Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1069 - 117: Prince Zheng’s Evidence of Guilt (Part 2)
Previously on Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne...
The emperor displayed remarkable patience, turning the pages deliberately one after another. Yet, for the ministers prostrated below, it amounted to the most ruthless torment imaginable.
Each of them remained knelt on the floor, foreheads pressed to the icy ground, bodies shaking uncontrollably.
To those ministers on their knees, every single breath dragged on forever. They lost track of the endless time until a resounding "bang" echoed as the emperor slammed shut the ledger he held. Their hearts clenched violently in that moment.
Rising to his feet, the emperor stepped forward and cast a look at the ministers below. With a light chuckle, he remarked, "Ha! You lot truly astonish me."
It’s finished—this tone from the emperor... The ministers sensed their scalps tingling, every hair rising in terror.
"You possess genuine talent, venturing to Annan for trade and chaos, whipping up such a storm." The emperor spoke with a mocking grin, "Isn’t Great Zhou providing for you? Must you head to Annan for profit? Or have I wronged you by withholding your allowances?"
Trembling in dread, the ministers on the ground pleaded, "We deserve to die ten thousand times!"
"Clever at finding gaps, aren’t you? Great Zhou bars officials from business, so off to Annan you go." The emperor continued smiling, "Very well, then I’ll dispatch you to Annan."
Those words struck the ministers’ ears like a sentence of exile.
"Mercy, Your Majesty! Mercy, Your Majesty! Mercy, Your Majesty!"
"You’re innocent; it’s my failing—I’ve failed to keep you in Great Zhou." The emperor sneered, "I can’t even hold you here in my realm."
"We deserve death ten thousand times; please forgive us!" The emperor’s words only heightened the ministers’ terror. Many now wept openly in fright.
"Prince Zheng."
At the emperor’s summons, Prince Zheng shuddered even more violently.
"Fa... Fa-Fa-Father..."
"You’ve got real ability." The emperor’s voice chilled abruptly, "Slaughtering innocents, kidnapping women, discarding lives like grass, grabbing lands, plundering possessions..." A dark cloud gathered on the emperor’s features as he continued, "What an exemplary son you are!"
"Fa..." Prince Zheng’s fear choked off his speech entirely.
Approaching Prince Zheng, the emperor delivered a kick that sent him crashing into the wall.
A heavy thud rang out as Prince Zheng collided with the wall, emitting a groan of agony.
The sight left the ministers petrified with horror.
Years of debauchery had sapped Prince Zheng’s strength; he failed to care for himself. The emperor’s strike floored him, and he lay motionless for a long while.
The emperor advanced and unleashed several more kicks.
Prince Zheng’s anguished wails filled Zichen Hall, making every civil and military official flinch.
Clutching the emperor’s leg, Prince Zheng sprawled on the floor, sobbing, "Spare me, Father! Spare me, Father! Spare me, Father!"
"When you tormented those folks to their deaths, did you show them mercy?" Yet another kick from the emperor left Prince Zheng shriveled like a prawn. "You vile creature, delighting in the kill!"
"Ah! Ah! Ah..." Prince Zheng’s screams turned more piteous by the moment.
None of the civil or military officials dared beg mercy for Prince Zheng or intervene with the emperor.
The emperor took care not to beat Prince Zheng fatally.
In the end, Prince Zheng’s face became a bloody mess from the assault.
Prince Jing avoided glancing at Prince Zheng’s pitiful condition. Those shrill cries chilled him to the bone. They’d defied their father since youth and endured beatings before, but never such ferocity.
Prince Wei secretly rejoiced. He’d have joined in with kicks himself if he could.
The thrashing caused Prince Zheng to faint.
"Sun Kui, douse this beast with water to rouse him."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
With Prince Zheng out cold, the emperor’s refusal to relent amplified the ministers’ dread.
Fetching a basin of icy water, Sun Kui hurled it onto Prince Zheng’s face. Soon, Prince Zheng stirred from unconsciousness. The emperor halted his kicks.
Moving to Duke Anyang, the emperor fixed him with a frosty stare.
Under the emperor’s piercing cold gaze, Duke Anyang’s frame went rigid against his will. Words stuck in his throat.
Shifting his eyes away, the emperor addressed the Court Martial, "Probe the charges against Prince Zheng; report in three days. Upon confirmation, punish per the law."
The Court Martial replied swiftly, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Princess of Annan, justice shall be yours."
Princess of Annan: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Probe Duke Anyang, Marquis Xuanping, Duke Zhen, and the rest too." The emperor eyed the other ministers, "Include all named earlier by Princess of Annan, with Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu’s aid."
Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Probe Prince Han’s backing of Prince Zheng."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Haul this beast off first and toss him in Heavenly Prison." The emperor tacked on, "Keep him alive for now."
Those parting words sent tremors through the spines of all officials.
Eyeing the ministers huddled like frightened birds, the emperor forced a grin, "You’ve shocked me so much; it’d be remiss not to return the favor properly."
Heads bowed low, the civil and military officials chorused, "We’re guilty; plead Your Majesty’s mercy!"
Without another word, the emperor spun and departed Zichen Hall.
Sun Kui called out hastily, "Court dismissed!"
Not one kneeling minister stirred. Terror had numbed their legs, sapping all power from their limbs.
Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu rose first, then exited Zichen Hall steadily.
Moments later, Prince Jing hauled himself up. His limbs still quivered, nearly toppling him.
No sooner had he stood than Sun Doudou appeared with two eunuchs, wiping away Prince Zheng’s bloodstains.
The sight of Prince Zheng’s blood puddle, paired with the emperor’s order to preserve his life for now, froze Prince Jing in dread.
Leaning on one another, the ministers stumbled from Zichen Hall, several tumbling down right outside.
The father and son from Duke Anyang Mansion scarcely recalled exiting the palace; awareness returned only in their homebound carriage.
"Father, we’re doomed." The Princely Heir of Duke Anyang Mansion voiced utter hopelessness.
Pretending composure, Duke Anyang replied, "We’re not done yet; hope lingers."
"Father, setting aside the rest, merely forging weapons in Annan is a capital offense; the emperor won’t let us off."
"A path must exist." Battling his own alarm, Duke Anyang clung to calm. "Others like Duke Zhen Country Mansion and Marquis Xuanping’s Mansion did the same in Annan. Plus, we never imported the weapons to Great Zhou—it’s no treason. Execution won’t follow."
"Father’s right; we made weapons to sell in Annan, not for Great Zhou, so no treason charge sticks."
"The dukedom may fall, but the Wang Family can endure." Duke Anyang knew they’d survive by a thread but lose much.
"Saving the Wang Family is enough." Relief washed over Duke Anyang Mansion’s Princely Heir, "Prince Zheng seems beyond rescue."
"If he’s unsavable, so be it." Duke Anyang had abandoned Prince Zheng entirely.
"Father, given the emperor’s fury back there, might he execute Prince Zheng?"
"A tiger spares its young; the emperor will strip Prince Zheng’s status, jail him, but preserve his life."
"Can it truly be?" The Princely Heir of Duke Anyang Mansion remembered the emperor’s savage kicks in Zichen Hall and doubted mercy. "I worry the emperor will slay Prince Zheng."