A tall figure entered as the voice fell.
He wore a robe adorned with six dragons playing with a pearl, shimmering in bright yellow. He stood there, gazing at the young girl seated at the head of the table.
Immense pressure bore down directly onto the girl.
An aura of chilling authority emanated from him, conveying unwavering confidence.
The girl was pinned by the oppressive force, unable to meet his gaze. Yet, she clenched her fists within her sleeves, her fingernails digging into her palms. The pain served to fully awaken her.
"Imperial Uncle has arrived. Someone attend to the Regent and prepare a seat."
"There's no need," Xue Wenjie said coldly.
Then, his gaze fell coldly upon Hua Yunjin. He spoke with a chilling tone, "Prime Minister, as the head of the officials in Huangze, you have stooped to such deeds. You have truly brought shame upon Huangze."
Hua Yunjin sneered upon hearing this. "If one wishes to accuse, why worry about a pretext? I will admit to what I have done, and deny what I have not."
Xue Wenjie shifted his gaze from Hua Yunjin to the young girl at the head of the table. He curved his lips and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is of grave importance. I know you are biased towards the Prime Minister, but now is not the time for favoritism."
"I know," the girl replied, biting her lower lip.
"Then, how does Your Majesty intend to proceed?" Xue Wenjie stepped forward, his body leaning halfway across the table. With a playful, meaningful look, he gazed at the girl.
The girl took a step back, biting her lower lip. After a long pause, she finally said, "What does Imperial Uncle think is the best course of action?"
Seeing the girl's submissive demeanor, he suddenly lost interest. He straightened up and sneered, "Naturally, he should be imprisoned and await his fate."
"Imperial Uncle, the Prime Minister is no ordinary person. Such action would not win the people's trust," the girl said softly.
"Then how does Your Majesty believe it can win their trust?" Xue Wenjie asked coldly.
"I fear Imperial Uncle may become angry if I speak," the girl said timidly, which instilled a sense of superiority in Xue Wenjie.
Even if you are the Son of Heaven, do you not still have to bow to my will?
"Your Majesty, please speak freely." He did not believe Xue Zining could conceive of any good solution. He was confident of victory.
The girl, who had kept her eyes downcast, suddenly raised her head. Her eyes were clear and bright. "A trial by the three judicial authorities."
Xue Wenjie blinked in surprise and knitted his brows. "A trial by the three judicial authorities?"
The girl nodded and said, "In three days, we will hold a trial by the three judicial authorities. For these three days, the Prime Minister will not leave the palace and will be temporarily housed in the Imperial Study."
"Your Majesty, this... this is perhaps not in accordance with the rules," Zhu Keyu was about to object.
Upon hearing this, the girl tilted her head and looked at him. "Does Lord Zhu not trust me, or does he not trust this Imperial Palace?"
Zhu Keyu quickly bowed. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. That is not what I meant. I merely..."
"Since that is not what you meant, then it is decided. I believe the Regent will also agree."
The girl looked up at Xue Wenjie, her gaze as clear and bright as the morning sun.
Xue Wenjie narrowed his eyes. It was then that he understood. Xue Zining's initial show of weakness was merely to deceive him, to make him believe she was afraid of him, to make him lower his guard. All of it was for the sake of this trial by the three judicial authorities.
A trial by the three judicial authorities? He sneered inwardly. Did she think that with Grand Commandant Lin presiding, Hua Yunjin had a chance of being acquitted?
A pipe dream.
"Your Majesty has made a decision. I shall, of course, obey your decree," Xue Wenjie said coldly.
"I am tired. You may all withdraw!" the girl waved her hand.
Xue Wenjie turned and left. Zhu Keyu dared not linger and followed him out.
"Your Highness, regarding the trial by the three judicial authorities in three days, this subordinate will not disappoint you..." Zhu Keyu said, gathering his courage.
Xue Wenjie stopped and turned to look at the obsequious Zhu Keyu, his expression impatient. "Lord Zhu, you have already botched things twice. This time, I do not wish to hear of you failing again. Otherwise..."
Xue Wenjie did not finish his sentence, but Zhu Keyu could already feel the Regent's displeasure.
After the Regent left and disappeared from sight, Zhu Keyu looked up. A gust of wind struck him, chilling his back. He realized his spine was already drenched in sweat.
If the trial by the three judicial authorities went awry, he might never gain the Regent's favor.
Thinking of this, Zhu Keyu knew this was his last chance.
"Lord Zhu..."
Zhu Keyu turned around. Before he could speak, a barrage of blows rained down upon him.
As the pain struck, Zhu Keyu couldn't help but curse as he fainted, wondering who was using such a thick club to hit him.
"Your Majesty, did I use too much force?" Xue Yan asked, looking at Zhu Keyu, who was foaming at the mouth and collapsed on the ground, with lingering fear.
Xue Zining twitched her lips. Looking at the large lump on the back of Zhu Keyu's head, she thought to herself that the force was far from ordinary. It seemed she would have to offend Xue Yan less in the future, or one blow like this could be fatal.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing?" Hua Yunjin looked at Xue Zining and Xue Yan with some confusion.
"Xue Yan, you will disguise yourself as Zhu Keyu," Xue Zining said.
Xue Yan nodded. After a moment, a human skin mask was ready. Once she put it on, she would be the spitting image of Zhu Keyu.
"Your Majesty, how should we handle this person?" Xue Yan asked, looking at the completely stripped Zhu Keyu.
Xue Zining looked at Zhu Keyu's bare body and couldn't bear to look directly. She turned her face away, thinking, "See no evil."
"First, throw him into my Zhaoyuan Palace," Xue Zining said.
Xue Yan obeyed the order and, like picking up a little chicken, carried Zhu Keyu towards Zhaoyuan Palace.
This time, Hua Yunjin couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, this Xue Yan..." Tsk tsk, she truly possessed incredible strength.
Xue Zining coughed lightly. "Prime Minister, please don't take offense. Xue Yan has had great strength since she was young."
In her previous life, she hadn't liked the strong Xue Yan. Back then, Xue Yan was the lowest-ranking palace maid in Zhaoyuan Palace. But when Xue Zixuan besieged her with troops, Xue Yan, armed with only a broom, managed to hold them off for half a day.
Alas, Xue Yan eventually died tragically under Xue Zixuan's siege.
After her rebirth, she gathered all those who had died because of her to her side, one by one.
In this life, it was her turn to protect them.
The Court of Judicial Review
Left Judicial Reviewer Cao Zhuang looked at the Judicial Reviewer, Zhu Keyu. He couldn't pinpoint what was wrong, but something felt off.
"Where is the corpse?" Zhu Keyu asked coldly.
Left Judicial Reviewer Cao Zhuang said, "My Lord, please follow me."
Because it was a corpse, it was placed on an ice bed to prevent decomposition for at least seven days.
"You may withdraw. Leave the key behind," Zhu Keyu commanded.
Cao Zhuang bowed. "Your subordinate obeys!"
After leaving the prison cell, Cao Zhuang touched his head. After thinking for a moment, he called to a subordinate. "Go to the Regent's mansion and inform the Regent that Lord Zhu went to the prison with two strangers."
The subordinate nodded and left.
As Cao Zhuang's subordinate stepped out of the Court of Judicial Review and had not walked far, a sack was thrown over his head, and he was tossed into a carriage.