Chapter 295 - Crime Should Be Punished

Jian Guozhi handed the water glass to Han Wenji. He caressed his father's back, who drank the water. He took the water glass from his father and placed it on the tray, which a maidservant was holding. Eunuch Jin gestured to the maidservant to go out.

"How is the Crown Princess doing? Did she gain consciousness?" Han Wenji questioned.

"Father, the Crown Princess has not woken up yet. Though, it is informed that she is out of danger, thanks to Hu Jingguo's medical skills. Why don't we promote him as the Second Royal Physician," Jian Guozhi suggested to the Emperor.

"You are saying the right thing. Sheng Li is totally devastated after Ying Lili got injured badly. He never cried in front of his father nor he asked for anything in all these years until yesterday," Han Wenji asserted. "Your mother will be punished for the wrong she has done. I had never imagined that you would provide this evidence to me. It is tough to go against your own mother," Han Wenji pronounced, looking at the scroll.

"Father, I want her to get punished for the wrong she has done to you, Sheng Li, and his wife. She killed Sheng Li's mother, attempted to kill Sheng Li many times, and then Ying Lili's parents. Crime should be punished in whatever form it is! I know she is my mother, but before that, she is the culprit," Jian Guozhi affirmed.

"Even I did wrong to Sheng Li and had an inferiority complex towards him. Thanks to An-Ying Lili it doesn't exist anymore. Now, my sole aim is to make the Empire prosperous by working progressively towards its growth. If Brother Sheng will ask for punishment for me, then I will willingly accept that," Jian Guozhi told his father.

Han Wenji was delighted to see that his eldest son finally understood that becoming a Crown Prince was not the only responsibility in the Empire. However, the Emperor was wondering how Ying Lili changed the perspective of the First Prince.

"How did the Crown Princess influence you to change?" Han Wenji asked Jian Guozhi.

"The courage to stand up and fight for yourself, I learned it from the Crown Princess. My admiration towards her forced me to change," Jian Guozhi replied. Han Wenji found the sadness in the eyes of Jian Guozhi of not being able to marry Ying Lili, but then there was also a different spark in his eyes which he could not interpret. Han Wenji was happy to bring Ying Lili to the Palace as the daughter-in-law. The change he always wanted to see in Jian Guozhi was finally visible and it gave him immense happiness.

"There is something on which Prince Jian has to work upon," Han Wenji pronounced and waited for Jian's response.

"Yes, father. Give me the command," Jian Guozhi lowered his eyes.

"You know I did multiple marriages so that the Empire could grow but I failed to see the jealousy which rose among my few wives. Since you are married to two women, give attention to both of them. I know your relationship is not going good with Xue Yu-Yan but-"

"Father," Jian Guozhi cut the words of Han Wenji in the middle. "She is the one who encouraged my mother to harm Sheng Li and Ying Lili. I will not forgive her nor will I develop any kind of husband-wife relationship with her. You also know why she got married to me! I just hate her," Jian Guozhi asserted. Han Wenji could see that hatred in his expressions.

"Don't do that. You should have backed off from the second marriage if you hated her. You were also in greed for the throne once," Han Wenji reminded his son, who could not deny that truth.

"I know, even I was on the wrong path. But father, after Sheng Li was poisoned, I stopped myself. I tried stopping her many times but she never listened to me. That was the main reason, my hatred developed towards her," Jian Guozhi stated.

"Give her a chance," Han Wenji suggested to his son.

"I will try."

Han Wenji smiled a little. He wanted to talk more with his son, but then a maidservant informed them that the Princes were waiting outside to meet him.

"Send them in," Han Wenji ordered the maidservant, who bowed and walked out.

Soon, his other sons came there except Sheng Li. They all greeted their father, who was cheerful to see them.

"You scared us, father," Lei Wanxi said and sat near his feet.

"What did the Royal Physician say? Has the Emperor recovered fully?" Yongzheng asked Eunuch Jin.

"His majesty is alright. He needs a little rest, Second Prince," Eunuch Jin replied. Yongzheng nodded his head and looked at his father. "Father is taking too much stress these days," he said.

Han Wenji laughed a little. "My sons are with me, so I have nothing to worry about. I want all of you to stay close to each other and be ready to help each other at all times," Han Wenji stated.

"Father, we all always will stay together," Lei Wanxi proclaimed and looked at all of his brothers present there. They all agreed with him.

"I just pray that the Crown Princess wakes up soon. Brother Sheng was so furious last night. I had never seen him with such a temper. For a second, I thought he would kill all of us," Rong Zemin affirmed and looked at all of his brothers as he gulped.

"Why would he kill all of us? Third Brother, Sheng Li is not cruel to his brothers," Jian Guozhi defended Sheng Li. Han Wenji was astonished to see this.

"Shall we meet him? Maybe the Crown Princess has woken up. The informant will take time to reach here," Rong Zemin suggested. The other Princes agreed with him.

"Father, we will see you later in lunchtime," Jian Guozhi stated as he stood up from the chair. They all bowed before their father before leaving the chamber.

Han Wenji was gleeful, seeing his sons coming together in tough times. "I can die peacefully. The Crown Princess succeeded in bringing their hearts together," Han Wenji said while looking at Eunuch Jin.