Chapter 183: Deposed Crown Prince
Li Jincheng seemed unconvinced. He looked at her carefully and was about to speak when the palace door opened.
Xu Yishan came out and said, "Your Highness, His Majesty invites you into the palace."
"Okay, I'll be right there." Li Jincheng straightened his clothes and entered the hall nervously after making sure that everything was fine.
As soon as he entered the door, a glass cup flew towards him, but because it lacked strength, it fell to the ground in mid-air.
"Rebel, son!" Tongxu's eyes were filled with anger.
"Father, please calm down." Li Jincheng knelt on the ground with his legs weakened. "Father, please take care of yourself."
Emperor Tongxu panted heavily, his wheezing like a broken bellows, "You, you wish I would die soon, so that the Great Zhou would fall into your hands and you can do whatever you want!"
Li Jincheng was stunned. "Father, I don't know why you are so angry. If I have done anything wrong, please scold me, but please don't hurt the dragon body."
Emperor Tongxu's old eyes were filled with anger, "Do you think I am so hopelessly stupid?"
Li Jincheng said: "I don't understand what your Majesty means, please explain it to me."
"How did you get your palace and the concubines in it?" Emperor Tongxu asked.
Li Jincheng's face turned pale immediately, "Your son, your son..."
Emperor Tongxu asked: "Li Jincheng, do you know what I mean by giving you the name Jincheng?"
Li Jincheng bowed his head deeply, "I know that my father has high hopes for me, and I will inherit his legacy."
"You are greedy for pleasure, obsessed with beauty, and forming cliques for personal gain. All these things show that you are unworthy of your position. If I hand over the kingdom of Great Zhou to you, I will be ashamed of my ancestors."
Emperor Tongxu picked up something nearby and threw it at him again. Li Jincheng didn't dare to dodge.
The inkstone hit him hard on the head. He gritted his teeth and endured it. Soon a stream of blood flowed from his forehead.
"Father," Li Jincheng cried, "I know I was wrong."
Emperor Tongxu was furious. "Ge Liangji had pointed out you when he was alive. You embezzled the funds for repairing the river embankment. I held back because I thought you hadn't gotten too far. I didn't expect you to..."
Emperor Tongxu was so angry that he could not speak. After a moment's pause, he said, "I never thought that you would collude with Marquis Xuanping and empty the granary in the southwest."
Li Jincheng suddenly raised his head and said, "Father, I am wronged.
I have never touched the Southwest granary."
Emperor Tongxu sneered, "When the battle of Yanliang Pass broke out, you were worried about being exposed, so you set your sights on the military rations. Should I be relieved? My good son, Liang Jianfang and Ge Liangji are both your scapegoats!"
"Father." Li Jincheng knelt over and hugged Emperor Tongxu's legs. "There must be something hidden in this case. This son has never done such a thing."
With a clatter, Emperor Tongxu threw the things on the table away.
"Don't tell me that this was all done by Marquis Xuanping alone."
"Your Majesty, I did take the silver from the Ministry of Revenue." Li Jincheng said sadly, "I have never heard of stealing grain and transporting it. Please believe me, Father."
Emperor Tongxu kicked Li Jincheng in the chest. Although he was too weak to lift any strength, he still kicked the prince to the ground.
With a "swish", Emperor Tongxu grabbed the confession on the table and threw it at Li Jincheng's face.
"Look carefully for me!"
Li Jincheng hurriedly grabbed the thin pieces of paper and glanced at them quickly. The more he looked, the paler his face became.
The blood that flowed from his forehead had already solidified on his face, making him look even more terrifying.
"No, this is not right." Li Jinchen quickly flipped through the confession, "This is a frame-up! This is a frame-up!"
He looked at Emperor Tongxu, "Father, someone wants me dead."
"It's not that someone wants you dead." Emperor Tongxu said sternly, "It's you who wants the Great Zhou to perish! Xuanping Hou is your uncle. Don't you think I don't know how much effort he has put in behind the scenes to ensure that you can sit firmly on the throne of the Crown Prince?"
"Marquis Xuanping endured a month of hardship in prison without saying a word, just to protect you. If it weren't for Pei Chunli's persuasion, I would have been kept in the dark by you."
Li Jincheng could not accept this fact at all. With tears streaming down his face, he said, "I admit what I have done, but I will never admit what I have not done, even if I die."
"Then you should die to show your loyalty!" Emperor Tongxu was so angry that he spoke without restraint.
His voice seemed to have aged a few years. "I feel ashamed of my ancestors and the Great Zhou. The Great Zhou cannot be handed over to someone like you."
"Father!" Li Jincheng was horrified. "Son, please give me a chance. I really haven't done it."
"Opportunity." Emperor Tongxu said: "If I give you a chance,
Where do the opportunities for the Great Zhou come from, and where are the opportunities for the millions of refugees?"
"It's written in black and white. You can't argue." Emperor Tongxu said, "Someone come!"
Shen Yu stepped into the palace, "I am here."
"Immediately take Li Jincheng to the clan residence and do not allow him to leave without permission. He will be tried after the case is closed."
"yes."
"Come here, draft an edict."
Emperor Tongxu started coughing violently, and a stain of blood immediately appeared on his handkerchief.
He threw it aside and said with one breath: "Draft an edict to depose the crown prince."
"I have inherited the great cause of my ancestors and have been maintaining peace and order in the world. Crown Prince Jincheng has violated the virtues of his ancestors and disobeyed my instructions. He has monopolized power, gathered his followers, and acted recklessly... recklessly..."
"puff--"
A mouthful of blood gushed out from Emperor Tongxu's mouth and splashed onto the imperial edict.
It was daybreak, but the dark clouds were still hanging overhead, like a lingering haze, covering this prosperous capital city.
The Jiaofangsi opened the door and saw the person knocking on the door was wearing a dragon robe. He hurriedly said respectfully: "Oh, it's you, sir. Why did you come so early today? It's still early. Let's go inside--"
"I'm looking for someone." Chen Yu interrupted him.
"Still looking for Fuyao? She..."
Chen Yu took the scabbard and pushed the person aside, then walked straight into the Jiaofangsi.
During the month since Marquis Xuanping was arrested, she had come to the Jiaofangsi to look for Fuyao several times.
Xie Tingzhou was right. Fu Yao seemed unreliable, but Ge Liangji did not choose the wrong person. She tried to coerce and bribe him several times, but failed to get the account book out of him.
Now that the situation has been decided, the prince can no longer turn the tables. Those people will get the punishment they deserve, and the 100,000 soldiers should be able to rest in peace.
The account book is just the icing on the cake. She wants to clear the fog and let all the secrets see the light of day.
Fuyao served tea and knelt beside him, "Your Excellency has come here six or seven times."
Chen Yu picked up the teacup and said, "I hope this is the last time."
"My Lord, I am very grateful to you for saving me that night." Fu Yao smiled, "But the lives of several people in the Ge family are tied to the account book. I can't take the risk."
Chen Yu stared at her closely, "The Emperor has already ordered the prince to be imprisoned. Now that the threat to you has been resolved, the account book is of no use to you."
Fu Yao seemed to be stunned for a moment.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
