The succession assembly began soon.
The royal palace was exceptionally crowded that day, but unlike the previous liveliness, everyone maintained a silent, tacit understanding.
Even the attendants moved with extreme quiet, as if afraid of making a sound.
The entire grand hall was engulfed in an unnerving silence.
Shen Qingqing and Fu Jingshu descended the stairs and found the scene peculiar, yet they understood. After all, today was the day Pei Xi would ascend the throne.
He himself was full of vigor and pride.
The King was accompanied by the Queen, with his four sons behind them. Pei Xi, the youngest, walked at the very front.
The other three princes followed.
Witnessing this arrangement, everyone felt that the outcome of the succession assembly was likely unchangeable.
Why did the King favor Pei Xi so much?
No one knew the answer.
The King truly doted on Pei Xi, taking him everywhere he went – a privilege once reserved for his other three sons.
Pei Xi, tall and handsome today, wore a smile, exuding an aura of noble grace.
The King spoke first, reiterating that Pei Xi was his favorite, most cherished, and most promising son.
The crowd gasped, instinctively looking at the other three princes.
They appeared expressionless, as if completely unbothered by the King's favoritism.
However, the ministers knew better.
How could they not have opinions? After all, they were once the King's favorites.
But since the three princes remained silent, the other ministers naturally would not speak up, as no one wished to offend.
Pei Xi's brilliance shone too brightly; everyone strategically avoided his radiance, leaving him in the spotlight.
He was on the verge of becoming King.
He himself couldn't help but feel a sense of elation, glancing at Shen Qingqing and the others, his triumph and joy almost unconcealed in his eyes.
After all, once he occupied that position, he would truly have no worries.
"Wait a moment!"
Just as the King was about to place the crown, symbolizing the heir apparent, on Pei Xi's head, a cold voice suddenly cut through the air.
Everyone turned to see Pei Lie.
The King turned to him, his smile still present, but he lowered his voice to warn, "Pei Lie, do not cause trouble on this occasion."
Pei Lie's lips twitched, but there was no mirth in his expression. "Father, are you so afraid of what I am about to say?"
"Afraid of what?"
The King found him inexplicable and ill-behaved.
What kind of occasion was this?
Was it a time for him to be unruly?
Pei Lie ignored him. His father's favoritism was nothing new. He turned to look at Pei Xi, whose face was beaming.
"Do you think you are fit to be the heir apparent?"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall instantly turned to dead silence.
No one had expected Pei Lie to be so audacious as to openly challenge him. The words were subtle, but everyone understood their implication.
The unspoken subtext was: Are you worthy!
The remark was not particularly damaging, but extremely insulting. Everyone was curious about Pei Xi's reaction.
Pei Xi's smile gradually faded, replaced by a cold indifference. "Eldest Brother, I know you dislike me, but this is not the time for you to act out. Doing so not only embarrasses me but also disgraces Father."
The King's face turned ashen, his anger reaching its boiling point. "Pei Lie!"
His remaining reason urged him to spare his son some dignity, otherwise, he would have Pei Lie apprehended on the spot!
Pei Lie completely disregarded the King and fixed his gaze on Pei Xi. "From childhood, I have received much education and guidance from teachers, ministers, Mother, and Father. Everyone has told me that whether to be King or a prince, I bear the responsibility of this nation on my shoulders. I must protect this country."
"I must protect the people of this country. I cannot harbor malicious intentions, I cannot be unjust, I cannot employ cruel methods, and most importantly, I cannot harm the innocent."
He spoke these words with unwavering conviction, recalling the teachings of his mentors.
The crowd nodded in agreement.
This was the kind of education an heir apparent should receive.
Pei Xi slightly lowered his gaze, acknowledging this as his weakness. "I truly did not receive such formal education, but that is not my fault."
The King nodded. "This is not Pei Xi's fault. Besides, receiving education does not guarantee one can fulfill the duties of this position."
Pei Lie let out a cold laugh, utterly despairing of his father's unwavering favoritism. He turned to Wu Lao and Sun Lao.
"Elder Wu, Elder Sun, please come forward."
The two elders slowly stepped forward. "We went to the island before. Upon our return, we were poisoned. Pei Xi administered it, threatening to unleash the poison if we did not comply. I, an old man, feared death and so, against my conscience, supported him..."
The crowd was aghast.
Pei Lie did not give them time to process and dropped another bombshell. "Almost everyone who went to the island was poisoned, and all of it was orchestrated by Pei Xi. His objective was to win over the various prominent families, making them his subordinates."
Pei Xi sneered. "Nonsense."
"Whether it is nonsense, the two elders can testify for me," Pei Lie reminded them. "Everyone, please do not forget, the two elders initially supported Pei Xi."
The crowd suddenly understood.
No wonder they felt something was amiss from the beginning. The two elders were always stubborn and pedantic, and they had always sided with the Third Prince.
Their sudden support for Pei Xi was indeed peculiar.
The King was utterly shocked, his face a mask of displeasure. "Poisoned? Why did you not inform me earlier?"
The two elders exchanged a look and offered bitter smiles.
"Your Majesty, if we had spoken up, would we still be alive now?"
The King finally understood and looked towards Pei Xi, only to see him staring intently at Shen Qingqing, making no attempt to deny or explain.
Did this mean… he admitted it?
He felt as if struck by lightning.
"Pei Xi, you truly..." the King asked with difficulty, "You truly did such a thing? You poisoned them?"
"You did it, didn't you?"
Pei Xi asked a seemingly unconnected question, his gaze still fixed on Shen Qingqing, only a hint of crimson appearing at the corners of his eyes.
Evidently, he was not as outwardly calm as he appeared.
Shen Qingqing readily admitted, "Yes."
"When?"
Pei Xi couldn't comprehend it. To prevent Shen Qingqing and the old man from detoxifying everyone, he had made a plan, imprisoning them, and later, out of concern, even sending them to the royal palace.
Right under his nose!
When did it happen? How was it accomplished?
He had been completely unaware!
Shen Qingqing raised a bright, radiant smile. "Pei Xi, you think too highly of me and too little of the old man."
So it was him!
Pei Xi finally understood.
Yet, he remained puzzled. "The old man never takes the initiative to save people."
He had separated Shen Qingqing and the old man for this very reason. Shen Qingqing would save those people, but the old man would not.
He was inherently indifferent and would never offer assistance to strangers.
Without Shen Qingqing's persuasion, and with the old man imprisoned, even if he possessed immense skill, he wouldn't have been able to return to save them.