Chapter 367: Chapter 368: Words Are No Proof
Four days later, Wu Wang reported the results of his investigation to the Emperor.
"The testimonies from the brothel Madam and the out-of-town merchant are all here. Their accounts are almost identical to what the Second Prince said."
The Emperor read the pages of testimony from beginning to end, his brow furrowing slightly.
Based on the clues found so far, the Fourth Prince, Li Ying, was indeed the prime suspect.
But a sliver of doubt remained in the Emperor’s mind.
He felt it was all too coincidental.
’Why did that out-of-town merchant just happen to run into the Second Prince?’
’Why did someone close to the Second Prince just happen to see Liang Yong say those things to someone else?’
’And that brothel Madam... she sees countless people come and go every day. How could she remember such a minor incident from so many years ago so clearly?’
The Emperor was accustomed to assuming the worst.
He suspected someone was intentionally fanning the flames, aiming to frame the Fourth Prince.
If the frame-up succeeded, the person who stood to gain the most was the Second Prince.
In other words, it was highly likely that the Second Prince was playing the victim while being the actual culprit.
The Emperor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A long moment passed before he spoke.
"Relay my decree. Confine the Fourth Prince to the Ministry of Justice to await judgment."
’Since the mastermind’s goal is to frame the Fourth Prince, I’ll just play along. First, I’ll lock up the Fourth Prince and pretend I’m going to punish him severely. That way, the person behind this will surely think their plan has succeeded and will grow complacent.’
’And once a person gets complacent, they’re bound to slip up.’
Wu Wang replied respectfully, "As you command."
When Xianfei heard that the Fourth Prince had been imprisoned, she immediately sent someone to investigate. She was shocked to learn that the Second Prince was the one who had brought this about.
Beyond her surprise, Xianfei felt a faint sense of unease.
Her nanny comforted her.
"Your Highness need not worry so. The Second Prince merely reported what he knew to the Saint.
He did nothing wrong. The Saint has always been clear in his rewards and punishments; he will certainly not hold this against him."
Xianfei frowned. "That’s not what I’m worried about."
The nanny was confused. "Then what is it that Your Highness is worried about?"
In truth, even Xianfei herself couldn’t quite articulate what she was worried about.
She just felt a sense of dread.
’It feels as if something terrible is about to happen.’
...
Inside the Second Prince Mansion, Li Hao burst out laughing when he learned that the Fourth Prince had been arrested.
"So it really was that brat Li Ying! And to think Li Yan insisted on dragging my name through the mud. I’m going to the Imperial Palace right now to find Li Yan. I won’t let this go until he apologizes to me!"
With that, he laughed his way out the door, mounted his horse, and galloped straight for the Imperial Palace.
Li Yan had actually already heard the news of the Fourth Prince’s arrest.
But he still found it hard to believe.
He couldn’t believe that the Fourth Prince he remembered—timid, gloomy, and so withdrawn you couldn’t get a peep out of him—was capable of framing someone.
Even more, he was unwilling to believe he had been so wrong about someone.
But reality insisted on defying his wishes.
The more Li Yan refused to face it, the more fate seemed to force it upon him.
Li Hao appeared before Li Yan, gloating, and deliberately raised his voice.
"I told you from the start that I had nothing to do with what happened to Consort Liu, but you refused to believe me. Now you know you were wrong, don’t you?"
Li Yan’s face flushed red, too embarrassed to speak.
Li Hao loved seeing him like this—wanting to argue but having nothing to say. His smile grew even more smug.
"You attacked me in public and completely humiliated me. Now that the truth is out, don’t you think you owe me a proper apology?"
Li Yan’s hands clenched into fists. He gritted his teeth and said, "Don’t get too cocky!"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Don’t you even have the courage to admit you were wrong?"
"Who says I don’t?" Li Yan retorted fiercely. "It’s just an apology, right? Fine! I apologize. I misunderstood you. I shouldn’t have attacked you before the truth was uncovered. It was all my fault. Are you satisfied now?"
Li Hao was not satisfied. "That’s not an apology. That’s a provocation."
Li Yan couldn’t care less.
"I’ve already apologized. Say whatever you want."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Li Hao was furious. He shouted at Li Yan’s retreating back, "I don’t accept your apology! This isn’t over!"
Li Yan didn’t even glance back.
He didn’t care whether Li Hao accepted his apology or not. Right now, all he wanted was to find Li Ying as soon as possible and demand a clear explanation from him face-to-face.
If Li Ying really did it, he would make him pay in blood!
Inside a cell in the Ministry of Justice.
Li Ying sat on the cold floor, his back against the wall, staring ahead at nothing in particular, lost in thought.
The sound of footsteps approached, growing louder.
The cell door opened, and a person walked in.
It was the Fifth Prince, Li Yan.
He stood firm on his crutch and gave an order without turning his head.
"All of you, get out."
The prison guards obediently retreated, closing the cell door behind them.
But they didn’t go far, instead waiting quietly by the door.
Through the barred door, they could clearly hear the conversation inside the cell.
Li Ying looked up, his gaze lingering for a moment on the crutch Li Yan was leaning on, and asked,
"What brings you here, Fifth Brother?"
Li Yan said with disgust, "Don’t call me ’Fifth Brother.’ I have no brother of such lowly birth."
Li Ying was clearly used to such vicious words. He didn’t get angry, merely falling silent.
Li Yan kept the purpose of his visit firmly in mind.
He stared into the other’s eyes and demanded,
"Was it really you who framed me and my mother?"
Instead of answering, Li Ying asked, "If I said no, would you believe me?"
Li Yan: "What evidence do you have to prove your innocence?"
Li Ying was silent again.
Li Yan: "All the evidence points to you, and you have no evidence to prove your innocence. As I see it, that makes you the true culprit."
Li Ying denied it without hesitation.
"I’m not."
Li Yan sneered. "Talk is cheap."
Li Ying fell silent once more.
In Li Yan’s eyes, his silence was a sign of guilt.
The hatred in Li Yan’s chest burned wildly. Without a second thought, he swung his crutch, aiming viciously for Li Ying’s knee!
"You ruined one of my legs, so I’ll ruin one of yours!"
Li Ying rolled on the ground, dodging the crutch.
The crutch slammed against the wall with a sharp CRACK.
The prison guards outside were startled by the noise and quickly called out.
"Fifth Prince, is something wrong?"
Without turning his head, Li Yan roared, "This is none of your business!"
He raised his crutch to strike Li Ying again, his bloodshot eyes filled with overwhelming hatred.
Li Ying scrambled backward, continuously dodging.
Fearing something terrible would happen to the Fourth Prince, the prison guards outside hastily pushed open the door and rushed in.
Even though the Fourth Prince was now essentially a convict, he was still the Emperor’s flesh and blood. If he were beaten to death in his cell, the Emperor would hold them all accountable when he looked into it.
They scrambled to grab hold of Li Yan.
"Fifth Prince, calm down! Please, stop hitting him!"
