Free Web NovelChapter 315: Chapter 316: Overly Suspicious
When the Emperor heard that Li Yan was seriously injured, he grew anxious. He immediately ordered Li Yan to be brought back to the palace and commanded the Imperial Physicians to do everything in their power to save him.
After a flurry of activity, the Imperial Physicians’ diagnosis was much the same as Feihua Zhenren’s.
Learning that Li Yan would be a cripple for the rest of his life, the Emperor was deeply distressed.
No matter how disappointed he was with Li Yan, he was still his son. How could a father not feel heartbroken when something like this happened to his child?
Soon, Consort Liu also rushed over.
When she saw the miserable state of her precious son lying on the bed, she couldn’t hold back and burst into tears on the spot.
"Oh, my Yan’er! I haven’t seen you in such a short time. How could you have been tormented into such a state?" freewebnovel.cσ๓
Li Yan was already filled with grievances. At her words, he could no longer bear it and began to cry as well.
The mother and son wept together in a heap.
Seeing this made the Emperor’s heart ache even more. freēwēbnovel.com
He even felt a pang of regret. If he had known Li Yan would be so severely injured, he never would have sent him to oversee the construction of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the first place.
However, hindsight was a useless luxury.
Things had already come to this; no amount of regret would help.
The Emperor had someone pull Consort Liu away to make room for the Imperial Physicians to work.
Only after Li Yan’s condition stabilized did the Emperor have a moment to summon Prince Zhao.
Li Ji was already prepared. Upon seeing the Emperor, he immediately recounted the events leading to the Fifth Prince’s injury.
In truth, the Emperor had already heard about the incident from others, and the details were essentially identical to what Li Ji reported.
The Emperor said, "So, you’re saying the Fifth Prince twisted his ankle by accident, which caused his foot to be crushed by the stone?"
Li Ji nodded. "That is correct."
It was unclear whether the Emperor believed him, and he only replied faintly.
"I understand."
Li Ji knelt on one knee. "The Fifth Prince was injured because of my inadequate supervision. I ask Your Majesty to punish me."
The Emperor told him to rise.
"I was the one who ordered you to oversee the construction of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. You were merely following orders. There is no need to blame yourself."
After Prince Zhao left, the Emperor went to see Li Yan again.
Li Yan happened to be awake. Seeing his Father Emperor come to see him, he couldn’t help but cry again.
"Father Emperor, it hurts so much."
The Emperor looked at his son’s pale, gaunt face and sighed deeply. "It is my fault for being thoughtless. I have made you suffer."
When he had ordered Li Yan’s punishment, his heart had been filled with frustration at his son’s failure to live up to expectations. He hadn’t considered that Li Yan might suffer an accident during his punishment.
The Emperor set aside his imperial bearing and soothed Li Yan with gentle words.
Once Li Yan had calmed down a little, the Emperor finally asked about his injury.
"Was your injury truly just an accident?"
Li Yan felt a twinge of guilt.
He had actually injured himself on purpose.
It was just that something unexpected had happened in the process.
He hadn’t expected someone to suddenly bump into him.
Thinking of this, Li Yan couldn’t help but feel a surge of hatred for the person who had run into him. He said through gritted teeth,
"I was knocked over by someone."
The Emperor’s voice deepened as he pressed, "Who knocked you over?"
Li Yan froze.
After being bumped, his foot was crushed by the stone, and the pain was so intense he nearly fainted. How could he have had the presence of mind to see who had run into him?
Seeing him unable to answer, the Emperor wasn’t anxious. He placated him in a warm voice.
"Just focus on recovering. Your Father Emperor will handle the rest. If someone truly harmed you intentionally, I will not let them get away with it."
Li Yan sniffled. "Yes."
The Emperor ordered a full investigation of everyone at the stone quarry, wanting to find the person who had bumped into Li Yan.
However, after a thorough round of questioning, not a single person had seen Li Yan being knocked over.
On the contrary, many people could testify that Li Yan had injured himself by accidentally falling.
The Emperor read through the thick stack of testimonies. He couldn’t find any issues with them.
Now, even he began to wonder if Li Yan had been mistaken. Perhaps Li Yan really had just fallen by accident.
The Emperor went to visit Li Yan again and questioned him once more about the circumstances of his injury.
This time, the Emperor’s questions were exceptionally detailed.
Li Yan, already feeling guilty, grew even more anxious under his Father Emperor’s strict interrogation. His words often contradicted themselves.
How could someone as shrewd as the Emperor not see the discrepancies? He immediately noticed something was amiss.
He tried to force Li Yan to tell the truth.
However, Li Yan refused to tell the truth, no matter what.
Seeing his flushed face and evasive eyes, the Emperor’s last shred of patience finally ran out.
"Since you yourself are unwilling to uncover the truth, why should I waste my efforts on your behalf? You can fend for yourself."
After saying this, the Emperor stood up and walked out without a backward glance.
The spring weather was gradually growing warmer.
The sunlight felt warm and pleasant on the skin.
But the Emperor felt no warmth; his heart was filled with disappointment.
’They were father and son, so why was Li Yan so unwilling to tell him the truth?’
’Could it be that Li Yan no longer trusted even him, his own father?’
A group of people approached from the opposite direction, led by none other than Hua Qingqing.
She curtsied to the Emperor.
"This servant greets Your Majesty."
The Emperor collected his thoughts. "What are you doing here?"
Hua Qingqing replied, "The weather is lovely today, so I wanted to go for a walk."
Her pregnancy was now showing. Even in a loose-fitting dress, the curve of her belly was faintly visible.
Hua Qingqing keenly sensed that the Emperor was in a bad mood.
She asked in a soft, gentle voice, "Your Majesty has been busy with state affairs lately and seems to have lost some weight. Since you have a rare moment of leisure, why don’t you join me for a stroll to clear your mind?"
The Emperor did indeed need to clear his head, so he readily agreed.
The two of them walked hand in hand toward the Imperial Garden.
Hua Qingqing recounted some amusing anecdotes she had heard recently, as well as some embarrassing stories from her childhood at home.
The Emperor just listened quietly.
As he listened all the way, his mood gradually improved.
When they sat down to rest in a pavilion, the Emperor noticed Hua Qingqing’s prominent belly and sighed involuntarily.
"I am not a good father."
He had many children, yet not one of them trusted him completely.
Hua Qingqing said softly, "How could that be? I think Your Majesty has done very well. Even if there are some imperfections for now, I believe Your Majesty will continue to improve. And I am willing to improve alongside Your Majesty, slowly."
After speaking, she lowered her head shyly.
The Emperor was somewhat moved.
Usually, when he lamented his own shortcomings, others would only console him. No one had ever offered to improve alongside him.
’It seems,’ he thought, ’that Hua Jieyu truly admires me.’
...
「Inside the Prince Zhao Mansion.」
Hua Manman had heard about the Fifth Prince’s injury.
She asked curiously.
"Was the Fifth Prince’s injury really just an accident?"
It was no wonder she was prone to conspiracy theories; this world was simply filled with too many plots.
It had made her a bit paranoid.
Li Ji smiled meaningfully.
"Him? He was hoist by his own petard. It’s exactly what he deserved."
Hua Manman pressed, "Won’t this implicate you?"
Instead of answering, Li Ji asked a question of his own.
"Are you that concerned about me?"
