No, this is only just the beginning. How can a mere girl subvert the efforts you and I worked so hard for over the years? Quickly go enter the palace and visit Consort Luo in my stead, I want you to hand her this letter. Whether or not we can save the boy will depend entirely on this letter. As expected of Hong Fangs level of craftiness.

He knows its impossible to recover now that Xia Hou Hongs reputation had become tarnished, but that doesnt mean theres no hope. So long as the prince, no. so long as the one behind the prince was still around, theres still value in him collaborating with that party.

As to why he didnt make a personal visit instead, its due to his own circumstance. As a supporter to the culprit, hes in no position to enter the palace at this time. That means he can only rely on his wife Zhu Ge Rou to go in his stead to offer the idea.

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Following Lady Yaos death and the disgusting truth about his fourth son, the king was abashed with shame at his own folly. Due to this, the man quickly succumbed to a rush of pain in his head and a loss of breath. To make matters worse, none of the healers or alchemists in the Royal Hospital knew how to remedy this problem.

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Then thats when Alchemist Chou stepped forward with a mysterious medicine to the king. One day later, the pain and stuffiness in the chest was gone, making the king very interested in the pills creation.

My king, your illness is due to the excessive exertion of your body. Only with this fifth grade Filial Dan Pill can your symptoms be relieved. You can say its easy to produce, but at the same time also difficult to create. For one of the key ingredients, we need a piece of flesh near the heart, and not just anyones, it must be of the closest kin. Your Majesty, when His Highness Prince Hou Hong heard of your pain inside the prison, he immediately offered up his own heart flesh for the task. He truly cares for your wellbeing. At the mention of the last part, Alchemist Chou began sighing and wiping those fake tears from his eye.

Hou Hong, he. Upon hearing his son was behind this medicine, the kings once stern heart began to melt.

Your Majesty, please have mercy. Ive already lost a child, I cant lose my only son too! The prison is so cold and bitter, I cant even imagine what it must be like for our son during this time when hes bleeding out so much. Not willing to miss this chance, Consort Luo likewise too took to her knees.

In front of this, the kings resolve finally crumbled as he exhaled a sigh. Its not that hes willfully ignoring the fact that his son was a pedophile with the taste for the same sex, but at the end of the day, the boy was still his child. Sure, he really did want to strangle that beast on the spot today, but what good parent can hate their own flesh and blood at their core?

Then theres this Filial Dan Pill.

Fine, first put that animal. Just as the king wanted to issue the command of letting the boy out of his cell, a eunuch suddenly interrupted him by barging into the room.

Your Majesty, dozens of citizens have taken to their knees outside the palace gate. They claim they are here to avenge their lost child at the hands of the crown prince! At that, the kings mood once again sank into the abyss.

He agrees with Consort Luos word of not wanting to lose her only son, but then what about those civilians outside the palace gate? Did they want to lose their children?

As the king of this great nation, its his duty to look after every citizen in his realm when they are facing injustice. If he cant do that much, wouldnt that make him an incapable ruler?

Making a sigh, the kings already cured headache was starting to have a relapse.

My wife, my heart is determined on this matter. Hou Hong is guilty of his sins so he will be handed over to the Court of Justice. I am tired now so leave me be.

Waving his hand, the kings gesture and wording instantly crushed the last glimmer of illusion in the womans eye. No hope, Consort Luo slumped helplessly to the ground.

How could this be, Hong Fang clearly said it in the letter that everything will be fine if I follow the letters instruction.

For fear of the woman continuing to make trouble, the eunuch hurriedly dragged her away.

Back over at the Hong House, Hong Fangs room was still brightly lit despite being so late into the night. Hes waiting for his wife to return.

How did it go? Did the crown prince get released yet? As a minister for over a decade, Hong Fang has a very good understanding of the kings temperament, hence the reason why he approached the problem the way he did.

Fourth Prince, he. is still inside the prison. The king was starting to sway at first, but when he heard the parents of the children making a scene outside the palace, his mind immediately changed back to before and demanded Consort Luo to not plead anymore. Zhu Ge Rou was also very depressed over the result.

After they left the kings quarter after getting kicked out, Consort Luo soon couldnt take it anymore and lost consciousness again. Because of this, the woman here and the old alchemist had to spend quite the effort in order to calm the chaotic situation. Thats why she came back so late.

How is this possible? The decaying bodies found inside the villa isnt identified yet, how could the families know who they are? The more he thought about it, the more suspicious the whole thing looked.

Then with another thought, Hong Fang suddenly jolted up from his seat: Lan Ling Yue, it must be that little bitch again who caused this!

Sadly, its too late to realize this now.

Hong Fang knows. Now that hes missed the optimal timing to save Xia Hou Hong, to try again will undoubtedly become even harder. At the thought, he couldnt resist making a lamenting sigh at their own predicament.

Meanwhile back over at another scene, the weeping men and woman outside the palace gate were way too busy receiving the money from Ling Yues hand to care about the strange looks coming their way.

The deal was, so long as they can make a scene by kneeling in front of the palace gate for an hour, they will receive one silver coin as compensation. Such good things doesnt come often so of course they would do a good job.

With their part of the bargain done, the crowd quickly dispersed into the street, leaving only Ling Yue and Prince Hou Qi (sixth prince) standing there.

Father is really angry like you said and didnt change his mind. Now that bastard is still stuck inside the prison awaiting judgement. The prince appeared to be quite emotional as he watched the departing back of the people they employed tonight. Theres admiration, gratitude, and happiness. However, above all those, its a sense of loss that gripped his hear the most.

Its as Mother said, she wont be stuck in Da Xia and wont be confined by me even if I do take the throne. Slowly but surely, the distance between himself and the girl of his heart was growing further and further apart.

Your Highness, I believe you should go see your father the king right now. Im sure he needs comforting at this moment. Not giving any attention to the sadness emulating out of her partners eye, Ling Yue turns around and headed for the opposite direction of the kings quarter.

Ling Yue, that way is to the prison. You are?

I heard your brother had sliced off a piece of his heart flesh for your father. As an alchemist of the Royal Hospital, I have a duty to check up on him to make sure hes fine. Though I trust Alchemist Meis ability, I wouldnt want him to die before he face judgement. At that, Ling Yue headed straight for the prison with an extremely happy face.

The building designated for the prison was located in the northernmost section of the palace. Due to its location and the way the structure was built, theres hardly any light that will make it into the cells throughout the day, causing the inside to be both damp and cold all year round. To make the conditions even worse, whenever the spring and summer seasons roll around, rodents would occasionally squirm around the prison looking for food.

To be clear, the so called food arent the type humans eat, its the human themselves!