If Xiao Zhun remained silent, even if Bai Yun was not immediately sent to the execution ground, he would surely be beaten to death.
But if he opened his mouth, it would either confirm his affair with Bai Yun or admit the fact that the two of them were secretly colluding.
At a moment when everyone's breathing was deliberately slowed down, even the ticking sound of the bronze clepsydra seemed to be infinitely prolonged.
Finally, she heard Xiao Zhun's voice with difficulty.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the one in Yingshui Chonglou is this minister..."
"I brought it into the annex!"
Xiao Nanhui half opened his mouth, and only after the words had finished falling did he realize that the words had come out of his own mouth.
Different from the uproar just now, the hall was now as dead silent as a deep pool in the abyss.
Xiao Nanhui could hear her heartbeat like a drum suddenly slowing down at this moment, as if a sword that had been hanging over her head had finally fallen, cutting the last bit of suspense in half.
She finally got to this point.
Xu Zhi's gaze fell on her coldly, as if he was examining a fake with obvious flaws.
"You said you brought the plum blossoms into the annex. Does that mean you're admitting your involvement in the rebellion?"
"No," Xiao Nanhui quickly denied, her voice unusually steady. She felt she had never been so clear-headed, so calm, and so composed. "I resented my adoptive father's frequent visits to the other mansion, and I knew that Mrs. Bai loved plum blossoms the most. A while ago, by chance, I stole a few Reflecting Water-Reflecting Towers from the Mei Mansion, and I wanted to use them to humiliate her, but I accidentally made a terrible mistake."
As soon as she said this, Su Pingchuan's voice sounded behind her, almost angry.
"You're talking nonsense! That day at the Mei Mansion you clearly..."
"General Zuo, why do you have to deceive yourself?" She never knew she could speak in such a vicious tone while her heart was bleeding. "Your grandfather is old and has poor eyesight. I can steal a few plum blossoms without alerting anyone."
Su Pingchuan's voice did not sound again. The only voice in the hall that would excuse her completely disappeared.
The sneer on Xiao Nanhui's face turned bitter, and he added a lightly comment on his guilt.
"I once sneaked into the annex under the pretext of practicing archery, and the Black Feather garrison that day can all testify to this."
After these words were spoken, even Lu Songping couldn't help but look at her.
Countless eyes in the hall fell on her, with inquiry, judgment, contempt and a hint of watching the show, bending her back again and again until it merged with the dark ground.
The man under the statue still hadn't spoken, and she didn't know what expression was on his face at this moment.
She didn't dare to look, for fear of seeing a face of disappointment and disgust, or a face as expressionless as the statue's.
"Your Majesty." Xiao Zhun's voice was very close to her, with a barely perceptible tremor. "I have taught my adopted daughter since she was young. As the head of the Xiao Mansion, I was unable to foresee the situation today. I am guilty of not teaching her and failing to observe her. I am willing to accept the punishment for her."
Xu Zhi suddenly seemed to be filled with compassion and justice, even the hint of femininity in his eyes was stronger than ever. "From what Lord Qinghuai said, it seems as if he's taking the blame for someone else's mistakes. The Xiao family is a family of loyal and valiant men. Your Majesty will surely not forget their kindness and arbitrarily criticize them. Ultimately, this matter is the fault of your adopted daughter. Please don't dwell on it and embarrass Your Majesty."
"Marquis Qinghuai, I don't wish to embarrass you, but this matter involves a foreign woman suffering for no reason, and I must give an explanation to the descendants of King Kang. The Bai family may be spared, but someone in your Xiao Mansion must pay the price for the mistakes they made. You can make a choice between the two."
If Xiao Zhun was to be punished, his sentence would have to be mitigated for his sake. This was something that some people present could not easily let go of.
Xiao Nanhui didn't turn his head, but he could feel Xiao Jun's struggle at the moment.
However, at this point, she could clearly see what the best option was for them.
She made her choice before Xiao Zhun could speak.
"Your Majesty, I, Xiao Nanhui, am willing to accept any punishment. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
For a long time, Xiao Nanhui didn't hear any response.
She knelt on the ground and could not see the emperor standing up slowly.
Everyone in the hall was watching the scene unfold before them. This was the most unfathomable scene in today's drama.
Su Wei slowly walked down the stone steps, his thick moon-white cloak rolling down the steps behind him, majestically and silently.
He moved close enough to her that the voice was practically above her head.
"You can escape the death penalty, but you can't escape the punishment of living. Have you ever heard of the punishment of breaking bones?"
Xiao Nanhui shook his body and pressed his fingertips hard against the ground.
The punishment of beheading is one of the military laws. It is not the most fatal of the many punishments, but it is the most cruel one for those who practice martial arts.
The executioner used split new bamboo as a torture instrument, and the stick method seemed not as dangerous as the military stick, but in fact it was flexible and dangerous. Each blow could accurately fall on the junction of the victim's shoulder blade and giant bone, often breaking the victim's shoulder meridians, making him lose the ability to use force for life.
"Since this incident was caused by a bow and arrow, I will punish you by banishing you from archery for the rest of your life. Is that fair?"
There seemed to be a hint of suppressed emotion in this question.
The ministers were even more confused. After the emperor convicted a criminal, did he need to ask whether it was fair?
However, at this moment, Xiao Nanhui could not perceive the subtleties of this. She only knew that the emperor was waiting for her response.
What was he waiting for? Waiting for her to beg for mercy?
But she would not beg for mercy, nor could she beg for mercy.
She tried hard to suppress her fear, and when she spoke she realized that the voice no longer sounded like her own.
"fair."
"Okay." The moon-white cloak swept past her, leaving only a faint shadow. "Xiao Nanhui, the right general of the Guang Battalion, has been found guilty of neglecting his duties and trespassing into heavily guarded territory. This is suspected of collusion. However, considering his contributions in the Western Expedition and his guarantee from the Marquis' Mansion, I will not pursue his case for now. I will remove him from his position as right general and demote him to the position of battalion guard. According to military law, he will be sentenced to death by bone cutting. He will receive his punishment immediately."
She offered him a pure white sacrifice, and he rewarded her with a dark hell.
"Xiao Nanhui, do you plead guilty?"
He seemed to be asking the question for the last time.
At this moment, she was crawling on the ground, even the last bit of her dignity had withered and shattered, and the answer no longer mattered.
"Your Majesty, I plead guilty."
There seemed to be an unusual silence in the air, and after a long time, the emperor's voice sounded again.
This time, there was no trace of emotion.
"Someone, drag her away."
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