Chapter 160: The Crown Prince Interrogates the Assassins
The night was pitch black.
The cold moonlight fell upon everyone's faces.
It was already past midnight, but most people present showed no signs of sleepiness. Only the half-grown children had fallen asleep in the arms of servants.
The two assassins were tied face-up on long benches by the Crown Prince's order.
The Crown Prince rolled up his sleeves, took a piece of paper as thin as a cicada's wing from a basin of water on the ground. The soaked paper was dripping as he directly placed it on one assassin's face.
The surrounding ministers and noblewomen didn't understand what was happening yet.
But Gong Xi Prince had already figured it out. Frowning, he disapprovingly said: "Crown Prince brother, our dynasty rules with benevolence. This seems inappropriate..."
"These are assassins who intended to kill our father. We need not speak of benevolence when dealing with such vicious criminals." The Crown Prince spoke. "Second brother, join me."
Gong Xi Prince had no choice but to step forward and help the Crown Prince place the soaked paper on the two assassins' faces.
At first, the two assassins didn't understand what was happening, even finding the cool water on their faces quite comfortable. But soon, they began to suffer.
Their noses seemed blocked. Only by desperately breathing could they get the slightest bit of air, which couldn't relieve the suffocation at all.
"I promise you both - whoever confesses first will get a quick death." The Crown Prince spoke leisurely. "The stubborn one can enjoy this torture properly."
Only then did the surrounding people understand what was happening.
So this was using paper and water to slowly suffocate someone. This process took at least half an hour, making it truly impossible to live or die.
Many people whispered among themselves.
"The Crown Prince's move is brilliant - it will surely make the assassins confess."
"The Crown Prince has always been known for his benevolence - how does he know interrogation methods like this?"
"Though this method shows no blood, it's actually extremely cruel..."
Yun Chu stood in the crowd, thinking about how in her previous life the Crown Prince frequently encountered troubles precisely because his usual behavior didn't match the image people knew.
The Crown Prince's benevolence was a perfect image carefully crafted by the Empress. But the Crown Prince himself was actually just an ordinary person - he would make mistakes, do some unconventional things, and gradually deviate from the prosperous path the Empress had paved for him...
Even though she died early, she could guess that the Crown Prince must have ultimately failed.
Therefore, she had never considered having the Yun family support the Crown Prince...
"I confess! I confess!"
Under this gentle torture, one assassin finally couldn't endure it anymore, shouting with a muffled voice.
A smile appeared on the Crown Prince's face as he personally removed the paper from that assassin's face.
"That token was given to me by General Mingwei! He told us to use the token as a signal to coordinate and seize the opportunity to strike!"
The Crown Prince frowned. Among the court's many military officers, he only knew the names of first and second-rank generals. This was his first time hearing of General Mingwei.
But before he could speak, the guards at the periphery suddenly became restless. Immediately after, a man about forty years old was escorted forward.
"So you are General Mingwei?" The Crown Prince smiled. "Would you like to taste this experience like them?"As soon as his words fell, the man prostrated himself on the ground, weeping bitterly: "Your Majesty... this humble official was coerced. I have elderly parents above and young children below. The Anjing Prince captured my mother and children. I had no choice but to serve the Anjing Prince, otherwise my family would be destroyed..."
"Nonsense! You're spouting lies!" Before he could finish, Consort De kicked him over and knelt below, saying, "Your Majesty, Fourth Prince would never instigate such a treasonous act. Though he may be reckless, he wouldn't dare commit patricide even with ten times the courage! I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and clear Fourth Prince's name!"
The Crown Prince also knelt: "Father, last time when I was seriously ill, the clues pointed directly to Fourth Brother. This assassination attempt also points to Fourth Brother..."
"The previous matter was already investigated by Your Majesty and found to be a deliberate frame-up of Fourth Prince!" Consort De hurriedly explained. "This time, it must be General Mingwei conspiring with someone behind the scenes to frame my son. He must be lying! Interrogate him properly, and the truth will surely come out!"
Gong Xi Prince raised his eyes and looked at General Mingwei kneeling on the ground.
General Mingwei slowly lifted his head and met Gong Xi Prince's gaze, his throat trembling involuntarily.
He suddenly stood up, speaking frantically: "Yes, I falsely accused Prince Anjing! This matter has nothing to do with Prince Anjing, and even less to do with my family! I alone planned the assassination! I am guilty, I deserve death! Your Majesty, this humble official wishes to atone with death!"
Before anyone could react, he drew a sword from a guard's waist and stabbed his own throat. Blood gushed out as he fell to the ground, dead.
Consort De turned pale with fright, then screamed: "Someone! Imperial physicians! Save him quickly! He cannot die!"
If he died, Fourth Prince's guilt would be confirmed.
The Empress said coldly: "Consort De, the truth of the matter will be known when Fourth Prince is found."
Consort De's heart tightened, a sense of foreboding spreading through her.
Soon after, Chu Yi arrived galloping on horseback: "Reporting to Father, I led men to search Mount Yan thoroughly but found no trace of Fourth Brother. Those sent down the mountain learned that villagers saw a young man fleeing west with dozens of attendants. When shown Fourth Brother's portrait, the villagers confirmed it was him."
"No, impossible!" Consort De crawled on her knees to the Emperor's feet. "Your Majesty, Fourth Prince is innocent! He couldn't have done such a thing..."
The Emperor, who had been silent, suddenly stood up and kicked Consort De aside.
Xie Ping nearby was so frightened she froze completely.
In her mind, Consort De had always been supreme—so noble, so arrogant before her. Now she lay on the ground, humbler than dust.
She thought with some malice: serves her right for being so domineering—now retribution has come.
But she also knew that if Prince Anjing's assassination charge was confirmed, her own fate would be no better than Consort De's.
"Prepare the carriage! Return to the palace!" The Emperor suppressed his anger, rising with a sweep of his sleeve. After a pause, he added: "Third Prince, you remain at Mount Yan. Tear the place apart if you must, but find him!"
Chu Yi accepted the order: "Yes, Father!"
"Second Prince, take men to Anjing Prince's residence and conduct a thorough search." The Emperor said gravely. "If this unfilial son long planned patricide, evidence must be found!"
Gong Xi Prince lowered his head, hiding the calculations in his eyes: "Yes, Father!"The autumn hunting expedition concluded in the early hours of Yin period on the twenty-second day of September.
The Emperor returned to the palace in his imperial procession, followed by ministers, noblewomen, and distinguished ladies. They traveled until nearly dawn before finally arriving back in the capital.
Yun Chu and Xie Shi'an returned together to the Xie residence.
Upon entering, Xie Jingyu came forward to meet them: "I heard there was an assassination attempt at Mount Yan. What exactly happened?"
"All evidence points to the Anjing Prince." Xie Shi'an's face was clouded with gloom. "It would have been better if he had acted earlier, but instead he arranged the assassination attempt against the Emperor just one month after elder sister married into his household... If the charges are confirmed, elder sister will likely... and our Xie family will also be affected."
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