The Real Young Master Was Sold as a Slave, The Obsessive Crown Prince's Forced Love - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Repaying Kindness

“There must be a misunderstanding in this! Brother Emperor, please investigate clearly! Gu Zhen is just a student from the Imperial College. Where would he get the ability to bribe assassins! Someone must be framing him!” Prince Heshun pleaded, crying.

The Emperor looked at him menacingly, “Don’t you still have yourself?”

Prince Heshun was trembling all over. He quickly kowtowed, “Brother Emperor wrongs your brother! Your brother… If your brother harbors any malicious intent, may your brother be struck by lightning!”

Saying this, Prince Heshun suddenly raised his head.

“Brother Emperor, your brother is willing to hand over all the fiefdoms in my possession, leaving only one residence in the capital to live in. I beg Brother Emperor to leave me an heir. This is my only son, I beg you, Brother Emperor. Your brother… your brother is already impotent!

“When your brother dies, at least leave me someone to perform the mourning rites, Brother Emperor!

“I beg you, I beg you, Brother Emperor! If Brother Emperor insists on punishment, then would breaking my legs suffice?”

After speaking, Prince Heshun loudly kowtowed, striking his forehead so hard a few times that it became a bloody mess.

At the feast, all the officials held their breath.

Never mind holding their breath, they wished they could stab out their own watching eyes.

Because if they didn’t stab them out, they really couldn’t control their eyes’ curiosity for gossip.

Is Prince Heshun really impotent?

The Emperor remained silent, only stillness.

Just as the entire hall, due to the silence, the weeping, and the heavy smell of bl00d, solidified into a stifling pressure, there were hurried footsteps outside.

Following that, a small eunuch rushed in anxiously, “Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has been rescued!”

The Emperor’s eyelid twitched abruptly. He looked at the small eunuch, “Is the person still…”

The small eunuch cried out of joy, “Alive! His Highness the Crown Prince is still alive!”

The Emperor: …

The hanging heart is finally dead!

He wasn’t even killed?

With a mixture of huge disappointment and anger in his heart, he still had to put on a show of post-disaster relief. The Emperor gritted his teeth and smiled, “Good, good! It’s good that he’s alive! Give the order. The Imperial Academy of Medicine must spare no expense to treat the Crown Prince.”

The small eunuch accepted the order and left.

Prince Heshun, still kneeling and kowtowing, clenched his fist tightly.

Not dead?

He’s still not dead?

He had Gu Zhen replace the assassins hired by the Earl of Anping with his own trained personal bodyguards to kill the Crown Prince. Those were the top assassins in his command.

And they still didn’t kill him?

Prince Heshun’s mind whirled. He cried out, “Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is blessed with great fortune. Surviving this great disaster will surely bring future blessings. After his birthday, when he oversees the government, he will surely assist Brother Emperor in establishing an era of peace and prosperity.

“Gu Zhen is truly wronged! He must have been framed by a treacherous person. I beg Brother Emperor to do justice for your brother.”

The Emperor’s eyes, rolling with thunder and storm, fixated on Prince Heshun.

In this moment, the Emperor was almost certain that Prince Heshun had orchestrated the assassination.

If both the Crown Prince and he were assassinated, Prince Heshun could logically step forward, as the Emperor’s bl00d brother, to assist a new ruler to the throne. As for Prince Yu, I’m afraid Prince Heshun has already made arrangements…

His calculations are truly excellent.

If he wants to rebel this badly—

Since the Crown Prince came back alive, then you go and be the dog that bites the Crown Prince to death.

A cruel smile curled on his lips. The Emperor said, “Enough! Crying and weeping is unseemly! You are my own brother. Would I not trust you? Get up. As for him…

“Since he is your biological son, let him be formally acknowledged into the family. Gu Zhen, is it? From now on, his name is Qi Zhen.

“The matter of the assassination will be handed over to the Dali Temple. I demand the results within three days!”

The Emperor’s tone suddenly shifted. Beside him, the Minister of Dali Temple, who was still staring at Prince Heshun’s crotch and speculating whether he was truly impotent, immediately started up and quickly accepted the order, “Yes.”

…

The Crown Prince’s temporary residence.

Qi Wang, covered in bl00d and having suffered seven or eight arrow wounds, was carried back.

Director Xu Huai’en of the Imperial Academy of Medicine personally administered needles for treatment.

Ban Jin stood at the head of the bed, reporting in a low voice.

“His Majesty publicly released Gu Zhen and ordered him to be formally acknowledged into the family, renaming him Qi Zhen.

“However, His Majesty ordered the Dali Temple to investigate the assassination and demanded the results within three days. The Minister of Dali Temple immediately ordered his men to take Qi Zhen away.

“After Qi Zhen was taken away, the Emperor summoned Prince Heshun for a private talk.”

Qi Wang lay on the bed, gritting his teeth and sneering.

“He saw through Prince Heshun’s ill intentions and wants to use Gu Zhen—no, Qi Zhen—to leverage Prince Heshun, forcing Prince Heshun to strike directly at me.

“A three-day deadline?

“The Emperor isn’t even pretending anymore. In three days is my birthday. Once my birthday passes, the military power will be handed over.

“It’s clear that with the failure of this assassination, the Emperor wants to use Prince Heshun to stop me from taking over the military power.”

Ban Jin watched Xu Huai’en pull the arrow out of the Crown Prince’s back. A burst of bl00d followed. He instinctively winced, then hastily said, “Should we kill Prince Heshun?”

Qi Wang laughed, “What good would killing him do? We got rid of an Earl of Anping, and a Prince Heshun popped up. Even if we kill Prince Heshun, others will emerge to be the Emperor’s dogs.

“Send a message to the army. Keep a close watch on Prince Heshun’s contact with the military. Once discovered, secure Prince Heshun for me.”

Xu Huai’en couldn’t understand their schemes. He only knew that while Qi Wang was talking, he couldn’t properly apply the needles.

Finally, when Qi Wang finished giving his orders, Xu Huai’en didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately inserted a needle and knocked Qi Wang out.

Just shut up already!

Ban Jin stood beside him, dumbfounded.

Xu Huai’en said slowly, “Don’t offend those who practice medicine.”

Ban Jin: …

He inexplicably felt a strong urge to kowtow to Xu Huai’en.

…

[The Crown Prince is also incredibly lucky. He survived even after being hit by eight arrows!]

[What else can he do? The Dog Emperor is intent on killing him. If the Crown Prince doesn’t make it realistic enough, the Emperor will be suspicious.]

[Although this layout was perfect, successfully pushing Prince Heshun out of the shadows by using Gu Zhen, and making the Emperor believe that Prince Heshun orchestrated the assassination, the cost was too high. Qi Wang almost died for real.]

[That’s why he’s called the mad villain! When calculating, he doesn’t even spare himself!]

[I’m even looking forward to the villain counterattacking and catching both the Dog Emperor and Prince Heshun in one net.]

[Stop dreaming. If Qi Wang wins, what happens to the main male lead?]

[The main male lead is also ridiculous. Su Yunhe is in this state, and the main male lead completely ignored him. I even suspect that after the plot deviated, Qi Wang is the main male lead!]

Song Yu looked at the lines of words floating before him. He picked out the key point—

Qi Wang was hit by eight arrows, exchanging severe injuries for the Emperor’s suspicion of Prince Heshun.

Alas~

Song Yu sighed inwardly. He felt a little sorry for Qi Wang.

He’s the Crown Prince, second only to one person, yet why is it so difficult for him?

Can’t there be even a little fatherly love?

Qi Wang had instructed him earlier not to go out no matter what happened outside. Now that everything outside has happened, can he go see Qi Wang?

When he was injured, His Highness the Crown Prince personally applied medicine for him!

A person must know how to repay kindness!

He should go apply medicine for the Crown Prince too!