Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 1219: Confrontation

Zhou Shuren felt more eyes upon him; he really did not want to take a stance, but he could not avoid it. Who knew if the Crown Prince would hold a grudge? After all, it was the Emperor’s initiative. He simply went along with it, which made his position more convincing that the Emperor really was incapacitated.

Zhou Shuren ignored all the gazes, his eyes filled with expectation as he looked at the Crown Prince, "Please, Crown Prince, ascend the throne."

His voice was powerful, echoing in the great hall.

The Crown Prince pursed his lips, his face somewhat tense. He felt that Minister Zhou had overplayed his part, a bit too flamboyant.

Prince Qi turned his head blankly to look at Minister Zhou. Minister Zhou was impressive; then, he quickly stepped forward, his voice a few pitches higher, "A country cannot be without its king for a day, I beseech the Crown Prince to ascend the throne."

Prince Chu, "..."

He couldn’t reach that pitch!

Prince Liang was in toothache-like pain, finally realizing that everyone in his family was a first-class actor.

Zhang Yang’s ears rang, somewhat stunned.

Prince Chu’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was sharp. The eunuchs standing in the hall turned their gazes on him. Prince Chu regretted trying to compete in volume!

Once Zhou Shuren took a stance, a chain reaction followed; Xiao Qing, Elder Master Wang, and others stepped forward to ask the Crown Prince to take the throne. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Zhang Yang stood dumbfounded, now recognizing the great influence Zhou Shuren commanded. Then he had a bad feeling inside; this couldn’t continue. If they kept waiting, the Crown Prince’s ascension would be universally desired. What was the point in continuing the strife?

The Crown Prince took a deep breath, feeling a genuine sense of impending ascension, but he needed to maintain composure; his father, the Emperor, was behind the scenes, "My ministers, speak no further."

This pattern was familiar; one had to modestly refuse the throne a few times before another wave ensued.

Zhang Yang glared fiercely at Zhou Shuren. Gu Ren said Zhou Shuren was poisoned, and thus, not to be feared, damn it—he wished Zhou Shuren would drop dead from the poison right then.

Zhang Yang stepped forward and tugged on Prince Liang’s royal robe, lowering his voice, "We can no longer wait."

If they waited any longer, the Crown Prince would be enthroned.

Prince Liang’s eyes were deep; he looked up and caught a glimpse of the Crown Prince’s sideways glance. Silently, he then stepped forward boldly, "How can a patricide like him be fit to ascend the throne?"

All the minister’s eyes landed on Prince Liang.

Prince Liang’s expression was cold, his eyes directly on the Crown Prince, he continued in a cold voice, "A pretender of benevolence and righteousness; why has Father not awakened? It’s your doing."

The Crown Prince’s face hardened, "I have devoted my heart and soul to caring for our father. Prince Liang, do not speak nonsense."

Prince Liang sneered, "Devoted? What a joke. You did not rush to see our father when your confinement was lifted; instead, you met with the ministers first. What are your intentions? You’ve repeatedly changed the ministers trusted by our father and called in your cronies. Is this your devotion?"

The Crown Prince, "The court cannot be without a ruler, and Father also wished for me to act so."

Prince Liang took a big step forward, "The Crown Prince is feeling guilty. After being confined for months, he grew impatient. Everyone remembers our father’s attitude toward the Crown Prince before he fell unconscious. The Crown Prince is frightened, harboring intentions of patricide."

The Crown Prince was furious, "I think Prince Liang has lost his mind."

Because he had stepped forward to support the Crown Prince, Zhou Shuren had a good vantage point to watch the intense scene unfolding between the Crown Prince and Prince Liang.

Other ministers, already murmuring in groups, because the Crown Prince indeed seemed too anxious, too evident as Prince Liang had pointed out.

Prince Liang laughed, "You’re afraid. I have evidence; you added something to the medicine for our father."

The Crown Prince’s face was stern, "It seems to me you are the one who cannot accept my authority, thus you spread such nonsense. In consideration of our father’s affection and the fact that you and I are brothers from the same father, I have shown you leniency, yet you are ambitious. Well, very well."

Prince Liang, "Don’t get angry first, bring Dr. Sun."

As soon as those words were spoken, a eunuch led Dr. Sun into the great hall, where Dr. Sun trembled with every step.

The ministers in the hall quieted down, all watching the Imperial Physician.

After greeting them, Prince Liang said, "Tell us what you know, yes, be sure to present evidence, lest the Crown Prince once again accuses me of harboring ulterior motives."

Dr. Sun took out a piece of cloth from his robe, "Every day, someone would soak this cloth in the medicine meant for the Emperor and cook it with the medicine. Once it was ready, the medicinal cloth would be destroyed. I noticed a piece of the cloth had not burned completely and kept it as evidence."

Prince Liang continued to ask, "What are the consequences of adding this medicinal cloth?"

Dr. Sun quickly glanced at the Crown Prince, then lowered his head and said, "It undermines a person’s vitality, eventually leading them to die slowly in their sleep."

The ministers erupted in turmoil—patricide—but then quieted down again; one side of the story wasn’t credible.

The Crown Prince remained very calm, "Prince Liang is really going to great lengths to frame me."

Prince Liang sneered, "Of course, there are other pieces of evidence."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and a palace maid and a eunuch came in, the eunuch easily recognizable as one of those currently taking care of the Emperor.

At sea, a carpet bombing campaign turned the islands into rubble, while ships had approached the shore.

Rongchuan felt exhausted, looking at the chain in General Hou’s hand, "I really won’t leave the ship."

General Hou didn’t believe it; he intended to land on the island. After some thought, he found the chain and, ignoring Marquis Ning’s struggle, locked it satisfyingly around Marquis Ning’s ankle, "Half a day, and the chain will be removed."

Rongchuan moved his foot and let out a chuckle, impressed by General Hou’s effort to find such a long chain that did not hinder his movements on deck yet restrained him, "General Hou is quite resourceful."

General Hou, "The Princely Heir’s safety is tied to my own life and fortune, I had no choice but to resort to this measure. Once we return victorious, I will apologize to the Princely Heir."

Rongchuan waved his hand, acknowledging his own fault for provoking his father to the point of terrifying General Hou, "I will wait for your triumphant return, General."

General Hou turned to his soldiers and drew his sword, "Follow me to storm the island."

"Kill."

Rongchuan watched as they gradually landed on the island. Now being closer, he could hear the battle cries and see people blown apart by cannonballs, limbs and blood staining the sands.

Rongchuan’s eyes turned cold; the more he learned, the more he knew that no one on the island was innocent—all deserved to die. He suddenly forgot his former self, who would hesitate even to kill a chicken, but now, Rongchuan quietly laughed, the environment and responsibilities had changed him—he was a Prince.

In the capital’s great hall, after the palace maid and eunuch testified, the hall fell silent, especially the words from the eunuch, which were deemed trustworthy.

Suddenly, a minister stepped forward, "Patricide—a man lacking virtue should not hold office."

With that initiation, several others followed suit.

Marquis Ning and others objected, "Nonsense, this is Prince Liang’s conspiracy."

The Crown Prince icily watched Prince Liang, "Prince Liang is indeed going to great lengths, even bribing those close to the Emperor. Since that’s the case, I need not be courteous either."

As his words fell, suddenly, armored soldiers, bearing long swords, entered and surrounded the great hall.

Zhou Shuren took a step back, and noticing that no one was paying attention to him, he took another step back.

The Crown Prince, Yuguang, saw this and quietly averted his gaze.