jdhmnovel Chapter 244: The truth is subtle and entangled
Chapter 244: The truth is subtle and entangled
Prince Shen was escorted into the main hall. Although he was wearing prison clothes, he still held his head high and chest out, without losing the pride of a prince.
The emperor sat high on the dragon throne, glaring angrily: "Prince Shen, you have committed such a great crime, what else do you have to say?"
Prince Shen sneered, "Brother Your Majesty, I was simply murdered by a traitor. What crime have I committed?"
Zhen Huan stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, even after all this, you still refuse to admit it. The wealthy businessman Wang has already revealed everything. You've been secretly colluding with people in the underworld, with ulterior motives. Could it be that you've been framed?"
Prince Shen looked at Zhen Huan and said, "Noble Consort Xi, please do not slander me. That wealthy businessman Wang will surely speak nonsense to protect himself."
Concubine Hua also shouted, "Your Highness, don't try to quibble. We have thoroughly investigated your actions outside the palace. Isn't it true that you attempted to use the power of the underworld to obtain something you shouldn't have?"
Prince Shen snorted, "Empress Hua, please don't listen to the slanderous words of these villains. I have only ever cared about your brother and have never had any second thoughts."
Zhen Huan continued, "Your Highness, you said you were helping the Emperor relieve his worries. Then why did you send people to cause trouble in the palace, nearly endangering Princess Xinyue's life? Is this also helping the Emperor relieve his worries?"
Prince Shen's expression changed slightly: "That was just my subordinates acting on their own initiative. It has nothing to do with me."
The emperor said angrily, "Prince Shen, you still dare to shirk responsibility. I consider you a member of the royal family and wanted to give you a lighter sentence, but you are so unrepentant."
At this time, An Lingrong walked into the hall holding Princess Xinyue and said, "Your Majesty, this child has suffered such a disaster since birth. If the real culprit behind this is not eliminated, I am afraid there will be no peace in the future."
When Prince Shen saw An Lingrong and Princess Xinyue, a hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Royal Consort An, I have no grudge against you. Why are you framing me?"
An Lingrong hugged the child tightly. "Your Highness, your actions have threatened my life and the life of my child. If you are truly innocent, then why would the symbol of that martial arts sect appear in your conspiracy?"
Prince Shen was silent for a moment: "That's just a coincidence."
Zhen Huan shook her head and sighed, "Your Highness, your unreasonable arguments will only put you in deeper trouble. If you reveal the mastermind behind this, perhaps the Emperor will show some mercy."
Prince Shen gnashed his teeth and said, "The mastermind behind this? Humph, not at all."
Hua Fei said impatiently, "Your Majesty, there's no need to bother with him any more. Just throw him directly into the Sky Prison and torture him severely. He won't hesitate to confess."
The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "First, take Prince Shen to the Heavenly Prison. I will then consider how to deal with him."
After Prince Shen was taken away, Zhen Huan said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I feel this matter is not as simple as it seems. Although Prince Shen has evil intentions, his actions seem to be directed by someone behind the scenes."
The Emperor nodded. "What Huanhuan said is absolutely true. I also find this matter suspicious. You must continue to investigate and make sure the truth is revealed to the world."
Zhen Huan and Concubine Hua followed the order and left. In the palace garden, Zhen Huan said to Concubine Hua: "Sister, we have to start with the people around Prince Shen, maybe we can find new clues."
Hua Fei said, "That's right. I think his aide is very suspicious. I have to find a way to make him talk."
So they started investigating the staff of Prince Shen. But the staff was very stubborn and refused to say a word.
Zhen Huan came up with a plan: "Sister, we can use a trick to alienate him and Prince Shen. Let him think that Prince Shen has betrayed him, and maybe he will tell."
Concubine Hua smiled and said, "Noble Concubine Xi, this is a brilliant plan. I'll do as you say."
They deliberately discussed, in a place where the staff could hear, that Prince Shen had confessed, and put all the blame on the staff. When the staff heard this, they were shocked and began to waver.
Seeing this, Zhen Huan approached the aide again and said, "If you tell the truth now, I can save your life. If you continue to be stubborn and refuse to repent, once Prince Shen betrays you, you will be dead without a burial place."
The aide hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, "Your Majesty, I'll tell you the truth. There is indeed someone behind the prince's back. That person always wears a mask when meeting the prince. I only heard him call himself 'sir'. He gave the prince advice, asking him to use the power of the underworld. He also said that he wanted to create chaos in the palace and cause unrest in the court, so that they could profit from it."
Zhen Huan pressed on, "Then do you know what the characteristics of that 'Mr.' are?"
The aide said, "I only remember that he spoke in a low voice, as if he had deliberately lowered his throat, and that he had a strange fragrance that I had never smelled before."
Zhen Huan and Concubine Hua exchanged a glance, and Zhen Huan asked, "Strange fragrance? Who could this be?"
Hua Fei said: "No matter who it is, we must find him out. We can't let their conspiracy succeed."
However, just as they were tracking down the "master", some strange things happened in the palace. Some palace maids and eunuchs suddenly disappeared without a trace, and a strange fragrance was discovered in their residences.
Zhen Huan felt uneasy: "Sister, it seems that the person behind this has noticed that we are tracking him and has started to take action."
Concubine Hua clenched her fists. "The more he behaves like this, the more I will find him. Let's see how long he can continue to stir up trouble in this harem."
But the "sir" hidden in the dark is like a ghost, quietly controlling everything. Although Zhen Huan and Hua Fei are pressing forward step by step, they are still unable to touch the core of the truth. They are struggling to explore in this thick fog, and the atmosphere in the palace is becoming more and more tense, as if a bigger storm is about to come. Can they solve all the mysteries before the storm comes and guard this hard-won peace? Everything is still unknown. The only way is to move forward with wisdom and courage in this dangerous predicament.