Chapter 601
“Dear heavens! How did I give birth to such a thing! He’s full of thoughts about Zhong Shaorong, that woman, without a care for the life and death of the Fu family!” Madam Fu tightly clenched the fabric over her chest, her eyes downcast, “I have let down my husband, I have let down the entire Fu family, I have let down my daughter-in-law, my grandson, and especially the departed Madam!”
“Mother…” Fu Ruoxi crawled two steps forward, trembling as she reached out to grab Madam Fu’s skirt, only to be harshly shaken off by Madam Fu.
“I can’t bear to watch my sons and grandsons be executed. I will… take the first step and go seek forgiveness from my husband and Madam!”
After finishing her words, Madam Fu suddenly mustered all her strength and slammed her head against the wall of the Court of Judicial Review’s prison, blood splattering instantly.
“Mother!” Fu Ruoxi’s eyes widened in terror, stumbling forward, struggling to hold the fallen Madam Fu, “Somebody! Somebody, come quick! Mother! Mother… I was wrong! I will listen to you! Mother!”
The old nanny outside heard the commotion and hurried inside, horrified by the sight of Madam Fu covered in blood, nearly collapsing from fright, she shouted, “Somebody! A life is in danger! Somebody!”
Soon, chaos erupted within the Court of Judicial Review’s prison. Several people scrambled to carry Madam Fu out.
A prison guard sneakily ran out of the prison, heading straight for a dark alley nearby, bowing to the carriage guarded by the Crown Prince’s guards, “Your Highness, Madam Fu has slammed her head against the wall.”
From within the carriage, the Crown Prince gently rubbed the ring on his thumb, a smile tugging at his lips, “Good… Has Minister Lu arrived?”
“He’s almost here.”
At this, the Crown Prince nodded, opened the carriage door, and got off, leading his men into the Court of Judicial Review’s prison.
Just as the Crown Prince ascended the steps of the prison, he saw Lu Jin hurriedly arriving, stopping in his tracks, “Minister Lu…”
Lu Jin hastened to bow to the Crown Prince, “Your Highness!”
“Why are you in such a hurry?” The Crown Prince feigned ignorance, pretending not to understand.
“Your Highness, you allowed Madam Fu to visit General Fu, but for some reason, Madam Fu has slammed her head against the wall in the prison. I came to see what’s going on!” Lu Jin panted heavily.
“What?!” The Crown Prince feigned shock, hastily lifting his robe and rushing inside.
Lu Jin followed closely behind the Crown Prince, hurrying towards the prison.
By this time, the guards had moved Madam Dong outside. The doctor had arrived not long ago and was treating her wounds.
The Crown Prince stepped into the damp and moldy prison, rushing towards Madam Fu, shouting, “How is Madam Fu?”
Hearing the Crown Prince’s raised voice, Madam Fu’s fingers twitched, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Madam Fu’s visit today was not to persuade Fu Ruoxi but for this drama to unfold now.
The last act of Madam Fu’s performance was the arrival of the Crown Prince and Lu Jin. Only by acting this scene well in front of Lu Jin could her sons and grandson be spared from death.
Her son was trapped by love and manipulated by the Empress. As an old woman, she would use her life to pave the way for her descendants, ensuring at least one survived.
Thus, Madam Fu held on with her last breath, opening her eyes and reaching out to the Crown Prince, her voice weak and hoarse, “Your Highness…”
“Madam!” The Crown Prince hurriedly stepped forward, gripping Madam Fu’s hand and asked the doctor, “How is Madam Fu?”
Fu Ruoxi clung tightly to the prison door with one hand, trying to see outside but unable to. He cried out in agony, “Mother! Please, doctor, save my mother! Save my mother!”
This doctor was just a common one, unaccustomed to the presence of such a noble figure as the Crown Prince, hurriedly kneeling, stammering, “Your… Your Highness, my medical skills are limited. I can only stop the bleeding but not diagnose fully.”
“Go get Doctor Huang!” The Crown Prince turned and ordered his guard.
After the Crown Prince’s guard left in a hurry, Lu Jin stepped forward, shocked at the sight of Madam Fu covered in blood.
“Your Highness…” Madam Fu gripped the Crown Prince’s hand tightly, “Your Highness, I have wronged you! Just now, in the prison, I found out that my unfilial son was coerced by the Empress using the lives of myself and the entire Fu family!”
“What?!” The Crown Prince feigned astonishment.
Lu Jin’s face also changed color. freeweɓnøvel.com
“I do not dare deceive you, Your Highness. Before the Empress entered the palace, she had a marriage agreement with my son. Later, the Empress schemed to gain the late Emperor’s favor. Knowing my son was heartbroken and wanted to join the army, she pretended to ask my son to marry from the Zhong family. My son refused… The Empress cried and claimed my son owed her!”
Fu Ruoxi’s hair stood on end. He knew his mother well. Revealing this matter meant she was determined to destroy the Empress. He shouted loudly, “Mother!”
A prison guard gasped beside him. If these matters were true, they had heard a royal scandal. They wondered if they should retreat to avoid it.
The Crown Prince ignored Fu Ruoxi’s cries, pretending to be shocked, while catching Lu Jin’s surprised expression from the corner of his eye.
“Last time, after my son’s great victory at the Northern Frontier, the Emperor summoned him. After leaving the Emperor’s study… a maid from the Empress’ side asked my son to follow her quietly to save the Empress’ life! My son, guilty about past events, went. To his surprise… the Empress wanted my son to lead the Anping Army to support King Xin’s ascent!”
Lu Jin’s hand, hidden within his sleeve, clenched tightly, his eyes deep and dark.
“My son has always been loyal to Jin and the Emperor, advising the Empress not to act rashly. As long as the Empress remained compliant, he would not expose her out of respect for old feelings.”
Madam Fu, tears streaming down her face, choked up before continuing, “But when the Emperor fell ill and entrusted the government to King Liang, the Empress sent assassins with a message. She claimed that she had poisoned me, and with the Emperor near death, she demanded my son to raise an army and support King Xin’s ascent! Otherwise, she threatened to leave me without a burial place!”
Madam Fu’s voice grew increasingly angry, gripping the Crown Prince’s hand tightly, her eyes wide with rage, crying, “The Empress said if my son ignored my life, remaining loyal only to the Emperor, she would destroy the Fu family, telling everyone that my son, after returning victorious from the Northern Frontier, assaulted her! She’d claim the child she bore was my son’s, exterminating the Fu Clan’s Nine Clans! How vicious!”
Fu Ruoxi, hearing Madam Fu’s words from inside the prison, widened his eyes, words stuck in his throat, not a single syllable could come out.
At this point, Madam Fu, hearing the anxious clinking of Fu Ruoxi’s chains, showed utter hatred in her bloodshot eyes.