Chapter 310 - We Choose to Leave!

Listening to the answers of the officials, Baili Junyi and Shen Ninghua finally showed a smile on their faces. The silent tacit understanding between the two of them was self-evident.

Witnessing their sweet and harmonious interaction, Baili Jinchuan curled his lips into a mocking smirk.

The two of them were really willing to sacrifice themselves. Baili Junyi started this episode. Even if Shen Ninghua proposed a solution to ease the situation, the officials would still hate the two of them to the bone. However, for His Majesty, as long as he slightly lowered the punishment and spared most of the people’s lives, these officials would be grateful to him. In addition, His Majesty had the evidence in his hand to make sure that these officials would be devoted to their job wholeheartedly.

Baili Junyi and Shen Ninghua gave such a great favor to Father Emperor. If they had used this evidence to blackmail the officials instead of exposing them, Baili Jinchuan was certain that they would have easily won over most of the officials with their abilities. At that time, it would be a piece of cake for them to ask for any position.

Did they not have the slightest interest in the throne? He did not believe it. He refused to believe it!

If Baili Jinchuan could think of this, Baili Qingcang naturally thought of it as well.

Looking at their smiley faces, Baili Qingcang sighed regretfully. “Junyi, Ninghua, I don’t allow you to leave. Today, you…”

“Father Emperor,” Baili Junyi interjected, looking firm and decisive. “Father Emperor, I understand what you mean. Although I have exposed the matter regarding the brothels, I started the fire, and it is a fact. I will bear the sins I have committed. Please punish me, Father Emperor.”

“Why… Why are you so stubborn? Ninghua, tell me, do you also want to leave the capital?” Ninghua had always been more sensible than Junyi. He was certain that she did not want to leave, but he heard her affirmation.

“Father Emperor, I am Royal Prince Yi’s wife, so I will follow him wherever he may go. Moreover, I have also participated in this matter, so I should be punished together.”

“H-Have you made up your mind to leave?” Baili Qingcang frowned, complicated emotions surging in his eyes.

With a smile, Baili Junyi conceded, “Father Emperor, Ninghua and I have offended all the officials in the court. Do you think we can just stay back and wait for their retaliation?”

“Who dares to retaliate?” Baili Qingcang swept the crowd with a cold gaze and fumed in a stern tone.

“They don’t dare to do it in the broad daylight, but who can say for sure in private? Father Emperor, I should have my own fiefdom after being conferred the title of royal prince. We will go to my fiefdom and stay there. Let’s take it as a way to observe the people’s life on your behalf.”

“You…” With a long sigh, Baili Qingcang swept his gaze over the Third Prince and the others, who grimaced in fear, and he felt irritated. These sons valued power more than anything else, and they would do anything in order to compete for power. However, Junyi refused everything, even a credit. This contrast made him more and more reluctant to let the two of them leave.

“I don’t agree. Don’t even think about leaving.”

Baili Junyi and Shen Ninghua knelt on the ground. They did not continue to ask to leave, but their figures were stubborn and resolute.

“A-Are you forcing me? Fine, I’ll give you a choice. You can leave the capital, but you don’t have the right to do so as a royal prince. Either I depose you from the position of royal prince and you leave with nothing, or you stay in the capital as a royal prince. Make your choice.”

Hearing this, Baili Junyi and Shen Ninghua exchanged glances. Shen Ninghua nodded at Baili Junyi, the support in her eyes self-evident.

“Father Emperor, we choose to leave.”

Baili Qingcang froze, and there was a trace of disbelief in his eyes. He felt extremely upset and dismayed. Why were they so stubborn?!

Baili Jinchuan gripped the glass fragment in his hand hard, and the fragments pierced his palm. It was very painful.

“Father Emperor, we can talk about Fifth Younger Brother’s matter later. Don’t you think we should deal with the brothels’ ledgers first?”

Baili Qingcang nodded. “Yes, you’re right.”

Baili Junyi still wanted to say something, but Baili Qingcang waved his hand impatiently. “The two of you, stand up. We can talk about this later.”

Seeing Baili Qingcang’s firm attitude, the two of them stood up and stood to the side.

Looking at the officials who had tarnished their reputations, Baili Qingcang looked askance, the gentleness in his eyes disappearing without a trace.

“You have made a mistake. I won’t get to the bottom of it for the time being. Princess Zhaohua’s suggestion is very appropriate. We will use 5,000 taels and 2,000 taels as the boundaries. Those who spent less than 2,000 taels won’t be prosecuted, and I won’t confiscate your assets, but I’ll keep the evidence. If any of you did it again, I wouldn’t tolerate it.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” About one-third of the officials immediately stood up, their faces full of relief, and they respectfully kowtowed to Baili Qingcang gracefully.

“For those who spent between 2,000 and 5,000 taels, all your assets will be confiscated, and you’ll be demoted by two ranks. If you perform well in your job, not only will I not hold you to account, but I will also restore your position.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty! We will put our hearts and minds on the line to repay you!” Another group of officials, whose names were called out, knelt on the ground and trembled. No matter what, they wouldn’t be executed, and they could restore their positions if they performed well. Because of this, they thanked Baili Qingcang wholeheartedly.

After that, Baili Qingcang glanced at the remaining kneeling officials and asked the Shadow Guards to check how much money they spent.

“Your Majesty, we’ve verified the amounts. The remaining eighteen officials spent more than 5,000 taels in the brothels, and the biggest expense was 98,200 taels.”

“Your Majesty, please spare my life. Please show mercy!”

“Your Majesty, I won’t do it again. Please spare me!”

Baili Qingcang’s expression was as cold as an iceberg, exhuming such a depressing pressure around him that it was suffocating. He directly ordered, “Drag them out of Chengqian Hall… and flog them to death! Everyone else, go out and watch the punishment so you’d learn your lesson!”

“Yes!”

“Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty, please!”

“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die…”

The wailing echoed across the palace, but Baili Qingcang did not order them to shut up.

The officials who had narrowly escaped the calamity felt that the wailing was like a curse. It was so devastating to the point that it freaked them out and they closed their eyes, not daring to look.

Baili Qingcang personally took charge and sat on the steps outside the hall. The rest of the officials and women were ordered to stand on both sides. The Dragon Scale Army apprehended the officials to the execution stage without any emotions on their faces.

Then, Baili Qingcang narrowed his eyes slightly and shouted coldly, “Execute!”

The red court staff as thick as an arm was raised high into the air, and then it fell heavily onto the execution stage.

“Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty, please spare me!”

“I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”

Some of the officials were the first-rank officials, some had worked for the government for decades, and some were just yearning for a moment of pleasure. They had just become officials and had not had the opportunity to show off their grand ambitions.

Baili Qingcang had no scruples at all. No matter how they shouted and begged for mercy, he looked stoic without a change of expression.

The womenfolk who came with the officials stood to the side. Their faces were ghastly pale, and they shivered in fear, but they lowered their heads and gritted their teeth, not daring to make a single sound. They had originally come to the banquet happily, but unexpectedly, the banquet turned into a red wedding.

However, a young lady couldn’t help but call out, “Father…” As soon as she made a sound, the woman next to her hurriedly muffled her mouth tightly and knelt on the ground.

Shen Ninghua stood next to Baili Junyi and lowered her eyes slightly. One corrupt official in the imperial court would be a disaster to countless citizens in the country. Therefore, it was best to kill them all, and they weren’t worth any sympathy. They should have thought of this day when they stretched their greedy hands to the people!

Gradually, the court staff was stained with blood, and the strong rustic smell of blood spread out. Many people covered their mouths in pain to prevent themselves from vomiting.

Most of the people present were more or less corrupted and cold-blooded. Just because they were rich and powerful, they could give an order, and there would be people to execute the plan for them. None of them had ever seen a living person being caned to death before their eyes. After today, they would no longer dare to take any money that they should not have!

“Your Majesty, the eighteen criminals have all been executed.”

Baili Qingcang raised his eyes. “Drag them down and send them back to their respective mansions. Let their families bury them. Dragon Scale Army, go with them and seize their property.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Dragon Scale Army quickly dragged the corpses down. Some of the corpses had already been smashed to pieces and were badly mutilated. Everyone couldn’t help but turn their heads, not daring to look at the terrifying scene in front of them.

Baili Qingcang snorted coldly, “You are only watching the execution now, and you’re so frightened. If I caught you doing anything wrong, you’d be the next to be punished!”

“We don’t dare to! Your Majesty, please calm down.”

The faces of the officials were pale, and each and every one of them trembled like frightened quails. At this moment, Baili Qingcang had a feeling that everything was under his control. He used to have such a feeling when he was in his prime. However, it had been a long time since he had experienced it as he grew old. Most of the time, he felt inert.

As he smelled the rustic smell of blood, he narrowed his eyes and ordered coldly, “Clean up the front of the hall. Don’t dirty my place.”

He was the ruler of the country, the sovereign of all people. These officials relied on him to survive and strategize for him to govern the world. He held the power of life and death, so he had every reason to be arrogant and invincible. Previously, he was too merciful and always wanted to leave a good reputation for himself. If everything was under his control, who would dare to say that he was violent and fickle?

Thinking about this, he felt that the doubts in his heart were suddenly solved. He turned to look at the Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Sixth Prince. “The three of you…”

Before Baili Qingcang could finish his sentence, the three princes knelt on the ground.

Tears and snots streamed down the Third Prince’s face as he whimpered, “Father Emperor, I’m innocent. I’m really innocent.”

Anger flashed in Baili Qingcang’s eyes. He hated being interrupted. “Our vault has been empty for a long time. Think of a way to solve it! If you can fill up the national vault, my anger may be eliminated.”

“Yes, yes, I will do my best to think of a way,” the Fourth Prince hurriedly promised. As long as he could stay alive, nothing else mattered. It was just a money problem.

Baili Qingcang nodded in satisfaction. “However, there is one thing that you should know. I do not want to hear anything about harassing and extorting the people. Do you understand?”

“Yes, we understand.”

His warning was to prevent them from extending their plot to the people out of desperation in order to survive. However, they would not dare to do so after what happened today.