The Sickly Emperor Is Only Immune to Me

Chapter 82: Chapter 082 Shifting the Blame

Wan Zhang looked at the figure turned away from him, his heart aching unbearably, “Why? Emperor, why do you do this? What did I do wrong?”

He did not answer.

Nor did he see him again afterward.

It was too simple for the Emperor not to see someone if he wished not to.

And he really never saw him again.

Until he contracted that filthy disease.

He summoned him, and his first words were, “I know, I do not have the bearing of an Emperor.”

He knelt on the ground, at a loss for words.

Two years had passed without seeing each other, they had become too unfamiliar.

He even dared not look at his face.

The proud and spirited young man in his heart had long died.

Now, what lingered breathlessly was a withered body covered with sores.

“You resent me.”

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He sighed and then laughed, “Indeed, I have wronged you. It’s only natural for you to resent me.”

In truth, he wanted to say, I don’t resent you. I just don’t know how to face you.

“Chongshan, I am leaving. Poor Ah Yin is doomed to repeat my fate.”

No.

The Second Prince was destined for great riches and honor, having the bearing of an Emperor.

He should at least let him leave without any worries.

But he dared not.

The Regent King Pei Zhen was lurking outside, watchful as a tiger. If he knew He Ying had the Emperor’s bearing, he would surely act swiftly to remove him.

All he could say was, “Emperor, everyone has their destiny, do not dwell on it further.”

He listened and sighed in agreement, “Indeed, everyone has their destiny. What is yours then, Chongshan?”

He didn’t know either.

Doctors do not heal themselves; observers do not self-observe.

One would have to defy the will of Heaven and willingly accept divine retribution to pry into the secrets of fate.

In a flash, sixteen years had passed.

Time was short and yet endless.

He was too tired.

In the end, he defied the will of Heaven and spied into his own fate.

It turned out, he was going to die as well.

Not of this world, his spirit struggled to linger.

He closed his eyes with a smile.

Imperial Hospital

The Imperial Physicians knelt on the ground, crying mournfully, “Emperor spare our lives! Emperor spare our lives! Director Wan—”

In the midsummer of the 16th year of Xin Yuan, Wan Zhang, Director of the Imperial Observatory, died from a fall, at the age of thirty-six.

He Ying covered his eyes, not looking at the blood-covered person on the bed.

His head ached, a buzzing sound in his brain.

“Emperor—”

Pei Muyang hurriedly supported him, advising, “The dead cannot be brought back to life, please restrain your grief.”

He Ying did not feel any personal loss.

His relationship with Wan Zhang was average; their interactions rare, with little acquaintance.

It was the late Emperor who had a better relationship with Wan Zhang and was concerned about him before his death, “Wan Zhang is a man of integrity, not adept at courting favor, and often out of touch with worldly affairs. Xin Yuan, should he do something in the future that displeases you, please show leniency on account of my face.”

The late Emperor had even left a decree to protect him and the Observatory.

But in the end, he was not protected.

“Go investigate!”

He Ying, pressing against his throbbing forehead, ordered harshly, “Let Dali Temple, the Ministry of Justice, the Prison Department investigate! And Xie Sui! They must find out the culprit behind all this!”

He clenched his fists, struggling to contain his murderous intent.

Sang Yan received the news and saw upon arrival the body on the bed covered with a white cloth.

Dead?

So suddenly?

“`

Just two days ago, they were casually chatting.

At that time, he was sipping wine, a smile on his face, so leisurely and at ease, as if everything was under his control.

Sang Yan covered her mouth, wanting to lift the white cloth—

Qiuzhi grabbed her hand, shook her head, and said, “Miss, you’d better not look. Be careful not to frighten yourself.”

It was a fall to death.

Falling from such a high place.

It must have hurt so much.

Sang Yan pulled her hand back and looked at the Emperor, “How… how could this have happened?”

He Ying couldn’t provide an answer.

He stood by, waiting for someone to come and examine the body.

Xie Sui was the first to arrive, lifting the white cloth to investigate the cause of death and the remaining evidence.

He was closely followed by officials from the Prison Department, Dali Temple, and the Ministry of Justice.

A group of people came and went, even visited the scene of the incident, and for two consecutive days, the entire palace was on strict lockdown, all in pursuit of clues.

During this time, only Sang Yan mentioned his post-mortem affairs.

He Ying already had an idea, he sighed, “Let’s bury him next to the late Emperor’s mausoleum.”

Sang Yan seemed to understand but said nothing.

The next evening

In the Imperial Study

The Prison Department was the first to present the investigation results, “The little eunuch Liu Tang, who cleans the Imperial Observatory, has already confessed, saying he pushed Wan Jianzheng down the stairs at Sang Kun’s behest.”

Upon hearing this, He Ying exploded, “Wang Lishuo, I’ve given you chance after chance, and this is what you come up with?”

He threw the case file down and rushed over, kicking Wang Lishuo to the ground.

Wang Lishuo landed on his back, utterly disheveled, but he got up, straightened his official hat, and continued, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Liu Tang said, Sang Kun had long disapproved of his daughter’s husband-killing fate, fearing Wan Zhang would interfere at this time and spoil things, so he decided to kill him!”

He Ying, hearing the so-called murder motive, laughed, “Bring him in. I will interrogate him myself.”

Wang Lishuo then had Liu Tang brought in.

Liu Tang had been severely tortured and couldn’t walk, so he was dragged in by the guards.

Leaving a trail of bloodstains.

“This servant… pays respect to Your Majesty—”

His face was ashen, sweating profusely from pain, both hands trembling as he made a bow.

He Ying glanced over and saw a very young little eunuch, just sixteen or seventeen, slight in build, timid in demeanor, even cross-eyed, an ordinary little eunuch as ordinary as they come.

“You say it was Sang Kun who ordered you to kill?”

He Ying twirled his jade thumb ring as he asked, “There are so many eunuchs in the palace; why did he choose you? In other words, how did you catch his eye, gain his trust?”

Murdering an official is a grave crime.

Even if Sang Kun planned to kill, he shouldn’t choose such an unreliable little eunuch.

“After your success, regardless of whatever conditions he promised you, he should have killed you immediately to seal your lips, but you’re still alive. Could it be that you have something on him?”

He was setting a trap.

The more you say, the more mistakes you make.

He was waiting for his mistake.

Liu Tang, not the brightest, followed his train of thought, “Mr. Sang frequented the Imperial Observatory, inquiring about Lord Sang’s fate. This servant served tea and overheard bits and pieces. Director Wan said Lord Sang’s fate was not favorable, detrimental to the nation and the Emperor. Mr. Sang wanted to bribe Director Wan to change his statement, but Director Wan is upright and always refused to give in. It seems that’s why Mr. Sang harbored the intent to kill. As this servant belongs to the Imperial Observatory, often following Director Wan, familiar with his routines, perhaps that’s why Mr. Sang chose me. As to why he didn’t kill me? Perhaps Mr. Sang thought I still had some use.”

Actually, his fabrication was quite reasonable.

If He Ying hadn’t heard from Wan Zhang about Sang Yan’s fate, he might have believed it today.

But he had heard it, knew what Sang Yan’s fate was, and knew the fate Liu Tang spoke of, detrimental to the nation and the Emperor, was pure fabrication!

It seems someone wanted to frame Sang Kun!

Indeed.

The former court had been harping on Sang Yan’s fate. Now, killing the person with the most authority to speak on the matter of fate made sense.

The mastermind behind this was really calculating.

They hadn’t killed Sang Kun before, now they continued the killing!

He Ying, figuring out the connection, suppressed his rage and continued, “So you mean to say, Sang Kun thought highly of you, and yet you betrayed him like this?”

Liu Tang immediately started crying and kowtowing, “This servant has let Mr. Sang down. I’m afraid of pain, can’t bear the suffering, I had to confess.”

He had indeed suffered heavy torture.

All the bones in both legs were broken.

Everything was perfect.

Murder, framing, confession under torture, flawlessly impeccable.

“`