On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince’s Hidden Illness
Chapter 318 Crown Prince Deposed

Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Crown Prince Deposed

Three days later in the evening, at the hostel along the way, Ye Yiheng, Leng Yu Yan, and their companions were having dinner.

It had started raining in the evening, and the rain was not light. The door of the dining hall was left slightly ajar to prevent the rain from sweeping in.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, bringing in a gust of moist air, along with two men who entered—it was Ji Qingyu and Leng Song.

Seeing Leng Yu Yan having dinner, Ji Qingyu sighed deeply, relieved to have finally found her. He had been chasing them for the last three days, thinking he might have missed them or that the Prince Mansion’s steward had deceived him.

"Yan, how did you travel so quickly?"

Leng Yu Yan smiled and nodded, "Yes."

In order to make haste, they had been traveling for eight hours every day over the past three days, spending the remaining four hours overnight in the horse carriage.

Due to the rain today, they had decided to stay at the hostel.

According to Ye Yiheng’s intentions, they needed to make a quick trip there and back. She also felt that spending less time on the road would allow them to return home more quickly, so they had reached a consensus on this matter.

At this moment, since Ji Qingyu had asked this, she naturally could not elaborate.

Ye Yiheng raised his eyebrows and pushed the shrimp meat that Song Guo had peeled in front of him towards Leng Yu Yan, "It’s been tough on the road, eat more."

"Um, thank you!"

Leng Yu Yan picked up the shrimp meat to eat and glanced up to see Ji Qingyu still staring at her. She could only force a smile, "Qingyu, aren’t you going to eat?"

"Eat, why wouldn’t we eat?"

Ji Qingyu sat down at the next table and gestured for the Posthouse Soldier to serve the dishes.

Ye Yiheng gestured to Song Guo to bring Ji Qingyu a pot of wine.

Though Song Guo was reluctant, he obediently brought the wine pot to Ji Qingyu.

Ji Qingyu was a bit surprised and looked towards the expressionless Ye Yiheng. Was he really so kind-hearted?

Song Guo said, "His Highness means that it is cold in winter; this wine can warm the body."

Ji Qingyu did not hesitate and gestured for Leng Song to pour the wine.

Ye Yiheng suddenly inquired, "Why did the Imperial Grandmother leave?"

The Imperial Grandmother had always been in good health; her sudden death was a bit peculiar.

Having drunk the wine, Ji Qingyu felt much warmer.

He looked around, noticing that only their group was in the large dining hall, and the Posthouse Soldier was standing far away. He then spoke, "The Imperial Grandmother died from anger."

Upon hearing this, both Ye Yiheng and Leng Yu Yan were greatly surprised.

Leng Yu Yan blurted out, "Who angered the Empress Dowager?"

The Empress Dowager did not like her, and she was unsure whether the Empress Dowager had been involved when Ye Zhenxian administered the Extreme Joy Powder on her, but hearing this abruptly, she was still astonished.

Ji Qingyu scoffed, "Who else could it be but that sordid Ye Zhenxian?"

Ye Yiheng asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"

Ji Qingyu did not hide anything from them and said directly, "Previously, I saved Ah Ju from the lake, and my uncle intended to match me with Ah Ju. But Ah Ju already had someone in her heart, how could she be with me?"

He too had someone in his heart and would never become a pair with Ah Ju.

"During that time, Ah Ju and I were discussing how to convince my uncle to change his mind. When discussing within her Xingning Palace, if others knew, they would think we had an affair, so we agreed to meet at my grandmother’s Cining Palace, also hoping that my grandmother would help persuade my uncle."

"That day, I was delayed and when I arrived, I saw Ah Ju crying bitterly in a wheelchair, and my grandmother lying straight on the ground, with a pale-faced Ye Zhenxian beside her."

Hearing this, Ye Yiheng already had an idea in mind.

Leng Yu Yan looked puzzled and asked Ji Qingyu, "What exactly happened?"

Ji Qingyu glanced at Ye Yiheng, hesitated to speak.

Ye Yiheng slightly shook his head, signaling him not to continue. That was also what Ji Qingyu intended, so he kept silent.

Ye Zhenxian’s sordidness was better unknown to Yan.

"Qingyu, how is Ah Ju doing? She’s my friend!" Leng Yu Yan anxiously said.

Ji Qingyu did not say much, only replied, "Ah Ju is fine, don’t worry."

Leng Yu Yan’s intuition told her that something must have happened for the Empress Dowager to have left in anger. However, seeing that neither Ye Yiheng nor Ji Qingyu were discussing the matter further, she felt it inappropriate to inquire more.

The next morning, Ye Yiheng and Leng Yu Yan set out early.

Ji Qingyu looked at the empty hostel and pinched the horse whip.

Leng Song said, "Sir, the Crown Prince gave us that potent wine, perhaps hoping we would oversleep after drinking?"

That way, they wouldn’t be able to travel alongside the Crown Prince.

"He wouldn’t stoop to such tactics," Ji Qingyu said indifferently.

The weather was cold now, and since he and his companion both suffered from a cold disease, it was true that he wanted them to drink the wine to warm up.

Besides, Ye Yiheng hadn’t forced them to finish it; they drank it all because they found it delicious.

--

On November 29th, after half a month of hasty travel, Ye Yiheng and Leng Yu Yan’s group arrived at the capital.

As they entered through the city gates, they saw the city engulfed in stark solemnity.

The usual calls of street vendors were absent, many pubs and tea houses were closed, and pedestrians were eerily quiet as they walked.

The group headed straight for the Imperial Palace.

Near the Imperial Palace, turning east would lead to the Eastern Palace. Ye Yiheng had been planning to head there first when someone intercepted them halfway.

It turned out that a group of Princes was waiting for the Crown Prince.

"Please, Crown Prince, Sixth Brother, proceed to the palace first!"

"Crown Prince, Sixth Brother, enter the palace to mourn!"

Ye Yiheng stepped out of the horse carriage, "I need to return to the Eastern Palace first."

The Third Prince, Ye Gaoyun, bowed his hands, "Crown Prince, Sixth Brother, the Imperial Grandmother is our grandmother. Even though it’s been a tough journey back, it’s only right to go to her first in both emotions and principles!"

His words made sense, and Ye Yiheng’s group first headed for the Imperial Palace.

White cloths and mourning banners hung everywhere inside the palace, and the palace staff were all in plain white mourning attire.

Leng Yu Yan supported Ye Yiheng’s arm, followed by Mo Chen, Ruofeng, Liu Yun, Yin Shuang, Song Guo, Ling Lang, and Miao Zhu.

At the palace gate, the seven people following them were stopped.

Ye Gaoyun smiled, "As the Master enters the palace, you all wait here!"

Ye Yiheng replied calmly, "Third Brother seems to have forgotten, my sight is impaired, and I need someone by my side for assistance."

Ye Gaoyun smiled again, "Oh, if that’s the case, then let’s go together."

As they reached the open space in front of Xiande Hall, a little eunuch came out, "The Emperor has decreed that all princes first move to Xiande Hall!"

Reluctantly, the group proceeded to Xiande Hall.

Inside Xiande Hall, the Dragon Chair was empty, but Eunuch Ye stood beside it.

Leng Yu Yan looked around; usually, there were numerous palace maids and eunuchs standing stiff like wooden posts inside the hall, but now, none were present except for the Emperor’s personal eunuch, Eunuch Ye, standing on the high platform.

She tapped Ye Yiheng’s arm and lowered her voice, "Your Highness, I feel something odd about the atmosphere."

There was a presence of murderous intent!

"Don’t worry about me later," Ye Yiheng also sensed it.

Seeing Ye Yiheng’s arrival, Eunuch Ye unfolded the imperial decree and screeched, "Ye Yiheng, heed the decree!"

Ye Yiheng lifted his robe and knelt down, and those by his side also knelt.

Eunuch Ye read the decree: "The Sixth Prince, Ye Yiheng, being blind, frail and lacking in virtue, is unfit for the substantial role of Crown Prince and is hereby dethroned!"

What?

Before even conveying condolences at the Empress Dowager’s wake, the first thing that awaited was a decree stripping him of his title as Crown Prince.

Leng Yu Yan stood up and helped Ye Yiheng up, calling out with concern, "Your Highness..."

Ye Yiheng patted her hand and spoke softly, "It’s alright, this day was bound to come."

"But how can they accuse me of lacking in virtue?" Ye Yiheng loudly questioned Eunuch Ye on the high platform.