The Emperor looked from afar at his son’s corpse.

After the assassination incident occurred, he had been震怒而悲傷—furious and grief-stricken. He couldn’t accept that his own biological son had actually tried to take his life.

Originally, fury had exceeded grief.

He had considered countless methods of punishing this son, but now…

…seeing his son’s corpse right before his eyes, grief quickly overwhelmed his anger.

The Emperor walked over step by step.

Although he had many sons, that didn’t mean he didn’t care about them.

Just as he was about to crouch down, Consort De suddenly turned around and said loudly: “Your Majesty, the truth hasn’t yet been revealed, and the Fourth Prince has died under unclear circumstances. Someone behind the scenes must have murdered him to silence him!”

Chu Yi handed a letter to Consort De: “This is Fourth Brother’s suicide note.”

Consort De quickly opened the letter.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Her carefree, thoughtless son had actually voluntarily admitted to treason and assassination in this letter!

“Impossible!! Absolutely impossible!!”

Consort De tore the letter to shreds.

“This isn’t the Fourth Prince’s suicide note. Someone forged it in his handwriting. The Fourth Prince would never do such an outrageous and treasonous thing!” Consort De’s grief-stricken and furious eyes suddenly fixed on Chu Yi. “It’s you! You plotted all of this, didn’t you?”

Chu Yi’s voice was indifferent: “I wouldn’t, and I disdain to do such things.”

“It was you!!!”

Consort De shrieked like a madwoman, crawling up from the ground to stand.

Relying on a surge of fury to support her swaying body, she continued: “The letters seized from Prince An’jing’s manor—you planted them there! This suicide note—you wrote it! General Mingwei was coerced by you to falsely accuse my son! It was you! You killed my son! You murderer! Give me back my son’s life!!”

Consort De raised her hand and drew a sword from the waist of a guard beside her, stabbing it toward Chu Yi.

Chu Yi’s brow furrowed as he dodged the strike.

“Stop this madness!” The Emperor’s voice came forth heavily. “The evidence and witnesses are all present. What more do you want?”

“The witness is dead, and the physical evidence was fabricated!” Consort De shouted hoarsely. “Your Majesty, you are the Fourth Prince’s father emperor, the father he has always worshipped and revered. He died so unjustly—you cannot simply let this matter pass!”

The Emperor shook his head: “The Fourth Prince was raised by your side from childhood. He didn’t study properly in his youth, and his martial arts training was sporadic at best. If not for your father’s meritorious service to the court, I wouldn’t have granted the Fourth Prince a title and land… I never imagined that after coming of age, he would become even more absurd than in his youth. So many respectable women locked in his manor and violated—he thoroughly disgraced our Chu imperial family! That he became someone who would commit patricide, regicide, treason, and usurpation is inseparable from you as his mother!”

Consort De widened her beautiful eyes: “Your Majesty, you’re not planning to investigate this matter further?”

“The matter is already quite clear. There’s no need for further investigation.” The Emperor looked at his fourth son lying silently on the ground, his voice devoid of emotion. “Consort De indulged her son in patricide. While the death penalty may be waived, she cannot escape punishment. Immediately strip her of her title and confine her to the Cold Palace…”

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Consort De, holding the sword, threw back her head and laughed.

The imperial family had no father-son affection. The Fourth Prince had lived for eighteen years, yet his biological father had never truly understood this son.

The Fourth Prince was incompetent, useless, absurd… Precisely because of this, anyone might commit treason and patricide—anyone except the Fourth Prince…

“Your Majesty, this consort can only use this life to petition you to thoroughly reinvestigate the assassination!”

The Emperor’s expression changed: “Third Prince, quickly restrain her…”

Before the words had finished falling.

The sword in Consort De’s hand swung toward her own neck. Blood splattered onto Xie Ping, who had been kneeling on the ground in silence all this time.

Xie Ping wiped away the warm blood.

Immediately after, Consort De collapsed beside her.

Those beautiful, proud eyes remained open, gazing at the sky. Tears slid from her eyes while blood continuously gushed from the wound on her neck.

Xie Ping screamed in terror, clutching her own head.

The Emperor stood in place, silent for quite a while. Not knowing what he was thinking, his voice came out cool and clear: “So be it. Let Consort De keep her title. Bury her according to her rank.”

The eunuch beside him bowed his head: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Chu Yi cupped his hands: “Father Emperor, what should be done with her?”

Only then did the Emperor look toward Xie Ping.

This was his fourth daughter-in-law. He had met her once before during the formal audience. She was very young, and now terrified to the point of being covered in tears and snot—she looked just like a child.

“No, Your Majesty, I didn’t participate in the treason. I’m innocent…” Xie Ping snapped to her senses as if from a dream, hastily pleading for a chance at survival. “I married into the prince’s manor less than a month ago. I knew nothing. Please, Your Majesty, investigate clearly…”

“Detain her for now.”

The Emperor was somewhat weary. He waved his hand dismissively, turned around, and walked back into the Imperial Study with heavy steps.

Xie Ping wanted to say more, but two old nannies lifted her up and dragged her out through the Imperial Study’s main doors…

The news quickly spread back to the Xie family.

The group of people paced anxiously in circles, especially Yuan Shi, who was like an ant on a hot pan, walking back and forth in the room.

“Can you settle down or not!” Xie Zhongcheng’s face was full of irritation. “If you can’t think of any solutions, then go outside. Don’t be an eyesore here.”

Yuan Shi mumbled: “I’m trying to help think of solutions.”

“The situation isn’t that terrible,” Xie Jingyu said, catching his breath. “Consort De used her death to demonstrate her resolve. The Emperor was moved. Ping’er shouldn’t be in danger.”

“But what if? What if something happens?” Yuan Shi repeatedly muttered. “Chu’er, An’er, you two have always been clever. Think carefully about what we should do.”

Xie Shi’an said nothing.

Elder Sister had become a princess consort by her own active choice. This outcome was entirely of her own making.

That His Majesty hadn’t directly taken Elder Sister’s life was already her good fortune.

What could the Xie family do? Not being implicated was already great fortune within misfortune.

“Doing nothing is the best course of action,” Yun Chu spoke. “Prince An’jing and Consort De are already dead. His Majesty’s fury has mostly dissipated. Once the two are laid to rest, Ping’er will naturally be released. Just wait.”

Yuan Shi particularly trusted Yun Chu’s words and immediately pressed her palms together: “Amitabha Buddha, it’s wonderful that Ping’er won’t be in danger. When that day comes, I’ll personally go fetch her home.”

Hearing this, Xie Jingyu’s brow furrowed: “She cannot return to the Xie family.”

Yuan Shi was puzzled: “Why not?”

“Because she is the lawful wife of the principal perpetrator who tried to assassinate His Majesty. Moreover, everyone in the neighborhoods knows that Prince An’jing had deep feelings for his princess consort and married her into his household regardless of status and family background. She represents Prince An’jing.” Xie Shi’an spoke word by word. “If she returns to the Xie family, what will outsiders say about our Xie family? Has Grandmother thought about this?”

Yuan Shi shook her head blankly. She hadn’t thought about it.

Her lips trembling, she said: “Ping’er is only thirteen years old. After she’s released from prison, if she can’t return home, where can she go?”

“Enough from you, worrying about so many things!” Xie Zhongcheng said impatiently. “Just as Chu’er said, we’ll wait and see for now. Everyone disperse.”

After everyone else had left the study, only Xie Jingyu and his son remained.

Xie Jingyu pressed his temples: “Shi’an, tell me, is waiting and watching truly the best solution?”

Xie Shi’an shook his head: “Prince An’jing died just like that… Although he tried to assassinate His Majesty, he was still His Majesty’s son regardless. His death has turned His Majesty’s fury into grief, and perhaps he’s also wondering whether this assassination incident has other hidden circumstances… If Elder Sister were to die for love following Prince An’jing, so that Prince An’jing has someone to accompany him on the road to the Yellow Springs, His Majesty might feel grateful to the Xie family…”

Xie Jingyu suddenly stood up.

Ping’er’s death would carry great significance: first, using death to demonstrate her resolve; second, dying for love of her husband; third, not implicating her natal family.

This would be righteousness!

It would become a beautiful tale in the neighborhoods!

He spoke: “Shi’an, think of a way to see if you can make a trip to the prison.”