Whichever the case, did it mean that the Crown Prince’s position as heir apparent was unshakeable?
The usually astute Zhen Shicheng felt a rare moment of confusion.
Shortly after Zhen Shicheng left, Emperor Jingming summoned the Crown Prince.
“Father, you’re finally willing to see me. I haven’t had the chance to tell you that I truly know my mistakes now. I won’t do such foolish things again…” The Crown Prince was somewhat excited, seeing Emperor Jingming for the first time in days.
The Crown Princess had told him to sincerely repent, and he had followed her advice, actively seeking out his father to admit his mistakes. But his father had repeatedly refused to see him.
Now, surely his sincerity had finally moved his father’s heart!
Looking at the excited Crown Prince, Pan Hai secretly cast a sympathetic glance.
In the past, the Emperor couldn’t stand seeing the Crown Prince so timid, yet every time he came, he was like this. Now that he had finally changed his demeanor, the result was…
“You truly know your mistakes?” Emperor Jingming murmured these words.
The Crown Prince nodded vigorously: “I truly know my mistakes. I will never act recklessly again or hide anything from you.”
Emperor Jingming pushed the dragon-patterned jade pendant towards him.
The Crown Prince’s face turned pale as soon as he saw it.
“Is this yours?”
The Crown Prince shook his head violently, then halfway through started nodding, his voice barely audible: “It’s mine…”
“Then tell me about this jade pendant,” Emperor Jingming said, sounding somewhat listless.
For some reason, this time he couldn’t even muster the energy to feel angry. Perhaps this was what it meant to have a heart turned to ashes.
Thinking this, Emperor Jingming felt utterly miserable.
“I…” the Crown Prince opened his mouth, completely at a loss for words.
Heaven was toying with him!
He also wanted to know what was going on with this jade pendant. How had it ended up in his father’s hands?
“No more deception?” Emperor Jingming smiled coldly.
The Crown Prince suddenly felt terrified. Steeling himself, he confessed everything, thinking bitterly: As long as he could get through this ordeal, he would grind those lowly commoners to dust in the future.
Emperor Jingming kept his eyes fixed on the Crown Prince, catching a fleeting glimpse of cruelty in his eyes. His heart grew colder.
At this moment, he had only one thought: This son probably couldn’t be saved.
But deposing the Crown Prince a second time wasn’t a simple matter.
“Return to the Eastern Palace,” he said.
“Father—”
Emperor Jingming gave the Crown Prince a look, his gaze unfathomably deep.
The Crown Prince instinctively sensed danger, his face turning deathly pale.
“Go,” Emperor Jingming waved his hand.
As the Crown Prince left the Imperial Study, he thought in a daze: Despite his earlier pretense of memory loss and today’s events, his father hadn’t mentioned any punishment. What was wrong with his father?