Chapter 352: Demoted to Commoner
Chu Mo sat in his seat, obediently keeping his head down while eating.
When he slightly turned his head, he saw Chu Yi and Yun Chu conversing nearby, the couple appearing quite harmonious.
He couldn't help but let out a soft, cold laugh. Once he regained his position in the Ministry of Revenue, his first order of business would be to expose the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor for secretly hoarding Voodoo figurines at the Court of Judicial Review.
After crushing Chu Yi, the Crown Prince would be next in line.
Since he was eight years old, he had dreamed of sitting on that throne and had worked tirelessly toward that goal.
He had always received praise from his tutors at the Imperial College—he was more outstanding than the Crown Prince.
Just because the Crown Prince was a few years older, just because the Crown Prince was born of the Empress—did that automatically make him worthy of being the Crown Prince?
Why should succession favor the eldest instead of the most virtuous?
The Great Jin Dynasty was due for a change in its system.
Just as these thoughts swirled in his mind, the Grand Astrologer, seated below, suddenly stood up. "Your Majesty, this humble servant has just performed a quick divination and discovered that someone has used Voodoo arts against you!"
"What?"
The Emperor snapped out of the father-son affection Chu Mo had fabricated and abruptly rose to his feet.
"Grand Astrologer, explain in detail!"
A smile curled on Chu Mo's lips.
He had originally planned to deal a heavy blow to the third prince after stabilizing his own position.
He never expected the Grand Astrologer to uncover it ahead of time. It seemed the Grand Astrologer was not aligned with the third prince.
With the Grand Astrologer taking the lead, the credibility of this matter would be even higher. No matter how the fire spread, it would never reach him.
Chu Mo took a sip of wine and sat upright, ready to watch the drama unfold.
Ding Yiyuan took three copper coins from his sleeve and calculated for a long while before speaking. "To the east, black energy surges toward the heavens. The Voodoo arts originate from there. I implore Your Majesty to dispatch someone immediately to investigate! If delayed, Your Majesty's Dragon Body may suffer disturbance!"
The Emperor dared not take any risks with his health and immediately ordered the Grand Astrologer to lead the Imperial Guards and proceed with the utmost speed.
Today was his birthday banquet, yet such an incident had occurred. His expression was extremely grim. Those seated below were all on edge, wondering which family would fall victim.
Chu Mo turned to Chu Yi and asked, "What does Third Brother think?"
Chu Yi's face was stern. "Whoever dares to curse Father deserves no leniency!"
Chu Mo asked with interest, "Then how does Third Brother suggest they be dealt with?"
"Of course, beheading and the exile of their entire clan!" the Crown Prince interjected coldly from the side. "Father is in the prime of his life. How dare they employ Voodoo arts? Is this not tantamount to treason?"
A flicker of tension crossed the Empress's face.
She had no idea why such an incident had occurred today.
But it was just as well—she would wait and see how things unfolded.
She silently exchanged a glance with Granny Yin behind her.
Everyone waited uneasily; no one had the heart to savor the exquisite delicacies anymore.
After more than half an hour, Ding Yiyuan finally returned with his men.
Everyone saw him holding a yellow cloth covered in talismanic writings. On the cloth lay a small, black doll pierced all over with silver needles.
A piece of paper was attached to the doll’s back, inscribed with a birth date.
"Your Majesty, the characters on this paper correspond to Your Majesty’s birth date!" Ding Yiyuan’s voice was cold and sharp. "This is a Voodoo art from an ancient village among the common folk. By inscribing a person’s birth date and piercing the figurine with silver needles soaked in corpse water, no issues will be detected for a day or two. But over time, Your Majesty’s body will slowly be consumed, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell..."The Emperor's eyes blazed with fury: "Where was this thing found!"
Chu Mo smiled.
Wasn't this object precisely what Xie Shi'an had previously commissioned someone to create...
He cast a calm glance at Chu Yi.
The third prince's day of reckoning had come. Cursing the Emperor was more serious than imperial examination fraud. Even if he didn't die, he would be demoted to commoner status.
"Your Majesty, this object was discovered in the pond of Gongxi Royal Mansion!" Ding Yiyuan declared loudly.
Chu Mo froze completely.
The assembled guests collectively sighed in relief. Truthfully, everyone had feared it might be found in their own residences. After this relief came murmurs of discussion.
"Heavens, it was actually the Second Prince cursing His Majesty!"
"Was it because the Emperor stripped him of his princely title that he held a grudge and did this?"
"When he presented that hand-embroidered birthday gift earlier, I actually thought... It seems I was overthinking..."
"Father!" Chu Mo scrambled forward on his knees, "Please see clearly, this was definitely not your son's doing! Someone is framing me, Father!"
Xie Shi'an!
It must be Xie Shi'an!
How could he have trusted that treacherous villain!
The third prince must have turned Xie Shi'an against him, making Xie Shi'an frame him!
"It truly wasn't me, Father! How could your son commit such a treasonous act!" Chu Mo wept bitterly, "Father, consider what benefit I would gain from this. If Father were to die, your son would lose all protection and become nothing. There's no reason for me to dig my own grave, Father..."
The Empress's expression turned icy: "So Mo'er means to say it was the Crown Prince's doing instead?"
She sneered inwardly.
The third prince had devised quite the scheme.
He had pretended to remain aloof from the affair all along.
While privately, he had orchestrated this grand performance.
By framing Chu Mo, even if Chu Mo didn't confess, he could still pin the blame on the Eastern Palace.
Every one of them was so cunning.
Only when the Crown Prince ascended the throne and exiled these people to their fiefdoms would there be true stability!
"I beg Father to investigate thoroughly and clear your son's name!"
Chu Mo knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, appearing utterly wronged.
Consort Hui was terrified into stupor, hastily kneeling as well: "Your Majesty, Mo'er's filial piety is evident to heaven and earth. He would never commit such a treasonous act..."
Ding Yiyuan stepped forward, holding a small doll: "For witchcraft to take effect, it must be infused with the blood of the spellcaster. Allow this humble official to verify whether this blood truly belongs to the Second Prince!"
As he spoke, he picked up a dagger and sliced Chu Mo's finger.
Chu Mo felt somewhat relieved - this blood definitely wasn't his.
However—
"Your Majesty!" Ding Yiyuan knelt down, "The Second Prince's blood matches exactly the spellcasting blood within this figurine!"
Chu Mo's eyes widened in shock.
The Grand Astrologer... the Grand Astrologer was the third prince's man!
Before he could cry out his innocence again.
The Emperor roared: "You unfilial son! Wretched beast! Guards!"
The Imperial Guards filed in from outside.
"Throw him into the dungeon!" the Emperor gasped heavily, "First give him thirty heavy strikes, then demote him to commoner status and imprison him in the dungeon!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Imperial Guards dragged Chu Mo out directly.
Consort Hui's vision darkened as she fainted from terror.
The Gui family trembled in fear, kneeling on the ground and begging incessantly for mercy.
The guests exchanged uneasy glances.
What should have been a joyous birthday banquet had turned into this mess, leaving everyone with a sour taste in their hearts.
Yun Chu's eyes remained indifferent.
Who knew how long Chu Mo, now a commoner, would last in the dungeon..."Chu'er, you go first," Chu Yi whispered softly in her ear. "The Empress... I fear she is about to make her move."
He had discovered that the Empress had mobilized five thousand death warriors. Though he couldn't ascertain their exact purpose, he suspected the action would take place tonight.
If the Empress intended to assassinate Li Jingshu, he would gladly stand by and watch.
But mobilizing five thousand death warriors was no simple matter of assassinating a single woman.
However, before Yun Chu could leave the banquet, another unexpected turn of events occurred.
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