[Host, that was beautifully put! A textbook civil servant's answer!] The little system excitedly cheered Zhou Ye on in his mind.
After all, Zhou Ye's words had effectively shown Wei Zhao a way forward.
First, he should deal with Noble Consort Shu according to the laws of the imperial harem; second, he should deal with the Zhao Family according to the laws of the land.
It seemed impartial, yet it stood on the side of law and reason.
It forced Wei Zhao to make the right decision.
After all, this whole drama was playing out before the people of the capital and all the civil and military officials.
If he failed to handle it reasonably, public resentment would inevitably arise.
For Wei Zhao, who valued his reputation, that would not be welcome.
After hearing him out, Wei Zhao's expression became unreadable.
Zhou Ye's conduct had been so flawless that Wei Zhao could not tell which side he was on, and had grown even more wary of him.
He smiled faintly. "Your words have indeed shown me a clear path."
With that, he rose and stepped down from the carriage.
He looked up at the brightening sky.
"Fine weather like this is rare. Had this not happened, I imagine I would have reached the imperial ancestral temple by now to pay my respects to the late emperor."
Zhao Junze and his companions were already drenched in sweat and dared not say another word.
They could only wait for Wei Zhao's judgment.
"The late emperor once said that a ruler must win people over with benevolence and reason."
Wei Zhao walked up to Zhao Junze and said in a ringing voice, "A month ago, Zhao Junze, your eldest son cruelly murdered Bai Yanting's son. I ordered the Ministry of Justice to handle the case and pass judgment, and he was sentenced to death. Do you acknowledge this?"
Zhao Junze had shed all his arrogance. He lowered his head and said heavily, "I do!"
"No, you don't," Wei Zhao said coldly. "If you did, you would never have let Yunniang take the blame and exchange herself for your son in prison!"
With that, he suddenly drew Zhao Junze's sword and threw it down before him.
It landed with a clang that struck everyone's heart.
"But in consideration of your many years of service to me, I will give you one more chance today!"
"Kill that serious offender with your own hands, and answer to Lord Bai, to all the civil and military officials, and to everyone in the city!"
An uproar erupted at his words.
Even Zhou Ye frowned.
He had to admit that in some respects, Wei Zhao really was ruthless.
He was making Zhao Junze kill his own son.
And in doing so, giving the Zhao Family a chance to rise again.
After all, the Zhao Family had risked committing a grave crime to get Zhao Hai out, which was enough to show how much they doted on their child.
Now Wei Zhao was using this move to test how much the Zhao Family, his puppet, was willing to lose for him.
To test how much loyalty the Zhao Family still had left.
He had another purpose, too: to silence the officials when he wanted to promote the Zhao Family in the future.
Zhao Guofeng understood what Wei Zhao meant.
Though his heart ached, he still gave Zhao Junze a discreet nudge.
Telling him to do it.
Zhao Junze gritted his teeth, his eyes utterly bloodshot.
Even a vicious tiger did not eat its own cubs.
How could he not struggle inwardly?
But he also understood that this was their only chance, their only way out...
With that thought, he picked up the sword from the ground, rose, and walked toward Zhao Hai, who was terrified out of his wits.
Wei Chengye watched from the side and could not help speaking up. "Father Emperor..."
But the next moment, Noble Consort Shu clapped a hand over his mouth and held him tightly.
Tears streamed down the woman's face as she shook her head at Wei Chengye.
"Father! Father, I was wrong! Father, don't kill me... don't kill me... please..."
Zhao Hai kept kowtowing and begging for mercy.
Zhao Junze dared not look at his face. He simply raised his sword and brought it down.
A piercing scream rang out.
Zhao Hai's blood seeped into the cracks between the bluestone paving slabs.
His lips trembling, Zhao Junze called out to Wei Zhao, "Your Majesty, the offender is dead. As for my remaining crimes, I submit to whatever punishment you see fit!"
Bai Yanting sank to the ground, his eyes brimming with tears.
Beating his chest, he murmured, "My son, did you see? Father has finally, finally avenged you..."
Bai Yanting had lost his beloved son not long after arriving in the capital. He knew how treacherous the imperial court was and how dark the capital could be, but he did not care how many people he offended while seeking justice for his son, or whether he became a sacrifice in a struggle for power.
He had only wanted justice for his son.
Now that his wish had finally been granted, all his strength left him.
Feng Chenyi reached out from beside him to steady him.
Bai Yanting grasped his hand, gratitude on his face.
Wei Zhao composed himself before saying, "Zhao Junze, commander of the Imperial Guard, sheltered his own son and helped him escape, committing a grave offense. But in consideration of his sincere acknowledgment of his wrongdoing and his many years of service to me, I will deal with him leniently. He is demoted to garrison pacification officer and shall take up his post in Yu Town, Jiangnan, on a date to be determined."
A garrison pacification officer was a military official of the lower sixth rank, and Yu Town was in Jiangnan, far from the capital.
It certainly looked like a punishment, but a little thought made it clear that Wei Zhao was planting Zhao Junze as a piece in Jiangnan.
It was another move.
Choking back tears, Zhao Junze said, "I thank Your Majesty for your mercy!"
Wei Zhao then looked at Zhao Guofeng and said, "Zhao Guofeng, you failed to raise your son properly, leading your own son and grandson to commit such grave offenses. But in consideration of your ignorance of this matter, I will only remove you from your post as chief minister and demote you to assistant minister. From now on, you shall do your utmost to assist Grand Preceptor Feng in handling affairs of state."
Zhao Guofeng and Feng Minghe had previously held the same rank. Now that Zhao Guofeng had been demoted, he ranked below Feng Minghe.
But anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Wei Zhao's words carried an implication.
He was clearly hinting that Grand Preceptor Feng's actions today had angered him.
Yet Feng Minghe did not even look at him. He merely kept his eyes lowered, his hair, beard, and eyebrows white, his lean frame wrapped in his official robes, possessing an air of immortal grace.
Finally, Wei Zhao looked at Noble Consort Shu, his expression somewhat gloomy.
"Yunniang, how could you have been so foolish?"
There was, after all, a measure of genuine feeling in his words.
Although he treated the Zhao Family as a puppet, Noble Consort Shu really was his favorite.
Otherwise, he could not have continued to favor her so greatly for so long.
Noble Consort Shu knew that Wei Zhao had already been lenient in dealing with the Zhao Family, but that also meant that when her turn came, he would have to be harsh.
Even so, she was grateful enough that the Zhao Family could be spared.
She said, "Your Majesty, all of this was my fault. I acknowledge my crimes, and I am willing to accept any punishment!"
Wei Chengye's face was wet with tears. He knelt on the ground and pleaded with Wei Zhao, "Father Emperor, my mother was only foolish for a moment. She didn't mean to..."
Noble Consort Shu squeezed his hand and shook her head at him.
Wei Zhao did not listen to Wei Chengye either. Instead, he turned his back on Noble Consort Shu and said gravely:
"Noble Consort Zhao Shuyue secretly harbored a condemned prisoner and used the phoenix seal to deceive her sovereign, committing grave crimes punishable by death under the law. But in consideration of her son's young age and her many years at my side, I spare her life. Her phoenix seal shall be stripped from her, her rank as noble consort revoked, and she shall be cast into the cold palace and confined there for life. Without my decree, she shall never be allowed to leave!"
Noble Consort Shu closed her eyes and held back Wei Chengye, who wanted to speak again.
She kowtowed and said in a trembling voice:
"I-thank Your Majesty for your mercy-"
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From now on, updates will probably be around eight in the evening!
Thank you all for the little gifts! Love you, mwah mwah mwah~