When Zhen Shicheng met with Emperor Jingming, he noticed a dejected look on the Emperor’s face.
Zhen Shicheng silently sighed to himself.
The Emperor was truly resilient. If he had a son like the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t just be dejected; his beard would have fallen out from worry.
“What brings you here, Minister Zhen?” the Emperor asked.
“Your Majesty, I presided over a case a few days ago that requires your attention.”
After deliberating for half the night, he had decided to report to the Emperor.
The Crown Prince was rotten to the core. Deposing and reinstating him would not benefit the state, but rather bring calamity to the Great Zhou!
What if he were deposed a second time? What if there was temporary unrest? Selecting an heir who, if not outstanding, was at least normal, would allow the Great Zhou to continue.
As a minister and a loyal one at that, he shouldn’t meddle in such affairs.
But having eaten the Emperor’s grain, he bore the Emperor’s worries. He couldn’t stand by and watch the Great Zhou fall into the hands of such an heir apparent, only to perish.
Of course, his actions were extremely risky. If the Crown Prince successfully ascended the throne, he would surely face a terrible fate.
But he had accepted that possibility!
Emperor Jingming stared at Zhen Shicheng, suddenly raising his hand to press his eyelids.
Oh no, his eyelid was twitching again!
Zhen Shicheng’s resolve hung in the air.
He was waiting for the Emperor to respond, but why was the Emperor just staring at him and pressing his eyelids without saying a word?
“Ahem,” Zhen Shicheng cleared his throat softly.
Emperor Jingming finally steeled himself and asked, “What kind of case?”
Zhen Shicheng secretly sighed in relief.
As long as the Emperor was willing to engage, he could continue.
“This case involves the Crown Prince—”
Emperor Jingming abruptly stood up, then sat back down under Zhen Shicheng’s surprised gaze. His voice sounded unlike his own: “Go on, what has the Crown Prince done now?”
The word “now” made Zhen Shicheng feel even more sympathetic towards Emperor Jingming.
“A few days ago, a young woman came to the Shuntian Prefecture office and beat the drum, seeking the father of the child in her womb. The man she’s looking for is none other than the Crown Prince—”
“Wait!” Emperor Jingming interrupted Zhen Shicheng. “Minister Zhen, are you saying the Crown Prince is involved with a woman outside the palace?”
The Crown Prince could leave the palace daily before he had his head smashed, but surely that wasn’t enough time to father a child?
At this moment, Emperor Jingming admired his rationality, still able to analyze so much.
Perhaps he was so disappointed in that scoundrel that nothing he did seemed surprising anymore.
Emperor Jingming thought self-mockingly.
“Who is this woman?”
“Your Majesty, the woman is from Jinli Town in Qianhe County. Her husband is called Du Er, and the townspeople refer to her as Du’s wife.”
Emperor Jingming asked, his face dark, enunciating each word: “This woman is married?”
Zhen Shicheng lowered his gaze and said, “According to the woman, one of the Crown Prince’s eunuchs made a deal with Du Er, sending her to the Crown Prince’s side for a few days. Later, Du Er squandered all the silver he received and even incurred gambling debts. When he discovered she was with child, he forced her to come to the capital to ask the Crown Prince for more silver. After arriving in the capital, not knowing how to find the Crown Prince, she came to the Shuntian Prefecture office for help…”
Emperor Jingming admired his ability to listen calmly, though he kept picking up and putting down the white jade paperweight on his desk, making Zhen Shicheng nervous.
If the Emperor became too angry, would he throw the paperweight at him?
Ahem, hopefully, the Emperor could hold on a little longer and wait for the Crown Prince to arrive.
After a while, Emperor Jingming slowly exhaled and said, “The woman’s words are just one side of the story—”
Zhen Shicheng promptly presented the dragon-patterned jade pendant.
Emperor Jingming gripped the jade pendant tightly, his face ashen.
He had certainly seen this pendant before.
Zhen Shicheng didn’t forget to explain: “The woman said it was given to her by the Crown Prince.”
He then presented a case file.
“I ordered an investigation in Qianhe County. These are the testimonies obtained…”
Zhen Shicheng didn’t know whether to sympathize with the Crown Prince for being so easily caught in his infidelity. It was his fault for not understanding the principle of not making trouble close to home, targeting a woman from Jinli Town, and then appearing before the townspeople to make grand speeches, ensuring that everyone in town remembered him…
Emperor Jingming read the case file and closed his eyes.
Zhen Shicheng waited silently.
After a long while, Emperor Jingming opened his eyes and said, “Minister Zhen, you may withdraw for now. Make sure the woman is properly accommodated.”
Zhen Shicheng responded with a “Yes” and left the Imperial Study.
Outside, the sky was clear and the clouds were light, but his heart was shrouded in gloom.
The Emperor hadn’t summoned the Crown Prince for a face-to-face confrontation. Was he planning to cover up the Crown Prince’s scandal, or… to protect him, the minister who had accused the Crown Prince?
Whichever the case, did it mean that the Crown Prince’s position as heir apparent was unshakeable?
The usually astute Zhen Shicheng felt a rare moment of confusion.
Shortly after Zhen Shicheng left, Emperor Jingming summoned the Crown Prince.
“Father, you’re finally willing to see me. I haven’t had the chance to tell you that I truly know my mistakes now. I won’t do such foolish things again…” The Crown Prince was somewhat excited, seeing Emperor Jingming for the first time in days.
The Crown Princess had told him to sincerely repent, and he had followed her advice, actively seeking out his father to admit his mistakes. But his father had repeatedly refused to see him.
Now, surely his sincerity had finally moved his father’s heart!
Looking at the excited Crown Prince, Pan Hai secretly cast a sympathetic glance.
In the past, the Emperor couldn’t stand seeing the Crown Prince so timid, yet every time he came, he was like this. Now that he had finally changed his demeanor, the result was…
“You truly know your mistakes?” Emperor Jingming murmured these words.
The Crown Prince nodded vigorously: “I truly know my mistakes. I will never act recklessly again or hide anything from you.”
Emperor Jingming pushed the dragon-patterned jade pendant towards him.
The Crown Prince’s face turned pale as soon as he saw it.
“Is this yours?”
The Crown Prince shook his head violently, then halfway through started nodding, his voice barely audible: “It’s mine…”
“Then tell me about this jade pendant,” Emperor Jingming said, sounding somewhat listless.
For some reason, this time he couldn’t even muster the energy to feel angry. Perhaps this was what it meant to have a heart turned to ashes.
Thinking this, Emperor Jingming felt utterly miserable.
“I…” the Crown Prince opened his mouth, completely at a loss for words.
Heaven was toying with him!
He also wanted to know what was going on with this jade pendant. How had it ended up in his father’s hands?
“No more deception?” Emperor Jingming smiled coldly.
The Crown Prince suddenly felt terrified. Steeling himself, he confessed everything, thinking bitterly: As long as he could get through this ordeal, he would grind those lowly commoners to dust in the future.
Emperor Jingming kept his eyes fixed on the Crown Prince, catching a fleeting glimpse of cruelty in his eyes. His heart grew colder.
At this moment, he had only one thought: This son probably couldn’t be saved.
But deposing the Crown Prince a second time wasn’t a simple matter.
“Return to the Eastern Palace,” he said.
“Father—”
Emperor Jingming gave the Crown Prince a look, his gaze unfathomably deep.
The Crown Prince instinctively sensed danger, his face turning deathly pale.
“Go,” Emperor Jingming waved his hand.
As the Crown Prince left the Imperial Study, he thought in a daze: Despite his earlier pretense of memory loss and today’s events, his father hadn’t mentioned any punishment. What was wrong with his father?