After saying these words, Xie Zhiyi collapsed like a lifeless heap on the ground, gasping for breath.
Death by a thousand cuts...
Would it be enough to secure a peaceful end for his wife and children?
"Since Lord Xie has begged for death by a thousand cuts, this prince shall grant your wish."
Song Yu's voice rang out once more, delivering the final judgment on the Xie family:
"Xie Zhiyi, during his tenure as an official, neglected his duties and repeatedly concealed reports of flooding disasters, failing to take any measures to control the waters. As a result, Laijin Prefecture has suffered devastating casualties. His crimes warrant death by a thousand cuts."
"The execution is set to take place in three days by the banks of the Mi River."
"His relatives shall all be beheaded at the same location, their corpses thrown into the river to appease the spirits of the deceased."
Upon hearing Song Yu's words, the crowd outside the yamen erupted in cheers.
"That corrupt official Xie Zhiyi deserves to die!"
The cries grew louder and louder. Inside the yamen, Xie Zhiyi's vision darkened as he fainted. In his last conscious moment, he couldn't believe that the people he had ruled for so many years harbored such deep hatred for him.
"Take Xie Zhiyi away. The execution will proceed in three days."
Xie Zhiyi was dragged off. Sensing Song Yu's gaze upon him, Shen Qinghui scrambled to his feet with all his remaining strength.
"Your Highness, I beg you—consider the Shen family's loyal service to you and grant me a swift death."
The thought of Xie Zhiyi's fate made Shen Qinghui tremble uncontrollably. "And my son... he is the grandson of Lord Shen, the nephew of Young Lord Shen... Please spare his life. Banish him to the frontier, exile him—anything will do."
At this point, he would even call Shen Qingping "Grandfather" if it meant saving Kui'er's life.
"Shen Qinghui, your crimes are not as severe as Xie Zhiyi's."
Hearing this, a flicker of hope rose in Shen Qinghui's heart.
But the next moment, Song Yu crushed it mercilessly.
"Yet you are too foolish—foolish enough to be manipulated by someone like Xie Zhiyi."
As Song Yu was about to pronounce Shen Qinghui's sentence, a commotion erupted outside the yamen. Then, Baoxia's clear, shocked voice rang out:
"Young Lord Shen, what brings you here?"
Shen Qingping strode forward through the crowd, clad in a blue-green robe. His eyes swept across the scene before he spoke.
"Your servant Shen Qingping pays respects to Your Highness and the Princess."
"Why have you come?" Song Yu's eyes widened in surprise. He had received no word of Shen Qingping's arrival in Laijin Prefecture.
Shen Qingping turned his gaze to Shen Qinghui on the ground. "Though Shen Qinghui has been expelled from the clan, the fact remains—his blood is still Shen blood."
"The Shen family will clean up its own disgrace. We will not trouble His Majesty or Your Highness further."
When their eyes met, Song Yu clenched his fists inside his sleeves.
For days, he and Ahuan had debated Shen Qinghui's fate.
It wasn't concern for Shen Qinghui's life that troubled them—it was whether the Shen family would resent them if they shed Shen blood.
But now, Shen Qingping had appeared.
He had lifted the burden weighing on Song Yu and Ahuan's hearts.
"Very well." Song Yu relaxed his stiff posture. "Shen Qinghui and his family are yours to deal with."
As soon as Song Yu finished speaking, Shen Qingping turned to the crowd outside the yamen and bowed deeply.
"The Shen family has wronged you all. In three days, I, Shen Qingping, will give you an answer by the Mi River."
The crowd dispersed, leaving only a few inside the yamen.
Shen Qingping looked at Shen Qinghui and spoke, crushing the last remnants of hope in the man's heart.
"In three days, you, your wife, and Kui'er will drown yourselves in the river."
"What? Kui'er is Father's eldest grandson!" Shen Qinghui spat blood in his agitation.
"This is the most dignified death I can arrange for you."
Shen Qingping's expression was icy. "You brought this upon yourself. Blame no one else."
"I demand to see Father and Mother! I refuse to believe they would abandon me and Kui'er like you have!" Shen Qinghui never imagined his death sentence would come from Shen Qingping.
"Father and Mother refuse to see you."
Shen Qingping scoffed. "Brother, the deaths in Laijin Prefecture haunt them every night. Mother fell ill from grief, saying she would beg forgiveness from the Shen ancestors when she meets them in the afterlife."
"Forgiveness?" Shen Qinghui laughed bitterly, blood trickling from his lips. "You’ve all abandoned me. Every single one of you."
"Yes."
Shen Qingping answered coldly, unwilling to waste another moment on him.
......
"Why have you grown so thin?"
Shen Qingping frowned deeply at the sight of the two before him—one tall, one small.
"With you here, Master, Father and I can eat an extra bowl of rice!" Song Shihuan's almond-shaped eyes curved with joy. "This time, Father and I accomplished a great deed. We’ll demand generous rewards from Grandfather when we return."
"And Song Yanchao—Father and I taught him a harsh lesson."
Seeing Song Shihuan regain her usual lively charm softened the sharp edges of Song Yu's expression.
Shen Qingping played along, coaxing her into eating another bowl.
"Master, I must go inspect the repairs now."
With her mind preoccupied, Song Shihuan hurried out after the meal, leaving only Song Yu and Shen Qingping in the room.
"Your Highness has lost even more weight than the Princess."
Shen Qingping's gaze darkened. "I heard you kept vigil over Song Yanchao for days, neglecting your own safety?"
Such a tale might fool others, but not him.
The corners of Shen Qingping's lips curled. In his wilder days, when Song Ling had a fever, Song Yu had brought an entire opera troupe into the Eastern Palace to entertain him—earning himself a beating by imperial decree.
Would such a man truly keep watch over Song Ling’s son?
"Song Yanchao and I shared the same strange dream."
Song Yu looked out the window. "I don’t yet understand its meaning, but I will send the Ping Prince's Mansion to hell."
In an instant, Shen Qingping's heart lurched.
Song Yu had always been kind-hearted. Though he disliked the Ping Prince's Mansion, he had never sought its utter destruction.
"All because of a dream?"
Shen Qingping found it absurd.
"Yes. All because of a dream."
Song Yu's expression was deadly serious. If it were merely a dream, why had he and Song Yanchao seen the same thing? And if it wasn’t...
A humorless laugh escaped him.
"To be honest, I’ve even considered digging up Song Ling’s corpse for a whipping."
