“What qualification do you have to object?”
Ying Zheng glared fiercely at Ying Qingye. This little bastard really knew how to stir up trouble for him.
“Imperial Father, when Qin conquered the six states, who were the ones who hated Qin the most?”
Huh?
??????????
“What does that have to do with the trouble you caused?”
“Is there any connection between the two?”
Ying Zheng reprimanded him, annoyed that the boy was still bringing up unrelated matters at a time like this.
“Imperial Father, you are mistaken!”
“A few days ago, they claimed that refugees were rising up in the Zhao territory, which is why the enfeoffment system must be restored.”
“But is that really the case?”
“When Qin destroyed the six states, who were the ones who hated Qin the most? It wasn’t the common people.”
“They were being exploited anyway; whoever was in power didn’t make much difference to them.”
“The common folk simply don’t care who sits on the throne as emperor, so this talk of widespread refugees rising up is complete nonsense.”
“The ones who truly hate our Great Qin are the old nobility of the six states. They used to live comfortably as masters above others, only for it all to vanish in an instant, their family fortunes accumulated over generations scattered to the winds during forced relocations.”
“That is why these people are plotting every single second of every day to destroy our Great Qin.”
“Once Great Qin falls, won’t all their wealth, power, and status return to them?”
“That is why they pull every trick in the book trying to incite popular uprisings, while using these pretexts to bewitch the public.”
“They claim it’s all for the sake of restoring the enfeoffment system, but in truth, they just want to carve up a piece of the pie for themselves.”
“As long as Imperial Father restores the enfeoffment, they will become the backbone of each individual vassal state.”
“Imperial Father, you tell me—these people attempted to fracture and divide our Great Qin. Didn’t they completely deserve it when this son treated them the way I did?”
“Utter nonsense! Slander and false accusations!”
That group of people instantly became furious, rushing to express their loyalty and innocence to Ying Zheng.
“May Your Majesty examine this clearly! We harbor no such intentions whatsoever!”
“He is merely trying to absolve himself of guilt by slandering us ministers. Please see through his lies, Your Majesty!”
“Please grant us justice, Your Majesty!”
“…”
Wailing and crying filled the grand hall!
Li Si’s mouth twitched slightly. Did the boy just turn the entire situation around in a single breath?
Meanwhile, all Ying Qingye had on his mind was burning bridges with these ministers.
If you guys won’t finish me off, I’ll just have to deal with you.
“Your Majesty, this boy’s moral character is utterly corrupted, and now he even dares to bite back at us.”
“This proves just how venomous his heart is! If this boy isn’t eliminated, the foundation of Great Qin will be in jeopardy, Your Majesty!”
“To play tricks on ministers and subject them to willful humiliation—such a malicious heart is intolerable to both gods and men.”
Chunyue wore a bitter expression, tears streaming down his old face. Among all the victims, he had suffered the absolute worst.
He had been given laxatives in his food, firecrackers tossed into his outhouse, and Ying Qingye had even urinated into his drinking water well. To top it all off, his son had been stripped of everything except a pair of underpants, subjecting them to utter humiliation.
He had been so furious he had nearly dropped dead on the spot!
Out of everyone present, he hated Ying Qingye the most.
Watching Chunyue’s unrelenting, death-gripped expression, Ying Qingye felt a wave of pure satisfaction wash over him.
Old man, your performance is top-notch. Truly top-notch.
“Your Majesty, the Left Minister is simply alarmist! The Fifth Prince is Your Majesty’s own son.”
“He is merely young and fond of play. How could the Fifth Prince possibly be such a person?”
Li Si hurriedly stepped forward to cover for Ying Qingye.
“Li Si, he just confessed to everything himself! And you’re still covering for him?”
“Could it be that those despicable acts of his were orchestrated by you?”
Chunyue seized the opportunity and immediately clamped down on Li Si.
“Chunyue, use your brain for a second—do you really think I, Li Si, could possibly order the Fifth Prince around?”
Li Si looked at him as if he were looking at an absolute idiot.
“You…”
“Enough!”
Ying Zheng shouted a reprimand, causing the gathered ministers to bow their heads instantly, not daring to speak another word.
“Qingye, even if they are as guilty as you claim, you still should not have treated people in such a manner.”
“Employing such base and petty tactics completely lacks the demeanor of a gentleman.”
“If they had done something wrong, it naturally should have been handled by the Department of Tingwei.”
“However, considering your staunch and unswerving loyalty to Great Qin, your death sentence is commuted.”
“Thirty cane strikes!”
Ying Zheng said calmly.
“I object!”
??????????
What on earth?
You object?
The ministers in the grand hall stared at Ying Qingye with expressions of utter bewilderment. Ying Zheng himself even wondered if he had heard incorrectly.
Does this little brat have something wrong with his brain?
He had just pardoned him from the death penalty, and yet he was objecting?
Chunyue was similarly baffled by this maneuver. Although the two of them were adversaries, by any normal person’s logic, this was the moment to hurriedly express gratitude and kowtow!
Yet he was actually refusing?
This… could it be that his brain was genuinely damaged?
A dignified son of the First Emperor, and yet his mind was broken?
“What did you just say?”
Ying Zheng was completely thrown off by this stunt.
“I said I object!”
“Imperial Father, a prince who breaks the law is punished the same as a commoner. I don’t want to make it difficult for you.”
“Just deal with me however the law dictates!”
Ying Zheng: “…”
Li Si: “…”
Mhm!
That settled it!
This fellow’s brain was truly defective. Who in their right mind actively wanted to die?
If that wasn’t being out of your mind, what was?
“Imperial Father, the Fifth Younger Brother’s crimes do not warrant death!”
“He was merely acting on a momentary impulse and youthful mischief. As long as he is properly disciplined, he will definitely never pull such stunts again!”
Fusu hurriedly kowtowed and pleaded.
“No! I wasn’t acting on a momentary impulse!”
“I’ve had my eyes on them and found them in an eyesore for a long time. Sooner or later, I’m going to finish them off.”
Bam!
“You rebellious brat! Are you trying to rebel or what?!”
Ying Zheng slammed his palm on the armrest and surged to his feet. What on earth was this little bastard trying to pull?
He was actively trying to save him, yet the boy kept jumping headfirst back into the fire pit. Was he an absolute fool?
“Guards, drag him outside and give him thirty heavy cane strikes!”
“Hold on!”
“Imperial Father, you might as well just chop my head off instead?”
“Thirty cane strikes—that sounds awfully painful!”
Ying Zheng: “…”
I give up!
What kind of stubborn, impossible blockhead is this?!
How on earth did he end up with such an eccentric, bizarre son?
He was hell-bent on seeking his own death!
Was there truly nothing left in this world worth holding onto for him?
Hearing Ying Qingye’s words, Chunyue instantly blossomed with joy.
“Your Majesty, this boy openly defies Your Majesty. It is clear he holds no regard for Your Majesty in his eyes whatsoever.”
“This minister implores Your Majesty to inflict a heavy punishment upon him!”
Chunyue’s heart was blooming with delight. He had originally thought his wish wouldn’t be fulfilled, but who would have expected Ying Qingye to actively court death like this?
He truly was a fool of the highest order!
“Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince must have suffered some sort of shock; his mind is clearly not clear right now.”
“The Fifth Prince has always held Your Majesty in deep reverence, yet today he openly defies you. There must be some hidden cause behind this.”
“May Your Majesty summon an imperial physician to examine and treat the Fifth Prince!”
Li Si hurriedly stepped forward. As Ying Zheng’s trusted confidant, he knew Ying Zheng had no wish to kill Ying Qingye, so he had to step up to relieve his sovereign’s dilemma.
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng acted as though he had just caught a floating straw in a sinking ship.
“Guards, go invite the imperial physician!”
“Understood!”
Ying Qingye watched the scene unfold before him, feeling utterly bewildered. Why are you calling a doctor?
My mind isn’t clear?
Your mind is the one that’s not clear!
Who are you cursing at?
Are you beating around the bush and calling me mentally ill?
Isn’t that going a bit too far?
I am completely normal, alright?!
Before long, the imperial physician arrived in the grand hall and began taking Ying Qingye’s pulse.
“Young master, have you experienced any discomfort lately?”
“None at all?”
“None? Does your head hurt?”