Emperor Mingxi nodded and said, "The Empress Dowager is right, that is also what I think. However, Yue Fuguang is the victim, so the punishment should also consider her wishes."
The Empress Dowager also said, "Yes, yes, our Yue Fuguang suffered a great grievance today. She deserves to vent her anger properly."
The Empress Dowager patted Yue Fuguang's hand and said, "Yue Fuguang, don't be afraid. Tell your grandmother, how do you want to punish him? We'll have the Emperor uphold justice for you."
[Master, why not take this chance to finish off this scoundrel? The Great Yan Dynasty would even thank you for ridding them of a scourge!]
「Little Pearl, you're thinking too simply. No matter how despicable he is, he is still the Emperor's son, the Empress Dowager's own grandson.
'Upholding justice for me' is just polite talk. Do you really believe it?」
Emperor Mingxi and the Empress Dowager: We really do want to uphold justice for you! Were we not being obvious enough, making Yue Fuguang think we are putting on a show?
The mother and son glanced at the bloody Xie Zhiwei and silently retracted their feet that wanted to kick him. Too dirty, didn't want to soil their shoes!
[Ah! They are reluctant to punish this villain? If they knew about the things he will do in the future, they'd probably want to kill him right now to end it once and for all!]
「Unfortunately, they don't know, so let's just follow the usual procedures. The life of an ant like him, if we truly wanted it, couldn't we take it anytime?
It's just that you and I, master and servant, shouldn't dirty our own hands. This is the calamity of the Xie family and Great Yan. What does it have to do with us.」
The hearts of Great Yan's ruler and ministers sank. For Xie Zhiwei to be called a calamity for Great Yan and the Xie family, what enormities must he have committed to deserve such a title?
Could he have rebelled? But those who might want to rebel include Princes like Qi Wang and Ming Wang, yet we haven't heard the Divine Artifact refer to them as a calamity!
Emperor Mingxi: I beg you two ancestors, please elaborate! Or perhaps, we should just settle this unfilial son today?
Led by the Emperor, the expressions of those present shifted unpredictably. The consorts, princesses, and princes standing to the side felt inexplicably tense watching them.
They had heard this Junior Mentor's inner thoughts at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Now, seeing the faces of His Majesty, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the senior officials, it was clear they had heard something shocking again.
How infuriating that, apart from that one time at the birthday banquet, they couldn't hear anything now!
It's right that they can't hear. Apart from special individuals, Yue Fuguang required the system to restrict those who could hear her inner thoughts to having a favorability towards her of over sixty.
Those indifferent to her or harboring ill will who wanted to hear her thoughts were simply wishful thinking.
She looked at the expressions of confusion and unwillingness on some among the consorts, princesses, and princes and knew these people couldn't hear her conversation with the system now.
"Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, please punish him as the crime of gross disrespect warrants. However..." She glanced at Xie Zhiwei. "The Fourth Prince is still injured. Should we wait until his injuries improve somewhat before punishing him?"
[Master, why are you showing him mercy?]
「This isn't mercy. He's injured now. What if he dies during the punishment? Wouldn't that be letting him off easy?
Revenge is most satisfying when the target lives to suffer. Dying instantly would be too good for him.」
[Then we could chase him to the underworld! I'm familiar with the King of Hell.]
「My grudge with him isn't that deep, not enough to plague his next life. To be honest, most people here have greater grievances with him than I do.」
Everyone exchanged glances. Were they included in this "most people"?
Regardless, they all felt like finishing off this Fourth Prince Xie first, to cut off future troubles!
"Yue Fuguang, child, you are too soft-hearted. Xiao Si was so treasonous today, he must be severely punished without leniency."
After speaking, the Empress Dowager looked at Sun Huajing. "Physician Sun, how are Xiao Si's injuries? How many strokes can he withstand now?"
Sun Huajing had heard what those two said. Seeing the Empress Dowager and Emperor insisting on punishment, he weighed his words carefully. "The Fourth Prince has sustained serious internal injuries. Normally, he wouldn't be able to leave his bed for half a month.
If he receives strokes now, he could withstand ten at most."
Since those two didn't want the Fourth Prince to die first, then Sun Huajing had to find a way to keep him alive, to suffer his due punishment piecemeal.
Xie Zhiwei initially wore a face full of grievance, trying to gain sympathy. Later, seeing that not only his imperial father but even his imperial grandmother and Empress Mother ignored him,
and even insisted on punishing him, his heart turned half cold. When he first targeted Yue Fuguang, he had heard she was favored by these few.
But no one told him it was to this extent!
Had he known it was like this, how would he have dared to act recklessly in front of her!
Xie Zhiwei looked towards the crowd, his eyes meeting two people's gazes squarely. One person's eyes dodged, another shook their head slightly at him.
Xie Zhiwei secretly seethed with hatred. He had been rash, just as Yue Fuguang said, becoming someone else's blade.
But he still wanted to struggle desperately one last time. He cried out, "Grandmother, Imperial Father, spare me! Zhiwei won't dare again!
Junior Mentor, Junior Mentor, I was wrong! I beg you, save me, save me! I'll be beaten to death!"
[Hah! The nerve! Just now he wanted to kill Master, and now he has the face to beg Master to save his wretched life!
If he were truly beaten to death, it would be Great Yan's good fortune.
But the one who instigated this behind the scenes shouldn't be let off lightly either. Trying to use Xie Zhiwei to test Master's limits was a serious miscalculation!]
Yue Fuguang lifted her eyes and lightly swept her gaze over the gathered consorts, princes, and princesses. "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince's behavior today, besides his own will, must have been instigated by certain individuals.
Perhaps my existence is an eyesore to someone?"
Emperor Mingxi's sharp gaze turned towards the crowd, frightening the consorts into losing their composure. The princes and princesses didn't even dare breathe loudly.
The Empress Dowager said, "Yue Fuguang, rest assured. As long as I am here, let's see who dares act recklessly in front of you again!"
Then she said to Empress Xu, "Empress, remember today's events well. Discipline the consorts and imperial children properly. If anyone dares to rely on their status and act wantonly again,
the imperial family has many children. Demoting a few to commoners is not out of the question!"
The Empress promptly replied, "Yes, I have taken the Empress Dowager's words to heart and will definitely discipline them properly."
Empress Xu then said to Yue Fuguang, "Today's incident is also my fault. As their Empress Mother, I failed to discipline the children properly, leading to this matter."
[Empress Xu is also unlucky. Marrying the Emperor, not only does she have to help him manage the harem, deal with the jealous concubines, but also manage these twenty-some sons and daughters.
In the end, her only son was harmed by the son of one of his concubines.]
「That was because we weren't here. Now that you and I are here, as long as the Crown Prince doesn't court death himself.
Even if he were poisoned with the deadliest poison in this world, could there be a poison that half a pill of your antidote couldn't cure?」
[That's natural. Considering his usual respect towards Master, Little Pearl is willing to save him.]
With these words from the two, Empress Xu felt greatly reassured. At this moment, she only felt light and energetic, with endless strength to deal with the demons and monsters of the inner palace.
Anyone who dares offend the Junior Mentor again is going against her son's life.
The senior officials also felt greatly reassured. The security of the heir apparent ensures greater stability for Great Yan. Historically, imperial succession has always been one of the riskiest moments for a dynasty.
