Beat Him Until He Learns His Lesson

Hearing Empress Feng speak this way, Wei Mingxiu breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

Although he knew Empress Feng was benevolent and righteous, and that she and Zhou Ye had plotted the Qingming sacrifice together and joined forces to reclaim the empress's seal,

he had never dealt with her directly.

So before the plan began, what worried him most was the part involving Wei Zeyu and Empress Feng.

Now it seemed that Wei Zeyu had not let him down, and Empress Feng had taken his side as well.

With that, he could breathe easier.

Once reassured, his taut nerves relaxed. A metallic sweetness rose in his throat, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood before collapsing weakly into Zhou Ye's arms.

Zhou Ye felt the weight in his arms grow heavier, and his heart sank with it.

He did not dare pull out the long sword. He only dared support its blade with one hand, paying no heed when it cut his palm, and urged Wei Mingxiu,

"Don't fall asleep, Your Highness. Hold on until the imperial physician gets here..."

"Mm..."

Wei Mingxiu listened to Zhou Ye's gentle voice.

The pain in his body seemed to ease as well.

He raised his eyes and glanced at Wei Zhao, who was frowning as he scrutinized him.

He could not help finding it somewhat ridiculous.

Junior Preceptor Zhou was neither his blood relative nor connected to him by any bond, yet all this time, he had cared for him sincerely, cherished him, and protected him.

Wei Zhao, on the other hand, was his birth father, yet had never shown him the slightest affection.

Even seeing him so badly wounded, he did not summon an imperial physician, but instead thought about how to protect Wei Chengye.

Thus, he was immensely glad he had included the empress in his plan.

He was glad that, from the moment he began setting the trap, he had planned not to sway the situation by using his grave injury to stir Wei Zhao's concern for him, but to have everyone present use that injury as grounds to press Wei Zhao at every turn, forcing his imperial father to yield and deal with Wei Chengye.

And so, he was bound to win this round.

With that thought, Wei Mingxiu closed his eyes. Two clear streams of tears slipped from their corners as he set one last snare for Wei Zhao. "Father Emperor... I swear on my life, if even half a word I just said was false, may I be struck by five bolts of lightning and condemned beyond redemption..."

"So I beg you, Father Emperor, and Your Majesty the Empress, to grant me justice..."

"Then, even if I, cough, cough, die here today, I can close my eyes in peace..."

With those words, Wei Mingxiu claimed the moral high ground.

Everyone around him could not help sighing and feeling sorry for him.

A military officer who could bear it no longer stepped forward and cupped his hands to Wei Zhao. "Your Majesty, I heard the Sixth Prince say just now that the Third Prince killed his horse, then drew his bow and shot arrows, chasing him the entire way. Presumably, he left arrows and bloodstains along the route. If we retrieve the horse's carcass and the arrows along the way, then compare them with the Third Prince's weapons and the Sixth Prince's wounds, the truth should become clear."

After he finished, several ministers also stepped forward and voiced their agreement.

Zhao Guofeng, who had watched the whole affair, recovered from his shock. Seeing Wei Chengye's terrified expression, he understood that once those arrows were recovered, Wei Chengye could not be saved.

He hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this old minister will go and retrieve the arrows at once!"

Even as he spoke, he mounted his horse and rode ahead.

Empress Feng looked at Feng Chenyi, who immediately understood.

He spurred his horse after Zhao Guofeng at once. "Lord Zhao, I'll go with you!"

As soon as Wei Zhao saw Feng Chenyi follow, he knew Zhao Guofeng would gain no advantage.

His gaze swept over the people around him, who were giving him strange looks, and he decided to fly into a rage on the spot.

"All of you keep demanding that I handle this fairly. What do you take me for? Do you really think I cannot see what is going on?"

By now, he understood that with everyone aware of the situation, even if he tried to protect Wei Chengye, the empress and the Feng Family would seize upon any oversight and leave him open to the condemnation of the masses.

So rather than let the matter grow, he would do better to act decisively and settle it quickly!

He adopted a grief-stricken tone and said,

"They are both my sons. How could I feel anything but pain, now that they have turned against each other?"

As he spoke, he kicked Wei Chengye away.

"I must have indulged you too much before, leading you to commit such a mistake!"

"Now that things have come to this, I will no longer show you favoritism! Today, you must pay for what you did to your own younger brother!"

The kick turned Wei Chengye's face ashen, but he dared not cry out in pain. He scrambled up, seized the hem of Wei Zhao's robe with trembling hands, and cried, "Father Emperor, Father Emperor, I know I was wrong! I only lost my senses for a moment and wounded Sixth Brother by mistake. I would never dare do it again. Please spare me this once!"

In less than a quarter of an hour, Wei Chengye, who had just been mocking Wei Mingxiu for kneeling and begging for mercy, had become the one crying and begging for mercy.

He dared not lie again and could only hope Wei Zhao would deal with him leniently.

Wei Zhao swept his gaze over the silent crowd and thought for a moment before finally speaking in a cold voice.

"Third Prince Wei Chengye is ill-behaved and cruel in his conduct. Gravely wounding his brother at the hunting grounds is indeed a serious crime. However, in view of his youth, I shall spare him the full penalty. He is to receive thirty lashes and be confined to Cypress Mountain Temple, where he will eat a vegetarian diet, worship Buddha, and reflect on his wrongdoing. He is forbidden to set foot in the palace for five years!"

His punishment brought both the pain of the lash and the hardship of confinement.

Though it still showed favoritism, it was already a heavy punishment.

Thus, those present could say nothing more.

Knowing his life had been spared, Wei Chengye immediately bowed his head to the ground and said through sobs, "Thank you for your mercy, Father Emperor. I shall devote myself to repentance and never do anything so foolish again!"

Wei Zhao lowered his gaze and said to the Imperial Guards, "Guards! Carry out the sentence!"

The soldiers dared not delay.

They immediately drew their riding whips, pinned Wei Chengye down, and began lashing his back.

"Strike him hard! Beat him until he learns his lesson!"

By acting and speaking this way, Wei Zhao meant to make the officials present hold their tongues from then on and stop making wild claims about the matter.

But Wei Chengye could not endure such lashes, and he could not help screaming again and again.

His eyes turned bloodshot, and a trace of venom entered them as he looked at Wei Zhao.

But the one he hated more was surely Wei Mingxiu, who had set him up.

His gaze swept over the young man lying in Zhou Ye's arms, almost sharp enough to become a blade and slice Wei Mingxiu to death.

A mocking smile curled Wei Mingxiu's lips.

Today, he had defeated Wei Chengye and had him confined for five years.

In the future, he would not lose either.

So Wei Chengye's hatred had never been anything for him to fear.

At that thought, he strained to clutch Zhou Ye's lapel and opened wide his eyes, blurred from the loss of too much blood. Meeting Wei Chengye's venomous gaze, he said gratefully to Wei Zhao,

"Thank you... Father Emperor, for upholding justice for me..."

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An award for best little actor goes to Xiuxiu!

Thank you all for the little gifts! Love you~