Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

Xie Jingxing lay prostrate on the ground, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the earth.

Emperor Wenchang took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to smash another teacup: "And then?"

Xie Jingxing's voice trailed off, "Later..."

For some reason, the girl took advantage of my inattention, extinguished the candles in the tent, and then ran away.

return……"

"What else is wrong?"

"They also... set fire to the camp and supplies."

Almost everything I owned was burned.

"What?" Emperor Wenchang's eyes widened.

I was filled with disbelief!

Xie Jingxing forced himself to continue, "Not only that, that girl took advantage of the darkness to cause chaos in the camp."

As if things weren't bad enough, in the middle of the night, the bandits from Tiger Head Village launched a surprise attack amidst the chaos.

"My men had already suffered heavy losses, and now they've lost all their supplies and provisions. Their morale is completely shattered, and they simply can't hold out..."

He couldn't continue.

Emperor Wenchang continued for him: "So, of the thousand soldiers you took, only a dozen or so escaped?"

Xie Jingxing pressed his forehead to the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

Emperor Wenchang closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently.

After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes, pointed at Xie Jingxing and cursed, "Third brother, you idiot!"

We caught the person, but we didn't get the stuff, and she got away!

Not only did she run away, she also burned your supplies!

Burning the grain supplies is bad enough, but you were also ambushed by bandits!

"You...you...are you trying to anger me to death?"

Even if we don't get the item, bringing the person back would be a good achievement.

He didn't believe he couldn't handle a young girl and a five-year-old child once he brought them back.

This is utterly shameful...

"Father, please calm your anger!" Xie Jingxing prostrated himself on the ground and refused to get up.

Emperor Wenchang sneered, "Calm down?"

How can I calm down?

A thousand lives were lost because of you!

How dare you ask me to calm down?

How am I supposed to explain this to my civil and military officials?

Should I appoint a useless person as the crown prince?

Even if I agree, will my civil and military officials agree?

"Your subject is guilty..."

"Of course you are guilty!" Emperor Wenchang stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, cursing as he went. "I sent you to suppress the bandits to give you experience and an opportunity to make a name for yourself!"

You've done nothing good, you haven't accomplished anything, and you've completely disgraced me!

Now, who among the court officials doesn't know that Prince Cheng's entire army was wiped out while suppressing bandits?

Where do you expect me to put my old face?

Xie Jingxing knelt on the ground, letting the blood flow freely, not daring to move.

Emperor Wenchang walked for a while, then suddenly stopped, stared at him and said, "Xie Jingxing, do you know how many people are eyeing your position as crown prince?"

Although your elder brother has been demoted to the north by me, his influence in the court remains!

Your third and fifth brothers, aren't they all eyeing you covetously?

And you, you're practically handing them ammunition against you!

Xie Jingxing's face turned deathly pale: "Father, your son..."

"Shut up!" Emperor Wenchang interrupted sharply. "Let me tell you, if you don't want to be the crown prince, there are plenty of others who do!"

"I have more than one son!"

These words struck Xie Jingxing like a thunderclap.

He looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with terror: "Father... Your son knows he was wrong!"

I beg my father to give me another chance!

I will definitely do my best to achieve merit.

Emperor Wenchang looked at him coldly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Xie Jingxing crawled two steps on his knees and said urgently, "Father, I am willing to atone for my sins with my merits!"

Your Majesty, I will personally go and capture that little cook, retrieve the sheepskin scroll, and wipe out Tiger Head Stronghold!

If I fail again, I will offer my head to you!

Emperor Wenchang stared at him for a long time. The only thing in the hall was the faint scent of sandalwood incense, and it was eerily quiet.

Finally, Emperor Wenchang slowly spoke: "This is the last chance I'm giving you."

Xie Jingxing felt as if he had been granted a pardon and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you, Father Emperor!"

Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission!

Emperor Wenchang coldly asked, "Tell me, do you know where that girl escaped to?"

If we can't get the parchment scroll, the secret left behind by the late emperor will probably never be solved.

Xie Jingxing was taken aback; he really didn't know.

Upon seeing this, Emperor Wenchang shook his head in disappointment: "You don't even know where she went, so what right do you have to arrest her?"

Is it going to wander around like a headless fly?

Xie Jingxing's face flushed red, but he dared not refute.

Emperor Wenchang sighed, his voice full of exhaustion: "Go down and think carefully about what to do next!"

I don't want to see you right now.

"Yes..." Xie Jingxing kowtowed and was about to get up.

"Wait a minute."

Emperor Wenchang suddenly spoke, looking at him with a complicated expression: "Third brother, do you know how much worse you are compared to your eldest brother?"

Xie Jingxing was taken aback.

Emperor Wenchang said slowly, "Your eldest brother is intelligent and wise, has a kind heart, is steady and good at using people."

Almost everything was done impeccably.

If it weren't for you this time...

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was crystal clear.

Xie Jingxing lowered his head, his nails digging deeply into his palms.

"Go," Emperor Wenchang waved his hand. "Remember, you are still far behind the Crown Prince. Think about what he would do in this situation."

When Xie Jingxing left the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the blood on his forehead had already congealed.

He stood on the steps outside the palace, gazing at the gloomy sky, a sinister glint in his eyes.

"Crown Prince..." he murmured, a cold smile curving his lips, "Xie Jingchen..."

Your father still cares for you; you must die!

The Eastern Palace.

Xie Jingxing returned to the palace where he was temporarily staying, dismissed his attendants, and left only his trusted eunuch.

"Go!" His voice was low, hoarse, and sinister. "Bring Liu Wei to me."

The young eunuch accepted the order and left.

A short while later, Liu Wei quietly entered and bowed, saying, "Your Highness."

Xie Jingxing sat in the chair, the wound on his forehead already bandaged, but it couldn't hide the sinister killing intent in his eyes.

He slowly began, "Liu Wei, how many capable men do we have at our disposal?"

Liu Wei was taken aback, then whispered, "Your Highness, we have more than thirty assassins under our command."

Xie Jingxing nodded. "That's enough!"

"I need you to do something."

"Please give your orders, Your Highness."

Xie Jingxing stood up, walked to the window, looked at the night outside, and said in a voice as cold as ice in the twelfth lunar month: "Isn't Xie Jingchen going to take up his post in the north? The journey is long and arduous. If he encounters bandits or highwaymen and dies, it's only natural."

Liu Wei's pupils contracted slightly, then he lowered his head: "Your subordinate understands."

"Make it clean." Xie Jingxing turned around, his gaze sinister. "I don't want to hear any rumors that shouldn't be there."

"Yes."

After Liu Wei left, Xie Jingxing stood alone by the window, gazing at the waning moon in the sky. Suddenly, he remembered the little cook who dared to scold him, and a surge of hatred welled up in his heart.

He reached up and touched the wound on his forehead, gasping in pain.

"Liu Tao'er... and Xie Jingchen, you both deserve to die!"

He muttered to himself, a chilling glint in his eyes.

Before long, Li Dequan arrived with two eunuchs, carrying a bright yellow imperial edict.

"King Cheng, Xie Jingxing, accepts the imperial decree..."

Xie Jingxing quickly knelt down.

"By imperial decree, the Emperor decrees: Prince Cheng, Xie Jingxing, suffered heavy casualties in this campaign against the bandits, and has failed to live up to the Emperor's grace!"

He was to be punished with thirty strokes of the cane, lose half a year's salary, and spend three months in solitary contemplation.

Xie Jingxing was stunned when he heard the contents of the imperial edict. He thought his father would not punish him, but he didn't expect this to be what was waiting for him.

Terrible!

"Your Highness, please accept the imperial decree!"

"We still need to see you punished and return to report!"

Li Dequan reminded him from the side.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Xie Jingxing gritted his teeth as he accepted the imperial edict.

"You two, let's begin!"

Li Dequan spoke to the two eunuchs waiting nearby.

The sounds of clapping and striking the wooden board rose and fell in succession.

Xie Jingxing screamed in pain...

He kept cursing in his heart: "Old bastard, once I sit in that position, I'll make sure you live a life worse than a dog!"

After administering the punishment, Li Dequan left with two eunuchs.