CHAPTER 349: CHAPTER 349 SILENT WAITING

Prince Zhan, barely holding onto a breath, finally made it to the imperial court.

His entire body ached as if he were about to die; if the Imperial Physician were called now, it would likely be found that several of his bones were broken.

At his age, he had always lived a life of luxury and comfort.

So, he rarely got injured, and this was a severe injury, making the pain unbearable.

He unusually pleaded earnestly with the Emperor.

"Emperor, I implore you to stand up for this old minister! This wicked woman not only spreads false rumors and slanders this old minister everywhere, but also practices her evil sorcery outside the Imperial City, deceiving the entire city’s populace to disgrace me. I almost could not see the light of day, about to die of unjust accusations!"

His cries were sincere, pouring his heart out, displaying more grievance than Princess Consort Zhan and Yu Wenjie standing nearby.

Yet, the mother-daughter pair remained extremely calm.

After entering the hall, apart from saluting, they remained silent.

After all, reason is not determined by whose voice is louder.

The Emperor sat high on the Dragon Chair, watching the scene below.

It seemed to merge with a scene from many years ago.

Back then, he was just a child, sitting on the Dragon Chair timidly, yet receiving much "guidance" from Prince Zhan’s grand eloquence below.

Finally, he was forced to admit the previous sentence.

"Emperor, is this old minister correct?"

Such a hard stance repeatedly made it difficult for the Emperor to maintain his composure!

But back then, with his young age, he naturally couldn’t resist, allowing those veteran ministers to trample upon his imperial dignity one by one.

So, today’s situation is so reminiscent of those days.

But now, the one who decides "correct or incorrect" is solely him.

No one is allowed to trample the dignity of the Emperor, as it was before and will be in the future.

Thinking of this, a cold glint involuntarily flickered in his eyes.

Again, looking at Prince Zhan, a sense of gratification from vengeance even arose.

Prime Minister Lin, ever perceptive, knew Prince Zhan couldn’t escape this calamity.

Thus, he devised a coping strategy in his mind.

Quietly awaiting the final blow!

The Emperor didn’t notice Prime Minister Lin’s emotional fluctuation but "comforted" Prince Zhan.

"Since Prince Zhan is injured, he need not stand to respond."

One might have thought the Emperor intended to favor Prince Zhan, but his next sentence was astonishing.

Calmly, he said.

"In the grand hall, no one has ever responded while sitting or lying down, so let’s kneel then."

Then he instructed Dong Yuzhong.

"Go and fetch a softer cushion, bestow it to Prince Zhan."

"Yes, I obey the order."

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, Prince Zhan felt even more agitated.

But now, many new unfamiliar faces filled the court, even if he refuted, he assumed there’d be no support from anyone.

He could only grit his teeth in thanks.

"This old minister thanks His Majesty for your grace."

The cushion Dong Yuzhong found was indeed soft, but perhaps a bit too soft.

Kneeling on it felt no different from kneeling on the ground.

But right now, wasn’t the time to dwell on such things.

So, Prince Zhan concentrated his attack intending to lash out at Princess Consort Zhan!

But he was interrupted by the Emperor’s question.

"Princess Consort Zhan, are you aware of your crime in gathering the people to cause a disturbance at the Imperial City gates today?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Consort Zhan showed no fear at all.

She knelt straight down and said clearly.

"Replying to the Emperor, I am aware of my crime. Yet before determining my guilt, I have an urgent matter to present. If this matter isn’t made clear to the world, I will find no peace even if I go to hell!"

Her words were so forceful that everyone present frowned and looked at Princess Consort Zhan.

She then fiercely kowtowed three times, and when she rose, her forehead was stained with blood.

The intensity and determination were obvious.

"Alright, within this grand hall, meritorious deeds must be rewarded and faults punished. There is no need to intimidate with threats of death, I shall hear your plea."

The Emperor spoke, so naturally, Princess Consort Zhan had to clearly state her case.

Thus she began her bitter accusation.

"In the past, I was married to this traitor through proper channels and with due rites, a publicly witnessed matrimony. But in these years, due to some past matters, he and I became estranged. He dotes on concubines in the rear courtyard and never puts our main household in his eyes, neglecting our children greatly."

"I, enduring much humiliation in the Prince Mansion for decades, didn’t dare utter a word, yet he and the Wei Family wouldn’t let us go. First forcing our daughter to marry far away, then confining me in the rear residence, allowing the Prince Mansion’s only legitimate son to fend for himself among the common folks."

"My son, unexpectedly brave, though appearing as a frivolous youth to outsiders, actually uncovered much of Prince Zhan’s filthy deeds behind the scenes, recording them bit by bit."

Finishing her speech, she handed those papers over.

Dong Yuzhong swiftly stepped forward to receive them.

Prince Zhan still wished to refute but was immobile due to Lin Xingzhi’s acupoint fixation.

Unable to move or speak, he could only listen sweating profusely as Princess Consort Zhan "smears dirt" onto him.

This scene, it must be said, was quite satisfying to Yu Wenjie.

"Seeing all these records, I decided firmly to separate from him, such a person by my pillow, I disdain to keep, as much as the title of Princess Consort as well! Yet unexpectedly, he somehow heard about this and aggressively headed to the post station to confront us."

"Couldn’t clear things with a few words, then started hitting people. My son, protecting us weak ones, received a kick directly to the chest, rupturing his heart pulse completely. By the time the doctors and the Imperial Physician arrived, it was beyond recovery. Hence the claims of him killing his own son."

"My son is gone, a young life so abruptly snuffed out; Emperor, I implore you to stand for my son! Also for those citizens oppressed by him for years!"

Princess Consort Zhan typically appeared gentle and fragile, but at this crucial moment, her words carried no hesitation.

Each accusation, steeped in blood and tears, moved anyone who heard it.

Moreover, even wolves don’t eat their own cubs, yet Prince Zhan, in desperation, stormed the post station.

Kicking someone dead over a few dissenting words is certainly a dire culpability.

Princess Consort Zhan not only accused but had Yu Wen Jia’s coffin brought out.

His face was pale, with faint traces of blood at the corners of his mouth.

As Princess Consort Zhan pulled open his chest cloth, indeed a dark footprint was right over his heart.

Yu Wenjie, witnessing this, no longer cared, she sprang up towards Prince Zhan.

Startling him, making him retreat repeatedly.

Only to find that Yu Wenjie wasn’t lunging for him, but for his boots.

Having pulled them off, she placed them before her brother’s corpse for comparison.

Doing a public injury examination under the watchful eyes of hundreds.

The size of the boot matched precisely with the footprint on Yu Wen Jia’s chest, leaving Prince Zhan with no room to dispute even if he tried.