It would be best if there were any misunderstandings.
She sent Liu Chaiji to block the main roads of the palace. If he were there, seeing his father being imprisoned and tortured by Yuan Xingzhou in Yixiu Palace, he might impulsively turn against Yuan Xingzhou.
These people have all given up their chance to survive in Yuanxingzhou, mainly because he looks like the kind of person with a heart of iron.
On the contrary, Zheng Quchi had a kind face and was easily swayed by soft hearts. In addition, rumors about her affair with the Crown Prince were circulating widely and in great detail, which they believed to be true. Therefore, they placed all their hopes on her.
Seeing that they all turned to Zheng Quchi for help, their crying, kowtowing, and repentance were truly pitiful. Even Yuan Xingzhou thought that Zheng Quchi would be moved by this and, unable to bear it, would turn his gun around again to plead for them. Or, seeing that he could not stop his killing spree, he would directly and forcefully call in the Xuanjia Army outside to fight him.
Just as she understood him, he understood her. She was someone who wasn't doing well herself, yet couldn't bear to see the suffering of others. Unlike him, she wasn't hard-hearted; she would surely succumb to the torment of her conscience.
However, he seemed to have guessed wrong. This time, she seemed determined, and she didn't even blink at the pitiful pleas of these people.
Suddenly, a loud "boom" sounded outside, startling Zheng Quchi. Her lips tightened, and her face paled. She looked outside and, sure enough, a light rain began to fall outside the palace, casting a soft, misty glow under the lamplight.
"Your Highness, it's raining. Let's go back together once we're done with our work."
Her casual remark sent a jolt through Yuan Xingzhou.
He stared at her blankly, recalling a scene that was both hazy and vivid in his memory—
On a country road in a small county town, he held an umbrella and walked side by side with her in the misty drizzle. The raindrops on their shoulders did not make them feel cold. At dusk, wisps of smoke rose from the fields. The winding, muddy path led to their home.
He saw her standing there, her back straight, trying her best to maintain a calm and composed demeanor, but from her clenched fists and pale face, he could tell that she was psychologically unable to bear the bloody torture that was about to be carried out.
Whether her words were a strategic retreat or a deliberate attempt to appease him, they undeniably soothed the pent-up resentment and anger in his chest.
Simply because she publicly chose him based on her stance, Yuan Xingzhou's bloodthirsty and violent nature gradually dissipated at this moment.
Zhao Deyu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Highness, next up is Qi Lei, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who embezzled one million taels of silver for road and bridge construction. His crime deserves death."
As they spoke, they went to pull him away. Qi Lei, the Vice Minister of Revenue, resisted with his hands and feet, screaming in terror: "No, don't kill me! I... I'm willing to give away all my family's wealth to the court and the people. I can fund the construction of ten bridges and a hundred roads. Please spare my life! Please, Your Highness and the General's wife, spare my life!"
Zheng Quchi listened to his accusations without flinching as Qi Lei was dragged to the instruments of torture. They used shackles studded with spikes to bind his struggling hands and feet, causing him to writhe on the ground in pain and howl incessantly. Then they took out long whips, dipped them in salt water, and lashed his body repeatedly.
"Stop hitting me, I confess, I plead guilty..."
Snap—
With each lash, Zheng Quchi tensed up, but she kept her face taut and remained silent.
She knew that Yuan Xingzhou was now fighting against corrupt officials in the court and the government. Although his behavior seemed cruel and inhumane, it was also a ruthless way to deal with guilty officials. But sometimes it is better to guide than to block, and better to lead than to guide. If he killed everyone, who would manage the various affairs of Ye Kingdom for him?
But she also knew that, from another perspective, constantly stopping and forcibly reversing his behavior was tantamount to standing on the opposite side of him.
She had also thought about it. Yuan Xingzhou had repeatedly emphasized that he hoped she would stand by his side in any situation, which showed that he was extremely insecure and lacked a sense of identity. He could not accept any form of "betrayal".
He doesn't need anyone to teach him any grand principles. He's so intelligent and perceptive that he understands all the principles; it's just a matter of whether he's willing to put them into practice.
So she thought, why should she go against him? With his personality, he becomes stronger when faced with the strong and more stubborn when faced with the tough. If she were willing to go along with him, indulge him, and spoil him, making him understand that she was on his side and wanted to help him, wouldn't he reciprocate and willingly take a step back?
She wanted to give it a try, and was prepared to take a gamble.
Ultimately, this protracted battle of wits and emotions between men and women ended with Yuan Xingzhou's defeat.
Seeing that even in situations she was extremely uncomfortable with, and witnessing scenes she usually resisted and rejected, Zheng Quchi still refused to back down and persisted to the end, Yuan Xingzhou could not ignore it and let her torment herself, and torment him as well.
She has always respected life, and she has said more than once that nothing is more important than a life...
"Enough, Zhao Deyu. I am tired. Hand over all the people in Yixiu Palace and those outside to Qin Li of the Ministry of Justice. They will be jointly tried by the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Personnel. Bo Ji, Yuan Chuhua, Yuan Jingxuan and the Yuan family will be separately detained in the high wall. Once all the evidence of their crimes has been collected, they will be publicly announced and dealt with."
Fine, she just wanted to follow the law and give these people a chance, not to oppose him or divorce him, so what if she did?
Zheng Deyu looked up in surprise and saw that the Crown Prince had abandoned the bloody suppression he had prepared and instead accepted the advice of the General's wife. This was extremely abnormal.
Wang Zebang and Wei Yao exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes seemingly surprised yet not particularly surprised. They remained silent, not daring to utter a sound.
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