Emperor Wen cast a cold gaze at Yang Ji. "If I do not execute the Sixth Prince today, you said you would dash your head against the pillars of this Great Hall until you died! Those were your words, were they not?"
Yang Ji trembled violently, answering with a stammer, "Yes..."
"Good!"
Emperor Wen nodded slightly and then asked in a loud voice, "Does everyone present believe that the Sixth Prince deserves to die?"
The courtiers were momentarily stunned, then began to speak one after another.
"The Sixth Highness exposed the poison plot of Beihuan and rendered a great service to Da Qian. He must not be executed!"
"He cannot be killed!"
"The Sixth Highness absolutely did not collude with the enemy. He must not be killed!"
"Not only should he not be killed, he should be rewarded..."
In an instant, voices rose from all around. Even Yun Li and Xu Shifu, who wished nothing more than to tear Yun Zheng to pieces, dared not utter a word suggesting Yun Zheng should be killed at this moment.
"You see? The entire court agrees that the Sixth Prince should not be killed!"
Emperor Wen looked at Yang Ji and gave a light wave of his hand. "I grant your request. You may go ahead and dash your head now."
***
Boom!
As the Emperor’s words fell, everyone present was gripped by terror. Was the Emperor actually going to force Yang Ji to kill himself right there in the Great Hall? Those with sharp eyes already realized that the Emperor was using this as an example to warn the rest of the court.
"Your Majesty, I was also unaware of the truth!" Yang Ji’s face was a mask of panic as he kept kowtowing and begging. "Your Majesty, spare me! Please, spare me..."
"A gentleman must be true to his word!" A cold light flickered in Emperor Wen’s eyes as he said in a low voice, "I am currently giving you the opportunity to leave behind a reputation for honest remonstrance through death. If the executioner's blade must be brought to you, you will be nothing but a treacherous minister!"
Hearing this, Yang Ji’s face turned deathly pale. He cast a frantic look of desperation toward Xu Shifu and Yun Li. But neither man was a fool; knowing the Emperor was making an example of him, how could they possibly stand up to plead for Yang Ji? The two of them chose to pretend they saw nothing, keeping their gazes fixed on the floor.
Yang Ji continued to beg, but unfortunately, Emperor Wen’s heart was set. Among the gathered civil and military officials, no one dared to speak up for him. In the end, Yang Ji had no choice but to lunge headfirst toward a pillar in the Great Hall, leaving his head broken and bloodied.
A heavy scent of blood instantly filled the hall. Emperor Wen did not order the hall to be cleaned. Instead, he handed the letter he had been holding to Mu Shun and growled, "Read the contents of this letter aloud for me!"
Mu Shun dared not delay. He carefully took the letter and read it out in a loud voice.
The content of the letter was simple. It was nothing more than an analysis of the pros and cons, explaining the reasons why Yun Zheng must die. It even went so far as to detail a strategy for dealing with Yun Zheng and urged Ban Bu to cooperate.
When Mu Shun finished reading, Emperor Wen could not help but sigh with emotion. "Our Da Qian has talented people indeed! To set such a dead-end trap—it is truly exquisite!"
Although Emperor Wen was offering praise, everyone knew that he was absolutely livid.
"Sixth Prince, do you have anything to say?" Emperor Wen suddenly turned to ask Yun Zheng.
"Ah?" Yun Zheng was slightly taken aback, then gave a bitter smile. "To think someone would collude with the people of Beihuan to deal with this son... I am deeply honored."
"You certainly should feel honored," Emperor Wen nodded slightly. "There are quite a few people trying to deal with you!"
"Ah?" Yun Zheng feigned confusion as he looked at the Emperor, though he was laughing hysterically inside. It seemed the Emperor had indeed received the rumors he had instructed Ye Zi to spread.
"You may not know this, but the Imperial City is quite lively these days." Emperor Wen swept his gaze over the officials. "Starting yesterday morning, there have been rumors in the city claiming that the Sixth Prince is a remnant of the Crown Prince’s faction, that he has been biding his time all these years, and that he went to Shuobei for the sole purpose of seizing military power to plot a rebellion..."
As the Emperor’s words fell, the court erupted in an uproar. Yun Zheng had only just helped the Emperor and Da Qian save face the night before last, and had nominally recovered Da Qian’s lost territory through a wager—yet, by yesterday morning, such rumors were already circulating? How much did they despise the Sixth Prince for stealing the spotlight?
Yun Li glared furiously at the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Princes. *Those idiots!* How could they spread such moronic rumors? This wasn't harming the Sixth Prince at all; it was clearly helping him! No wonder his Imperial Father had only been angry but hadn't punished the Sixth Prince upon learning of his alleged collusion. He had known all along that someone was framing him! *Those three fools!* If they hadn't tried to be "clever," the Emperor might have thrown the Sixth Prince into the dungeon the moment he heard the reports! None of this would have happened! It was clearly these three fools who ruined his plans!
Meeting Yun Li’s gaze, the Second Prince and the others were equally furious. *That bastard, the Third Prince!* He was trying to smear them! This was clearly something he had arranged himself! How dare he glare at them with those bulging eyes? He was certainly putting on a good act!
"Imperial Father, these rumors were likely spread by the Third Brother!" The Second Prince struck first, stepping forward to point directly at Yun Li.
"Bullshit!" Yun Li roared in anger. "This was certainly spread by you! You want to frame it on me to kill both me and the Sixth Brother? What a clever plot to kill two birds with one stone!"
"Third Brother, don't you dare spout such venom!" The Second Prince was furious. "Before the banquet the night before last, you said in public that you would send the Sixth Brother on his way personally! So many people heard you! Do you still want to deny it?"
"Exactly!" Yun Ting stepped forward, snorting coldly. "Not only can we bear witness, but many court officials can as well! The Sixth Brother was so frightened by you that he nearly asked Imperial Father to grant him a cup of poisoned wine!"
"Imperial Father, I can also bear witness!" the Fifth Prince added loudly. "The entire court knows that the Sixth Brother kicked the Third Brother where it hurts; the Third Brother is definitely trying to take revenge! In my opinion, the one who colluded with the Beihuan delegation to frame the Sixth Brother is also the Third Brother!"
"Right!" Yun Ting nodded heavily. "We have no grudge against the Sixth Brother, so why would we ever frame him?"
Yun Li was incensed, pointing at the three of them and roaring, "Slander! This is pure slander..."
Under the watchful eyes of the court, the brothers began to tear into one another like dogs. Yun Li was outnumbered by the three of them and quickly lost the advantage in momentum. The three brothers grew more and more aggressive, dragging other officials in to testify about Yun Li’s vow to "send the Sixth Brother on his way." All three knew this was their chance to take down Yun Li. If they didn't finish him off, he would finish them. Once their strongest rival was removed, the three of them could slowly fight for the position of Crown Prince.
Watching them bicker, Yun Zheng couldn't help but laugh inwardly. *This is exactly the result I wanted!* Bite away, bite each other to death! As long as you are busy destroying each other, you won't have the energy to mess with me. Whoever kills whom, I’ll be happy!
Emperor Wen just watched the four of them argue, without the slightest intention of stopping them. Xu Shifu frantically signaled to Yun Li, but Yun Li, blinded by rage, couldn't see him. Xu Shifu paced back and forth, anxious but terrified to speak up.
"Someone, get them a cup of tea!" Finally, the Emperor spoke.
As his voice cut through the air, the four bickering brothers suddenly realized something was wrong. They glanced cautiously at the Emperor and, seeing his expressionless face, broke out into a cold sweat and immediately shut their mouths.
"This son has been unseemly in the hall. Please, Imperial Father, punish me!" Yun Li fell to his knees with a thud, bowing his head in fear. The Second Prince and the others followed suit, kneeling to beg for mercy.
"Are you finished arguing already? I was enjoying the show!" The Emperor asked in an unusually calm tone, not showing his usual rage.
The four didn't dare answer, keeping their heads buried in the floor.
"Alright, get up, all of you!" The Emperor’s mood seemed to have completely shifted, showing no sign of wanting to punish them. The more he acted this way, the more terrified they became; they didn't dare to stand.
"Get up! I still have things to say!" The Emperor urged them again. Hesitating, the four stood up trembling and began to retreat toward their usual positions.
"Stand there. Don't go back to your spots." The Emperor stopped them and slowly walked down toward the floor of the hall, chuckling as he addressed the officials. "I want to share something strange with you all! Yesterday afternoon, someone unearthed a stone statue in the south of the city. It supposedly bore a divine mandate from Heaven. Can you guess what it said?"
Facing the Emperor’s gaze, the officials felt a chill run down their spines; none dared to respond. They all knew the Emperor wasn't truly calm—the explosion was merely delayed. When it finally came, it would be like a thunderclap, likely rivaling the time he discovered the Crown Prince’s rebellion!
"Have none of you heard?" The Emperor scanned the crowd again. "Fine, I will tell you!"
As he spoke, he walked directly toward his four sons.
*Wham!*
The Emperor kicked the Second Prince to the ground, immediately followed by a kick to the Third, then the Fourth and the Fifth.
"Imperial Father, please calm your anger! We know our crimes!" The four were terrified, scrambling to get back on their knees.
"You know your crimes? None of you have crimes; it is I who am at fault!" The Emperor’s long-suppressed rage finally exploded. He kicked and stomped at his sons, roaring, "The Sixth Prince heads to the Northern Pass, and the entire court shall be buried on the mountain!"
"Why don't you tell me, where exactly do you plan on sending me and the entire civil and military court to be buried? Do I need to issue an order right now to change the location of the Imperial Tombs?!"
***
Emperor Wen had finally erupted, ignoring all royal decorum to rain blows upon his four sons in front of the entire court. The four were scared out of their wits; despite the agonizing pain, they dared not utter a sound.
The officials watched the scene in utter shock. No one had expected the Emperor to be this furious. But it was understandable. *The Sixth Prince heads to the Northern Pass, and the entire court shall be buried on the mountain!* These four princes had gone to such extreme lengths to harm their younger brother.
Yun Zheng kept his head buried, struggling to suppress a laugh. He hadn't expected the effect to be this grand. Come to think of it, he owed a debt of gratitude to the person who colluded with Beihuan to frame him! If not for this mess, the Emperor would never have been angry enough to physically assault his four sons in front of the court. He wasn't leaving them even a shred of dignity.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" Seeing the Emperor gasping for air, Mu Shun hurried forward to support him, his face full of panic. "Your Majesty, please look after your health!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Look after your health!" The officials snapped out of their daze and scrambled to their knees. Yun Zheng, speechless, had no choice but to kneel as well.
Having vented his fury, the Emperor felt slightly better. His anger still burned, however, and he roared, "The Sixth Prince had just gained a little spotlight and received a few rewards, and you couldn't wait to frame him? Tell me, exactly how has he blocked your paths?"
The four shook their heads frantically, terrified, but dared not speak.
"Today, in front of the entire court and the Sixth Prince, I will tell you directly: the Sixth Prince will never be named Crown Prince!" The Emperor roared, then shifted his eyes toward Yun Zheng. "Sixth Prince, do you have any objections?"
"None," Yun Zheng shook his head, saying earnestly, "This son has no talent in letters or martial arts, and only gained some small merits through luck. I would never dare covet the position of Crown Prince."
"Enough of this nonsense! It has nothing to do with whether you have talent or not!" The Emperor shot him an annoyed glare. "I am not afraid to tell you the truth: your mother’s background decides it. You cannot be the Crown Prince! You have no foundation whatsoever. If you were to inherit the throne, our Da Qian would certainly descend into internal chaos!"
The Emperor was genuinely incensed today and was laying all his cards on the table in front of his sons. At the same time, he was warning Yun Li and the others that Yun Zheng had no chance, so they should stop trying to kill him.
Yun Zheng feigned a look of despondence and nodded. "Although this son lacks great talent, I am not a fool. I understand this much."
"As long as you understand," the Emperor sighed softly. "This is destiny. Do not blame your Imperial Father."
"This son understands," Yun Zheng nodded again.
The Emperor nodded in satisfaction and looked at his still-kneeling sons. "Get up, all of you! Third Prince, you stay there! Kneel properly!"
Yun Li felt a jolt in his chest, breaking out in a cold sweat. Everyone stood up. The Second Prince and the others cast hateful glares at Yun Li, wishing they could strangle the bastard. He had tried to frame the Sixth Prince and ended up dragging them all into this disaster. *The man who harms others only to harm himself!* He deserved to keep kneeling!
"Do you know why I want you to keep kneeling?" The Emperor looked down at Yun Li.
Yun Li was filled with anxiety and fear, crying out in a trembling voice, "Imperial Father, I am innocent! I truly did not frame the Sixth Brother! The night before last, I even lent the Sixth Brother ten thousand taels of silver. We have already reconciled, how could I possibly..."
"I wasn't talking about that!" The Emperor exploded in rage, kicking Yun Li over again before turning his gaze to Yun Zheng.
Yun Zheng’s eyelid twitched; he was rendered speechless. *Why are you looking at me?! I’m the victim here, okay?* *Yes, yes, I am the victim!* Yun Zheng told himself righteously.
The Emperor withdrew his gaze, looked back at the kneeling Yun Li, and roared, "I am asking you—you clearly knew that the pension funds for the disabled and fallen soldiers of the Shuobei campaign had been embezzled. Why did you not report it?"
"What?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Wanchou stood up abruptly, eyes blazing with fire. "Your Majesty, is what you say true?"
"We shall discuss this matter later!" The Emperor signaled for Xiao Wanchou to return to his place, staring coldly at Yun Li. "During today’s court session, I gave you chance after chance, waiting for you to report this. Why did you not?"
*So that was it!* Yun Li felt a slight sense of relief. He hurriedly said with a trembling face, "This son knew that if I reported this, Imperial Father would be enraged. I wanted to wait until the Beihuan grain request was handled before reporting it, so as to avoid becoming a laughingstock to Beihuan."
"Is that so?" The Emperor’s expression softened slightly.
"This subject is guilty!" Xu Shifu hurriedly bowed to ask for mercy.
"You are indeed guilty!" The Emperor cast a cold glance at Xu Shifu, then returned to his throne with Mu Shun’s help. His face frosted over as he said, "Five years ago, I declared that those soldiers who bled and sacrificed for our Da Qian are heroes! Whoever dares to touch their pension funds, I dare to take their head!"
With that, the Emperor barked, "Xiao Wanchou, Yu Fu, hear my decree!"
Both men hurried forward.
"I order the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice to jointly investigate this case! Whoever has embezzled the pension funds of those soldiers, be they royal nobles, high officials, or petty clerks, shall be dealt with strictly according to the law!"
Hearing this, the court was terrified. A joint investigation by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice! The Emperor didn't trust the Ministry of Justice alone and was bringing in Xiao Wanchou to ensure it. Everyone knew Xiao Wanchou would show no mercy to those who stole from his soldiers.
After the two men accepted the decree, the Emperor said in a deep voice, "Minister of Revenue Xu Shifu, for knowing of this but failing to report it, your salary is suspended for one year! Third Prince Yun Li, you share the same crime—you are sentenced to kneel in the Imperial Ancestral Temple for three days!"
Neither dared to delay, quickly accepting the punishment.
Watching the livid Emperor, Yun Zheng couldn't help but nod slightly. His cheapskate father might not be a "great" sage king, but he wasn't a tyrant either. At the very least, he did well when it came to the soldiers who bled for Da Qian. It was just a pity that the punishment for Xu Shifu and Yun Li was a bit light.
Just as Yun Zheng was lost in thought, the Emperor’s eyes fell upon him. "Sixth Prince, you suspected your Third Brother of framing you, and that is why you deliberately used his head as a wager to frighten him?"
Yun Zheng scratched his head and gave an embarrassed laugh. "Yes!" It was so obvious that denying it would be pointless.
"Fine, I will give you a chance!" The Emperor took a deep breath. "I authorize you to slap your Third Brother twice in front of the entire court today!"
"Ah?" Yun Zheng was stunned, looking at the Emperor in disbelief.
"Imperial Father, it really wasn't me!" Yun Li pleaded, full of grievance.
"Shut up!" The Emperor barked at Yun Li, then glared at Yun Zheng. "What are you afraid of? I am authorizing you to slap him. Can he eat you?"
"Uh, this..." Yun Zheng gave a dry laugh. "Imperial Father, wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"There is nothing inappropriate about it!" The Emperor snapped. "I cannot stand your spineless attitude!"
"Imperial Father has misunderstood," Yun Zheng smiled sheepishly. "This son is frail and lacks strength in my hands; slapping Third Brother wouldn't even hurt him! How about... you let me kick his 'business' twice instead?"
***
Upon returning home, Yun Zheng received some good news: Du Guiyuan had arrived. He had brought two other brothers with him: Zuo Ren and Yu Shizhong. Both men had once been part of the Blood-Clad Army and were two of the few survivors who still possessed all their limbs. Learning that Du Guiyuan was heading back to Shuobei, they had decided to join him.
Yun Zheng naturally welcomed them with open arms. *Damn it, these were his original core team!*
"Since you're here, stay!" Yun Zheng laughed, then asked, "By the way, how are your skills? Why don't you two have a spar with Gao He and Zhou Mi?"
"As you command, Your Highness." The two had no issues with that. Gao He and Zhou Mi exchanged glances, secretly mourning their fate.
At Yun Zheng’s request, the four had a simple sparring match. The result: Gao He and Zhou Mi were thoroughly defeated.
"Excellent!" Yun Zheng clapped his hands and laughed. "I offended the Beihuan State Preceptor today, and the Duke of Yuguo warned me to be wary of Beihuan assassins. From now on, whenever I go out, the two of you will accompany me!"
"Understood!" Both agreed immediately.
Gao He and Zhou Mi, however, looked a bit dejected.
"Gao He, Zhou Mi!" Yun Zheng turned to look at them. "From now on, you two will be fully responsible for the security of the manor. You will also oversee the scheduling and training of the manor's guards."
"Yes!" The two accepted the order happily. At least the Sixth Highness hadn't sidelined them because of the arrival of Zuo Ren and Yu Shizhong.