Chapter 1809: The Third Prince Is Dead (Patreon)

Chapter 1809: The Third Prince Is Dead

Meng Yunzheng replied, "The Third Prince is dead. They planned to force their way into the palace, thinking it was a foolproof plan, and the Third Prince personally led the charge. Unexpectedly, they fell into the trap set by the Emperor himself and were shot on the spot."

After the death of the Third Prince, upon receiving the news, Consort Xiao, who still resided in the palace, hung herself from the rafters.

"And what about the others from the Xiao family?"

"Except for the branch of the Xiao family that includes the parents, all the others have been imprisoned."

The Xiao family members were apprehended by a team led by Xiang Weinan. The main branch of the Xiao family only then realized that Xiang Weinan had been aligned with the current Emperor all along. This explained why no matter how they tried to win him over, various unexpected incidents occurred, keeping the Xiang family out of their grasp.

They hadn't expected to be manipulated by a younger generation to such an extent. They were truly blindsided.

The Xiao family was seized, and the parents of Xiao Shi were placed under the care of the Xiang family. Once the outcome of the Xiao family's case was decided, arrangements for them would be made accordingly.

Those who had sided with the Third Prince were all imprisoned.

"And what about the Second Prince?"

Meng Yunzheng looked at her and said, "He is currently in confinement."

That look from him gave Shu Yu a strange feeling. "How is he being dealt with by the Emperor?"

"For now, there's no specific action, and they can't execute him either."

"Why?" Shu Yu realized her own question as soon as it left her mouth. "The black market?"

"Yes," Meng Yunzheng nodded. "The black market operated by the Changjin Prefecture has been discovered. Another one has also been found, located near the capital. However, there's still one black market that hasn't been located yet."

Seeing the consequences of the black market in Chenggu County, they were well aware.

The market contained weapons, gold, silver, and even manpower, with well-trained managers in place. More importantly, the black market was protected by local officials and held significant information and leverage over them.

If the Second Prince were executed, the last black market would likely erupt in chaos.

To extract the location of this black market from the Second Prince, the Emperor had no choice but to keep him imprisoned for gradual interrogation.

"What is this? A thousand years of inherited misfortune," Shu Yu couldn't help but lament the Second Prince's luck.

Everyone who had rebelled alongside him had perished. First, it was Gong Qiu, executed by the late Emperor, but he was saved due to concerns over his reputation. This time, it was the Third Prince, executed by the current Emperor. Still, the Emperor had to consider the black market in the Second Prince's possession and the items and information held within. Thus, in order to avoid stirring up trouble, the Emperor could only detain him, sparing his life once again.

The Second Prince seemed to be favored by fate, the luckiest son of destiny, virtually unkillable.

Worriedly, Shu Yu asked, "Can we prevent him from finding an opportunity to fake his death and escape this time?"

Meng Yunzheng chuckled. "Having learned from previous mistakes, if another negligence like that happens, the Emperor has said he's willing to abdicate in favor of someone else."

With that said, and having finished applying ointment, Meng Yunzheng placed his hands on the table to let them dry.

He reassured Shu Yu, saying, "Rest assured, there are plenty of capable people in the capital city. We don't need to worry about these matters. Speaking of which..." he shifted to another topic, "the new County Magistrate for Chenggu County is on his way here. He should arrive in the county soon, and then you can take a good rest."

"What about the Prefect Magistrate of Changjin Prefecture?"

Meng Yunzheng shook his head. "The Ministry of Personnel hasn't yet proposed a suitable candidate for the position of Prefect. It might still take some time, at least until after the New Year."