Seeing the inkstone flying towards him, Song Chengyuan dodged by turning his head. Then he knelt down on the ground with a thud and shouted loudly to plead his innocence.
"Father! Did the fourth brother say something bad about me to you? I'm innocent!"
Emperor Guangwu looked at his snot - and - tear - streaked face, half - angry and half - amused. Then he picked up the memorial from the ground.
"Try to dodge again!"
The memorial flew out. This time, Song Chengyuan didn't dare to dodge. The corner of the memorial grazed his forehead, leaving a cut almost the same as Song Yinghuai's.
Song Chengyuan let out a cry, "Father! It hurts!"
Emperor Guangwu looked at his favorite eldest son crying piteously, then at his fourth son who was kneeling upright like a pine and cypress, not uttering a single sound even after being hit by him just now.
He sighed silently in his heart.
It's a pity.
If Huai'er's birth mother were Empress Ma, it would be perfect.
He pointed at Song Chengyuan and said in disappointment, "Pick up the memorial and read it for yourself!"
Song Chengyuan removed his hand from his forehead, picked up the memorial, glanced at it, and his face instantly changed. He blurted out,
"Fourth brother! The news we received said that you had wiped out all the Eastern Depot agents and water pirates. Why did you still leave some alive?"
Song Yinghuai replied expressionlessly, "If I didn't leave any alive, how could I prove who was behind it?"
Song Chengyuan: "...... Sly old fox!"
Song Yinghuai: "Not as old as elder brother."
Song Chengyuan:......
"Enough!" Emperor Guangwu scolded Song Yinghuai. "Fourth! The Crown Prince is your elder brother. I've been teaching you since you were a child to respect and assist your elder brother... Look at you. Not only do you not respect or assist your elder brother, but you haven't entered the capital for seven years. As soon as you enter, you go after your elder brother. Are you turning a deaf ear to my words?"
"Even if the Crown Prince has made a thousand and one mistakes, you shouldn't collect these pieces of evidence to accuse him!"
"What you should do is your duty as a subject, which is to admonish him properly! Instead of making him a sinner in front of the world!"
A bitter smile curled up on Song Yinghuai's lips.
From childhood to adulthood, no matter how wrong the Crown Prince was, it was always him who was scolded by their father.
For not respecting his elder brother.
For not assisting whole - heartedly.
Even though the Crown Prince had done something so against the will of heaven and the hearts of the people, their father still blamed him instead of the Crown Prince.
His hand hanging by his side tightened little by little as he fought back the urge to retort.
Suddenly, he took a deep breath, kowtowed again, and said clearly word by word,
"Your son knows his mistake!"
Just as a smug smile appeared on Song Chengyuan's face, Emperor Guangwu slapped him on the back of the head.
"Don't be so smug! Although I've suppressed this matter in front of your fourth brother today, I have to give an explanation to the people and soldiers in Lingbi!"
"I've decided to reward all the officials and common people in Lingbi County. Besides the due military rewards, there will also be silver rewards..." Emperor Guangwu glared at him fiercely. "Two hundred thousand taels of silver, all from the Crown Prince's Mansion!"
Although he had scolded Song Yinghuai, Emperor Guangwu knew he had to give a sweet date after a slap.
Since he had scolded the fourth son, he would punish the eldest son to pay out the silver.
To balance the emotions of both sides.
Song Chengyuan almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Two hundred thousand taels!
Wasn't this his monthly expenditure?
"Father, isn't two hundred thousand taels too much? Those commoners and those low - ranking city guards... How are they worth so much silver?" Song Chengyuan tried to bargain.
"If you bargain again, I'll confiscate all the properties under the Crown Prince's Mansion!"
Song Chengyuan immediately shut up.
Just as Emperor Guangwu heaved a sigh of relief, the eunuch came in to report, "Your Majesty, the Left Censor - in - Chief requests an audience."
Xiao Rencheng is here too!
Lord Xiao has always been at odds with the Crown Prince. He must be here for no good.
Emperor Guangwu felt extremely tired but had no choice but to see him. He had the man brought in.
Xiao Rencheng walked in with his head down. He saw the wounds on the heads of the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yan clearly.
A faint smile appeared on his usually cold and serious face.
After paying his respects, Xiao Rencheng said to Emperor Guangwu, "I received a complaint from an old servant of the former Weifeng Escort Agency in Yangzhou a month ago. The complaint accused His Highness the Crown Prince of framing the robbery of the Grand Tutor's birthday tribute four years ago, which led to the unjust imprisonment of twenty - four members of the Lan family, the bodyguards of the Weifeng Escort Agency. Some died unjustly, and some were exiled."
"The Censorate is responsible for supervising all officials, participating in the trial of major cases, and redressing unjust cases. After receiving the complaint, I set off for Yangzhou. This is the conclusion of my investigation in the past month!"
Just as Xiao Rencheng presented the case file, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that the gazes of Song Yinghuai and Song Chengyuan were like sharp blades stabbing at him!
Xiao Rencheng thought to himself secretly.
He was investigating the Crown Prince's illegal act. It was understandable that Song Chengyuan was glaring at him.
But why was His Highness the Prince of Yan also staring at him...
Emperor Guangwu glanced at the evidence in the case file, and his temples throbbed.
One trouble after another!
He punched the dragon throne, and the whole study shook. "Crown Prince! Look at what you've done!"
Song Chengyuan knew that like Song Yinghuai, Xiao Rencheng never did anything without full certainty.
The case file was so thick that there must be sufficient evidence.
He simply stopped defending himself and said defiantly, "Father, it's just a small escort agency. All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are the king's subjects. Those bodyguards died for me. It should be considered an honor for them."
"Moreover, I heard that the Grand Tutor's birthday tribute was stolen money. Out of indignation, I secretly arranged the robbery..."
"I didn't think it through and didn't consider that it would implicate the escort agency. I know my mistake now. How about I pay another ten thousand taels of silver to the Lan family's escort agency to settle their descendants properly."
A bunch of commoners. Just send them away with silver.
Xiao Rencheng curled his lips in a half - smile. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, except for that old servant who happened to be visiting his hometown in the countryside and survived the raid on the family, all twenty - four members of the Lan family died on the way to exile four years ago. Where are the descendants?"
As soon as Xiao Rencheng finished speaking, he keenly heard the sound of knuckles cracking from beside him.
Xiao Rencheng glanced at Song Yinghuai beside him without a trace and wondered secretly in his heart.
What's the relationship between the Lan family...
And the Prince of Yan?
Song Chengyuan took a deep breath secretly and thought it was bad.
Xiao Rencheng had revealed everything.
Since the Lan family had died out four years ago, the identity of Lan Caiyu that he had arranged was exposed.
With Song Yinghuai's shrewdness, he must have noticed it!
I wonder if that girl Lan Jinshu will be captured by Song Yinghuai and tortured to reveal that he is the mastermind?
Just as Song Chengyuan was still thinking rapidly, Emperor Guangwu interrupted his train of thought angrily.
"From today on, you stay in the Crown Prince's Mansion and reflect on your mistakes. Without my permission, don't leave without authorization!"
The smile on Song Chengyuan's face disappeared. "Father, are you going to confine me?"
"I'm just asking you to reflect on your mistakes for now!" Emperor Guangwu roared in disappointment. "If you cause more trouble, I'll really depose you as the Crown Prince and confine you!"
This was the first time Emperor Guangwu had mentioned the words "deposing the Crown Prince" in person.
Although it was just a threat, it still shocked Song Chengyuan greatly!
He glared at Song Yinghuai and Xiao Rencheng with hatred, then reluctantly kowtowed. "Your son obeys the order!"
It's all because of Song Yinghuai!
If he hadn't accused him of such a serious crime of treason.
If Xiao Rencheng hadn't come in to kick him when he was down!
How could Father have the idea of deposing the Crown Prince?
Emperor Guangwu was mentally exhausted. He arranged for Xiao Rencheng to redress the unjust case and drove Song Chengyuan out.
In the huge South Study, only Emperor Guangwu and Song Yinghuai were left.
The air seemed to become thin and heavy.
Song Yinghuai still knelt upright on the ground, motionless. There was no trace of emotion on his face, and his slightly lowered eyes seemed to see through all illusions.