Zhang Daoling had barely finished speaking.
Before Chen Wei could react, Yang Chan was already stunned.
Execution?
Her mind buzzed. For a moment, she thought she had misheard.
Chen Wei had only burned one of the Great Heavenly Venerable's Imperial Decrees to break a deadlock. That counted as high treason?
Did it really warrant such a grave death sentence?
They were going to cut his head off outright?
In Yang Chan's understanding, this was no big deal at all. As a child, she had often used the Great Heavenly Venerable's Imperial Decrees as drawing paper, and sometimes even folded them into paper cranes and tossed them down from Yaochi for fun.
What was the fuss?
At most, they could dock his salary, scold him a little, and tell him not to do it again.
Yang Chan could hardly be blamed for her naïveté. She had no idea how unfathomable heavenly authority could be. Only after leaving the Heavenly Court did one learn that its laws could not be broken.
Different classes saw different heavenly laws.
Now that Zhang Daoling was adamantly demanding Chen Wei's head, Yang Chan truly panicked.
The Great Heavenly Venerable's expression remained unchanged, his tone calm. "According to you, my minister Zhang, Chen Wei's offense warrants death?"
"Your Majesty!" Zhang Daoling cupped his hands and replied in a ringing voice. "Destroying an Imperial Decree is an unforgivable crime. The evidence stands like a mountain!"
Below the jade steps.
Chen Wei's heart seesawed with anxiety, though he knew he would certainly not die.
After going to such lengths, how could the Great Heavenly Venerable have him beheaded over a single Imperial Decree?
But even if he escaped death, he would not escape punishment.
Before the Four Great Celestial Masters, the Great Heavenly Venerable had to be given every