Chapter Six: Was This Verdict Justifiable?

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Ren Ye stood with his foot on the footrest, his hands gripping the icy-cold armrests of the chair, forcibly suppressing the surge of emotions that nearly broke through his defenses. He resolved not to dwell on the original owner’s foolish actions any longer.

Calm.

The more desperate the situation, the more one must remain calm.

First of all, Ren Ye was unclear about the specific rules and intricate mechanisms of this "large-scale plot role-playing" star gate. But one thing was certain: he couldn’t afford to lose, nor could he be too passive. Huang Wei had said himself that in the continuous missions prior, four players had already died...

A single misstep meant an abyss of no return.

Secondly, his own identity as the worthless Marquis of Huai carried no weight or deterrent among the officials present. Even the guards at the door likely wouldn’t obey his commands. In other words, to safely survive this palace coup, he had to find a point of control—something he could command.

Which point could that be...

Ren Ye slowly scanned the great hall, finally fixing his gaze on Wang Jingzhong. After a moment’s contemplation, he imitated the tone of a deputy bureau chief from his original unit and asked, "You intend to rebel. Do you have anything to say?"

His unemotional voice echoed throughout the hall. Wang Jingzhong, battered and bruised, looked at Ren Ye with blurred eyes.

They locked eyes for a moment, and Ren Ye felt a slight relief.

His earlier question had been a test of this man’s character—whether he would betray him in this chamber. Wang Jingzhong’s gaze was resolute yet tinged with guilt.

At that moment, Wang Jingzhong’s mind conjured the meaning behind Ren Ye’s words. Kneeling on the ground, his wounds still aching faintly, he recalled the scenes of fighting alongside the late king in the southern border...

The white-haired Wang Jingzhong, shackled at wrists and ankles, frail and old, yet still struggled to straighten his body and cast his eyes toward the princess consort—Xu Qingzhao.

The princess, resplendent and aloof in her Taiji robe, radiated a transcendent aura. When Wang Jingzhong looked at her, her eyes remained calm as still water, as if everything here was irrelevant to her.

"I do have words to say," Wang Jingzhong’s sonorous voice rang through the hall.

Ren Ye frowned slightly. "What do you have to say?"

Kneeling with his neck held high, tears welled in Wang Jingzhong’s dim eyes. "I recall the fierce horses of the southern border, the exotic beauties; I remember drinking three cups of hot wine with the late king before leading troops into the enemy ranks, vowing not to return undefeated; I recall standing shoulder to shoulder with the late king on Qingliang Mountain, swearing to defend every inch of the Great Qian’s land! Now, the late king is gone, and I am old... my hands cannot wield a blade, my body cannot bear armor. How could I possibly make my young lord suffer?!"

His deafening shout reverberated throughout the hall.

Looking at the kneeling white-haired old man, Ren Ye suddenly felt an inexplicable pang of pity. He understood that Wang Jingzhong had misunderstood his intention.

"I shall die here, hoping my young lord will one day wield the Sword that Guards the Nation again!" Wang Jingzhong shouted, eyes closed.

Liu Jishan was the first to react, flailing his arms like a madman, shouting, "Stop him! That old fool seeks death!"

Outside the hall, the two columns of guards remained still. Some, hearing the meaning behind Wang Jingzhong’s words, couldn’t help but tear up.

"My lord enters the hall; this old servant salutes!" Wang Jingzhong straightened once more and bowed his head respectfully to the floor.

Crack!

At least seven or eight officials simultaneously reached out to restrain him, trying to pull his body back.

Thud!

His head slammed heavily down, cracking the stone floor. Blood, red and white, spilled instantly, spreading across the ground...

His aged body remained kneeling, but his skull shattered on impact, leaving only the warm blood flowing.

Trained in martial arts since youth and possessing enormous strength, if Wang Jingzhong truly sought death, no mere civil officials could stop him.

Silence descended once again over the great hall. The officials were stunned, utterly unprepared for Wang Jingzhong’s self-sacrifice. Did he not care for his family?

Ren Ye was equally shocked. He had not expected that a single question would lead the old general to crash his head against the floor.

What courage and loyalty!

What bond must he have shared with the previous Marquis of Huai!

In these brief moments, these few words...

Ren Ye, who had only just been concerned for his own safety, was inexplicably filled with uncontrollable anger and sorrow.

Is this truly a game? Every blade of grass, every brick and tile, every person and event in this world felt unbearably real.

The blood flowing from the old man’s shattered head still warmed the floor...

Liu Jishan’s eyes darkened as he stared at Wang Jingzhong’s corpse, hatred welling in his heart. He turned and shouted, "Your Highness, though Wang Jingzhong is dead, treason is a grave matter. He must have accomplices. I beg you, immediately arrest all his clan members and subject them to severe interrogation."

Ren Ye heard the cries and slowly returned to himself.

His cheeks cold, he glanced at Liu Jishan with eyes full of hatred.

"Please arrest Wang Jingzhong’s clan members and interrogate them harshly!"

More than forty officials bowed simultaneously, chanting in unison.

They were united in pressing the palace coup, seemingly intent on stripping the Marquis of his title today, trampling him underfoot, and ultimately ensuring his death.

"Investigating Wang Jingzhong’s accomplices will take time; this matter can be discussed later." At that moment, the princess consort leisurely set down her teacup, her voice clear and ethereal: "Since you all enjoy passing judgment, I too have a case for the Marquis to judge."

At her words, all the officials turned to her side, their expressions surprised once again.

Since marrying into the royal household, she had maintained an aloof, otherworldly demeanor and never spoken in the hall before. Her sudden interjection unsettled the officials.

The princess sat upright, her bright eyes sweeping over the officials, her delicate face calm as ever. "Xue’er, read."

At her command, a maid dressed in emerald green stepped forward from the side, her steps measured, approaching Liu Jishan.

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Liu Jishan’s gloomy eyes watched the maid, inexplicably growing weak inside.

Xue’er stopped two paces in front of Liu Jishan, then withdrew a folded petition from her left sleeve. Unfolding it, she recited with no emotion:

"Liu Quan Jishan, in the first year of Emperor Jing’s reign, June, accepted bribes from merchant Qin Guangyuan in Qingliang Town, facilitating repairs to the city walls of Qingliang Mansion, totaling 15,000 taels of silver. In July of the same year, Liu Quan colluded with southern border generals, selling military secrets about the location of granaries and supplies for 40,000 taels of silver, with witnesses among Liu’s attendants. In the second year of Emperor Jing’s reign, Liu met secretly with southern envoys in the capital..."

Xue’er read like an unfeeling machine, voice clear and bright, enumerating the charges with meticulous detail.

At first, Liu Jishan was dumbfounded, then drenched in sweat, and finally collapsed onto the ground, panic in his eyes as he begged the chief historian Li Yan, his face full of desperation.

The surrounding officials felt a chill; today, the princess consort had come armed with a knife.

After some time, Xue’er finished reading. Shaking all over, Liu Jishan knelt and shouted, "Princess, I am innocent! This is slander! Someone is framing me! It must be Wang Jingzhong’s accomplices; please, Your Highness and the princess..."

"The charges Xue’er read are all supported by witnesses and evidence." The princess, cool and aloof, slowly lifted a cup of clear tea and turned to Ren Ye, asking, "Marquis, how do you judge this case?"

Her single sentence made Ren Ye’s heart skip a beat.

What did she mean?

When Wang Jingzhong crashed his head in the hall, she hadn’t even blinked. Now that he was dead, she had her maid produce a list of charges, pointing the finger at the most vocal Liu Jishan?

What was she trying to do? Use him? Kill with a borrowed knife? Or fan the flames to deepen the conflict?

Ren Ye instinctively rubbed his thumb and forefinger, his mind racing...

"Your Highness, Liu Jishan is a high-ranking court official. Even if he has committed crimes, it should be handled by the three imperial departments in the capital."

"Your Highness, this matter must not be mishandled!"

Several officials, after careful consideration, stepped forward one by one, defending their comrade with verbal volleys.

Liu Jishan looked fearfully at the princess. "Your Highness, someone is framing me, this must be—"

"Treason and collusion with the enemy. If this reaches the emperor’s ears, who can save you?" The princess’s voice was soft but clear. "Xue’er has over twenty more petitions in her sleeve. Shall I have her read them all?"

The hall instantly fell silent.

"Marquis, can you judge this case?" Xu Qingzhao asked in a low voice, her eyes sharp with calculation as she looked at Ren Ye. "If not, shall we hand him over to the capital as they suggest?"

Ren Ye’s gaze remained calm as he looked back at her.

At that moment, the Qingliang Prefect gave a subtle signal to the other officials and winked at Ren Ye.

"Swish, swish..."

More than a dozen officials stepped forward, pointing directly at Ren Ye, shouting in turn:

"Your Highness, Liu Quan Jishan was appointed by the emperor himself. Life and death decisions must naturally be made in the capital."

"Your Highness, Qingliang’s situation is complex; there may be traitors framing Liu Jishan. If mishandled, once the emperor punishes, some lives may be at risk!" An old man in his sixties spoke with a sinister threat, staring at Ren Ye like a caged bird toying with its captor.

"Your Highness, Qingliang is rife with danger. We must be vigilant! The city has five thousand troops—if today’s matter spreads, the officials may riot. Who knows where blood will be spilled or where souls will be buried!"

These officials atop the hall were cunning beyond compare. They didn’t understand why the princess was stirring trouble today, nor whether she held evidence against other officials. No one wanted to challenge the prime minister’s legitimate daughter.

But they dared to target the Marquis of Huai and Zhu Zigu! His capable father was dead, no one in the Great Qian royal family claimed kinship with him, and he himself was utterly useless. Pressuring him was the surest way.

If he yielded, Liu Jishan would be safe.

From his throne, Ren Ye looked at these people, at Wang Jingzhong’s kneeling corpse, listening to their blatant threats, and suddenly recalled something.

When he first entered the detention center, as a former law enforcement officer, he was to be interrogated and detained in a different city. There he had no familiar colleagues, no friends or family to visit.

For six months of the trial period, three months were inhuman.

The wardens and bullies tormented him mercilessly, simply because his family sent no money. "You think you’re so great fighting fraud? I’ll make you scrub toilets, have violent inmates slap your face, and force you to work night shifts..."

At first, Ren Ye just wanted to serve his sentence quietly and get early release. But then he realized the depths of human cruelty were intolerable.

Pure kindness did not inspire repentance but contempt...

If he was in a good mood, maybe he wouldn’t beat you; if he missed his mother, he might slip you some food. But if he was in a bad mood tomorrow, that mercy disappeared instantly.

So after enduring three months, he understood one truth.

He fought within the prison for seven consecutive days, was locked in solitary twice, sent to the infirmary thrice, and once to the hospital. Then he was transferred, and thereafter no one dared to mess with him.

When people demand endlessly from you, you must make them pay the price!

You must never be plundered or oppressed without consequence.

"Swish!"

In an instant, Ren Ye stood up.

"Your Highness, if Liu Jishan is handed over to the capital for trial, then we may reconsider the Wang Jingzhong case..."

An official, seeing Ren Ye rise, thought he was about to yield and began retracting his words.

Thud, thud...

Ren Ye ignored him, took four steps down nine steps, and strode to the hall’s entrance. There he found a guard and drew a cold steel dagger from his waist.

As he moved, the princess did not lift her head, but when he drew the blade, a gleam flashed in her eyes.

The officials in the hall were dumbfounded to see Ren Ye draw a blade.

Thud, thud...

Urgent footsteps echoed as Ren Ye approached Liu Jishan.

On the floor, the collapsed Liu Jishan looked up, trembling all over. "Y-Your Highness...!"

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Ren Ye looked down at him, eyes cold as ice. "Did you hear the charges Xue’er read? You colluded with the southern border in the first year of Emperor Jing’s reign. If we dig deeper, it’ll uproot everything!"

Liu Jishan was stunned.

Ren Ye pointed the blade at him. "Listen carefully. If I cut you, you don’t move. One twitch, and with this evidence in hand, I’ll confiscate your entire family!"

"Your Highness...!" Chief Historian Li Yan, seeing this, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.

"Thunk!"

Ren Ye swung the dagger, slicing Liu Jishan’s cheek.

"Ah!!!"

A wail of agony filled the hall as Liu Jishan clutched his face, writhing in pain.

"Thunk!"

Ren Ye struck again. Liu Jishan’s two hands, still holding his cheek, suddenly lost six fingers.

"Did you hear my order? Don’t move!"

Ren Ye’s furious roar filled the hall. His eyes bulged as he swung the blade again.

"Thunk!"

Liu Jishan rolled on the ground, a half-blade length wound across his back.

His body urged him to dodge—it was a matter of life and death—but his still-rational mind knew that with the princess backing Ren Ye, any move might doom his entire clan.

Torn, he dared neither flee nor fully avoid the blows, his posture pitiful.

"Thunk!"

Another blow struck, slicing deep into his right wrist, flesh flayed, blood pouring.

"Your Highness, spare me... spare me..." Liu Jishan broke down, pleading.

"Thunk!"

"You think sitting here I’m unprepared? That I’m just a plaything?!" Ren Ye shouted, veins bulging on his forehead.

At those words, the officials who had been anxious, angry, and ready to violently intervene suddenly all turned their gaze to the princess.

What did the worthless man mean? No preparation at all? So the princess was in cahoots with him, deliberately setting this trap today?

Chilling to contemplate!

Sweat beaded the officials’ brows as they stared at the princess, hearts pounding. They recalled her words—Xue’er had over twenty more charges...

This couldn’t be true, could it?

The princess ignored the officials and Ren Ye’s words, quietly sipping tea like an outsider.

On the floor, Liu Jishan’s blood mingled with Wang Jingzhong’s, spreading across the stone, still warm... fingers, severed hands...

Ren Ye had struck him over a dozen times; he had lost count, only feeling exhausted as he wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve.

"Swish!"

He took two breaths, then turned to the officials and slowly approached the Qingliang Prefect, asking simply: "Are you satisfied with my judgment?"

The Qingliang Prefect clenched his fists and glanced at the barely breathing Liu Jishan lying in a pool of blood. "Your Highness... your judgment is divine!"

"Any other cases to judge?" Ren Ye asked again.

"I am a bit weary, wish to rest," came the reply.

Ren Ye withdrew his gaze, holding the dagger, then poked another official beside him, asking, "You? Any cases to judge?"

The dagger tip broke the skin; blood trickled down the shoulder blade. The official dared not move, trembling voice replied, "N-no cases."

"Then disperse."

With a clank, Ren Ye dropped the dagger and returned to his seat.

"Swish!"

Princess Xu Qingzhao rose, a chill coloring her lovely cheeks. Her sharp eyes swept over the officials, her voice low: "As long as the Marquisate of Huai exists, everyone can play their role, each important. But if the Marquisate falls, when you return to the cunning capital, where else will you find a prince to keep watch? How will you continue to curry favor with the emperor to facilitate your corruption?"

The officials fell utterly silent at her blunt warning.

"I am not silent because I am dead." The princess turned toward the side door, voice icy as she threw down the final words: "Do not push too far; after all, he is my husband!"

With that, she left the Hall of Sincerity with her maid.

In the hall, Ren Ye took the handkerchief the maid handed him and wiped the blood from his hands. "First, investigate Liu Jishan’s entire family. As you said, treason is grave, and he must have accomplices!"

With that, Ren Ye signaled to his eunuch and eagerly followed after Xu Qingzhao.