Duke Zheng was speechless.
The ministers had only just recovered from the sudden shock, their faces still showing signs of fear.
They all advised the emperor, "Your Majesty, the assassin must not be let off lightly! We all just narrowly escaped death!"
Everyone was indignant, especially the Duke of Zheng, who secretly thought: This is a serious crime of treason, how can it be so easily classified as merely disrupting the order of the court?
For some reason, he felt that this matter was inextricably linked to Prince Jin.
He was so audacious as to openly attempt to assassinate the current emperor. The emperor must find the mastermind behind this shocking crime immediately!
The Emperor will surely worry that if there is any delay, the assassin might be secretly silenced, and then the case will be impossible to investigate!
Emperor Rongsheng was furious. He stared intently at the captured assassin before him and demanded in a stern voice, "Speak! Who ordered you to assassinate me?"
He was eager to pry the truth out of the assassin.
Since the women had not received the emperor's decree, they could only stand there trembling, not daring to act on their own.
After all, these pampered women had never experienced such a thrilling scene before.
In an instant, they all turned pale, their faces as white as paper, and some even had their legs go weak and could barely stand.
Lin Muheng knew that what followed would likely be an even more brutal and bloody interrogation.
He quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands to Emperor Rongsheng, and said, “Father! I believe it is not appropriate for the women to remain here. Perhaps they should return to their respective residences to avoid being too frightened.”
Upon hearing this, Emperor Rongsheng coldly swept his gaze over everyone present, then nodded slightly and said, "Very well, except for Consort Zheng, all other concubines and female relatives may leave immediately."
Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had been granted a pardon, and then hurriedly left the main hall under the guidance of the palace maids and eunuchs.
The ministers were filled with anxiety, fearing that their families might faint from witnessing such a bloody scene. If this angered the emperor, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Consort Jing glanced at the Emperor with a worried expression. In truth, she longed to stay by the Emperor's side, but when she thought of the Ninth Prince who still needed her care, she finally withdrew respectfully.
For some reason, Consort Jing had a strange feeling, as if the Emperor was struggling to hold on.
Faced with Emperor Rongsheng's stern questioning, the assassin remained unmoved as if he had not heard a word.
Seeing this, Lin Muheng was furious. He kicked the assassin hard, roaring, "Speak! Who sent you to assassinate my father?"
This kick contained all his strength, and with a muffled "bang," the assassin fell backward as if struck by a heavy blow.
"Pfft!" The assassin suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered on the ground, forming a shocking crimson stain.
Even after suffering such a severe blow, the assassin gritted his teeth and adopted a posture of unyielding defiance, as if he were a dead pig unafraid of boiling water.
"Speak!" Emperor Rongsheng could no longer contain his rage and roared, "Guards! Drag this traitor out and subject him to the punishment of slow slicing, to be cut into a thousand pieces, to vent my hatred!"
Upon hearing the words "death by a thousand cuts," the assassin, who had been feigning composure, finally showed fear and began to tremble uncontrollably.
Before this, he thought that as long as he gritted his teeth and refused to reveal the truth, the worst that could happen was that he would die.
To everyone's surprise, this emperor was so ruthless and decisive that he actually decided to use the inhumane torture of slow slicing on him.
"Are you scared now? Hmph! If you don't tell the truth, I will not only have you executed by slow slicing, but I will also drag out your entire family and make them taste this living hell with you!" Emperor Rongsheng threatened viciously, his face contorted with rage.
Upon hearing this, the assassin, as if grasping at a straw, scrambled forward, shouting repeatedly, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I am willing to confess everything, without hiding a single thing!"
At this moment, the face of the Prince of Jin, who had been kneeling on the ground, turned ashen white, completely devoid of color.
His body was trembling slightly, and cold sweat was pouring down his forehead.
Just then, Lin Mushen suddenly opened his eyes wide, his hair stood on end in anger, and he shouted, "You shameless scoundrel, today is your death day!"
Before he finished speaking, he charged straight at the assassin like a ferocious wild beast.
However, in the blink of an eye, Lin Muheng reacted extremely quickly. He flashed forward and instantly appeared in front of Lin Mushen, grabbing Lin Mushen's arms tightly with lightning speed.
Enraged at being subdued, Lin Mushen roared hoarsely, "Release me at once! I will tear this traitor to pieces! How dare he attempt to assassinate my father? Such a rebellious person cannot be spared!"
Faced with Lin Mushen's roar, Lin Muheng remained indifferent, a hint of mockery playing on his lips, and slowly said, "Could it be that you want to kill me to silence me?"
"Stop spouting nonsense!" Lin Mushen shouted angrily.
"Kneel down before me!" Emperor Rongsheng roared in uncontrollable rage.
This sudden rebuke was like a thunderclap in everyone's ears, and everyone present fell silent.
"Father, please calm down! Your son only wanted to kill this scoundrel with his own hands..." Lin Mushen still tried to explain, but before he could finish speaking, Emperor Rongsheng interrupted him, saying, "Whether or not he intended to kill him to silence him, I will make my own judgment."
The Duke of Zheng, who had witnessed the whole thing from the sidelines, was already trembling with rage and cursing inwardly.
He simply couldn't understand how someone as intelligent as Consort Zheng could give birth to such a foolish and incompetent son!
Such impulsive actions are tantamount to announcing to the world that one is the mastermind behind it all.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
