The palace suddenly issued several imperial decrees to locations outside the palace. Those who were attentive to the situation quickly noticed that the decrees were sent not only to Prince Xian's residence but also to the An family, the Gu family, and the Xie family.

 

Prince Xian, Xiao Yi, was the Emperor's son, so it was normal for the Emperor to summon him to the palace.

 

As for the An family, the Gu family, and the Xie family, these people were currently in mourning. Without an earth-shattering event and the Emperor's special permission, they wouldn't be able to enter the palace at all.

 

Therefore, it was clear that something significant had happened in the palace.

 

Many people were eager to enter the palace to seek an audience with the Emperor and gather information, while others stayed at home, waiting for the outcome.

 

Chang Le personally came to Prince Xian's residence.

 

Seeing Chang Le's somewhat forced smile and noticing that his usual ease was gone, Xiao Yi couldn't help but ask, "Eunuch Chang, what has happened? Is Father Emperor unwell?"

 

Chang Le glanced at him and whispered, "The Emperor has been angered by the Crown Prince and the Third Prince. This old servant is worried."

 

Xiao Yi looked both surprised and concerned, "The Crown Prince and Third Brother angered Father Emperor? That can't be true. How is Father Emperor now? Is there anything I can do to alleviate his worries?"

 

Chang Le sighed inwardly, thinking how pleasant Xiao Yi's words were. When ordinary people tried to inquire about the situation, they would ask something like, "Eunuch Chang, do you know why the Emperor is summoning me?" But Prince Xian asked, "What has happened to Father Emperor? Is there anything I can do to alleviate his worries?"

 

Though deeply moved, Chang Le showed no sign of it on his face. He sighed and said, "The Emperor is waiting for Your Highness in the palace. You will understand once you arrive." Xiao Yi nodded and quickly prepared to enter the palace.

 

As Xiao Shan suggested, whoever arrived first would be confronted first.

 

The first to arrive was Consort Shu, who was already in the palace, followed by Xiao Yi, whose residence was close to the palace gates. As for the members of the An family, the Gu family, and the Xie family, they were still on their way.

 

Consort Shu was quite puzzled when she paid her respects to the Emperor. Seeing the Empress, Consort Lan, the Crown Prince, and Xiao Shan present, she had no idea why the Emperor summoned her.

 

She felt completely out of place.

 

The Emperor looked steadily at the serene Consort Shu, who exuded an aura of tranquility, and then instructed her to rise and sit aside, without saying another word. As soon as Consort Shu sat down, she felt the piercing gazes of the Empress and Consort Lan fixed upon her. She glanced around; the Empress' eyes were full of scrutiny and suspicion, while Consort Lan's were filled with disbelief and anger.

 

Their gazes were straightforward and intense. In contrast, Xiao Jin and Xiao Shan, who were kneeling on the ground, did not even glance in Consort Shu's direction.

 

Despite this, Consort Shu grew increasingly uneasy. She checked herself in the mirror before leaving and found nothing amiss with her attire. She couldn't understand why the Empress and Consort Lan were looking at her in such a manner.

 

She cast a glance at the Emperor, who seemed lost in thought, staring at the ground as if pondering something deeply.

 

Consort Shu originally wanted to ask about the situation, but seeing the Emperor's demeanor, she decided to remain silent.

 

In the silent hall, time seemed to pass very slowly.

 

It was hard to tell how much time had passed—perhaps the time it took to burn a stick of incense, or maybe the time it took to drink a cup of tea—when Chang Le finally brought Xiao Yi in.

 

After Xiao Yi knelt and paid his respects to the Emperor, the Emperor stared at him intently but did not allow him to rise.

 

Xiao Yi felt increasingly uneasy under the Emperor's gaze, his expression becoming more cautious and serious. His face showed clear signs of confusion, as if he couldn't understand why the Emperor was looking at him in such a manner.

 

The Emperor looked at Xiao Yi's nervous demeanor and thought, Is this really the person Xiao Shan claims has been secretly coveting the position of Crown Prince?

 

Does Xiao Yi have such acting talent?

 

But as a prince, it was impossible to have no thoughts about the throne at all.

 

The Emperor himself had once been a prince and understood these feelings very well.

 

However... the Emperor shifted his gaze to Xiao Shan. There were exceptions to this, such as the one before him, who seemed to have no such ambitions.

 

At this moment, Xiao Shan felt his legs growing numb from kneeling. He had been kneeling since he entered, and it had been quite some time.

 

If it were any other day, he would have sought the Emperor's permission to be excused from kneeling.

 

But today was different, and he had to endure it.

 

Xiao Shan subtly shifted his legs, trying to alleviate the numbness with small movements. The Emperor, seated above, observed his every action clearly.

 

Despite the serious and cold atmosphere, seeing Xiao Shan's expression, as if holding his breath would make him unnoticed, the Emperor suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

 

His gloomy mood lightened a bit as a result.

 

The Emperor knew that princes often harbored ambitions for the position of Crown Prince. Take Xiao Rong, for example, who always had such thoughts.

 

However, every time Xiao Rong's wave of ambition began to rise, it was quickly suppressed by the overwhelming presence of Xiao Shan.

 

The Emperor did not appreciate anyone vying for the Crown Prince's position. Xiao Rong's methods were too immature, and the Emperor had never given him any hope, always keeping a close watch to ensure he didn't overstep his bounds.

 

But if there truly was someone who had been hiding in the shadows, even managing to deceive him, the Emperor naturally had his suspicions.

 

Having composed himself, the Emperor looked at Xiao Yi, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked, "Do you know why Zhen summoned you here?"

 

Xiao Yi shook his head and replied honestly, "In response to Father Emperor, your son does not know. However, I did ask Eunuch Chang, and he said that Father Emperor was angered. Is Father Emperor feeling better now?"

 

The Emperor responded with a faint "hmm" and looked at him directly, saying, "The reason Zhen summoned you is because Xiao Shan claims that you covet the position of Crown Prince. Zhen want to hear your explanation."

 

Xiao Yi: "..."

 

Xiao Yi felt as if his entire body had gone limp. He crawled a few steps closer to the Emperor, knocking his head on the ground and loudly exclaimed, "Father Emperor, your son is wronged. Your son does not dare."

 

Consort Shu also suddenly stood up, her face pale as she knelt on the ground and said, "Please, Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly." After saying this, she turned to Xiao Shan and asked, "Why does Prince Li falsely accuse my son with such a crime?"

 

"Consort Shu, I haven't even presented the evidence yet, so how can you say I'm falsely accusing Fourth Brother?" Xiao Shan said leisurely.

 

He then looked at Xiao Yi and continued, "Fourth Brother, when you moved out of the palace, we brothers went to celebrate with you. You haven't forgotten that, have you?"

 

Xiao Yi, who usually kept his distance from Xiao Shan, now faced with a life-and-death situation, couldn't afford to hold back. He replied directly, "Of course, I remember that. But Third Brother, you can't just say that because we had a meal together, I have suspicions of coveting the position of Crown Prince."

 

Xiao Shan smiled slightly and said, "I'm not saying Fourth Brother is merely suspicious; I'm certain that Fourth Brother has such intentions."

 

At this moment, Xiao Yi desperately wanted to punch the fake smile off Xiao Shan's face.

 

Xiao Shan continued in a clear voice, "Fourth Brother is talented in many arts. His poetry is excellent, and his paintings are exceptional, earning the admiration of scholars across the land..."

 

"Your Majesty, if Prince Li suspects Xiao Yi because of his talents, then I assure you that Xiao Yi will no longer compose poetry or paint, and he will no longer attract the attention of scholars," Consort Shu said to the Emperor.

 

Xiao Yi called out, "Mother Consort," his voice filled with anguish. Overcome with anger, he couldn't hold back and said bitterly, "Does Third Brother think that having more talent than the Crown Prince is unacceptable? I've loved these arts since childhood—are they now forbidden? I've been writing poetry and painting for years, and now, because of some baseless suspicions, I must never touch a brush again? If that's the case, then talented scholars should avoid coming to the capital, lest they catch Third Brother's attention."

 

"Silence," Consort Shu said, her lips trembling. She looked at the Emperor and pleaded, "Your Majesty..."

 

Xiao Shan let out a couple of cold laughs and said, "I haven't even mentioned these things, yet Consort Shu and Fourth Brother are quick to heap accusations on me."

 

"Last year, under Father Emperor's orders, I went to Liangzhou to investigate the case of Liu Jingxuan. I was informed that those merchants would tailor their gifts to the recipient's preferences. For those who valued reputation, they would offer various praises and present them with a 'Ten Thousand People's Umbrella.' For those who favored beauties, they would send talented women. For scholars, they would present them with poetry and paintings personally created by Fourth Prince Xiao Yi."

 

"Fourth Brother has been renowned for his talents since childhood and is deeply loved by Father Emperor. He also cherishes his reputation, always presenting himself as a devoted poet and painter. So when I first heard these things, I didn't pay much attention."

 

"On the day of Fourth Brother's housewarming, I suddenly remembered that his paintings were worth a fortune. So I asked about it, hoping to obtain a few of his works. But that day, Fourth Brother's cousin from the Zheng family immediately stood up and harshly reprimanded me. He clearly stated that Fourth Brother's poetry and paintings were personal hobbies, and to avoid excessive admiration, Fourth Brother had never allowed any of his works to be circulated."

 

"Right, at that time, he also scolded me for not understanding Fourth Brother's caution... Fourth Brother then told Zheng Zhong that I was just joking with him. The two of you, singing in harmony, essentially claimed that none of your paintings had ever been circulated. But I was puzzled—weren't your paintings being circulated in Jiangnan? How could it be that not a single piece had left the capital?"

 

Hearing this, Xiao Jin also recalled the incident and couldn't help but look at Xiao Yi.

 

Xiao Yi opened his mouth to speak, but Xiao Shan continued, "Of course, I feared that I might have misunderstood Fourth Brother or misheard what I was told in Liangzhou. So, I asked Xie Zhui to help investigate these matters."

 

"Coincidentally, at that time, his elder brother Xie Chen was in Yangzhou. However, due to the incident at the hunting grounds and some complications he encountered while dealing with a parasite, the results of Xie Chen's investigation only recently reached me. Fortunately, Xie Chen's identity is not sensitive, and being blind, no one suspected he could accomplish anything significant in Jiangnan. After he recovered, it was quite easy for him to verify these matters, as Consort Shu's family members have held various official positions in Jiangnan over the years. They have always been low-key and law-abiding, never doing anything to harm Second Brother's interests. Even Gu Yin, the Prefect of Jiangnan, had no precautions against them."

 

"I have solid evidence showing that Fourth Brother's paintings have been secretly circulated in Jiangnan for years. These paintings were traded privately by a merchant named Liu Jingyuan. Most of these paintings were not sold but were given to talented individuals secretly recruited by the Zheng family. The paintings served as tokens, and if Xiao Yi were to become the Crown Prince or even the Emperor, these paintings would be proof of their contributions to his rise."

 

"This Liu Jingyuan is skilled in the four arts—qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. He has his own shops throughout Jiangnan, and Fourth Brother's paintings only came from him. Liu Jingyuan has traveled extensively for business and once lived on Xiang'an Road in the capital for about a year or two."

 

"Xiang'an Road—does that sound familiar to Fourth Brother and Consort Shu? The dancer who attempted to assassinate Second Brother was trained on that very street. Coincidentally, her residence was separated by only a wall from where Liu Jingyuan lived."

 

"Moreover, that Liu Jingyuan's surname is Liu, and the dancer cried out 'Liu Lang' repeatedly before her death. Oh, and even more coincidentally, Liu Jingyuan's real surname isn't Liu; it's a pseudonym he used for his business dealings. His actual surname is Zheng, and he is the half-brother of Fourth Brother's cousin, Zheng Zhong."

 

"So, when Second Brother's men investigated the dancer's former residence on Xiang'an Road, they couldn't find anyone with the surname Liu because his real surname is Zheng."

 

After Xiao Shan finished speaking, the room fell into a deep silence. If what Xiao Shan said was true, then it was Liu Jingyuan, whose real surname was Zheng, who seduced the dancer. The plot at the Rining Hunting Grounds was indeed extremely malicious.

 

If the Crown Prince died as a result, Consort Xian, who was connected to the dancer, would have been implicated, and Fifth Prince Xiao Xian would have been dragged down with her. Xiao Shan, known for his lack of scholarly and martial prowess, had the worst reputation among the officials, leaving the position of Crown Prince to fall to Xiao Yi.

 

That was why the dancer, despite being so close to the Emperor, did not make a move. If the Emperor died, the only successor would have been the Crown Prince.

 

With the Crown Prince dead, it opened the possibility for other princes to ascend.

 

The Emperor, his tone heavy, asked, "Where is the evidence?"

 

Xiao Shan handed the documents to the Emperor. Gu Ning initially wanted to seize a painting as evidence and bring it back to the capital, but Xie Chen, fearing it would alert their targets, did not allow it. Instead, Xie Chen had Gu Ning meticulously document who obtained the paintings, their relationships, and their close associations.

 

With these documents presented to the Emperor, a thorough investigation of these individuals would reveal the hidden connections.

 

These households all possessed Xiao Yi's paintings, which served as irrefutable evidence.

 

After reviewing the relationship diagrams, the Emperor closed his eyes briefly before hurling the documents towards Xiao Yi. In a calm tone, the Emperor said, "Zhen truly did not see that someone so young could possess such audacity. You dared to plot against your own brother at the Rining Hunting Grounds. If Zhen had not appointed a Crown Prince, would you have dared to plot against Zhen as well?"

 

Xiao Yi knocked his head hard on the ground and said, "Father Emperor, your son does not dare."

 

"Does not dare? What else do you not dare to do?" The Emperor's tone finally turned to anger. He suddenly stood up, almost wanting to kick Xiao Yi.

 

The Emperor called out, "Guards..."

 

But before he could finish his sentence, Consort Shu suddenly burst into laughter.

 

Everyone turned to look at her, only to see her laughing and crying simultaneously. She looked at Xiao Shan and murmured, "Who would have thought… who would have thought that the much-disdained Prince Li would uncover all this because of a small detail."

 

"Prince Li is much smarter than the other sons of the Emperor, but it's a pity," Consort Shu's voice suddenly turned sharp. "Prince Li is loyal to the Crown Prince, but does he want to know who pushed him at the Rining Hunting Grounds that day, intending to take his life?"

 

"Others may lack evidence, but I saw it with my own eyes. Does Prince Li want to know? Will he be afraid once he finds out?"

 

"Enough," the Emperor said coldly. "If you have something to say, then say it. But if you intend to spread malicious rumors and sow discord, I advise you to stop."

 

Consort Shu looked at the Emperor with a mocking smile and said, "Your Majesty considers himself wise, but there are countless things hidden from you in this palace. If I were to reveal who pushed Prince Li, the Crown Prince and Prince Li might become mortal enemies in the future."

 

Everyone's expressions varied in response to her words.

 

Xiao Jin straightened his back, about to say something, when Xiao Shan let out a mocking laugh and said, "Of course, I know who pushed me."

 

Xiao Jin's expression changed, and before Xiao Shan could speak, he blurted out the name.

 

Consort Shu was utterly taken aback by this unexpected turn of events, her eyes filled with disbelief. The Empress and Consort Lan each widened their eyes in shock, while the Emperor furrowed his brows tightly, staring intently at Xiao Jin.