CHAPTER 627: CHAPTER 627: IS IT A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE?

With that thought, she hurriedly wiped away her tears.

Zhao Junyao let out a cold laugh upon seeing this. The Empress’s act is a bit too much, isn’t it?

Nevertheless, he still said, "The Empress speaks the truth! This matter is not Mother’s fault!"

The Empress Dowager said nothing, picking up her handkerchief to continue dabbing at her tears.

Zhao Junyao could hardly bear to watch, so he stood up and called for the Imperial Physician to come in. He inquired about the Empress Dowager’s health.

The Imperial Physician knelt respectfully on the ground and replied, "Reporting to the Emperor, the Empress Dowager is suffering from anger and distress, which has caused liver qi stagnation! If this continues, it will certainly harm her vitality. She needs prompt and proper treatment! This old servant has prepared several prescriptions to relieve liver fire. The Empress Dowager must take her medicine on time! Additionally... an emotional ailment requires an emotional remedy. Empress Dowager, if you could calm your mind, it might be more effective than taking ten doses of medicine!"

Zhao Junyao’s expression improved somewhat upon hearing this. It seemed there were no other illnesses; it was just anger.

He then stood up and said, "Mother, your son will handle this matter properly. Your son will also ensure the Palace Maid’s family is generously compensated. Please be sure to ease your mind!"

The Empress Dowager nodded with red eyes. "I understand!"

Just then, Li Shengan came rushing in with a heavy face. Seeing the situation inside the room, he didn’t dare to speak and simply stood there with his head bowed.

Zhao Junyao knew he had something to report. He immediately comforted the Empress Dowager with a few words and instructed the Empress to take good care of her. Then he left.

On the way back to Zhaochen Palace, Li Shengan reported carefully, "Emperor, the Sixth Prince insists on seeing you. He claims he has been wronged and asks you to uncover the truth!"

Zhao Junyao’s gaze sharpened suddenly, and the corner of his mouth curled into a cold smile. "Humph! Wronged?! If he was wronged, why would the Palace Maid hang herself? The dead do not lie, after all."

However, Zhao Junyao eventually ordered the Sixth Prince to be brought to him. After all, they were brothers, and he couldn’t just believe one side of the story. This was no way to conduct a trial!

The Sixth Prince was brought quickly. Dragging a lame leg, he knelt before the desk in the Imperial Study Room. He had spent several days detained by the Punishment Department, eating poorly and sleeping badly. Scared out of his wits, his face was now utterly pale!

He cried and kowtowed, "Emperor, Emperor, your brother has been wronged. I did not touch her! I truly did not touch her. You can let the Imperial Physicians examine the body!"

Zhao Junyao scoffed, "Not touching her doesn’t mean you didn’t insult her! Otherwise, why would someone in good health hang herself? You had no grudges against her, so why would she falsely accuse you?"

With just a few words, he left the Sixth Prince speechless!

The Sixth Prince was usually domineering and rampant. Everyone inside and outside the palace knew that Little Sixth Master was a little bully and a devil, not to be trifled with. Teasing eunuchs and Palace Maids was his forte. One time, with a stolen hunting rifle, he even shot through a Little Eunuch’s arm. On another occasion, failing to catch fish, he went to the Imperial Medical Bureau, stole some powdered medicine, and sprinkled it into the pond, killing all the fish. His mischievousness was comparable to a group of street hooligans!

Gradually, the Little Sixth Prince’s name became synonymous with fear. Anyone who dared offend him knew their days would be numbered; if not death, they would at least be severely punished.

So, Zhao Junyao couldn’t think of anyone else who would commit such a heinous act of assaulting and insulting a Palace Maid.

The Sixth Prince opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

At that moment, someone reported that the Fifth Prince was seeking an audience.

Zhao Junyao scoffed, "Ha! You brothers are really quite devoted to each other! Let him in. I want to see how he plans to plead for you!"

As his words fell, the Fifth Prince soon entered. As he entered, he immediately knelt on the ground. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

The Fifth Prince performed the grand kowtow ritual without hesitation. "Emperor, my younger brother is young and has committed such an atrocious act; the fault lies with me, his elder brother! My brother resides in the front palace, a place Mother Consort is naturally unable to oversee. I beg you, do not direct your anger at Mother Consort! Day after day, I read and practice martial arts with my younger brother. It is entirely my fault for not properly supervising him!"

Before he could finish speaking, he began to cry bitterly. Watching him, one might think he’s truly a loving elder brother who adores his sibling.

That’s what Zhao Junyao thought, but something didn’t feel right!Yet, in his fury, he couldn’t concern himself with what was right or wrong anymore!

"Rubbish!" A teacup was thrown down, shattering into pieces! "He is already twelve years old; still young? Little Seventh is even younger than he is; why haven’t we seen Little Seventh insult a Palace Maid and cause a fatality!"

The Fifth Prince continued to weep bitterly. Just as he was about to speak, he was knocked to the ground by a punch from Sixth Master.

"Fifth Master!"

"Fifth Prince!"

"You scoundrel!"

The Imperial Study Room was suddenly thrown into chaos. The cries of Palace Attendants and Sixth Master’s voice intertwined, creating a cacophony.

Sixth Master continued angrily, "Don’t pretend to be kind! You’re just waiting for me to die! Imperial Brother hasn’t even ascertained the truth, so how can you be so sure it was I who insulted that Palace Maid! How can you be so certain! Yes! I am a scoundrel and have done many despicable things! But I didn’t do it this time! You... you keep saying it’s your fault! Stop your pretense here!"

The Little Sixth Prince trembled with rage, his complexion turning crimson.

The Fifth Prince’s face was livid from the scolding! "You... fine! I tried to be kind and thoughtful, but in the end, I..."

"Imperial Brother!" The Fifth Prince was so shocked, angry, and agitated that he lay prostrate on the ground crying, unable to utter another word.

The Little Sixth Prince sneered, "What, you have no argument left, nothing to say now! You’ve always been opposing me at every turn, and now you even try to pin this on me; what exactly are you plotting!"

The Fifth Prince got up and also sneered, "Fine! Since Sixth Brother puts it that way! Then I was indeed meddling this time! I was wrong. My fault lies in trying to plead for you, in taking your mistakes upon myself, in not..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the Little Sixth Prince was furious again. "You’re still talking! You’re still talking! Do you have any proof? You keep saying ’this incident,’ but this incident wasn’t my doing!"

Having said that, he burst into tears and flung himself forward. He straddled Fifth Master and started punching wildly.

Li Shengan was so scared he almost wet his pants, unable to speak a word. Fighting in the Emperor’s Imperial Study Room, showing disrespect in front of His Majesty—this is a capital offense!

Luckily, Little Zhuzi was sharp-witted and shouted aloud, "Fifth Master, Sixth Master, this is the Emperor’s Imperial Study Room!"

Sixth Master paused for a moment. He gave a fierce punch once more. Only then did he stop. When he finally stood up, he viciously wiped away his tears. "We will settle this later!"

Fifth Master lay askew on the ground, not retaliating from start to finish, but... the sharpness and viciousness that flickered through his eyes didn’t escape Zhao Junyao’s notice!

A thought crossed his mind. Could it be... there was indeed more to this affair?

After considering for a moment, he ordered, "Lock up Little Sixth! We must thoroughly investigate this matter. We will not wrong anyone, nor will we let anyone off!"