Yun Ke stared intently: "Everyone present has twenty complete arrows, except for Prince Pei."

“A single arrow is not enough to convict my son,” the Prince of Zhennan said sternly.

Madam Xu suddenly pointed to her heart: "The arrow broke off in the wound. If we just dig it out, wouldn't that prove who killed the person?"

Yunke nodded and ordered the imperial physician to retrieve the arrow.

A moment later, the broken half of the arrow was taken out. Everyone's arrow was marked, and the material and shape were different.

When the broken arrow was placed on the tray, Pei Zhao's eyelids twitched even more violently.

Because that arrow belonged to him!

The eunuch brought it over for comparison, and the difference was immediately apparent.

"Your Highness, I saw Prince Pei chasing a deer all the way into the deep forest. I thought he was going to shoot the deer, but I didn't expect him to suddenly change direction and aim at Lord Xu!"

An adult stepped forward and reprimanded Pei Zhao.

Pei Zhao frowned, about to refute.

"Actually, I saw it too. Prince Pei's archery skills are too accurate. We were really caught off guard."

"Although I didn't see it, I heard that when Prince Pei left, he instructed people to take care of his affairs after his death."

Several people stood up and criticized Pei Zhao.

The Prince of Zhennan's face darkened: "Lord Zhang, Lord Li, do you know what you're saying?"

The three looked up, their faces grave: "It was just a hunt, there was no need to kill anyone. Prince Pei did indeed kill someone!"

“Pei Zhao, ever since the Empress Dowager fell ill, you have made things difficult for Qing’er many times, forbidding her from returning to the manor to visit her. It turns out that you have long hated the Xu family for implicating your Zhennan Prince’s Mansion and are eager to sever ties with the Xu family.” Madam Xu shouted with red eyes.

Pei Zhao gritted his teeth: "I did not see Lord Xu at the hunting grounds today, and I did not kill him."

“Young Master Pei, why deny it? We have no grudge against you and have watched you grow up. Surely we wouldn’t wrong you?” said Lord Li.

This was indeed something Pei Zhao couldn't understand.

The three officials are all people close to the Prince of Zhennan, so why would they suddenly turn against him?

Madam Xu rushed over and started hitting and biting Pei Zhao: "The Xu family has treated you well, how could you be so heartless? A life for a life..."

Pei Zhao, wincing in pain, shoved Madam Xu away. Madam Xu was pushed quite a distance before stopping, staggering and falling to the ground. Her eyes, red from crying, stared at Pei Zhao: "You!"

"Pei Zhao! Don't be rude!" Yun Ke scolded in a low voice.

Pei Zhao said with a face full of dissatisfaction: "This humble subject did not shoot Lord Xu. Someone must have framed him."

“Your Highness,” Song Yue stood up, “Now that we have both witnesses and physical evidence, and Prince Pei refuses to confess, we have no choice but to take all the people around him away for questioning. In addition, Prince Pei himself must also be questioned. Only in this way can we give Lord Xu justice.”

Pei Zhao immediately looked at Song Yue: "It was you who plotted behind my back..."

"Slap!" The Prince of Zhennan suddenly raised his hand and slapped Pei Zhao across the face: "You worthless thing, you must have misjudged the prey and missed with your arrow. Quickly kowtow to Madam Xu and apologize!"

"Father?" Pei Zhao asked in disbelief.

The Prince of Zhennan understood that this scheme was aimed at Pei Zhao, and even if Pei Zhao refused to confess, he would be subjected to severe torture to extract a confession.

Not only will they lose a layer of skin, but they might also have to bear the charge of murder again.

But confessing voluntarily is different; killing the wrong person on the hunting grounds is not a crime.

Pei Zhao quickly realized what was happening and knelt down before Madam Xu, saying, "Mother-in-law, I know I was wrong."

Everyone sighed.

The son-in-law shot and killed his father-in-law at the hunting grounds.

The Prince of Zhennan said, "The life-or-death agreement was signed beforehand, and the matter has already occurred. Please accept my condolences, Madam Xu."

Madam Xu cried uncontrollably and fainted from exhaustion.

Song Yue immediately ordered someone to carry Madam Xu onto a carriage and send her back to the Xu family. When she turned around, she met the eyes of the Prince of Zhennan, who looked like he wanted to devour her.

“Princess Consort, it is the fault of the Prince of Zhennan’s mansion. When I return, I will definitely teach this unfilial son a lesson.”

Song Yue said, "Take him back? Prince Zhennan is really bad at teaching his son. The person is already dead, and he was an elder. Logically speaking, Prince Pei should wear mourning clothes and personally stand in front of the mourning hall to kowtow and admit his mistake. That is the proper attitude to admit one's mistake."

Yunke nodded: "That's certainly how it should be."

Without giving the Prince of Zhennan a chance to refuse, Yunke ordered Pei Zhao, "Why aren't you going yet?"

Pei Zhao remained motionless, instead looking at the Prince of Zhennan. Seeing this, Song Yue kicked Pei Zhao in the chest without hesitation: "You're becoming more and more presumptuous, not even listening to the Crown Prince! Guards, give him twenty strokes of the cane and execute him immediately!"

"You dare!" Pei Zhao struggled.

The guards quickly subdued Pei Zhao and executed him on the spot.

When the Prince of Zhennan tried to step forward, the Imperial Guards blocked him completely.

The board made a cracking sound.

Each blow landed squarely, leaving Pei Zhao pale and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He gritted his teeth and refused to let go.

After twenty strokes of the cane, Pei Zhao was lying on the ground, unable to get up.

"The Crown Princess hit her too hard," Xu Lingqing suddenly said, her face full of pity, as if Song Yue were a demon.

Song Yue smiled and asked, "Has Prince Pei admitted his mistake?"

Pei Zhao's eyes were filled with coldness, and he remained silent for a long time.

"Today I will teach you what it means to be disrespectful and what rules are! Keep beating him until he admits his mistake."

Finally, they added a special line: "Death is no object!"

The Prince of Zhennan shuddered.

Xu Lingqing's face flushed red. Wasn't this clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for her?

She kindly pleaded for Pei Zhao, but Song Yue not only didn't appreciate it, she also humiliated her instead!

hateful.

Slap! Slap!

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