Just the sight of that whip made some go weak in the knees. Their pleading glances kept darting to one side, but everyone seated in this hall bore the surname Gu. Even those who didn’t share the name were no less cold-blooded than the Gu family.
They kept their eyes downcast, feigning ignorance.
Yet no matter how deep their resentment ran, none dared truly expose the mastermind. Biting down and taking the blame meant only one would die; speaking out would doom an entire family.
A prince was the emperor’s son—any grave matter remained a family affair. And in family affairs, death was never the outcome.
"Carry out the punishment."
Thirty-two men were forced onto the punishment benches, arranged in neat rows within the hall, right under the noses of the nobles. Those closest were practically at their feet. Each lash tore flesh, sending blood and tissue flying with every strike. Occasionally, droplets of blood and shreds of meat splattered onto the onlookers. Some couldn’t suppress startled cries; others turned deathly pale but stubbornly held their ground.
The Fourth Prince nearly erupted, but the Noble Consort tightly restrained him, forbidding any movement. Meanwhile, Consort Rong failed to hold back the Eldest Prince. He shot to his feet, trembling with a mix of fear and fury. "The Seven Constellation Bureau goes too far!"
Gu Yanxi cast him a fleeting glance, and even through the mask, the Eldest Prince sensed his indifference. Then Gu Yanxi turned back to watch the punishment below.
"Thirty-four."
Rage surged to the Eldest Prince’s head. Shaking off Consort Rong’s grasp, he charged forward. Without waiting for Gu Yanxi’s order, he was forced to the ground before even reaching the steps. At this, aside from the relentless whip cracks, even the cries of the punished ceased.
All those seated rose to their feet, faces etched with disbelief.
How… how could this be…
The Eldest Prince was even more stunned by such treatment. Since birth, no one had ever laid a finger on him. Now, before so many witnesses—before the Third and Fourth Princes—he was pinned to the ground?!
His eyes bloodshot with hatred, the Eldest Prince struggled with all his might. But he forgot this was not his princely estate, and those restraining him were not sycophants seeking favor. This was the Seven Constellation Bureau—its men answered only to two individuals. Until he ascended the throne, no one would indulge him.
Against absolute force, his struggles were futile. By the time the flogging ended, he remained immobilized.
The Bureau’s usual weapon was the long whip, wielded with mastery. Three lashes could take a life, yet fifty could leave a man half-dead.
The thirty-two bloodied figures were dragged away. Gu Yanxi stood, pressing a hand atop the separately placed memorial but not opening it. He stepped out from behind the long table, hands clasped behind his back, and stood on the steps. A distorted voice emerged from behind the mask.
"Eldest Prince Gu Chengde, disloyal to father and sovereign, conspired with the Celestial Master to harm the Emperor. Henceforth, he is stripped of rank and confined to his estate. Without imperial decree, he shall never leave."
"Consort Rong of the Yu clan, failed in educating her son and lacked personal integrity. She is stripped of her consort rank and confined to the cold palace. Without imperial decree, she shall never leave."
The Eldest Prince strained to lift his head. "How dare you! I am a prince—the Eldest Prince! By what authority do you judge me? You accuse me of conspiring with the Celestial Master to harm my father—where is the evidence? On what grounds…"
Slap.A thick stack of case files was thrown before him. Gu Yanxi descended two steps, looking down on him from a height. "You think you've covered all your tracks? To me, you're nothing but a sieve full of holes. Gu Chengde, this is all you're capable of. That's why the Emperor has been using the Third Prince to grind you down all these years, and you're still not qualified to be named Crown Prince."
"You're talking nonsense! If it weren't for the Third Prince competing with me, how would I ever..."
"Resort to such despicable means? If you can't even defeat the Third Prince, how do you expect to rule the empire? You might as well surrender the throne to him outright!" Gu Yanxi sneered, unwilling to waste more words. "Fu Gang."
Fu Gang, waiting outside the door, took a deep breath, stepped over the threshold, and knelt on one knee. "Fu Gang awaits your command."
"Confiscate the Yu family's properties. All members within three generations are to be imprisoned in the imperial dungeon, awaiting the Emperor's judgment."
"Yes."
"No!" Consort Rong, who had collapsed into her chair, suddenly came to her senses. The Yu family must not fall—as long as her maternal family remained, there would always be a chance to turn things around. Without an imperial decree, who knew? A general pardon might come someday. As long as her family survived, her son might still...
Consort Rong pushed herself up by the armrests, enunciating each word clearly: "The Yu family has nothing to do with this. De'er was also deceived by me. I am responsible for everything. I confess."
As she spoke, Consort Rong yanked a hairpin from her bun and stabbed it toward her throat. Amidst gasps of shock, the hairpin clattered to the floor, followed by the sound of a small silver ingot landing beside it.
"Your guilt is not for you to decide." Gu Yanxi strode over, picked up the silver ingot, and clenched it in his palm. "Even if you died here today, Gu Chengde would still be confined, and the Yu family would still be stripped of their properties. Guards, escort Her Ladyship to where she belongs."
"Wait, I..."
"The Emperor will not see you. You have no chance to plead for mercy. Please proceed."
Consort Rong could no longer contain the hatred blazing in her eyes. "You will pay for this! Do you think your current glory will last forever? Just wait—no matter who ascends the throne, they will never tolerate you. I curse you to die a miserable death!"
Gu Yanxi raised a hand to stop the others from approaching. Had he continued acting as he did in the past, such a curse might have come true. He might have earned the suspicion of a new ruler. But not now, and never again.
He would always think ten steps ahead, staying ahead of everyone else. He would carve out a safe distance, placing A Zhi within it, protecting everything she cared about, giving her the stability she desired. By then, he would likely be under A Zhi's protection as well.
The thought made Gu Yanxi smile behind his mask.
In his improved mood, he had even less patience to argue with Consort Rong. With a wave of his hand, she was immediately gagged and dragged away.
Gu Chengde had been released when Consort Rong attempted to take the blame, yet he remained silent throughout her confession and removal. Gu Yanxi despised him even more for his cowardice and ordered him taken away directly. With such a spineless man as Crown Prince, the Great Qing Dynasty would surely fall.
His gaze swept over the other restless princes. Gu Yanxi felt that leaving Little Six with A Zhi was the best decision. As Little Six grew older, whether for self-preservation or ambition, he would inevitably resort to any means necessary. It was better for him to follow A Zhi and see the world beyond, to witness how a true family interacts, and to learn some humanity from it.Members of the royal family need not learn to be heartless—it is innate to them. Yet an emperor who is too ruthless is hardly a blessing for the Daqing Dynasty. With the foundation laid over the years by Consort Zhen, the harmonious influence of the Hua family, and the guidance of A Zhi, there might just be an unexpected turn for the better.
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