I, Am a Living Yama; Empress Advises Me to Stay Calm

It really wasn’t written by the Crown Prince. Then who could it be?
Li Shimin’s heart sank. With his wisdom, he quickly thought of the most likely suspects. He sighed inwardly, hoping it wasn’t as he feared.
After a brief silence, he said slowly, “Bring Prince Wei’s handwriting for comparison...”
As his words fell, the hall became deathly silent. Everyone exchanged glances, seeing the same complicated emotions reflected in one another’s eyes. In truth, they, too, had their suspicions about Prince Wei.
But no one dared to voice them.
Now, with Li Shimin personally ordering a comparison of Prince Wei’s handwriting, it was clear that he harbored doubts about Li Tai. The officials promptly responded and retrieved past memorials written by Prince Wei for verification. Li Tai frequently submitted reports to express his views, making it easy to find samples of his handwriting.
Moments later, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui’s expressions shifted slightly, a chill creeping into their hearts. Beside them, Wei Zheng studied the documents with a grave look.
“Indeed, the handwriting bears a strong resemblance to Prince Wei’s!”
“This ‘Crown Prince’s Order’ appears to have been written by him!”
A fleeting, indescribable sadness flashed through Li Shimin’s eyes. The last thread of hope in his heart snapped. His son—his own flesh and blood—had committed such an unforgivable act just to frame his elder brother.
He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he forced himself to hold onto a final shred of doubt.
“Are you certain?”
Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and the others, hearing the emperor’s grave tone, meticulously reexamined the handwriting. This concerned the imperial family—any conclusion had to be beyond question.
Li Shimin did not rush them, standing in patient silence.
After another careful comparison, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui exchanged a glance before Fang Xuanling respectfully reported,
“Your Majesty, after thorough verification, we find that the handwriting is ninety percent identical to the Crown Prince’s, yet there are subtle traces of Prince Wei’s style.
“It is highly probable that Prince Wei deliberately imitated the Crown Prince’s script to forge this order.”
Li Shimin took a deep breath, his gaze turning cold with fury.
“No wonder even Zhang Rui, the commander of the Eastern Palace, was unaware of why the Crown Prince’s order suddenly had him surround the estate. The Crown Prince was the one who suggested hunting with me in the first place…” His voice turned harsh. “I never expected Qingque to have orchestrated everything.”
“Truly, my good son,” he sneered, his voice dripping with irony. “So ruthless. So decisive.”
His grip tightened, veins bulging along his fists.
“If I hadn’t summoned Zhang Rui and questioned him directly, I might have been fooled into believing that the Crown Prince was plotting treason.”
“Good. Very good.” His words grew sharper. “You never even considered me, your emperor and father, in your schemes.”
“Such a rebellious son—what use do I have for him?” His expression darkened as his gaze fell on Fang Xuanling. “Fang Xuanling, deliver my order: imprison Prince Wei, Li Tai, in the Heavenly Prison!”
The court officials trembled.
With this decree, the emperor had effectively declared Prince Wei’s downfall.
Some exchanged wary glances, their expressions unreadable. However, Changsun Wuji remained composed. Stepping forward, he bowed respectfully.
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
…
Prince Wei’s Residence.
“Prince Wei, please come with us.”
A group of guards surrounded Li Tai, the leader speaking with a solemn tone.
Li Tai’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Come with you?” His voice rose, edged with fury. “You dare to arrest me? Who gave you such audacity?”
The leader lowered his head slightly. “It is His Majesty’s order.”
“What?” Li Tai’s pupils constricted. His face darkened as he forced himself to remain calm. “Father Emperor is imprisoning me? There must be a mistake. Move aside, all of you! I will see my father myself.”
The commander of the guards remained unfazed. “His Majesty did not summon you, Your Highness. He merely issued the decree for us to escort you to the Heavenly Prison. Please comply—do not make this difficult.”
Li Tai’s face turned ashen. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
What is going on? Wasn’t it the Crown Prince who plotted treason? How did I end up in prison instead?
…
News of Prince Wei’s imprisonment spread like wildfire, shaking the imperial court.
The revelation that the supposed “Crown Prince’s order to mobilize troops” was actually forged by Li Tai himself quickly reached the ears of those with sharp intelligence networks.
Panic gripped Prince Wei’s faction.
This was no minor offense. Even His Majesty had flown into a rage and directly ordered Li Tai’s incarceration, signaling his elimination from the competition for the throne.
If Prince Wei fell, what would become of his supporters?
…
A grand residence.
Had any imperial officials entered this estate, they would have been stunned. Familiar faces filled the room—ministers, vice ministers, high-ranking members from the Central Secretariat and the Department of State Affairs. These were men whom Prince Wei had carefully cultivated over the years.
The dim candlelight flickered, casting restless shadows over their uncertain expressions.
“If Prince Wei is removed, the Crown Prince’s position will be unshakable. And once he ascends the throne, how will we, who were once close to Prince Wei, escape retribution?”
“Indeed. The Crown Prince is known for his ruthless nature—he will show us no mercy.”
“Then what should we do now?”
The room buzzed with uneasy discussion until one voice broke through.
“What if we unite and petition for Prince Wei? Perhaps there is still a chance.”
Silence fell. Then, realization dawned in their eyes.
“Yes! His Majesty’s love for Prince Wei surpasses all others. He is only acting in anger right now. If we plead for Prince Wei, once he calms down, he will surely reconsider!”
“That makes sense. If it were any other prince, he would have been stripped of his title already. Prince Wei has only been imprisoned—His Majesty still harbors affection for him.”
“I believe this case has unresolved doubts. Can we truly conclude that Prince Wei is guilty just from handwriting alone? Perhaps another prince framed him.”
“Exactly! His Majesty is blinded by rage. Once he cools down, he will realize the inconsistencies. We must give him a way to backtrack.”
Their earlier despair gave way to renewed determination.
As long as the emperor still had feelings for Prince Wei, they still had a chance.
…
.
Li Shimin sat before a mountain of memorials, his brows deeply furrowed.
“Are all these petitions pleading for Prince Wei?”