Chapter 92
Chen Feng Yue raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression now relaxed and a faint smile playing on his lips, as if he were watching an amusing scene unfold.
"Well said, Master Su. However, it seems that the corrupt official who deserves such punishnt would be you..."
"What do you an, Your Majesty? I do not understand." Su Anming frowned in confusion at the Emperor’s relaxed deanor. Given the tense situation, the Emperor should have been troubled, shouldn’t he?
Why did he look so calm?
"Are they all here?" Chen Feng Yue asked in a calm voice. Seeing Su Anming’s puzzled expression, he smirked, his eyes revealing a cold gleam without any attempt to hide it.
"Is this all the n you have brought?"
Su Anming narrowed his eyes at the Emperor on the throne, not understanding. Due to the rushed timing, the Su family had only managed to replace five hundred imperial guards within the palace. Three hundred were controlling the situation in the throne room, while another two hundred were stationed outside. However, he had no intention of answering the Emperor’s question.
Chen Feng Yue, observing the old official’s impassive face, could guess his thoughts. He had never expected his enemy to answer anyway. When one didn’t expect, one wasn’t disappointed...
"Very well...regardless of how many there are, I will sweep them all away myself!"
At those words, Su Anming felt his heart drop. His face imdiately darkened as he realized what might have happened: they had been outmaneuvered by the Emperor!
Looking back, since the beginning of the eting, the Emperor had been speaking at length about insignificant matters, wasting a considerable amount of ti. He had also ticulously explained the Su family’s cris in detail, which seed unnecessary.
Punishing officials was the Emperor’s prerogative, especially when there was ample evidence and witnesses. There was no need for the Emperor to waste ti trying to get the Su family to admit their guilt willingly.
Upon reconsidering and reflecting on the events, Su Anming finally understood the Emperor’s true intentions. The purpose of the lengthy explanation was to pressure him into committing treason!
Once a treacherous official committed treason so blatantly in the throne room, there would be no excuse for it! Additionally, it would reveal all the Su family’s hidden forces within the palace in one go, saving the trouble of hunting them down later!
The Emperor was too ruthless!
Su Anming gritted his teeth to suppress his anger, unable to believe he had fallen into the Emperor’s trap. However, there was still a way out. Since the Emperor wanted to force him into rebellion, he would have to capture the Emperor as quickly as possible!
Chen Feng Yue watched Su Anming’s fleeting expressions of realization with a mocking smile. Even if the old official realized now, it was too late to fix anything...
Bang!
The door was violently thrown open, startling everyone in the throne room. Dozens of rebel soldiers from the Su family were thrown into the center of the room along with the opened door.
A dignified figure in full armor strode in with steady steps, his gaze, as cold as a thousand-year ice, looked directly at Su Anming, causing the old man’s heart to race uncontrollably.
"Arrest all the rebels! Kill anyone who resists!"
Duan Wang’s voice echoed powerfully throughout the hall, followed by the rapid footsteps of over a hundred soldiers clad in armor bearing the insignia of Duan Wang Palace. They charged at the rebels within the throne room. The situation quickly descended into chaos again as the rebel soldiers clashed fiercely with Duan Wang Palace’s forces. The clanging of tal filled the air, and the scent of blood perated the throne room. Su Anming furrowed his brows in intense concern before deciding to give an order to his soldiers.
"Capture His Majesty now!"
At his command, dozens of soldiers who had their spears pointed at the officials surrounding the Emperor rushed forward to breach the circle and reach the Emperor.
"Protect His Majesty! Even if it costs your life, don’t let them get to him!"
"If you want to touch His Majesty, you’ll have to go through my corpse first!"
"I’ll fight to the death!"
Shouts erupted from the officials encircling the Emperor, their genuine loyalty driving them to fight the rebels with all their might. However, due to their smaller numbers, several soldiers managed to break through the line and eventually reach the Emperor.
Amidst the bloody turmoil, Chen Feng Yue remained seated on the golden dragon throne, resting his chin in his hand as he watched the events unfold, unfazed. His sharp eyes tracked the five rebel soldiers breaking through towards him with indifference. Before they could reach the Emperor, two figures intercepted them: one was Mu Gongzhen, and the other was the Emperor’s trusted eunuch!
"Such impudence. Daring to act so brazenly before His Majesty is a cri punishable by death,"
The eunuch said with a slight smile. His face remained as gentle and respectful as ever, exuding an air of friendliness. Yet, as he continued speaking, a terrifying aura of murderous intent emanated from him. "It seems I must teach you so manners!"
After the eunuch finished speaking, he imdiately clashed with one of the rebel soldiers. Similarly, Mu Gongzhen didn’t waste any ti, using his internal energy to swiftly approach his two opponents, engaging them in a fierce battle.
"Father, what should we do now?"
Su Hankai found a mont to evade Duan Wang Palace’s soldiers and quickly regrouped with his father, urgently asking with a tense expression.
"This ga of chess is unwinnable for us. We must retreat and regroup..." Su Anming replied through gritted teeth, unwilling to accept the situation. His eyes darkened visibly. The longer they delayed, the more disadvantageous their side beca. If this continued, they might not even have the chance to retreat and regroup!
It was because of his complacency that he allowed the enemy to strike first. All of this happened because he was too cautious, waiting to see the enemy’s move, which led to this disaster!
The Su family had survived three reigns; how could he let it fall now?
Never!
Su Hankai glanced at his father, understanding his feelings. Having won all his life, how could his father accept this defeat?
"I’ll have the soldiers break through the rear gate!"
Both father and son nodded in agreent before ordering a group of soldiers to break off and cover their escape through the rear gate of the throne room. However, before they could execute their escape plan, a sharp arrow suddenly pierced Su Hankai’s calf, causing him to collapse to the ground heavily.
Thud!
"Oww!"
Su Hankai fell to the ground involuntarily, causing pain to radiate throughout his body, especially on the calf where the arrow was embedded. Blood seeped from the wound, causing great alarm to Su Anming.
"Hankai!"
Su Anming rushed to see his son’s condition in shock, his eyes filled with concern and anguish. Though he often appeared stern, cunning and scheming, as a father, he always loved and worried about his son.
"F...Father." Su Hankai clenched his fists to endure the pain, attempting to stand but failing due to the sharp pain in his calf.
At the sa ti, the sounds of battle within the throne room suddenly beca abnormally quiet. When the Su father and son looked around, they saw that everything was now under Duan Wang’s control!
All the rebel soldiers were dead on the ground, so survived but were captured. The officials who had been held were now free. Chen Feng Yue still sat on the dragon throne in the sa posture, unchanged. Mu Gongzhen and the Emperor’s trusted eunuch had long since finished dealing with the enemies.
Thud, thud, thud!
The sound of steady footsteps walking through the corpses filled the throne room. Each step seed to tread on the hearts of everyone present, exuding a trendous pressure that made many hold their breath montarily.
Thud!
“Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness for my tardiness!”
Duan Wang knelt down forcefully, bowing his head in penitence. His resonant voice echoed within the hall multiple tis.
“You may rise, Duan Wang. You are not late...you have arrived precisely on ti,”
Chen Feng Yue spoke in a softer tone than usual. Duan Wang was a respected and revered figure, so Chen Feng Yue treated him with significant respect, refraining from exerting authority as he did with other officials.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Duan Wang expressed his gratitude, standing up to his full height. His icy gaze swept over the Su father and son, who were being held by the soldiers of Duan Wang Palace, kneeling before the Emperor.
“Master Su, you should be aware of the consequences of your rebellion, shouldn’t you?”
Chen Feng Yue looked down at the defeated enemies below him with an empty expression. His handso face showed no emotion, only a chilling voice that sent shivers down the listeners’ spines.
“Hah! Your Majesty’s mind is difficult to fathom. If you wish to eliminate officials, we are rely ants under your feet!”
Su Anming responded with a scoff, his voice filled with disdain and defiance. He raised his head to et the eyes of the man on the throne, unafraid. His stubbornness and arrogance were evident in his gaze.
“Master Su, you speak too nonsensical. This situation was of your own making. I did not force your hand,” Chen Feng Yue smirked slightly, a smile that was both terrifying and unsettling. “It is only natural for to rid the country of treacherous officials with rebellious hearts!”
“The Su family has audaciously committed treason in the throne room! Moreover, they have illegally mined the country’s resources for their personal gain without authorization! The Ministry of Justice will impose the maximum penalty according to the law!”
Chen Feng Yue’s stern declaration caused everyone in the hall to tremble montarily. Hundreds of eyes turned to look at the Su father and son with various expressions. The illustrious Su family had co to an end...
Even though the verdict was delivered, Su Anming and Su Hankai remained silent, not behaving like typical condemned criminals. They did not beg for rcy or defend themselves. It was as if they had been prepared for this mont for a long ti.
Upon hearing the verdict, Su Anming sneered. His eyes, locked with Chen Feng Yue’s, remained defiant and proud, showing no signs of regret or surrender.
If asked whether he regretted the way things had ended, he would say no!
He did not regret it because he had been prepared for this outco!
In the ga of Weiqi, there were only winners and losers. If you won, you beca the ruler; if you lost, you beca a thief. The Su family understood this truth well before they started this ga. Since they dared to play this ga, they had to be ready to accept its consequences!
Su Manor
Shortly after Su Anming and Su Hankai were summoned to an urgent eting at the throne room, imperial guards surrounded the Su manor tightly. Even after more than four hours, there was no news from the palace, and the guards remained vigilantly stationed around the manor.
Inside the main hall of the Su manor, dozens of family mbers sat together, their faces tense with worry. The atmosphere was extrely strained; having soldiers encircle the residence was never a good sign. The lack of any updates from the palace only heightened their anxiety, leaving the Su family mbers restless and unable to sit still.
“Mother, it’s been over four hours. What on earth is happening?”
Su Baimiao, equally anxious and could no longer bear after waiting for the news for so long, turned to question her mother who sat beside her. Her beautiful face showed genuine concern.
“Miao’er, calm down. I don’t know either. But if sothing serious has happened, soone will surely send word,” Su Furen consoled her daughter, though she was just as worried inside.
Su Furen was well aware of what her father-in-law and husband had been involved in. They had discussed this previously, agreeing that if the Su family ever encountered trouble, her husband would arrange for soone to help them escape. However, no one had co to assist them yet. She didn’t know whether it was due to the surrounding imperial guards or because nothing serious had happened, so that her husband’s n didn’t co to help them at all...
Su Baimiao bit her lip, trying to reassure herself that nothing bad would happen. The Su family was so powerful; surely no one could shake or harm them!
While the Su family mbers were trying to reassure themselves, a group of people approached the main hall. This was the first movent from the soldiers outside the residence. Everyone looked at each other in confusion and fear. When the group reached the hall, it beca clear that these were not returning family mbers but soldiers following the Emperor’s trusted eunuch inside.
“E...Eunuch,”
Su Furen imdiately recognized who he was and quickly stepped forward to curtsy as per the etiquette. Su Baimiao and the rest of the family followed suit.
“Su Furen,” the eunuch nodded and continued, “The Su family is to receive an imperial decree!”
Su Furen frowned slightly in surprise before leading the entire Su family to kneel and receive the decree. Su Baimiao knelt and waited to hear the decree as well, her heart beating irregularly with unusual anxiety.
She had received many family decrees before and was accustod to it, so there was no reason for her to feel nervous. But this ti, she felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding, as if she didn’t want to hear this decree at all...
"His Majesty has issued an imperial decree! The Su family has audaciously committed treason in the throne room and has illegally mined minerals without authorization. As a result, all official positions of the Su family are revoked, and the sentence of execution extending to seven generations is pronounced, to be carried out in seven days!"
Boom!
The proclamation of the imperial decree struck the Su family mbers like a lightning bolt to the head. Everyone was paralyzed, their bodies rigid and their minds blank, unable to process anything except the echo of the proclamation repeating in their heads.
Su Baimiao was no different. Her body turned icy cold as if her blood had stopped flowing. Her eyes widened in shock, and her lips parted slightly. She had plunged into a dark abyss, completely disconnected from the outside world.
Treason?
Execution extending to seven generations?
Her Su family was to be destroyed?
What was this?
What kind of cruel joke was this?
Her Su family...sentenced to execution extending to seven generations for treason?
No!
It couldn’t be true!
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