If we wait until the Capital Governor submits the case files, and only then does Prince Liang cry injustice and bring up past events, it may still achieve the goal, but the effect will not be as good as coming out to plead now.

The three of them were shocked beyond words, could the mastermind behind this be the Crown Prince?

But the Crown Prince has been in position for forty years, and they somewhat understand him.

If he had such calculations, such methods, such capabilities, he wouldn’t have been removed from the position of Crown Prince!

Prince Liang’s lamentation made the faces of both the Crown Prince and Prince Li look troubled.

The Crown Prince knew exactly what he had done. He didn’t take this useless Prince Liang seriously, yet here he was, pleading his case in the court.

However, the Crown Prince was not worried. He didn’t believe that Prince Liang’s baseless and reckless accusations would sway the Emperor without evidence.

Prince Li felt particularly uncomfortable, recalling the time when he learned about the Crown Prince forcibly recruiting civilian women during disaster relief and even causing entire families to be exterminated. He knew his opportunity had come; to protect a witness who intended to file a complaint in the Capital City, he had poured in Silver and manpower, going to great lengths to ensure the person’s safe arrival in the Capital City.

Who would have known, in the end, he just made a wedding dress for someone else.

This was the most frustrating, regretful, and hateful thing in his heart, bar none.

The Emperor did not favor this son, who was more harmful than helpful. Seeing him like this, he was even more displeased, coldly saying, "Prince Liang, do you know what you are saying? Your mistakes are evident to all, and yet you are still not convinced?"

Prince Liang, with tears and snot, said, "Father, I was indeed unwise at the time, but it was all because someone schemed against me first. If not for those schemes, I wouldn’t have made such grave mistakes! Father, you have to make decisions for me!"

Though annoyed inside, the Emperor knew that the Crown Prince, being his eldest son, once carried all his hopes and affections. Suppressing his erupting anger, he patiently asked, "So tell me, who schemed against you?"

What’s this talk of schemes? Holding the Crown Prince’s position was inherently walking on thin ice; he should have been careful every step of the way, but he had no such thought; his actions were something even the Emperor could not cover up.

Prince Liang took out a memorial from his chest, knelt forward, and held it aloft, crying, "Father, please discern, please take a look at this memorial. I am currently overwhelmed with sadness and hatred, speaking incoherently, please look at this memorial. I wrote it last night."

The Emperor glanced at it, then Eunuch Feng, who was waiting by the side, stepped forward to take it.

The Emperor opened the memorial.

At this moment, the entire court was silent; everyone was wondering what was written in that memorial concerning the Crown Prince, which would further lead to suspicion among those who had fanned the flames or once meddled in the Crown Prince’s affairs.

The faces of the Crown Prince and Prince Li also didn’t look good.

The Emperor’s expression didn’t change, but a low pressure loomed over the court, clearly indicating the Emperor’s bad mood.

The three people from the Capital Governor unconsciously exchanged a glance again, pondering whether to submit their memorial against the Emperor’s possible fury. They felt as if their heads were unstable on their necks, liable to fall off at any time.

After reading the thick memorial, the Emperor had made up his mind.

The ministers had various speculations in their hearts.

It seemed that what Prince Liang reported this time was of major consequence; otherwise, after reading the beginning, the Emperor would have thrown it aside and berated Prince Liang. But instead, he patiently read through the entire thick document, which indicated the significance of the matter.

The Emperor raised his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the court, though his voice remained unchanged, it carried a heavy foreboding tone: "Has there been any result in the assassination attempt on Prince Cheng’s Heir?"

The Emperor left Prince Liang’s memorial aside and asked about the assassination attempt on Prince Cheng’s Heir first?

Wen Yuanting, head of the Capital Governor, stepped forward with a heavy heart and replied, "Your Majesty, the three departments have made some findings on the assassination attempt on Prince Cheng’s Heir; please take a look!"

He took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it.

After Prince Liang’s lamentation and submission of the memorial, the Emperor read it, yet there was no response. Prince Liang felt anxious but didn’t dare to cry any further; instead, he quietly turned his head to sneak a glance at Huangfu Yuxuan, who knelt behind him at an angle.

Huangfu Yuxuan was genuinely angry with this impatient father, saying that he was more harmful than helpful was an exaggeration as well.

He shot a sinister glance, silently signaling him not to overthink, reassuring that he had everything under control.

This piercing gaze exuded a murderous aura. Once Prince Liang saw it, his back stiffened with fear, yet he relaxed a bit, realizing all three of them were kneeling together now. He figured out that Yuxuan wouldn’t let anything happen to him, for if one prospers, all prosper; if one suffers, all do.

Only by becoming Crown Prince again could Yuxuan strive for the future heir position. If he couldn’t even secure the position of Crown Prince, Yuxuan would have no standing whatsoever.

The Emperor received the memorial presented by Wen Yuanting, handed over by the eunuch, read it, then heavily fixed his gaze on the three already outturned men from the Capital Governor: "Is this the result of your investigation?"

The three of them felt anxious, unsure about what the Emperor’s words meant. However, considering the significance of the matters detailed in the memorial, they knew it carried great importance.

After all, the evidence pointed towards the current Crown Prince; skepticism or anger on the Emperor’s part would be justified. But they were unsure whether the Emperor was furious about the Crown Prince’s cruelty towards his cousin or about their audacity to investigate the Crown Prince.

Wen Yuanting clenched his fists, resigned to his fate; everything that could be said and done was prepared in advance, just as the three discussed last night.

Whether they lived or died, though they realized they were being used as pawns, there was no retreat now.

Therefore, he pulled another memorial from his sleeve, his voice slightly fearful, yet coherent: "Your Majesty, the results of the three departments’ investigation are of great significance. The three of us did not dare to conceal it, having thoroughly verified the evidence. Besides investigating the assassination of Prince Cheng’s Heir, we also apprehended a particular criminal. The matters he confessed are equally significant; we dare not deceive Your Majesty; please take a look!"

This was concerning the matters confessed by Yang Kuan.

The Emperor gestured for Eunuch Feng to take it and casually asked, "A particular criminal? Whose identity?"

Wen Yuanting replied, "Your Majesty, his name is Yang Kuan!"

"What? Yang Kuan?" Even before the Emperor could speak, someone exclaimed in shock, their voice altered by sheer astonishment.