Chapter 336: A death sentence can be avoided, but a living punishment cannot be escaped

Pei Di raised his head to look at Mu Yuanzhi; in his peripheral vision was his father's gaze, and he turned his eyes to his father, the gazes of father and son meeting in the air.

This time there was no misunderstanding, no estrangement.

"Father Emperor..." Pei Di called out softly.

This utterance, filled with various emotions, the Father Emperor made the usually impassive New Emperor's eye sockets instantly moist.

Seeing such deep father-son affection, with Pei Biao in his arms only fueled his anger further; he suddenly sprang up and charged at Pei Di!

Mu Yuanzhi reacted first, pulling Pei Di behind her; Gu Rongjin immediately stepped in front of Mu Yuanzhi and struck the frenzied Pei Biao with a palm!

Pei Biao was sent flying by the palm, landing on the ground and spitting blood!

"Cough... How dare you disrespect the Prince?!" Even now, Pei Biao still put on the airs of the Eldest Prince, pointing angrily at Gu Rongjin.

The New Emperor frowned slightly, feeling a hint of reluctance, but quickly suppressed it, speaking flatly: "Criminal Pei Biao, effective immediately, you are struck from the Imperial Jade Tablet, reduced to commoner, and imprisoned in the Imperial Court of Justice!"

Reduced to commoner?!

Pei Biao couldn't believe it, staring in shock at the New Emperor; he wasn't unprepared mentally, the matter had been exposed, this was indeed an unsurprising outcome, yet he still couldn't bear that the Father Emperor was reluctant to let him go, reluctant to let go of this eldest legitimate son.

He is the Father Emperor's first child!

"Father Emperor, do you really not cherish any old feelings? Twenty years of father-son bond, do you really have no love for your subject son at all?!" Pei Biao sat on the ground and roared.

The New Emperor's eyes flickered, the faint flame that had just ignited extinguished; he turned his back on Pei Di and said: "You are no longer my son, commoner Pei Biao."

"No! I want to see the Empress Mother! I want to see the Empress Mother!"

Pei Biao recalled his gentle, kind mother; he wanted to see her!

The Empress Mother would surely not bear to part with him!

As long as the Empress Mother intercedes, the Father Emperor will surely recall the order!

"You are no longer a member of the imperial family, and the Empress is not your mother!" the New Emperor's back view resolute, with no room for negotiation: "Take him, remove Pei Biao and imprison him in the Imperial Court of Justice!"

"Yes!"

Outside the hall, a few Imperial Guards entered and lifted Pei Biao up.

"Let me go! I want to see the Empress Mother!" Pei Biao shouted angrily, yet he could not break free from the Imperial Guards' restraint.

Pei Di coldly stared at Pei Biao: "The Empress Mother's health is poor; don't even think of disturbing her!"

"You also know the Empress Mother's health is poor; if you do this and she finds out, she will surely be heartbroken!" Pei Biao looked at Pei Di, the hope burning in his eyes seemed utterly crazy to Pei Di.

This elder brother of his actually still wanted to exploit their mother's hard-won recovery!

Simply hopeless.

The New Emperor finally turned back; at this moment, his eyes no longer held the faint pity from before, only disappointment: "You are unworthy to be an elder brother, unworthy to be a son, and even less worthy to be a prince of my Great Zhou, Pei Biao—reflect well in the Imperial Court of Justice, seal your mouth and be taken away!"

The Imperial Guards obeyed, stuffing a cloth into Pei Biao's mouth and dragging him away.

Pei Biao was choked with rage, yet could only emit muffled sounds, glaring resentfully at everyone in the hall.

If looks could kill, he would have slain them all!

He would certainly not let them off!

With disaster looming, Pei Biao still dreamed of turning things over, believing that as long as he didn't die, there would be a way out!

Pei Biao's matter settled, the hall's atmosphere grew heavy, yet there remained another unresolved issue.

Mu Yuanzhi looked at Xiao Yichen: "Master Xiao, do you have anything else to explain?"

Since being seized by Gu Rongjin, Xiao Yichen had hardly spoken; upon entering the hall he had not greeted the New Emperor, and only now, being addressed by Mu Yuanzhi, did he show a normal person's reaction—he looked at her, his eyes deep and unfathomable, the complexity within perhaps beyond even his own understanding.

"Xiao Yichen, can you say a few words in your own defense? Have you resigned yourself to fate? Knowing your plot has been exposed, moreover, your stubborn denial looks a bit embarrassed, unlike you, but are you not embarrassed now like this? You're a joke." Gu Rongjin sneered, every word stabbing Xiao Yichen's lungs.

Others also turned their gaze to Xiao Yichen.

New Emperor: "Minister Xiao, do you have anything else to say?"

Xiao Yichen's gaze lingered reluctantly as it moved from Mu Yuanzhi to the New Emperor, saying, "I have nothing to say, Your Majesty."

"Good, good, a person with nothing to say." The New Emperor curled his lips: "I consider your status as a meritorious official, so I can spare you the death penalty, but you cannot escape punishment; tell me about this matter, and perhaps I will treat you leniently."

Xiao Yichen remained silent for a moment, then said: "There's nothing to say; I merely backed the wrong side."

"Backed the wrong side? You conspired to murder the heir apparent!" Mu Yuanzhi snorted.

Xiao Yichen looked at Mu Yuanzhi again; her eyes, as always, filled with disdain and mockery, no matter how many times he saw them, always pained him.

At this moment, the only thing he cared about was her.

He seemed to have let go of fame, fortune, and ancestral glory—these were mere clouds to him; in truth, he only wished she would return to his side, or at least treat him as a friend, which he would accept.

But these are luxuries; she feels only hatred toward him, with no other emotion.

Ultimately, the nightmare is himself; he killed her, and also killed himself.

The New Emperor's eyes instantly sharpened: "In that case, hand him over to the Imperial Court of Justice for judgment; however, I promised to spare your life, and that promise stands."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Xiao Yichen remained expressionless.

Outside, the Imperial Guards entered to escort Xiao Yichen away; throughout, he was cooperative, offering no resistance or complaint.

Mu Yuanzhi watched Xiao Yichen's receding back, as if she saw her former self, being taken to Yong Alley.

Thinking of this, Mu Yuanzhi felt only two words toward Xiao Yichen's fate: satisfaction.

However, she would not be as perverse and cruel as him, nor did she intend to personally flay and bone him.

Now only the Shaman Doctor remained in the hall to be dealt with; when the New Emperor called his name, he clasped his hands and said he would obey.

He had done all he could; how much could be salvaged was left to fate.

"I ask you, why did you initially aid the tyrant?"

"Your Majesty, it is because this humble official wished to achieve success and fame, but the only path before me was through the lifesaver of Xiao Chuchu; only by reaching her could I approach Xiao Yichen, and once I approached Xiao Yichen, I could not choose the Crown Prince; thus, I had no choice but to look toward Pei Biao, who was recruiting talent."

The Shaman Doctor spoke very honestly.

The New Emperor heard and said: "You are quite honest; since you have offset your merits with your faults, past transgressions are wiped clean—if you remain loyal to me, your smooth rise to prominence will surely come."

"This humble official will surely devote himself utterly until death!"