Emperor Jingming unconsciously tightened his grip on the white jade paperweight.
As the weather warmed, Emperor Jingming, fearing the heat, had already ordered the braziers removed from the imperial study. Now, as he touched the smooth paperweight, he felt only coldness, mirroring his current mood.
Had he misheard? Did Cui Yi say that Cui Mingyue was killed by his eighth son?
Taking a deep breath, Emperor Jingming struggled to maintain composure as he asked, “Yi’er, where did you hear this news?”
This child hadn’t been seen for a long time since his parents passed away. Could he have been misled by rumors from ill-intentioned people?
Cui Yi’s eyes were red-rimmed, his voice trembling: “I didn’t hear it from anywhere. I saw Mingyue’s bones with my own eyes at Prince Xiang’s mansion!”
“What?” Emperor Jingming had never expected such an answer, nearly dropping the jade paperweight.
He immediately turned to Zhen Shicheng, his voice sharp: “Minister Zhen, explain the details thoroughly!”
By now, although Emperor Jingming didn’t want to admit it, he had already believed Cui Yi’s words.
If Cui Yi had merely heard rumors, Zhen Shicheng wouldn’t have come to the palace with him.
Zhen Shicheng bowed to Emperor Jingming: “Your Majesty, not long ago, I received a report from Prince Xiang’s mansion saying that several princes had discovered a skeleton in an abandoned well there—”
Upon hearing that several princes had made the discovery, Emperor Jingming’s brow twitched. He pointed at Zhen Shicheng with the jade paperweight: “Continue!”
Zhen Shicheng hesitated, quietly taking a step back.
He had heard that several paperweights on the dragon desk had been replaced. Now, with His Majesty holding one, it was rather frightening.
With this worry in mind, Zhen Shicheng continued: “As soon as I heard this, I immediately went there with my men—”
“Get to the point!” Emperor Jingming looked ready to throw the paperweight.
This old Zhen, usually so efficient, where did all this unnecessary talk come from today?
Zhen Shicheng hurriedly recounted what happened after arriving at Prince Xiang’s mansion. As he spoke animatedly, his beard quivered, causing Pan Hai, standing behind Emperor Jingming, to lower his head silently.
Magistrate Zhen was so engrossed in recounting the case that he seemed to forget to consider His Majesty’s feelings.
Pan Hai began to worry. The one who committed the crime was His Majesty’s son. In the coming days, those serving closely like himself would have a difficult time.
Although His Majesty wasn’t a tyrant who would take lives on a whim, even a good-tempered emperor would become picky when in a bad mood.
Just like the lady in charge of personnel affairs, who usually acted submissively towards him, the Chief Eunuch, but dared to talk back to him for a few days each month.
He was magnanimous and couldn’t be bothered to quibble with women.
After Zhen Shicheng spoke animatedly for a full half hour, Emperor Jingming asked gloomily: “Are you finished?”
Zhen Shicheng snapped back to reality, inwardly cursing himself: He had been so caught up in the excitement of solving a long-standing case that he momentarily forgot about His Majesty’s position…
He hurriedly bowed respectfully to Emperor Jingming, trying to keep his tone neutral: “That’s how things stand, Your Majesty. I await your wise judgment—”
Emperor Jingming sat in grim silence.
When it came to investigating cases, old Zhen was the most trustworthy of all of Great Zhou. At this point, even if someone said his eighth son wasn’t the real culprit who killed Cui Mingyue, he couldn’t convince himself.
As the atmosphere grew tense, another eunuch came to report: “Your Majesty, Prince Xiang requests an audience.”
Emperor Jingming slammed the desk: “Denied!”
The eunuch who went to deliver the message soon returned: “Your Majesty, several princes have arrived.”
Emperor Jingming initially wanted to refuse them all, but considering that several of his sons were present when the incident occurred, he changed his mind, clinging to a sliver of hope: “Summon them and General Xiaotian.”
Soon, the eunuch went to relay Emperor Jingming’s decree.
Prince Xiang watched as the others followed the eunuch inside, even a dog trailing behind, while he alone was left outside. He nearly collapsed, his face ashen.
Emperor Jingming’s expression was equally grim as he surveyed his sons entering, his gaze falling on the large dog.
Looking closer, the old emperor almost didn’t recognize it, only realizing when he caught sight of the plump white cat, Jixiang.
“Was it Erniu who discovered the skeleton?”
The princes nodded in unison.
Emperor Jingming asked a few more details before turning to Yu Jin: “Seventh, why did you think to bring Erniu when you went to see your Eighth Brother?”
It was Erniu’s merit that exposed the former Crown Prince’s feigned amnesia, and it was Yu Jin who had brought Erniu into the palace then. Now that Prince Xiang was in trouble in the same manner, Emperor Jingming couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
Because of this suspicion, although Emperor Jingming’s face didn’t show it, there was a probing look deep in his eyes.
Prince Lu, oblivious to this, quickly answered: “Father, I was the one who brought Erniu!”
Emperor Jingming paused, his thoughts momentarily slowing.
Had he remembered wrong? Was Erniu actually from his fifth son’s household?
Prince Qi and Prince Shu both lowered their eyes, thinking in unison: We should find a chance to beat up Fifth Brother.
Yu Jin’s recent actions had given them a strong sense of crisis. Just when it seemed Emperor Jingming finally had some suspicions about him, Prince Lu rushed to take credit. How could they not be furious?
Prince Lu, however, hadn’t considered Prince Qi and Prince Shu’s feelings at all. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have cared. He excitedly continued: “I planned to visit Eighth Brother today and asked Seventh Brother to come along—”
“You went to see your Seventh Brother?” Emperor Jingming interrupted.
Prince Lu nodded, then continued: “Then I saw Erniu there. He seemed bored, so I brought him along.”
He wasn’t wrong about that. The dog had ignored a perfectly good bone to chew on his trouser leg instead, clearly bored out of its mind.
Hearing Prince Lu’s words, Emperor Jingming’s suspicions quietly dissipated. He turned his attention to Erniu.
“Since the skeleton in the well had already turned to bare bones, how did Erniu discover it?”
After saying this, he fixed his gaze on Yu Jin.
Yu Jin calmly bowed to Emperor Jingming: “Perhaps Erniu has a special gift. When I took him to Qianhe County for disaster relief, it was Erniu who sensed the impending earthquake in Jinli Town, saving the townspeople…”
Emperor Jingming shifted his gaze back to Erniu.
Erniu, seemingly sensing the doubt, suddenly wagged its tail and approached the dragon desk.
“Stop!” Pan Hai, fearing Erniu might harm Emperor Jingming, shouted.
Erniu indeed stopped, whining pitifully at Emperor Jingming.
Emperor Jingming, who had been somewhat tense, immediately relaxed at this sight. He waved his hand: “Let’s see what Erniu wants to do.”
“Your Majesty—”
Emperor Jingming glanced at Yu Jin, saying calmly: “It’s fine. Prince Yan is here.”
If Erniu did bite him, he would hold his seventh son accountable.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Erniu raised its front paws onto the edge of the desk and began nosing through the mountain of memorials with its muzzle.
Everyone was shocked: What was Erniu doing?
Emperor Jingming, after initial bewilderment, suddenly realized and shouted: “Get down!”
The dog, its head buried in the pile of memorials, looked up innocently at Emperor Jingming.
A booklet fell from the dog’s mouth, landing in front of everyone.