novelinnhs Chapter 537: Memorial Written in Blood
Chapter 537: Memorial Written in Blood
This outcome left Huangfu Yuxuan thoroughly disappointed in him.
Huangfu Yuxuan calculated correctly, with Prince Liang abolished and less than two years later Prince Zhuang also abolished, the Emperor indeed hesitated to establish the Crown Prince.
State affairs are not child’s play, originally Prince Zhuang was chosen by the Emperor after careful weighing, analyzing, and consideration, but once he became the Crown Prince, he acted as if he were a different person.
This made the establishment of the Crown Prince seem like a farce, greatly damaging the Imperial Family’s dignity.
It seems that even if a candidate is determined, one should not hastily announce it; instead, it is better to thoroughly consider temperaments again. The Imperial Family can no longer afford another blow to its dignity and must be more cautious.
Lately, Prince Zhuang has been on the verge of madness; his people searched the entire mansion but couldn’t find any trace of Prince Cheng and his wife, yet, the couple always appeared before him, sometimes alone, sometimes together.
And each time, only Prince Zhuang saw them, and by the time the guards arrived, not a single shadow was found.
The Emperor is also nearly mad.
Since the decree to abolish the Crown Prince was announced to the world, Prince Zhuang was placed under house arrest, yet repeatedly sent memorials to the palace, claiming persecution by Prince Cheng and his wife. Attempting to assassinate him, assaulting him, threatening him, burning down his Crown Prince Mansion, and also his study...
The memorials piled up like a mountain.
Initially, hearing that Prince Cheng wanted to assassinate him, the Emperor was enraged, even if Huangfu Jingchen was dead, couldn’t he come to him, his father, with the matter? Why handle it privately?
After all, he was once the favored son, so he immediately sent people there, but aside from a minor wound on Prince Zhuang’s neck, there was no trace left by Prince Cheng.
The second time Prince Zhuang said Prince Cheng infiltrated his mansion again to severely injure him, the Emperor sent people again, but Prince Zhuang had no wounds on his body whatsoever, not even a bruise...
The Imperial Physician came to diagnose him, his breath was calm, pulse steady, didn’t seem injured at all. Neither internal nor external injuries, yet claimed to be severely injured?
Especially since the Hidden Guard sent out brought back information, they found no trace of Prince Cheng in the Capital City, indicating Prince Cheng should not be in the Capital City.
So saying, did the Old Third resent losing his Crown Prince position, intentionally causing trouble for the Old Fifth? But he pushes all these fabricated charges onto someone not even in the Capital City, isn’t it ridiculous?
Later on, further memorials sent from Prince Zhuang, the Emperor simply ignored them.
He already issued a decree for the Old Fifth to enter the capital, once the Old Fifth arrived in the capital, they could confront each other, if the Old Third wanted to stir things up, let him.
Prince Zhuang lived daily like a frightened bird; at first, memorials sent to the palace were followed by people sent to check his mansion, now sent to the palace, there was no message at all, had his father given up on him?
These past few days Prince Zhuang couldn’t sleep well, nor eat with enjoyment, feeling himself growing significantly thinner, his spirits tightly strained, he couldn’t understand, he had already given up Huangfu Wei as a scapegoat for Huangfu Jingchen, isn’t that enough?
Why does the Old Fifth still target him?
Amid the turmoil of court affairs, as Prince Zhuang was about to collapse, everything seemingly calm, yet secretly surging, Prince Cheng’s carriage hurrying from Yunzhou to the Capital City was finally approaching the Capital City.
Prince Cheng sent someone ahead on fast horses to send a message to the palace, announcing he would enter the capital via the West City Gate the next morning.
Calculating the time, this was within half a month since the Royal Flying Eagle sent the decree.
That speed was already quite swift.
However, when everyone saw the formation of Prince Cheng Mansion, they felt that while the speed was quick, it was also expected.
Three hundred elite cavalry accompanying, five carriages, all were fine steeds, how could the speed be slow?
From this, it could be seen Prince Cheng must have been anxious upon receiving news of his son being harmed, as soon as the decree arrived, he immediately departed, traveling day and night, the worry of parents in the world, any pair would probably journey like this day and night.
Even Prince Zhuang heard of the news of Prince Cheng’s impending arrival.
Could he have been wrong all along? Was the Old Fifth really not in the capital?
Who did he see then?
Could it be that people of the Old Fifth had departed early, waited near the capital, and only entered to report when the timing seemed right?
Investigate!
A group of over three hundred people, so conspicuous, could be traced all along the way, if they didn’t start from Yunzhou, if the timing was wrong, started earlier, one could report to father.
Moreover, those he saw, who abducted Huangfu Wei, burned down his Crown Prince Mansion, assaulted him, attempted to assassinate him, were all the Old Fifth and his wife, surely they came earlier, this troop was just a cover.
His people were always guarding the city gate, watching day and night, the Old Fifth and his wife hadn’t left the city.
As long as they block people at the city gate, search the vehicles, discover the Old Fifth and his wife aren’t inside, they could expose him.
But he was currently under house arrest; he had to convey this message so his father could send people to intercept outside the city, proving his suspicion correct!
Prince Zhuang also knew that due to frequent memorials lately, he probably already annoyed his father, perhaps this memorial sent this time wouldn’t be read by father either, if he missed the opportunity, the Old Fifth would smoothly blend in and escape.
After much thought, Prince Zhuang decided to write a memorial in blood and then have the Duke of England present it to the Emperor.
Writing in blood required bleeding, very painful, Prince Zhuang initially planned to grab a guard, slice his finger and use his blood to write, but thinking of the Old Fifth’s elusive methods and his father’s Hidden Guard capabilities, this was his chance, he couldn’t let his father become more annoyed, besides, he had used this self-inflicted injury trick before.
Thus, gritting his teeth, he sliced his own finger, wrote a memorial, and sent it with a trusted aide to the Duke of England Mansion.
As his father-in-law, he was also very worried about his current situation, after all, such connections can’t be severed, sharing glory and suffering equally.
The Duke of England dutifully presented that blood-written memorial before the Emperor’s desk, appearing in person, old tears flowing, the Emperor gave him some consideration and read the memorial in his presence.
When the Duke of England left, the Emperor’s expression remained calm, without any indication, the Duke of England didn’t dare ask more.
An hour later, Prince Li led officials from the Ministry of Rites heading towards the West City Gate, hearing the Emperor sent Prince Li to greet him outside the city.
The Duke of England breathed a great sigh of relief, indicating Prince Zhuang’s blood-written memorial had some effect; although the Emperor didn’t fully believe, he still sent Prince Li.
For a vassal king entering the capital, why need to send a prince to greet him? Moreover, greet him outside the city?
The Duke of England’s guess was correct, these days Prince Zhuang’s memorials were too frequent, although the Emperor became annoyed, not reading the latter ones anymore, yet some doubts lingered in his heart.
After all, Prince Zhuang wasn’t Prince Liang, normally he acted prudently and cautiously, besides his Hidden Guard searched thoroughly within the capital and didn’t find Huangfu Wei, there was indeed something fishy.