Chapter 453 – Breaking a Dog’s Leg

Chapter 453 - Breaking a Dog's Leg

"The Emperor, Empress, your son has returned," the Crown Prince knelt down, somewhat dazed. "Father, are you feeling better?"

Hao Jinli sat up straight. "Much better."

"Hell no," Yun Li interjected. "Your father needs rest, and you've come back just in time. Great, starting from today... Never mind, let's do it tomorrow. Today, I don't want to see a single report. Take a break today, but starting tomorrow, I don't want to lay eyes on them."

The Crown Prince felt like retreating.

But now didn't seem like the right moment to back out.

"Well... it's almost time for lunch, Mother. I'm hungry," the Crown Prince stood up.

"Ask someone to prepare the meal and send it to the Cining Palace. Go pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Go invite the Crown Princess as well; we'll all have lunch together at the Empress Dowager's palace," Yun Li instructed.

The Crown Prince quickly replied, "Yes, of course."

He... really had forgotten.

Yun Li also knew that there couldn't be much affection between the crown prince and the empress dowager.

It was normal for him to forget, and she would remind him.

After the crown prince left, Yun Li came over to help Jincheng adjust his clothes.

Jincheng had lost weight, and his complexion wasn't great, but he seemed much more composed than before.

At least, he no longer suffered from chest pains at the slightest provocation.

"Are you relieved now that Little Nine is back in the capital?" Yun Li asked.

Jincheng had previously been worried that the sixth prince might still have some tricks up his sleeve and had made arrangements along Little Nine's route back.

"Little Nine is your beloved child, aren't you worried about her?" Jincheng countered.

Yun Li smiled. "Alright, let's go."

Soon, the emperor, the virtuous consort, the crown prince, the crown princess, the imperial concubine, as well as the second princess who accompanied them, all gathered in the Cihuan Palace.

The Empress Dowager was delighted, not so much due to familial affection, but because they were still a family after all.

Now, she hoped for the emperor's well-being and the prince's return to the capital. If the emperor was happy, then it was a good thing. And she would be happy too.

Everyone enjoyed this meal with joy.

He Jinli now had dietary restrictions, but they weren't too strict. He didn't eat as much as before, but overall, his appetite was satisfactory.

However, the prince still felt a pang of sorrow when he saw him.

After accompanying the Empress Dowager in conversation for a while and escorting He Jinli and Yun Li back to Yuzhu Palace, the prince said he wanted to return to the Eastern Palace.

Yun Li stopped him, persuading him to stay outside: "Don't harm his life, or your father will surely grieve if he were to pass away. Your father can't afford such sorrow at this moment."

The prince paused: "Didn't you say... that he's alright?"

Yun Li took a deep breath: "Your father's illness this time is more severe than it seems. As long as he takes good care of himself, there will be no issue. Neither extreme joy nor sorrow is acceptable. You're grown up now; don't only consider the immediate satisfaction when making decisions. Haven't you always wanted to share your father's burdens? This is your chance. But Mother needs to remind you that your father is a skilled warrior and an enlightened monarch. He's just momentarily ill; don't pity him. He doesn't need nor deserve pity. Do you understand?"

The prince nodded: "Mother, rest assured, I understand."

"Go ahead, confine him in a dark and endless cage for the rest of his life – that is indeed a more tormenting fate than death. Remember that," Yun Li said.

The prince nodded, then suddenly embraced Yun Li. "Mother, your son is back. From now on, no matter what happens, I'll be here to protect you."

Yun Li patted his back. "Mother has always known you were there, so I've never been afraid. Go now."

The prince nodded, released Yun Li, and ran out.

His ears were clearly flushed, a sign of bashfulness.

Back in the room, He Jinli asked, "What secret whispers were you sharing? Were you afraid that I might overhear?"

"You called them whispers yourself, so how could I let you hear them? Stop prying," Yun Li replied.

He Jinli chuckled and shook his head. "Forget it. Sometimes, your wit surpasses even mine."

Meanwhile, after leaving the palace, the prince rushed straight to the Zhao Prison.

Upon the prince's arrival, everyone there was terrified.

What wretched place is this? Can the Crown Prince afford to step in here?

Yet, they dared not obstruct him.

"The prince wishes to see that person," he said.

The jailer was perplexed, but the supervisor understood, "Yes, yes, of course... Your Highness, allow me to tidy up first... It's truly... rather unsanitary."

"Nonsense. I'll have a look. Just show me the way. What need does a criminal have for a decent place?" The Crown Prince's face was cold and distant.

Though he had yet to reach adulthood, his aura was formidable.

At the heart of the Zhao Prison, there was a cell, neither too large nor too small.

Inside were only some straw, a tattered quilt, and a chamber pot.

A tiny skylight faced outward.

"The window is in the shade, so it doesn't receive sunlight even during the day," explained the supervisor.

The crown prince nodded.

Prince Six, huddled on the straw, suddenly lifted his head. "You!"

He hadn't spoken a word in months, but now he abruptly rushed forward, shouting through the bars, "It's you!"

The crown prince met his gaze. "Yes, it's me."

"You... You've come to kill me?" Prince Six took a step back. "You're here to kill me, aren't you? Ha, go ahead, kill me. Just like Father killed my mother."

Almost three months had passed since he'd been locked up in this dark, sunless place.

Of course, he was afraid of death, but at the same time, he felt that death might be a relief.

"Why would I kill you?" The crown prince smiled. "But since I'm here, I don't intend to let you off easy. I said no one is allowed to hurt my father, not even my brothers. Yet you dared to attempt regicide and made him grieve to the point of falling ill like this."

The crown prince took a deep breath. "Break both his legs."

The guards behind him acknowledged the order.

The steward hesitated but then pulled out the key. Well, it was a matter concerning the royal family; he had no right to intervene.

"What do you want? What are you doing? If you have the guts, kill me! Kill me!" The sixth prince was pinned down, and the guard, unable to find a weapon, used the scabbard of his saber instead.

With great strength, the guard pressed him firmly to the ground, lifting one leg onto the railing before slamming it down hard.

A sharp crack echoed, followed by the prince's agonized wails.

The other leg could only be crushed while lying flat, producing a dull thud this time.

The sixth prince was in such excruciating pain that he didn't pass out.

He slumped to the ground, unsure which leg to hold.

"You should be grateful that Father killed your mother. Otherwise, she would have been living in agony today," the crown prince said calmly.

"Hah... Haha... Living in agony... She... Her bones were crushed and scattered... How... How much more agony could there be... Why don't you kill me? Why? Aren't you full of anger? Kill me!" The sixth prince howled in torment.

"Die? You wish," the crown prince sneered. "From now on, you'll never leave here. For the rest of your life, you'll remain in this place. Your legs will never heal. I'll have a doctor tend to you, ensuring that your wounds close without causing death from infection. But the bones you've broken will never be reconnected."

"I'll ensure you live, tormented with every breath, regretting your actions every single day."

"Aha...ha...you two...you and your mother share the same venomous blood. You treated the Queen the same way, didn't you? Truly...equally ruthless." The Sixth Prince was drenched in sweat from the pain. At that moment, he wished for nothing more than an immediate end to his suffering, a release from the agony.