Chapter 285

Chapter 0285: A Severe Beating

Seeing Emperor He Jingxin, they hurriedly paid their respects.

"All rise, what happened?" Emperor He Jingxin took a seat.

The Second Prince's left eye was visibly injured, looking very red and likely to turn purple soon.

He stepped forward: "Father Emperor, it is my fault."

The Third Prince stood to the side, head lowered, silent.

"Ji Rui, you speak," Emperor He Jingxin pointed at the Fifth Prince.

The Fifth Prince stepped forward, clasped his hands in salute: "Yes. To Father Emperor, I wasn't there at the start and don't know what happened. But I heard them arguing. The Second Brother said the Third Brother was too hot-tempered, which wasn't good. The Third Brother then cursed at the Second Brother. The Second Brother got a bit angry and retorted a few sentences. The Third Brother started the fight. The Second Brother didn't retaliate but was just holding back the Third Brother."

"Ji Xing, is what your fifth brother said correct?" Emperor He Jingxin asked the Second Prince.

"To Father Emperor, what the fifth brother said is all true."

"Alright, then what did you say to your third brother? Why mention his temper?" Emperor He Jingxin asked further.

The Second Prince bit his lip, kneeling down: "The Third Brother... spoke disrespectfully, showing no respect for my mother. I only said..."

He couldn't continue.

Emperor He Jingxin pointed at the Second Prince's eunuch: "You speak! Exactly as it happened."

The eunuch hurriedly said: "To Your Majesty, it was the Third Prince who provoked first, telling the Second Prince that Consort Jin handing over the management of palace affairs back to the Empress was foolish. Saying... saying that Lady Xu's death was all a trap set by the Empress. If Consort Jin can't protect the Second Prince properly, she would end up the same way."

"The Second Prince then countered, saying Lady Xu brought it upon herself. This matter is for Father Emperor to decide, and we should not interfere. Then the Third Prince called the Second Prince a fool and a coward. The Second Prince then said the Third Prince was too quick to judge our elders."

"Following that, the words from the Third Prince... weren't very pleasant..."

"What kind of unpleasant? Speak," the Empress demanded angrily.

"Yes, to the Empress. The Third Prince cursed the Second Prince as a fool raised by a foolish woman. Saying his birth mother died unclearly, and his stepmother would end up the same. Hearing his mother insulted, the Second Prince naturally got angry, saying Lady Xu had a venomous heart, and her end was deserved. If the Third Brother doesn't mend his ways, who knows what his future holds. Then the Third Prince started the physical fight."

"Well, very well," the Empress ground her teeth: "A fine child raised by Lady Xu."

"Ji Kang, is this true?" Emperor He Jingxin asked the Third Prince.

Fiddling with his fingers, the Third Prince knelt down: "Son... was foolish for a moment..."

"I'm asking you, is this true?" Emperor He Jingxin's voice was calm yet filled with anger.

"It... it's true," the Third Prince stammered.

"Alright, for insulting elders and bullying your brother, you're sentenced to twenty strokes of the cane and confined for a month. Ji Kang, remember, this is the only time," Emperor He Jingxin said indifferently.

The Third Prince shuddered again: "Son thanks Father Emperor."

"Meng Chang. Tell those executing the punishment. Show no mercy, but don't injure him severely," Emperor He Jingxin instructed.

This meant the punishment would be carried out in earnest.

The Third Prince clenched his teeth, not daring to plead for mercy.

The Second Prince thought about pleading but was pulled back by the Fifth Prince and kept silent.

The Third Prince was punished outside Guanghong Palace, howling with each strike. The twenty strokes were delivered efficiently, leaving him as limp as a dead dog.

He was helped inside to express gratitude and then taken back to recuperate.

After all, he is a prince; even after being punished, he must be properly treated and medicated. No one dared to let him come to harm.

The Empress's expression is indifferent: "This child, ruined by that lowly Xu!"

"Demote Xu to her original status, allowing her burial in the imperial mausoleum without the need for worship," He Jin said flatly.

"The Second Prince has suffered unfairly."

"Father, I am fine," the Second Prince hurriedly said.

He Jin nodded: "Take a few days to rest. Return with your mother. You may read some books in the palace."

"Yes, thank you, Father."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Consort Jin also quickly bowed.

"Let's go," He Jin turned and took Yun Li's hand.

Yun Li bowed to the Empress and then reached out to hold the Emperor's hand as they left.

The Empress merely smiled.

After seeing off the Emperor, she turned with a cold laugh: "If the Third Prince cares for his mother, he better not court death. Another slip, and Xu won't even have a place in the imperial mausoleum."

"Truly deserved. All were fine princes, though different in temperament, how could they end up like this?" Consort Min expressed disdain.

"Indeed, now even if she remains in the imperial mausoleum, she'll miss out on annual worship. Truly a dire end," Lady Yu frowned.

"Bring those who served him. Thirty strikes for men, twenty for women. Teach your masters well, lest this happens again, or I'll flay you," the Empress decreed.

Orders were quickly executed.

Anyway, those serving the Second Prince are also unlucky.

This isn't his first time causing trouble.

Back in Yúqú Palace, Emperor He Jingxin is clearly in no mood for anything.

He is just very annoyed.

Yun Li pours him tea: "Don't be angry, they're just kids. Spoiled and not properly raised, that's all. Lady Xu, having been childless yet favored for many years, it's natural she'd have some thoughts once she had a prince. She wasn't the Third Prince's birth mother, and she hadn't had children before, so her lack of parenting skills is understandable."

"Hmph, I should never have allowed her to raise the Third Prince," Emperor He Jingxin says.

"What's done is done. The Third Prince is still young; proper guidance from now is what matters. But his indignation on Lady Xu's behalf does show she genuinely cared for him. Children are like that; they won't cherish or remember you if you're unkind to them," Yun Li says.

"You do like to speak on her behalf," Emperor He Jingxin huffs again.

"She's gone. Speaking well of her costs me nothing, and it makes you think I have a kind heart, which is all to the good, isn't it?" Yun Li says nonchalantly.

Zhi Fu and Yin Cha behind her are nervous, thinking, oh my, the Empress Consort really is...

Emperor He Jingxin laughs: "You, with your clever tongue, might just make me suspicious of you one day!"

"You're smiling? It's not a big deal, just kids fighting. Isn't it natural for children to say unpleasant things? Just because they are princes and princesses doesn't mean they're born knowing everything, to get you so worked up. It's just a bunch of things piling up. Isn't it expected for kids to fight and say things they shouldn't?"

"Besides, the Third Prince is still young. Suddenly without his mother, isn't it understandable if he harbors some resentment?"

"So, you think I was too harsh?" Emperor He Jingxin looks at Yun Li, his expression somewhat aggrieved.

"Otherwise? Lady Zhang was no good, her death is no loss. Lady Xu, despite her faults, cared deeply for the Third Prince, didn't she? The Third Prince might be a bit foolish, but isn't he still your son? Why punish him so severely?" Yun Li gives Emperor He Jingxin a look.

"How kind-hearted you are!" Emperor He Jingxin throws his tea cup onto the table.

This frightened Zhu Yu and others into kneeling.

"What can I do as a mother?" Yun Li scoffed, picking up the tea to offer again: "Your Majesty, please calm down."