Over these past few days, Wang Zheng had consulted several coroners, all confirming that Wang Second Son had indeed died by running into the wall without any external force or coercion. This explained both his wounds and the blood spatter pattern on the wall of the Justice Ministry’s prison cell.

Wang Zheng knelt in the hall, head bowed in silence.

“I heard you agreed to an autopsy. Was any poison found in Wang Second Son’s body?” Emperor Youning asked again.

Wang Zheng could only kowtow and answer: “None was found.”

“So this means Wang Second Son truly did commit suicide?” Emperor Youning said.

Wang Zheng fell silent again. Though the investigation showed this result, he still couldn’t believe his eldest legitimate grandson would take his own life.

Wang Zheng’s attitude made Emperor Youning laugh in anger: “Do you think he killed himself because he couldn’t endure torture, or to protect you?”

“Your Majesty…” Wang Zheng’s face showed grief. He opened his mouth wanting to say he hadn’t intended to harm the Crown Prince, but he couldn’t explain away the Lantern Festival incident that Emperor Youning had shown him evidence of. He had a record of attempting to harm the Crown Prince, even if his original intention was only to force the Crown Prince to expose himself, not to harbor thoughts of killing the heir apparent.

However, any explanation now would be too feeble.

“Wang Zheng, I raised you from a second legitimate son to head of the family, passing over your elder legitimate brother,” Emperor Youning looked at Wang Zheng expressionlessly. “I elevated you from a ninth-rank minor official to one of the Three Chancellors today. I can say I have treated you well.”

Wang Zheng’s eyes reddened as he kowtowed again: “Your Majesty’s grace in recognizing me, this guilty subject feels it deeply in his heart, and can only repay a fraction with absolute loyalty. These years, this guilty subject has served diligently, never daring to harbor the slightest defiance against Your Majesty. Only during the Lantern Festival did this subject act rashly in great disrespect to the Crown Prince. I request Your Majesty’s punishment.”

He only admitted to the Lantern Festival incident. The rest was not his doing. He never imagined he would one day fall into such a large trap, and that the person who dug this trap was barely twenty years old.

The Crown Prince, whom everyone had overlooked, was the most fearsome person.

He was ruthless enough to risk using deadly poison to destroy his own eyes just to deal with Wang Zheng.

Even now, neither Wang Zheng nor Emperor Youning had considered that Xiao Huayong’s eyes had been injured previously.

This was because Xiao Huayong had been unharmed when he returned to the capital, and in their understanding, his eyes had never been damaged after his return.

“Jizou needs a governor. You will go there,” Emperor Youning said wearily after a long while.

Wang Zheng closed his eyes in despair before kowtowing in thanks: “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is not to be underestimated. Your Majesty…”

“The Crown Prince is my legitimate son. I cultivate Fifth Brother and Eighth Brother because his life will be short,” Emperor Youning interrupted Wang Zheng. “If he could live long and was capable of great responsibility, why would I need to nurture others?”

“The Crown Prince’s heart is not aligned with Your Majesty’s…” Wang Zheng argued urgently.

Hearing this, Emperor Youning showed an indecipherable smile: “I was once a prince too. Tell me, which of my sons’ hearts is truly aligned with mine?”

Wang Zheng was speechless.

Any prince who wanted to become emperor could not possibly be of one mind with the current emperor – this was something Emperor Youning never deceived himself about.

“The Crown Prince marrying the Shen family, Your Majesty…”

Emperor Youning waved his hand: “You may withdraw. Depart early.”

Wang Second Son’s suicide in prison and Wang Zheng’s demotion to the governor of Jizou – a poor region, dropping several ranks – was an explanation given to the Crown Prince. The Minister of War was promoted to Vice Director of the Chancellery, and General Pei Zhan of the Imperial Guard took over as Minister of War.

“His Majesty places much trust in the Pei family,” Shen Xihe had to take note of the Pei family upon hearing this.

The Pei family was the maternal clan of Eighth Prince King Jing Xiao Changyan. They were once a great clan with both civil officials and military generals, though now their numbers had dwindled. Pei Zhan was nearly fifty, with all three sons dead in battle, leaving only one grandson, Pei Ce, who served beside King Jing.

It was said that Pei Ce was Xiao Changyan’s military advisor, capable in both strategy and combat, with quite a reputation in Annan.

“There have long been rumors in the capital that King Xin and King Jing are His Majesty’s favored replacements for the Eastern Palace,” Bu Shulin said.

One emphasized civil matters, one military, but in truth, both excelled in both civil and military affairs.

“How much do you know about King Jing?” Shen Xihe asked.

Bu Shulin raised her eyebrows: “What? Are you planning to keep someone in reserve?”

In case something happened to the Crown Prince, for a second spring?

Shen Xihe sometimes really wanted to crack open Bu Shulin’s skull to see inside: “Shall I relay these words to the Crown Prince?”

“No, no, no… need,” Bu Shulin shook her head like a rattle drum. “I was just joking…”

After an ingratiating smile, Bu Shulin thought seriously: “King Jing was a spirited young man before going to war – brave, decisive, mature beyond his years, open-minded, with many friends.”

After he went to war, she didn’t know anymore. After four or five years away and experiencing bloody battles, who knew what kind of person he had become?

Seeing Shen Xihe lost in thought, Bu Shulin said: “Don’t you have the Crown Prince? This should be his concern.”

Shen Xihe smiled without comment.

“Don’t think about these things. Let’s go outside and look around. The spring examinations are in a few days, and it’s quite lively out there now,” Bu Shulin rubbed her hands together, eyes full of anticipation.

“No,” It was precisely because it was lively that Shen Xihe rejected it. When there were many people, the mixed qi made her uncomfortable. “Haven’t you forgotten? Now that Wang Second Son’s case is closed, Assistant Minister Cui will have free time…”

These days Bu Shulin had been as happy as a free bird every day, because the Court of Judicial Review had been busy investigating the polo incident due to Wang Second Son’s suicide and His Majesty’s rebuke, leaving no time to watch Bu Shulin.

Bu Shulin’s smile instantly froze on her face. After a moment she said quietly: “Youyou, do you have any way to temporarily transfer Cui Stone Head away from the capital, let him clear his head somewhere else?”

Bu Shulin was being driven crazy by Cui Jinbai. He took every opportunity to throw back at her all those words she had once said to him.

She had found it satisfying when she annoyed others before, but now being annoyed by Cui Jinbai made her realize how wrong she had been.

“Truly a woman’s heart is most poisonous – you’re thinking of getting him demoted,” Shen Xihe clicked her tongue.

Bu Shulin was stunned.

What did she just hear? Shen Xihe called her poisonous?

Anyone else in the world could call her poisonous, but Shen Xihe had no right. She had never seen anyone more poisonous than Shen Xihe.

Daring to kill a princess, plot against a prince, even scheme against the emperor!

But faced with Shen Xihe’s ambiguous smile, she dared not argue.

Just then, Hong Yu came in, suppressing a smile as she glanced at Bu Shulin and said to Shen Xihe: “Princess, there are constables from the Court of Judicial Review outside, saying they’ve come to…”

“Arrest me to assist with their investigation,” Bu Shulin finished for Hong Yu, eyes blank and lifeless.

Hong Yu, Zhenzhu, and the others all lowered their heads, holding back laughter.

Even Short Life, lying on the table, suddenly raised a paw to cover its mouth as if stifling a laugh.

“Go quickly. No need to visit me these next two days. We’ll meet again at the Spring Banquet in four days,” Shen Xihe urged mercilessly.