Facing the arrival of the Eldest Prince, dressed simply and in a hurry, the Jinpo envoys left behind in Great Jin had somewhat fluctuating expressions. While it was the Jinpo Emperor's idea to exchange the Eldest Prince for the Second Prince, they were the ones who had mentioned it in front of Emperor Changlong.
They were well aware that sending the Eldest Prince to Great Jin as a hostage meant he would no longer have a chance at the throne. If Jinpo caused any trouble in the future that displeased Great Jin, the first one to be sacrificed would be the Eldest Prince who was left behind as a hostage.
"Your Highness..." The envoys bowed and saluted the Eldest Prince.
"There's no need for you to have such gloomy expressions. Isn't it just a matter of losing a small gain for a bigger one?" The Eldest Prince smiled, "It's alright, Benwang doesn't take this small gain to heart."
The envoys' expressions grew even more awkward. It turned out that the Eldest Prince fully understood their original intentions.
"Furthermore, Benwang forgot to tell you that before coming to Great Jin, Father Emperor bestowed upon Benwang a title: He Wang," Taking a seat in his chair, the Eldest Prince announced, "Peaceful coexistence is what benefits the people of both nations the most. Gentlemen, what do you think of this bestowed title?"
The envoys forced themselves to offer praise.
"Benwang knew it," He Wang smiled with a hint of mockery, "You all certainly know how to flatter people. However, during Benwang's time in Jinpo, Benwang never had the chance to experience your flattery. It's truly regrettable."
The envoys felt uneasy and inferior but pretended not to understand He Wang's sarcastic remarks.
On the third day of He Wang's arrival in the capital, he was summoned by Emperor Changlong. After receiving the edict delivered by the Ministry of Rites, he turned to see the excited expressions of the envoys behind him. Feeling a bit disdainful, he thought that even if they were eager to keep him as a hostage, there was no need for them to show such excitement. After all, he was still standing here.
Observing the expression on He Wang's face, the envoys realized that he had misunderstood. They explained, "Your Highness, we have been staying in the capital for quite some time and have never been granted an audience with Emperor Changlong. However, just three days after Your Highness's arrival, Emperor Changlong expressed his intention to meet Your Highness. It shows that he still values Your Highness."
He Wang finally understood how these envoys managed to bring him over as a hostage yet couldn't rescue the Second Prince. If they couldn't even meet the Emperor of Great Jin, what more could they do?
Why did Father Emperor provoke Great Jin in the first place? If he hadn't caused so much trouble, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation. As he looked at these trembling envoys, he remembered the expressions of these same ministers when they sent troops to attack Great Jin. They were full of confidence; it was as if Great Jin was already in their grasp.
Little did they know that Great Jin had two formidable generals; what was even more frightening was that the two generals were husband and wife. They wouldn't have any disputes over power, and their cooperation on the battlefield was seamless, leading to Jinpo's defeat.
His father's most beloved commander died in battle, and the son his father valued the most was also captured. Finally, Father Emperor realized the importance of cherishing world peace. Why did it take him so long?
Hindsight is always 20/20.
This saying also applied to Xie Fuma. The most reliable servants by his side had been completely replaced, while the entire Princess Leyang Estate was tightly sealed off. No outside news could come in, and no inside news could go out.
He was now a blind man with his eyes wide open, except for drinking the bitter medicines on time every day, he had no other way. He knew that the Crown Prince and Emperor Changlong would not spare him. He couldn't be bothered to continue pretending to be sick.
Princess Leyang, who had been taken care of for three days, finally could speak with some effort. As soon as she saw Xie Shizi, who had rushed back from the Imperial Academy, she grabbed him and asked, "Did the Crown Prince see my blood-written plea?"
"What blood-written plea?" Xie Shizi calmly comforted Princess Leyang, "Mother, don't worry, those ignorant servants have already been taken away, no one will dare to disrespect you in the future..."
"I'm talking about the blood letter that could save your father's life!" Princess Leyang's voice was hoarse, she held Xie Shizi's hand with all her strength, "I did so much just to save your father, don't you understand?!"
"Even if Father's actions may cause great chaos in the world, depriving countless women of their freedom and causing suffering to the people? Do you still unconditionally protect him?" Xie Shizi looked at his mother's angry face, "Mother, you are the Princess of the Great Jin Dynasty, the Princess of all the people."
"I don't care, I just want Fuma to be safe and sound!" Princess Leyang pushed Xie Shizi away, "He is your father, yet you dare to accuse him."
"Father has committed heinous crimes. I cannot go against my own conscience as a son, so let's pretend all this doesn't exist," Xie Shizi lifted his robe and knelt before Princess Leyang, "I, as an unfilial son, deserve to be struck by lightning from the heavens. This is my sin. Mother, you can hit me or scold me. Even if you take away my name right now, I will have no complaints."
He kowtowed repeatedly to Princess Leyang, soon causing his forehead to bleed, "I, as an unfilial son, deserve no forgiveness. Please take care of yourself, Mother. I'll take my leave."
With blood streaming down his face, Xie Shizi turned around without expression and walked out of the courtyard where Princess Leyang resided. There were screams from servants wanting to stop his bleeding, but he waved them away.
He entered the courtyard where Xie Fuma resided and saw Xie Fuma sitting under the eaves drinking tea.
Xie Fuma noticed the blood on Xie Shizi's forehead, his expression changed slightly. He poured a cup of tea and placed it on the table, "Come and sit."
Xie Shizi casually wiped the blood off his forehead and sat across from Xie Fuma. The filial son and doting father, now they looked at each other in silence.
"Today's tea is a bit more bitter than previous years," Xie Fuma picked up the teacup and took a sip. No longer pretending to be crazy or foolish, he still had that charming demeanor.
Xie Shizi picked up the tea, brought it to his lips, and then put it back down, "Aren't you going to continue pretending?"
"Since pretending to be crazy is no longer useful, why continue to bring disgrace upon oneself?" Xie Fuma looked at the lush flowers and plants in the courtyard, "What's happened outside?"
If they hadn't found evidence against the Xie family, the Crown Prince wouldn't have treated the Xie family so ruthlessly. However, what surprised him was that the Fifth Prince turned out to be a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince. Wherever the Crown Prince pointed, he struck.
The brotherly relationship of the Ji imperial family was truly incomprehensible. It seemed like the conflicts between brothers from past generations had all converged in their generation, making it difficult to discern reality.
"I don't know," Xie Shizi shook his head lightly, choosing not to reveal the things the Crown Prince had discovered.
"If you don't want to say, then forget it," Xie Fuma sighed, "What I regret the most is raising you to be such a kind and naive person."
"In my heart, Father, you were once the purest and greatest person in the world," blood slid from his unattended wound, dropping into the teacup in front of him.
The crimson blood mixed with the green tea leaves, emitting a strange aroma.
Xie Fuma looked at the cup of tea in Xie Shizi's hand and suddenly realized something. He smiled, "You're now following the Crown Prince. With Emperor Changlong's favoritism towards the Crown Prince, it is Ji Yuansu who will inherit the throne in the future. By relying on him, you can live well."
However, the glory of the Xie family was no more, their future generations would become ordinary and insignificant individuals.
"Have you ever truly loved Mother all these years?" Xie Shizi couldn't help but ask. He looked at Xie Fuma's face, "For Father's sake, she could set aside her precious status and even be willing to die. Do you know that?"
Xie Fuma held the tea cup steadily, the water surface undisturbed. He avoided his son's gaze and, after a long time, said, "In my life, I have loved the Xie family the most, and then, myself."
"What about Mother? What about my sisters and me?"
"You are different from them. You are the one to inherit the Xie family in the next generation," Xie Fuma looked at his son, "In my vision, the Xie family's plans for upcoming decades would succeed in my hands, so the next generation of the Xie family would need a true gentleman."
However, all those plans had encountered an unexpected event, the Crown Prince's unpredictable behavior, which left him completely puzzled.
If Xie Yao had managed to take the Crown Prince's life when she sent the assassins, it would have been better. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince survived. Since then, the Xie family had been constantly sinking into the abyss, and the efforts and plans of several generations were destroyed.
The Xie family was ruined by the Crown Prince.
"So you sent someone to assassinate Second Sister and even used Mother's feelings to let her commit suicide?" Xie Shizi felt extreme pain. The man in front of him seemed so unfamiliar. The elegant and gentle father in his memory seemed like an illusion, disappearing in the sunlight.
"I call it, making reasonable use of them. Besides, your mother is perfectly fine, isn't she?" Xie Fuma toyed with the teacup, his smile still gentle, "In my life, I am destined not to have feelings for any woman."
"So when you were pretending to be crazy, saying that Fushou Junzhu was your daughter and General Wei was your wife, was that intentional?" Xie Shizi looked pained, "Have you ever thought about how much it would hurt Mother?"
Xie Fuma's expression slightly changed, then he chuckled, "I've said it before, in my entire life, I won't be infatuated with any woman. Since birth, I've been destined to live for the Xie family."
"I understand," Xie Shizi stood up, looking at Xie Fuma with sadness, "So, to you, Mother, my sisters, and I are all just tools of the Xie family, is that right?"
"Yes," Xie Fuma smiled, "My child, don't be so naive in the future. There aren't that many good people in the world."
Xie Shizi walked off the eaves and knelt before Xie Fuma, performing the ritual of three bows and nine kowtows, "Father, I will never forget your upbringing. I implore you to change your ways and stop making mistakes."
"Making mistakes again?" Xie Fuma burst into laughter. He turned his head and saw Princess Leyang standing at the courtyard entrance, tears streaming down her face. He revealed a gentle and considerate smile, "Princess, did you hear everything?"
As she looked at this man whose smile was so beautiful, Princess Leyang felt an intense chill coursing through her body, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.
If everything he did for all these years was just an illusion, what did her genuine feelings amount to? For the sake of marrying him, she had used every means and made sacrifices, but all she received was the statement, "I won't be infatuated with any woman." Was her whole life just a joke?
"Mother..." Xie Shizi didn't expect his mother to come. Did she hear everything he discussed with his father just now?
Princess Leyang walked up to Xie Fuma, "Have you truly never loved me all these years?"
"If it makes the Princess happy, I can say that I have loved you," Xie Fuma stood up and gently reached out to touch her temple, fixing a loose hairpin, "You shouldn't have come."
"If I hadn't come, how would I have known that you never loved me?" Princess Leyang sobbed uncontrollably, "You... how cruel-hearted you are."
"Stop crying. It won't look good," Xie Fuma wiped away Princess Leyang's tears with a handkerchief, his lips curved into a smile, looking incredibly charming.
However, Princess Leyang's heart grew colder and colder. She had been mistaken. He wasn't cruel-hearted; he simply had no heart at all.
The sweet words were false, the vows were false, even the gentle gaze was false. Everything was false. Only she had foolishly taken everything to be true and sacrificed everything for him.
"Why?" she asked with a hoarse voice.
Xie Fuma sighed, "Back then, I originally intended to marry Princess Shunan. I didn't want to deceive you, but you insisted on marrying me. Have you forgotten?"
"Hahaha!" Princess Leyang laughed through her tears, "I snatched away Shunan's man, so this is my retribution, retribution..."
Xie Fuma put his hand behind his back and looked at her gently, "Princess, if hating me can make the rest of your life better, then go ahead and hate me."
After saying these words, blood oozed from the corners of his mouth and the tip of his nose.
"Fuma, what's wrong with you?" Seeing him like this, Princess Leyang trembled even more violently. She took out a handkerchief and tried to wipe away the bloodstains.
"No need," Xie Fuma stopped her hand, "I put Sanxi Powder in the tea just now. There is no antidote to this poison."
"Why? Why would you do this?" Princess Leyang screamed frantically, "Imperial Physician, call the imperial physician quickly!"
Xie Shizi stared blankly at the teacup on the table. His mother's frantic screams didn't reach his ears. His mind buzzed, finally understanding that his father had also intended to kill him just now.
"As a member of the Xie family, I would rather you die cleanly than live miserably under the Crown Prince," Xie Fuma knew what his son was thinking. He looked at Xie Shizi, "Unfortunately, you weren't destined to die. You didn't drink that cup of tea."
He clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, "But this is for the best. From now on, you will understand one thing: don't casually accept things given by others."
"Fuma... Fuma," Princess Leyang reached out to cover Xie Fuma's mouth, hoping it could stop the bleeding. But large quantities of blood still flowed through her fingers.
She cried in agony, "What should we do? What should we do? You can't die, you can't."
Xie Fuma pushed her away and staggered back to the chair under the eaves. He looked at the still-steaming tea on the table, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped his chin. Then, he weakly leaned against the chair.
The door was forcefully pushed open; Wei Mingyue entered with the Imperial Guards, holding the imperial decree issued by Emperor Changlong high in her hand, "This subject is sorry for the intrusion. This subject has been ordered by His Majesty to arrest Xie Fuma and thoroughly investigate the Xie family's case. Princess Leyang, please cooperate."
Xie Fuma turned his head to look at the woman who entered, Wei Mingyue.
When he first arrived in the capital that year, he saw a woman in red sitting tall and beautiful on a snow-white horse from afar. She was stunningly beautiful.
As a young man at the time, he couldn't help but wonder which family's girl she was. She was so bold and captivating.
But she was too clever, he couldn't marry a clever woman.
In his entire life, had he ever truly been moved by a woman?
Seeing Wei Mingyue walking towards him, he closed his eyes and smiled.
In this world, there are not many love-at-first-sight encounters or love as deep as the sea. In his entire life, he had never loved anyone, nor did he regret not loving anyone.
He only regretted underestimating the Crown Prince, causing the Xie family's century-old legacy to be destroyed.
"General, he's dead," someone approached and checked Xie Fuma's breathing, only to retract their hand in shock. They looked at Wei Mingyue with some confusion.
"The suspect committed suicide out of fear," Wei Mingyue picked up the teacup on the table and glanced at it, "There was poison in the tea."
"Fuma isn't dead!" Princess Leyang crazily pounced on Wei Mingyue, "Wei Mingyue, you wretched woman, Fuma isn't dead."
Wei Mingyue stopped Princess Leyang's hand from hitting her and sighed, "Princess, if you continue like this, do you want His Majesty to completely despise you? Even if you don't care for yourself, you should think about your child. The Xie family has committed heinous crimes. If you also incur His Majesty's displeasure, who will protect him?"
"Let go of me!" Princess Leyang wailed loudly, "Fuma is already dead, so why am I still alive?"
Xie Shizi endured the pain and tried to persuade Princess Leyang, but she fiercely slapped him.
"I don't have a son like you who takes advantage of others. If it weren't for you, if it weren't for you, how could your father have died?" Princess Leyang looked at Xie Shizi with hatred in her eyes, "Why wasn't it you who died?"
Xie Shizi stared blankly at Princess Leyang and dejectedly let his arms hang down, allowing Princess Leyang to beat and curse at him.
"Pull her away," unable to bear it any longer, Wei Mingyue reached out and pulled Xie Shizi aside, saying, "You child, do you finally understand the consequences of causing trouble?"
Xie Shizi remained silent, his face swollen and red. Watching his mother crazily berating him, he felt somewhat lost.
In this vast world, there was no place for him.
Hua Liuli accompanied the Empress Dowager in Shoukang Palace, playing chess together. Both of them were not good at chess, but they enjoyed playing together. The Empress Dowager would also occasionally share some tricks for managing the harem. Those unaware would probably assume that they were truly grandmother and granddaughter.
"Empress Dowager, news has come from Princess Leyang's residence. Xie Fuma has taken poison and committed suicide," Hongxiu glanced at Hua Liuli, "Early this morning, Pei Daren and Hua Daren rushed back from Changyao Province. Shortly after meeting with His Majesty in the palace, His Majesty ordered General Wei to arrest Xie Fuma at Princess Leyang Estate. Unexpectedly, Xie Fuma had already taken poison and killed himself."
Strictly speaking, it was General Wei's failure in handling the matter. Hongxiu had a good relationship with Fushou Junzhu, so she hurried back to inform the Empress Dowager.
"How is Princess Leyang?" The Empress Dowager had watched Princess Leyang grow up and had feelings for her. Upon hearing such news, she couldn't help but sigh. She put down the chess piece in her hand and said to Hua Liuli, "Go to Chenyang Palace and say that you are acting on my orders. The Emperor won't make things difficult for you."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager," this matter involved the Crown Prince, Third Brother, and Mother, so Hua Liuli couldn't rest easy. Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, she quickly expressed her gratitude and hurried towards Chenyang Palace.
Zhao Sancai, who was guarding the door, saw Princess Fushou rushing over and smiled, "Junzhu, don't worry. Xie Fuma's suicide has nothing to do with General Wei. There are many people in the hall right now, so you can go in."
"Thank you, Head Eunuch Zhao," Hua Liuli felt relieved and thanked Zhao Sancai before stepping over the threshold and entering.
There were indeed many people in the hall. Hua Liuli walked forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, this subject pay my respects."
"The Hua family's girl has arrived?" Emperor Changlong pointed to the empty seat beside the Crown Prince, "Take a seat and let's talk."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Hua Liuli took a glance at her father and mother. She saw that their expressions were still calm, so turned and sat beside the Crown Prince. Before she could speak to the Crown Prince, he secretly held her hand.
"We have collected a lot of evidence against the Xie family. Even if they are executed, it would not be excessive," the Crown Prince whispered to Hua Liuli, "Don't worry, the case has been revealed. Even if Xie Fuma committed suicide by poison, it won't help the Xie family."
Hua Liuli looked at Xie Shizi standing in the corner and sighed softly.
"Your Majesty, among the many pieces of evidence collected, we found that the Xie family has had secret correspondence with the Daimao Kingdom for many years," a Golden Armor Guard dressed in casual attire reported, "In one of the letters, it was cited to have the Xie family kill Fushou Junzhu. However, I cannot determine whether this letter was sent from Daimao or from the capital because the handwriting is different from the others and resembles that of a female."
"A woman's handwriting?" Wei Mingyue's expression turned cold, "Who dares to harm my precious daughter?!"
Hua Liuli widened her eyes. She was just a helpless little girl, so why did so many people want to kill her?
Seeing Wei Mingyue's serious expression, Emperor Changlong, who was sitting on the throne, couldn't help but shift his dragon seat back slightly, "Investigate, investigate the source of this letter immediately!"
Wei Mingyue stood up and apologized to Emperor Changlong, "This subject begs Your Majesty's forgiveness for losing composure."
"Parents naturally protect their own children," Emperor Changlong generously expressed, "Zhen understands your feelings, General Wei."
As long as Wei Mingyue didn't smash the table in front of him, everything would be fine.
Xie Shizi, who was standing in the corner, couldn't help but smile bitterly at Emperor Changlong's words. There were also parents who didn't care about their children.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The Crown Prince: The capital has become cooler recently because the Xie family is finished~
Facing the arrival of the Eldest Prince, dressed simply and in a hurry, the Jinpo envoys left behind in Great Jin had somewhat fluctuating expressions. While it was the Jinpo Emperor's idea to exchange the Eldest Prince for the Second Prince, they were the ones who had mentioned it in front of Emperor Changlong.
They were well aware that sending the Eldest Prince to Great Jin as a hostage meant he would no longer have a chance at the throne. If Jinpo caused any trouble in the future that displeased Great Jin, the first one to be sacrificed would be the Eldest Prince who was left behind as a hostage.
"Your Highness..." The envoys bowed and saluted the Eldest Prince.
"There's no need for you to have such gloomy expressions. Isn't it just a matter of losing a small gain for a bigger one?" The Eldest Prince smiled, "It's alright, Benwang doesn't take this small gain to heart."
The envoys' expressions grew even more awkward. It turned out that the Eldest Prince fully understood their original intentions.
"Furthermore, Benwang forgot to tell you that before coming to Great Jin, Father Emperor bestowed upon Benwang a title: He Wang," Taking a seat in his chair, the Eldest Prince announced, "Peaceful coexistence is what benefits the people of both nations the most. Gentlemen, what do you think of this bestowed title?"
The envoys forced themselves to offer praise.
"Benwang knew it," He Wang smiled with a hint of mockery, "You all certainly know how to flatter people. However, during Benwang's time in Jinpo, Benwang never had the chance to experience your flattery. It's truly regrettable."
The envoys felt uneasy and inferior but pretended not to understand He Wang's sarcastic remarks.
On the third day of He Wang's arrival in the capital, he was summoned by Emperor Changlong. After receiving the edict delivered by the Ministry of Rites, he turned to see the excited expressions of the envoys behind him. Feeling a bit disdainful, he thought that even if they were eager to keep him as a hostage, there was no need for them to show such excitement. After all, he was still standing here.
Observing the expression on He Wang's face, the envoys realized that he had misunderstood. They explained, "Your Highness, we have been staying in the capital for quite some time and have never been granted an audience with Emperor Changlong. However, just three days after Your Highness's arrival, Emperor Changlong expressed his intention to meet Your Highness. It shows that he still values Your Highness."
He Wang finally understood how these envoys managed to bring him over as a hostage yet couldn't rescue the Second Prince. If they couldn't even meet the Emperor of Great Jin, what more could they do?
Why did Father Emperor provoke Great Jin in the first place? If he hadn't caused so much trouble, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation. As he looked at these trembling envoys, he remembered the expressions of these same ministers when they sent troops to attack Great Jin. They were full of confidence; it was as if Great Jin was already in their grasp.
Little did they know that Great Jin had two formidable generals; what was even more frightening was that the two generals were husband and wife. They wouldn't have any disputes over power, and their cooperation on the battlefield was seamless, leading to Jinpo's defeat.
His father's most beloved commander died in battle, and the son his father valued the most was also captured. Finally, Father Emperor realized the importance of cherishing world peace. Why did it take him so long?
Hindsight is always 20/20.
This saying also applied to Xie Fuma. The most reliable servants by his side had been completely replaced, while the entire Princess Leyang Estate was tightly sealed off. No outside news could come in, and no inside news could go out.
He was now a blind man with his eyes wide open, except for drinking the bitter medicines on time every day, he had no other way. He knew that the Crown Prince and Emperor Changlong would not spare him. He couldn't be bothered to continue pretending to be sick.
Princess Leyang, who had been taken care of for three days, finally could speak with some effort. As soon as she saw Xie Shizi, who had rushed back from the Imperial Academy, she grabbed him and asked, "Did the Crown Prince see my blood-written plea?"
"What blood-written plea?" Xie Shizi calmly comforted Princess Leyang, "Mother, don't worry, those ignorant servants have already been taken away, no one will dare to disrespect you in the future..."
"I'm talking about the blood letter that could save your father's life!" Princess Leyang's voice was hoarse, she held Xie Shizi's hand with all her strength, "I did so much just to save your father, don't you understand?!"
"Even if Father's actions may cause great chaos in the world, depriving countless women of their freedom and causing suffering to the people? Do you still unconditionally protect him?" Xie Shizi looked at his mother's angry face, "Mother, you are the Princess of the Great Jin Dynasty, the Princess of all the people."
"I don't care, I just want Fuma to be safe and sound!" Princess Leyang pushed Xie Shizi away, "He is your father, yet you dare to accuse him."
"Father has committed heinous crimes. I cannot go against my own conscience as a son, so let's pretend all this doesn't exist," Xie Shizi lifted his robe and knelt before Princess Leyang, "I, as an unfilial son, deserve to be struck by lightning from the heavens. This is my sin. Mother, you can hit me or scold me. Even if you take away my name right now, I will have no complaints."
He kowtowed repeatedly to Princess Leyang, soon causing his forehead to bleed, "I, as an unfilial son, deserve no forgiveness. Please take care of yourself, Mother. I'll take my leave."
With blood streaming down his face, Xie Shizi turned around without expression and walked out of the courtyard where Princess Leyang resided. There were screams from servants wanting to stop his bleeding, but he waved them away.
He entered the courtyard where Xie Fuma resided and saw Xie Fuma sitting under the eaves drinking tea.
Xie Fuma noticed the blood on Xie Shizi's forehead, his expression changed slightly. He poured a cup of tea and placed it on the table, "Come and sit."
Xie Shizi casually wiped the blood off his forehead and sat across from Xie Fuma. The filial son and doting father, now they looked at each other in silence.
"Today's tea is a bit more bitter than previous years," Xie Fuma picked up the teacup and took a sip. No longer pretending to be crazy or foolish, he still had that charming demeanor.
Xie Shizi picked up the tea, brought it to his lips, and then put it back down, "Aren't you going to continue pretending?"
"Since pretending to be crazy is no longer useful, why continue to bring disgrace upon oneself?" Xie Fuma looked at the lush flowers and plants in the courtyard, "What's happened outside?"
If they hadn't found evidence against the Xie family, the Crown Prince wouldn't have treated the Xie family so ruthlessly. However, what surprised him was that the Fifth Prince turned out to be a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince. Wherever the Crown Prince pointed, he struck.
The brotherly relationship of the Ji imperial family was truly incomprehensible. It seemed like the conflicts between brothers from past generations had all converged in their generation, making it difficult to discern reality.
"I don't know," Xie Shizi shook his head lightly, choosing not to reveal the things the Crown Prince had discovered.
"If you don't want to say, then forget it," Xie Fuma sighed, "What I regret the most is raising you to be such a kind and naive person."
"In my heart, Father, you were once the purest and greatest person in the world," blood slid from his unattended wound, dropping into the teacup in front of him.
The crimson blood mixed with the green tea leaves, emitting a strange aroma.
Xie Fuma looked at the cup of tea in Xie Shizi's hand and suddenly realized something. He smiled, "You're now following the Crown Prince. With Emperor Changlong's favoritism towards the Crown Prince, it is Ji Yuansu who will inherit the throne in the future. By relying on him, you can live well."
However, the glory of the Xie family was no more, their future generations would become ordinary and insignificant individuals.
"Have you ever truly loved Mother all these years?" Xie Shizi couldn't help but ask. He looked at Xie Fuma's face, "For Father's sake, she could set aside her precious status and even be willing to die. Do you know that?"
Xie Fuma held the tea cup steadily, the water surface undisturbed. He avoided his son's gaze and, after a long time, said, "In my life, I have loved the Xie family the most, and then, myself."
"What about Mother? What about my sisters and me?"
"You are different from them. You are the one to inherit the Xie family in the next generation," Xie Fuma looked at his son, "In my vision, the Xie family's plans for upcoming decades would succeed in my hands, so the next generation of the Xie family would need a true gentleman."
However, all those plans had encountered an unexpected event, the Crown Prince's unpredictable behavior, which left him completely puzzled.
If Xie Yao had managed to take the Crown Prince's life when she sent the assassins, it would have been better. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince survived. Since then, the Xie family had been constantly sinking into the abyss, and the efforts and plans of several generations were destroyed.
The Xie family was ruined by the Crown Prince.
"So you sent someone to assassinate Second Sister and even used Mother's feelings to let her commit suicide?" Xie Shizi felt extreme pain. The man in front of him seemed so unfamiliar. The elegant and gentle father in his memory seemed like an illusion, disappearing in the sunlight.
"I call it, making reasonable use of them. Besides, your mother is perfectly fine, isn't she?" Xie Fuma toyed with the teacup, his smile still gentle, "In my life, I am destined not to have feelings for any woman."
"So when you were pretending to be crazy, saying that Fushou Junzhu was your daughter and General Wei was your wife, was that intentional?" Xie Shizi looked pained, "Have you ever thought about how much it would hurt Mother?"
Xie Fuma's expression slightly changed, then he chuckled, "I've said it before, in my entire life, I won't be infatuated with any woman. Since birth, I've been destined to live for the Xie family."
"I understand," Xie Shizi stood up, looking at Xie Fuma with sadness, "So, to you, Mother, my sisters, and I are all just tools of the Xie family, is that right?"
"Yes," Xie Fuma smiled, "My child, don't be so naive in the future. There aren't that many good people in the world."
Xie Shizi walked off the eaves and knelt before Xie Fuma, performing the ritual of three bows and nine kowtows, "Father, I will never forget your upbringing. I implore you to change your ways and stop making mistakes."
"Making mistakes again?" Xie Fuma burst into laughter. He turned his head and saw Princess Leyang standing at the courtyard entrance, tears streaming down her face. He revealed a gentle and considerate smile, "Princess, did you hear everything?"
As she looked at this man whose smile was so beautiful, Princess Leyang felt an intense chill coursing through her body, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.
If everything he did for all these years was just an illusion, what did her genuine feelings amount to? For the sake of marrying him, she had used every means and made sacrifices, but all she received was the statement, "I won't be infatuated with any woman." Was her whole life just a joke?
"Mother..." Xie Shizi didn't expect his mother to come. Did she hear everything he discussed with his father just now?
Princess Leyang walked up to Xie Fuma, "Have you truly never loved me all these years?"
"If it makes the Princess happy, I can say that I have loved you," Xie Fuma stood up and gently reached out to touch her temple, fixing a loose hairpin, "You shouldn't have come."
"If I hadn't come, how would I have known that you never loved me?" Princess Leyang sobbed uncontrollably, "You... how cruel-hearted you are."
"Stop crying. It won't look good," Xie Fuma wiped away Princess Leyang's tears with a handkerchief, his lips curved into a smile, looking incredibly charming.
However, Princess Leyang's heart grew colder and colder. She had been mistaken. He wasn't cruel-hearted; he simply had no heart at all.
The sweet words were false, the vows were false, even the gentle gaze was false. Everything was false. Only she had foolishly taken everything to be true and sacrificed everything for him.
"Why?" she asked with a hoarse voice.
Xie Fuma sighed, "Back then, I originally intended to marry Princess Shunan. I didn't want to deceive you, but you insisted on marrying me. Have you forgotten?"
"Hahaha!" Princess Leyang laughed through her tears, "I snatched away Shunan's man, so this is my retribution, retribution..."
Xie Fuma put his hand behind his back and looked at her gently, "Princess, if hating me can make the rest of your life better, then go ahead and hate me."
After saying these words, blood oozed from the corners of his mouth and the tip of his nose.
"Fuma, what's wrong with you?" Seeing him like this, Princess Leyang trembled even more violently. She took out a handkerchief and tried to wipe away the bloodstains.
"No need," Xie Fuma stopped her hand, "I put Sanxi Powder in the tea just now. There is no antidote to this poison."
"Why? Why would you do this?" Princess Leyang screamed frantically, "Imperial Physician, call the imperial physician quickly!"
Xie Shizi stared blankly at the teacup on the table. His mother's frantic screams didn't reach his ears. His mind buzzed, finally understanding that his father had also intended to kill him just now.
"As a member of the Xie family, I would rather you die cleanly than live miserably under the Crown Prince," Xie Fuma knew what his son was thinking. He looked at Xie Shizi, "Unfortunately, you weren't destined to die. You didn't drink that cup of tea."
He clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, "But this is for the best. From now on, you will understand one thing: don't casually accept things given by others."
"Fuma... Fuma," Princess Leyang reached out to cover Xie Fuma's mouth, hoping it could stop the bleeding. But large quantities of blood still flowed through her fingers.
She cried in agony, "What should we do? What should we do? You can't die, you can't."
Xie Fuma pushed her away and staggered back to the chair under the eaves. He looked at the still-steaming tea on the table, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped his chin. Then, he weakly leaned against the chair.
The door was forcefully pushed open; Wei Mingyue entered with the Imperial Guards, holding the imperial decree issued by Emperor Changlong high in her hand, "This subject is sorry for the intrusion. This subject has been ordered by His Majesty to arrest Xie Fuma and thoroughly investigate the Xie family's case. Princess Leyang, please cooperate."
Xie Fuma turned his head to look at the woman who entered, Wei Mingyue.
When he first arrived in the capital that year, he saw a woman in red sitting tall and beautiful on a snow-white horse from afar. She was stunningly beautiful.
As a young man at the time, he couldn't help but wonder which family's girl she was. She was so bold and captivating.
But she was too clever, he couldn't marry a clever woman.
In his entire life, had he ever truly been moved by a woman?
Seeing Wei Mingyue walking towards him, he closed his eyes and smiled.
In this world, there are not many love-at-first-sight encounters or love as deep as the sea. In his entire life, he had never loved anyone, nor did he regret not loving anyone.
He only regretted underestimating the Crown Prince, causing the Xie family's century-old legacy to be destroyed.
"General, he's dead," someone approached and checked Xie Fuma's breathing, only to retract their hand in shock. They looked at Wei Mingyue with some confusion.
"The suspect committed suicide out of fear," Wei Mingyue picked up the teacup on the table and glanced at it, "There was poison in the tea."
"Fuma isn't dead!" Princess Leyang crazily pounced on Wei Mingyue, "Wei Mingyue, you wretched woman, Fuma isn't dead."
Wei Mingyue stopped Princess Leyang's hand from hitting her and sighed, "Princess, if you continue like this, do you want His Majesty to completely despise you? Even if you don't care for yourself, you should think about your child. The Xie family has committed heinous crimes. If you also incur His Majesty's displeasure, who will protect him?"
"Let go of me!" Princess Leyang wailed loudly, "Fuma is already dead, so why am I still alive?"
Xie Shizi endured the pain and tried to persuade Princess Leyang, but she fiercely slapped him.
"I don't have a son like you who takes advantage of others. If it weren't for you, if it weren't for you, how could your father have died?" Princess Leyang looked at Xie Shizi with hatred in her eyes, "Why wasn't it you who died?"
Xie Shizi stared blankly at Princess Leyang and dejectedly let his arms hang down, allowing Princess Leyang to beat and curse at him.
"Pull her away," unable to bear it any longer, Wei Mingyue reached out and pulled Xie Shizi aside, saying, "You child, do you finally understand the consequences of causing trouble?"
Xie Shizi remained silent, his face swollen and red. Watching his mother crazily berating him, he felt somewhat lost.
In this vast world, there was no place for him.
Hua Liuli accompanied the Empress Dowager in Shoukang Palace, playing chess together. Both of them were not good at chess, but they enjoyed playing together. The Empress Dowager would also occasionally share some tricks for managing the harem. Those unaware would probably assume that they were truly grandmother and granddaughter.
"Empress Dowager, news has come from Princess Leyang's residence. Xie Fuma has taken poison and committed suicide," Hongxiu glanced at Hua Liuli, "Early this morning, Pei Daren and Hua Daren rushed back from Changyao Province. Shortly after meeting with His Majesty in the palace, His Majesty ordered General Wei to arrest Xie Fuma at Princess Leyang Estate. Unexpectedly, Xie Fuma had already taken poison and killed himself."
Strictly speaking, it was General Wei's failure in handling the matter. Hongxiu had a good relationship with Fushou Junzhu, so she hurried back to inform the Empress Dowager.
"How is Princess Leyang?" The Empress Dowager had watched Princess Leyang grow up and had feelings for her. Upon hearing such news, she couldn't help but sigh. She put down the chess piece in her hand and said to Hua Liuli, "Go to Chenyang Palace and say that you are acting on my orders. The Emperor won't make things difficult for you."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager," this matter involved the Crown Prince, Third Brother, and Mother, so Hua Liuli couldn't rest easy. Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, she quickly expressed her gratitude and hurried towards Chenyang Palace.
Zhao Sancai, who was guarding the door, saw Princess Fushou rushing over and smiled, "Junzhu, don't worry. Xie Fuma's suicide has nothing to do with General Wei. There are many people in the hall right now, so you can go in."
"Thank you, Head Eunuch Zhao," Hua Liuli felt relieved and thanked Zhao Sancai before stepping over the threshold and entering.
There were indeed many people in the hall. Hua Liuli walked forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, this subject pay my respects."
"The Hua family's girl has arrived?" Emperor Changlong pointed to the empty seat beside the Crown Prince, "Take a seat and let's talk."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Hua Liuli took a glance at her father and mother. She saw that their expressions were still calm, so turned and sat beside the Crown Prince. Before she could speak to the Crown Prince, he secretly held her hand.
"We have collected a lot of evidence against the Xie family. Even if they are executed, it would not be excessive," the Crown Prince whispered to Hua Liuli, "Don't worry, the case has been revealed. Even if Xie Fuma committed suicide by poison, it won't help the Xie family."
Hua Liuli looked at Xie Shizi standing in the corner and sighed softly.
"Your Majesty, among the many pieces of evidence collected, we found that the Xie family has had secret correspondence with the Daimao Kingdom for many years," a Golden Armor Guard dressed in casual attire reported, "In one of the letters, it was cited to have the Xie family kill Fushou Junzhu. However, I cannot determine whether this letter was sent from Daimao or from the capital because the handwriting is different from the others and resembles that of a female."
"A woman's handwriting?" Wei Mingyue's expression turned cold, "Who dares to harm my precious daughter?!"
Hua Liuli widened her eyes. She was just a helpless little girl, so why did so many people want to kill her?
Seeing Wei Mingyue's serious expression, Emperor Changlong, who was sitting on the throne, couldn't help but shift his dragon seat back slightly, "Investigate, investigate the source of this letter immediately!"
Wei Mingyue stood up and apologized to Emperor Changlong, "This subject begs Your Majesty's forgiveness for losing composure."
"Parents naturally protect their own children," Emperor Changlong generously expressed, "Zhen understands your feelings, General Wei."
As long as Wei Mingyue didn't smash the table in front of him, everything would be fine.
Xie Shizi, who was standing in the corner, couldn't help but smile bitterly at Emperor Changlong's words. There were also parents who didn't care about their children.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The Crown Prince: The capital has become cooler recently because the Xie family is finished~
