GBP Chapter 626 They, mother and son, will definitely not let this opportunity slip by.
Chapter 626 They, mother and son, will definitely not let this opportunity slip by.
In the dark cell of the prison, Xiao Changshi's wedding attire had been stripped off, leaving him only in his undergarments as he sat on a broken wooden bed.
There was nothing on the bed but straw, yet he had no choice but to sit there.
It was so cold in the prison, like winter. He was freezing cold all over. Only when he sat on the pile of straw did he feel less cold.
With a creak, the prison door opened from the outside.
In the prison, people don't know the time of day or night; they can only tell what time it is by the number of times food is delivered.
He had already eaten breakfast, which was a hard, dry steamed bun. This is dinner, so it will probably be another steamed bun.
Although it was hard to swallow, it was the only food he had for three days in prison.
Looking up, he was shocked to see that besides the guards, there were also the people who had imprisoned him outside the cell.
The emperor stood outside the prison cell with his hands behind his back, coldly watching him.
"Father!"
Xiao Changshi was somewhat incredulous. He got out of bed and stumbled to the emperor, kneeling down across the prison cell.
"Father, I am innocent! There are rats and insects here, and the food is hard to swallow. I don't want to stay here! Please have them investigate and let me out!"
He clung to the emperor's robes, his eyes filled with pleading.
The emperor glanced at him, pulled open his robe, sat down on the chair brought by the guards, crossed his legs, and gently tapped his knees with his hands, but his gaze never left Xiao Changshi's face.
Having faced the emperor's oppressive power for many years, Xiao Changshi was already extremely afraid of him. Coupled with the inhumane life he had endured in prison for the past three days, his psychological defenses had completely collapsed, and he knelt there waiting for the emperor's reprimand.
The emperor instructed Sima Changfeng, who was standing behind him, "You may leave now."
Sima Changfeng glanced at Xiao Changshi in the cell, then left the cell with his men.
With only the emperor and Xiao Changshi remaining in the prison cell, the emperor asked him, "Why did you conspire with your uncle to rebel?"
Xiao Changshi was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and kowtowed heavily to the ground, "Your subject dares not, Your subject knows his mistake..."
The emperor interrupted him, "I don't want to hear your admission of wrongdoing and repentance. I'm asking you why you conspired with your uncle to rebel."
In the dimly lit cell, you could hear a pin drop.
Xiao Changshi stopped kowtowing, lay on the ground, and began to think about the time when his uncle told him that he could ascend the throne as soon as possible.
"That day, my father asked me whether it was better to hold the imperial examinations every three years or every year. I said every three years, so that candidates would cherish the examinations more and study harder. Minister Cui said every year was better, as it would effectively select talent and assess other officials in the bureaucracy, allowing for timely replacement of those without achievements, which would be more beneficial to the people's livelihood. Later, my father publicly said that I only knew how to study by rote and should consult Minister Cui more. I felt extremely embarrassed."
“My concern is that such frequent assessments might lead officials to falsify accounts in order to achieve political achievements. But Father, you didn’t give me a chance to say that.”
“After court, I met my uncle and told him what was on my mind. He comforted me, saying that I was right and asked if I wanted to take power myself as soon as possible. I was very scared at the time. Later, when I was reprimanded by my father again, I felt that I was nothing to my father. I felt more lost and even disappointed than ever before. After my uncle persuaded me again, I agreed. I wanted to prove that what I said was valued, instead of being ignored.”
This was the first time in many years that the father and son had a heart-to-heart talk, yet it took place under such circumstances.
The emperor looked at his son and asked, "What was the result?"
As a result, he was almost manipulated and became an accomplice in the plot to murder his father.
"Tell me about Chu Yin, how did you meet her?" The emperor's gaze remained cold, his imperial majesty unassailable, yet his words softened somewhat.
Xiao Changshi was prepared to be reprimanded again, but the emperor changed the subject.
After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Changshi said, "It was an accident that I met Chu Yin. I saw her again at the welcoming banquet at the He residence. I only thought of her as a dancer with a pitiful background, so I thought of bringing her into the residence to be a concubine in the future. That's all."
"You've been by Su Heng's side these past few years, so you must know a lot about him. Let's talk about it together."
"My uncle didn't tell me much about him. I only know that he had many secrets about court officials, many of which had been destroyed before. He also raised many assassins. If anyone in the court disagreed with him, he would send someone to eliminate them. The former Minister of Rites, Zheng Zixu, may have been eliminated by him, but I don't know the specifics."
How much was your mother involved?
Xiao Changshi shook his head: "Your subject does not know. Sometimes they do not allow your subject to listen in on their conversations."
The emperor glanced at Xiao Changshi, his eyes dark and unfathomable, and said coldly, "I could have killed you for your crime, but it seems that being here will bring you to your senses."
After saying that, he got up and left without any hesitation.
With a creak, the door closed, and Xiao Changshi's newly ignited hope was extinguished.
*
When the emperor came out of the imperial prison, he saw Consort Jia waiting not far from the door, rubbing her pregnant belly.
She wore a light blue dress, her porcelain-white skin glowing in the bright sun. A strand of hair hanging down one side of her neck made her beauty non-threatening, and her slightly protruding belly added a touch of softness.
The emperor walked over, and Consort Jia bowed to him.
"You are pregnant, so there's no need for formalities," the emperor said, raising his hand to help her up.
"Your Majesty is kind, but our child wishes to pay respects to his father, and I cannot stop him."
A lighthearted joke dispelled the gloom the emperor had brought from his prison cell, and she gently put her arm around Consort Jia's waist as they walked back together.
Once she was sure the gloom on the emperor's face had dissipated, Consort Jia revealed the purpose of her visit: "Your Majesty, I have heard that the Xiongnu spies have been captured. I wonder if they have confessed, and when my father's innocence will be cleared."
"You came to see me just for this?" The emperor's expression clearly began to show displeasure.
Consort Jia turned to the Emperor and curtsied. "Your Majesty, I had someone speak with my father. He said he never colluded with the Xiongnu to do these things, and I believe him. As a daughter, it is only natural for me to worry about my father. I also believe that when my child with Your Majesty is born, he will always think of Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to clear my father's name for the sake of our child."
At this moment, her face was filled with indescribable respect and gentleness, which softened the emperor's heart.
"Those spies are still being interrogated. I promise you, if it is found that your father is innocent, I will definitely release him."
Upon hearing this, Consort Jia smiled slightly and took the hand that the Emperor offered.
In Qinghua Palace, Consort Yi packed the refreshing sweet soup that had been stewed in the small kitchen into a food box.
"Send this to Yonghe Palace and say that I specially stewed it so that His Majesty and Consort Jia can cool off in the summer."
Before the palace maid could even accept it, the matron beside Consort Yi asked, puzzled, "At a time like this, shouldn't Your Highness deliver it personally? Wouldn't that show more sincerity?"
Consort Yi smiled faintly: "The more critical the moment, the less we should rush things. The sweet soup is enough to make His Majesty think of me. If he goes there in person, it will seem deliberate, and he will be wary of Jing'er and of me."
After saying this, he instructed the palace maid, "Go."
After the palace maid left, Consort Yi asked the nanny beside her, "Has there been a reply to the letter sent to Jing'er?"
The old woman chuckled, "Her Majesty also said that we shouldn't rush things. It's only been three days. Even if we ride at top speed, it will only arrive at the very end."
Consort Yi's lips curled into a confident smile.
The Crown Prince was imprisoned, but the Empress was lucky enough to save the Emperor and was only confined to her quarters. For Jing'er, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
This time, the mother and son will definitely not let this opportunity slip by.