Chapter 876 Execution
Prince Ji's words resounded like thunder in the palace. Not only Prince Hui was stunned, but all the other court officials were also shocked.
Cao Dejiang was considered the most clear-headed person in the court, and he had vaguely guessed the intentions of Xiao Yan and his wife, but even he did not expect that they would be so bold.
The world is a chessboard, and you are on it. If you make even the slightest mistake, you will be doomed.
Cao Dejiang somehow suddenly remembered the time when Xiao Yan's identity was first exposed. He brought Song Tangning to meet him and Shi Chang'an, and the two of them stood in front of him and talked about the future. Xiao Yan once said that the world should not be divided into Qi, Wei and Beiling. At that time, he only felt that it was a youthful ambition, but he might not be able to see it in his lifetime.
But now...
Seeing the others trembling, Cao Dejiang couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
Xiao Yan was truly a born emperor, and Tang Ning had already grown to a level where he could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
Tang Ning glanced at the people below, all with different expressions, and said calmly without hiding anything, "Prince Ji is right. Long before Your Majesty went south, Di Tao and Qi Cheng were sent out of the capital. At that time, the rebellion of the princes was still unresolved. The two went to the princely states under the pretext of suppressing bandits to quell the rebels. Before the battle with Southern Qi began, they led troops to clear out the Western Frontier."
"One of the three largest tribes in Western Xinjiang, the Jing Man, has surrendered to the Great Wei. Although the remaining two tribes have joined forces with Beiling, their involvement in the war with Southern Qi was deliberately allowed by His Majesty at Di Tao's behest. Now that the news of the civil unrest in Great Wei and His Majesty's disappearance has reached Beiling, Di Tao and his men are ready to go to war at any time. By then, Western Xinjiang will be too busy to take care of itself and will not have the ability or the energy to worry about Southern Qi."
Everything that needs to be explained has been explained, and everything that needs to be said has been said.
Tang Ning looked at the people below: "Do you have any questions, gentlemen?"
Everyone in the hall was silent for a moment, and then they all shouted loudly.
"Your Majesty is wise."
"The Queen is wise."
Tang Ning sat high up, looking at the court officials below who were shouting praises. Regardless of whether they were truly convinced or forced by the situation, he said in a deep voice, "Since you don't have anything to ask, let's talk about what happened today."
"King Hui Xie Zhuo..."
Everyone was extremely quiet. King Hui looked up with a pale face, and heard Tang Ning say coldly:
"As a prince of the imperial family, His Majesty's elder, you have not considered contributing to the court and the country. Instead, while His Majesty was away from the capital and the Wei Dynasty was plagued by internal and external troubles, you colluded with the aristocratic families and murdered court officials, vainly attempting to use the Munan Pass Rebellion to coerce me into seizing the throne. You are deeply selfish, ambitious, and greedy, and your crimes are unforgivable!"
"Now, depose the honorable title of Prince Xie Zhuo, execute all members of his household, and confiscate all his property!"
Prince Hui suddenly raised his head and hissed, "Song Tangning, I am the son of Taizu, the emperor's great-uncle, and a descendant of the Xie family..."
"So what? The Xie family has no shortage of bloodlines, and you're just one of the royal family. You dare to disregard the law and collude with the aristocratic family, so you should bear the responsibility you deserve. Or do you think that your seniority gives you the freedom to rebel and offend your superiors?"
Tang Ning glanced at Prince Hui with a cold expression, then glanced at Prince Ji and the other princes and dukes behind him.
"Or do you think that I can't kill Xie Zhuo?"
Those royal relatives shuddered when they met her gaze. King Hui had never taken them with him during the rebellion, and he hadn't even said a word about what happened tonight. It was obvious that he had never taken them seriously. Moreover, anyone with a discerning eye could see that the queen was very powerful.
She is not a weak woman, nor is she someone who can be manipulated by others. Countless people died in the palace tonight, and the blood outside the Xinde Palace has not been wiped away yet. The Queen's thundering methods are terrifying. They are not risking their lives. It is not time to plead for the traitor King Hui.
Everyone was afraid of being involved in the affairs of Prince Hui's Palace, and they were busy expressing their opinions.
"Your Majesty, you're joking. Xie Zhuo was guilty of treason and should be executed. How can he not be killed?"
"Yes, as a descendant of the Xie family, I would never do such a rebellious act, let alone conspire with the aristocratic families to seize the throne. Xie Zhuo and the others deserve it and should be killed!"
"Everyone must kill these traitors!"
Seeing that they understood, Tang Ning smiled inexplicably and turned her gaze to Prince Hui and his son. "Although you deserve to die, what you said just now is not without reason. After all, you are His Majesty's great-uncle and a member of the royal family. It is indeed difficult for me to kill you all..."
Prince Hui's expression relaxed, but before he could say anything, Tang Ning looked away: "Prince Ji, I remember that you are now the Minister of the Imperial Clan?"
Prince Ji stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, that's right."
Tang Ning raised her lips and said, "That's perfect. Pass on my decree. From today on, all jade discs of Xie Zhuo's lineage will be revoked and he will be expelled from the royal family. From now on, no one from his lineage will be mentioned in the Xie family genealogy."
"Song Tangning, you're so poisonous...ah!!"
Prince Hui never expected the queen to be so vicious. He opened his mouth and started cursing, but before he could finish his words, Prince Ji kicked him in the body with his quick eyes and hands.
The kick hit King Hui's heart directly, causing him to scream in pain. He rolled over and fell backwards, almost fainting.
"Father!"
Prince Hui screamed in fear and turned around to angrily scold Tang Ning for being vicious, but before he could say anything, the imperial guards beside him pressed his arms to the ground. His neck was twisted so much that he could hardly breathe, and the sound from his mouth turned into a vague moan.
Upon seeing this, Prince Ji patted his disheveled clothes and bowed, "I obey your command."
Tang Ning said calmly: "Since you are not a member of the royal family, there is nothing special about you, He Cheng."
"I'm here." He Cheng stepped forward.
"Imprison all members of Prince Hui's palace and execute them at the Meridian Gate in three days. The Duan and Min families, the masterminds of this rebellion, will be exterminated. All males over the age of five from the main branches of the Fan, Cui, and Liu families will be executed. Males and females under the age of five will be tattooed and enslaved. All collateral branches and their families within the three clans will be prohibited from serving in the government for five generations."
"All the property of several families was confiscated to fill the national treasury."
Tang Ning finished speaking calmly, then set his eyes on He Cheng:
"Three days later, the people from Prince Hui's palace will be executed at the Meridian Gate, and Minister He will oversee the execution."
"The matters concerning the confiscation of the other houses will be handed over to Lord Feng and Prime Minister Cao, with Minister Qian assisting."
Cao Dejiang, Feng Qiuli, and Qian Baokun all stepped forward to receive the order.
Only He Cheng felt his body tremble when he met the gaze from above, and he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar and his whole body was cold.
The previous incident in the Ministry of Justice was a conspiracy between the Queen and him, but later the aristocratic families pressed the pressure on His Majesty and trapped him without him knowing it was a fake. When he saw that the Queen was weak, King Hui and others wanted to bribe him. Although he did not agree directly, he had some thoughts about it.
If his third son He Jin had not tried to stop him, he would have probably joined the aristocratic family. He originally thought that this matter was a secret, but now looking at the queen, he vaguely understood that the queen might have known his thoughts for a long time.
The execution is a reminder and also a warning.
The color drained from He Cheng's face, and he almost lost his balance. He suppressed his uneasiness and lowered his head, saying in a low voice, "Your humble servant obeys your command."
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