Ning Chen collected the Ninth Princess, met Eunuch Quan at the palace gate, and the three of them went on together to the Inspectorate's cells.

"Open the door!"

Ning Chen gave the jailer his order, and the door of the cell holding the deposed crown prince was opened.

The deposed crown prince looked at Ning Chen and the others in some bewilderment.

Ning Chen looked at him, sighed deeply and shook his head.

The deposed crown prince went white in the face. From the look on Ning Chen's face he knew his end had come.

Ning Chen said, "Are you ready?"

The deposed crown prince smiled bitterly and nodded slightly. "I knew this day would come sooner or later."

Ning Chen took the imperial edict and held it out to the deposed crown prince. "We won't read it out. Look at it yourself."

The deposed crown prince knelt to receive the edict, opened it, looked — and his expression froze on the spot.

This was the decree pardoning him.

The happiness had come too suddenly. It left him rigid from head to foot.

Ning Chen began to laugh, heh heh heh. "Well? Did I give you a fright?"

The deposed crown prince came back to himself, a little angry. Was that a thing to joke about?

But very soon he began to laugh along with them.

The happiest of all was the Ninth Princess.

"Wonderful! Brother doesn't have to die!"

"Congratulations, Eldest Prince!"

Eunuch Quan offered his good wishes, smiling.

The deposed crown prince knelt and knocked his head against the ground. "Your child has failed the grace of Father Emperor's rearing. Your child thanks Father Emperor for this great kindness!"

"Brother, get up, quickly!"

The Ninth Princess's face was full of happiness as she raised the deposed crown prince to his feet.

Eunuch Quan said, "Eldest Prince, let us go!"

The deposed crown prince's death sentence had been remitted, but the living punishment was not so easily escaped. He had to go and keep watch at the imperial tombs.

So the moment he was out of the Inspectorate's gate…