Phoenix Cries Return to Court

After these words were spoken, there was silence all around.

The officials looked at Fu Chen with a completely different expression. Fu Yanzhi's face grew even more somber, his deep, ink-black eyes fixed on Fu Chen, churning with anger, disappointment, and a barely perceptible scrutiny.

Fu Chen trembled violently, screaming in panic and helplessness, "It wasn't me! It really wasn't me! I didn't shoot that arrow, you can't wrong me!"

"Your Highness, at this point, your words are no longer convincing!"

Wang Jinyi, a senior official in the Ministry of War, retorted sternly, "Just now, the Third Prince was struck by an arrow and fell from his horse. Many of us behind him clearly saw that the arrow flew in the direction you were standing. You say you didn't do it, then tell me, who can testify for you? And how can you prove your innocence?"

Upon hearing this, Censor An Wen'en of the Censorate quickly stepped forward, knelt down, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I second your opinion! Today, I dare to say a few words. I have heard that His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince have a long-standing feud, and in the Imperial Study, His Highness the Crown Prince has always been dissatisfied with the Third Prince's superior knowledge and constant overshadowing of him. Now, the Third Prince has been unexpectedly shot with an arrow. Such a coincidence truly makes us suspect that His Highness the Crown Prince did this intentionally!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Wang Jin immediately echoed, "Censor An is absolutely right! Although the court and the public have heard rumors of discord between His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, no one dares to speak out. Now that the Third Prince has suffered this misfortune, if the truth cannot be found out, it will be difficult to convince the public!"

Upon hearing this, An Wen'en kowtowed again, his words ringing with conviction, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter cannot be easily dropped!"

"The Crown Prince is the foundation of the nation, his fate tied to the fate of all people. He should be kind and compassionate towards his brothers, setting an example for the world. But now, His Highness the Crown Prince has committed such a cruel act against his own siblings. If word gets out, it will not only damage the royal family's reputation but also chill the hearts of the people, causing them to doubt the virtue of our Great Sheng Dynasty's heir apparent. If this continues, the foundation of the nation will be shaken, and the court will be unstable!"

"I believe that Censor An is absolutely right! The Crown Prince's actions cannot be easily forgiven!" Zhou Song, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "The Third Prince has always been kind and generous to others, and is also exceptionally talented in literature. Today, he has been subjected to such a vicious attack. If we let it go lightly, how can we appease the Third Prince, and how can we uphold the order of the court and reassure the people?"

"Minister Li is right!" Wang Jin echoed, his voice choked with emotion. "I recall overhearing His Highness the Crown Prince complain a few days ago that the Third Prince was once again receiving praise from His Majesty, and that he shouldn't have all the good things. At the time, I thought it was just a momentary outburst from the Crown Prince, but now it seems that today's actions were something His Highness had been planning for a long time!"

"That's not right!" Zhou Song suddenly spoke up, interrupting the officials' conversation. With a hint of hesitation, he said solemnly, "My lords, I have a question. Although the Third Prince and His Highness the Crown Prince are at odds, His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent and will one day rule the world. If he truly wanted to eliminate the Third Prince, he could have done it secretly. Why resort to such a rash assassination attempt in the open at the hunting grounds?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, and the murmurs gradually subsided.

Upon seeing this, the commander of the guards, Li Zhong, immediately said loudly, "Lord Zhou, you are mistaken! It is precisely because His Highness the Crown Prince is increasingly wary of the Third Prince that he wanted to use this summer hunting banquet to show off in front of His Majesty, but fearing being outshone by the Third Prince, he acted impulsively in desperation! Moreover, I clearly remember that when that arrow was thrown, His Highness's arrow was initially not aimed at the Third Prince, but at His Majesty!"

He suddenly stopped talking, as if he had realized something, gasped, and respectfully kowtowed to Emperor Sheng, "Your subject has misspoke and deserves to die."

Upon hearing this, the officials present were greatly alarmed and looked up at Fu Yanzhi with fear.

Treason and regicide are heinous crimes, a hundred times worse than killing one's own siblings. If the Crown Prince's target is the Emperor, then it is an unforgivable crime!

Fu Yanzhi frowned, his hands gripping the reins tightly, his gaze towards Fu Chen filled with anger and scrutiny.

Fu Chen shuddered involuntarily. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he seemed to sense his father's murderous intent...

Emperor Sheng coldly stared at the people kneeling before him, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke in a cold voice, "Commander Li, is what you say true?"

Li Zhong immediately kowtowed and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Your Majesty, everything I have said is true, without a single falsehood! I was standing not far away just now and saw it clearly. When the arrow flew out, it was aimed directly in your direction. It was only because the Third Prince suddenly turned his horse that the arrow deflected!"

"Your Majesty, if it weren't for the Third Prince risking his life to save you, it would be Your Majesty who is in danger today!" Wang Jin immediately echoed.

"The Third Prince's sincerity shines upon the world!"

"The Third Prince's righteousness is truly admirable and worthy of praise!"

Several officials who sided with the Third Prince stepped forward and loudly echoed his words, as if they had already accepted what the others had just said as fact.

The discussion erupted instantly. The officials present chimed in with their own opinions, gradually shifting from ruthlessness and disregard for brotherhood to concerns about the foundation of the state, the instability of the court, and even a few who openly sided with the Third Prince.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Your Majesty, I implore you to severely punish the Crown Prince to restore order to the court!"

"Your Majesty!" An Wen'en kowtowed again, his voice choked with emotion and filled with heartache. "His Highness the Third Prince is loyal to his master and sacrificed himself to save his father. Heaven and earth can bear witness to his pure heart! But His Highness the Crown Prince, as the heir apparent, intends to murder his emperor and father, and harm his own siblings. His heart is deserving of death! I implore Your Majesty to severely punish the Crown Prince, to rectify the court, to appease the people, and to console His Highness the Third Prince's pure heart!"

"Severely punish the Crown Prince! To restore order to the court!"

Someone shouted first, their voice strong and clear, echoing throughout the hunting grounds. Immediately afterward, more and more officials knelt down in agreement, their cries of "Severely punish the Crown Prince!" rising and falling like thunderclaps, reverberating across the hunting grounds and piercing Fu Chen's heart.

Those courtiers who had once been obsequious and eager to curry favor with him were now filled with righteous indignation, their eyes blazing with contempt and anger, as if he truly were a heinous criminal plotting to kill the emperor and his father. Some even bluntly declared, "The Crown Prince is immoral, plots rebellion, and is unfit to be heir. We implore Your Majesty to depose the Crown Prince and appoint a virtuous ruler!"

As soon as he finished speaking, many people echoed his sentiments.

These repeated expressions of willingness were like sharp knives, stabbing deeply into Fu Chen's heart. His face grew increasingly pale, his lips trembled, and he tried to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Yesterday, he was the crown prince revered by thousands, the object of every official's clamor to curry favor, enjoying boundless glory.

But today, because of a single arrow, he has fallen from grace and into the mire. Fu Chen stared blankly at the court officials who had once treated him with utmost respect, now all filled with righteous indignation, as if he were truly the most heinous criminal.

It's like going from heaven to hell in a single day.

He looked at his father on horseback, his eyes filled with grievance. He wished that the Emperor would speak up for him and give him a chance to defend himself.

Fu Yanzhi stared at him coldly, his face still gloomy, his thin lips tightly closed, not uttering a word.

That silence chilled him to the bone more than any rebuke.

Just when despair was at its peak, a male voice shouted, "This was absolutely not the work of His Highness the Crown Prince!"