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墨書 Inktalez
Song Yiyi sneered, thinking to herself, you fool.
Anyone with a bit of sense would question how a weak woman could orchestrate so much on her own. They would then devise a method to make her reveal the mastermind behind it all.
But the Crown Prince remained fixated on her, filled with hatred and a desire to kill her, yet afraid of being accused of murder. He dared not act, caught between fear and hesitation, resorting only to verbal attacks that were far from the decorum expected of someone of royal blood.
As he spoke, Song Yiyi couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"You crazy woman! Even at death's door, you can still laugh!"
Death is also a form of liberation; why shouldn't I laugh?
The Crown Prince was genuinely perplexed. "If you want to die, why drag me into it?"
"Because you deserve to die," Song Yiyi explained. "Do you remember ten years ago when you first left the capital for an assignment in Chenzhou? You were filled with ridiculous enthusiasm, yet lacked the capability to match it, relying entirely on your subordinates' achievements while feeling entitled."
Day after day, you reveled in your own self-satisfaction and indulged in debauchery, leading to many disgraceful acts. My father was just a small County Magistrate. That day when you graced us with your presence, the county magistrate hosted a banquet at a tavern and ordered his subordinates to accompany him. With a few flattering words from the magistrate, you became so self-satisfied that you lost all sense of direction, drinking more and more while forbidding anyone from leaving.
My mother grew worried when my father didn't return home late at night and sent my twelve-year-old sister to check on him. That visit marked the tragic beginning for my family. By chance, in your drunken state, you took advantage of my sister. My father, being straightforward, exploded in anger at your disrespect. You retaliated with a beating that nearly cost him his life.
Because you felt guilty for what you had done, you offered some money but soon forgot about it entirely. My sister hanged herself that very day; my father was consumed by guilt and his injuries never healed properly. Meanwhile, the county magistrate’s embezzlement became too glaring to hide; seeing that my father had offended you, he shifted all blame onto him.
After my sister's suicide, I quickly endured the tragic deaths of my father, mother, and younger brother—all instigated by you!
So tell me, shouldn't I hate you? Shouldn't you die? Shouldn't I drag you down with me?
Upon learning the source of Song Yiyi's hatred, the Crown Prince had long forgotten the past and found her grievances unreasonable. "I already compensated for your sister; what happened to your family was due to that magistrate—what does it have to do with me?"
Realizing that arguing was futile and that her grudge would soon be avenged, Song Yiyi felt quite pleased but also found the Crown Prince too noisy. She thought bitterly about how he still hadn't met his end and then realized—his status meant he would never face justice like commoners; she would need to escalate things further.
"Your Highness," she said, "instead of arguing with me here, perhaps you should think about how to save yourself. Even as a prince, if you're accused of patricide or regicide, your fate won't be much better than mine."
Reminded by her words, the Crown Prince shivered involuntarily. After his pupils shook for a moment, they began darting around again. "That black tube—where did you get it?"
Song Yiyi countered with a question of her own: "Would you believe me if I told you?"
The information written on the banner stirred something within the Crown Prince; he was unwilling to remain sidelined by Xuande Emperor's neglect and had already begun plotting as he saw Xuande Emperor fall ill again. In his mind, he had already set plans in motion.
After all, since no heir had been established yet, everyone had a chance—didn't they?
However, he felt somewhat lacking in both his maternal family background and personal strength, which made him feel insecure. In his hesitation, the appearance of the banner boosted his confidence. What if what the banner said was true? Should he take a gamble?
Song Yiyi watched the change in his expression and sneered contemptuously. No matter where I got this from, the effect is evident. To raise such a worthless son like you, the current emperor must not be a good person either. If I kill both of you, it can be considered as ridding the people of harm. In the underworld, Your Highness, I will be waiting for you.
At that moment, a servant came to report that the imperial physician had arrived. The Crown Prince's thoughts had shifted to survival and seizing power. Looking at the struggling Song Yiyi, his anger had diminished. He said softly, "I will not let you have your way. I want you to live well and witness the moment I become superior to others. Then, I will torture you to death!"
He turned and left, hearing Song Yiyi's mocking laughter behind him, which only strengthened his resolve. Upon reaching his residence, he closed all doors and windows and opened a hidden passage beneath the wardrobe before descending.
He thought he was hiding it well, but this had long been noticed by others.
Two hours later, Gentle received news from the Censor. Upon seeing the list on the paper, Gentle was somewhat surprised. Anyone with eyes could see that since that day, the Crown Prince had already been abandoned by the emperor, yet so many people still followed him.
Mingze took the list and glanced at it before snorting coldly. "The followers are of different ranks; whatever kind of person they are is reflected in their servants—just a bunch of useless scraps nobody wants."
Useless scraps? Sang Qingxiao noticed there were still some first-rank officials and marquises on the list.
Shi Yun's face was cold as he said, "Perfect timing; the Court needs regular cleaning too. Mingze, weren't you complaining about your residence being inadequate? After this cleanup, you might find something suitable."
Is that so? Then I should make a reservation first; preferably something close to your place.
Gentle allowed the Crown Prince to move around for an entire night. After he fell asleep in his residence, Gentle began to act. With the help of Dragon Guard, in just one day, several households were dealt with, significantly filling the national treasury while those who were restless retracted their claws.
No matter how much commotion there was outside, the Crown Prince slept soundly until night fell again. When he finally woke up and opened his eyes, he lay motionless on the bed with a face that flickered between light and dark as he hesitated.
A thunderclap startled him; lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating much of it. After waiting for a while, however, he still did not see any rain.
Thunder without rain was indeed rare.
Rare? Not at all; it was merely uncommon.
The Crown Prince looked out the window and continued to remind himself that even his great-grandfather Qin Zhang had experienced celestial phenomena in the past. His second brother had a good reputation but was dragged down by his wife; his third brother was clever but had already been deposed; all that remained were children who could not bear such great responsibilities!
Without a legitimate heir to establish as crown prince, the throne should belong to me. My struggle is merely to intimidate my younger brothers below me; when that time comes, I will go easy on them to avoid making my father suffer from losing a son while having white hair himself.
His father was clearly nearing death; if he had any consciousness during his slumber, most of his time would likely be spent worrying about passing on the throne.
He thinks I'm not qualified enough, yet he paves the way for me as his successor, bestowing upon me the fate of the realm. I can be a good emperor, allowing him to close his eyes in peace, ensuring that the situation in Great Jing remains stable. With so many benefits, he should be willing, right?
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