Chapter 109: Title Stripped, Rewards Returned

Chapter 109: Stripped of His Title, Forced to Return His Rewards

Xiao Xiuzhan's subordinates went to enormous trouble to find a corpse that closely resembled Gu Yiting—also dead from a sword wound to the chest—and carefully transported it back to the capital in an attempt to pass it off as Gu Yiting.

The corpse's face was disfigured, requiring an examination to confirm its identity.

After a meticulous inspection, the coroner from the Dali Temple turned ashen and immediately secretly reported the findings to the Chief Minister of the Dali Temple.

After careful consideration, the Chief Minister decided to report the matter exactly as it was to the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, the examination reveals that this corpse had been poisoned with a potent toxin," the Chief Minister reported gravely.

The Emperor was stunned to hear this and demanded angrily, "Is this true? So, Gu Yiting did not die after entering the bandit stronghold but was poisoned? Who poisoned him?"

He immediately issued an edict summoning Prince Rui, Xiao Xiuzhan, for questioning.

Inside the Imperial Study, the atmosphere was as stagnant as thousand-year-old ice.

The Emperor's face was thunderous. Xiao Xiuzhan knelt on the cold stone floor, the cold biting into his knees, yet it was nothing compared to the cold dread in his heart.

"The coroner discovered that Gu Yiting was already poisoned before his death," the Emperor's voice was sharp and icy. "I ask you, was this poison administered by you?"

Xiao Xiuzhan looked up abruptly, his face deathly pale, filled with terror. "Father, I beg you to see the truth! Your son absolutely did not do this!"

His mind was in turmoil, unable to believe it—how could they have found a corpse that was poisoned?

Just how had his men bungled this?

This was completely beyond his expectations!

"You and the Crown Prince have always been at odds, and Gu Yiting is the Crown Prince's cousin! Now it's discovered that he did not die fighting bandits but was poisoned. How do you propose to prove your innocence?" The Emperor glared at Xiao Xiuzhan, his gaze sharp as a blade, as if trying to pierce through him. "If someone uses this to make a case against you, insisting it was your doing, I may not be able to protect you!"

Xiao Xiuzhan shuddered, his scalp tingling with fear, and hurriedly protested. "Father! This matter was definitely not done by me! I had no grudge against Gu Yiting, why would I poison him? Someone must be deliberately framing me, trying to drive a wedge between me and the Crown Prince!"

"Hmph," the Emperor sneered, his tone freezing. "That is merely your speculation. Where is the evidence? Without evidence, how can I explain this to the Censors, to the Gu family, to all under heaven?"

Xiao Xiuzhan trembled all over, cold sweat beading on his temples. "Father... then, what do you intend to do?"

"What do I intend to do?" The Emperor's voice was low, each word hammering into Xiao Xiuzhan's heart like a heavy blow. "Regardless of whether Gu Yiting's death is related to you or not, you have handled this assignment appallingly."

He paused briefly, his gaze cold as frost. "You are to be stripped of the title of Prince Rui, and the rewards I previously bestowed upon you cannot be kept. You must return them all to the national treasury. For now, I will suppress the rumors outside to stop Censor Gu and the others from coming after you for revenge."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiuzhan felt as if struck by lightning, his mind roaring, and he collapsed to the floor.

Return them?

He had long since exchanged those rewards for weapons, armor, and provisions to supply his private army in Xiyu!

Where was he supposed to find the items to return now?

This was clearly a death sentence!

Xiao Xiuzhan staggered out of the Imperial Study, feeling light-headed and heavy-footed, with pent-up frustration in his chest.

Guided by some dark impulse, he found himself before Hibiscus Hall. Remembering Ning Xiang's intoxicating scent and her coy, alluring demeanor, his blood instantly surged with heat.

Ignoring the obstructions of the palace maids, he barged straight into Ning Xiang's bedchamber, a depraved smile twisting his lips. "Consort Xiang, I've come to see you!"

Malice churned in his heart. The thought of his father stripping his title and forcing him to return the rewards stoked a sinister fire in his chest that had nowhere to go. He could only take out his frustration on his father's most favored consort to slightly ease the injustice he felt.

Ning Xiang sat calmly at the table. Faced with his intrusion, her expression remained composed, as if she had long grown accustomed to such behavior.

Only when he leaned in to kiss her did she adopt a look of pitiful vulnerability, on the verge of tears, pleading, "Your Highness, I beg for your mercy. Your concubine is already with child and cannot withstand such treatment!"

"With child?" Xiao Xiuzhan was taken aback, his brow furrowing. "Haven't you been taking the 'Fragrance Pills'? How could you conceive?"

Ning Xiang lowered her head, gently stroking her abdomen. "Although the 'Fragrance Pills' are toxic and can hinder conception, it's not absolute; there are always exceptions. Your Highness is so virile, and you often visit your concubine's palace. It's not strange that I could conceive."

"You mean, this child is mine?" Xiao Xiuzhan's eyes suddenly darkened.

"Naturally, it is Your Highness'," Ning Xiang looked up, her eyes seductive as silk. "Your concubine has not attended to His Majesty for several months. How could this child be his? Moreover, His Majesty is nearly fifty. How easy is it for him to have another child now?"

Upon careful thought, Xiao Xiuzhan found this reasonable.

His father's youngest child was Princess Ronghua, born eleven years ago. Since then, no consort in the palace had become pregnant.

Could it be that the child in her womb was truly his flesh and blood?

A mix of emotions churned in his heart. His gaze turned gloomy as he spoke in a low voice, "This child... cannot be kept."

"Why?" Ning Xiang was horrified upon hearing this, her voice trembling. "This is our flesh and blood! Your Highness can rest assured. Your concubine has her own methods and will never arouse His Majesty's suspicion. Once the child is born, His Majesty will only believe it is his own bloodline. The child will surely grow up safely!"

Xiao Xiuzhan looked troubled and whispered, "But... Mother Consort would never allow this child to be born."

Hearing this, Ning Xiang threw herself to her knees before him, tears streaming down her face, pleading sorrowfully, "Your Highness, your concubine asks for nothing else. I only wish to have a child by my side in this deep palace. I am merely a prostitute by origin. Even if I give birth to a son, I would never pose the slightest threat to Your Highness or Consort Xi. I beg Your Highness, for the sake of the child sharing your bloodline, spare its life!"

Xiao Xiuzhan looked down at the weeping woman before him, a complex mix of feelings in his heart.

Although he had numerous concubines, Consort Xi strictly forbade them from bearing children.

Firstly, the eldest son must be born of the Principal Consort. Secondly, if he had children, court officials might seize upon it to make a big issue, even accusing him of "extravagance and debauchery."

Therefore, he had always ordered his concubines to take contraceptive medicine.

There had been women who tried to conceive to seek higher status, but his mother consort, under the pretext of them being "scheming," forced them to abort and expelled them from the manor.

Now, upon reflection, if Ning Xiang could successfully give birth to this child, it would be his firstborn.

The thought of his father's consort carrying his flesh and blood was bizarre yet strangely thrilling, as if even his father's harem had become his exclusive domain.

An imperceptible, wicked smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Since you desire this child so much, then give birth to it," Xiao Xiuzhan gently stroked her still-flat abdomen, his eyes inscrutable. "If this prince ascends the throne one day, I will acknowledge him then."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Ning Xiang was overjoyed, kowtowing repeatedly.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she glanced fearfully at the two palace maids beside her and said tremulously, "But they are Consort Xi's people..."

Upon hearing this, the two maids turned deathly pale, hurriedly kneeling and begging for mercy. "Your Highness, spare us! We will keep our mouths shut and never reveal a word!"

Xiao Xiuzhan stood up, his expression gloomy, slowly approaching them. His voice was icy and piercing. "In this prince's view, only the dead can truly keep a secret!"

Before his words faded, he personally strangled the two maids to death with his own hands.

The other palace servants planted by Consort Xi also failed to escape his deadly grasp.

He vented all the humiliation and pent-up anger he had suffered before the Emperor on these innocent people. Wails filled the hall, and the thick smell of blood permeated the air.

Having killed to his satisfaction, he still remembered to turn back and gently advise Ning Xiang, "You wait outside the hall first. Be careful not to disturb the pregnancy."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Ning Xiang lowered her head in acknowledgment, but a glint of triumphant laughter flashed secretly in her eyes.

Excellent. She had finally used Xiao Xiuzhan's hand to eliminate all of Consort Xi's spies around her.

The Fourth Prince was right. As long as she made Xiao Xiuzhan believe she was carrying his child, he would definitely protect her.