In recent days, Wang Zheng had already sought out several coroners, all of whom confirmed that Wang Erlang had indeed struck the wall and taken his own life without any external restraint or coercion, resulting in such wounds and the blood-splattered patterns on the walls of the Dali Prison cell.
Wang Zheng knelt in the grand hall, head bowed in silence.
"I have heard that you consented to an autopsy. Did you find any evidence that Wang Erlang had been poisoned?" the Youning Emperor inquired again.
Wang Zheng could only kowtow and reply, "No, Your Majesty."
"So, it means Wang Erlang did indeed take his own life?" the Youning Emperor stated.
Wang Zheng fell silent once more. The investigation results pointed to this conclusion, yet he could not bring himself to believe that his own eldest grandson would commit suicide.
Wang Zheng's attitude provoked a bitter laugh from the Youning Emperor. "Do you believe he took his own life because he could not endure the torture, or to protect you?"
"Your Majesty..." Wang Zheng's face was filled with sorrow. He opened his mouth to say he had no intention of harming the Crown Prince, but after the evidence the Youning Emperor had shown him regarding the Lantern Festival incident, he could not explain it clearly. He had a prior record of attempting to harm the Crown Prince, even if his original intention was merely to force the Crown Prince to reveal his flaws, never daring to harbor thoughts of assassinating the heir apparent.
However, any explanation now seemed feeble and inadequate.
"Wang Zheng, I elevated you from the second legitimate son to head of your family, surpassing your elder legitimate brother," the Youning Emperor said expressionlessly, watching Wang Zheng. "I raised you from a minor ninth-rank official to one of the three highest ministers today. I believe I have treated you fairly."
Wang Zheng's eyes reddened, and he kowtowed once more. "Your Majesty's grace in recognizing my worth is etched deeply in my heart. Only with unwavering loyalty can I repay even a fraction of it. All these years, I have served diligently, never daring to defy Your Majesty's will. Only during the Lantern Festival did I act rashly and show great disrespect to the Crown Prince. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
He admitted only to the Lantern Festival incident; the rest was not his doing. He had never imagined that one day he would fall into such a massive trap, and the one who set it for him was barely twenty years old.
The Crown Prince, overlooked by everyone, was in fact the most formidable.
He was ruthless enough to risk using a potent poison to destroy his own eyes just to deal with him.
Until this moment, neither Wang Zheng nor the Youning Emperor had considered that Xiao Huayong's eyes might have been injured earlier.
This was because when Xiao Huayong returned to the capital, his eyes were still intact, and in their understanding, they had not suffered any damage since his return.
"Jizhou is in need of a prefect. You shall go there," the Youning Emperor said wearily after a long pause.
Wang Zheng closed his eyes in despair before kowtowing to express his gratitude. "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is no ordinary man. Your Majesty..."
"The Crown Prince is my legitimate son. I have been cultivating the Fifth Prince and the Eighth Prince because his lifespan is not long," the Youning Emperor interrupted Wang Zheng. "If he could live long and shoulder the great responsibility, why would I need to nurture others?"
"The Crown Prince and Your Majesty are not of one mind..." Wang Zheng argued urgently.
Upon hearing this, the Youning Emperor revealed an inscrutable smile. "I, too, was once a prince. Tell me, which of my sons is of one mind with me?"
Wang Zheng was left speechless.
Any prince who aspired to become emperor could not possibly be of one mind with the current emperor—a fact the Youning Emperor never deceived himself about.
"The Crown Prince is marrying Shen Shi, Your Majesty..."
The Youning Emperor waved his hand. "You may withdraw. Depart as soon as possible."
With Wang Erlang's suicide in prison, Wang Zheng was demoted to serve as the prefect of Jizhou—a barren land, a drop of several ranks. This was the explanation given to the Crown Prince. The Minister of War was promoted to Deputy Secretary of the Department of State Affairs, and the position of Minister of War was assumed by Pei Zhan, the General of the Golden Guard."His Majesty holds great trust in the Pei family." Shen Xihe couldn't help but take the Pei family seriously after hearing this.
The Pei family was the maternal clan of the Eighth Prince, Prince Jing Xiao Changyan. Once a prominent family with both civil and military officials, they now faced dwindling numbers. Pei Zhan was nearly fifty, and all three of his sons had died in battle, leaving only one grandson, Pei Ce, who served by Prince Jing's side.
It was said that Pei Ce was Xiao Changyan's strategist, skilled in both military tactics and combat, wielding considerable influence in Annan.
"Rumors have long circulated in the capital that Prince Xin and Prince Jing are the ones His Majesty favors to succeed the Eastern Palace," Bu Shulin remarked.
One emphasized civil affairs, the other military, though both were actually well-versed in both areas.
"How much do you know about Prince Jing?" Shen Xihe asked.
Bu Shulin raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you planning to keep someone in reserve too?"
In case something happened to the Crown Prince, so you could have a second spring?
Shen Xihe sometimes desperately wanted to pry open Bu Shulin's brain and take a look. "Shall I relay your words to the Crown Prince instead?"
"No, no... that won't be necessary." Bu Shulin shook her head like a rattle drum. "I was just joking, just joking..."
After offering an ingratiating smile, Bu Shulin thought seriously for a moment. "Prince Jing is a spirited young man. Before he went to the battlefield, he was brave, decisive, mature beyond his years, open-minded, and had a wide circle of friends."
As for how he had changed after going to the battlefield, she didn't know. Having been away for four or five years and experienced bloody battles, who could say what he had become?
Seeing Shen Xihe lost in thought, Bu Shulin said, "Don't you have the Crown Prince? This should be his worry."
Shen Xihe smiled noncommittally.
"Stop thinking about these things. Let's go outside and see the sights. The imperial exams are in two days, and it's bustling out there now." Bu Shulin rubbed her hands together, her eyes full of anticipation.
"No." Precisely because it was bustling, Shen Xihe avoided it. Too many people and mixed scents made her uncomfortable. "Have you forgotten? Wang Erlang's case is considered closed, so Cui Shaoqing now has free time..."
Lately, Bu Shulin had been as cheerful as a carefree bird because the Dali Temple, reprimanded by His Majesty over Wang Erlang's suicide, had been busy investigating the polo ball incident and hadn't had time to keep an eye on her.
Bu Shulin's smile instantly froze on her face. After a moment, she whispered, "Youyou, do you have a way to temporarily transfer Cui Shitou away from the capital? Send him out to clear his head?"
Bu Shulin was nearly driven mad by Cui Jinbai. He seized every opportunity to throw back at her all the words she had once said to him.
When she used to disgust others, she only felt satisfaction. Now, being disgusted by Cui Jinbai, she realized how sinful she had been.
"Truly, the female heart is the most venomous. You actually want him to be demoted." Shen Xihe clicked her tongue lightly.
Bu Shulin was stunned.
What had she just heard? Shen Xihe calling her venomous?
Anyone in the world could call her venomous, but Shen Xihe had no right. She had never met anyone more venomous than Shen Xihe.
She dared to kill a princess, scheme against a prince, and even plot against the emperor!
But faced with Shen Xihe's teasing smile, she didn't dare retort.
Just then, Hongyu approached, suppressing a laugh as she glanced at Bu Shulin before addressing Shen Xihe. "My lady, there are officers from the Dali Temple outside. They say they've come to..."
"Arrest me and take me to the Dali Temple for questioning." Bu Shulin finished dully, her eyes vacant and resigned.
Hongyu, Zhenzhu, and the others lowered their heads, stifling their laughter.Even Duanming, who was lying on the table, suddenly raised a paw to cover his mouth as if stifling a laugh.
"Go quickly. You needn't come looking for me these two days. We'll meet again at the Spring Day Banquet in four days." Shen Xihe urged mercilessly.
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