, the fastest update of After My Flowers Bloom, All Other Flowers Wilt Chapter 803!
Chapter 803: Prince Xin's Assistance
"I, the commoner woman Liu Yushi, daughter of the late Pingyao Marquis and Lady Yu Chen, originally from the capital..." Yu Sangzi uttered these words almost in a despairing, tear-choked voice.
"We vaguely recall that the legitimate daughter of Pingyao Marquis Manor died two years ago while saving the commoner Xiao Changmin," the Youning Emperor's voice was laced with icy shards.
The incident back then had caused quite a stir—Xiao Changmin was attacked, Yu Sangzi stepped forward to save him, and it was because of this that Yu Sangning, the illegitimate daughter, gained the qualification to be treated as a legitimate daughter and marry Xiao Changmin, who was then Prince Zhao.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please hear me out. It was because I had feelings for someone else that I bribed wandering swordsmen to fake my death and escape. Everything was my own audacious act, I deserve death a hundred times over for my crime." Yu Sangzi steeled her heart and took all the blame upon herself.
The Youning Emperor laughed in extreme anger: "What a fine Pingyao Marquis, truly our loyal minister and valiant general!"
Regarding the Min River incident, because Shen Xihe had made a brilliant move at the last moment by writing a letter to the Jiannan Governor on behalf of Yu Xiang, Yu Xiang's death instead turned him into a loyal minister—a meritorious person whose good strategies were not adopted by Xiao Changyan. The Youning Emperor had restored Yu Xiang's peerage, waiting only for Yu Sangning's elder brother to complete the mourning period before he could inherit the peerage.
Now, a charge of deceiving the emperor was unavoidable!
"How did you deceive everyone back then? Confess the truth immediately! If even one word is false, we will definitely exterminate your Yu clan to the ninth degree!"
The Youning Emperor was truly enraged. How dare Yu Sangzi conceal even the slightest detail?
However, she still hadn't realized that everything was masterminded by Yu Sangning behind the scenes. Even regarding the fake death poison provided by Yu Sangning, she claimed she had accidentally discovered it at Yu Sangning's place and took it from her.
The Youning Emperor, however, felt he had underestimated this illegitimate daughter of the Yu family. Indeed, having been raised outside since childhood, she was full of bizarre and cunning tricks!
Since Yu Sangning still had more fake death poison, the Youning Emperor directly sent people to search the Yu residence. What they found was more than just the fake death poison.
However, the Youning Emperor disregarded the rest. Holding the bottle containing the fake death poison, he said: "Today was originally to investigate the mysterious death of Lady Li in the Eastern Palace..."
The Youning Emperor briefly outlined the important points of Li Yanyan's case, then concluded: "Lady Li's death remains a mystery, and the letter in her hand concerns an assassination attempt on the emperor. What do you esteemed ministers think we should decide?"
The several ministers glanced at each other. First, they had tried Yu Sangzi's fake death case, and now the emperor was holding the fake death poison—the emperor's intention was abundantly clear.
The emperor suspected that the Crown Prince had also faked his death, just like Yu Sangzi. A fake death could allow him to live happily with his lover, avoid the crime of the family disobeying the imperial decree, and preserve his wealth and status.
Hadn't the Crown Prince's death also brought the Eastern Palace nothing but benefits?
With Yu Sangzi's case as a precedent, none of the ministers dared to openly refute. Moreover, the emperor's suspicion would remain a thorn in his side. If not removed now, it might erupt more severely later.
But for them to agree to open the coffin—they didn't dare speak up either. After all, that was the Crown Prince. If the coffin really contained the Crown Prince, how would they handle the aftermath?
No one could bear the consequences of opening the coffin!
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince was stabbed to death in front of everyone. If it were a fake, wouldn't that mean the Eighth Prince was in on it? Otherwise, how could the Eighth Prince have held back with that sword?" Tao Zhuanxian always protected his granddaughter. "Could the entire Imperial Hospital—the director and both deputies—have been deceived?
"The Eastern Palace held the vigil for seven days, with palace attendants watching day and night. How could a living person lie in a coffin for seven days and still survive?""A living person cannot do it, let alone someone severely injured or as frail and sickly as the Crown Prince!"
"Your Majesty, Tao Gong speaks wisely..." Minister Xue Heng also concurred, "There are many suspicious points in this matter. Why did the Third Prince's Consort summon Lady Yu as a witness? And coincidentally, today, Lady Yu, who had been missing for nearly two years, was brought before Your Majesty. It seems far too convenient."
Clearly, it was orchestrated!
"Even if it was orchestrated, what was the purpose? Merely to disturb the Crown Prince's spirit?" the Youning Emperor retorted.
This...
Even Tao Zhuanxian couldn't claim that the perpetrator's intention was simply to open the coffin once and disgust the Crown Princess, could they?
It was highly likely that someone had obtained some information but lacked sufficient evidence. Given the gravity of the matter and the fear of presenting it directly, they orchestrated such a spectacle with the aim of compelling Your Majesty to open the coffin.
Just as Xiao Huayong had once set a trap for Xiao Changmin—knowing there was someone behind it didn't mean Xiao Changmin could clear his name of suspicion and charges. The one who set the trap merely exposed Xiao Changmin's crimes.
The matter had reached an impasse.
"What is so difficult about this?" Just as everyone remained silent, no one expected Prince Xin, Xiao Changqing, to step forward.
The news of Li Yanyan's poisoning by Shen Xihe had been spread throughout the palace by Li Yanyan's maid. Xiao Changqing had arrived with Xiao Changying earlier than the ministers but had remained silent until now.
"Since everyone has doubts, why not open the coffin?" Xiao Changqing declared righteously. "I believe the Crown Prince would not wish to be slandered unjustly after his death. However, although this act is to prove the Crown Prince's innocence, it is still disrespectful to the deceased.
The Crown Prince sacrificed his life to save Your Majesty. To prevent future criticism from the people and officials, Your Majesty should issue an edict stating that if the allegations are proven false, the imperial grandson in the Crown Princess's womb shall be designated as the Crown Heir. This would demonstrate the unbreakable bond between Your Majesty and the Crown Prince, impervious to manipulation."
"Fifth Brother speaks wisely! I second the motion!" Xiao Changying promptly agreed.
The Youning Emperor's face instantly darkened without concealment.
Designating a Crown Heir—even Xiao Huayong, at the cost of his life, would not have dared to broach the subject lightly, lest he overstep by presuming on his favor and lose propriety. He could only settle for a lesser title for his son, subtly hinting at his expectations.
Yet Xiao Changqing had openly stated it. Still, such compensation would suffice to silence public dissent.
The ministers naturally had few objections. Tao Zhuanxian undoubtedly sided with Shen Xihe but could not speak on this matter, lest he be accused of coercing the emperor.
The other ministers secretly hoped for a young sovereign in the future, as only a young ruler would be easier to manipulate, allowing them more room to wield influence—especially now, with so few princes left in the royal family and no nepotistic ties to them.
That child was of Shen blood!
The Youning Emperor trembled with rage, his gaze sharp as a blade piercing Xiao Changqing.
At that moment, he even suspected that this entire affair was either orchestrated by Shen Xihe or by Xiao Changqing. The former's goal was solely to secure a title for her unborn son!
The latter simply wanted to infuriate him to death! Knowing full well how much he despised the Shen family, Xiao Changqing insisted on helping a Shen descendant ascend the throne. If the coffin were opened and Xiao Huayong lay inside, the one who would ultimately lose face would be him, the cold-hearted sovereign and father!
No wonder the matter had dragged on for so long, only to erupt after the coffin was sealed and buried!
The Emperor's fury was no longer restrained or concealed. Shen Xihe knew perfectly well that Xiao Changqing had acted deliberately to mislead the Emperor.It seemed Xiao Changqing had guessed that the coffin did not contain Xiao Huayong, or perhaps the mastermind behind the scheme had another plan and had switched the coffin.
"Your Majesty, Lady Li is not dead," Shen Xihe stepped forward and announced.
(End of Chapter)
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