"You were the masterminds behind the plot to murder the imperial envoy. As long as you leave blood letters confessing your guilt, then kill yourselves by ramming your heads against the wall and shoulder all the blame, that will provide an answer."
"And I will voluntarily hand over all the Zhen Clan's businesses and wealth to the Imperial Court in exchange for our clansmen's lives."
"This is also the last chance His Majesty has left us."
That day, the Son of Heaven had not passed judgment directly on the Zhen Clan at the Imperial Court. Even then, Zhen Yi had understood what he meant.
It was just as Zhen Mi had told him back in Wuji County.
In the end, the Son of Heaven was still someone who remembered old ties.
Even though the Zhen Clan had committed such a grave crime this time, the Son of Heaven had still given them a chance to respond on their own.
The Son of Heaven's purpose in auditing the Zhen Clan's accounts was to reclaim fiscal authority.
His purpose in punishing them was to preserve the Imperial Court's dignity.
As long as those two conditions were met, the Zhen Clan could escape clan extermination and merely lose their present power and influence.
But as long as Zhen Mi was not implicated and continued to enjoy the Son of Heaven's favor, their clan would still have a chance to rise again.
"K-kill ourselves against the wall?"
The Fourth Branch's clan elder turned deathly pale in an instant. His lips trembled as he spoke, and his whole body began shaking uncontrollably.
The other branches' clan elders fell silent.
Zhen Yi said coldly, "Since you dared to do it in the first place, you must be prepared to bear the consequences."
"I've given you a