Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 80 The Third Prince Dies Suddenly
As Chunyu Shuang spoke, she glanced cautiously at Ying Jiuque's expression and noticed that it was a bit strange for him to be looking at her Jiuque. However, she quickly understood what her friend was thinking and couldn't help but smile.

"What? Did you think I would be dissatisfied with this punishment and rise up to argue with His Majesty?"

Chunyu Shuang didn't say anything, but that's what she was thinking. Jiu Que genuinely found it amusing.

"How could you think that way? I am just an ordinary person. Although I am fortunate to have gained His Majesty's favor, I am just a subject. How can a subject discuss His Majesty's decision? Moreover, His Majesty's punishment is not light. After all, he has been stripped of the Third Prince's status and demoted to a commoner. He may even be imprisoned for life. For someone like the Third Prince, this is a very serious punishment."

"Moreover, apart from the Third Prince, everyone else involved has received their due punishment. It is said that Prince Ping, who was greatly favored by His Majesty, was sentenced to immediate execution. Wasn't he beheaded yesterday? His Majesty's attitude is very clear; what follows is no longer something for small fry like us to interfere with."

"...It's good that you think that way."

Chunyu Shuang had witnessed firsthand how this friend, who had recently gained considerable attention, disregarded his own future and reputation to launch a frenzied attack, determined to find the mastermind behind it all.

Therefore, she was somewhat worried that Jiu Que would feel it was unfair after hearing about the punishment. But even if they felt it was unfair, so what? After all, the Third Prince was His Majesty's own son, and everyone knew that His Majesty was very short of sons.

To be honest, Chunyu Shuang was shocked when she heard about the punishment. Based on her understanding of His Majesty, he doted on his children so much that even his stepsons, who were not his biological sons, were all granted the title of king and given generous rewards every year. So, it was really hard for her to accept that His Majesty was suddenly going after his own son.

Fortunately, Jiu Que didn't seem to care about the matter. Seeing the thriving village taking shape, Chunyu Shuang couldn't resist joining in to help. No matter when or where, places with hope always stand out.

"Lord Ying, where should we store this batch of timber?"

The speaker was Old Mu. No one knew where they got the news, but since the village reconstruction began, Old Mu, Aunt Lin, Aunt Lin's son, and neighbors had all come to help. And they were even planning to help without asking for a single penny! How could that be acceptable?
After all, Jiuque built this village so that the villagers could support themselves. If they could take this opportunity to build good relationships with people in the city, it would be good for their future sales.

Because the pay is high, quite a few people come here to work. Combined with the disabled soldiers recruited from the surrounding areas, the number of people here is already considerable. In another ten days to half a month, the basic framework will be completed. Then the village's livelihood will be secured.

She's been making quite a splash lately, and there are definitely many more people secretly hating her to death. Just take those two empresses in the palace for example; they absolutely despise her. It has to be said that the task His Majesty gave her is a good one; it'll be much better for her to temporarily disappear from the public eye and wait for things to calm down.

However, it seems that Heaven can never bear to see the Nine Palaces in peace.

Three days later, devastating news suddenly arrived from the capital: the Third Prince had died suddenly.

The Third Prince's Mansion.

A beautiful woman in palace attire collapsed onto the cold, stiff corpse of the Third Prince, wailing inconsolably. All the previously cherished etiquette had vanished. The entire Third Prince's residence was deathly silent, save for the wailing of Consort Yu and the sobbing of the Third Prince's wives and concubines.

Emperor Jingtai stood to one side, his face ashen. Although he felt in his heart that even if his third son died ten thousand times, it wouldn't be enough, the moment he actually saw his corpse, Emperor Jingtai aged more than ten years in an instant.

The tragedy of a parent outliving their child is the most difficult thing in the world. He had just seen off Prince Ping not long ago, and now it was the third son's turn. Was he truly such a wicked person that he had to lose his son in middle age and experience the deepest pain in the world?

"My son—" "You were so young, how could you leave like this? Didn't you think about what your mother would do? My child, your departure has broken my heart..."

Emperor Jingtai felt a lump in his throat. He tilted his head back slightly, trying to suppress his tears, and turned to look at the trembling commander of the Third Prince's guards.

"Why did the Third Prince die suddenly? He was healthy, without any illness or pain. How could he suddenly die at such a young age?! I entrusted you with guarding the Third Prince's residence, and this is how you guarded it? If I were to station you in the palace in the future, would you be able to cause my sudden death?!"

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I deserve to die, I would never dare to do such a thing!"

He was trembling with fear. His face was deathly pale, and large beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. In fact, he also found it strange. Although the Third Prince was imprisoned in the mansion, it was his own residence. The Third Prince's mansion was magnificent, bright, and spacious, larger than an entire street outside. Not to mention that His Majesty hadn't said he would imprison the Third Prince for life, even if he were imprisoned for ten or eight years, it wouldn't feel cramped. Why would the Third Prince be so reckless?
But at this moment, who would care what he was thinking? Emperor Jingtai immediately summoned all the most renowned physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy to come and carefully examine the cause of the Third Prince's death.

Consort Yu was carefully helped to the side by a palace maid. She was in a daze and looked pale. When she saw the imperial physicians examining her son's body over and over again, Consort Yu was on the verge of collapse.

"What are you doing? Don't touch my son! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! You've already punished our child, can't you even find peace after his death?"

"What are you saying? My son cannot have died in vain. We must find out why he died suddenly."

At this moment, Consort Yu seemed to be thinking about something, and suddenly began to mutter to herself.

"Everything was fine before Ying Jiuque appeared. She killed my child the moment she showed up; she's a jinx! If it weren't for her, my son wouldn't have died! It's all because of her!"

"...Someone, take Consort Yu back first."

Emperor Jingtai was also deeply saddened and did not want to argue with Consort Yu in front of outsiders, so he directly ordered Consort Yu to be sent back to the palace.

Among the imperial physicians examining the Third Prince's body, a young physician quietly glanced up and then silently lowered his head again.

After the solemn-looking imperial physicians finished exchanging their views, they finally came to a conclusion that Emperor Jingtai found absurd.

"You're saying my son died from consuming too many elixirs? And because he consumed too many rejuvenating pills?"

"Your Majesty, all indications suggest that this is indeed the case."

"Absurd! Utterly ridiculous!"

Emperor Jingtai certainly knew what the Rejuvenation Pill was; it was nothing more than the folk remedies that supposedly helped men strengthen their bodies. But how old was his son? His health was far from failing. Why would he need the Rejuvenation Pill?

(End of this chapter)