It Wasn't You!

Prince Gong rubbed his ears. With this move, the Crown Prince had won the loyalty of most of his personal guards.

Only Yu Shumo quietly turned away, his gaze dark as ink. The Crown Prince's private treasury still hadn't been reclaimed—Former Crown Princess Yu Zhixue had taken things from the Eastern Palace, and this eunuch would make her spit back every last stitch and thread.

Xiao Qianyu smiled at Prince Gong. "Sorry for keeping you waiting, Great-Uncle. Let's go to the Imperial Clan Court now."

Prince Gong sighed inwardly, but smiled warmly too. "All right. Let's go."

Xiao Qianyu instructed Huo Zhizhou, "Commander Huo, take half the men with me out of the palace. The other half will remain at the Eastern Palace. I'll have something for you to do later."

Having just taken office and already been given a task, Huo Zhizhou was full of energy. He was determined not to disappoint the Crown Prince.

He respectfully clasped his hands. "Yes. I'll make the arrangements at once."

Only after Xiao Qianyu nodded did he withdraw. He went to select the men who would accompany the Crown Prince out of the palace.

Once everything was in order, Xiao Qianyu left the palace with Prince Gong.

But at the palace gates, Xiao Qianyu had Yu Shumo take a hundred personal guards with him, leaving only fifty to protect himself.

Huo Zhizhou felt uneasy. There were more guards following Little Eunuch Yu than the Crown Prince. W-was this really all right?

Xiao Qianyu watched him calmly. "Commander Huo, go make the arrangements."

Huo Zhizhou gritted his teeth. "Yes." His duty was to obey the Crown Prince's wishes.

He carefully selected fifty of the most capable, skilled, and trustworthy personal guards, and led them himself to protect the Crown Prince. He gave the rest to another squad leader, who would take orders from Yu Shumo.

The men split into two groups. Yu Shumo led a hundred Eastern Palace guards straight to Duke Changguo's Estate, where Yu Zhixue had married into the family.

The squad leader at his side regretted not being chosen to accompany the Crown Prince. What merit could he earn following a little eunuch?

Yu Shumo saw how reluctant they were and curled his lip in disdain. "All right, let's go. You'll get your share of the benefits soon enough." They were getting off easy.

Meanwhile, Prince Gong brought Xiao Qianyu to the Imperial Clan Court.

When they heard His Highness the Crown Prince had arrived, the other officials of the Imperial Clan Court all hurried out to greet him.

Truth be told, after the heavenly miracle at the Execution Platform yesterday, Xiao Qianyu was practically a living god in their eyes.

In all the thousands of years from ancient times to the present, how many people had ever witnessed someone blessed by Heaven with their own eyes?

They even believed that His Highness the Crown Prince was surely a man of great fortune. Perhaps drawing near to him would let them share in his good fortune and bring blessings upon themselves and their families.

The people outside were even more carried away. At least these officials held office and knew to show some restraint. No matter how eager they were, they wouldn't dare offend the Crown Prince. But many ignorant commoners in the capital had already surrounded the Execution Platform and turned it into an altar, burning incense day and night as they prayed for divine protection.

They even knelt with incense sticks facing the imperial palace, and some had tried to force their way inside. Fortunately, the Imperial Guards drove them away.

Prince Gong irritably sent everyone off. "Don't crowd around here. Go about your own business." Then he turned to Xiao Qianyu. "Would you like to have a cup of tea with this old minister, Crown Prince?"

Xiao Qianyu declined. "Thank you, Great-Uncle, but I'll pass on the tea. Let's bring the Heir's Consort out first."

Prince Gong stroked his beard. "Very well. This way, Crown Prince."

He led them personally, while Huo Zhizhou warily selected ten men to follow close behind the Crown Prince.

The Imperial Clan Court wasn't the sinister, terrifying place ordinary people imagined. Anyone qualified to be confined there was a member of the imperial family, descended from the founding emperor.

They might be released if the emperor granted them a pardon one day. So it wasn't made up of rows of cells, but of individual courtyards. The prisoners were simply confined inside and denied their freedom. The surroundings were crude and bare, and they ate plain food.

Even among these separate residences, some were better than others. The Heir's Consort of Jiujiang was confined in the worst and most remote one.

On the way to the courtyard where the Heir's Consort of Jiujiang was held, they happened to pass the Grand Princess's and the Third Prince's.

Guards stood outside each of their courtyards. Xiao Qianyu hadn't known who was being held inside—until he heard them cursing far too loudly.

At the unending stream of vicious, foul-mouthed abuse, Xiao Qianyu stopped. Prince Gong's face twisted with anger. He had gone out of his way to have people make sure they were treated well, yet they showed no remorse and still had the energy to curse. And now the very person they were cursing had happened to hear them. They were truly tired of living.

Then Prince Gong reconsidered. The Crown Prince had already handed the evidence of their crimes over to him. They wouldn't live much longer anyway.

"The criminals inside are the Grand Princess and the Third Prince?" Xiao Qianyu asked, turning his head.

Prince Gong sighed. "Yes, them."

"Since we're here, I'll pay them a visit," Xiao Qianyu said.

He didn't mind kicking someone when they were down.

Prince Gong hesitated. Perhaps seeing them might stir the Crown Prince's affection for his siblings. After all, imperial siblings turning against each other was never a good thing.

In just one day and one night, Grand Princess Xiao Yuan looked like a flower deprived of water, withered and wan.

Her hair hung in disarray down her back. Her clothes were dust-stained, no longer bright and elegant. Her lips had lost their luster, and her face was deathly pale.