Xiao Jinghan pressed his forehead against the gold brick and remained silent for a long time.
The old seal was placed on the emperor's desk.
The object, about half the size of a palm, was damaged at the edges, and the Xiao Clan's patterns were darkened by the candlelight.
No one spoke in the hall.
The crown prince knelt to one side, his heart pounding uncontrollably.
The breath I had just managed to exhale was pulled back up by this half-old seal.
As long as Xiao Jinghan insists that he has the idea of restoring his country, this case can be muddied.
The remnants of the previous dynasty deserve to die.
He's hiding the old seal; who would dare say he's merely being used by the Eastern Palace?
The crown prince pursed his lips, forcefully suppressing his eagerness.
Gu Moran saw it.
The eldest brother is still gambling.
He gambled that his father would hate the Xiao Clan first, and that Xiao Jinghan would be willing to swallow his anger.
But Xiao Jinghan, whose bones have been ground down in the Heavenly Prison, would never step on the Eastern Palace's back.
Xiao Jinghan raised his head.
"Your Majesty, the old seal is a relic of the Xiao Clan."
The emperor pressed his fingertip against the edge of the table. "I know it's a relic of the Xiao Clan. I ask you, why did you hide it?"
Xiao Jinghan's throat was hoarse from the smoke. "When someone's been locked up for a long time, they need to leave something behind to remember who they are."
The crown prince immediately looked up. "Father, he admitted it! He just won't give up his wicked intentions!"
The emperor didn't look at him. "Did I give you permission to interrupt?"
The prince clenched his teeth. "Your subject knows his crime."
Xiao Jinghan turned his head to look at him and gave a slight smirk.
"Why is Your Highness in such a hurry? I admit to hiding the seal, but I don't admit to starting the fire."
The Crown Prince's hand tightened. "You carried the old seal with you when you fled last night, yet you still dare to say you have no delusions of restoring the kingdom?"
Xiao Jinghan chuckled, a metallic taste of blood in his throat.
"My hatred for the Gu Clan doesn't mean I have to take the blame for the Eastern Palace Prince."
Several officials inside the hall bowed their heads even lower.
The crown prince was so angry he almost stood up.
The emperor glanced over at it.
The prince could only kneel firmly again, the numbness in his knees drilling into his bones.
Xiao Jinghan kowtowed. "Your Majesty, it is true that the prisoners hate the Gu Clan. But I did not open the prison gates, I did not deliver the pine resin, I did not prepare the gray-canopied cart, and I did not write the forged documents from the Ministry of Punishments."
He raised his wrist, the iron chain dragging across the gold brick with a jarring clang.
"I have someone who can help me get out of jail."
The Grand Commandant stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the messenger has been brought to justice outside the palace."
The emperor raised his hand. "Bring him in."
The palace doors opened, and a cold wind rushed in.
A eunuch was dragged into the hall, his face covered in soot, his mouth gagged with cloth, and his hands and feet tightly bound.
As soon as he entered, he looked towards the Crown Prince, his eyes darting around.
The prince's palms immediately began to sweat.
This person looks familiar.
Tea was served to him outside the study in Hall of Proper Beauty.
The cloth strip was removed, and the eunuch gasped for breath before slamming his forehead to the ground.
"Your Majesty, spare me! This servant was merely relaying a message; this servant knows nothing!"
The emperor looked at him. "By whose orders?"
The eunuch's lips trembled, and his gaze drifted towards the Crown Prince.
The crown prince stiffened his neck. "You dog slave, what are you looking at me for?"
The eunuch was so frightened by the shout that he went limp and lay flat on the ground.
"This servant... this servant is acting on Master Zhou's orders."
"Your Majesty, please save my parents! If I disobey, Master Zhou will kill my whole family! I'm being forced into this!"
Which Master Zhou?
" Zhou Yun, a staff member of the Eastern Palace Prince's study."
The prince's shoulders stiffened.
Zhou Yun.
The person who was in the study of Hall of Proper Beauty last night.
But don't worry, this person's family is all under your control.
I doubt he would dare to speak recklessly.
The emperor looked at Cao Jin: "Where is he?"
The general leaned forward. "When the Jinwu Guard sealed off the study, the man was already apprehended. He has not yet been interrogated."
The emperor looked at the crown prince. "Good. Very good."
Sweat trickled down the prince's forehead to his eyes, but he dared not wipe it away.
"Father, your advisors have acted against your will, and I have been deceived as well. After the Crown Prince was placed under the Eastern Palace arrest, everything fell into chaos, and everyone below had their own agenda. I am willing to take the blame for my oversight."
"Oversight failure."
The emperor pondered those two words.
The second prince's offering of the wrong elixir was a mistake, as was the arson of the Eastern Palace.
Ha! They all think I'm a three-year-old child!
The prince's shoulders and back were bent even lower.
The emperor suddenly looked at Gu Moran: "Third brother, what do you say?"
Gu Moran cursed inwardly.
Good grief, you still won't let me go.
This is your palace; who will judge you, or will I?
How about I become emperor instead?
He lowered his head. "Father, I don't know anything about judging cases. I only know that I was almost whipped in the face with chains last night."
Xiao Jinghan turned his head to look at him. "I didn't even get it!"
Gu Moran immediately replied, "You're quite disappointed?"
Xiao Jinghan shut his mouth.
The emperor glanced at them coldly.
Gu Moran immediately knelt upright. "Your subject deserves to die. Your subject just feels that, whether it's the Eastern Palace or his staff, the fact that they could gather all the prison garrison rotations, Ministry of Punishments documents, and old wax and pine resin together is... quite frightening."
The Crown Prince stared at him. " Gu Moran, what do you mean?"
Gu Moran shrank back a little. "Brother, what I mean is, it's too difficult for the Eastern Palace to manage people. You're confined to your residence, and people are still using the Eastern Palace's token to go to the imperial prison. If it were me, I would have fallen ill from fright long ago."
Stop pretending!
"Big brother, I really can't pretend." Gu Moran pointed at Xiao Jinghan, "I really got beaten up by this remnant last night, and my arm is still sore."
Lin Zhenshan stood to the side, his eyelids twitching slightly.
This kid dares to spout nonsense even in front of the emperor.
The emperor pressed his forehead.
Even after I stopped taking the pills, my headache still kept coming in waves.
I can't sleep well at night, and I can't control my temper.
He stared at the crown prince.
"You've become quite audacious lately. You're already under house arrest, and you still want to move the imperial prison into the Eastern Palace?"
The crown prince pressed his forehead to the ground. "Your subject dares not."
The Emperor spoke, " Jail Officer Wei and his accomplice, the Imperial City Bureau, will be the judges. Zhou Yun, a staff member of the Eastern Palace, will be the judges. Until the case is clear, the Crown Prince will be confined to his quarters and locked up."
The prince's finger trembled.
Lock it.
These two words are far more serious than being forced to kneel.
The emperor then turned to the Minister of Ministry of Punishments: "The list of those to be granted amnesty is to be postponed. All former officials will be re-examined by the Imperial Clan Court before further discussion."
The Minister of Ministry of Punishments hurriedly kowtowed. "Your subject obeys the decree."
The Minister of the Imperial Clan Court also kowtowed.
The emperor's gaze returned to Xiao Jinghan.
As for you.
Xiao Jinghan looked up.
He revealed the Eastern Palace, handed over the contact person, and claimed the old seal was a relic.
The case is still under investigation.
The emperor should spare his life.
The Emperor said, "He secretly possessed the old seal of the previous dynasty, fled during the chaos, and implicated the Crown Prince. His original sins are not yet forgiven; he shall be imprisoned for another ten years, and visitation is strictly prohibited."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The crown prince breathed a sigh of relief.
ten years.
Xiao Jinghan is back in the prison. Once he recovers, we can easily find a way to kill him.
Xiao Jinghan looked up and said, "Your Majesty, I am redeeming myself by performing meritorious service. Will Your Majesty still grant me that prison cell?"
The emperor looked at him. "Do you think I would let someone who hides an old seal from the previous dynasty leave the palace?"
The iron chain on Xiao Jinghan's wrist moved, and blood dripped from the wound again.
What about the Eastern Palace?
The crown prince turned to look at him.
Xiao Jinghan stared at the emperor. "The Crown Prince set fire to the Eastern Palace, forged documents, and opened a side gate to the imperial prison. Your Majesty only locked it up?"
The emperor's hand stopped on the imperial desk.
None of the officials in the hall dared to raise their heads.
Xiao Jinghan had already said it, and couldn't stop himself.
"I am but a remnant of the Xiao Clan, I deserve to die. And the crown prince who used me to kill someone, is he only punished with confinement?"
The prince shouted angrily, " Xiao Jinghan!"
The emperor slammed his hand on the imperial desk.
Your Highness, shut up.
The emperor looked at Xiao Jinghan and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Are you teaching me how to deal with my son?"
Xiao Jinghan clenched his teeth.
Lin Zhenshan's eyelid twitched.
If this continues, Xiao Jinghan won't be able to leave the Hall of Supreme Ultimate today.
This guy deserves to die, but not now.
As long as people are alive, the case of the arson attack on the Eastern Palace will not be left unresolved.
Otherwise, if the Crown Prince pushes Zhou Yun out, he can catch his breath again in a few months.
He and Gu Moran exchanged a glance.
Gu Moran the same thoughts as him.
Use the Eye of Detection to examine Xiao Jinghan again.
[Target of Hatred: Crown Prince]
[Purpose: To drag the crown prince down with Great Yan; if the Dayan dynasty changes its heir, the court will surely descend into chaos.]
[Hate level towards host: 55]
Gu Moran looked at those few lines of text.
This Son of Destiny is interesting; his hatred level dropped so quickly?
My older brother is really too annoying; we can't let him keep jumping around like this!
As for Xiao Jinghan, a Fifth Rank, with Lin Zhenshan, a Second Rank official, backing him up, what's there to be afraid of!
He steeled himself and stepped forward. "Father, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."
The emperor looked at him. "When have you ever failed to say it?"
Gu Moran choked for a moment. "What I'm trying to say is that Xiao Jinghan has a foul mouth and is very bold, but he's still useful."
The crown prince immediately looked over.
The emperor asked, "What is it for?"
Gu Moran his head. "He recognized the contact person, recognized the waist tag rope, and also heard who ordered him to kill Lady Liu. When interrogating the Eastern Palace Prince's staff, someone has to testify."
The General of the Jinwu Guard glanced at Gu Moran.
He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Prince Yi's words are reasonable. Xiao Jinghan will be temporarily detained in the high-prison area of the Imperial Prison under strict guard, which will be useful for subsequent evidence verification."
The emperor remained silent for a moment.
The prince clenched his fist in his sleeve.
Gu Moran's words sounded like she was protecting Xiao Jinghan, but she actually wanted to deal with him.
Zhou Yun couldn't take it anymore, and Xiao Jinghan confirmed it again, adding another layer of mud to the Eastern Palace's body.
The Emperor finally spoke, "Take him back to the Imperial Prison's high-security prison. Chain him with collarbones, put him under double guard, and rotate him every three days. No one is to see him without my written order."
Xiao Jinghan lowered his head, the blood on the back of his hand dried.
He stopped arguing; it was pointless anyway.
The emperor looked at the Minister of Ministry of Punishments: "Draft an edict."
The Minister of Ministry of Punishments immediately took out his pen.
The Emperor decreed. "By imperial decree, the sentence is extended by ten years, and visitation is strictly prohibited."
The Minister of Ministry of Punishments was halfway through writing when the Emperor looked at Chen Dehai again.
"A separate secret decree will be drafted."
Chen Dehai took half a step closer.
The emperor lowered his voice, but those nearby all heard it.
"Sever their lineage; I decree that the Xiao Clan be cut off from this line."