Dead silence!
Everyone stood dumbstruck!
The ministers truly hadn't expected things to develop like this. They'd thought that no matter how treasonous Zhai Huan became, at most he'd place the Sovereign under house arrest. Those who knew a little about the enmity between Zhai Huan of the Zhai Clan and the royal family had guessed that at most he would use this as leverage to force the Sovereign to order Princess Shuji's execution and avenge himself. That was already the worst they could imagine. But, but—
A maternal uncle had obeyed Zhai Huan's orders and killed his nephew.
This had truly gone far beyond their imagination. An old man with hair and beard as white as snow rose from his cushion, angrily brushing away the blade held at his throat as he thundered a reprimand.
"Whelp of the Zhai Clan, do you know what you've done!"
The old man had served in court alongside Zhai Huan's grandfather. But Zhai Huan's grandfather had been imprisoned amid political infighting and died of the plague, while many members of the Zhai Clan had also suffered in that turmoil.
This old man was something of a special case. He got along with the maternal relatives of the royal house, the eunuchs, and the great clans alike. It was also thanks to his intercession that many members of the Zhai Clan, including Zhai Huan's father, had escaped disaster.
Zhai Huan respected the old man.
But that was all.
He said, "I know exactly what I did."
The old man scolded him, "Do you know what you just did?"
Zhai Huan scoffed. "I do."
The old man's heart nearly ached with rage at Zhai Huan's indifferent attitude. His face darkened as he pointed at him.
"You murdered the Sovereign before the court! From your great-grandfather to