"No, this is just the beginning. How could someone like Ye Lingyue overturn the efforts we have made over so many years? Hurry into the Imperial Palace, visit Noble Princess Consort Luo, and also deliver this letter to her. Remember, whether the Crown Prince can be saved depends on this very letter." Hong Fang truly had his schemes, as the Crown Prince's banishment was already a settled issue.

Hong Fang wanted the Crown Prince to regain his former status and reputation, but that was impossible now.

However, as long as the Crown Prince was still around, or should I say, as long as the one who could provide the Reincarnation Elixir was still around, the Crown Prince and Noble Princess Consort Luo still had their uses for Hong Fang.

Today, Emperor Xia had just punished Hong Fang, and now he too was a criminal awaiting punishment, naturally, it was not suitable for him to enter the palace at this time. He could only send Zhuge Rou to enter the palace and offer strategies to Noble Princess Consort Luo.

Yao Concubine had died, and the Crown Prince was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. After Emperor Xia returned from the Crown Prince's separate residence, he suffered from dizziness and oppression in the chest. He summoned people from the Imperial Hospital to check, but medicine and stones could not cure him.

Just then, Chou Alchemist offered a medicine; after Emperor Xia took it, his headache was relieved the next day.

Beyond surprised, Emperor Xia inquired how Chou Alchemist had concocted this medicine.

"Your Majesty, your illness stems from constant labor and overthinking. Only a Fifth-grade Elixir, the 'filial piety pill,' can cure it, which is both difficult and easy to prepare. It requires a piece of one's flesh as a medicinal guide, and the closer the kinship, the better the effect. The Fourth Prince, hearing that You were suffering from headache because of his issues, gouged a piece of his own flesh to offer to Your Majesty as a medicinal guide." After saying this, Chou Alchemist wiped tears and sighed.

"Fourth Prince actually..." Upon hearing the origin of the filial piety pill, Emperor Xia's heart softened again.

"Your Majesty, please have mercy on your servant. I have already lost one child; I cannot afford to lose Hong'er too. The Heavenly Prison is bitterly cold, and Hong'er has gouged out a piece of his flesh; he is continuously bleeding and might not survive," Noble Princess Consort Luo took advantage of the situation to kneel down and plead on the side.

Emperor Xia's expression gradually changed, and he sighed.

No matter how incompetent Xiahou Hong was, he was still his flesh and blood.

He never wanted to put the Crown Prince to death. Today at the separate residence, witnessing the Crown Prince molesting such a small child, Emperor Xia was so furious he wished he could personally execute that monster.

But then he thought, for his own sake as a father,

"Enough, release that monster..." Just as Emperor Xia was about to speak, to release the Crown Prince first,

Just at that moment, a eunuch hurried in.

"Your Majesty, outside the Xia Palace, dozens of commoners have knelt down. They claim to seek revenge for their children, requesting that Your Majesty severely punish the culprit." Upon hearing this, the heart of Emperor Xia, which had just begun to soften, instantly sank back down.

Noble Princess Consort Luo did not want to lose her only son, and neither did those kneeling commoners want to lose their children.

As a ruler, his heart should embrace the whole world and he is also the parent of his subjects.

If he cannot vindicate his people, wouldn't he become a negligent monarch?

Emperor Xia sighed; the headache that had been cured began to pain him faintly again.

"Noble Princess Consort, my mind is made up. The Crown Prince's crimes are severe; I will let the Ancestral Affairs Office handle it. I am tired; you all may leave."

Emperor Xia waved his hand, and his words left Noble Princess Consort Luo, who had just risen with a sliver of hope, collapsing to the ground in despair.

How could that be possible, the letter from Hong Fang clearly stated that if they followed his instructions, Your Majesty would certainly remember old affections and release Hong'er.

Fearing that Noble Princess Consort Luo would continue causing disturbances, the eunuchs hastily supported her and withdrew.

Inside the Hong Residence, Hong Fang's room was also brightly lit with candlelight.

It was not until around the time for lighting the lamps that Zhuge Rou returned from the palace.

"How is it? Has the Crown Prince come out yet? Hong Fang, serving as a minister for over a decade, understands Emperor Xia's temperament very well.

Emperor Xia, being a sincere and straightforward person, values filial piety the most. Although the Fourth Prince has committed unforgivable crimes today, if he offers his heart's flesh, Emperor Xia will surely be moved.

"The Fourth Prince is still detained in the Heavenly Prison. Originally, after hearing the story of the filial piety pill, Emperor Xia was indeed moved and wanted to release him, but at that time, many parents of victimized children were kneeling outside the palace. After hearing this, Emperor Xia changed his mind and ordered Noble Princess Consort Luo not to plead any further." Zhuge Rou was also quite distressed.

After Noble Princess Consort Luo returned to her sleeping palace, she was so agitated that, combined with a recent miscarriage, she vomited several mouthfuls of blood and fainted again.

Zhuge Rou and Chou Alchemist were busy for a long time before they managed to save Noble Princess Consort Luo.

"How could this be? The bodies of the children found in the Crown Prince's other residence weren't even identified yet, where would the mourning commoner couples come from?" Upon hearing this, Hong Fang felt even more that something was amiss.

He thought again, and suddenly stood up.

"It must be Ye Lingyue, that wretched girl must have tampered with it."

Unfortunately, by the time Hong Fang discovered all this, it was already too late.

Hong Fang knew that having missed this best chance to save Xiahou Hong, it would be extremely difficult to protect Xiahou Hong now. Thinking of this, Hong Fang also sighed heavily.

Outside the Imperial Palace, dozens of "mourning" men and women were receiving Silver Tael from Ye Lingyue.

Each person had to kneel outside the Imperial Palace for two hours, cry a few times, and could earn a Silver Tael each. Such a profitable deal was not something they could encounter every day.

After receiving the Silver Tael, everyone happily left.

"Father was really angry, changed his decision temporarily, and Xiahou Hong is still detained in the Heavenly Prison, awaiting trial by the Ancestral Affairs Office." The Sixth Prince, seeing that group of men and women leaving, had a bit of emotion in his expression, and at the same time, a bit of admiration, but mostly he felt a sense of loss.

Ye Lingyue today, using Little Wuya, captured Crown Prince Hong and cleverly eliminated Yao Concubine. Every move of Crown Prince Hong and Hong Fang was anticipated by her.

Just as mother said, she is not someone I can control.

Watching Crown Prince Hong and Noble Princess Consort Luo fall from power, and the status of Hong Fang plummet, Xiahou Qi was not too joyful. He felt that he was getting further and further away from Ye Lingyue.

"Sixth Prince, perhaps go and see Emperor Xia, he really needs comfort at this time." Ye Lingyue did not notice the disappointment in Xiahou Qi's eyes and turned to walk towards a certain part of Xia Palace.

"Ling Yue, that way leads to the Heavenly Prison, what are you doing?" The Sixth Prince was puzzled.

"I heard the Fourth Prince gouged out a piece of his heart to treat Emperor Xia's illness; at the order of Alchemist Mei, I am going to treat the Fourth Prince to prevent his excessive blood loss before the trial by the Ancestral Affairs Office even begins." Ye Lingyue said this, walking towards the Heavenly Prison with steps full of joy.

The Heavenly Prison of Xia Palace is located on the northern side of the Imperial Palace, where sunlight never reaches all year round. The cells are damp and cold, and during the spring and summer seasons, rats occasionally scurry through the prison.

Under the dim lighting, various torture instruments stained with blood looked particularly terrifying.