Duty Bound

The important officials in the Inner Study collectively gasped, imprisoning the entire Prince Jiujiang's Estate. His Highness the Crown Prince certainly has a big mouth.

He truly is favored by heaven; his courage is extraordinary. Is he not afraid that Prince Jiujiang's Estate will raise an army and rebel?

Emperor Yongchang's complexion worsened: "Silence! This matter was solely the act of the Heir's Consort of Prince Jiujiang's Estate. What does it have to do with Prince Jiujiang, my uncle? Why are you dragging them into this?"

Xiao Qianyu's eyes dimmed slightly, but his expression was dismissive as he said, "Father Emperor, don't try to fool me. If the Heir's Consort of Prince Jiujiang's Estate is truly guilty, do you believe that Prince Jiujiang and his son were unaware? I, for one, do not. Fortunately, it was merely a wrongful case, and even the Heir's Consort suffered undeserved disaster. There's no need to implicate Prince Jiujiang and his son."

Emperor Yongchang's heart tightened. Why did Xiao Qianyu's words sound so reasonable, yet he felt so displeased?

What did he gain from all this trouble? Besides damaging his own reputation and losing two ministers, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and other important officials, oh, he also lost the lives of a princess and a prince.

His face darkened.

"Father Emperor, issue an edict to release the Heir's Consort," Xiao Qianyu urged. Seeing his continued inaction, he frowned in confusion. "Could it be that Father Emperor still doubts my parentage? Then I shall go and kneel in the Ancestral Hall and beg the ancestors to be my witness." With that, he made to leave.

"Wait, ...!" Emperor Yongchang called out to him, grinding his teeth. "The Crown Prince speaks wisely. Who knows if it wasn't some villainous schemer, deliberately fabricating evidence to frame the innocent? Let the Heir's Consort of Prince Jiujiang's Estate be released. Uncle Gong, you will handle this after you leave the palace."

Prince Gong had no objections and immediately accepted the decree.

Since Xiao Qianyu was truly of Royal Bloodline, there was no point in keeping just one woman, the Heir's Consort of Prince Jiujiang's Estate, imprisoned. It was better to release her.

Duke Chengen and the other ministers also had no objections. It was just one woman; compared to other important matters, the Heir's Consort of Prince Jiujiang's Estate was not that significant.

However, Duke Kang was unwilling. He turned to Xiao Qianyu: "The Crown Prince cares so much for an outsider, yet why is he so cold-hearted towards his own siblings? Forgive me, but I cannot agree with this."

Xiao Qianyu glanced at him coolly. "What are you, to accuse me of being cold-hearted right off the bat? I have my reasons for doing things, and I don't need your agreement."

These words were truly cutting.

Duke Kang's face instantly turned red. He had never been directly told what he was before, yet facing the Crown Prince, who was of higher status, he couldn't retort.

"Crown Prince, your words are rather crude. I am merely concerned about the Crown Prince's virtue," Duke Kang said, feeling stifled.

Xiao Qianyu tutted. "My virtue is enough to attract heavenly favor. Do I need you to worry needlessly? What nerve you have."

A knockout blow to Duke Kang.

The expressions of the others in the study varied. Although they knew the Crown Prince had changed, experiencing his transformation firsthand, only they knew how they truly felt.

"Does the Crown Prince believe it is right to disregard kinship and force His Majesty to decree the death of the Grand Princess and the Third Prince?" Duke Kang shouted loudly. "The Grand Princess had just passed her coming-of-age ceremony, and the Third Prince had not yet reached manhood. They were young and innocent, in the prime of their youth. Is ordering their deaths the Crown Prince's virtue?"

Emperor Yongchang's eyes flickered, and he remained silent. If he had a choice, he would not have ordered the deaths of his two children.

Even if they were cruel and tyrannical and killed a few palace servants, so what? As the Emperor, ruling the empire with supreme power, could he not even protect his children when they killed a few people? What was the point of being Emperor then? Even a common thug could act more wantonly than him.

Xiao Qianyu gazed at him calmly and opened his mouth. "Yes. Executing them to uphold justice for the wronged, to avenge the innocent souls – these are merits I have accumulated, the virtue I practice. I truly find it strange. For people like them, who are detested by both man and beast and abhorred by Heavenly Dao, where do you find any reason to sympathize with them? Those who deserve sympathy and pity are struggling and sinking in hell, wishing they could gnaw on their flesh and drink their blood."

"I don't see you upholding justice for the innocent, yet you cry out for the perpetrators. What kind of ministers are you, what kind of officials do you make? The words of the sages, national laws, family rules, and ancestral regulations are all disregarded by you. Have you all had your consciences eaten by dogs?"

His words made several ministers blush fiercely and turn pale with shock, wishing they could kneel before His Highness the Crown Prince.

"Your subjects dare not!"

"It's good that you dare not. If I find out you engage in illegal activities, rest assured, just as I showed no mercy to the Grand Princess and the Third Prince today in upholding righteousness, I will show no leniency when you commit offenses in the future." His cold phoenix eyes swept over each minister, causing them all to lower their heads.

Prince Gong, however, was unconcerned. It was just a few commoners. In the future, he would properly teach the Grand Princess and the Third Prince to correct their mistakes. Why would they be sentenced to death?

The Crown Prince had always had a soft spot for the weak and a habit of being kind to them. After returning from the execution platform, this habit seemed to have worsened. He was excessively lenient towards servants and commoners, yet he raised his blade against his own brothers and sisters.

However, Xiao Qianyu wielded the power of heavenly protection, and even the Emperor had backed down. Prince Gong suppressed his dissatisfaction, as at least none of his own descendants had died.