lcionline Chapter 291 Rights
Chapter 291 Rights
Si Xingzhi asked, "Would it be useful to plead with the Emperor? Or is someone doing this on purpose?"
“I don’t know.” Si Muyan shook her head. “But if we stay at home, we can only passively accept all possibilities. I think it would be better to ask the Emperor for help. Maybe we can see my brother.”
Since his second sister had not yet recovered and could not go with him, Si Xingzhi took Si Muyan and his younger sister to see the Emperor.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow: "They're quick; they got the news so fast."
Eunuch Wu laughed and said, "Your Majesty, after all, Prince Ning just saved the second young lady of the Marquis of Anle's mansion."
The Emperor waved his hand dismissively: "Alright, let them in. Feng Ziheng, you tell them what happened."
Feng Ziheng frowned, but simply replied, "Yes."
After the three members of the Si family entered and paid their respects, the Emperor said calmly, "Let Ziheng tell you what Si Jing'an did."
Feng Ziheng's expression was solemn as he said coldly, "Si Jing'an has received the Emperor's favor and become the Third Prince's study companion. He should study diligently and live up to His Majesty's kindness. However, he actually colluded with the other study companions to slander His Highness the Third Prince. Falsely accusing the royal family is a serious crime!"
Si Xingzhi's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, although my son is foolish, he is kind by nature and would never do anything to slander me."
Feng Ziheng snorted coldly: "Does Marquis Anle mean that Si Jing'an did not slander His Highness the Third Prince, and that he really killed someone?"
"Huh? Murder?"
Si Xingzhi was dumbfounded.
Si Muyan quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, my father means that perhaps there is some misunderstanding?"
The younger sister stood at the back, looking up at the Emperor with tears in her eyes, saying nothing. She heard Feng Ziheng's questions, one after another, leaving her father and eldest sister speechless.
She just stared at the Emperor, even though he wasn't looking at her, she just kept staring at him hesitantly.
Si Xingzhi knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, it is all my fault for failing to educate my son properly. I am incompetent. But I only have Si Jing'an left. I beg Your Majesty to show leniency."
He knelt down, and Si Muyan knelt down as well.
However, the younger sister behind her had tears in her eyes, sadness, and disappointment. She stared at the emperor, but still did not kneel down.
"Little sister!" Si Muyan said softly, pulling her little sister down.
The younger sister then knelt down, lowered her head and refused to look at the emperor, tears falling in large drops.
Little did she know, this scene made the Emperor extremely uneasy. The more resolute he was when he ordered Feng Ziheng to take down his younger brother that night, the more heartbroken he felt now.
He remembered the day Si Muwan got drunk and swung on the swing. He remembered the way Si Muwan laughed and then cried, barefoot, laughing unrestrainedly.
She cried in his arms, asking him why he hadn't appeared sooner and why he hadn't protected them.
She said the Si family almost lost everything.
The emperor was both heartbroken and deeply moved.
He waved his hand and said, "Feng Ziheng, convey my decree: Si Jing'an is the heir of the Marquis of Anle's mansion. Even if he has made a mistake, he must not be tortured. Instruct the servants to be careful and not to harm him in the slightest."
Feng Ziheng glanced sideways at Si Xingzhi with displeasure, and finally reluctantly replied, "Yes."
The Emperor then ordered, "Someone, go and tell Xiao Youchuan that I have given him seven days. He must find out the truth within seven days, or else I will have his head before me!"
The meaning couldn't be clearer: he was giving Prince Ning a chance, but whether or not Prince Ning could seize it was up to him. After all, this matter involved members of the royal family and the heirs of noble families.
Regardless of the circumstances, Prince Ning must provide everyone with a reasonable explanation.
Si Xingzhi breathed a sigh of relief, kowtowed to express his gratitude, and then hesitated before asking, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask for another favor. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to go and see that unfilial son."
The emperor waved his hand and said, "Yes."
The one who was surprised this time was Eunuch Wu, who knew how much the Emperor doted on the Third Prince. The fact that the Emperor was allowed to let Prince Ning investigate the Third Prince this time could only be attributed to Feng Ziheng's analysis, which had hit the nail on the head.
But the Emperor must have some reservations about Si Jing'an, so why did he change his mind so quickly?
Forget it, it's best not to try to guess what an emperor is thinking.
The fact that Prince Ning had surrounded the Third Prince's courtyard naturally attracted everyone's attention, and the focus of everyone's attention was the Emperor's attitude.
The Emperor actually gave Prince Ning seven days to investigate the Third Prince? Has the Third Prince fallen out of favor?
Prince Ning didn't care what others thought. He investigated everyone around the Third Prince separately, and then prepared to take the Third Prince and his entourage back to the capital first. The Third Prince had not yet left the palace to establish his own residence, so he wanted to go to the Eastern Three Palaces to investigate him carefully.
Before leaving, Prince Ning went to see his younger brother.
The younger brother was very excited: "Your Highness Prince Ning, please be sure to find out the truth of the matter."
Prince Ning stared intently at him, then at Wan Cheng, who was cowering in a ball, and nodded: "I will."
Wan Cheng burst into tears: "Without evidence, how can Your Highness investigate? Besides, His Majesty has only given us seven days..."
"It's alright, do your best and leave the rest to fate."
Wan Cheng sobbed, "I told you it wouldn't work, Jing'an. I told you, you should just escape, I'm fine. Now we've even implicated Prince Ning."
The younger brother said, "We have the right to seek justice. If we are kept in the dark, there will only be more victims. Neither humans nor animals should suffer such treatment."
"But……"
The younger brother laughed: "I just don't know if His Highness Prince Ning is afraid."
Prince Ning curled his lips into a smile: "I don't know what fear is."
After he went outside, Prince Ning happened to run into his second sister. He paused for a moment, then stepped forward and asked, "How is the second young lady feeling?"
The second sister, supported by her maid, bowed to Prince Ning and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. Thanks to your medicine, my wounds have healed a lot. I haven't had a chance to thank you in person for saving my life."
"It is what I should do," Prince Ning said calmly, then added, "I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
"Your Highness," the second sister hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, I know about my brother's case. It was Your Highness who personally came to investigate. I think..."
Prince Ning said, "Second Miss, rest assured, I will do my utmost to find out the truth. As long as what Si Jing'an said is true, I will definitely give him justice."
“I’ve roughly looked into this matter. My brother and his group don’t have much evidence, so it will be very difficult to investigate,” the second sister said. “Your Highness, I wanted to ask if I could join you in investigating the case?”
Prince Ning paused, then looked his second sister up and down.
He learned from Feng Zizhou that this Si family girl, although raised in a farming family, was very studious and ambitious. But upon seeing her in person, he never expected her to be such a gentle and beautiful young woman.
He smiled and raised his eyebrows: "If there is an opportunity, I would like to investigate the case with you, but you are Si Jing'an's sister, so this case is not suitable."