Chapter Fifty-Two: Everyone Is A Good Actor
“What did you say?” When Qilong Emperor heard the guard’s report, he was so angry he almost fainted. But he still remembered what the setting was, so he stood up and bowed to the master of the Three Pure Monastery. “Spiritual Master, I probably cannot continue our match.”
The monastery master smiled as he stood up and said, “Playing weiqi is a pastime. Your Majesty, please act at your leisure.”
Qilong Emperor was not in the mood to converse with the monastery master. He hurriedly left the inner room and walked towards the Western Yard. When he arrived, all the women present had drawn back into the rooms. The Crown Prince had dressed. Li meiren had been pulled down, and the only eye-catching mark that remained was the blood on the wall.
Li meiren was one of the women whom the Emperor had been favoring recently. Otherwise, she would not have been included among the people coming on this trip. But now his own son had slept with his concubine, and his concubine had committed suicide in front of the womenfolk of the Imperial House. No matter how much power he had, he would not be able to stop the mouths from talking. Kill all the womenfolk present? If he really did that, then tomorrow, it would be someone else ruling the Great Zhao Dynasty.
The people who came after him included Ning Wang, Xian Wang, Sheng Junwang, Xu Wang Shizi and others. Ning Wang was in the Crown Prince’s camp, but he was filled with regret about this matter that had just occurred. Why had he been bewitched at the beginning and joined the Crown Prince’s camp?
As a son, forcing the death of a shu mother implied that his conduct was lacking. He was also seen by so many womenfolk, not to mention the many guards who were present at the scene. This matter would be impossible to conceal, unless everyone present was on the Crown Prince’s side.
But was that possible? Because the Crown Prince had been too arrogant these past years, he had offended many members of the imperial clan, not to mention that there were people outside who said that the miscarriage of Sheng Junwang Fei was related to the Crown Prince Fu. With Sheng Junwang’s status in court, how could he let this matter pass?
“How are the women—have they been frightened?” Ning Wang saw the situation and could only avoid the serious matter. He asked about the womenfolk who had been at the scene.
“Ning Wang Ye, a few of the noble ones were frightened and fainted. The Grand Doctors have come to take their pulse,” a guard replied.
Yan Jin Qiu who heard this asked in a natural manner, “How is Xian Wang Fei?”
Because Xian Wang‘s love for Xian Wang Fei was known in Jing, the guard was not surprised. He immediately responded, “Xian Wang Fei fainted in fright and has been helped into the room to rest.”
“En.” Yan Jin Qiu’s brow furrowed. His feet shifted a few times and then he stood still.
The guards saw Xian Wang appear as though he wanted to enter the room and couldn’t help but think, if it wasn’t that there were other women in the room, Xian Wang would have probably entered the room now. As expected, hearing was not as good as seeing. Xian Wang really was in deep love with his wang fei.
“You bastard!”
The shout from the Emperor frightened the guard into bowing his head and holding his breath.
Hearing this, Yan Jin Qiu looked over and saw that the Emperor had kicked the Crown Prince, who stumbled back a few steps. If it wasn’t that two young taijian were supporting him, he probably would have fallen to the floor.
“You do not need to hold this bastard. Zhen will end him today.” The Emperor was extremely enraged. He took out a blade from the waist of the guard behind him and went to chop at the Crown Prince. Ning Wang saw that the situation was far from good, and hurriedly knelt in front of the Emperor, grabbing onto the other’s legs with his two hands. “Emperor, do not be angry…”
Before he could finish speaking, the Emperor kicked at his face. As he fell to the floor, he heard the angry shout of the Emperor, “Why should zhenkeep this bastard? It is better for him to die cleanly.”
Ning Wang lay on the ground and did not get up. He touched his face and thought dejectedly, Kill him if you want. It wasn’t his son, and the one who would not have any grandchildren would not be him. If the other was killed, this would all end, and he would not have to clean up after this foolish Crown Prince.
Hearing the wails and sobbing in the surroundings, Ning Wang who was near fifty appeared as though he was going to lie on the ground and sink through it. He had tried. If the Emperor regretted killing his son, then the blame could not be laid on his head.
After he listened for a while and the Emperor still hadn’t killed the Crown Prince, Ning Wang suddenly felt slightly disappointed. It would be very good if the Emperor really killed the Crown Prince; then, he would not have to face such a stupid person.
It was fated that Ning Wang‘s wish could not be fulfilled, because as the Emperor had kicked aside a dozen or so people as he held the blade and neared the Crown Prince, the Empress appeared.
The Empress knelt with a bang in front of the Emperor and said with a tear-filled face, “Emperor, qie knows that the Crown Prince has committed a great mistake this time, but can you spare him from death as he is your son? Qie only has this one son, and he is qie‘s life.”
Your son is your life, then isn’t Li meiren the life of her parents? Ning Wang felt the ground was slightly hard and changed into a slightly more comfortable position as he moaned and grunted. He needed to let the people in the surroundings see that it was not that he was not going to restrain the Emperor, but that he was too old and could not get up after falling.
Yan Jin Qiu silently looked at Ning Wang who was groaning in pain but had a red face. He smiled coldly. This was really an old fox. He looked down and saw the footprint of the Emperor on the bottom of his own robe from where the Emperor had kicked him, and he sat down on the ground with an expression of pain. Then he covered his leg and inhaled sharply.
The Emperor was in the prime of his life, and was strong and vigorous. After this kick, he felt great pain when he tried to walk.
Ning Wang and Yan Jin Qiu’s gazes met in the air, and then both moved their eyes away in mutual understanding.
“Emperor, please, spare the Crown Prince’s life based on the love between us for so many years.” The Empress’ makeup was ruined, her hairpins a mess. She had lost her composure in front of these people, but for her, what was most important was her son who was behind her.
The Crown Prince was dizzy from being kicked by the Emperor. Seeing the Empress kneeling in front of him, his mind gradually cleared and he knelt down beside the Empress. He sobbed out, “Father-Emperor, this son is innocent. This is someone else’s plan. How could this son ever commit such an outrageous action? Father-Emperor, please investigate thoroughly!”
The Empress also knew that the matter was fishy. If Li meiren was alive, this matter would not be so troublesome but Li meiren had died, and moreover, by committing suicide in front of so many people.
Even if the investigation revealed that the Crown Prince had not done this, how many of the public would believe this? Most people would say that they were trying to protect the Crown Prince, and Li meiren was pitiful for losing her life at such a young age.
If the Crown Prince’s conduct had been orderly and if he was a hard-working person, then even if such a matter occurred, as long as the matter was cleared up, no one would suspect him. Even if the mystery was not solved, people would unconsciously think that this was the result of scheming.
But the Crown Prince… Regardless of whether he was connected to this matter, in the eyes of other people, he was definitely involved in this matter.
The Empress could think of this, and the Emperor could as well. He turned to look at the people behind him. Which one was the person who did this?
Was this person forcing him to abolish the Crown Prince?
But if the Crown Prince was deposed, who could he give his throne to? Those nephews who were prowling about?
It would not be so simple!
“Investigate! Any person who has come to the Three Pure Monastery cannot leave—all of them have to stay for zhen.”
The Emperor’s words meant that everyone present was a suspect. But the Crown Prince who was on the bed with Li meiren did not have any problem?
All those present were part of the Imperial House. When they heard the Emperor’s words, their expressions became strange. So the culprit did not have any problems, but they, the innocent passersby, were guilty?
After Qilong Emperor said this, he regretted it. When he turned and saw that the expressions of the Imperial House members were not good, he sighed dispiritedly. “Someone come and take the Crown Prince into the Heavenly Prison. Before the matter is investigated, he cannot be released.”
“Father-Emperor?!” The Crown Prince looked in disbelief at the Emperor. What kind of place was the Heavenly Prison? He, the Crown Prince, was being imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. Would he have any face after this?
However, the Empress knew that the Emperor’s actions were protecting the Crown Prince. Otherwise, the Imperial House members would feel discontent. She could only watch as the guards took the Crown Prince away.
“It is late now. Everyone, return with zhen to Jing.” Qilong Emperor did not mention the “cannot leave.” He then sighed emotionally. “This bastard is so, zhen feels very unhappy inside.”
What could the people say? They could only comfort him, ease his mind, and say that the matter would be clarified.
It was unknown what these people really thought.
In any case, the news that the Crown Prince had raped his shu mother spread through Jing. In these rumors, the Crown Prince had an image as a lusty and useless person. He saw Li meiren‘s beauty and had evil intentions. He took Li meiren and caused Li meiren to commit suicide.
Li meiren‘s death caused the Crown Prince to appear as a “rapist.” No matter what the truth was, this was the Crown Prince’s image.
But even if the Crown Prince was so absurd, the common people could only accept it. The Emperor only had this one son, and in the end, the only person who could succeed the throne was the Crown Prince.
##
Because the Xian couple was wounded and frightened, they were carefully ushered back to the wang fu. An hour later, the Emperor sent over replenishing medicines.
Hua Xi Wan looked at the bruise on Yan Jin Qiu’s shin. She sighed and said, “The Emperor really kicked hard.”
“He is also just acting. If he really wanted to kill the Crown Prince, who would dare to stop him? He is just acting for all of us.” Yan Jin Qiu put down his pants and said, “I hear that you think that Sheng Junwang Fei was acting strangely?”
Hua Xi Wan called a servant to get a basin of hot water for Yan Jin Qiu to wash his wound before she said, “After the event occurred, Tang Saohad intentions of leading us to see what happened in the room. However, the guards got there first, so she did not do it.”
“So something like this happened.” Yan Jin Qiu’s brow creased. Was it the Sheng Junwang couple who did it? But with Yan Bo Yi’s moves, it should not be so crude and brutal.
He glanced at Hua Xi Wan, saying, “Rest early. We do not have to think about this matter now.”
In any case, this did not have anything to do with them at this time.
