Chapter 727: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 727: The Final Struggle (4)
As soon as the news broke, the public was initially skeptical. However, soon after, fabricated motives for Chu Heng’s alleged actions emerged, claiming that he sought to win over scholars and establish his reputation through these “talented” individuals. It was said that Chu Heng, having been ill for over twenty years, had less public favor than the third prince, Prince Heng. By gaining the support of scholars, he hoped to secure his position as emperor, even if he were truly incompetent, and be remembered as a great ruler.
With the Crown Prince being targeted, those who had passed the imperial examinations felt increasingly insecure. They feared not only the nullification of their results but also being accused of fraud, which would ruin their futures. Even if their results were merely voided and they had to retake the exams, they lacked confidence in passing again. The subject matter and the examiners could vary, impacting their chances. Many had succeeded through luck, and another attempt could result in failure.
Furthermore, no one wanted the stigma of fraud attached to their name, as it was the greatest insult to a scholar. Thus, those who had originally been passive observers of the situation now joined the protest, gathering at the palace gates. They argued with the failed candidates and petitioned the court to expedite the trial and clear their names.
Seeing the situation escalate, Crown Prince Chu Heng remained silent. Some believed that he was innocent and had nothing to hide, while others thought he was too guilty to admit his involvement. Under the manipulation of certain individuals, the latter view gained traction. Scholars at the palace gates began to criticize Chu Heng’s character, questioning his ability to fulfill his role and even calling for Emperor Huian to remove him as Crown Prince.
With no response from the court and no trial date set, the scholars at the palace gates split into two factions, engaging in constant verbal battles, turning the area into their “battlefield.”
The absence of intervention allowed the scandal to spread rapidly. Within less than half a month, it reached major prefectures, with thousands of failed scholars rushing to the capital or petitioning the local government to demand a thorough investigation and justice for the scholarly community.
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In the residence of Prince Heng, the Prince read the reports from various regions with a sinister smile. The smile, marred by scars on his face, twisted into a snake-like grimace, starkly contrasting with his formerly gentle demeanor.
Since his disfigurement on Phoenix Mountain, Prince Heng had rarely left his residence. Unable to accept his ruined appearance and the loss of his claim to the throne, he had been relentlessly seeking a way to remove the scars while devising plans for revenge against Chu Heng, who had ruined his future and left him in his current wretched state.
Xiao Ruiyuan and Mo Yan, who had assisted Chu Heng, were also targets of his ire. With no chance to strike directly at Chu Heng, Prince Heng had shifted his hatred toward Mo Yan. However, his attempts to eliminate Mo Yan’s family had failed repeatedly, with assassins either not returning or being captured. He then set up a trap during the autumn examinations to ensnare Chu Heng’s faction.
Unexpectedly, the plan unfolded even more smoothly than anticipated, easily pushing his greatest enemy into the spotlight.
With everything under his control and the trial day approaching, Prince Heng anticipated crushing all his enemies beneath his feet and reveling in his revenge, his face gleaming with malicious satisfaction.
Noticing Prince Heng’s improved mood, which was no longer as erratic and frightening, Lin Dalao quickly inquired, “Your Highness, the trial date remains undetermined. It seems the Emperor may be biased in favor of Chu Heng. What should we do?”
Prince Heng’s smile faded, replaced by a fierce glare. “Hmph, even if that old fool favors Chu Heng, can he silence the voices of the entire world?”
“True, but as long as the trial remains pending, the matter will never be resolved, and Chu Heng will remain the Crown Prince. What is the point of our schemes?” Lin Dalao said anxiously. He feared that if the Emperor stalled, their efforts would be in vain.
Prince Heng’s expression fluctuated before he suddenly asked, “Has great-grandfather still not revealed that matter to you?”
The matter in question was a secret held by Lin Taishi regarding Emperor Huian.
Lin Dalao shook his head in frustration. “The old man is stubborn. He insists on taking the secret to his grave. We may never use it to our advantage.”
Prince Heng, irritated, paced restlessly, his resentment toward Lin Taishi growing. If his great-grandfather had shared the secret, he could have leveraged it to secure his position as Crown Prince without such elaborate schemes.
Realizing that only one option remained to force the old man to expedite the trial, Prince Heng’s eyes darkened with determination. He gestured to the anxious Lin Dalao, signaling a new plan…
(End of Chapter)
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