Dun Ru looked at the person before him—this individual was none other than the leader captured at the Drunken Moon Pavilion a few days ago.
By this point, he had long since been tortured beyond recognition, disheveled with loose hair and covered in blood. His eyes were filled with hatred, looking as though he wanted to tear Dun Ru limb from limb.
“You don’t have to look at me like that. No matter how hard you glare, you won’t stare at me to death.”
“You’d better honestly confess everything to save yourself from further suffering.”
Dun Ru was completely unfazed by him. What good was a terrifying glare?
“Hmph!”
With a cold snort, the prisoner turned his head away, refusing to look at Dun Ru.
“Chen Ji, my patience is limited. Do not test it.”
Dun Ru’s gaze suddenly turned sharp.
“Dun Ru, if you have the guts, just kill me instead of wasting your breath.”
“If we hadn’t been delayed by that brat, do you really think you could have caught me?”
Chen Ji said coldly!
“Haha…”
“No wonder you people of the Six States were destroyed by our Great Qin; every single one of you is profoundly foolish.”
“What are you laughing at?”
Seeing Dun Ru laugh mercilessly at him, Chen Ji glared right back.
“Oh, Chen Ji, Chen Ji!”
“Did you really think our Black Ice Terrace was just for show?”
“Even if you had left the Drunken Moon Pavilion, we still would have been able to track you down.”
“Catching you at the Drunken Moon Pavilion was purely a matter of coincidence. I advise you to honestly spit out everything you know.”
“That way you can at least avoid physical torture. If not, I have plenty of methods to make you talk.”
Dun Ru looked down at him, his eyes filled with utter disdain.
“Hmph! Use whatever methods you have!”
“If I’m afraid of death, I’m just your pet dog.”
Several days later, during the morning court session!
Numerous ministers stepped forward one after another to impeach Ying Qingye.
“Your Majesty, I impeach the Fifth Prince! He robbed me of my money in the street and beat me up. Just look at my eyes and my front teeth!”
A minister who spoke with a noticeable lisp pointed at his mouth, where two front teeth were now conspicuously missing.
“Your Majesty, I impeach the Fifth Prince! While I was eating, he slipped laxatives into my meal.”
“I spent the entire day running to the latrine; if someone hadn’t discovered it in time, I probably would have ended up like Duke Jing of Jin!”
“Your Majesty, I impeach the Fifth Prince! While I was relieving myself in the outhouse, who knows what he tossed in there.”
“Then that unknown object suddenly exploded! I… I…”
“The Fifth Prince even told me to stab him with a sword. When I didn’t dare to do it, he tossed another one in!”
“I… Your Majesty, you must seek justice for me!”
“Your Majesty, I impeach the Fifth Prince…”
“Your Majesty, I impeach the Fifth Prince…”
“Your Majesty…”
“…”
More and more people stood up, presenting reasons more bizarre and eccentric than the last.
What on earth had happened?
It all started because Ying Qingye had been bored stiff a few days prior, finding the entertainment activities in the Qin Dynasty far too scarce.
Since Ying Zheng wouldn’t allow him to visit the Drunken Moon Pavilion, he thought back to those ministers who had offended him in court. Every single time they disagreed, they had threatened to tear him apart by chariots. Thinking of that always got Ying Qingye excited.
If he offended them even more, wouldn’t he practically guarantee his own death?
No sooner thought than done!
Armed with the memories of his original body, he began visiting the homes of various ministers one by one to stir up trouble. He subjected them to every kind of humiliation imaginable, assuming that in their fury, they would surely kill him.
Who could have known that they wouldn’t dare lay a hand on him? Left with no choice, Ying Qingye had to leave in disappointment, but he knew for a fact they would run to Ying Zheng to complain.
By then, Ying Zheng would surely be pressured into executing him just to give these officials an explanation.
“Qingye!”
Ying Zheng’s face was flushed red as he called out the name.
As for why his face was flushed, he was obviously trying his absolute hardest to keep from laughing out loud. As an emperor, how could he possibly laugh when his ministers had been humiliated?
Unless he simply couldn’t hold it in anymore!
Of course, Ying Qingye hadn’t visited the homes of every single official; all the wicked little stunts he pulled were specifically targeted at those who had been clamoring the loudest to restore the enfeoffment system.
As for Li Si, the Meng family, and the Wang family, he hadn’t visited a single one of their homes.
“Imperial Father, this son is here!”
At this moment, the corners of Ying Qingye’s mouth were harder to suppress than an assault rifle.
“You brat, what on earth have you been up to?”
Ying Zheng put on an angry act, shouting a stern reprimand.
“Didn’t do much, really!”
“Just urinated in their drinking wells!”
??????????
Everyone: (ﾟoﾟ)
“Ugh…”
“Blech…”
“…”
Instantly, a chorus of dry heaving echoed across the grand hall!
You scoundrel!
That is so insanely, maliciously wicked!
“Your Majesty, this boy’s moral character is utterly corrupted; he is truly unworthy of being Your Majesty’s son.”
“To be so lawless at such a young age—when he grows up, he will surely become a disaster for Great Qin. This minister begs Your Majesty to punish the Fifth Prince severely.”
“Please inflict heavy punishment, Your Majesty!”
Those ministers all begged tearfully. It was just too wicked. They couldn’t take it—they absolutely could not tolerate this anymore!
“Imperial Father, considering that the Fifth Younger Brother is still young and ignorant, this son implores you to spare his life!”
Fusu hurriedly knelt down to plead on his behalf.
“Your Majesty, for one so young to have such a corrupt moral character makes him utterly unforgivable. Leaving him alive will surely spell disaster.”
“Who knows, in the future he might even commit acts that harm Great Qin, destroying the foundations built by generations of our ancestors.”
“To safeguard the eternal foundation of Great Qin, Your Majesty should execute justice for the greater good of the family!”
“Your Majesty should execute justice for the greater good of the family!”
Those ministers shouted in unison, collectively coercing Ying Zheng into killing his own flesh and blood.
Watching this wonderful situation unfold, Ying Qingye bloomed with joy on the inside.
Yes, yes, yes!
Just like that!
“Imperial Father, the Fifth Younger Brother is merely mischievous and headstrong. As long as we invite a renowned master to carefully guide and instruct him, he will surely mend his ways.”
“Imperial Father, the Fifth Younger Brother is your own biological son!”
“Even tigers do not eat their own cubs. Please think twice, Imperial Father.”
Fusu was so anxious he was practically on the verge of tears.
Ying Qingye looked at Fusu pleadingly for him, feeling both touched and helpless.
“Qingye, tell me, why did you do such things?”
“Replying to Imperial Father, it is because this son was naturally born with corrupted morals!”
Ying Zheng: “…”
Good grief!
Are you really in that much of a rush to go meet your maker?
You didn’t even try to absolve yourself of blame one bit!
Ying Zheng sighed helplessly, turning his gaze toward Li Si. The latter instantly caught his meaning.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the reason the Fifth Prince committed such acts is simply due to a mischievous nature and a lack of proper discipline.”
“As long as the Fifth Prince is ordered to move back into the palace to live, and Your Majesty personally selects renowned scholars to mentor him,”
“With Your Majesty keeping a close eye on him from then on, he will certainly never pull such stunts again.”
“As for making amends to these various ministers for the Fifth Prince’s actions, we can have the Prince present heavy gifts and personally visit each of their households to offer a formal apology.”
“Furthermore, a portion of the Fifth Prince’s official stipend can be allocated to compensate them—that should suffice.”
When Ying Qingye heard this, how could he possibly allow that?!
Not only was he not going to be executed, but he had to move back into the palace?
How was that any different from being thrown into prison?
And on top of that, he’d be supervised by Ying Zheng every single day! No, no, absolutely not!
“I object!”
Everyone turned their heads in unison to look at Ying Qingye.
They were completely frozen in place!
You still object?!
What on earth do you have to object about?
Don’t you realize these people are trying to save your life right now?
And you’re actually objecting?!