Forensic Imperial Concubine

Seeing that Lucas was maintaining his silence, the officials didn't back off. They talked about many unreasonable things he had
done before, and it was funny for even Francis upon hearing all that. He wondered if the officials had nothing else to do in their
spare time other than to monitor Lucas. They could even remember when he had climbed to somebody's house wall and had
stolen two eggs!
Lucas was left with a long face. After hearing out the officials, he himself felt that he had committed some heinous crimes,
although the truth was contrary. He was not a murderer, or an arsonist, or a rapist. However, anyone hearing out those officials
would get tricked to believe that he was a savage who committed some unforgivable sins.
"Bah!" Lucas could not stand it any longer. He spat on an official who used the most ferocious words to demonize him, then
turned around and left arrogantly.
The embarrassed official froze and couldn't even respond. The rest of the officials had contorted faces. But later, they were glad
as Lucas didn't spit in their faces.
"Your Highness, look! Prince Lucas doesn't even know how to behave in the imperial court. He spat in my face!" the official
complained to Francis, without even wiping his face.
Francis raised his sleeve automatically to cover his face as he looked at the official who kept talking. No wonder Lucas couldn't
help but spit at him. The man got so emotional that his saliva was sprayed everywhere when he was speaking. Lucas might have
been unable to endure his saliva, and that would be the reason why he spat at him in return.
"Well, Lucas is always naughty and I am sure all of you are quite aware of that. His misdeeds were evident from the words you
just spoke about him, but now for the time being, let's keep that aside. The marriage for Lilian is decided. I will appoint Uncle
Matthew as the envoy for the peacemaking marriage, and Lucas will follow the team to the Great Jade Kingdom for the
discussion of the marriage."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"So, everything about the marriage has been decided. We had already decided about this marriage much earlier, but it was just
delayed due to my father's death. They will go ahead as per the decision as soon as possible," Francis declared.
"Your Highness, a country can't exist without an emperor. Prince Jason has no intention, and Prince Lucas can't bear the
relevant responsibility. Prince Wale is too young for this humongous task. So you must ascend the throne as soon as possible."
Some courtiers brought up the matter again. In the past, Jason hadn't revealed his intention, which led to the conflicts between

two factions. Now that Jason voluntarily made his withdrawal, and Lucas was never a serious contender, the remaining natural
choice qualified to ascend the throne was Francis alone.
Francis didn't answer immediately. Neither did Zack say anything. They both just remained silent. Right from the beginning,
Matthew didn't express his opinion. In other words, he was not in favor of Francis' ascension of the throne. Then who on earth
was Matthew's choice?
"I am badly ill and may die at any time, so I am not a good choice. I request everyone to forget about it. Now the Cabinet
supports in managing the state affairs, and the army has the command of Uncle Matthew and General Maxwell. There will be no
worry for the imperial court in any matters. Let's take up this matter when there is an appropriate person available," Francis
announced.
"Your Highness, you are the most suitable candidate in the current situation!" The official tried to pressurize Francis once again.
Francis stood up and went straight out. "I said we'll talk about it later. You don't need to be worried about it."
"Your Highness... Your Highness..."
When the courtiers saw that Francis didn't comply with their requests, they looked at one another in dismay and didn't know what
to do. "What should we do? The country can't exist without an emperor. Such a country is surely heading for its doom. Prince
Francis is in good health now, but how can he refuse to be the emperor?"
"Who knows? Maybe His Highness has his own plan for the country." Zack evaded the crucial point and threw the question away.
Then he too walked out of the hall. A cold light flashed across Maxwell's eyes. Since the emperor was dead, it was no more
necessary to keep the person in his mansion.
After coming out of the Golden Hall, Francis went straight to visit Sherry. She was still a concubine in the Imperial Palace. Even
though the courtiers had made multiple requests, the late emperor didn't make Sherry the new empress.
"Good day, Mother."
"Francis." Sherry was reading a collection of poems. As soon as she saw Francis, she put it down and asked, "Now that your
father was buried, when will you...?"
"Mother, my father left a will, but I haven't found it yet." Sherry was shocked to hear it. The late emperor had left a will? Who had
he given it to?

Sherry calmed herself down and asked, "Is it possible that he has handed it over to one of the senior officials?"
"No way!" Francis shook his head. "Every time he received a high ranking official, he was accompanied by someone. It was
impossible for him to give his will to any official. The only possibility is..."
Francis recalled that on the day the emperor passed away, Lucas had entered the Tranquil Hall alone, and a moment later, he
had been kicked out and the emperor had hit his head. If the emperor were to give the will to someone, it would most likely be
Lucas!
"Who is it?"
"Lucas. He was the only person who visited Father in private. Even though their meeting lasted only for a few minutes, there was
enough time for Father to give him the will." Francis realized that he had been too careless, so he planned to send Lucas away
to the Great Jade Kingdom. He wanted to know if Lucas really had the will!
"Can we just...?" Sherry made a gesture of cutting her throat. If Lucas was killed, no matter if there was a will, it would be totally
useless.
"Then I will be ascending the throne illegally!" Francis shook his head. "Don't worry, Mother. I have a plan. He will never return
from the Great Jade Kingdom."