Chapter 251: Chapter 250: Charging with a CrimeCrown Prince Qi Guanglie was still in a coma.


    Prime Minister Xue Wen Zhan and Zhang E left court and, quite tacitly, headed for the Crown Prince Mansion.


    They stood in for the Eldest Princess, staying by the Crown Prince’s side.


    Any person who approached the Crown Prince was subjected to surveillance.


    Every decoction used by the Crown Prince, the clothes he wore, and even the incense used, all underwent strict inspection.


    Yet under such tight control, something still went wrong with the Crown Prince.


    It was the fifth day since the Eldest Princess had been imprisoned at the Jin Platform.


    There was an issue with the Crown Prince Mansion’s earth dragon heating system, which caused the underfloor heating to fail—it was only for half an hour, but it was enough to chill the Crown Prince.


    That night the Crown Prince developed a high fever.


    Which did not subside all night.


    Everyone thought the Crown Prince was done for, but the next day, the Crown Prince woke up.


    This was a good thing.


    A great thing.


    Prime Minister Xue Wen Zhan immediately notified all officials, and at once, everyone rushed into the Crown Prince Mansion.


    Then the officials saw the Crown Prince, clearly taking his medicine, but his hands were tearing at a beautiful maid’s clothes.


    Even in front of them, he toyed with her body.


    His expression was one of surprise as if he had never been near a woman before.


    "Crown Prince—"


    The Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Yu Shenzi, sharply noticed something. Forcing a smile, he asked, "Do you still remember who I am?"


    "Uh... you are..."


    Qi Guanglie looked at him, then at the officials kneeling by the bed, "you" for quite a while, but couldn’t recall who he was.


    He didn’t remember anyone!


    No, there was still one person he remembered!


    "I want my sister!"


    "Where’s my sister!"


    "Where’s the Princess sister!"


    He pushed the maid away and got out of bed,


    Perhaps having lain down for too long, his legs were weak and feeble, and as soon as he stepped out of bed, he stumbled forward.


    Fortunately, Yu Shenzi was quick to catch him.


    "Be careful, Your Highness!"


    Yu Shenzi helped him stand firmly.


    In the next moment, he was fiercely pushed away.


    Qi Guanglie was barefoot, disheveled, and unconcerned with his disordered clothing as he frantically searched and called for someone, "Where’s my sister? Where have you hidden my sister? Sister, I want my sister!"


    He still remembered Qi Bingshuang.


    It seemed he only remembered Qi Bingshuang.


    The officials thought the Crown Prince had amnesia.


    But the consequences were obviously far more serious.


    When the Crown Prince couldn’t find Qi Bingshuang, he began to cry, sitting on the ground and weeping, "Wuwu, sister, Princess sister, I want my sister! Hurry up and find my sister!"


    Everything pointed to a terrifying truth—the Crown Prince had become foolish!


    The Imperial Physicians who came to examine him were more frightened than the last, "Your Highness, Your Highness... seems to have burned his brain out..."


    The officials all drew a sharp breath, feeling both shocked and afraid: The Crown Prince has become foolish! What are we to do now? Who else could compete with Qi Wuya?


    Qi Wuya had never inquired about the Crown Prince’s condition from the beginning to the end.


    Nor had he visited the Crown Prince Mansion.


    This was to avoid suspicion.


    To prevent people from misunderstanding that he wished harm upon the Crown Prince.


    Prime Minister Xue Wen Zhan and Zhang E were also on guard against him, and thus they watched over the Crown Prince together.


    But the Crown Prince had become foolish nonetheless.


    Who could bear the blame?


    "Alas," the Imperial Physician sighed, "The Crown Prince has had ill fate, suddenly encountering such calamity."


    In the end, Prime Minister Xue made the final decision, attributing it to the Crown Prince’s lack of fortune and a fated tribulation.


    As for whether or not others believed it, that was no longer important.


    Xue Wen Zhan glanced at Zhang E, then left the Crown Prince Mansion.


    Zhang E had received Xue Wen Zhan’s look and, at midnight that very night, secretly went to the Prime Minister’s Mansion.


    Prime Minister’s Mansion study


    A single candle burned faintly.


    The light was too dim.


    Two people sat facing each other, their expressions indiscernible.


    But they both knew that the other harbored the intent to kill.


    Xue Wen Zhan said, "Regardless of whether the Crown Prince’s misfortune was engineered by Qi Wuya or not, he can’t be left alive."


    Zhang E deeply agreed, "Too sinister. I feel afraid just looking at him. Just like the Eldest Princess said, he harbors the heart to massacre the Royal Family’s bloodline!"


    Xue Wen Zhan nodded, "Think about his upbringing. How could a wolf cub raised in the wild easily let go of those who have humiliated him?"


    "I’ll follow all orders from Prime Minister Xue."


    Zhang E understood his meaning but still harbored some worry, "What about General Huo?"


    Huo Dingyuan’s performance at court that day was clearly that of a man bought by Qi Wuya.


    Xue Wen Zhan thought the same but dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "No matter. Grandmaster Zheng has always been a bystander. Now, he must think to learn from him. Bunch of wallflowers, no real threat."


    Zhang E also thought little of Huo Dingyuan, "All he cares about in his head is that child Huo Yu. Does he not realize why Huo Ran took his wife to the border?"


    Xue Wen Zhan also grieved for his son-in-law, "Indeed. After Huo Yu just died, Huo Dingyuan blamed Huo Ran for not looking after his brother properly. But how else should he have cared? A child sustained by medicine is like fighting the King of Hell for his life; can he really win?"


    Zhang E had not considered this and was shocked, "Why didn’t Prime Minister Xue say this at the time?"


    Xue Wen Zhan sighed, "Back then, Dingyuan was too confused. If I contradicted him, would it have done any good? Better to let him cool down before speaking with him."


    Zhang E nodded, "Pity that the Eldest Princess will have to suffer some."


    This discussion had strayed off topic.


    Xue Wen Zhan brought the conversation back, "The priority now is to deal with Qi Wuya."


    Zhang E immediately showed loyalty, "I will follow Prime Minister Xue’s lead."


    Xue Wen Zhan then said, "Among all the princes, I feel the Seventh Prince still possesses the quality to ascend the throne. What do you think?"


    The mother’s family of Seventh Prince Qi Guangxiu was weak, and he was soft by nature, easy to handle.


    "He has already sought me to arrange a marriage for him, to take the Great Governor’s younger daughter as his wife. Congratulations, Great Governor!"


    When Xue Wen Zhan said this, he regretted that he only had one daughter, who had married into the Huo Family.


    Zhang E had not expected such good fortune, "Really?"


    Xue Wen Zhan nodded with a smile, "Of course, it’s true."


    He was the head of the civil servants and could command the officials, but in terms of military force, he still needed Zhang E’s support.


    Zhang E couldn’t hide his elation, "Thank you, Prime Minister Xue."


    Seeing this, Xue Wen Zhan shared the plan with him, "A maidservant by the Crown Prince’s side has been arranged to point to Qi Wuya’s crimes. Tomorrow, we shall capitalize on the Crown Prince’s feebleness to confront Qi Wuya, tying him to the late Emperor’s death and the heir’s harm, ensuring his guilt for the murder of the late Emperor and injuring the heir. Should he resist, Ah Tai will deal with him. In this chaos, disregarding his status as acting Crown Prince, he is but a worthless life."


    "Good."


    Zhang E understood the intent, to take the opportunity to kill Qi Wuya amidst the chaos.


    *


    Qi Wuya did not sleep well that night.


    He seemed to sense danger, plagued by nightmares.


    First, he dreamt of being bitten by snakes, then of being hacked to death, spending the entire night evading and counterattacking, utterly exhausted.


    As dawn broke Sёarch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Han Mo, carrying a lantern, hurriedly entered, "Mr. Jiu, there is news."


    Qi Wuya sat up, massaging his aching temples, and asked, "What news?"


    Han Mo said, "News from Han Chen, Prime Minister Xue and Governor Zhang plan to accuse you tomorrow and take advantage of the chaos to kill you, then to elevate the Seventh Prince to power."


    Qi Wuya listened and a cold smile formed on his lips, "Let’s see if they have the ability to do so."


    Han Mo did not believe Prime Minister Xue and Zhang E had what it takes, but he was still worried, "There are a hundred thousand Imperial Army troops inside and outside the Imperial City. That does not even include the fifty thousand Huo Family Army left by General Huo to guard the Capital City. Over the years, we’ve only gathered eighty thousand troops..."


    By comparison, the disparity in strength was still stark.


    Should anything go awry, years of toil could collapse in an instant.