Chapter 241: Questioning the Heart
Zhuque Street blurred into a long, ink-wash scroll in the misty rain.
Hooves shattered puddles, and carriages rolled over the eaves of palaces…
The white marble steps of Zichen Hall gleamed, washed by the rain.
Li Huan held Xue Sui, wrapped in a cloak, kneeling beneath the eaves of Zichen Hall. The person in his arms, with her snow-white hair, spread across his arms, emitting a cold, ethereal glow in the night.
“Imperial Father! Your son has urgent matters to report—”
His voice was soaked with snowmelt, tinged with hoarseness and urgency.
The night was like ink poured into an inkstone, thick and oppressive.
Xiao Zhao knelt silently behind him, her fists clenched tightly, her body rigid. Watching Xue Sui’s bloodless face, she felt her heart pound like a drum, about to burst from her chest.
Waiting…
The wait was long and agonizing. The surroundings were so silent that one could hear the sound of raindrops hitting glazed tiles.
The entire Palace City had fallen asleep.
She didn’t know what lay ahead, nor if the Young Lady, having calculated this entire scheme, might still capsize in the gutter…
–
Inside the hall, the candlelight was dim. Emperor Chong Zhao had already gone to sleep.
The eunuch on duty, shrinking his neck, had paced the corridor for a long time. Hearing Prince Duan repeatedly and loudly announce his presence, he finally gritted his teeth and, trembling, went in to report.
If Li Zhao had done this, no one would have found it strange.
But it was the usually steady and experienced Prince Duan, who normally kept his emotions hidden and acted with unwavering composure, rarely even frowning, who was acting so outrageously tonight.
Emperor Chong Zhao had been overly worried recently, counting the hours until the third watch before falling into a restless sleep.
Suddenly hearing a disturbance, he sat up abruptly, “Who dares to trespass in the forbidden palace?”
His voice carried a hint of anger.
Wang Chengxi cautiously approached, placing a cushion behind His Majesty’s waist.
“Your Majesty, Prince Duan is requesting an audience outside the hall, stating it is a matter of utmost urgency…”
Emperor Chong Zhao coughed twice, slowly rubbed his temples, and then spoke.
“Help me change.”
–
Li Huan stepped into the hall, water droplets from his hem continuously falling, dampening the edge of the bright yellow carpet.
“I implore Imperial Father to show mercy and save my Consort’s life.”
Emperor Chong Zhao looked at his disheveled state, his pupils constricting, finding it hard to recognize him.
“You stormed the palace in the dead of night, disturbing the imperial presence, all for this woman?”
He pointed at Xue Sui, whom Li Huan held tightly in his arms, his face showing a mixture of rage and disbelief.
Li Huan knelt and kowtowed, his throat bobbing violently with exertion.
“Your son was foolish, but if Xue Shi dies, your son will never find peace in this life!”
Emperor Chong Zhao frowned.
The Empress Dowager had consulted him that day, suggesting Xue Shi die quietly in prison. This would not only resolve Consort Xiao’s case but also prevent further entanglement. It was the best course of action…
He had implicitly agreed.
A woman’s life was insignificant compared to the dignity of the royal family and the stability of the state.
But he had never expected Li Huan to be so impulsive.
“You were the one who produced the evidence of guilt in Qinghui Hall and had her imprisoned, and now you are the one who stormed the prison in the dead of night, not caring about ruining your reputation…” Emperor Chong Zhao slammed the table heavily, demanding in a furious tone:
“Are you expecting me to clean up your mess now?”
“Your son has deceived the Emperor.” Li Huan’s forehead struck the gold brick heavily, a red mark instantly appearing on his temple.
“The broken jade pendant in Qinghui Hall was hidden by your son. Xue Shi never colluded with the enemy…”
Emperor Chong Zhao was furious, his gaze like a dagger, fiercely piercing Li Huan.
“Prince Duan, do you know what you are saying?”
“Your son is saying that the jade pendant from Qinghui Hall was placed in Xue Shi’s coin purse by my own hand. My mother’s case was deliberately framed against Xue Shi by your son to protect Ping Le… Your son has wronged Xue Shi and failed the law…”
He then briefly recounted Lu Xi’s death and Ping Le’s poisoning of the Empress, his tone filled with regret.
“Your son personally wrote the 《 twenty-eight memorials on reforming the penal system》, wholeheartedly aiming to rectify the law and govern with benevolence, ensuring just punishments. Yet, due to familial affection, I misjudged right from wrong, aided the wicked, and have failed my ancestors and acted unworthy of being a subject.”
The knuckles of the hand holding Xue Sui turned white from the force, his voice trembling with bone-deep pain.
“Your son’s sins are unforgivable!”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s face turned ashen, and he angrily swept his sleeve.
“Absurd! Such baseless accusations? How can you expect me to believe you?”
He then let out a cold laugh, raised his chin, his gaze sharp.
“Even if Ping Le made grave mistakes, it is not for you, her elder brother, to act righteously against your own kin. Stirring up trouble within your own family at this juncture, are you trying to distance yourself? Hmph! Throwing Ping Le under the bus to save yourself?”
Currently, Ping Le was impeached, with mountains of evidence against her.
The impact on the Prince Duan’s Mansion’s reputation and foundation was also significant.
Li Huan heard the Emperor’s doubt, his tone heavy and restrained.
“Your son has irrefutable evidence in hand, which can be presented to Imperial Father tomorrow. Your son is guilty and dares not shirk responsibility.”
He paused, then spoke with renewed conviction.
“Initially, it was your son’s fraternal affection for Ping Le that made me want to protect her. But she should not have colluded with Xizi Death Warriors and disrupted the imperial court— if your son does not stop her and continues to indulge her, Daliang will be ruined by her.”
Emperor Chong Zhao sneered.
“Utterly preposterous! Do you know the penalty for what you have said tonight?”
“Your son knows his crime, and your son is willing to accept punishment.”
Li Huan heavily kowtowed on the gold brick, his voice muffled in his chest. He looked down at the unconscious Xue Sui, steadied his mind, and said, “But before punishing your son, please, Imperial Father, grant mercy and order Wang Bo’an and Imperial Physician Wang to treat Xue Shi…”
Emperor Chong Zhao was so angered he laughed.
“Do you think the imperial family is a charity?”
“Imperial Father, please see clearly!” Li Huan raised his voice. “The Empress Dowager suffered a severe headache and urgently summoned Wang Bo’an and Imperial Physician Wang to Ci An Hall to attend to her. They have not yet returned. Consort Xue’s illness can only be cured by Imperial Physician Wang…”
He did not state it explicitly.
But the implication was clear enough.
The Empress Dowager was the instigator of this matter, and Wang Bo’an was involved.
Even he, the Emperor, was an accomplice who knew about it.
Emperor Chong Zhao’s breathing grew heavy with anger, his tone filled with disappointment.
“Prince Duan, do you still have any regard for your sovereign?”
“Your son dares not. Your son only wishes to save a life…”
“Insolence!” Emperor Chong Zhao roared, his sleeve sweeping a teacup from the imperial desk, shattering it on the floor.
“Guards, escort Prince Duan out of the palace. If he dares to defy this decree again, he will be severely punished!”
“Why must Imperial Father be so angry…” a clear voice came from outside the hall.
Before the words had finished, Li Zhao entered, cloaked in the rain. Water droplets from his dark cloak spread small wet marks on the gold bricks.
He raised his eyes, his features stern, as clear and cold as a deep pool.
“Lives are at stake. Imperial Brother resorted to this desperate measure out of urgency.”
He then took off his dripping cloak and threw it to Lai Fu. His lips tightened slightly as his gaze swept over the curled figure in Li Huan’s arms.
Walking forward, he bowed solemnly to Emperor Chong Zhao.
“Your son greets Imperial Father. I hope Imperial Father will consider Imperial Brother’s first offense and show leniency!”
Emperor Chong Zhao looked at the bloodshot eyes of Li Zhao, then at Li Huan kneeling on the ground. He slowly rose, leaning on Wang Chengxi’s wrist, and walked before them.
The two sons had been rivals for years, locked in a bitter struggle.
Now, they knelt together before the throne, a rare display of unity…
Unfortunately, it was not for the empire of Daliang, but for a woman who brought disaster…
Emperor Chong Zhao’s anger intensified, making him feel even more that Xue Sui deserved to die.
“You two disregard propriety, challenging your sovereign in the dead of night, all to defend a criminal woman?”
