Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Qian Renxue: My Pain Surpasses Yours All!
Chapter 186: Qian Renxue: My Pain Surpasses Yours All!
The elder, being a peculiar character, left in a hurry after exchanging a few words with Kong, heading toward the royal palace.
After Kong's remark, the elder belatedly realized that something major must have happened. Would he wait for Emperor Xue Ye to summon him instead of acting now?
As time passed, chaos in Heaven Dou City grew, but thanks to the large number of Royal Knights, order was maintained.
The citizens speculated wildly, trying to guess what had happened. Some even believed that Emperor Xue Ye had passed away!
A loud bang echoed as Emperor Xue Ye slammed his hand down on the dragon throne.
His hair was white, his face wrinkled, but his presence commanded respect even without anger.
Yet now, his fury had completely overwhelmed him!
An imperial prince was assassinated in broad daylight!
What an act of defiance! What unimaginable audacity!
Not only was the assassination attempted, but it had succeeded!
Looking at Xue Beng lying in a pool of blood below, Emperor Xue Ye almost couldn't catch his breath.
Of his four princes, only one remained—Xue Qinghe!
"Could it be you, Qinghe?"
Emperor Xue Ye wasn't as incompetent as he seemed on the surface. Otherwise, he wouldn't have managed to hold the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Xue Beng's death most likely benefited Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
With Xue Beng gone, Xue Qinghe's position as crown prince and his claim to the throne would be secure, leaving no room for any accidents.
"I hope it's not you!"
"It better not be you!"
"The throne was already meant for you. There was no need to kill Xue Beng..."
What Emperor Xue Ye didn't know was that the first prince to die had been Xue Qinghe!
Now, none of the four princes were alive.
The "Xue Qinghe" in front of him was none other than Qian Renxue in disguise.
His thoughts remained trapped in the royal power struggle, never considering that Xue Qinghe might not have been Xue Qinghe for a long time.
This was something that Xue Xing and Xue Beng had suspected, but they were never able to confirm whether Xue Qinghe had been replaced.
Xue Qinghe's actions had never exposed any flaws. The two dared not act against the crown prince based solely on their suspicions.
At that moment, Prince Xue Xing, having just left the auction house and learning of the news, rushed into the main hall.
He looked at Xue Beng's lifeless body in disbelief, then at Emperor Xue Ye, who was fuming with rage.
"Brother! It must have been that brat Xue Qinghe who did this!"
Xue Xing roared in anger.
With Xue Beng dead, his only hope was gone!
He never imagined that Xue Beng, despite being so debauched, would still be assassinated!
Xue Xing's first instinct was that Xue Qinghe was behind it. He couldn't think of anyone else who would dare attack a prince in broad daylight!
An assassination in public!
When Xue Xing first heard the news, he was so shocked he almost fainted.
"Address me as 'Your Majesty' in court!"
Xue Xing: "…"
Seriously?! At a time like this, you're still maintaining your imperial dignity?! Your son is dead!
Prince Xue Xing, on the verge of tears, quickly bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
As a prince and the emperor's brother, he was only required to bow verbally during meetings. Full prostration was not necessary for someone of his rank.
"Your Majesty, the death of the Fourth Prince Xue Beng is absolutely related to Xue Qinghe! I, Xue Xing, stake my life on it!"
Xue Xing spoke with grief and indignation. Among the royal children, he had the closest relationship with Xue Beng. He had watched the boy grow up, and now he was dead. How could he not grieve?
Hearing this, Emperor Xue Ye gave Xue Xing a cold glance. Did he not also suspect that Xue Qinghe was responsible?
But kill Xue Qinghe?
If Xue Qinghe were executed, who would inherit the throne after Emperor Xue Ye's death?
Would it be Xue Ke, the young princess? Or this Prince Xue Xing?
"The matter has yet to be investigated. Stop spreading rumors!"
Emperor Xue Ye's decision to speak this way was to protect Prince Xue Xing. After all, Xue Xing was his brother. Even if he was a bit of a waste and overly indulgent, he was still family.
If such words reached Xue Qinghe's ears, would Xue Xing still have a chance of survival once Xue Qinghe ascended the throne?
Of course, if it turned out that Xue Qinghe was truly behind this, Emperor Xue Ye wouldn't necessarily pass the throne to him.
"What I give to you is yours; what I withhold, you have no right to claim."
Such was the domineering nature of an emperor.
"I..."
Xue Xing wanted to say more, but under Emperor Xue Ye's murderous gaze, he swallowed his words.
Shortly thereafter, "Xue Qinghe" arrived. "He" appeared grief-stricken, his body trembling as if he could barely stand. His display left both Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing momentarily stunned.
Well, this is unexpected. Normally, Xue Qinghe didn't seem particularly close to Xue Beng, so this level of grief seemed... over-the-top.
"Greetings, Father."
"Fourth Brother!"
"Xue Qinghe" staggered toward Xue Beng's body, a fleeting look of disgust flashing through "his" eyes before it was replaced by overwhelming sorrow. Overcome, "he" nearly collapsed on the spot.
Emperor Xue Ye and Xue Xing exchanged glances, uncertain. This doesn't seem like an act.
"???"
What was going on?
"Fourth Brother... you... you may have been aimless and undisciplined, but your second brother never gave up on you! I always hoped you would turn over a new leaf and contribute to the empire and the royal family..."
"You..."
Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing were both bewildered. Somehow, Xue Qinghe's grief seemed far more intense than their own.
"My pain surpasses yours. Let's see how you deal with this!"
The sorrow displayed by "Xue Qinghe" was so authentic that it didn't feel like an act at all.
It wasn't. It was too real.
For this moment, Qian Renxue had planned meticulously, preparing various approaches to handle the situation.
Conveying genuine sorrow? That was simple!
All she needed to do was think of Qian Xunji, the father she lost, and Bibi Dong, who had tried to kill her multiple times. Grief welled up effortlessly from the depths of her heart.
Bang!
The dragon throne was struck again.
"Stop crying on the court! You're the crown prince of a nation—where is your dignity?!"
Emperor Xue Ye's rebuke thundered through the hall.
Though "Xue Qinghe's" emotions were heartfelt, they did not entirely dispel Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing's suspicions. Still, their doubts had diminished somewhat.
Her strategy was effective to a degree.
"Father, Fourth Brother's death is Qinghe's fault!"
"If Qinghe had kept Fourth Brother by his side, taught him the ways of governance, etiquette, and responsibility, how could he have encountered such a calamity?"
"Xue Qinghe" wept bitterly, every word dripping with sorrow. It was a performance that could move even the hardest of hearts.
Emperor Xue Ye and Xue Xing: "..."
Xue Xing wanted to expose Xue Qinghe's true face but found himself at a loss for words.
Xue Qinghe's immediate confession of guilt had left him completely stunned, derailing his train of thought.
"???"
Emperor Xue Ye furrowed his brow. He felt an unshakable sense that things weren't as simple as they seemed, yet he couldn't put his finger on why.
As he glanced at "Xue Qinghe," who wore a mask of anguish, his unease grew stronger.
"Enough. Speak no more. We'll wait until the culprit is caught and thoroughly investigate whether..."
(End of Chapter)
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