The guard screamed and collapsed to the ground, dying instantly.

Qiu Xueming roared, "Anyone who dares to obstruct the Imperial City Guard from handling a case is defying the Emperor! They will be killed without mercy!"

The Imperial Guards marched forward in perfect unison, each brandishing a crescent-shaped dagger, their expressions cold and indifferent, exuding an aura of iron-blooded ruthlessness that chilled the heart.

The guards immediately took several steps back, not daring to confront the Imperial City Guard head-on.

No one expected Qiu Xueming to dare kill someone here, and to do so without batting an eye.

His knife was dripping blood as he coldly stared at Zheng Dan, who was too frightened to come out and was hiding behind the crowd.

Qiu Xueming walked over, and the guards dared not block his way anymore, making way for him.

Qiu Xueming walked up the steps, surrounded by Imperial Guards on all sides. The crescent-shaped blade in his hand was so sharp that no one dared to approach him.

The guards made way, but the students of Yingtian Academy refused to let them pass. They stood together, blocking the way, clearly trying to prevent the Imperial City Guard from arresting the people.

These people were all students of the Imperial Academy, the pride of the Song Dynasty.

Each of them had a righteous and awe-inspiring expression on their face.

Qiu Xueming said, "Make way, everyone!"

One of the students said, "As the sage said, 'One cannot be subdued by force!'"

"What a fine example of 'unyielding to power,' protecting criminals, and defying the emperor! In my opinion, this Yingtian Academy should be destroyed!"

"You tyrant's henchmen, cruel and ruthless, murdering loyal and virtuous men, you deserve a terrible death!"

Qiu Xueming revealed a "I've finally caught you" smile: "This young official has publicly insulted the Emperor, a capital offense!"

At his command, a member of the Imperial Guard grabbed the man and pulled him over. The Imperial Guard was incredibly strong; he could pinch him like a chick. Once he was free, the guard chopped him down without a word in front of everyone.

The head rolled down the steps with a gurgling sound, and the headless corpse fell to the ground, with a large amount of blood flowing from its neck.

All the students at Yingtian Academy were shocked.

If the Imperial Guards had killed that bodyguard, it wouldn't have been a big deal, since in their eyes, a bodyguard's status was insignificant.

But now the Imperial Guards are killing students of Yingtian Academy, the pride of the Song Dynasty!

Those who could enter Yingtian Academy were all the most outstanding scholars in the area.

He was killed just like that!

But the Imperial Guards felt no regret whatsoever, treating it as if they had just killed a chicken.

Qiu Xueming continued, "Headmaster Zheng, there are actually traitors in Yingtian Academy who insult the emperor!"

Zheng Hongyi's face was a patchwork of pale and green.

He was indeed a great Confucian scholar of his time, but he was still just a scholar. Now, these Imperial City Guards were all ruthless and heartless, daring to kill people at Yingtian Academy.

If you dare to kill the first one, you dare to kill the second.

Is it more powerful to talk or to use a knife?

Zheng Hongyi was speechless.

Qiu Xueming said, "Get out of the way! Otherwise, you will be killed without mercy!"

Everyone gasped in shock. They had never been treated like this before. They were the pride of the emperor, and wherever they went, as long as they revealed their identity as students of the Imperial Academy, they were always surrounded by admirers and the center of attention.

These uncouth brutes were the lowest of the low in their eyes, just like the lowly students of Yingtian University.

The so-called indomitable spirit in the teachings of sages that they usually read about, they now truly understand when faced with it, that it is not at all like that.

They were terrified.

Some people involuntarily moved aside, while Zheng Dan was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground.

Amidst the angry gazes of the crowd, Qiu Xueming walked over and pulled Zheng Dan up from the ground.

Zheng Dan cried out in anguish, "Father, save your grandson!"

Zheng Hongyi blushed, feeling that his dignity had been trampled on by these brutes.

He couldn't help but say, "I will submit a memorial to the court, how dare you commit violence in the Imperial Academy!"

Qiu Xueming scoffed, "I'm actually worried you won't submit a memorial!"

After saying that, he shouted, "Take him away!"

Xie Kejia was secretly delighted. "Let Zheng Hongyi show off. I can't afford to offend you. These people from the Imperial City Guard are ruthless and don't care about family ties."

Xie Kejia said to the students of Yingtian University, "Go back, the court will make its own judgment."

When everyone saw that Zheng Dan had been taken away, they stopped making a fuss.

At this time, Tokyo is at its most bustling during the New Year.

In the bustling city of Tokyo, family and friends celebrate the Lunar New Year together. Whether rich or poor, everyone is happy and hopes for a lucky year to come.

Inside the palace, joy was everywhere. The emperor hosted a banquet for his officials, and the palace was brightly lit. The royal band played magnificent music, like heavenly sounds coming from a celestial palace in the clouds.

Behind the bustling prosperity of Tokyo, the news from Yingtian Prefecture seemed to vanish without a trace, not even causing a ripple.

However, in just one day, Zheng Dan had already confessed everything he should and shouldn't have confessed in prison.

Moreover, someone accused Zheng Hongyi, the headmaster of the Imperial Academy, of plotting a rebellion.

The words the students of the Imperial Academy used to insult the emperor that day were recorded, and Zheng Hongyi was accused of instigating it behind the scenes.

On the night of the ninth day of the first lunar month, Zheng Dan, a student of the Imperial College, was escorted to the capital.

Zheng Dan's confession was sent to the Inspectorate, which formally opened a case.

Once the Lantern Festival was over, on the morning of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the Hanlin Academy, the Censorate, and the Censorate jointly impeached Zheng Hongyi, the headmaster of Yingtian Academy, for plotting a rebellion, criticizing the new policies of the court, inciting students, and slandering the emperor. He was to be beheaded!

The emperor was furious and ordered the Censorate to open a case, dispatching the Imperial Guards to Yingtian Prefecture to arrest the person.

On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, at Yingtian Academy in Yingtian Prefecture.

Qiu Xueming led three hundred Imperial Guards to surround Yingtian Academy, then forcibly broke down the academy's gate, killing five students who dared to stop the Imperial Guards from taking people away, and then forcibly took Zheng Hongyi away.

A day later, another ninety students from Yingtian Academy were taken away by the Imperial City Guards for allegedly insulting the emperor.

Once this news spread, it caused a stir in the Gyeonggi Province.

Moreover, the news spread like wildfire, reaching Jingdong Road and Jingxi Road, and even Jingzhao Prefecture, Hangzhou Prefecture, Jiangling Prefecture, and the areas east and west of the Yellow River.

The Yuelu Academy, Bailudong Academy, and Songyang Academy were all shocked upon hearing this.

Within a few days, countless memorials were sent to the capital, Tokyo, like snowflakes, landing on the desks of the government office, and some were even delivered to the emperor's study.

Countless people pleaded for Zheng Hongyi, while countless others said that Zheng Hongyi was wronged.

Teachers and students from Yingtian Academy, Bailudong Academy, Songyang Academy, and Yuelu Academy jointly petitioned the imperial court to release Zheng Hongyi and Zheng Dan.

Furthermore, some people wrote and published articles claiming that Zheng Dan was wronged and that there were people in the court who wanted to harm him.

During the morning court session, Hanlin Academician Shi Xun bluntly stated: "Yingtian Academy is unfit to be a model of teaching; its staff should be dismissed and exiled to the frontier!"

"Zheng Dan has committed beastly acts, disgracing scholars and violating the principles of the virtuous. He should be executed immediately as a warning to others!"

"Someone at Yingtian Academy publicly insulted the Emperor, corrupting the national character and misleading the people. This matter must be thoroughly investigated!"

Moreover, taking advantage of the Yingtian Academy incident, Shi Xun submitted eighteen memorials to the emperor in succession.

Each letter was enough to condemn Yingtian Academy to death, and each letter pointed directly to the Confucian scholars' misleading of the country.

P.S.: Still begging for monthly votes!!! I'm practically rolling on the floor begging for monthly votes!