nucmednet Chapter 618: It's a crime, it's a trap, I'm confused
Chapter 618: It's a crime, it's a trap, I'm confused
The fourth prince was anxious to explain, but the emperor's expression became worse and worse.
"That means this night pearl was indeed given away by you." The emperor said in a deep voice.
"No! No, father, I have never seen this night-shining pearl." The Fourth Prince immediately denied it. "I would never hide anything from you, father. A few days ago, I got married, and someone sent me some gifts. I put these things into the warehouse. Among them, there was a jade bead. I didn't even see the jade bead with my own eyes, so I asked someone to put it away." The Fourth Prince has begun to panic in order to clear himself of the charge of hoarding the night-shining pearl.
Even if he had to admit in front of the emperor that he was trying to win over the court officials, he didn't care.
After all, what he has to do now is to weigh the two evils and choose the lesser one.
Chao Sihai couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
Judging from the trick of playing with people's hearts, Ji Chuhe and Xiao Yan'an are really not from the same family.
“Father, it must be those blind servants who did not recognize the Night Pearl and mistook it for a Jade Pearl. Moreover, I now suspect that those who sent me gifts may have evil intentions! They want to frame me!” The Fourth Prince spoke very logically.
However, these words that sound very reasonable are of no use in front of the emperor.
Every word the Fourth Prince said now was pale and powerless.
Even if the servants didn't know the Night Pearl, the Fourth Prince was trying to win over the court officials. In the eyes of the Emperor, this was betrayal! It was tantamount to treason!
At this time, Gao Jin was also panicked and tried his best to prove his innocence.
"Your Majesty, since these are things sent by the Fourth Prince, they must be registered in his own warehouse. We just need to bring the person in charge of the warehouse under the Fourth Prince and interrogate him to find out." Gao Jin immediately suggested.
"Who among your subordinates is in charge of the warehouse?" The emperor turned and asked the fourth prince.
"It's Liu Si!" the Fourth Prince responded immediately.
The emperor gave Chao Sihai a look.
He walked quickly towards Sihai.
Not long after, a man in eunuch's clothes walked in. This man looked to be about 34 years old. He was the Liu Si mentioned by the Fourth Prince.
There was a trace of fear on Liu Si's face as he knelt on the ground and saluted.
"Your servant greets His Majesty, and His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince."
The Fourth Prince secretly glanced at the Emperor, who just turned around and walked back to the throne and sat down. After the Emperor sat down, the Fourth Prince hurriedly took out the box that had just contained the night pearl and asked Liu Si.
"Liu Si, do you still remember this box?"
"Your Highness, I have seen it. This is the gift you asked me to give to General Gao." Liu Si reported truthfully.
"Is this thing one of the gifts I brought back from outside that day?"
Liu Si was immediately horrified. "Your Highness, this box was picked out from the gifts, but I changed the contents inside."
"You changed?" The Fourth Prince was confused.
"Yes, the Fourth Prince said that he must choose a valuable gift for General Gao to show his heart. I know that there is a bigger jade bead in the storeroom, so I swapped these two beads. I thought I would inform you of this matter when you are free."
Now, Gao Jin’s suspicion can be completely cleared.
However, the Fourth Prince's situation is becoming increasingly unclear.
According to Liu Si's words, there seemed to be two beads in the fourth prince's hand.
One is an ordinary jade bead, and the other is a luminous pearl that was lost for more than twenty years.
"Is the other jade bead still in the Fourth Prince's warehouse?" The emperor's voice sounded again.
"Yes, I found a new box and put the pearl in it this morning." Liu Si answered firmly.
"Chao Sihai, go find this pearl yourself."
"Yes." Chao Sihai immediately retreated.
The fourth prince felt his legs go weak and he could hardly stand.
How could there be such valuable things in his storeroom? He himself couldn't explain it!
When he raised his head, he met the emperor's sharp gaze.
"Father, your son...your son really does not hide the night pearl." He explained weakly.
"Do you know who sent those gifts?" the emperor suddenly asked this question.
The fourth prince shook his head frantically, "I don't know."
"Since you don't know, then it's something of unknown origin. Why did you accept it so calmly? Or do you think that those are all the ministers in the court secretly trying to show their goodwill to you? You think that the position of crown prince is almost certain for you, right?"
"No, I would never dare to have such an idea. Please believe me, Father."
"With so many gifts and so many people, are you planning to rebel?" the emperor shouted angrily.
The fourth prince collapsed to the ground, "Please understand, Father! I have absolutely no such intention!"
"If you have no such intention, why did you secretly send gifts to General Gao? Tell me what your intention is! How many court officials have you befriended in private? Do you really think that I know nothing?"
The Fourth Prince didn't even dare to explain or beg for mercy. He could only crawl on the ground, hoping that the Emperor would calm down his wrath.
Soon, Chao Sihai walked into the hall holding a box.
After the box was opened, the jade bead was quietly stored inside.
This jade bead is really still there.
That is to say, the night pearl has been hidden in the private vault of the Fourth Prince.
“Father, I really did not keep this night pearl for myself!” The Fourth Prince was completely shocked.
"You didn't hide it, and your mother didn't hide it either? Didn't the Luo family hide it either?"
The Fourth Prince was suddenly speechless.
Yes, although my mother was banished to the cold palace, her private belongings in the warehouse were not confiscated.
The situation was very chaotic at that time and he was driven out of the palace again.
When he returned to the palace, he took over some of his mother's things, but he did not ask in detail what these things were.
His mother had only been out of the cold palace for a few days when she died taking the blame for him!
Whether someone took the opportunity to frame him or his mother really kept the Night Pearl secretly, he couldn't tell now.
"Your Majesty, perhaps the Fourth Prince was really wronged. Do you want to check the warehouse registration book to see if there is any record?" Chao Sihai's voice sounded softly.
At this time, he needed to give the emperor a way out.
It depends on how the emperor decides to deal with the fourth prince.
If we don't pursue the matter any further, we can just put the blame on the dead Luo because of the registration book.
If the emperor really wants to hold the fourth prince accountable.
The Fourth Prince can only blame himself for his bad luck this time.
"Chao Sihai, you are stupid too, aren't you? If it was a private collection, would it be recorded truthfully? What's the point of the registration book? If it wasn't for Liu Si who opened these things and saw the bigger bead and gave it away as a jasper bead, how could all these things happen later? I'm afraid this night-shining pearl is still in the Fourth Prince's warehouse, well stored." The emperor's tone was filled with a hint of suppressed anger.