Seeing Ye Liangyu being pressed down by two guards and passing in front of them, the officials of the Censorate showed indignation on their faces.
For such a grave crime, the Emperor not only chose to shield the culprit but also ordered a caning for a loyal and outspoken censor. This was truly not the action of a wise ruler.
Lying face down on the long bench, Ye Liangyu's mind echoed with the Emperor's various tolerances and protections towards Prince Qi and Prince Ying. His heart was extremely complicated.
The eunuch specifically in charge of the execution dragged over a court cane that was two fingers wide and one finger thick. The bulging muscle lines on his thick wrists showed at a glance that he frequently beat people.
"Lord Ye, pardon the offense."
As the light words fell, the surrounding atmosphere instantly quieted down.
The heavy wooden board first struck the clothes, and upon contacting the flesh, it let out a muffled, solid thud.
Ye Liangyu clenched his jaw and buried his head into his chest.
He gripped the two sharp corners of the bench tightly with both hands, his body trembling incessantly as the wooden board fell.
Standing in the front row, Fei Yanzhang saw his good friend being beaten, his chest heaving violently.
He lifted the hem of his official robe and knelt down, then shouted towards the Imperial Study: "The planting of potatoes concerns the food and clothing of thousands of commoners in the Dongzhao Kingdom. The case of Prince Qi instructing Earl Zhongqin to steal potatoes must be strictly investigated. To manifest the royal majesty, I beseech Your Majesty to issue an edict for a joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices."
The other officials stared at Fei Yanzhang as if looking at a madman.
Ye Liangyu was already being beaten; rushing forward at this time was simply courting death.
Seeing Fei Yanzhang kneel, the other censors looked at each other in dismay, then one by one followed suit, shouting in unison: "We beg Your Majesty to strictly investigate this case and order a joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices."
After a dozen strikes, Ye Liangyu was already on the verge of passing out.
However, upon hearing the shouts of Fei Yanzhang and the others from the Censorate, he still struggled to raise his head.
Beads of sweat slid from his forehead into his eyes, bringing a stinging pain accompanied by a strong burning sensation.
He subconsciously closed his eyes and opened them again.
"Don't shout. Stop," he endured the pain, his back molars nearly crushed from gritting them.
But his voice was too small, and the others' voices were too loud, completely drowning him out. Fei Yanzhang and the rest did not hear him at all.
Fan Guanshan, standing to the side, had already furrowed his brow into three deep creases.
Potatoes concerned the lifeblood of the nation.
With both witnesses and material evidence complete, the Emperor still chose to blatantly shield the culprit.
If the ruler is unjust, the court will be unstable; if the people are unsettled, the world will struggle to find peace.
The military generals in the court were no match for Prince Wei of the Shuobei Kingdom. If the nation did not grow stronger, they could not possibly let County Princess Linghui, a mere woman, go to the battlefield when the time came.
Prince Qi had truly caused a massive disaster this time.
Inside the silent Imperial Study, Eunuch Zhao, who was standing by the desk holding his breath, heard the clamor outside and was so frightened that he dropped the inkstick in his hand.
He cautiously raised his eyes to peek.
Xiao Chengjing stared gloomily at the desk without moving an inch. His right hand holding the brush trembled violently, and ink dripped from the tip onto the memorial, blurring into a dark blob.
Eunuch Zhao pursed his lips, his heart involuntarily beginning to palpitate violently.
Ye Liangyu was already taking a beating; why couldn't these officials just give it a rest?
If this continued, not a single one of them would escape punishment.
Seeing the Emperor remain completely silent, Eunuch Zhao quietly lightened his footsteps and withdrew from the Imperial Study.
The moment the doors closed, he hurried over to Fei Yanzhang, the fly whisk in his hand flying along with his brisk pace.
"Lord Fei, how could you join in this nonsense?"
"Prince Qi is a prince after all, and he is on the verge of going blind. The Emperor is already heartbroken over this, so how could he bear to punish him heavily? Even if you kneel here for seven days and seven nights, it won't help. You should all leave quickly. If you keep shouting like this, it's highly likely that every single one of you will be punished."
