Marin shouted in panic, but the guards ignored him and dragged him out.
Jiang Jiuyue followed suit and left. The court fell into complete silence and no one dared to speak a word.
In the side hall, Ma Lin was tied to a pillar, watching in horror as several eunuchs holding torture instruments walked in.
Jiang Jiuyue smiled at the eunuchs and said, "Please, eunuchs, please carry out the execution for me. Please show your true abilities so that Lord Ma can reveal everything."
The leading eunuch bowed to Jiang Jiuyue and said, "I understand. Your Highness, don't worry."
Marin watched their interaction and was so scared that his crotch was soaked.
Although he was an outsider, he knew that there was a prison department in the palace that specialized in studying various punishments. Anyone who entered the prison department had to tell the truth even if he was dumb.
Jiang Jiuyue sat on a chair and nodded to signal the eunuchs that they could start.
Marin was really scared to death, but he was still weighing it in his heart. If he confessed, assassinating the prince would also be a capital crime.
The eunuch executing him would not give him time to hesitate and directly used the first punishment.
Jiang Jiuyue watched with great interest, she had never seen the prison department in the palace carry out an execution, and she also wanted to see what kind of punishment the prison department used that would terrify everyone in the palace.
Marin watched helplessly as his shoes and socks were all taken off, his feet were hung with ropes, his hands were tied by two eunuchs, and he was forced to spread his fingers with splints facing the eunuchs who were executing him.
The executioner took out a white packet from the table next to him which was filled with torture instruments.
The white bag was spread out, revealing copper needles of varying lengths and thicknesses.
Marin seemed to know what the executioner was going to do. Just as he was about to shout for help, a young eunuch stuffed a piece of cloth into his mouth.
The executioner inserted the copper needle directly into the gap between Marin's big toe. When Marin's veins bulged and he struggled desperately in pain, the eunuch took out a small hammer, aimed at the copper needle, and hit it hard.
Jiang Jiuyue even felt a dull pain in her toes after seeing this. It was no wonder that this was the prison department in the palace. The way they tortured people was truly world-class.
Marin's eyes rolled back and he fainted from the pain.
The eunuch beside him saw this and immediately took the water with ingredients and sprayed it on Ma Lin's face.
Marin had just fainted for a few moments when he was sprayed with added water and started to shudder, opening his eyes in pain.
He struggled and screamed desperately. He wanted to say that he was willing to confess and asked them to stop torturing him!
But the eunuchs seemed to have no reaction at all. They used several copper needles in succession to remove the cloth from Malin's mouth.
At this time, Marin was so painful that he had no strength left. Like a fish struggling on the shore, he only had his last breath left.
The eunuchs were accustomed to this situation. The young eunuch brought a medicine bottle and poured it into Marin's mouth.
Jiang Jiuyue was a little curious, "What did you feed him?"
The young eunuch bowed and replied, "Your Highness, it is a secret potion made by our Criminal Department that can help him stay alive."
Jiang Jiuyue nodded, then looked at Ma Lin and found that he was indeed breathing more vigorously than before.
Under the effect of the potion, Marin barely took a breath, but the severe pain was still tormenting him, and his face looked even uglier than that of a demon.
"Master Ma, please tell the truth, so that we don't have to waste any more effort."
The eunuch who was executing the execution said this with a fake smile, but his hands did not stop moving, and he had already begun to prepare the next punishment.
Marin struggled and said, "I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"
The eunuch stopped and looked at Ma Lin with a fake smile. "Master Ma, why don't you just hand it over earlier? Why do you have to suffer so much?"
Marin did not dare to refute, and could only gasp and say, "The assassination of the King of Chu was the idea of the three of us, the Minister of the Central Secretariat, and the Prime Minister. The housekeeper in my house knew some people in the rivers and lakes, so I asked the housekeeper to find a killer..."
Jiang Jiuyue raised an eyebrow, "The Minister of the Central Secretariat and the Prime Minister? These two are in high positions of power, and they are actually involved in this matter?"
Marin was more honest than anyone else at this moment, and confessed truthfully, "The previous imperial examinations were all presided over by the prime minister. If the imperial examinations really come up with a new policy, King Chu, you will definitely participate in it and block the way of the prime minister's lineage..."
Jiang Jiuyue snorted coldly. It turned out that the Prime Minister was really not very good at the imperial examinations.
Ma Lin continued, "The Secretary-General follows the Prime Minister's lead, so naturally he has a share..."
After saying that, Marin took another deep breath, "I have told you everything I know, Your Highness the King of Chu, please let me go..."
Jiang Jiuyue signaled the executioner with his eyes to remove the copper needle, untie Ma Lin, and take him to the main hall.
In the main hall, Qi Ji was also furious with the ministers.
Jiang Jiuyue walked in first, followed by the eunuch dragging Ma Lin.
The eunuchs took Ma Lin to the foot of the imperial steps and stepped aside.
"Your Majesty, Lord Ma has already handed over. Why don't you let Lord Ma tell Your Majesty the whole story?"
Qi Ji was so angry that he just picked up the memorial at hand and threw it at Ma Lin, "Speak!"
Ma Lin knelt on the bed and told how the prime minister manipulated the imperial examinations, how they conspired to assassinate the King of Chu, and how they would incite court officials to fight against Qi Ji after the King of Chu's death.
Prime Minister Kuang Ziming and Zhongshu Ling Chen Xiang immediately knelt down and cried out that they were wronged. Kuang Ziming even cursed, "Minister Ma is simply despicable. After being tortured, he started to make random accusations and tried to drag me down. Your Majesty, please understand!"
Chen Xiang also followed suit and scolded Ma Lin righteously, as if he was really wronged.
Marin also knew that the two men would definitely sacrifice themselves to save themselves, so he didn't care about so much and shouted directly, "Your Majesty! I have evidence that the Prime Minister accepted bribes and cheated in the imperial examinations! It's hidden in the secret compartment of my study!"
Kuang Ziming's face turned pale this time. He didn't expect that Marin actually hid this trick. These evidences were enough to put him to death!
Jiang Jiuyue clapped his hands and said, "What a good show! The Prime Minister is so eager for me to die. It turns out that I am the one who is touching your fat meat."
Qi Ji laughed out of anger, "Okay, okay, Prime Minister, you did a really good job. You actually controlled the imperial examinations. You, the Prime Minister, really have the upper hand over everything. In your eyes, what is the emperor? Is he your puppet?!"
Kuang Ziming's face turned pale, and he fell to his knees. His mind went blank, and he couldn't think of a word to defend himself.
Jiang Jiuyue gave Qi Ji a look and said that the play could stop here and it would be fine if it continued.
Qi Ji retracted her gaze, suppressed his anger, and waved his hand to signal the guards to go forward and arrest the three people.
"Throw these three people into the Sky Prison, search their homes, and confiscate all their gold, silver, and treasures. If there are other people involved, throw them all into the Sky Prison, and show no mercy!"
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