Chapter 107
The sky was just beginning to brighten, the morning light fading. Within the Eastern Palace, a solemn silence had already settled. The palace attendants lowered their hands, held their breath, and even walked on tiptoe, fearing to disturb the solemnity of the impending storm.
Shen Yanzhi had already changed into a dark, patterned court robe, his hair tied with a jade crown, which made his expression even more stern. He didn't leave immediately, but stood by the window, watching the branches of the old locust tree in the courtyard sway gently in the morning breeze. Song Qingyuan straightened his slightly wrinkled collar, and when her fingertips touched the skin of his neck, she could feel the thunderous power hidden beneath his steady heartbeat.
"Are you all ready?" she asked softly. There was no worry in her voice, only complete trust.
"Yeah." Shen Yanzhi turned around and held her hand. Her hand was a little cold, so he wrapped it with his palm. "You didn't sleep well last night. Wait until I come back and get some rest."
Song Qingyuan shook his head, his eyes reflecting his tall figure. "Your Highness, this journey will not be an easy one. Father's thoughts are as deep as the ocean. He must not only maintain the reputation of the royal family, but also balance the forces within the court. Moreover, he wants to...test your methods and determination."
"I understand." Shen Yanzhi's eyes were as calm as water. "He is my father, but first and foremost, he is the emperor. I will not let him down, and I will not let you down either."
He said nothing more, simply giving her a deep look. That glance spoke volumes, a tacit understanding of fighting side by side, and a commitment to a future. Then, he turned and strode out of the bedroom. Outside, Lin Xiaoshu followed, a solemn expression on his face, clutching a heavy rosewood box.
Imperial study.
The air was filled with the lingering scent of sandalwood, and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. The emperor sat upright behind the dragon throne, twirling a string of Buddhist beads in his hand, his eyes slightly closed, as if in a state of meditation. He wore no dragon robes today, only a bright yellow casual dress, which only accentuated his natural imperial majesty.
Shen Yanzhi knelt below, and on the ground in front of him, several things were neatly placed: an account book with a worn cover, a pile of celadon bottle fragments, and a small handful of white powder carefully wrapped in a brocade handkerchief.
"Is this what you said, catching the perpetrator red-handed?" The emperor finally opened his eyes, his voice unrecognizable as either happy or angry. His gaze wasn't on Chen Yanzhi, but on the evidence.
"Yes, Father." Shen Yanzhi straightened his back. "This is the secret account book of Manager Qian of Huichun Hall. It records in detail the entire flow of money withdrawn from Huichun Hall over the past few years under the guise of 'purchasing medicinal herbs' in exchange for this poison powder. These broken bottles and jars and the poison powder were seized last night from the servants sent by the Wei Palace to destroy the evidence."
The emperor said nothing, but simply winked at the old eunuch beside him, Chen Gonggong. Chen Gonggong understood, bowed forward, carefully picked up the account book, and presented it to the emperor.
The emperor flipped through the pages one by one, leaving only the rustling of paper in the imperial study. His expression grew increasingly gloomy. When he saw the words "Eastern Palace Kitchen, Purchased by a surnamed Chen, 50 taels of silver, 3 qian of almond powder," his knuckles tightened sharply around the page. That was exactly the method and dosage Shen Ruyi had used to poison Song Qingyuan.
With a thud, the emperor slammed the account book onto his desk, his chest heaving violently. "Call the chief judge of the Imperial Hospital to examine this immediately! Then call... the King of Wei!"
The last two words were almost squeezed out from between teeth.
The waiting was a long, agonizing process. Shen Yanzhi remained kneeling there, motionless, like a stone statue. He knew this was his father's test of him. To see if he could hold his composure, to see if this brief silence would shake him.
Soon, Wei Wang Shen Yanheng hurried over. As soon as he entered the room, he saw the things on the ground and Shen Yanzhi. His heart skipped a beat, but his face immediately showed an expression of grievance and resentment.
"Father! Please help me!" The King of Wei sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "I don't know which villain's slander the Crown Prince believed, but he actually sent troops to raid the shops where my son's palace does business. Now, he's got these things from who knows where to slander me! Father, I'm innocent!"
He cried sincerely, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
The emperor looked at him coldly without saying a word, as if he was looking at a clown.
At that moment, the Imperial Hospital's chief judge, sweating profusely, ran in, carrying a medicine box. He knelt down upon entering, "Your Majesty, I have verified that this powder... is extracted from the highly toxic bitter almond. Even a small amount is enough to kill. Its toxicity is... exactly the same as the poison that the Crown Princess was poisoned with last time!"
These words hit the King of Wei like a heavy hammer. His crying stopped abruptly and his face turned pale in an instant.
"Chen Yanheng." The emperor finally spoke, his voice cold and without a trace of warmth, "What else do you have to say?"
"No...it's not me! Father, this is all a frame-up! It's the Crown Prince! He set a trap for me!" King Wei argued incoherently, pointing at Shen Yanzhi, "This account book is forged! He also found this poison powder! Father, please understand!"
"Forgery?" The emperor picked up the account book and hurled it at the Prince of Wei. "Open your eyes and look! Every single payment in and out of this account is signed by your chief steward! A quick check will reveal the exact amount your household's expenses matched the money you withdrew from Huichun Hall! Do you think I'm a child who can be fooled by you?"
The account book hit the King of Wei's head and scattered to the ground. He looked at the familiar handwriting and seals, his mind blank, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back. He knew he was doomed. The accounts were so flawless that it was impossible for an outsider to check them, unless... unless it was a traitor!
"As a prince, you don't care about sharing the country's worries or the emperor's hard work. Instead, you form a clique for personal gain, frame the crown prince, and even... murder the heir apparent!" The emperor's rage finally erupted. He stood up abruptly, pointed at the King of Wei's nose, and trembled with anger. "You rebellious son! I was so blind to indulge such a heartless person like you!"
"Father, please spare me! Father, please spare me!" The King of Wei completely collapsed. He gave up all excuses and kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead hitting the hard gold bricks with a dull sound. "I know I was wrong! I was confused for a moment and was deceived by a villain! Father, please consider me your own flesh and blood and forgive me this time!"
Looking at his ugly appearance, Shen Yanzhi's eyes were calm. He knew that this was just the beginning.
The emperor gasped violently, his chest threatening to explode. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the rage in them had turned to a bone-chilling coldness.
"Someone come!"
"Here!" Two guards came in.
"Catch the rebellious prince Chen Yanheng for me! Take off his crown and imprison him in the clan house. No one is allowed to visit him without my order!" The emperor's voice was not loud, but it was filled with unquestionable majesty.
"Father---" King Wei let out a desperate wail and wanted to beg again, but the guards held his arms on each side, blocked his mouth, and dragged him out.
Silence finally returned to the imperial study.
The emperor seemed drained of all his strength, and he slumped back onto the throne. He looked at Shen Yanzhi, who was kneeling on the ground, with a complex expression. There was relief, approval, but more than that, a deep sense of exhaustion.
"Perform it."
"Your son is here."
"You did a great job on this matter," the emperor paused, then added, "but your methods were too hasty and too risky. The incident caused such a big stir that the entire capital was watching. The King of Wei is certainly guilty, but the royal family has also lost face."
Chen Yanzhi lowered his eyes. "I acknowledge my guilt. But without drastic measures, I cannot deter these scoundrels. The King of Wei dared to attack the Eastern Palace because he relied on my father's favor and felt safe. If we don't root them out today, they will become a serious threat in the future."
The emperor was silent for a long time, then he sighed deeply. "Forget it... Stand up. Do you have any plans for how to deal with this matter going forward?"
"Your Majesty, Huichun Hall is the source of this evil and must be strictly investigated and shut down. Its owner and employees must all be imprisoned and interrogated. As for the Prince of Wei's Mansion..." Shen Yanzhi raised his head, his eyes blazing. "When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. But the Prince of Wei's followers are everywhere in the court and across the country, with entangled roots. If we don't eliminate them all, they might spring up again."
A sharp light flashed in the emperor's eyes: "What do you want to do?"
"I beg Your Majesty to allow me to take charge of this case. I promise to eliminate only the ringleader and not escalate the situation. I will strive to restore order to the court in the shortest possible time."
This wasn't just a request, it was also a token of his loyalty. He wanted to use this opportunity to completely purge the power that King Wei had built up over the years from the court.
The emperor gazed at him. This heir whom he had personally nurtured had now grown into a fully-fledged man, possessing the courage and skill to stand on his own. He felt both gratified and a sense of inexplicable loss.
"Okay." Finally, the emperor nodded. "I approve. Chen De," he turned to the old eunuch beside him, "pass on my order. This case will be handled solely by the Crown Prince, with the three courts jointly adjudicating, and the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Censorate fully cooperating. I demand to see a result."
"As you wish."
Shen Yanzhi bowed deeply: "Your son, I accept your order."
When he left the imperial study, the sky outside was already bright. Golden sunlight shone on his dark court robes, outlining a tall, resolute silhouette. He knew they had won the first battle of this war. But the real hard work had just begun.
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