The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 82 - 81

Chapter 81

The next morning, as dawn broke, the officials rose and dressed, preparing to attend the morning court session. The royal court had been under considerable pressure lately due to the widespread rumors in the capital. The populace had been causing frequent disturbances, disrupting the once peaceful capital.

At the appointed time, the officials assembled in the throne room, kneeling in unison to pay their respects to their sovereign. The atmosphere this morning was heavy, as if dark clouds loomed over the entire throne room.

"Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand, ten thousand years!"

"You may rise." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The Emperor waved his hand, instructing the officials to stand. Before him, near the throne, stood the three princes, spaced apart in an unusual and unfamiliar manner.

Since the Crown Prince had returned to the royal court, he had not appeared in the morning court sessions except for the first day. However, today, Lu Jiu, dressed in the crown prince attire of the Eastern Palace, had joined the court session, surprising many officials.

"If any official has a matter to present to His Majesty, please proceed..."

The Emperor’s trusted eunuch announced in a high-pitched voice. As he finished speaking, an official stepped forward to report in front of the throne room. "Your Majesty, I have received numerous complaints from the people regarding recent events. Please consider this matter, Your Majesty!"

"What is it?" The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and asked calmly. He could guess what the official intended to address.

"Your Majesty, there have been many unusual occurrences in recent days. Although the court has sent people to investigate, they have yet to find a cause, leading to rumors among the populace about ominous signs."

"The people in the capital are now deeply fearful and panicked. They have been gathering and protesting at the government office without ceasing. If the court does not officially address the situation soon, the capital’s peace and order cannot be maintained, Your Majesty!"

The official continued his report with a grave expression before bowing his head low, avoiding the Emperor’s gaze. Previously, they had submitted petitions to the Emperor, but he had ignored them. The Emperor’s clear intention to protect the Crown Prince left them no choice but to bring the matter up directly in the throne room to pressure the Emperor into action!

"Your Majesty, I concur. The trust and faith the people have in the royal family are paramount. If we let the populace doubt the Crown Prince like this, it will not bode well for the royal court."

Another official from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward to support the previous speaker. They took turns persuading their sovereign, leaving no opportunity for him to ignore the matter.

"Please, Your Majesty, consider this!"

Over a third of the court officials bowed and pleaded in unison, their voices echoing through the throne room and creating immense pressure on the person on the throne.

"What do you want me to consider? The cause of these misfortunes has not been found due to your incompetence. Now you want me to consider what!?"

The Emperor shouted in frustration, his expression visibly displeased. These officials were often audacious and used their numbers to pressure him. If he didn’t need to maintain balance in the royal court, these arrogant officials wouldn’t have lasted this long...

"Your Majesty, though there is no concrete evidence, we cannot dismiss matters of spirits and omens, for the peace of mind of the people and everyone else."

The head of the Ministry of Rites, responsible for astrological matters and often in contact with the imperial temple, stepped forward to speak earnestly. Matters of spirits, though nonsensical to scholars, couldn’t be ignored.

Bang!

The Emperor vented his anger by slamming his hand on the armrest, causing it to crack, and spoke impatiently through gritted teeth, "Nonsense! You are educated officials, yet you believe in superstitions like the common folk? This is shameful!"

The head of the Ministry of Rites flinched, fearful of the Emperor’s wrath. However, when he glanced at the Right Side Chancellor, San Yan, his courage returned.

"Your Majesty, this is not about spirits, but fate. Since the people are dissatisfied due to rumors that the Crown Prince has a demonic fate, proving his innocence is the way to resolve this issue!"

"Please, Your Majesty, consider this!"

"Please, Your Majesty, consider this!"

The Emperor glared at the officials who kept pressing him, his sharp eyes blazing with rage.

"Yo...you all!"

Seeing his father’s anger rising, the Eldest Prince stepped forward to speak with a concerned expression, persuading him to comply.

"Father, please do not be angry; it is not good for your health," Ke Nanlong bowed slightly and continued, "I understand that you do not believe in these things, but if we do not follow the head of the Ministry of Rites’ advice, the rumors will spread even further, beyond repair. Moreover, since the Crown Prince is innocent, there is nothing to worry about."

Lu Jiu, who had been standing silently, suddenly smiled slightly. It seemed the test of innocence that the enemy suggested was a path to his death...

"Nanlong! Are you siding with them too!?"

The Emperor looked at his beloved son with disbelief. Though the prince was renowned as a great scholar of the capital, he believed in such superstitions?

"Father, you misunderstand me. I don’t believe in these things, but every issue needs an answer. If not, I fear we won’t be able to maintain peace and order in the capital. Many citizens are so frightened they have become frantic, and we don’t know what further incidents might occur."

"I suggest the Crown Prince prove his innocence according to the ritual proposed by the Imperial Temple to clear his name. The position of Crown Prince is the face of the region, destined to be the next emperor. We cannot risk having such damaging rumors about the Crown Prince."

Ke Nanlong analyzed the situation carefully, every word seeming to show genuine concern and goodwill, especially for the Crown Prince. But Lu Jiu couldn’t help but chuckle softly. If he were to believe that his half-brother genuinely cared for him, he might as well be dead!

"Please, Your Majesty, consider this!"

The officials loyal to the Eldest Prince knelt and loudly pleaded with the Emperor. The atmosphere in the throne room grew increasingly tense and oppressive. Silence fell as the Emperor did not immediately respond. No one dared speak, waiting for the Emperor’s decision.

However, before the Emperor could speak, a cold voice interrupted. "Proving my innocence is acceptable, but...how shall we do it?"

Lu Jiu, who had remained inconspicuous until now, turned to look at Ke Nanlong with an icy expression. His eyes were so calm it was impossible to read his thoughts. Ke Nanlong was no exception. He could not determine Lu Jiu’s thoughts at all, which was confusing him.

"This matter should be directed to the head of the Ministry of Rites..."

"Your Highness, to prove that you are innocent and do not possess the demonic fate that is rumored, you must pass through the Nine Suns Fire Array. If you do not have the demonic fate, the Sun fire will not harm you."

The head of the Ministry of Rites paused to swallow nervously before continuing, "However, if you do have the demonic fate, the Sun fire will inevitably burn away the evil within!"

"Nonsense!"

The Emperor turned and bellowed, his previously calm face contorting with anger. The bead curtains shook violently with his swift movement, and a wave of pressure struck the head of the Ministry of Rites, causing him to break out in a sweat under the intense strain.

"You would send the Crown Prince to risk his life in the Suns Fire Array? That’s nothing short of an attempt on his life! Your insolence is growing by the day!"

"Your Majesty, this is the only way to prove the Crown Prince’s innocence to the people and dispel the rumors," the head of the Ministry of Rites insisted with a firm voice.

As the tension in the throne room reached its peak, a soft laugh broke the silence, drawing everyone’s attention. The mocking laughter came from none other than the Crown Prince himself, whom a third of the officials were trying to send to his death!

"I thought the head of the Ministry of Rites and the Eldest Prince would have a more reliable method to prove my innocence. But it seems it’s just a way to send me to my death..."

Lu Jiu said with a laugh, his eyes gleaming mysteriously, sending chills down the spines of those who saw them, making their hearts tremble uncontrollably. The head of the Ministry of Rites looked at the Crown Prince in confusion.

"Actually, there’s no need for me to prove my innocence, as I’ve done nothing wrong." Lu Jiu smirked coldly as he glanced at the Eldest Prince and San Yan with a look of disdain.

The head of the Ministry of Rites, under the intense gaze of the Right Side Chancellor, was compelled to argue with the Crown Prince once more. "Your Highness, that is not correct. Whether you are innocent or not must be proven with clear evidence, Your Highness!"

"Speaking of proof..." Lu Jiu raised his eyebrows and shrugged slightly. "It just so happens that I recently found some evidence related to this matter. I must invite Commander Du to report to His Majesty on my behalf."

Du Chisuan, who had been waiting for the right moment, stepped forward to report to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, the strange events were caused by humans, not nature!"

After Commander Du finished that sentence, the throne room erupted in murmurs, especially among those aligned with the Right Side Chancellor who were part of the plot. San Yan exchanged a knowing glance with the Eldest Prince, their faces growing tense. It seemed their plan was not going as expected.

"Caused by humans? What exactly is going on!?" The Emperor frowned deeply as he asked with confusion, his face darkening with renewed anger brimming in his heart.

"Your Majesty, our investigation revealed that the source of all these problems lies with the Shuang’er River, which flows from the northern mountains to the south of the capital. We discovered traces of Holy Moon powder mixed into the river at its source in the mountains."

"This Holy Moon powder is a poison that gradually infiltrates living things. When the villagers used water from this river to irrigate their crops and give to their livestock, the poison infiltrated them, causing the plants to wither and die and the livestock to experience sudden heart failure. Additionally, the villagers who used the river water for cooking had a considerable amount of the poison accumulating in their bodies. Once the poison reaches a certain level, it causes them to die mysteriously, just the same!"

Du Chisuan reported earnestly, pulling out a petition that explained the situation in detail and included evidence, handing it to the eunuch beside the Emperor, who then presented it to the Emperor for review.

As the Emperor read through the petition, the more he read, the more his heart pounded irregularly, his face showing a myriad of emotions, finally settling into an expression of utmost darkness, indicating his extreme anger!

"Despicable! Who dares commit such atrocious acts right under my nose!?"

The furious voice roared reverberated, startling the hundreds of officials present. They were already shocked by Du Chisuan’s report, but seeing the Emperor’s reaction confirmed that this was not only a serious matter but also one with concrete evidence to hold the culprits accountable!

Officials allied with the Eldest Prince, who were behind this incident, were visibly uneasy. Some appeared jittery and suspicious, while others secretly wiped sweat and prayed that no evidence would trace back to them.

San Yan couldn’t help but furrow his brows deeper, his palms damp with sweat from the pressure. He hadn’t expected the enemy to uncover the truth. It seemed they even had evidence; otherwise, they wouldn’t have dared present such a report before the Emperor in the throne room.

However...after their deeds were done, they ordered all evidence linking back to him and the Eldest Prince to be destroyed. Hence, San Yan was quite confident that even if the enemy knew the truth, they couldn’t trace it back to them!

Lu Jiu glanced at the relaxed demeanor of the Eldest Prince and the Right Side Chancellor with mocking eyes. Did they think he couldn’t trace it back to them?

Even if he couldn’t eliminate them entirely, he could still cripple them!

"Your Majesty, the investigation has revealed that several officials were complicit and orchestrated everything. Despite being court officials, they dared to toy with the lives of innocent people as if they were ants to be crushed at any moment. This is...utterly unacceptable!"

Lu Jiu stepped forward and knelt, reporting loudly, his presence exerting pressure that made several faces turn pale.

"There are ten families involved in this conspiracy. They collaborated to create this ample chaos, and over ten more aristocratic families were aware and provided covert assistance, which is no different from being accomplices!"

"Furthermore, some officials deliberately used this opportunity to spread rumors and incite the people, causing unrest and chaos. All their actions were to slander the royal family by tarnishing my reputation as the Crown Prince! All those involved, regardless of their crimes, deserve the death penalty, Your Majesty!"

Lu Jiu’s words struck the officials in the throne room like a lightning bolt, leaving them stunned for a moment. His words echoed in their minds as if under a spell. When they regained their senses, fear quickly engulfed their hearts.

Those complicit in the matter trembled with anxiety, though part of them still hoped the Crown Prince was merely bluffing. They couldn’t believe he would have the evidence to incriminate them as he claimed!

As if reading their minds, Lu Jiu nodded to the head of the Imperial Investigation Special Unit. Shortly, the official stepped forward with five petitions in hand.

"Your Majesty, these are all the pieces of evidence related to this matter, including the names of the officials and merchants involved!"

The Emperor’s trusted eunuch quickly stepped forward to receive the petitions and presented them to the Emperor. As the Emperor read through their contents, his face grew darker with rage until he could no longer contain his fury. He flung the petitions down in front of the senior officials in a fit of anger.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"Look at what disgrace you’ve done! You not only acted as oppressive officials but also dared to slander the Crown Prince! You deserve to die!"

The faces of the officials in the throne room turned pale. If the evidence weren’t solid, the Emperor wouldn’t be this furious. It was clear that many lives would be lost over this matter!

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