When the guard who had committed the crime during the execution was brought in front of Murong Zheng, there was a look of despair on his face.
All his previous anxieties and insecurities were because of the Empress Dowager's jade pendant. He thought that the Third Prince might not let it go after he woke up. However, he did not expect that the first person he would see was not the Third Prince, but the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, I admit my guilt. I…” The guard confessed eagerly without waiting for Murong Zheng to speak, his body shaking uncontrollably.
Murong Zheng didn't say anything, just looked at the guard, but just staring at him like that made people feel as if they were in an abyss.
"Empress Dong had been kind to me. She sent a message to me some time ago, asking me to show no mercy to the Third Prince." The guard didn't dare to look Murong Zheng in the eye. He just wanted to tell Murong Zheng the facts. He knew very well that only by seeking truth from facts and telling the truth would he have a chance of survival.
"Even at this point, he's still making trouble." When Murong Zheng heard the guard talking about Dong, he was flustered for a moment, and then he felt a strong disgust.
"Your Majesty, I have no choice. The girl I like is Concubine Dong's personal maid."
"Spring cicada or green willow?"
"Spring cicada."
"More than a year ago, in order to consolidate her favor, Mrs. Dong sent her maid Chunchan to my bed."
"You are so brave to covet my woman."
"I don't know, I really don't know, please spare my life, Your Majesty." After hearing Murong Zheng say that Chunchan was already his woman, the guard's heart was disillusioned. He knew that he was doomed to die.
"You really deserve to die, not because you like Chunchan, but because you dared to attack the prince."
"No matter if they are my favorite princes or not, they are all my sons and royal blood. They are not something a slave like you can trample on."
Murong Zheng was a gentle emperor who seldom spoke in such a harsh tone and had never defended Murong Kai in this way. After hearing these words, he felt that his heart was filled.
He finally did something a father should do.
"Since you are from the Ministry of Punishment, go and try all the punishments they have."
"Your Majesty, please spare my life." The guard's body went limp with fear after hearing Murong Zheng's words. He was from the Ministry of Punishment, so he naturally knew the punishments there. Some were worse than death, while others could take someone's life. He would definitely die.
"When you attacked my son, did you ever think of sparing his life? Since you have used such a heavy hand, it is not a pity for you to die."
The four words "death is not a pity" completely destroyed the guard's hope. He was dragged away with a pale face, but Murong Zheng sat on the chair and remained silent for a long time.
After meeting Dong that day, he never saw her again. He only heard that she was looking forward to the return of her brother and nephew, and that she had been clamoring to see Murong Jie.
She was already at the end of her strength, and he really didn't take her seriously. However, he didn't expect that even at the end of her rope, she could still make some waves.
In fact, she had already committed a crime worthy of death, but he did not have the heart to do it because of their friendship of more than ten years and Murong Jie. Although he ordered daily punishment, he also ordered that her life must be saved, so the punishment would only be physical pain and she would not be in danger of losing her life.
However, she pushed Akai into a situation where he didn't know whether he would live or die.
Thinking of Murong Kai's legs, Murong Zheng felt extremely distressed. It seemed that all the misfortunes that this child had encountered were related to him.
No matter whether I ignored him or paid more attention to him, it only brought him pain.
He suddenly felt that he, as a father, had failed miserably. He was just a failed father who couldn't even protect his own children.
(End of this chapter)