."
"yes…"
A hint of barely perceptible smugness flickered in the eyes of the Second Prince and the Third Prince. This was the first time in days that they had managed to humiliate Li Zhu, and they felt a sense of satisfaction...
The banquet could no longer continue, and the lively scene had become extremely depressing because of the little princess's accident!
Li Zhu was escorted away from the banquet by guards, which caused him to lose face as the crown prince. Moreover, after today's incident, his position as crown prince is now only nominal. Next, the news will spread, and eventually the news that Li Zhu tortured and killed his own sister will spread. At that time, the reputation he has built up among the people will be completely destroyed.
Who would support a prince who is morally corrupt and has extremely poor character?
On the way back, Li Zhu pondered the cause and effect of everything. If the whole scheme started when Li Xian'er appeared in his life, then it was all too terrifying. The other party had taken everything into account, including the sibling relationship between him and Xian'er...
After Li Zhu left, the banquet ended, and the emperor immediately went to Li Xian'er's body...
Looking at his beloved little princess, whose face and arms were covered in bruises, he wondered how much suffering she must have endured to become like this.
"Xian'er..."
The emperor cried out in anguish, but Li Xian'er, now a corpse, could not give him any response…
"Your father will definitely avenge you..."
The Emperor, holding Li Xian'er's small hand, roared angrily!
"Yes, the Crown Prince must be punished as he deserves. Our Xian'er is still so young, and he actually committed such a heinous act; he is utterly devoid of conscience..."
Consort Zhu also cried out in agreement!
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