Chapter 368: The Ten Crimes

The inner attendant swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his hand that unrolled the scroll trembling slightly, and his thin voice rang through the hall with a deliberately resonant clang: "Investigate Zhuguo General Dugu Zhao and Zhao Qian, Crime One: secret collusion with the Northern Border, covertly inviting foreign invaders, intending to overthrow Great Zhou......"

"Crime Two: stockpiling weapons, breeding Suicide Warriors, secretly hiding a dragon robe in the residence, the usurping ambition obvious as day.... …"

"Crime Three: colluding with the palace gate commander, plotting to assassinate senior ministers, intending to use the court session to create trouble, to force the palace and seize the throne......"

"Crime Four: during the Laba Festival murder and rebellion, seeking to seize the state's reins; at the year‑end Laba Festival, the nation's grand ceremony, they secretly concealed a deadly device at the Grand Tomb Steward's sacrificial site, detonating it as he knelt in worship, aiming to blow up the Grand Tomb Steward and seize power....."

"Crime Five: illicit trade through the border market, smuggling for profit, disregarding state law, secretly sending confidants across the frontier, exchanging arms and gunpowder for barbarian horses and jewels, stockpiling prohibited goods for huge profit, leaving the border defenses depleted and the treasury drained......"

One by one, the crimes were read from his mouth, each case backed by "conclusive" evidence—

Either a Secret Letter from a certain year and month, or physical evidence seized from a location, even the Confessions of the two household servants were conspicuously listed.

The inner attendant's voice rose higher, shaking the beams so that accumulated dust fluttered down.

And those crimes struck the officials' hearts like hail, causing those who had just harbored a hint of doubt to now believe them seven or eight parts out of ten.

Yuwen Hu sat upright on the imperial throne, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, his gaze sweeping over the faces below the steps—some shocked, some terrified—finally resting on Yuwen Yan seated on the Dragon Throne.

"Did Zhao the old scoundrel truly intend treachery last night?"

"Or is this Yuwen Hu's ploy to create a crisis, fully seize the Court's power, and frame him with a false accusation?"

The young emperor pressed his lips tightly, his face as white as paper, his fingers gripping the dragon robe nearly digging into his flesh—

He saw clearly that, though the ink on the scroll was deep, it was by no means hastily written; each stroke bore the mark of meticulous polishing.

Yuwen Hu must have schemed for a long time, waiting for this very day!

An official attached to the Spring Ministry staggered back half a step, colliding with a colleague behind him; the court tablet in his hand "clacked" onto a golden brick, producing a crisp sound.

His voice trembled, filled with incredulous horror: "The incident on the Laba Festival day was also the work of Zhao's bandits, Dugu's bandits?!"

An official placed a hand on his chest, his voice still trembling with lingering palpitations; the white hair at his temples dampened by cold sweat clung to his cheek as he looked at Yuwen Hu on the imperial throne, his eyes showing a hint of post‑calamity relief, "Fortunately the Grand Tomb Steward took precautions; otherwise they would have succeeded!"

Those words immediately drew a chorus of agreement from those around.

"No wonder that after the incident they were so eager to have Your Majesty relocate the throne!"

An official standing in the middle of the line recalled the scenes of that day, suddenly enlightened, and sighed.

At this very moment, the abnormal actions of the two Grand Pillars of State made everything understandable.....

They intend to seize power!

Thanks to the Grand Tomb Steward's wisdom and might, using his shadowy body as a substitute sacrifice, he thwarted their conspiratorial ambition.

"So that's how it is!"

Amid the discussion, Pei Xun, positioned at the front of the left row, first feigned shock, opening his mouth wide, then suddenly slapped his thigh.

A look of sudden enlightenment appeared on his face, as if he only now fully grasped the key point.

Immediately, he stepped forward, the hem of his court robe sweeping across the floor tiles, producing a rustling sound.

He raised his voice, his tone filled with perfectly timed indignation, "Within the Da Zhou Court, such treacherous villains are hidden!"

Speaking, he abruptly turned toward the Dragon Throne and imperial throne, bowed deeply, his robe hem nearly brushing the floor, "Your Majesty! Grand Tomb Steward! They must be severely punished so the people of the realm can be at ease!"

His voice was resonant, each word striking.

His eyes reddened slightly from excitement, his righteous fury appearing as if the rebels' deeds had truly pierced his innermost being.

"Exactly!"

Before his words finished, Du Yaoguang from the right row responded, stepping several paces into the hall, bowing deeply toward the Dragon Throne and imperial throne, his forehead pressing the cold golden brick, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:

"If we do not impose strict punishment, won't everyone follow suit in the future!"

"We must give the realm an answer!"

Liu Chaoming, nearly fifty, yet his vigor surged like a youth's, pointed at the empty seat and shouted angrily, "We must let those with treacherous hearts see what fate awaits those who plot rebellion!"

Yuwen Hu sat on the imperial throne, watching the faces filled with 'loyal fury', a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

Hou Mo Chen Yi stepped forward at the right moment, his expression solemn, bowing deeply toward the Dragon Throne, his movement steady without a ripple: "Your Majesty, I earnestly request severe punishment for the rebel faction led by Zhao Qian and Dugu Zhao!"

As one of the Eight Pillars of State, it could not be more fitting for him to make the proposal.

"I second!"

"I second!"

"I second!"

Voices rose from every corner of the hall, converging like a tide into a torrent.

The officials who had been watching earlier, seeing Hou Mo, Grand Pillar of State Chen Lao Zhuguo, and a host of eminent aristocratic high officials all taking a stance, no longer hesitated a moment and bowed in agreement.

Their voices perhaps lacked some of the fervor of Grand Tomb Steward faction officials, but added a degree of compliant conformity.

In this situation, echoing was the safest choice.

The young officials standing in the back dared not delay, quickly bowing along, fearing that a half‑step slower would be taken as collusion with the rebel faction.

The hems of their court robes brushed the floor tiles, producing a rustling sound that intertwined with the ebbing and flowing 'secondments', filling every corner of the great hall.

"This....."

Yuwen Yan stared at the black‑mass of people below the steps, the chorus of secondments like countless needles prickling his heart.

His complexion grew so gloomy it seemed about to drip water, his eyes swirling with resentment, anger, and a trace of unhidden despair.

Even though the young emperor intended to protect Zhao Qian to balance Yuwen Hu, he was blocked by the overwhelming chorus of agreement in the hall.

At that moment, Yuwen Hu on the imperial throne slowly rose, his expansive python robe unfurling a dark‑purple curve behind him; raising a fist in salute, he bowed slightly toward the Dragon Throne, his voice neither loud nor soft but carrying a decisive weight: "Your Majesty, I, the king, find your gentlemen's request entirely reasonable!"

"It must be dealt with severely and heavily, so the realm receives an answer!"

That simple sentence was like a massive stone thrown into an already taut lake.

In an instant it set the hall's atmosphere definitively.

Yuwen Yan inhaled deeply, the breath feeling as if drawn from an ice cellar, chilling his lungs to pain.

Finally, he forced a word from his throat, dry as if sanded: "Fine...."

The young emperor twitched his mouth, trying to display imperial composure; the smile was uglier than crying, his peripheral glance sweeping over Yuwen Hu on the imperial throne, a hint of self‑deprecating sarcasm in his tone: "And what does the Grand Tomb Steward think should be done to punish severely and heavily?"

Is it okay not to agree?

Is there any room for his veto?

Yuwen Hu turned slowly, his dark‑purple python robe rippling in the morning light, the four‑clawed python pattern seeming to suddenly brandish its claws.

His gaze burned like torches, sweeping slowly over the ministers below the steps; in his eyes surged cruelty and resolve, and with deliberate pauses he declared, "First, the villain Zhao Qian, his sins are deep, he shall be exterminated—ten families!"

"To serve as a warning to others!"

One more family or one fewer, it makes no difference.....

Since the venerable Zhao, the Pillar of the State, has voluntarily requested it, how could we not fulfill his dying wish?

"Ten families?!"

"Yuwen Hu, you are truly ruthless!"

Yuwen Yan snapped his head up; the brocade cushion on the Dragon Throne creased involuntarily, and the fatigue in his eyes was instantly swept away by shock and anger.

I never imagined Yuwen Hu could be so ruthless.....

Yet he dared not let any anger show on his face, allowing the panic and resentment to churn in his chest.

Yuwen Hu pressed his lips lightly, shifted his tone, and in a deep voice said, "Considering Dugu Zhao has already atoned with his death, we should grant him a suitable leniency and instead execute nine families!"

"Yang, Yan and the other accomplices shall also be exterminated, nine families each!"

"Heh!"

Yuwen Yan heard this and let out a cold laugh in his mind: "What a fitting leniency!"

Truly fitting!

Changing from ten families to nine families, what difference does it make.....

Utterly hypocritical.

"Grand Chancellor's handling is most appropriate!" Pei Xun was the first to respond, stepping half a pace forward, bowing deeply to Yuwen Hu, his tone full of unabashed approval.

Immediately after, the chorus of agreement rose again like a tide.

Just as the hall's chorus of assent was about to merge into one, an elderly minister positioned in the middle of the left row suddenly stepped half a step forward.

He was nearing seventy, his back already slightly stooped, yet now he thrust his neck forward, bowed toward the throne, his voice hoarse with age yet unusually clear: "Grand Chancellor, killing so many pillars of the state so rashly, Grand General, may cause turmoil in the court!"

He paused, his aged face showing worry: "Please think it over three times!"

"Elder Xu, are you pleading on behalf of the rebel faction?"

Hou Mo Chen Yi glanced, snorted coldly: "Or perhaps you and them are actually one gang!"

A large hat was knocked straight down.

"The elder minister has none!"

"Please see clearly!"

The white‑bearded elder, startled, trembled as he knelt, hurriedly changed his words: "The elder minister believes the Grand Chancellor's handling could not be more appropriate!"

At that moment, he decisively chose to protect himself.....

At the same time he wished he could slap himself twice, why meddle in others' affairs!

"Your Majesty, what do you think?"

Yuwen Hu ignored the aside, turned his head toward the young emperor on the Dragon Throne, and asked calmly.

"I… I also think it should be dealt with this way, there is no way to show leniency!" Yuwen Yan exhaled a breath of foul air, gritting his teeth.

"Fine."

Yuwen Hu responded, pausing deliberately, scanning the hall before speaking slowly, his voice bearing a hint of contemplation: "Then, gentlemen, who would be most suitable to preside over this matter?"

Yu Jie, standing at the frontmost row, suddenly stepped forward.

He was over sixty, his hair and beard all white, yet his back remained straight; he bowed deeply toward Yuwen Hu and the Dragon Throne, his movement steady and strong, his voice aged yet resonant: "I, the old man, will recommend one person!"

"Grand Zongbo, please speak!" Yuwen Hu raised his hand.

Yu Jie's gaze shifted to the purple figure beside him, his tone growing more solemn: "Director of the Mingjing Office, Weiguogong Chen Yan!"