The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

Upon witnessing this scene, a resolute glint flashed in Yuan Bai's eyes. He quickly lowered his head to conceal the complex and profound emotions within. Then, he silently blended into the crowd within the Prince's residence, seemingly disappearing from everyone's sight. However, his heart had already hardened; he secretly resolved to do everything in his power to find and obtain the help and support of Grand Tutor Qi. He clearly understood that this turbulent upheaval was not merely a matter of the Third Prince's life and death, but also involved the surging, intricate power struggles and undercurrents within the entire court.

Inside the palace, in the magnificent, golden hall, the emperor sat astride his dragon throne, his imposing gaze sweeping across the hall below. The atmosphere froze instantly when the Third Prince and Han Zheng entered. The emperor's voice was steady and powerful: "Third Prince, do you know your crime?"

The Third Prince suppressed his fear and knelt down to pay his respects. He said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I am innocent. I have no connection with the Shadow Cult. I beg you to investigate."

General Han Zheng of the Imperial Guard stepped forward, presented the ancient books and drawings, and gave a detailed report on the search process and discoveries.

The emperor took the ancient books and drawings, his gaze gradually deepening as he flipped through them. The hall was so quiet that only the sound of turning pages could be heard. After a moment, he slowly put down what he was holding, his eyes scrutinizing the third prince with piercing intensity, as if searching for a flaw in his expression.

"Third Prince, the formations and talismans on these blueprints are extremely similar to the secret arts of the Shadow Cult that I know of. How do you explain this?" The Emperor's voice was not loud, but every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of everyone present.

The Third Prince took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound more firm: "Father, I have indeed studied these ancient books, but it was purely out of academic interest and did not involve any illegal activities. As for these blueprints, I obtained them by chance and do not know their origin or purpose, nor have I colluded with the Shadow Cult in any way."

The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly dissatisfied with the third prince's answer. He stared intently at the third prince, trying to find a flaw in his expression and tone. However, the third prince remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic or guilt.

The emperor was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Third son, I know you are intelligent and eager to learn, with a strong interest in all kinds of knowledge. But these ancient books and drawings involve the secret arts of the Shadow Cult, which is no small matter. If you are truly only doing this for academic research, why didn't you tell me about it?"

The Third Prince lowered his head, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "Father, I am well aware of the sensitivity of these ancient books and drawings, and therefore I have never dared to report them to you easily. I was worried that it would cause unnecessary trouble and misunderstandings. But now that they have been discovered, I am willing to tell you the whole truth and accept your investigation."

The emperor nodded, signaling the third prince to continue. The third prince raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes, and began to recount in detail how he obtained these ancient books and drawings, as well as his research and understanding of their contents.

As the Third Prince spoke, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became solemn. Everyone listened attentively, occasionally raising questions or offering opinions. The Emperor, however, listened quietly, occasionally interrupting the Third Prince to ask follow-up questions about details.

Time ticked by, and the Third Prince finally finished his statement. He let out a long sigh, awaiting the Emperor's response. The Emperor remained silent for a long time before speaking: "Third Prince, I will send people to verify everything you have said. If it is proven to be true, then I may consider a lenient punishment. But if there is any falsehood in it, then you will bear the consequences."

The third prince bowed respectfully, indicating his willingness to cooperate with the emperor's investigation. The emperor then ordered all the ancient books and drawings to be collected and handed over to a specialized institution for authentication and analysis. At the same time, he announced a temporary halt to the interrogation of the third prince, pending the investigation's findings.

The atmosphere in the hall eased slightly, but tension remained. Everyone left, leaving the Third Prince standing alone in the hall, his heart filled with anxiety. He didn't know what his fate would be, and could only silently pray that he could overcome this ordeal.

…………

Just then, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps came from outside the hall. A frantic eunuch rushed in, holding a letter steadily in his hands. He then knelt down with a thud and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Qi has an urgent letter to present."

Upon hearing this, the emperor's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of doubt flashing across his face. He then reached out and took the secret letter, his eyes scanning it rapidly with eager anticipation. As he read on, his initially tense expression gradually relaxed, eventually revealing a barely perceptible smile. Yet, his eyes remained icy cold, unseen by anyone.

"In his letter, Grand Tutor Qi mentioned that the Third Prince has recently been wholeheartedly devoted to the study of ancient books, and has even come up with many refreshing and innovative insights. As for the matter of the Shadow Cult, it was purely a misunderstanding." The Emperor handed the secret letter to Han Zheng, and then continued, "General Han, what is your opinion on this matter?"

Han Zheng hurriedly took the secret letter and read it carefully. His expression softened considerably. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, since Grand Tutor Qi has said so, I naturally believe that the Third Prince has no ill intentions. However, the matter of the Shadow Cult is no small matter and is of great importance. I suggest that we continue to investigate thoroughly and meticulously to ensure that we can eliminate any future troubles."

The Emperor nodded slightly, indicating his approval and understanding of the Third Prince's words. A hint of relief appeared on his face, as if a huge weight had finally been lifted from his heart. Then, the Emperor turned his gaze to the Third Prince and solemnly instructed him, "Although you have temporarily cleared yourself of suspicion, you must still be cautious in your future actions and never disappoint me again. Regarding these drawings, I will arrange for specialized personnel to conduct an in-depth study to accurately understand their true purpose."

Upon hearing this, the Third Prince felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He knelt and bowed deeply in gratitude, saying, "Your Majesty, I sincerely thank you for your wise and discerning judgment. I will remember your teachings and never dare to slacken in the slightest, lest I fail to live up to your high expectations." As the Third Prince slowly withdrew from the hall, this unexpected and dramatic incident seemed to have come to a temporary end.

However, behind the scenes of the imperial court, the unseen undercurrents continued to surge and were difficult to quell. The Third Prince knew that this matter was far from over. Although his father seemed to trust him now, he would certainly send people to investigate secretly. Moreover, many members of the Shadow Cult were still imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's jail, which was undoubtedly a thorny problem that urgently needed to be solved.

The Third Prince returned to his residence with a solemn expression. As soon as he entered his study, he immediately summoned his trusted advisors. The group sat together, and the atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

"The situation may seem stable now, but it's fraught with hidden dangers," the Third Prince said worriedly. "We must find a way to deal with the Shadow Cult members imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's jail as soon as possible, lest things escalate."

The advisors nodded in agreement, their expressions serious. One of them said, "Your Highness, why don't we secretly send someone to bribe the officials in the Ministry of Justice, so they will treat those members leniently?"

The Third Prince frowned, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes: "This move is too risky. If things are exposed, we will be doomed." He knew all too well that in this sensitive period, any slight disturbance could cause a huge uproar.

Another person suggested, "Why don't we create chaos and rescue those people in the confusion?" This suggestion seemed a bit risky, but it was also a feasible plan.

The Third Prince pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "That would be too ostentatious and easily arouse Father's suspicion." He understood that his current situation was like walking on thin ice, and the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

A silence fell over the study. Everyone frowned, pondering a solution. However, faced with such a difficult situation, no one could think of a better way at the moment.

After a long silence, an advisor finally broke the calm and said slowly, "Your Highness, perhaps we can start with the families of these members and find opportunities to pass on information to them, so that they can take action in the outside world and create public pressure. In this way, the Ministry of Justice will have to treat this matter with caution."

Upon hearing this suggestion, a glint of light flashed in the Third Prince's eyes, and he said excitedly, "Great idea! This is indeed a feasible plan. But we must proceed with extreme caution and absolutely not give anyone any leverage over us."

Meanwhile, the emperor in the palace was also busy. He secretly summoned the leader of the Dragon Shadow Guard and ordered him to arrange for men to investigate the matter covertly. The emperor would not allow any potential threat to the stability of the empire to exist.

"No matter what, this matter must be thoroughly investigated," the emperor said resolutely to the leader of the Dragon Shadow Guard.

Meanwhile, inside the Ministry of Justice's prison, the imprisoned members of the Shadow Cult were secretly plotting a conspiracy.

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