Joy of Life: The melon-eating prince sees through Fan Xian's fake death

Chapter 58 Who is the winner? Who is the loser?
Li Chengqian looked at Fan Ruoruo who was leaning on his shoulder. She was happy for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince because of his temporary victory. Her smiling face was beside him. Li Chengqian was happy, but also worried:
From beginning to end, there was only one thing he had to do:
Make sure you can live unimpeded and safely.

He can ascend the throne naturally only when he lives to the day when Emperor Qing abdicates. Therefore, the trust of the people and officials is very important in this process. He must make himself more powerful than the other princes, defeat them, and become the first heir in everyone's mind.

But above all this.

Only the recognition from Emperor Qing himself is the most important.

After Li Chengqian caught the Second Prince's handle, he used Fan Wujiu's identity as an assassin as a trump card to trick him. As long as he made sure that Fan Wujiu would not be abandoned by the Second Prince, he could let the insider in Baoyue Tower come forward to testify that it was indeed Fan Wujiu who assassinated the Prince that night.

Then the second prince would be convicted of regicide and usurpation of the throne, and his vitality would be severely damaged.

But will Emperor Qing agree?
Li Chengqian was also waiting for the attitude from above:

In fact, Xie Bian broke into the Jingzhao prison and tried to make Fan Wujiu commit suicide to save the second prince. After being arrested by Luan Hongyu, he was able to kill him on the spot and throw dirty water on the second prince. He killed people out of fear of crime and wanted to get rid of the evidence before the witness spoke. He cannot escape blame in any case.

The reason why only Xie Bian was put in jail was to surrender in front of Emperor Qing and express that he would leave the matter to His Majesty. Li Chengqian could let the second prince go to show his loyalty to His Majesty and gain his trust.

As expected, the news soon arrived, and Qingzhu reported: "Your Highness, Eunuch Hou is heading to the Second Prince's Mansion with His Majesty's oral order. What should we do?"

"Turn around and go to the Ministry of Justice Prison. I want to see Fan Wujiu."

"Yes."

Ministry of Punishment.

When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince arrived, he first passed by Xie Bian's cell. When the latter saw Li Chengqian coming, he was already disheartened. He was sure that the person who had just been caught in the trap was the Crown Prince's plan, and he was the turtle.

Xie Bian felt guilty for falling into the trap and causing trouble for the Second Prince.

But Li Chengqian went straight to the deep cell and saw Fan Wujiu, who was eagerly reading the sage book, because he knew that this was the last time he could read, so he cherished it very much:
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

When Fan Wujiu saw Li Chengqian coming, he respectfully put away the sage book and bowed to the prince: "Thank you, Your Highness. I know I will die soon. If I can take a look at the sage book before I die, it means that my life is not in vain."

"Don't you have any regrets?"

Li Chengqian's question left Fan Wujiu stunned.

"You have been well-read since childhood, and you were determined to take the imperial examinations. You embarked on a career as an official to build a career for the Qing Kingdom. However, in the end, you were pushed out as a scapegoat because you did not know how to judge people and followed the wrong person. Second brother was wise enough to protect himself and let you die in his place, which also ruined your chance to take the imperial examinations. Don't you blame him?"

Li Chengqian told Fan Wujiu the whole story. After hearing it, the latter felt as if his soul had been drained out. His legs were weak and shaky, and he leaned against the edge of the prison with a pale face: "The Second Prince gave me the hope of passing the imperial examination. Even if he asked me to die for him, I would be willing."

"It's just a pie in the sky, do you really believe it?"

Li Chengqian sneered, and Fan Wujiu was puzzled: "What is a pie in the sky?"

"Even if he takes out an illusory reward and places it in front of you, making you flock to it and work for him, wouldn't Li Chengze know that his mortal enemy Fan Xian is the chief examiner of this spring's imperial examination? With him around, how can he help you pass the exam?"

Fan Wujiu didn't want to admit that what the prince said was right and he couldn't deceive himself.

Li Chengqian changed the subject and said, "As long as you can prove to me that the assassination at Baoyue Tower was indeed done by you, I can let you fake your death and escape, and live on as a scholar, so that you can regain the right to participate in the Spring Examination."

Fan Wujiu's eyes lit up, but soon dimmed: "The Second Prince has done me a favor. Although I am dissatisfied with him and have severed all ties with him after this incident, I cannot do such a conscienceless thing as framing my master.

Although I am just a retainer, I also have my own dignity. I'm sorry, Your Highness. "

"But the dignity of a retainer does not lie in sacrificing his life for his master innocently. Retainers are also human beings." Li Chengqian's words touched Luan Hongyu beside him, and she lowered her head.

Seeing that Fan Wujiu remained silent, Li Chengqian was certain that he was a loyal man. If he died to hide all this for the Second Prince, it would be the end of their friendship. So he gave Fan Wujiu a second choice:

"Fan Wujiu, you have my approval, and I can give you a chance to live."

"what?!"

Fan Wujiu was quite surprised. Even though he was so stubborn, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was still willing to give him a chance?

"You don't need to admit to the assassination and framing of my second brother. You can deny it according to the facts. Just admit what you did and don't have to lie. I can let you live, but you know that you have severed all ties with my second brother. So after you return to him, why don't you act for me?"

"Your Highness, do you want me to be your spy for the Second Prince?"

"Yes, haven't you seen Li Chengze's true face yet?"

Fan Wujiu felt resentful towards Li Chengze for cutting off his tail to protect himself and promising him the Spring Examination. He was already doing his best by not framing him in order to save his life. He was in a situation where he was bound to die, but the prince was willing to come forward to guarantee him? !

He didn't want to be a swordsman, fighting and killing.

He just wanted to survive and study for the imperial examination.
Li Chengqian turned and left: "This is your last chance. Now that you have seen through Li Chengze, use your mind that is familiar with the scriptures to think clearly about who is the prince who can survive to the end and who is the one you can rely on."

Fan Wujiu clutched the sage book, and although he held the knife very steadily, his hands kept shaking.

······
The Second Prince's Mansion.

Eunuch Hou arrived with His Majesty's oral order, and everyone knelt down to listen to the order, including Li Chengze: "Announce that the Second Prince Li Chengze will come to the palace to meet His Majesty. Before that, go to the Ministry of Justice to bring him back, so as to avoid embarrassment and make a fool of himself."

Although there was a hint of blame in his words, the fact that he was able to bring the person back meant that His Majesty did not investigate further and gave him the opportunity to enter the palace to meet him. This meant that even if His Majesty was disappointed in him, he would still lend him a helping hand.

Li Chengze was so happy that he suppressed his smile, bowed his head to thank the emperor, and then rushed to the Ministry of Justice without stopping, and brought back the two guards. Fan Wujiu looked dazed, and he didn't expect that he could really come out alive.
Just passing by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Li Chengze was smug and smiled:

"Your Highness, I am sorry to disappoint you. Everyone in Kyoto will fall, except me!"

"Really? Congratulations, second brother, your injustice has finally been cleared!"

Li Chengqian's gaze swept towards Fan Wujiu behind him.

Li Chengze thought that the prince was dissatisfied with the emperor's interference in his fate. Fan Wujiu was letting go of the duck that was at his fingertips. Li Chengqian's look represented his hatred and also represented his failure. He felt even more proud:

"Wu Jiu, why don't you quickly apologize to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and clarify that there was a misunderstanding between you two?"

"Yes"

Fan Wujiu felt guilty and no longer had the courage to look Li Chengze in the eye. When he apologized, his expression was mixed as he looked at the prince.

Li Chengqian laughed heartily and left happily with Fan Ruoruo and others who were traveling with him.

Li Chengze snorted coldly: You lost, so you lost. Why are you pretending to be so proud?

I bother!

(End of this chapter)