Chapter 170: With the war breaking out and nearly ten thousand casualties, can this still be considered a private affair?

Chapter 170: With the war breaking out and nearly ten thousand casualties, can this still be considered a private affair?

"What exactly is my sister-in-law up to?" Chu Li wondered, unable to hold back her question as soon as they left the room.

He Nianqing was right; the other three branches of the He family could easily exonerate themselves by denying her identity, as dead men tell no tales.

Ruan Qinghuan paused for a moment: "Back when the late consort was alive, many portraits of women were submitted from various regions. Sister, you tell me, how could the Crown Prince decide to marry a woman from the He clan without even having seen her portrait?"

Chu Li gaped in disbelief: "Sister-in-law, are you saying that all of this was the Crown Prince's scheme?"

Looking at it this way, one could indeed find some clues in the Crown Prince's wife's current situation.

Although she held the title of consort, she had never borne a child in all these years, while the concubines and side chambers the Crown Prince had taken in later all bore children one after another.

The royal family highly values bloodline and lineage. If the Crown Prince's wife was indeed a maid in disguise, it would be only natural for the Crown Prince to prevent her from conceiving.

Ruan Qinghuan thought well of He Nianqing: "Even though the He family has fallen to such a state, she still stays by the side of the now-insane Madam He, which shows her filial piety."

Chu Li sighed, frustrated: "It's just a pity that good people don't get good rewards. So, what's the point of marrying so many wives and having a bunch of children, just to stir up internal family strife?"

Seeing her indignation, Ruan Qinghuan shook her head. Such power struggles were common in noble families.

"Although He Nianqing may not be directly involved in this matter, the main branch of the He family may not be entirely blameless. Caught in the whirlpool, sometimes one has no choice but to follow the current. The sudden death of He Nianqing's father shortly after his son's death might have been to cover up some matters."

With both legitimate sons dead, only He Hongzhi was left. As a father and the head of the family, he naturally wouldn't want the main branch's lineage to end.

**

Late at night in the palace, the Emperor stood for a long time at the entrance of Anhe Palace.

The continuous weeping outside the hall darkened his expression.

Eunuch Xu, aware of the Emperor's rage, said: "Your Majesty, Consort Qi has been kneeling for a whole day. Should this servant allow her to return first?"

"Let her kneel. She can kneel until she truly repents." The stars filled the sky, a sign of prosperity, yet they failed to light up the cold, desolate palace night.

The Emperor sighed deeply: "Tomorrow, He An is due to arrive in the capital, right?"

"The guards reported that the Prime Minister and General Ji will arrive at the palace before noon tomorrow."

"Hmph, young in years but an old fox in cunning. He's giving me a way out." By reporting the Crown Prince's matter privately before the morning court, he had indeed thought it through thoroughly.

Eunuch Xu knew the Emperor was referring to Prime Minister He: "The matter of the Crown Prince is a family affair, it should be..."

"A family affair?" The Emperor interrupted him: "With the war breaking out and nearly ten thousand casualties, can this still be considered a private affair?"

"This servant is a fool, please forgive me, Your Majesty." Eunuch Xu, terrified, knelt on the ground.

The Emperor was deeply disappointed with the Crown Prince. Whether it was the affection he showed him as a child or the title of prince he bestowed upon him as an adult, he believed he had treated him better than the other princes. So why had he become the most unsatisfactory one?

In the battle of Jiangnan, fortunately, He An and Ji Lingchuan had strategized well, and it did not result in significant impact or loss.

However, the matter of rebellion was already settled. Whether for the stability of the empire or to give an account to the soldiers and court officials, this matter could not be lightly dismissed.

**

At the posthouse, Ji Lingchuan, like He An, was unable to sleep: "Leaving Chu Li in Jiangnan, she must be furious by now."

Although it was for her safety, the thought of her being angry made Ji Lingchuan uneasy.

This trip back to the capital had been extremely perilous, with three ambushes nearly allowing the Crown Prince to escape.

At last, they would enter the capital tomorrow. He had already decided that as soon as he handed over his duties, he would immediately return to Jiangnan to fetch her.

"Let's take care of our official duties first once we enter the capital tomorrow." He An was also worried about Ruan Qinghuan. He left her in Jiangnan not just for her safety but also to keep her out of this case.

"You’ve already brought everyone back, so why do you still seem so worried?"

"After all, Prince Chen is a royal prince. Because of his fondness for Consort Qi, the Emperor has been extremely lenient with him, even covering up the issue of the private soldiers in Lucheng."

"So, you’re worried the Emperor might still protect him this time?"

This time, even He An wasn’t sure how the Emperor would handle this.

If he still chose to protect Prince Chen, someone else would have to take the fall for the rebellion. By then, the Pei family would be first, the He family second, and the second branch of the Ruan family would struggle even more to get out of this mess.

**

By noon the next day, He An and Ji Lingchuan were waiting outside the imperial study. Over half an hour had gone by, and there was still no sign of movement inside.

Now, even Ji Lingchuan was starting to feel uneasy.

As soon as they arrived at the palace, the Emperor summoned Prince Chen. Could it really be as He An feared, that the Emperor would still protect him?

As they were thinking, the sound of a cup shattering came from the hall, and two young eunuchs rushed in. When they came out, they looked panicked and rushed toward the Imperial Hospital.

Seeing things take a turn for the worse, He An and Ji Lingchuan were about to enter the hall to protect the Emperor when the Crown Prince arrived, drawn by the commotion.

As they reached the study door, they saw two guards leading Prince Chen out. Eunuch Xu also came out to deliver a message: "The Emperor has ordered that Prince Chen be escorted back to his palace and tried by the Three Judicial Offices, with the Prime Minister overseeing the trial. The issues in Qizhou and Jiangnan must be thoroughly investigated, leaving no room for error."

Overseeing the trial? The Emperor had given Jiang Jie the authority to lead the investigation.

When the Crown Prince arrived, he also heard strange noises coming from the study: "Please, Eunuch Xu, convey a message that I have come to pay my respects to the Emperor."

Eunuch Xu: "I will go right away, Your Highness, please wait a moment."

After a while, Eunuch Xu came out: "The Emperor isn’t feeling well today and asks the Crown Prince and the two ministers to leave for now."

The Crown Prince: "..."

He An and Ji Lingchuan cupped their hands: "We take our leave."

Prince Chen, who had walked a short distance, turned back and spoke disrespectfully to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, relying on being the Empress's son, you occupy the position of the Crown Prince. But you’re indecisive and too soft-hearted. How can you handle the responsibility of ruling Dongzhao?"

The Crown Prince shook his head: "Prince Chen, the Emperor, as the ruler of the nation, has experienced several upheavals and once stabilized the country with military force. Now, Dongzhao is in a time of peace and prosperity, with the nation thriving and the people at peace. The Emperor advocates for benevolent and virtuous rule, working for the welfare of the people."

"Times change, and we should follow the Emperor's example, governing with benevolence, strengthening military defenses against foreign invasions, not for personal gain to incite wars and internal strife, causing innocent people to suffer from the chaos of war."

"The reason I’m doing this is because the Emperor is unfair, showing favoritism toward you. If you were not the Empress's son, what qualifications would you have to sit on the throne of the Crown Prince?"

The Crown Prince: "You said it yourself, I am the legitimate son. Your so-called 'ifs' will never come true."

With these words, the last shred of Prince Chen's self-esteem was shattered: "The Emperor will surely regret it. When another country invades Dongzhao, he will see your incompetence and regret the decision he made today."