I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

Only chilling mockery.

"Say no more, let alone now."

Zhu Houcong stood with his hands behind his back and said jokingly, "You weren't any good when you were young either!"

"You, Lin Xie, you self-righteous traitors, which one of you hasn't been manipulated by me?"

Yan Queqi trembled all over, his ten fingers still spasming from the recoil.

He stared intently at the unassuming emperor before him, the hatred in his eyes almost tangible.

It turns out that they had all been completely fooled by Emperor Liang all along.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Houcong paced around Yan Que, scrutinizing his increasingly hunched body.

"Haven't I treated you with utmost sincerity?"

"All I did was kill your son, your sister, your respected elder brother, and the woman you loved."

"You actually want to kill me?"

His voice suddenly rose, and he shook his head angrily.

"You are a truly ungrateful beast."

Yan Que gave a bitter laugh: "The victor is king, the loser is villain; it's all the same—death..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Houcong flashed and instantly appeared behind Yan Que.

Before the other party could react, golden light gathered in his palm and slammed it hard on his back.

Click!

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and Yan Que's spine instantly turned to dust under that palm strike.

He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, which was mixed with fragments of his internal organs.

He collapsed like a rag doll.

Zhu Houcong coldly stared at Yan Que, who lay sprawled on the ground like a dead dog.

"A family should be together, and I will grant your wish."

After saying that, he ignored Yan Que and turned around coldly, walking slowly to the door of the hermitage.

"Summon Yan Song."

Before long, Yan Song arrived in a hurry.

"Master!"

"Um!"

Zhu Houcong said calmly, "Yan Que has confessed to being the mastermind behind the bombing. He even attempted to assassinate me just now, but was fortunately stopped in time by the Imperial Advisor."

Yan Song was greatly alarmed upon hearing this and quickly asked, "My lord, are you alright?"

"It's alright."

Zhu Houcong waved his hand.

"Since Yan Que has confessed, drag him away and execute him in a public ceremony, tearing him apart by six horses."

"Yes, uh... six... six horses?" Yan Song's gaze faltered, and he asked suspiciously.

Zhu Houcong frowned slightly and asked in return, "What do you mean?"

Seeing his displeasure, Yan Song broke out in a cold sweat and kowtowed repeatedly.

"This servant will take care of it immediately!"

After leaving the study with Yan Que, Yan Song wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Got it!

This dirty and tiring work has to be done by us servants again.

Since ancient times, the body has been torn apart by five horses. This extra horse is clearly meant to kill the person and destroy their spirit!

He didn't know where the rope was tied, but how could he not know?

Now that Yan Que has confessed and accepted punishment, the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review are naturally eager to close the case immediately so that Prince Yu can extricate himself from this turmoil unscathed.

Several officials, carrying thick case files, were about to enter the palace to meet the emperor when they bumped into Yan Song, who was in a hurry, outside the palace gate.

"Gentlemen, there's no need for you to go to such trouble."

Yan Song said angrily, "That audacious traitor Yan Que dared to break into the West Garden and attempt to assassinate the Emperor!"

"What? How is Your Majesty's health?"

"No problem!"

"That's good, that's good, this case closing document..."

"You can simply archive it."

Yan Song flicked his whisk and laughed, "It just so happens that Lord Qi is here as well, so I'll trouble you to accompany me to escort Yan Que to the execution ground for public humiliation."

"That's only right!" Qi Min quickly agreed.

The group arrived at the market in a grand procession. Qi Min straightened his official robes and read the announcement aloud.

"This treacherous official, Yan Que, has smuggled black fire, plotted against the royal family, and now attempted to assassinate the Emperor. The evidence against him is irrefutable..."

Each and every one of these crimes is heinous and unforgivable.

Finally, Yan Song said in a sinister, shrill voice.

"Someone come here!"

"Strip this traitor of his pants and tear him apart by six horses!"

Chapter 98 Cao Zhichun will handle it.

"Dismembered by six horses?"

Qi Min didn't immediately grasp Yan Song's meaning and subconsciously repeated it.

Yan Song gave him a deep look and explained slowly.

"It's like adding another horse to the already brutal act of tearing someone apart by five horses, specifically to serve Lord Yan's lower body."

"Ah...this..."

Upon hearing this, Qi Min's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down her back.

A storm raged in my heart.

This is like being torn apart by five horses plus castration!

You old neuter, you're so vicious!

How could I have known to use a small knife when I was stabbed back then?

When it was Yan Que's turn, they wanted to use a horse to pull him along.

If you were even a human being, you wouldn't do something so heinous!

Qi Min looked troubled and leaned closer to Yan Song, lowering her voice to say, "Eunuch Yan, isn't doing this against the natural order?"

"Such cruel torture is something I believe we should consult His Majesty before taking any action to stop it."

Yan Song's eye twitched; he was suffering in silence.

The emperor's words were simply "to be torn apart by six horses," but he didn't specify where the extra horse should exert its strength.

Although it wasn't explained in detail, the meaning was quite clear.

The point is to publicly humiliate Yan Que, so that he won't be able to hold his head up high even in the underworld.

But the emperor didn't say it outright, clearly indicating that he didn't want to bear the infamy of being tyrannical.

Then the blame will have to fall on them, the servants.

Yan Song gazed at Yan Que, who was on the verge of death on the execution ground, and felt a chill in his heart.

The Yan family has been noble and distinguished for generations. The old master's former students and friends are spread throughout the court and the country. More than half of the officials in the entire Daliang have received favors from the Yan family to varying degrees.

If we were to humiliate Yan Que in this way today, it would be tantamount to slapping the face of the entire scholarly community.

He could almost picture the scene of hundreds of officials jointly impeaching him.

The spittle of these officials could drown him.

But what can he do?

Are we to go against the Emperor's will?

For these eunuchs, the emperor was heaven, the only god above them.

Now that the Emperor has spoken, would Yan Song dare to displease the Emperor?

Not only do you have to make him feel good, you also have to take all the blame yourself.

Fortunately, I had a sudden inspiration and managed to drag Qi Min onto the pirate ship at Caishikou as well.

With this Minister of Justice taking the fall, at least some of the open and covert attacks in the court will be shared.

Yan Song immediately straightened his back and declared loudly and righteously, "His Majesty has entrusted me with the full authority to carry out the execution!"

His voice was high-pitched yet resonant.

"That bastard Yan Que, His Majesty has treated him with the utmost kindness and has always addressed him as a brother, yet he has committed such a heinous act."

"I will avenge His Majesty today, no matter what!"

As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at Qi Min beside him and asked in a sinister tone.

"how?"

"Does the Minister not want to avenge His Majesty?"

"This...isn't...how could this be...hehehe..."

Qi Min's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat, and she forced a dry laugh while waving her hands repeatedly.

"That's good."

Yan Song nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly raised his voice and addressed the surrounding officials and onlookers.

"After discussion between Minister Qi of the Ministry of Justice and myself, we unanimously agree that Yan Que should be executed by being torn apart by six horses!"

"Use the extra horse to lasso the little bird."

He deliberately emphasized the words "discuss together" and subtly moved closer to Qi Min, making it clear to everyone that they were "standing together."

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd watching outside the execution ground.

Many of the stewards dressed in brocade robes suddenly changed their expressions, quietly withdrew from the crowd, and quickly disappeared into the streets and alleys.

Qi Min was completely stunned and stood frozen in place.

WTF?

When did I consult you?!

You son of a bitch!!!

"It's over...it's all over..."

This was the only thought in his mind at that moment.

As a top figure in the Liang civil official group, he was more aware than anyone of the Yan family's influence in the court.

Grand Tutor Yan's disciples are spread throughout the Six Ministries. How many of them didn't receive support from the Yan family back then?

Now, in full view of everyone, he was colluding with Yan Song, that eunuch chief, and issuing such an inhumane order of torture…

His colleagues will surely tear him to shreds.

Qi Min instantly realized that she had been tricked.

Yan Song dragged him into this mess!