Chapter 534 - Do Not Blame Anyone For This
The next morning Sheng Li went to meet his father. The Empress and the Consorts were already present in the chamber. Sheng Li greeted his father first, followed by the Empress and the Consorts.
"The Crown Prince has come early today," Ju Fen said with a smile. "The Emperor's health has improved a lot," she then told Sheng Li, who passed a tiny smile.
"Do not worry too much about my health. I am perfectly fine," Han Wenji told Sheng Li.
"I am glad that Father is doing well," Sheng Li stated.
"What happened, Crown Prince? You look stressed," Han Wenji saw the worried expression on Sheng Li's face.
"Father, last night something happened. Forgive me for not reporting you earlier about that," Sheng Li stated and lowered his head.
"What happened this time? Did someone again try to plot against us? What is wrong with these Ministers?" Ju Fen complained and looked at Han Wenji. "Your Majesty, you shall re-establish the Court Ministers. Former Ministers are mostly corrupted," she suggested to the Emperor.
Sheng Li lifted his eyes and looked at Ju Fen. "Prince Yongzheng committed treason," Sheng Li pronounced.
"Pardon?" Ju Fen mumbled.
"What is the Crown Prince saying?" Han Wenji asked with a shocking expression.
"Prince Yongzheng hired an assassin to kill the Emperor and the Crown Princess. He even tried to kill Wang Hao. Princess Zhu Lin was gravely injured after she tried to stop Prince Yongzheng. She is in a critical state after that. Not only this, Prince Yongzheng had planned to blame Lei Wanxi for the poisoning of the Emperor and the Crown Princess," Sheng Li narrated to them.
Han Wenji put his hand on his chest while Ju Fen shook her head.
"The Crown Prince is lying, Your Majesty. My son can never do this," Ju Fen stated, defending her son.
"I wish it could be a lie. If the First Consort thinks that I am lying, then she shall visit General Wang and Princess Zhu Lin. Princess Zhu Lin would have lost her life if Wang Hao had not saved her," Sheng Li affirmed with a fit of rage.
"Where is the Second Prince?" Han Wenji asked.
"In the Prison," Sheng Li replied. Han Wenji glanced at Eunuch Jin, who brought the crown of the Emperor. He gently put it over his head. Han Wenji stood up and told Sheng Li to lead the way.
The Empress and the Consorts also followed them.
Seeing the Emperor, the soldiers lowered their gazes. Jian Guozhi, Xiao Zhan, and Commander Sun also joined them. Han Wenji furrowed his brows. How could his son do that? He wondered. Soon, they reached the prison cell where Yongzheng was kept.
The soldier opened the lock of the door and Han Wenji entered the cell, followed by the other. Ju Fen brought her palm over her mouth as she saw her son cuffed in chains.
"Yongzheng!" Han Wenji shouted his name, who had rested his head against the wall. He put his finger in his ear and then took it out.
Opening his eyes, he found Han Wenji and the others in front of him. "Why are you screaming? He shall take care of his health," Yongzheng humbly said.
"Son! How are you talking with your father? At least, show some respect," Ju Fen shouted at him.
"Why should I? He is not my father. He is the father of the only child in this family– Father of Sheng Li," Yongzheng stated.
"Yongzheng, do not spat nonsense," Jian Guozhi reminded him.
"I am speaking the truth, First Prince. And, do not intervene between the conversation of two people," Yongzheng proclaimed and then gazed back at his father, who was befuddled to see his behavior.
"Leave, Everyone!" Han Wenji commanded. Sheng Li turned and walked out of the cell, followed by the others. Ju Fen had started to cry after seeing her son's odd behavior. She could not believe that her son plotted to kill his own father.
Xiao Zhan closed the door behind him.
Han Wenji looked at Yongzheng. "Why did you do that?" Han Wenji asked.
"Father did not even ask me if it was true or not! You have so much faith in your Fifth Son. Ahh, he is the son of your late beloved wife. That's why whatever Sheng Li will say that becomes true," Yongzheng pronounced.
"I hate Sheng Li to the bottom of my heart and I hate his wife even more. Why? Did you expect me to shower love on them? Not in this life, Father!" Yongzheng asserted.
"I never discriminated against any of my sons," Han Wenji affirmed.
Yongzheng laughed upon hearing the statement of his father. "That's the biggest lie, Father. You always discriminated among us. I am elder to Sheng Li, yet you did not offer me the position of the Crown Prince. You never cared about my opinion… in fact, none of us! Then you gave the limited political rights to the Crown Princess. How could a ruler be like this? That's why I decided to kill you and the Crown Princess. Blame yourself for turning your son into a bad person," Yongzheng blurted out.
"This was the reason I never offered you the position of the Crown Prince. I thought you would show some remorse. Do you think that your father does not know about your nature? This downfall you have brought upon yourself. Do not blame anyone for this," Han Wenji calmly explained to Yongzheng.
"What about Rong Zemin?" Yongzheng asked as he snickered.
"He came to me long ago and told me that he doesn't want any position. Yongzheng, the only regret I have is that I could not make one son worthy," Han Wenji stated and walked out of the cell.
"His punishment will be decided in the Court. I want to meet General Wang and Princess Zhu Lin. Also, no one will meet Yongzheng. I give this responsibility to the Crown Prince," Han Wenji announced.
Ju Fen pleaded with the Emperor to let her meet. However, Han Wenji refused. "Escort the First Consort to her chamber," Han Wenji ordered Commander Sun and walked ahead.. Sheng Li, Jian Guozhi, and Xiao Zhan went after the Emperor.