Chapter 122 - The Retribution
Chapter 122 - The Retribution
Zhao Zhuang Chen panicked inside his heart when he saw General Yun begging him in front of all the ministers.
He cursed the stupid General inside his heart.
Who hides such an important book so carelessly that even those who entered his manor for the first time and don't know the way around his manor could find it so easily.
No wonder that he could never get ahead of General Li and win against him.
Now he was only worried that General Yun would also expose him like Commander Ji.
Feeling everyone's gaze on himself, he kicked General Yun away and said coldly.
"This Prince has also been fooled by you, General Yun. Benwang thought that you were loyal to Xin but giving such dangerous war strategies to the enemies…tsk…you have fallen from this prince's eyes now."
General Yun was shocked. So shocked that he could not register in his mind that the crown Prince had put all the blame on him.
Just as he was about to open his mouth, he heard the crown Prince order.
"Father Emperor, such a man should not be kept alive. His death should be an example to others so that no one will even think of committing this act again."
Zhao Wang Lei was also looking at General Yun coldly.
Hearing these words, General Yun immediately crawled near Zhao Zhuang Chen's legs and pleaded
"Your Highness, please don't do this. I did whatever Your Highness had asked me then I don't deserve to be left alone by Your Highness."
Shocked eyes fell on General Yun and the crown prince who was sweating under the Emperor's suspicious gaze.
"Presumptuous, you dare to slander this crown Prince just because Benwang asked a hard punishment from Father Emperor for you."
Zhao Zhuang Chen sighed in relief when he saw everyone's attention darting away from him to General Yun.
He looked at the Imperial Guards and ordered
"Guards, shut his mouth. If it is left open, Benwang doubts that next, he will slander Father Emperor himself."
The Imperial guards looked at the Emperor who raised his hand to do as the crown Prince said.
On the other hand, Xi Ying looked at everything with a cold smile.
'Such a good act they can play. No wonder he couldn't catch their pretense for so many years.'
"Your Majesty"
He called out and attracting the Emperor's attention and said
"This subject has not yet finished."
"Continue, Prime Minister Xi."
With a nod, Xi Ying said the words that he had planned in his mind.
"Your Majesty, this subject was told by Commander Ji that General Li, his son and soldier Yi Lei was kept away in the forests. With the help of Commander Ji, we found them. However, this subject was very surprised when he saw such a large amount of men protecting that area."
"Fortunately, this one was there and Commander Xie had also taken one-third of Li Clan's army with himself, or else we would never be able to free General Li."
Xi Ying was feeling very irritated because he had to brief each and every detail standing here in the Imperial Court. However, he knew that it was important to erase the Emperor's suspicion of his decisions.
It was a good thing that now the Crown Prince was also in the zeal to punish General Yun so he didn't have to speak his next words because he said them himself
"Father Emperor, so many men that Minister Xi needed one-third of Li Clan's soldiers to fight with them. How many men they could be?? Doesn't it mean that General Yun was going against the Imperial Palace's laws? According to the Imperial Law, a General if he is not from Li Clan can not keep more than five hundred soldiers under himself. His five hundred soldiers were already fighting on the battlefield then how did he get others to abduct General Li."
"Now Benwang doubts that General Yun could be planning something very big by recruiting so many soldiers."
The Imperial Court was silent after the Crown Prince finished his words. Ministers looked at each other agreeing with their thoughts.
Planning something bog. What could it be other than treason against the Emperor?
Zhao Wang Lei who had been silent until now and silently observing everything suddenly kicked down the small table under his feet.
The wooden table rolled down from the throne making a large sound.
No one dared to utter a word as the Emperor said coldly
"Going against the Imperial Laws is going against Zhen."
After a moment of silence, he continued
"On the fifteenth of the next month, the whole Yun Clan will be executed in front of the people of the Imperial City."
A few words sealed the fate of a big clan of Xin.
Mouth stuffed with the cloth, General Yun struggled to get out of the Imperial guards' hold however, all his efforts were in vain.
As he was being dragged outside, he turned and glared at the Crown Prince who smirked at him making his eyes go red with anger.
But what else he could do?
As the middle-aged General remembered the faces of his children, his tears streamed down continuously.
He regretted.
He wanted to make his Clan more influential and powerful. He wanted Yun Clan to be mentioned by the future generation. He wanted his ancestors' efforts to be seen by everyone.
However, in his greed, he had lost the prestige of his clan. He had tainted Yun Clan with the stain of treason. Now in the future, his clan would only be mentioned as a traitor.
His children, his concubines, his wangfei, all of them would be executed because of his greed.
General Yun felt that he didn't deserve all this but he could do nothing now, except repenting his sins.
But this was retribution.
Retribution from some other life. The life where he had happily seen the destruction of Li Clan.
Where he had killed so many innocents.
Where he did not pay for his sins.