Chapter 31 From a w.a.n.gye to a prisoner.
But even so, Zhong Langyu was on pins and needles, suddenly becoming a prisoner, from the position of a w.a.n.gye, this was unacceptable in his heart. Crown Prince, have you pleaded for me or not? Will I be beheaded? Mother do you know that YuYu is suffering ah? Come and save YuYu!
The prison door was finally opened. It wasn"t his mother that appeared in front of Zhong Langyu, but his father. Zhong Langyu was stunned, but hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed: “Er Chen Zhong Langyu greets his father.”
Zhong Yehan bent and lifted him: “Get up! Let us father and son talk.”
Zhong Langyu sat down on the ground and looked nervously at his father. He knew that the time had come to decide his destiny, because before a criminal was beheaded, often the father would come see him. Would this be the last day of his life!?
Zhong Yehan sat in a chair that had just been moved in, then waved his hands, making the attendants go out: “Here, there are no outsiders. Tell father. Why did you embezzle the silver? Is it that the money that father gives to you is not enough, or is there another reason?”
Zhong Langyu"s heart was in disarray, he wanted to tell the truth, that the Crown Prince could explain, that he wanted me to take responsibility for everything, but that father had come down today, maybe the Crown Prince had pleaded on his behalf, he couldn"t betray him: “Father, it was the eyes of Er Chen that was fascinated by dog s.h.i.t, making Er Chen confused ah! Father, please give Er Chen to chance to reform!”
As Zhong Langyu said that he burst into tears, really crying. If he didn"t show his true feelings, where would he get the chance to show it?
Zhong Yehan waved his hand: “Don"t cry first. Tell father, what do you need so much silver for?”
Zhong Langyu slowly stopped crying: “Father, Er Chen knows his wrong, this son was just really greedy, possessed by ghosts.”
Zhong Yehan seeing Zhong Langyu still refusing to talk, gently sighed: “If you don"t tell me the truth, then Zhen cannot save you, do you know, all the officials think that you should be killed. It"s Zhen who is holding them back. Zhen is here to listen to your statement. In Zhen"s mind, you don"t seem to be such an insensible child.”
Zhong Langyu"s brain ‘buzzed". Heavens! Father is really going to kill me ah! What about the Crown Prince, didn"t he plead for me?
“Father, Er Chen was really wrong, Father, this official asks you to forgive him this time!” From beginning to the end Zhong Langyu still refused to tell the truth, putting his trust in the Crown Prince.
Zhong Yehan slowly stood up, his face was gloomy: “If you continue to be obstinate about it, then Zhen cannot save you. Today is the first time Zhen is coming to see you, and also the last time, if you still don"t say the truth then don"t blame Zhen for being cruel.”
Why did Zhong Yehan say such a thing, did he know that there were some hidden facts? Zhong Yehan could be accorded as a sharp-minded politician. When he had received the reports from officials that said they had found a total of 22,000 silver in Zhong Langyu"s Fu, he felt that it was incredible. How could an embezzler put dirty silver blatantly in his royal fu? And even if it was hidden in a secret place, it shouldn"t be in the study. That was too illogical.
Zhong Yehan had thought for a long time, but couldn"t think of anything, why was it that he felt something was hidden? What kind of concealment would there be? In order to solve this mystery, Zhong Yehan personally came to the prison department and wanted to get an answer from Zhong Langyu. Unexpectedly Zhong Langyu wouldn"t cooperate, making him very angry. He even wanted to give up Ximen Dehao"s idea and really kill this unfilial son.
As soon as Zhong Langyu heard this, his soul suddenly flew up to the sky: “Father spare me, father please spare my life, it was the Crown Prince who made me to do it. I only took 3000 silver. The rest was forcefully given to me by them.”
When people were in life and death situation, any rope seen would be grabbed. Zhong Langyu didn"t have the ability, nor the courage to hold his silence anymore.
Zhong Yehan was shocked, his eyes opened wide like saucers: “What are you talking about, Crown Prince, what has this matter got to do with him?”
Zhong Langyu wept: “When Er Chen was receiving the silver he was also there, he encouraged Er Chen to accept it. The Crown Prince said he and Second brother had already taken theirs. That it was the household department"s routine, and that there would be no problem at all. However, after the incident came to light, Crown Prince said to let Er Chen take the blame. He said if he was out there, he would make sure that I"ll be alright.”
Zhong Yehan"s blood almost solidified, Zhong Langyao! How could he give birth to such a cold-blooded animal, thinking of how he was talking about killing Zhong Langyu in the Golden Treasure Bell Palace that day, the green tendons on Zhong Yehan"s forehead came out. Was there even still a little brotherly love here, how can such a person be a crown prince! Zhong Yehan took a few deep breaths, rubbing on his chest, looking very uncomfortable.
Zhong Langyu was frightened: “Father, it"s unimportant! Do you want to me to call for the physician?”
Zhong Yehan held the chair and calmed down: “Stop yelling, Zhen is fine. Don"t say anything about it, just forget it. The rest of the matter will be dealt with by father. You can rest a.s.sured that father won"t kill you.”
“Thank you, father. Thank you, father!” The stone in Zhong Langyu"s heart finally fell to to the ground. Zhong Yehan waved his hand, signalling for Zhong Langyu to call people in. Zhong Langyu quickly rushed to the door and shouted: “Somebody come! Quickly come!”
Several eunuchs rushed in and panicked when they saw the ugly expression on the face of the Emperor who was sitting in the chair. Zhong Yehan waved his hand: “Zhen is fine! Help me back to the Palace!”
Several of the eunuchs helped Zhong Yehan out of the prison cell.
Zhong Yehan returned to the palace, and fell ill. This time he was completely made sick by the Crown Prince. That beast did something even worse than an animal, he couldn"t wait to immediately sc.r.a.pe and abolish him from his position as the Crown Prince.
The Royal physician took in his pulse and prescribed some medicine. Queen Zhang Min waited on the side. The feelings of Zhong Yehan and Zhang Min could be said to be the deepest. When Zhong Yehan was still the Crown Prince, Zhang Min was his wife; when Zhong Yehan was sealed as the Emperor, she was made an official princess.
Zhang Min was honest and virtuous, always thinking about others, so she was loved by Zhong Yehan. Zhang Min gave birth to a son and a daughter. The boy was the Crown Prince Zhong Langyao, and her daughter Princess Changning. The several other sons were born by concubines. Zhong Yehan sealed Zhong Langyao as Crown Prince, mainly because of her. But now that he had prepared in his heart the abolition of the Crown Prince, seeing his queen"s virtuous appearance, his heart was a little soft.
“Get up, emperor, this concubine will wait on you to take your medicine.” Although Zhang Min was in her forties, she did not look old, and the charm which had belonged to her as a young woman still existed.
Zhong Yehan waved his hand: “As long as they can do these things, why do it yourself?”
Zhang Min insisted: “The emperor is not well, and Chen qie is anxious, let Chen qie wait on you.”
Zhong Yehan looked at her, and his heart was moved a little, they were still this old husband and old wife, it was good ah! Zhong Yehan struggled to get up, and Zhang Min quickly reached out to help. Zhong Yehan coughed: “Ke~ke, Zhen is not so fragile, come! Give Zhen the medicine.”
“Come on! Chen qie will feed it to the Emperor.” Zhang Min said that and picked up the spoon, stirring it in the medicine bowl. She put a little bit on it and blew on it with her mouth: “Come on! Open your mouth.”