The third prince raised his wine glass with affected sophistication, leisurely taking a sip before maliciously saying, “What does this have to do with me?”
Furious, the second prince stepped forward and knocked the wine glass from the third prince’s hand, furiously grabbing his collar and gritting his teeth as he cursed, “I don’t care how you fight against the crown prince, Zhang Fang must not be harmed! If he dies, I will make you pay!”
Having grown used to the second prince’s carefree demeanor, the third prince coldly chuckled upon seeing his fierce expression and provocatively replied, “Second brother, I advise you to behave and survive well.”
The second prince suddenly swung his other hand and punched the third prince.
The third prince’s guards immediately rushed to pull the second prince away, forcibly escorting him out.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, the third prince’s gaze turned cold as he stared at the broken wine glass scattered on the floor. Once he stepped over the crown prince and secured the position of the heir, he would deal with the second prince properly!
The second prince, with no other options, ultimately spread the news of Zhang Fang’s poisoning in the Eastern Palace, seeking help from local doctors to save Zhang Fang.
Zhang Fang remained unconscious for a full three days, during which millions prayed for him. The temples inside and outside the city were endlessly filled with offerings, all for the sake of one person, hoping the heavens would protect Zhang Fang and allow him to awaken.
This situation forced the emperor to feign concern and come to the Eastern Palace to see Zhang Fang.
Looking at Zhang Fang’s face, the emperor felt a twinge of complexity in his heart. He had given Zhang Fang a choice, but unfortunately, this man was too principled, only caring for integrity and beauty, unwilling to bow to power.
He could not tell if Zhang Fang would regret this result.
Stepping out, the emperor’s face bore no expression as he calmly looked at the crown prince and simply said, “Take care of yourself.”
After saying this, the emperor left the Eastern Palace.
Left behind, the crown prince felt his lips dry and a metallic sweetness in his throat. The next moment, he suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood before collapsing to the ground.
The third prince, upon hearing that the crown prince had vomited blood and fainted, felt elated and even pretended to go to the Eastern Palace to express concern for the crown prince.
However, the crown prince did not want to see the third prince, blocking him at the door. Unable to swallow his anger, he was unwilling to take the blame for this major incident and ordered people outside to spread rumors.
“I heard Xu Chang is aligned with the third prince. Because Zhang Fang complained to the court, it caused the third prince to be suppressed by the crown prince in the court. The third prince, resentful, took the opportunity to poison Zhang Fang, thereby shifting blame onto the Eastern Palace!”
“What! Such a thing exists!”
This news spread faster than the cold winter wind; within half a day, everyone in the capital knew how fiercely the third prince and the crown prince were fighting!
“This royal power struggle has nothing to do with Zhang Fang! Zhang Fang is so innocent! How could he suffer such retaliation!”
“Is it possible that Zhang Fang was also involved, having long since sided with the crown prince? Is that why he reported Xu Chang and offended the third prince?”
“Don’t talk nonsense! Zhang Fang is not such a person! The emperor wanted to keep him by his side as a lecturer, and Zhang Fang even refused. Wasn’t loyalty to the emperor much easier than loyalty to the crown prince? If Zhang Fang were after power, how could he abandon the opportunity to stay by the emperor’s side?”
“That’s right! Zhang Fang is a true gentleman! He donates all his income to charity, coming to the capital only to seek justice for the students of Jiangzhou, and even turned down the position of lecturer beside the emperor! His intentions are just like the protagonist in a book! A gentleman stands in heaven and earth, taking the world’s worries as his own responsibility!”
The more people learned about Zhang Fang, the deeper their admiration for him grew. Even those who had never read the book felt a sense of respect upon hearing Zhang Fang’s story.
The more people empathized with Zhang Fang, the harsher they criticized the crown prince and the third prince. Especially in front of the third prince’s residence, there were daily accusations thrown at him. The third prince had now become the despised rat everyone wanted to chase away!
The third prince, enraged, could only stew in his palace. Given the chance to poison Zhang Fang, why didn’t he also poison the crown prince and kill him then? The person who executed this plan was truly foolish!
The emperor saw that both of his sons’ reputations had been tarnished, losing the people’s heart, and wondered how to establish the authority of an emperor in the future. He was also greatly troubled and wanted to put an end to this ridiculous situation. Ultimately, what mattered most now was preserving Zhang Fang’s life and ensuring he awakened. Only if he awakened could the unrest outside be calmed down!
Therefore, the emperor summoned the third prince to the palace. Neither father nor son bothered to pretend anymore and directly ordered, “Make sure Zhang Fang awakens; he must not die.”
The third prince kept a stern face, continuing the pretense, “Son also wishes for Zhang Fang to awaken. Unfortunately, I do not know medicine; I fear I am powerless.”
The emperor threw the paperweight on the table at the third prince, coldly warning, “If you still wish to stand in the court, cure Zhang Fang! If not, choose a place and become a vassal yourself!”
The third prince’s complexion changed drastically; it seemed the emperor was truly enraged! Reluctantly, he would have to spare Zhang Fang for now!
“I will do my best to seek skilled doctors and heal Zhang Fang.”
The emperor did not respond to the third prince further.
Returning to his residence, the third prince ordered his subordinates to find an antidote to save Zhang Fang.
However, to eliminate traces, the person who poisoned Zhang Fang had already committed suicide after the deed. This had been planned from the very beginning. Even the third prince was unclear about what poison had been used on Zhang Fang!
“Idiots! A bunch of fools!” The third prince angrily felt like killing someone. Now, the poisoner was dead yet they had no clue what poison had been used on Zhang Fang! Whether or not Zhang Fang could be saved was left entirely to fate!
The third prince could not withstand the emperor’s wrath! If the emperor really intended to quell public anger, he might cast him away to some remote place as a vassal! He had worked so hard for so long, and now it had come to this; the third prince could not accept it!
The third prince worked hard to portray himself positively, searching high and low for skilled doctors and good medicines to send to the Eastern Palace, doing everything possible to clear his name! But as long as Zhang Fang remained unconscious, the populace would continue to curse the third prince.
Finally, the third prince felt fear; he had underestimated Zhang Fang’s influence. Had he known this person could impact the world, he would not have dared to act against Zhang Fang! This attack on Zhang Fang in the Eastern Palace not only failed to severely injure the crown prince but also backfired, truly reaping what he had sown.
Eventually, a certain antidote fortuitously matched, curing Zhang Fang’s poisoning. After five days and nights of unconsciousness, he finally woke up.