“Alright, alright! Stop kowtowing!” The Emperor’s voice softened.

Though Prince Liang had done wrong, it was still out of filial piety. The Emperor couldn’t help but be moved, especially seeing the deep and shallow knife scars on Prince Liang’s arms. Thinking of how this child had used his blood to refine medicine for himself, his heart softened.

The Emperor didn’t have many sons, but neither few. However, none could compare to Prince Liang’s filial piety—not even the Crown Prince.

“Imperial Father!” Prince Liang crawled forward on his knees two steps and embraced the Emperor’s legs. “Imperial Father… your son never expected this matter to become so serious. Imperial Father, just pretend you know nothing of this matter. Your son will take full responsibility! It’s just that your son won’t be able to serve at the Imperial Father’s side anymore. Imperial Father must not overwork yourself, and please take care of your health!”

The Emperor looked down at Prince Liang, who was holding his legs and crying. Rather than pleading for himself, he was asking him to take care of his health. The Emperor couldn’t help but be moved. For a moment, his paternal feelings took the upper hand. He slowly raised his hand and patted Prince Liang’s head, saying softly: “Alright! Stop crying!”

“Your Majesty…” Gao Demao called loudly from outside the hall. “Patrol Battalion Commander Fan Yuhuai requests an audience. He says the Wang family on Nine Curves Alley, whom the couple who beat the Dengwen Drum accused, has caught fire. Many children were rescued from the Wang family—all recently missing children. Some had broken arms, some had severed legs, a tragic sight! The older ones could still say they were from farming households in Shouyang’s outskirts, kidnapped by bandits, wanting to return to find their parents.”

The Emperor and Prince Liang were having a private conversation in the hall with no one present. Even Gao Demao didn’t dare enter rashly and could only report from the hall entrance.

The Wang family of Nine Curves Alley…

The Emperor raised his eyebrows slightly and looked down at Prince Liang, who was holding him and crying bitterly. His heart stirred, and he spoke: “Your filial piety, though you did wrong… but you are my son, and I will still protect you!”

Prince Liang’s face was streaked with tears as he looked up at the Emperor: “But… but Imperial Father, they’ve beaten the Dengwen Drum—it can’t be concealed!”

The Emperor looked at his foolish son, crouched down to meet Prince Liang at eye level, and instructed: “You know nothing about this matter—it has nothing to do with you! Everything was done by the Wang family! They merely took advantage of your good nature and used your banner to conduct their affairs! You know nothing! Do you remember?”

Prince Liang was slightly stunned: “But… but there’s still the alchemy furnace in your son’s residence, and those children’s corpses—some haven’t been transported out yet and are still in Prince Liang’s mansion…”

“I am the Son of Heaven. If I say it has nothing to do with you, then it has nothing to do with you! Just remember that! Leave everything else to Imperial Father!” After speaking, the Emperor stood up, looked at the weak but filial Prince Liang, patted his head, and said, “Go now!”

Prince Liang pretended to be completely bewildered, kowtowed to the Emperor, then withdrew from the great hall to wait outside with Gao Demao.

In less than half the time it takes to brew tea, the Emperor finally stepped out of the great hall and walked toward the study with Prince Liang.

As soon as the Emperor arrived, Fan Yuhuai stepped forward to report the fire at the Wang family of Nine Curves Alley and the discovery of missing or kidnapped young children: “All members of the Wang family have been arrested and imprisoned.”

“Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance and involves the imperial family. Please immediately dispatch people to search Prince Liang’s mansion!” The Imperial Censor stepped forward and said to the Emperor. “If this matter is true, decisive action should be taken!”

Everyone present understood what “decisive action” meant—only the Imperial Censor dared to say such words.

Prince Liang looked up at the Emperor. Receiving the Emperor’s signal, Prince Liang quickly cried: “Imperial Father! Imperial Father, your son knows nothing, Imperial Father!”

The Crown Prince saw Prince Liang kneeling, trembling in the hall, and leaned over to whisper to the Emperor: “Imperial Father, Prince Liang is your son’s brother. Your son believes Prince Liang is kind-hearted and not someone who would disregard human life and use children to refine elixirs! Imperial Father can send Commander Fan Yuhuai to Prince Liang’s mansion to search for evidence and clear Prince Liang’s name!”

Seeing this, Dali Temple Minister Lu Jin also stepped forward: “Yes, Your Majesty! If Prince Liang truly knows nothing, why not send people to investigate his residence thoroughly to avoid wronging Prince Liang?”

Prince Liang looked at the Emperor with both shock and fear, his gaze full of pleading.

The Emperor pressed his lips together and looked at Fan Yuhuai: “Have the Wang family members been interrogated?”

Fan Yuhuai was stunned and shook his head: “Not yet.”

Interrogation wasn’t the responsibility of their Patrol Battalion!

“Without interrogating the Wang family members first, you want to search Prince Liang’s mansion… If word gets out, what face would the imperial family have left?!” The Emperor’s voice carried anger. After calming down slightly, he said, “Fan Yuhuai, take your men and surround Prince Liang’s mansion. Don’t let anyone in or out!”

“Your subject obeys!” Fan Yuhuai accepted the order and left the great hall.

The Emperor’s fingers lightly stroked the dragon-embroidered round cushion, his eyes darkening as he called: “Minister Lu…”

Dali Temple Minister Lu Jin quickly stepped forward: “Your subject is here!”

“The Wang family members are entrusted to you for interrogation. If you truly uncover connections to Prince Liang… it won’t be too late to search Prince Liang’s mansion then!” The Emperor’s gaze fell on Prince Liang again. “Prince Liang should return to his residence and stay there for now! If you’ve been wronged, Imperial Father absolutely won’t let anyone falsely accuse you!”

“Your son obeys!”

“Your subject obeys!” Lu Jin kowtowed, accepted the order, and withdrew from the hall.

After leaving the great hall, Lu Jin looked at the bright sunny day and squinted. The Emperor’s words just now clearly showed he was determined to protect Prince Liang, speaking for him to hear.

Lu Jin clenched his fists and was about to descend the high steps when he heard the Crown Prince call him.

He quickly turned and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness!”

“Thank you for your hard work, Minister Lu! Please ensure you uphold justice for the people. What I fear most is that the common people will lose faith in the imperial family, thinking the imperial family only protects its interests and treats the people like grass! How many dynasties throughout history have fallen precisely because they completely lost the people’s hearts! Minister Lu… Imperial Father has entrusted the imperial family to you!”

Lu Jin raised his eyebrows. He couldn’t quite understand the Crown Prince’s meaning—was he hoping he would uncover connections to Prince Liang, or hoping he would find no connections to the imperial family?

The Crown Prince looked around, then stepped forward to help Lu Jin up: “If Prince Liang is truly involved, only by Minister Lu acting justly and the imperial family not showing favoritism can we win the people’s hearts completely.”

Lu Jin suddenly understood and bowed deeply again: “Your Highness, rest assured. Your subject will report the interrogation results truthfully.”

The Crown Prince smiled and nodded: “Minister Lu, please attend to your duties!”

Lu Jin withdrew several steps while bowing, then lifted his official robes’ hem and walked toward the steps.

As soon as Lu Jin left the palace, he immediately ordered people to bring all the Wang family members to Dali Temple.

The common people saw the Patrol Battalion impressively surround Prince Liang’s mansion and all watched eagerly, waiting for the Emperor to order a search of Prince Liang’s mansion. But they only saw soldiers surrounding the mansion without anyone going in to search, causing much discussion.

Lu Jin was still waiting at Dali Temple for his subordinates to bring the prisoners. But half an hour later, the subordinate who went to fetch them returned to report to Lu Jin that all members of the Wang family had committed suicide in prison, leaving behind a confession letter.