"Empress, for your disobedience and insubordination, you are hereby confined to Kunning Palace and are not permitted to leave without an imperial edict." Lu Xingjian said, enunciating each word clearly.

Su Wanwan pursed her lips, knelt down to receive the imperial decree and express her gratitude.

As Lu Xingjian watched the jewelry on her head reflect the brilliant light in the sunlight, his heart grew even colder.

How ironic.

Last night's passionate embrace has resulted in today's confrontation.

He believed the couple was loving and affectionate.

In the end, they cannot escape the erosion of power and become deception and exploitation.

To prevent any issues from arising on Lu Xingjian's side, an execution platform was set up that afternoon, and the execution of Liu Jin began early the next morning.

The location was chosen at the busiest market entrance.

According to the laws of Daliang, three executioners would take turns to carry out the execution, and the one subjected to slow slicing would be cut more than three thousand times.

A single cut only slices off a thin piece of flesh, avoiding vital organs, thus endangering lives.

The first cut of the execution was made on the prisoner's eyelids.

This way, the prisoner's view is blocked, preventing the executioner from making eye contact with the prisoner.

To avoid causing the executioner immense psychological pressure, resulting in a fatal blow.

Liu Jin had offended far too many people. Many of his enemies gathered below the execution platform, offering to pay for the flesh cut from his body, with some even planning to eat it raw.

Some people plan to take it home for a barbecue and use it as a memorial for their family members.

A piece of meat was only the size of a fingernail.

To keep Liu Jin conscious, the executioner would shout out every ten cuts.

Liu Jin initially screamed in pain.

Later, it became a bloody mess, gradually losing its human form.

His mind gradually became clouded due to the pain.

They began to recount palace secrets in a disjointed manner.

Because his speech was disjointed and incoherent, not many people paid attention at first.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything..."

"I didn't see Miss Xiuyu..."

"I didn't know she was pregnant with the emperor's child..."

Suddenly, Liu Jin's laughter became chilling.

"I won't tell anyone that you're siblings..."

Yang Zhen also stood below the platform to watch the execution.

Hearing these words, my blood almost froze.

The name Xiuyu sounds familiar.

Su Wanwan's mother's given name was Zhou Xiuyu.

A girl's given name is not easily revealed to others, unless they are family or relatives; outsiders generally do not know her given name.

Countless thoughts raced through his mind.

Zhou Xiuyu only gave birth to one child, Su Wanwan.

If Su Wanwan is a dragon's offspring...

He dared not think any further.

He went to talk to someone with a serious expression.

Soon, the first day of executions ended.

After Liu Jin was slashed 357 times, he was taken back to prison.

The bloodied and mangled Liu Jin asked for some porridge. The jailer brought him two bowls of thin porridge, which Liu Jin drank with great pain.

At this point, he was still praying that the emperor would change his mind and spare his life.

No one understood the destructive power of his words better than him.

The interpretation of these words rests with him.

As long as he is alive, he can take back what he said.

But once he dies...

Public opinion was outraged; how could the emperor and empress remain calm?

...

Su Wanwan was completely stunned when she heard the news from the palace servants.

"No, that's impossible."

The late emperor repeatedly showed her favor and forbade her to marry.

There was even a suggestion to keep her in the palace.

She could never be the late emperor's daughter.

But then I thought, what if the late emperor had simply considered her his own daughter and doted on her a little more, just like he did on Princess Xiuyi?

Su Wanwan's mind was in a mess.

She dared not think about that guess.

Why did Empress Dowager Xiaosu Zhou insist on keeping her in the palace?

Could it be because she is of royal blood?

Then what are she and Lu Xingjian?

And Yan-ge'er...

Her mind was about to explode.

Even late at night, Su Wanwan was still sitting on the bed, hugging her knees and curling up into a ball.

What were those times of suffering and injustice in my childhood?

No wonder her father always ignored her.

If Princess Xiuyi was her own sister, then she would have personally plotted to kill Xiuyi and also kill the child in Empress Zhang's womb.

If this is true, how will her identity as Yan Ge'er be revealed to the world?

What are the possible scenarios for him to ascend the throne in the future?

Even if he ascends the throne, how can he gain the trust of the people and rule the world?

...

Zhang Yong sat quietly in the duty room of Ganqingmen, his face expressionless.

The fingers holding the teacup turned white and trembled slightly.

He recalled how, when he first entered the palace, he was falsely accused of theft, and the irritable steward whipped him until he was covered in blood.

He lay on the ground, barely alive.

I probably won't make it through that night.

A little girl dressed in pretty clothes passed by, glanced over, and said, "How pitiful."

"Once he's cured, he can come with me."

They didn't even ask why.

The manager was so frightened that he wet himself, his legs trembling, and he dared not utter a single word of dissent.

Little did she know that her words would save his life.

Later, after he recovered from his injuries, he learned that the beautiful young girl was the niece of Empress Dowager Zhou and the emperor's cousin.

Her name is Zhou Xiuyu.

Zhou Xiuyu disliked that he couldn't write, that he didn't know martial arts, and found fault with him in many ways, so she asked someone to help her get him to sit in on classes at the Inner Study Hall.

That's the Imperial Study Hall!

It's a place where lowly eunuchs rise to the top in one step.

People would fight tooth and nail for a single spot in the Inner Academy, sometimes even to the point of death.

Those who mastered the skills and emerged from their studies either became trusted confidants of their masters or were sent out to serve as eunuchs in garrison posts.

Of course, only after mastering a skill and passing through layers of assessments can one hope to be noticed by their master.

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