Chapter 325 Resolution

Chapter 325: Settled

Xue Quan knew that Imperial Physician Wang was still alive; Xue Han had told him after the Celestial Banquet.

If he hadn't known that Imperial Physician Wang was alive, he wouldn't have lost a single pound during those days and would have had to force himself to appear dejected.

It was a good thing he had raised such a fine son.

Xue Quan's face registered shock and anger at Imperial Physician Wang's sudden appearance, but inwardly he felt somewhat smug.

The new emperor looked down from his high position at Imperial Physician Wang kneeling below.

He recalled that it was Imperial Physician Wang who regularly visited Consort Yu to check her pulse.

Not to mention, Imperial Physician Wang's medical skills were among the best in the entire Imperial Hospital. It was only natural that Xue Quan would ask Imperial Physician Wang to examine the elixir.

"Wang Ying, Xue Quan says he asked you to examine the elixir presented by the sorcerer Miaoqing. Is this true?"

Imperial Physician Wang glanced at Xue Quan, then lowered his head: "In reply to Your Majesty, Eunuch Xue... indeed asked this guilty subject to examine the elixir presented by the sorcerer..."

As soon as these words were spoken, a buzz of discussion arose.

Xue Quan's heart eased, and tears streamed down his face.

Even though he knew his adopted son would arrange things, he still felt uneasy until the moment it actually happened.

The new emperor's expression darkened: "Then why didn't you find anything wrong with the so-called elixir?"

"This guilty subject..." Imperial Physician Wang kowtowed, trembling like a leaf.

"Speak."

The new emperor's terse word fell like a boulder on Imperial Physician Wang, making him shudder and bow his back.

"This guilty subject—Imperial Physician Wang slowly turned his head toward Prince Fu, "This guilty subject acted on Prince Fu's orders..."

Once the words were spoken, the rest came out more smoothly.

"After the Lantern Festival, the late emperor's health declined day by day. Prince Fu said that even without taking the pill, it was only a matter of time anyway. The outcome would be the same; taking the pill merely hastened it..."

The new emperor was furious: "So you followed his orders to murder the late emperor?"

Imperial Physician Wang wept bitterly: "Years ago, my son was poisoned by insect venom, and Prince Fu gave this guilty subject a rare snow lotus to prepare medicine, saving my son's life..."

Later, he accepted gold and silver from Prince Fu many times, and doing things for Prince Fu became unavoidable.

Imperial Physician Wang regretted it, but it was too late.

"This guilty subject admits guilt! This guilty subject admits guilt!" Imperial Physician Wang banged his head on the ground.

The new emperor's eyes were indifferent.

Prince Fu's crime of forcing the emperor to abdicate was already set in stone. In fact, whether Imperial Physician Wang lived or died was not critical to the case of Prince Fu's rebellion, but it was important to Xue Quan.

Without Imperial Physician Wang's testimony, even if the new emperor wanted to spare Xue Quan's life out of consideration for Xue Han, it would be difficult to do so.

Now, at least Xue Quan could keep his life.

Thinking this, the new emperor glanced at Xue Han out of the corner of his eye.

Xue Quan was lucky to have benefited from his adopted son's support.

He still remembered his shock when Xue Han told him that Imperial Physician Wang was still alive, and then releasing the news that Imperial Physician Wang might still be alive had forced Prince Fu to act quickly.

"Prince Fu, you not only deceived the late emperor but also used the sorcerer Miaoqing to murder him. What do you have to say?" the new emperor asked coldly.

Grand Secretary Zhu, who oversaw government affairs; Yang Zhen, who controlled the Imperial Guard; a skilled Imperial Physician; a sought-after Daoist... His royal uncle had played a very elaborate game under the guise of years of benevolence.

And besides those who revealed themselves in the coup, there were many more pawns on this chessboard that needed to be uncovered through this interrogation.

Prince Fu looked at the new emperor, despondent: "I have nothing to say."

The new emperor finally pronounced: "For now, take Prince Fu and his followers to the Imperial Prison for strict interrogation to uncover the remaining conspirators."

A month later, this shocking case of Prince Fu's rebellion was finally settled.

Prince Fu was sentenced to death by a thousand cuts; the heir of Prince Fu and his second son were executed by decapitation; his third son and other sons aged sixteen and above were ordered to commit suicide; those under sixteen were imprisoned for life. His six grandsons were all under ten years old and also imprisoned for life.

The officials and servants of Prince Fu's mansion were either executed or exiled, depending on the circumstances.

As for Princess Rongning, because she married into Western Qiang and killed the Western Qiang king to uplift the prestige of Great Xia, she was exempted from being enslaved and was reduced to commoner status along with the Princess Consort of Fu.

The new emperor did not reveal Princess Rongning's act of placing righteousness above family loyalty.

The fate of everyone else in Prince Fu's mansion, except Princess Rongning and the Princess Consort of Fu, was too tragic and involved many others. For Princess Rongning, who had become a commoner, having a reputation for placing righteousness above family loyalty was not a good thing.

Verbal praise could not outweigh the malice of people's hearts.

The punishment of Yang Zhen's family was similar to that of Grand Secretary Zhu, so there is no need to elaborate.

In addition, nearly a hundred officials who had close dealings with Prince Fu were found and punished.

Although Xue Quan was guilty of presenting the elixir to the late emperor, he had asked Imperial Physician Wang to examine it and was deceived by him. Moreover, Xue Han had rendered great service in suppressing Prince Fu's rebellion. The final outcome was that Xue Quan was stripped of his official rank and position and expelled from the palace.

Now, Xue Quan had been taken to live in Xue Han's residence.

"What? You were the one who pushed Imperial Physician Wang into Qinglian Lake?" Xue Quan's eyes widened in shock, then turned to anger. "You planned this from the very beginning, and you only told me after the Celestial Banquet?"

Ever since he learned that the elixir was a violent drug, he had been terrified, unable to sleep, feeling as though he was waiting for death.

It had been so miserable!

"Father would have revealed signs if he knew too early. Prince Fu had been plotting to seize the throne for years, patient and cautious enough—it wouldn't have been easy to deceive him," Xue Han said casually to pacify him.

Having managed the Imperial City Bureau for so long, he had long understood a principle: instead of waiting for the key witness to be killed by the other side, it was better to take control of them first.

And indeed, his adoptive father had saved his life because of Imperial Physician Wang.

"Always full of big talk." Xue Quan glared at Xue Han, but he was no longer angry.

Not only was he not angry, but he was even a little proud.

Having such an outstanding son was, of course, his own achievement.

"Ahem." Xue Quan cleared his throat. "Your father has been locked up in the prison for so long, and now that I'm finally out, why haven't I seen that girl show up?"

Doesn't she want to be my daughter-in-law anymore?

Xue Han looked bewildered: "Which girl?"

"Don't play dumb." Xue Quan rolled his eyes. "Tell me, when do you plan to go to the Yongqing Earl's residence to propose marriage?"

When the topic turned to marriage, Xue Han's expression turned serious. "I plan to do it after the new emperor's coronation ceremony."

Xue Quan listened and nodded with satisfaction. "The coronation ceremony is just a matter of days away. Good. I imagine His Majesty's rewards for you will also come down after the ceremony, making it more dignified to propose then."

"Yes, I'll do as you say, Father."

Xue Quan curled his lip.

If he had truly listened to him, he would have already married a proper, virtuous noble lady and would already be holding a grandson by now—why is he waiting to marry that wild girl who says whatever pops into her head?

Qiu Heng, the girl Xue Quan was silently cursing, was not at the Yongqing Earl's residence. Instead, she was helping Princess Rongning support the fainted Princess Consort Fu into the carriage.

"I've already bought a house not far from the Yongqing Earl's residence, so you can move right in. Don't worry, Your Highness. There's a clinic on the way, and we'll have a doctor check on the princess..."

Princess Rongning's eyes were red, but she didn't cry. "A Heng, don't call me 'Your Highness' anymore. Call me by my name."

She paused, then said softly, "Lingyan—the 'yan' from the line 'A solitary goose flies through a vast sky of clouds and haze.'"