Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

The emperor gave a cold laugh, his gaze as sharp as an icy blade as he pierced Jia Lian:

"Spare you? You bought twenty-seven girls for your pleasure, causing them all to die tragically. Such a heinous crime deserves to be punished by slow slicing! Jia She, tell me yourself, does your son deserve to die?"

Jia She trembled all over, his face turned ashen, and he dared not utter a single word of rebuttal.

He could only lie face down on the ground, banging his forehead against the gold bricks again and again until blood seeped out, but he remained silent the entire time.

He knew perfectly well that the lives of twenty-four seven-year-old children were more than enough to warrant being torn to pieces. Pleading for mercy now would not only fail to save Jia Lian, but would also implicate the entire Jia family. He could only silently accept this inevitable fate.

The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even Wen Zonghan's crying stopped. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the Jia family father and son and the emperor, their hearts in their throats.

In that deathly silence, Shui Rong slowly stepped forward, his voice clear yet carrying an undeniable force, sweeping over the prostrate Jia She:

"Jia She, you're becoming increasingly ungrateful. Have you forgotten what the foundation of the Jia family's centuries-old existence has been?"

"It is the merit of two generations of dukes serving the late emperor, and the grace of His Majesty's remembrance! How can you so leniently allow your own son to commit such a heinous crime? Are you truly willing to disregard the entire clan of the Ning and Rong mansions for the sake of a rebellious son?"

These words struck Jia She like a thunderbolt. His body jolted violently, the bloodstain on his forehead deepened, and the last shred of hope in his heart was completely shattered.

Prince Bei Jing's words were clearly directed at him: sacrificing Jia Lian was the only way to save the Jia family! He gritted his teeth, his heart hardened like iron, and suddenly looked up, his voice hoarse but each word firm:

"Your Majesty! Your rebellious son Jia Lian deserves to die a thousand deaths. I implore Your Majesty to punish him severely to uphold the law and appease public anger!"

The emperor glanced at Shui Rong, then looked at the resolute Jia She, his expression softening slightly, and he gave a cold snort:

"Very well, it seems you still have some sense of shame. It wasn't for nothing that I gave your matriarch, Jia Lian, some face. Then take Jia Lian to the imperial prison and execute him immediately, as a warning to others!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over all the noble and high-ranking officials in the hall, his tone tinged with weariness yet full of authority:

"I told you before I summoned you that this time I would only punish the ringleaders. Their descendants involved can deal with themselves. As for the others implicated, I will not investigate them further. There are too many people involved, and I don't have the energy to deal with them all. Consider this arrangement as a favor to you noble families, imperial relatives, and princes. Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and immediately prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing loudly: "Your Majesty, we thank you for your great kindness! We will forever remember Your Majesty's grace!"

Jia Lian had already collapsed to the ground, his cries hoarse and broken, but no one dared to say another word for him. The Imperial Guards stepped forward, roughly lifted him up and dragged him outside. He looked at Jia She's back and could only wail in despair, which was soon swallowed up by the wind and snow outside the palace.

As Jia Lian was taken away, the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly chaotic. Some people wept bitterly, some knelt down to beg for forgiveness, some secretly rejoiced, and some looked terrified.

Zhenguo Gong Shi Guangzhu also found the names of his collateral relatives in the documents. His face turned pale, and he silently knelt down on the ground.

Minister of Revenue Su Wenyuan frowned as he looked at his nephew's name on the document, his expression complex.

Qin Zhongxun flipped through the documents and, seeing that no one from his family was involved, felt a little relieved. However, his gaze swept over Wen Zonghan with increasing coldness, carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, looking at the chaos in the palace. His anger gradually subsided, replaced by a deep weariness.

His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Zhang Shi'an. He said in a deep voice, "Zhang Shi'an, you are the Grand Secretary; this matter will be handled under your leadership. All those involved, regardless of rank, must be severely punished! Especially those who used cruel methods and committed heinous acts; they must be publicly executed to appease public anger!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Zhang Shi'an bowed and accepted the order, his aged voice carrying a hint of heaviness.

The emperor waved his hand but did not rise from his seat. His gaze swept over the anxious expressions of the crowd, and he suddenly looked at the young prince of Dongping, who was standing at the end of the table. His tone softened slightly: "How is the prince of Dongping's health?"

The young prince quickly stepped forward and knelt down, respectfully replying, "Your Majesty, my father is in good health, but the recent continuous snow and wind have caused him to cough occasionally."

"Hmm." The emperor nodded, his tone becoming more considerate. "Tell your father to rest and recuperate, and to focus on his treatment. He doesn't need to worry about household matters."

"On behalf of my father, Your Majesty, I thank you for your concern!" The young prince kowtowed to express his gratitude, his expression slightly relaxed.

The emperor then turned his gaze back to Zhang Shi'an, his expression regaining its majesty, and spoke with resounding force:

Zhang Shi'an, you must compile a complete list of all those involved and their crimes. The Cabinet must carefully review and approve this list, and once the sentences are determined, immediately inform the Ministry of Justice to handle the matter according to the law. There must be no favoritism whatsoever! If I find out that anyone has abused their power or let criminals go unpunished, I will make sure they die along with those villains. Do you understand?

"Your subject dares not! I will certainly handle this impartially and without any favoritism!" Zhang Shi'an's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly prostrated himself and kowtowed, his voice becoming even more respectful.

The emperor slowly rose, his dragon robe billowing and stirring a breeze. Holding the hand of the young prince of Dongping, he walked steadily toward the back of the hall. As he passed Shui Rong, he paused slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty mixed with a hint of reassurance:

"Shui Rong, you should go back to your residence first."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the still-snowing wind outside the hall, and added, "Once this matter is settled, when Minister Lin returns to the capital, I will have the Grand Secretariat and the Ministry of Rites jointly arrange your marriage to Lin Daiyu. This will also bring joy to the court and to your Prince Bei Jing's mansion."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Shui Rong's eyes, which he quickly concealed. He bowed respectfully, his voice clear and reverent, each word earnest: "Your subject obeys Your Majesty's decree."

The emperor nodded slightly, said no more, took the young prince's hand, and left surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids. His figure in the dragon robe quickly disappeared behind the palace gate.

Once the emperor had left, the people in the hall finally relaxed, but they still dared not linger.

Zhang Shi'an, supporting his aching back, slowly stood up. He looked at Qin Zhongxun and the other cabinet members beside him and said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, His Majesty's decree has been issued. You must immediately return to the cabinet with me to verify the list and draft the procedures for handling the matter. There must be no delay!"

The crowd echoed in agreement, and the hall immediately became bustling with activity. Some hurriedly left to deliver messages, while others gathered to discuss the matter. Those who were relieved walked briskly, while those involved in the case left with heavy steps and their own thoughts.

Shui Rong stood still, and Zhao Zhong quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, shall we return to the manor?"

Shui Rong nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the dejected Jia She and Jia Zhen, then glancing at Wen Zonghan, who was slumped on the ground and still weeping. His eyes remained unmoved as he turned and stepped out of the Qianqing Palace.

Outside the palace, the wind and snow continued, and the goose-feather snowflakes fell on the black fox fur coat, instantly melting into water droplets. Qin Zhong was already waiting outside, and when he saw him come out, he hurriedly stepped forward: "Your Highness."

"Return to the residence." Shui Rong said calmly, stepping onto the carriage, but in his mind he had already begun to plan the events after Lin Ruhai returned to the capital, as well as the changes in the political landscape and the power dynamics of the court and aristocratic families after this turmoil.