Chapter 262

262 Stop hiding your crimes

Qiu Zedong put the teacup on the table in front of him and looked in the direction of Lóng Wei.

“Since last night, this weird rumor has been circulating in the palace. Prince Lóng Wei wants to be the Governor of Qinping,” Zhu Liling said and looked at the King. “Is it true, Your Majesty?”

Everyone looked in the direction of Qiu Zedong. He hummed and asked from Lóng Wei, “Did the Prince find out who is the culprit?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lóng Wei answered and stood up from his seat. Xiaoming was delighted to hear from him. He internally admired Lóng Wei’s skills.

“Who tried to kill my son?” Zhu Liling became emotional and also became desperate to know.

“The Royal Mother has to wait a little,” Lóng Wei answered, and asked his father if he would release the assassin who was sent to kill the Crown Prince.

“What kind of request is this?” Qiu Zedong didn’t like what Lóng Wei asked.

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“Royal Father, Yi Xinze was compelled to finish this task. It wasn’t his choice. To save his dear wife, he chased the Crown Prince and tried to harm him, not kill,” he stated. He didn’t reveal that Yi Xinze used to be in the military as it could lead to more troubles for him.

“He attacked the Crown Prince fiercely, and it was clear that he wanted to kill my son,” Zhu Liling said in a fury.

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Lóng Wei shook his head and sighed. “Royal Mother, please don’t be emotional. The culprit was around you all the time,” he affirmed, “yet you failed to find out about it.”

The sudden revelation puzzled everyone.

“I think the Sixth Brother has lost his mind,” Tianjie remarked.

“Don’t take me same as you, Third Prince,” Lóng Wei mocked him and returned his gaze to the Queen. Eunuch Lianying, who was standing beside Eunuch Gao Bing, got worried and deep frowns appeared on his forehead.

Lóng Wei tilted his head to the left of the King, “Lianying, stop hiding your crimes and admit it before the King,” he gazed at Zhu Liling, “and the Queen.”

“What?” Zhu Liling didn’t believe what Lóng Wei said. “The Sixth Prince shall not accuse Eunuch Lianying, who has served me for over twenty-five years,” she chastised Lóng Wei for accusing Liyanying.

“Lóng Wei, you must not play pranks on us.” Qiu Zedong agreed with Zhu Liling. According to them, Lianying could never do such a thing to Xiaoming.

Eunuch Lianying quickly came to the middle of the hall, where Lóng Wei had stood. He got on his knees and bowed.

“Your Majesty, this insult by Prince Lóng Wei is more than a death. I gave my entire life to this palace, the former Queen Dowager and then the current Queen. I cannot even think of harming the Crown Prince. Your Majesty, I request you to give me justice and punish Yi Xinze for falsely accusing me,” Lianying pleaded in front of the King. He ruled out the accusations that Lóng Wei made against him.

“Brother Lóng Wei has turned insane to get the Governor’s position. Accusing Eunuch Lianying by coming into the words of Yi Xinze, or he may have made this story on his own,” Zhang Xi stated. Tianjie supported his words and told their father not to believe Lóng Wei.

“Can’t you both stay quiet?” Lóng Wei’s elder brothers would irritate him no matter how hard he tried to be respectful to them. Qiu Mu had turned quiet after he threatened him. However, these two were still ready to humiliate him anytime, anywhere.

“Prince Lóng Wei must show respect to his brothers,” Qiu Zedong scolded him.

“Forgive me for my language, Royal Father,” Lóng Wei said.

“Lóng Wei doesn’t say senseless things without any proof. If His Majesty allows, then I would like to present the evidence to him,” he requested his father. Qiu Zedong allowed him, and Lóng Wei took out a vertically folded sheet from inside his pocket.

Everyone looked puzzled, while Lianying was nervous, wondering what Lóng Wei would say.

“Eunuch Lianying met Yi Xinze through a third person. Three days ago, when the Crown Prince attacked, Eunuch Lianying went out on the pretence of work related to the palace. However, he didn’t go where he was supposed to head to,” Lóng Wei said as he looked at the sheet of record on which Lianying had entered details before leaving the palace.

“Eunuch Lianying has brought the perfumes for me from the famous shop in the market center,” Zhu Liling prevented Eunuch Lianying.

“Indeed, Your Majesty. However, he sent someone else to pick those exquisite perfumes,” Lóng Wei proclaimed, and looked at Eunuch Lishi, who was also present in the hall.

With a broad smile on his lips, Lóng Wei said, “Eunuch Lishi, please tell the Queen that you were the one who fetched those perfumes for the Queen.”

“Is it true?” Zhu Liling questioned Eunuch Lishi.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Eunuch Lishi replied, “but that’s because Eunuch Lianying has suddenly got another important task to complete.”

Lóng Wei laughed. “And that important work was to meet his servant in his residence,” he affirmed and looked down at Eunuch Lianying.

Lianying said, “Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince is accusing me for no reason.” Lianying still denied the charges.

Lóng Wei took a deep breath and got down on his knee while his left knee touched the ground. “Lianying, the servant is here and he will bring your truth out,” he stated with a smirk. Lóng Wei looked at the King and informed him that he would bring Lianying’s servant to the hall.

“Your Highness, I will do it,” Li Hua said, standing up from her seat. Lóng Wei hummed and let her walk out. After a few seconds, Li Hua came along with Huang Xi and a man in his late thirties.

“Fortunately, this person, who is the servant,” Lóng Wei put his hand on his shoulder, “in Lianying’s residence survived. Last night, I was the one who spread the conversation between my father and me among everyone, that if I found out the culprit who attacked the Crown Prince, my father would consider me for the position of Governor.”

Lóng Wei turned to the king and said, “Sadly, Eunuch Lianying got into my trap. He sent a maidservant from the palace to kill him.” Lóng Wei pointed his finger at the servant. He took out a tiny white porcelain bottle and showed it to them. “There’s poison in it which was supposed to be fed to him,” he asserted.

“Where is the maidservant, Brother Lóng Wei?” Xiaoming asked.

“In the Queen’s manor. She is the one who does outside chores for Her Majesty, so she easily went out of the palace the previous night after her work hour was completed,” Lóng Wei affirmed.

“Bring her here,” Qiu Zedong said in a loud voice. He looked furious and glared in the direction of Eunuch Lianying. Zhu Liling couldn’t believe that such servants were employed in her manor who were after the life of her precious son.

Qiu Zedong asked the servant to speak what Eunuch Lianying ordered him to. On the King’s order, the servant told the truth.

“The wife of Yi Xinze is captured in Eunuch Lianying’s residence. She has been rescued last night, Your Majesty,” Huang Xi informed the King.

The maidservant had also walked in as Lóng Wei asked her to come out. She begged for her life and apologized for the mistake she committed.

Zhu Liling looked at her husband and asked him to give them severe punishment.

“Your Majesty, your manor is filled with the enemies of the Crown Prince,” Xiuying didn’t stay quiet and taunted Zhu Liling. She threw a sharp glance at her and asked her to stay within her limits.

“Both of you quiet down,” Qiu Zedong said in his stern tone and asked Lianying to speak.

“Why did you do it?” The King asked with a grim look on his face.

“I didn’t do it, Your Majesty. These people are all lying. Prince Lóng Wei is trying to astray everyone here. These servants will surely be purchased by Prince Lóng Wei. If I had ordered Yi Xinze to do all this, then why didn’t he tell General Hei, General Mu, and the others?” Lianying didn’t accept his crimes because no evidence directly showed that Lianying was involved.

“Your Majesty, please believe my words. I have been serving the royals for a long time. Never once have I thought ill of them,” Lianying affirmed and begged Qiu Zedong to punish Lóng Wei for falsely accusing him.

“You are loyal to your greediness, Lianying,” Lóng Wei proclaimed and looked at the King. He revealed another truth to them: “Your Majesty, Eunuch Lianying wanted to kill the Crown Prince because he refused to marry the Prime Minister’s daughter.”

“The King must not forget that it was the Kang Family who had sent Lianying to the palace as a gift to the late former King when he was ten years old,” Lóng Wei pronounced.

Gao Bing looked at Lóng Wei, who knew the past of Lianying and gulped. ‘That’s why he asked for the keys from me,’ he thought, and became terrified.