The great hall finally grew quiet.
Ji Hong's ragged breaths, fueled by rage, echoed in their ears. The ministers lowered their heads even further.
Liu Wanjun had previously felt he shouldn't have attended court today, that he should have remained ill, but now he felt that standing in this court today, the time and opportunity were right. If he were outside the court, at his residence, he would likely be unable to rest or eat.
He wondered what chaos had befallen the capital now. What concerned him most was not the path he, the Liu family, or the Prince's mansion would take, but the worry that juniors like Liu Cheng and Wang Qiancheng, unable to grasp the reasons behind today's turmoil, might make some untimely or even erroneous moves. For now, it was better to remain still than to act. Having navigated officialdom for many years, he found it hard to understand the current ebb and flow, which was truly strange!
The ministers held papers in their hands. The seemingly light sheets now weighed as much as a ton, suffocating them.
Tang Mingyi's blood had not yet completely cooled, seeping through the cracks in the wooden planks of the hall to the officials' feet. The strong smell of blood served as a constant reminder that serving the emperor was like walking with a tiger, where life and death were unpredictable.
"Lin Yuyin!"
Ji Hong took a breath and directly ordered, "These individuals have committed heinous crimes. Execute them publicly!"
"Yes!"
Lin Yuyin shuddered, accepting the order with a loud, unhesitating voice.
"Your Majesty, this..." someone from the Censorate spoke again, but upon meeting Ji Hong's殺氣騰騰 (shā qì téng téng - murderous gaze), the words "against the rules" failed to leave his lips. He feared that as soon as his words fell, his own head would follow.
"Execute them!"
"Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
As the blades descended, these ministers, who had always spoken of justice and the common people, showed no trace of the integrity of an official. Even worse, some, terrified of death, soiled themselves.
The stench of blood mixed with the foul odor, making the air in the hall thick and turbid. The oppressive atmosphere intensified, making everyone want to vomit.
Heads rolled to the ground, some rolling to Liu Wanjun's feet. Liu Wanjun took a step back.
Wang Langji had expected the elder Liu to at least show some sorrow, a sense of "when the birds are gone, the good bow is put away." But Liu Wanjun's step back was too smooth, as if his soles had been greased. Even Wang Langji, watching his colleague's fresh head roll to his feet, felt an indescribable fear, yet Elder Liu remained as calm as if he had lost the capacity for fear.
His unruffled demeanor was admirable.
Of course, if there was anyone in this court who could match Liu Wanjun, it would be Ji Jinmo.
Liu Wanjun's composure was one of self-preservation, while Ji Jinmo's was a profound self-assurance.
It seemed the Emperor and the Prince had both forgotten that the splashing blood would soak the papers, thereby destroying the evidence. One sat on the high dragon throne, his murderous gaze fixed on all the officials, while the other stood tall in the court, indifferently stroking the jade pendant at his waist.
Only after Lin Yuyin completed his task and retreated to the side.
Ji Hong pressed his throbbing temples. After the outburst of anger, his voice carried a hint of hoarseness. His gaze swept over everyone, and he slowly said, "The crimes committed by these individuals implicate their nine generations. I shall execute their nine generations. Do any of you have an opinion?"
His emotions had calmed, and no emphasis could be detected. He spoke as if discussing the weather with his officials, yet the malice hidden beneath this calm was laid bare before them. Ji Hong, sitting on the throne, at that moment, appeared to the officials like a monstrous beast from the abyss, ready to devour, its vast, blood-dripping maw open, waiting for prey to stumble in.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
The ministers dared not answer yes or no, only shouting "Your Majesty is wise!"
Since Ji Hong ascended the throne, this was the first time the officials, fearing his might, dared not utter a single word of dissent.
Then followed an endless silence.
Everyone whose name had been written on the paper wondered what their fate would be.
Exile? Or confiscation of property and ruin of the ancestral lineage?
Ji Hong waved his hand wearily. He did not look at the blood-soaked papers, nor did he address the consumed evidence. He merely pointed at the heads on the ground and warned the officials, "If you still have no reverence for the law, then their current fate is your future!"
"Court dismissed!"
Ji Hong flicked his sleeve and rose to leave!
The crowd watched the Emperor's retreating back, momentarily stunned, followed by a surge of elation.
They had survived! They had survived!
His Majesty had punished the unforgivable and the utterly wicked, and had spared them.
Only then did everyone realize that the papers on the ground had long been soaked and consumed by blood. The ink had bled into a blob, rendering it impossible to discern any details.
All evidence of guilt had been reduced to ashes, leaving no trace!
The officials helped each other up.
Ji Jinmo looked at everyone and let out a cold smile, leaving behind only a single sentence: "See to yourselves!" before striding away.
The others remained silent!
Wang Langji helped Liu Wanjun down the steps. Elder Liu's legs were still nimble, but his own legs felt weak, and he could barely keep up with Liu Wanjun's pace. Every official who walked out of the great hall alive had trembling legs. As for those officials whose crimes had been exposed to His Majesty, their entire bodies were weak, as if boneless. The cold sweat that drenched them, touched by the wind, turned into frost. With every step, their joints made a sound like grinding ice.
The officials, regaining their senses, suddenly realized that today's events were not solely the work of His Majesty, but a joint effort between His Majesty and the Prince.
News came from outside the palace that during the time the court was sealed, riots had erupted in the capital. Countless desperate individuals had crawled out of the black market and onto the streets, attacking anyone they saw. However, as soon as the riots began, they were brutally suppressed by the Qingli Bureau, the Patrol Battalion, the Imperial Guards... and the Demon Hunt Army.
The Demon Hunt Army, which was supposed to march towards the imperial city, suddenly changed course midway and attacked the Ministry of Justice, annihilating a group of rioters who attempted to break into the prison to assassinate Wang Xun.
The riots lasted only for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. No citizens of the capital died, at most some were seriously injured. Doctors from Tongji Pharmacy rushed to the scene to treat the wounded. This grand riot was like a fuse that was lit only to be extinguished immediately.
Through this fuse, a string of culprits was pulled out, from the lowly black market thugs to the noble third-rank officials.
From top to bottom, they were uprooted.
This grand play, which had gradually begun with the mist rising from Changming Mountain, had now concluded.
Huyan Jue's head was thrown into the post station.
The head appeared without any warning. Just as the Da Li envoys were cursing Yu Chengxuan for being a cowardly wretch unworthy of bearing the royal surname, Huyan Jue's head delivered a resounding slap to their faces, leaving them dizzy and filled with dread.
If they hadn't heeded the seventh prince's advice and fled during the chaos, their own heads would have been rolling on the ground!