The princess regretted it.

Chapter 310: Kidney Beans Being Tortured

The Emperor sat above, his gaze cold and piercing, observing the reactions of the others with a composed expression. Seeing the second son's unreserved emotion, a pang of pain choked him, and he cursed inwardly: This brainless fool is the son I've loved for so many years! He's been sold, oblivious, happily counting the money for others. What a fool! He couldn't help but wonder, why hadn't he noticed the second son's naivete and gullibility so clearly before?

At the same time, the Emperor naturally did not miss the subtle changes in Yundou's expression after hearing the Third Prince's words. Her eyes were moving quietly, and she had obviously understood the hidden meaning of the Third Prince's words. At this moment, she was probably secretly plotting something in her heart.

This discovery only intensified the emperor's suspicions. Originally, he had been certain the second son wouldn't be involved in such a sinister scheme, and had always suspected the Zhang family was behind it. But now, seeing the second son's distressing expression, he was even more convinced that the second son couldn't possibly have been the one behind this. If he was involved, he was simply being used as a pawn.

For a moment, he was filled with suspicion, secretly speculating: Was this all the work of the Zhang family, or was the third prince behind the scenes? Why was the third prince so eager to convict the second prince? Was he trying to take advantage of the situation to put a dent in his father's leg, or was he the true mastermind behind all this? It could only be said that the third prince's cleverness backfired, and he was a bit too impatient. He had become anxious since he learned that Concubine Chun was pregnant.

Thinking of this, the emperor came up with an idea. He decided to test the waters and see if he could glean the truth from their reactions. So, he sat up slightly, his expression stern, and said in a deep voice, "Third Brother, you are thoughtful. You are truly well-intentioned in respecting and defending your brother."

After saying that, he changed the subject and his tone suddenly became cold, "As for whether this matter is related to your second brother, it depends on whether this slut tells the truth. Come here! Give the palace maid Yundou twenty strokes of the cane, and beat her here." While giving orders, the emperor quietly watched the reactions of several people, trying to capture useful information from their subtle expressions and body movements.

After all, he had served him for many years. When the second brother heard that Yundou was going to be caned twenty times, a trace of pity flashed in his eyes, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to plead for mercy. But he quickly realized that it was not the right time to speak, and swallowed the words of plea back.

Seeing this, the emperor was secretly relieved in his heart: "He is not that stupid. He knows what to say and what not to say. He can control his mouth at the critical moment." Thinking of this, his dissatisfaction with the second son was slightly relieved, and he felt a little better.

Looking at the third prince again, he saw a calm expression, as if nothing had happened to him, without any emotion at all. The emperor observed this and muttered to himself, "He remains calm and composed in the face of adversity. He certainly seems quite cunning. In fact, if he had a decent heart, he might be quite a talented person." But now, the seeds of suspicion, once planted, took root and sprouted in fertile soil, rapidly growing. Since the emperor became suspicious of the third prince, he has always felt that his every move is full of hidden meaning and purpose.

When Yundou heard the emperor's order, her face instantly turned pale as paper, completely devoid of color. Twenty strokes of the cane! With her delicate frame, she was afraid she'd be dead after one such beating. Her legs gave way to fear, and she could barely kneel. If the imperial guards hadn't stepped forward to support her, she would have collapsed to the ground.

After hearing the emperor's order, the imperial guards immediately took a step forward in unison. Two of them stepped forward to arrest Yundou, pressed him down roughly, and prepared to execute him.

Yundou's eyes widened in horror, and she shook her head frantically. Her slender body struggled violently, and she cried out at the top of her lungs, "Your Majesty, spare me! I've been wronged! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, spare me!" Her desperate cries echoed throughout the hall, as if threatening to burst through the oppressive palace walls. However, the emperor sat sternly, his expression impassive, as if he hadn't heard or felt the slightest bit of emotion.

Seeing that it was hopeless to ask the emperor for help, Yundou suddenly looked at the Second Prince as if grasping a life-saving straw, her eyes full of pleading and expectation, crying out: "Second Prince, please save this slave, Second Prince, ah! ah!"

With a resounding "crack," the cane came crashing down, abruptly cutting off Yundou's cries. Her shrill cries of pain followed, like sharp arrows piercing everyone's eardrums. The Second Prince's heart ached, as if being gripped by an invisible hand, the pain agonizing. He couldn't bear to watch the cruel scene. He turned his head slightly, avoiding the bloody scene, biting his lower lip, his face filled with reluctance and heartache.

The third prince had a completely different reaction. He just raised his eyebrows slightly, and an imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. He said slowly: "Yundou, you'd better confess quickly! Why did you do this? Who ordered you to do this?" The tone of his voice was as if he was standing on the commanding heights of justice and knew everything.

The Third Prince's question, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly stirred a thousand waves within the Second Prince. Yundou was promoted by his mother, so what did the Third Prince mean by asking this? Was he doubting his mother? He pondered this uneasily, his face turning pale, a hint of unease permeating his mind. He couldn't help but wonder, while his mother might have some tricks up her sleeve, she wouldn't do such a thing, would she?

After hearing the Third Prince's words, the Emperor's eyes darkened, his expression silent yet profound. The Emperor felt the Third Prince's question was far too direct, far too obvious, practically his inner thoughts written all over his face. Looking at the situation, hadn't even the usually naive Second Prince sensed something was amiss?

The Emperor saw the Second Prince's expression change, but he saw it as the Third Prince's pointed question that had made the Second Prince react. The Second Prince's fear wasn't about being exposed; it was about being dragged into this turmoil, innocently implicated, and ultimately implicate his mother, adding to her already difficult situation due to the punishment and plunging her into even greater distress. After all, Yundou was the one his mother had personally raised, so how could the Third Prince's pointed question not terrify him?

The Third Prince stood in the hall, his lips still twitching, but he was secretly smug, as if he could already see the dawn of victory. He knew that if Yundou confessed, no matter what the charges, the blame would inevitably be thrown on his second brother. Then, his second brother would be completely devastated by this turmoil, losing all his leverage, and his path to the throne would be cleared of a major obstacle.

Immersed in this beautiful dream, his heart and eyes filled with longing for the future, the Third Prince was completely oblivious to the scrutinizing gaze of his father fixed upon him, much less aware of the deep suspicions already harbored within his heart. He was like a complacent frog in a well, unaware only of the small patch of sky overhead that seemed within reach, oblivious to the danger quietly approaching, ready to drag him into an abyss of no return.