Chapter 284 Death sentence spared, punishment inescapable

The Longqing Emperor gave Chen Chu a cold look. "You're not afraid of death, are you?"

Shen Chu remained silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly with pursed lips.

"Actually, I am very afraid of death, but when I chose this path, I already foresaw that this day would come."

My only regret is that I cannot witness the exoneration of the Marquis of Ning'an. But in the afterlife, I can tell my grandfather and father.

His Majesty is a wise and benevolent ruler; he will surely vindicate the Ning'an Marquis's family, and they can rest in peace now.

The Longqing Emperor gave him a deep look and snorted coldly.

"There's no need to provoke me like that. As long as the Censorate finds out that Shen Zhixing is indeed innocent..."

I will personally issue an edict to restore the reputation and prestige of the Shen family of the Marquis of Ning'an.

Shen Chu's eyes lit up, and she kowtowed earnestly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After saying that, he couldn't help but give a pitiful smile.

"Your Majesty, if we're going to behead someone, could you find a swift and decisive executioner, the kind who can separate the head from the neck in one stroke?"

The Longqing Emperor was so angry he laughed.

"You've got some nerve, daring to bargain with me even as you're about to die. Do you think you can choose your own executioner?"

Chen Chu blinked her big eyes, "Is it okay?"

Emperor Longqing...

Pei Yuan stepped forward and gently patted Chen Chu's shoulder.

"Alright, if Father wanted you dead, he wouldn't have summoned you to the palace again. He would have just issued an imperial edict and had you escorted to the execution ground."

Shen Chu suddenly looked up at Emperor Longqing, "Your Majesty, don't you want my head anymore?"

Emperor Longqing pointed at Pei Yuan and Li Chengxuan with annoyance, then picked up the memorial on the table and waved it.

"The Sixth Prince and Chengxuan have been pleading with me for ages, and there's also a joint memorial from the Marquis of Weiwu's residence, the Princess of Qinghe's residence, the Censorate, and several officials from the Ministry of Revenue..."

They're all pleading for you. Ha, I didn't realize you were so popular.

Shen Chu chuckled dryly, "Your Majesty's teachings are excellent."

The Longqing Emperor's face darkened.

"Considering that you are Shen Zhixing's youngest son and the grandson of the old Marquis of Ning'an, and considering that you did a good job and helped me find the treasure, I'm grateful."

I may not take your head, but the fact remains that you impersonated someone else to take the imperial examination, and I cannot let you off without punishment.

"Alright then, the death penalty can be spared, but punishment will not be escaped..."

"Father!"

"His Majesty!"

Pei Yuan and Li Chengxuan spoke at the same time.

Emperor Longqing raised his hand to stop the two and looked down at Shen Chu.

"I will punish you. Do you accept it?"

Shen Chu felt somewhat uneasy.

Is His Majesty going to punish him with a beating?

She clenched her hands nervously and nodded, saying, "This sinner is willing to accept punishment."

Seeing that he was calm and composed, without the slightest panic, and without turning pale or crying out in fear, Emperor Longqing couldn't help but nod inwardly in approval.

"The guilty subject Shen Chu impersonated someone else to participate in the imperial examination, committing the crime of deceiving the emperor. He shall be immediately dismissed from his post as a fifth-rank censor and temporarily imprisoned in the imperial prison."

After the case of the Marquis of Ning'an's mansion is solved, Shen Chu will be dealt with.

"Guards! Take Shen Chu away immediately! No one is allowed to visit her without my order!"

Phew, thank goodness, I wasn't punished with a cane.

Shen Chu tried to find some humor in his suffering, thinking that at least the prison was better than the death row.

Pei Yuan said, "Father, Shen Chu still has the poison of the Morning Sun Grass in her body that has not been cured, and she needs to be treated with acupuncture once every three days."

"I beg Your Majesty's mercy to allow him to be temporarily confined to his home, under the supervision of the Imperial Guards."

Li Chengxuan also pleaded for mercy.

"I beg Your Majesty for mercy."

This was the first time the Longqing Emperor had heard about Shen Chu's poisoning. He stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before finally agreeing.

"In that case, let him be temporarily confined to his home under the guard of the Imperial Guard, awaiting further instructions."

Shen Chu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."

The Imperial Guards came in and took Shen Chu away.

Shen Chu turned her head and met Pei Yuan's calm, peach-blossom eyes.

She smiled slightly, indicating that she was alright.

Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow and silently opened his mouth.

Shen Chu understood the shape of his lips: Let's talk about it tonight.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

This guy is really.....

------

As Shen Chu was taken out of the palace by the Imperial Guards, news of his identity and his dismissal by the Emperor quickly spread throughout the court.

The second floor of Rongbaozhai.

Luo Heng stood by the window, watching a troop of imperial guards walk by on the street.

Shen Chu, dressed in a loose white undergarment, walked among the Imperial Guards with her eyes lowered.

His back was ramrod straight. Although he wasn't wearing handcuffs or shackles, he still looked somewhat dejected after removing his official hat and robes.

Luo Heng instinctively raised his hand and grabbed the window frame, the veins on his hand bulging slightly.

Wanqiu stood beside him, followed his gaze downwards, and giggled.

"Is the young master feeling sorry for you?"

Luo Heng remained silent with a sullen face.

"Is the young master thinking right now that if you hadn't helped the Feng family move the treasure and hadn't framed the Sixth Prince, Shen Chu wouldn't have entered the palace?"

If he hadn't entered the palace, perhaps his identity wouldn't have been exposed. Does the young master regret using him to frame the Sixth Prince?

Luo Heng pursed his lips slightly, "I don't regret it, I just..."

"Just what?"

Luo Heng opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Wanqiu reached out and gently closed the window.

"Looking at it more is pointless. The fact that Shen Chu's identity was exposed was not because of the young master. What is fake will always be fake, and there was always a risk of it being exposed."

His Majesty's punishment is a fait accompli. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, my lord, you should consider how to proceed now that the plan has failed.

Luo Heng frowned and slowly walked back behind the desk.

Wanqiu poured a cup of tea and handed it to her.

"I thought this would drag the Sixth Prince into a quagmire, but I didn't expect him to persuade the Emperor to do the opposite."

Not only did they find the treasure, but they also easily broke our plan. It seems we all underestimated the Sixth Prince's standing in the Emperor's eyes.

Luo Heng slammed his fist on the table, a cold smile on his face.

"Of course His Majesty dotes on him; otherwise, he wouldn't have been executed just because my father offended him."

It's okay if we don't succeed this time. We'll have another chance, and the time after that. We'll succeed eventually.

I will not only ruin Pei Yuan's reputation, but I will also make him taste the bitterness of being beaten to death.

Wanqiu raised her teacup and gently touched Luo Heng's cup.

"I believe that you can do it, young master. As for Shen Chu, you don't need to worry too much."

He is currently in the eye of the storm, and His Majesty has no choice but to punish him.

But he is, after all, the only surviving descendant of the Marquis of Ning'an's family. This time, the Feng family and the Crown Prince's side probably have no chance of turning the tide.

His Majesty, to compensate the Marquis of Ning'an's family, will not actually kill Shen Chu.

Luo Heng took a deep breath, and his expression gradually calmed down.

"I never expected that Ah Chu was a descendant of the Marquis of Ning'an's family. No wonder she is so talented. It must be because she is like her father, Lord Shen."

If His Majesty can restore the title of Marquis of Ning'an this time, then all of A-Chu's painstaking planning will not have been in vain.

Wanqiu suddenly had a thought.

"If the Marquis of Ning'an's mansion can truly restore the title, the title will most likely end up in Shen Chu's hands, which would be a good thing for the young master."

"If you, young master, can make good use of Shen Chu's identity, it will be entirely beneficial to our revenge."

Luo Heng's eyes flashed, as if he were deep in thought.