PNB Chapter 316 is made public.
Chapter 316 is made public.
Chapter 316 Revealed to the Public
His eyes lost all their luster, and he seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, like a defeated rooster, no longer possessing his former arrogance.
The emperor snorted coldly, "This is all your own fault! All the money that you two generations worked so hard to amass has been put into my pocket. Now my national treasury is truly overflowing with riches."
These ill-gotten gains have finally returned to where they belonged, benefiting the people of the Great Zhou Kingdom.
"You, you, I don't believe it." Zhou Yi never expected that the wealth he had painstakingly built up over the years would be so easily taken into the emperor's possession.
Without money, how could he possibly rebel? His hopes were shattered, and how could his descendants possibly achieve his insane goals?
"I have the truth-telling pill from the divine physician; otherwise, how would I know about the despicable things you've done?"
Those women you left behind, those so-called seeds, have all been killed by me long ago.
Of course, the Great Yan Kingdom and the Great Xia Kingdom, like me, have long since dealt with your remnants.
Otherwise, why would it have taken me so long to visit you? I wanted to bring you some good news, so you could die knowing why.
After the emperor finished speaking, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter filled with mockery of Zhou Yi and the joy of victory.
Upon hearing the emperor's words, Zhou Yi was struck dumb, completely collapsed, and his eyes were filled with despair.
He collapsed helplessly in the corner of the cell, muttering repeatedly, "It's over, it's all over..."
The emperor felt no pity for Zhou Yi when he saw him like this.
He turned to the guards and said, "Keep a close watch on this heinous criminal. I will announce his crimes to the world another day, so that everyone will know of them and serve as a warning to others. Let the whole world see that those who plot rebellion will be severely punished!"
The emperor turned and went to the cell next door. The empress was imprisoned in that cell.
The cell was small, and the Empress could hear the entire conversation between the two men.
The empress was squatting in the corner, tears streaming down her face. Her body trembled slightly, like a leaf falling in the cold wind.
The emperor entered the empress's cell and looked at her, who was squatting in the corner crying. He was filled with disgust.
He said coldly, "You still have the nerve to cry? You have committed such a treasonous act, where do you place me? You are a disgrace to the Great Zhou Kingdom!"
The queen raised her tear-streaked face, a flash of resentment in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by fear. She cried and said, "Yes, I deserve to die, but none of this was my choice!"
I had no choice. Please, I beg you, spare Yan'er. He's innocent; he knows nothing."
Her voice carried a hint of pleading, hoping the emperor would show leniency and spare her son.
The emperor, enraged, laughed, his eyes burning with fury: "To commit such an incestuous act is utterly shameless!"
You want me to let you go? Just thinking about these things makes me feel utterly disgusted. How could I possibly let him go? Your actions are simply outrageous!
The Empress dared not say another word and could only kneel on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, her forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud: "Your Majesty, I beg you to spare Yan'er. He is still young, he doesn't understand anything, it's all my fault, please forgive him."
Her face was filled with despair and helplessness, and tears kept streaming down her face.
The emperor trembled with rage and roared, "You are a disgrace! I will not allow such a bastard to live in this world!"
I will expose your crimes in court, letting the whole world know how you, as Empress, betrayed me and the Great Zhou Dynasty. Just wait to be infamous for eternity!
His voice echoed in the cell, filled with anger and authority.
Upon hearing this, the Empress's face turned deathly pale. She collapsed to the ground, her eyes vacant, as if she had lost her soul.
She knew that her and her son's fate was beyond redemption, and everything had come to an end.
The emperor ignored the empress and turned to leave the prison. His steps were firm and powerful; he had made up his mind.
Upon returning to the imperial study, the emperor immediately summoned his ministers to discuss how to deal with the crimes of Zhou Yi, the empress, and others, and how to appease the people.
Upon hearing the news, the ministers rushed over from all directions, their expressions solemn.
A minister stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is wise; such treacherous villains should be severely punished."
Now that the hidden dangers of the Great Zhou Kingdom have been eliminated, the most urgent task is to appease the people and let them know that His Majesty has worked tirelessly to eliminate the treacherous party for the sake of the country and the people.
"Your Majesty's wisdom will surely bring even greater prosperity to the Great Zhou Kingdom."
Another minister quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty, Zhou Yi and the others have committed heinous crimes and should be executed. Only in this way can Your Majesty's authority be demonstrated, and the people can feel the court's determination to eliminate treacherous officials."
Only by severely punishing criminals can public anger be quelled and public sentiment stabilized.
The other ministers nodded in agreement. The emperor nodded, his expression grave, and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking too. Not only that, I also want their crimes written down and posted throughout the capital, so that everyone in the world knows what they've done."
Let everyone understand that anyone who attempts to harm the country or betray the court will be severely punished!
At this point, another minister suggested: "Your Majesty, in addition to severely punishing the criminals, we should also strengthen the supervision of the royal family and court officials to prevent similar incidents from happening again."
It is recommended that a specialized oversight body be established to strictly monitor their words and actions.
The emperor wholeheartedly agreed, saying with a firm gaze, "What you say is absolutely right, my dear minister."
I will establish a special supervisory agency to monitor the words and deeds of the imperial family and court officials. Any misconduct will be dealt with severely.
"It is imperative to ensure that the court of the Great Zhou Kingdom is enlightened and that the people live in peace and prosperity."
After the discussion, the emperor immediately issued an edict to announce to the world the crimes of Zhou Yi, the empress, Prime Minister Li, and others, and declared that they would be publicly executed three days later.
Once the imperial decree was issued, it was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves among the people of the capital.
When the news spread, the people of Beijing were in an uproar.
People were shocked and outraged by the crimes of Zhou Yi and others, and praised the emperor's wise decision.
The people gathered together, discussing the matter animatedly. They expressed their contempt for the criminals' actions and were also pleased with the emperor's decisive action. They believed that under the emperor's rule, the Great Zhou Kingdom would surely usher in a brighter future.
Su Yinyin was also very gratified when she learned about this.
She originally thought that the emperor would secretly execute the empress and others to save face for the royal family, since no one wanted to make it public that they had been cuckolded.
However, the emperor's move not only severely punished the criminals but also restored the people's confidence in the court, which was undoubtedly a wise move.
During this time, Su Yinyin lived a carefree and leisurely life.
While spending time with her family and enjoying a rare moment of peace, she kept a close eye on the situation in Beijing, filled with anticipation for the future.
Three days later, the day of execution finally arrived.
The execution ground in the capital was packed with people, a sea of faces, all eager to witness these heinous criminals receive their due punishment.
Angry whispers and curses against the criminals could be heard from time to time in the crowd; everyone was indignant about their crimes.
Zhou Yi, the Empress, Prime Minister Li, and others were escorted to the execution ground. They looked desperate and staggered.
The former sense of superiority is gone, replaced by endless fear and regret.
Their eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness, as if they had already foreseen their tragic end.
The gazes of the surrounding people were like sharp blades, piercing them and leaving them nowhere to hide.
At this point, they had become objects of public scorn, and what awaited them was a just trial and severe punishment.