His Rui

Chapter 767: Zhao Zhuang Chen Being Punished

No one dared to do so.      

After all, he was the Empress' son. An Empress who had a huge Empire backing herself up. How could anyone dare to offend him as long as Qin Wenya was here?      

In fact, everyone had already confirmed that it would be Zhao Zhuang Chen who will ascend the throne after his father.      

Even he himself had thought so.      

However, things didn't take even longer to turn their way around.      

Qin Wenya was no longer around to protect him and his father…he soon got to know that he was never favoured by his father.      

It was all along Zhao Zhang Wei who had been favored.      

If only Zhao Zhuang Chen knew that Zhao Wang Lei had always wished to make him the Emperor, then he would surely have regretted his actions.      

It was something he could have deduced on his own but he never focused on the things around him.      

He knew that his mother never killed Noble Consort Shu. So it could only be that his father was hiding something.      

And if he loved Noble Consort Shu really that much then why would he hide anything about her death in order to grant her justice?      

Why did he let Zhao Zhang Wei bully them all these years?     

Alas, it was quite easy to fool Zhao Zhuang Chen and make him feel hatred for his own father.      

Now since last night, the prince was trying to think of how exactly he found his father dead when he reached there.      

A part of Zhao Zhuang Chen's mind urged him to accept that it was Xi Ying who killed his father. The former was already present there before him.      

However, he somehow couldn't believe it.      

In his eyes, Xi Ying was a loyal dog to his father. Wherever his father would point, he would run in that direction obediently.      

Unfortunately, his assumption was presumptuous.      

Hence, Zhao Zhuang Chen thought that it was General Li who killed his father. It could be possible that Li Qiang was framing against him behind his back and involved General Li and both the brothers then schemed him.      

The angriest he was on Yun Weilan.      

That woman…he had never thought she was capable of pretending so much.      

Zhao Zhuang Chen was just waiting to get his hands on her. He will kill her and her son with his own hands.      

Zhao Zhuang Chen thought this and that without considering even once whether after all this, he would really be able to do anything he was thinking of.      

He was simply in the illusion that no one would still dare to offend him.      

Hence, he was still arrogant when the next morning he was called over to the Imperial Court. He simply gave a disgusted expression to the Imperial Guards who surrounded him as if they were afraid that he would run away.          

Wu Dang who saw the first prince's face wanted to snort.      

It was everyone else who should be disgusted with the young prince.      

A son who killed his own father was even more disgusted than a snake.      

Zhao Zhuang Chen stepped inside the Imperial Court with an arrogant expression on his face. However, he was filled with rage when he saw how everyone inside the Imperial Court looked at him.      

His eyes stayed on Li Qiang and he really wished to run over to him and strangle him with his own hands.     

However, he had to maintain the dignity of the Imperial Prince and walk to the centre of the Imperial Court.      

Putting aside Li Clan, there was still everyone else.     

He needed all the minister's support and then show them how outrageous Zhao Zhang Wei's and Xi Ying's actions were as they put him under detention.      

When his eyes fell on Zhao Zhang Wei who was sitting so in such an imposing manner in front of him while he was standing in the centre like a criminal, Zhao Zhuang Chen was filled with rage.      

He was the prince who would soon become the Emperor.      

How could Zhao Zhang Wei disrespect him like this!      

And hence, without even anything being asked to him, Zhao Zhuang Chen began to speak.      

"As a younger brother, you are nicely completing your responsibilities, Zhang Wei."     

Zhao Zhuang Chen's voice was full of sarcasm.      

However, in the face of such a mockery, Zhao Zhang Wei looked calm and instead countered very efficiently.     

"Elder Brother should have at least dressed according to the occasion. Regardless of what your feelings were for His Majesty, it is still inappropriate to wear such dark robes just after a day of …"     

Zhao Zhang Wei didn't finish his words but everyone understood what he wanted to say.      

Seeing how the first prince was wearing the usual clothes with such an arrogant expression on his face, even Minister Xin had a cold face.      

He couldn't help but feel fortunate that Zhao Zhuang Chen's true face came out at the time. He was aware of His Majesty's intention of making Zhao Zhuang Chen the next Emperor.      

If that had really happened then Minister Xin would not have been able to face his ancestors.      

The middle-aged minister thought.      

Since Zhao Zhang Wei was the next person to ascend the throne, keeping everything in mind, it was Minister Xin who was given the right to question Zhao Zhuang Chen.      

Hence, he stood up and walked to Zhao Zhuang Chen and asked      

"First Prince, all the evidences are against you and prove that you have planned an attack against His Majesty. Do you accept this?"     

Zhao Zhuang Chen immediately flew into rage and said loudly          

"He was already dead when I went there. Benwang didn't do anything."     

Zhao Zhuang Chen showed no respect to his father who was already dead. His actions surely disappointed many.      

Xi Ying sat silently in the Imperial Court.      

He knew that Minister Xin was very intelligent and Zhao Zhuang Chen's claim that Zhao Wang Lei was already dead when he went inside Imperial Chambers could not help him much.      

Sure enough, Minister Xin knew on which words he needed to focus as he asked Zhao Zhuang Chen.      

"What was First Prince doing in Imperial Chambers at such a time of night?"     

Zhao Zhuang Chen choked at the answer.      

He opened and closed his mouth as he wondered how exactly he should answer this question.      

In the end, he could only say arrogantly.     

"That is my father's chambers. This Imperial Palace belongs to the Imperial Clan which Benwang is part of. So Benwang can go there whenever Benwang wants."     

Hearing unreasonable and arrogant answers, no one believed Zhao Zhuang Chen's earlier claim that he didn't kill his father.      

And Minister Xin also specifically pointed out.      

"But why did First Prince decide to use the secret tunnel if you only wished to meet His Majesty."     

And this time, Zhao Zhuang Chen couldn't really come up with an answer.      

Under so many eyes full of suspicion, Zhao Zhuang Chen finally realised that he had been stuck. And now he had no one on his side to protect him.      

And hence, he tried to hold the last string to defend himself.      

"Benwang did make a plan, however, when Benwang reached Imperial chambers, he was already dead."     

This time, Zhao Zhuang Chen finally said the truth.     

However, except for the first part of his sentence, no one believed the other part.      

Minister Xin's face was cold. Nothing needed to be said since Zhao Zhuang Chen had already accepted that he had indeed made a plan.      

He turned around and looked at Zhao Zhang Wei and the other ministers in the front as he said      

"This minister doesn't think that anything else needs to be proved."     

The ministers sitting in the front nodded their heads while Zhao Zhang Wei stayed silent and calm.      

It was Zhao Zhuang Chen who flew into a rage when he understood what Minister Xin meant.      

"What does this mean? Benwang never did anything wrong."         

Minister Xin looked at Zhao Zhuang Chen coldly.      

He only felt that the more Zhao Zhuang Chen spoke, the more he was becoming disgusting in his eyes.     

He looked at the Imperial Guards and said      

"Silence the elder prince and drag him away."     

Zhao Zhuang Chen's eyes were red with anger when he saw the guards walking toward him. He looked at Minister Xin with anger-filled eyes, however, before he could even speak, his mouth was stuffed and he was dragged away.      

Zhao Zhuang Chen had wanted to say many things. Even if he was going to be blamed, he wanted everyone else to get the blame…like Li Qiang who also supported him.      

However, he couldn't say anything.      

General Li who had been stiff all this while relaxed.      

Li Qiang was sitting beside his brother and could clearly see this. His eyes were filled with warmth as he looked at his younger brother.      

He had been full of guilt because of his children's actions even though his brother never said a word of complaint to him. He wanted to repay him and his clan somehow.      

Li Qiang sighed when he saw his brother glancing at him once but then quickly moving his eyes away.      

Li Heng had been angry at him since that night.      

He had not talked to him at all.      

And he didn't know for the first time how he should calm down his brother's anger.