Furthermore, it was so cold outside that Xinglai had people set up braziers, clearly intending to drag things out.
Nan Zhiyun, held tightly in Yu Jingchen's arms, had a cloak draped over her, only her head peeking out. She knew peace was impossible.
As Yu Jingchen sat down, he casually gestured. A guard, understanding the unspoken command, kicked Yu Jingan in the knee pit, forcing him to kneel uncontrollably.
"Yu Jingchen, how dare you touch me?! Aren't you afraid of being condemned by the world?" Yu Jingan was terrified now, but Yu Jingchen couldn't care less.
"Does the world not know how much blood of my own brothers I have on my hands? Do you think I would care? Even if they disapprove, who dares to speak against me to my face?" Yu Jingchen's voice was low, as if amused by something. Brothers? The royal family even deserved to talk about that? Besides, wasn't Yu Jingan no different just now? httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Yu Jingchen, you can't touch me!" Yu Jingan was unwilling to accept this.
"You are truly noisy," Yu Jingchen said, tucking the cloak around Nan Zhiyun with one hand.
"Your Majesty, perhaps I should pull out his tongue?" Xinglai, who had long found Yu Jingan unbearable, thought he was truly ungrateful.
"No need. Would I be so cruel? Besides, if his tongue is pulled out, he won't be able to scream later, which would be less interesting. I much prefer listening to that kind of agonizing cry," Yu Jingchen said lightly.
"Yes..." Xinglai cast a sympathetic glance at the kneeling figures below. There was no doubt, seeing His Majesty's demeanor, not one of them would escape.
"Are you really not going back inside? It's a bit cold out here, and the scene later might be too much for Yun'er to bear. Shall I have someone escort you back to He'an Palace?" Yu Jingchen lowered his head again, his voice remarkably gentle, as if he were a different person compared to before. He was still worried.
"If Your Majesty holds me, I'm not afraid..." Nan Zhiyun didn't want to go back.
Yu Jingchen didn't press the matter. He reached out and ruffled her hair before pulling her closer into his embrace.
The Empress Dowager watched from the side without comment. Someone draped a cloak over her; it was Gu Yin, disguised as a palace servant.
"It's cold. Let's go back," Gu Yin murmured.
The Empress Dowager shook her head and remained silent. Gu Yin understood her meaning and said no more, standing obediently beside her. Compared to before, he seemed to have aged considerably.
"Bring the others forward," Yu Jingchen commanded. Who else could there be? Yu Jingan was already present.
All eyes turned. It was the families of the ministers. Seeing them, the already terrified ministers collapsed, crying out for mercy.
"Are they all here?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"All the officials' families are here. The remaining servants have all been confined to their residences, not a single mistake will be made," Xinglai replied.
"My esteemed ministers have great capabilities. There are about a dozen of them, aren't there? You are quite adept at serving Yu Jingan, that dog, with the high positions and generous stipends I have given you." Yu Jingchen's voice was flat, yet it instilled a chilling dread.
"Your Majesty, spare our lives! Your Majesty, spare us!" The ministers pleaded, most of them related to Yu Jingan's maternal family, who had been his faction from the start.
"Rebellion is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of kin." Yu Jingchen's words unequivocally sealed their fate.