Emperor Rongsheng strode up to Lin Mushen, his eyes piercing him like cold blades, and said in a chilling voice, "With your meager brains, you actually dare to plot a rebellion? You are truly overestimating yourself! Such a foolish act would be more than enough to kill you a hundred times over!"
After saying this, Emperor Rongsheng felt a surge of sorrow.
Ultimately, Lin Mushen still embarked on the path of rebellion.
Once upon a time, in the dreams of countless nights, Emperor Rongsheng saw Lin Mushen resorting to any means necessary and disregarding everything in his struggle for the supreme throne.
Now that the nightmare has come true, how can one not feel sorrow?
This is his own son!
He was the son on whom I had placed high hopes.
If he proves himself, Emperor Rongsheng will rightfully pass the throne to him.
At this moment, Lin Mushen, like a stray dog, crawled with difficulty towards Emperor Rongsheng, pleading repeatedly, "Father! Your son knows he was wrong, your son truly knows he was wrong, and will never dare to have such improper thoughts again. Please forgive your son!"
However, Emperor Rongsheng simply looked down at him from above, without a trace of pity in his eyes, as if the person in front of him was nothing more than a corpse that had been dead for a long time.
Emperor Rongsheng snorted coldly and questioned, "When you ordered those soldiers to point their blades at me, did you ever for a moment think of letting me go?"
Faced with this sharp question, Lin Mushen was speechless and could only lie on the ground trembling.
Emperor Rongsheng ignored him and turned to the guards beside him, ordering, "Guards! Take those two away and behead them immediately!"
No sooner had the words left her lips than two shrill cries rang out simultaneously: "Your Majesty!" and "Father!" Consort Zheng and Lin Mushen were making their last stand.
But Emperor Rongsheng seemed not to hear, his expression remaining cold and stern.
The ministers were all terrified, their faces ashen and their bodies trembling. They didn't even dare to breathe, as if making the slightest sound would bring about their deaths.
They stared in horror at the emperor, who was in a fit of rage, their hearts filled with fear and unease, lest they too become victims of his fury.
Just then, Emperor Rongsheng's cold and resolute voice rang out again: "My mind is made up. Not only will all those involved in the Prince Jin's mansion be executed, but not a single one of the palace servants in the Consort's palace will be spared! They will all be beaten to death without mercy!"
These words were like frost in the dead of winter, chilling to the bone and sending shivers down one's spine.
Lin Mushen, who had been arrogant and domineering, suddenly collapsed to the ground like a deflated balloon.
He never imagined things would develop this way. Just moments ago he was swaggering around in front of everyone, but now he's ended up in such a pathetic state.
As the guards dragged them away without mercy, Lin Mushen and Consort Zheng were forcibly pulled away from the palace.
The entire court was silent; not a single person dared to stand up and plead for them.
After all, treason is a heinous crime, punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family according to the law.
Anyone who tries to stand up for themselves at this time will likely only bring trouble upon themselves and their family, leading to their annihilation.
Before long, the palace was filled with blood, a truly horrific sight.
Nearly a hundred palace servants in the Imperial Concubine's palace were all subjected to brutal caning and ultimately died.
Consort Zheng and Lin Mushen were mercilessly beheaded, ending their sinful lives.
For a time, the Imperial Concubine's palace was filled with the sounds of weeping and wailing, but none of this could change the predetermined outcome.
Soon, all the palace servants were slaughtered, leaving no one alive.
At the same time, all three hundred-plus people in the Prince Jin's mansion were imprisoned and awaited execution on a later date.
They didn't know when they would be sent to the guillotine, but everyone was filled with despair and fear.
The once bustling and prosperous Prince Jin's Mansion is now an empty house.
The eunuch who poisoned the body, the assassin, and the Taoist priest imprisoned in the death row all perished, becoming innocent souls beneath the cold blade.
At this moment, the Duke of Zheng was deathly pale, kneeling on the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably.
However, Emperor Rongsheng showed no pity for him. He glared at him and shouted, "Zheng Yan knew about this but concealed it. His crime is unforgivable. He is hereby demoted to a commoner, and all members of the Zheng family are exiled three thousand miles away. Moreover, his descendants are forever forbidden from serving as officials in the court!"
Before he could finish speaking, a muffled thud was heard, and Zheng Yan fainted from excessive fear.
After all these people were punished, all the ministers present were terrified and trembling.
Among them were those who were timid and cowardly, who had already fainted and were unconscious.
However, even though things had developed to this point, Emperor Rongsheng still showed no intention of giving up.
His eyes, which were already as sharp as a hawk's, now shone with an even colder light, as if they could pierce through the souls of everyone present.
He swept his sharp gaze across the entire court, his imposing aura silencing all who were present.
Suddenly, Emperor Rongsheng shouted loudly, "Wang Defu!"
"Your servant is here!" Almost as soon as Emperor Rongsheng finished speaking, a loud and respectful response came.
Immediately afterwards, everyone turned to look in the direction of the sound, and saw Wang Defu standing calmly with his head bowed beside Emperor Rongsheng.
Compared to the ministers around him who appeared somewhat flustered by the emperor's sudden shout, his calm and composed demeanor was truly remarkable.
Perhaps only Wang Defu himself knew best that everything happening before his eyes was actually within the Emperor's expectations.
Therefore, he was able to remain so calm and composed in the face of this tense situation and the astonished gazes of the crowd.
"Go to the Ganlong Palace and bring me the edict I have prepared." Emperor Rongsheng issued the order again, his tone firm and leaving no room for doubt.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Wang Defu dared not delay for a moment, and immediately turned and left after receiving the order.
Watching his hurried departure, the ministers in the court couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.
At this moment, these ministers were filled with doubt and unease, unable to imagine what earth-shattering event would occur next.
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