Minister Pei quickly went on his knees with a face full of tears. "Y-Your Majesty, please, forgive me. I-I was wrong. I let my anger get the best of me and I said some things that I shouldn't."
The Emperor's expression darkened, his fury barely contained as he listened to the minister. It was true that the Pei family had a certain kind of connection with him but it didn't mean that they could easily influnce his decisions. There were enough rumours going around that the royal family was being controlled by the Pei family. Such a bold statement could not be treated as a mere mistake or his subjects would treat the rumours as the truth. He had to make an example of Minister Pei.
He turned his head slightly, his gaze shifting to one of the senior officials standing nearby. “Read out his crimes,” he commanded.
The chief official, a seasoned man who had witnessed many trials, took a deep breath, struggling to steady his nerves under the Emperor’s withering glare. His hands trembled as he set down his quill and picked up the paper he was writing on.
The hall was silent as the chief official cleared his throat and began to read, his voice echoing in the heavy air. “Minister Pei, third young master of the Pei family, you stand accused of brazenly speaking out of turn before the Emperor, coveting property that belongs to the Emperor, insulting the parents of the Ivory Warlord, and most grievous of all, touching an Omega without their consent."
A murmur rippled through the court as the official’s words hung in the air.
Hua Ren’s head snapped up when he heard the word 'Omega'. The Emperor did not refute the statement which meant the Emperor had accepted him as one which in turn, meant that in the eyes of the Emperor, he was no longer a General but a mere Omega. Tears stung his eyes as he body sagged with the crippling weight of knowing he wasn't special to the Emperor anymore.
He was just another Omega.
"For these transgressions," the chief official continued. "The punishment is 50 lashes with the Ironhide Whip, made from the hide of the mighty Longhu Beast, followed by ten years of imprisonment. Furthermore, you shall be stripped of your title and all privileges as Minister."
Gasps of shock and murmurs of disbelief rippled through the hall. Wasn't Minister Pei a member of the Pei family? Wouldn't the Emperor get in trouble with them? But then, this was the Emperor. If a member of the Pei family was getting punished , it meant the royal family and the Pei family were not close at all. The rumours were false!
Some other members of the Pei family wanted to step out, criticize the Emperor and save their third young master but they were afraid to be dragged into the mess so they kept quiet, only staring at Minister Pei with pity. The Ironhide whip was made from the thick skin of a thousand year old Longhu beast. The creature was a mix of a dragon and a tiger, extremely ferocious and deadly. It was taken down years ago by the Emperor himself, Hua Ren the Ivory Warlord, Yin Mei the Whispering Blade and Zhen Shu the Iron Strategist. It was said that they fought it for five nights and five days, incurring heavy injuries.
The whip made from it's skin was strong enough to break bones. Surely, Minister Pei, the pampered Alpha would not even be able to survive five lashes let alone 50. Even if he survived, he would die from the injuries. Either way, Minister Pei was destined to die.
Knowing this, Minister Pei’s face drained of colour, his body trembling. His knees buckled, and he fell to the floor, his good hand clutching the edges of the Emperor’s dais as he sobbed uncontrollably.
"No...No! That’s not true! Your Majesty, please!" He wailed, his voice raw with desperation. His cries echoed pitifully through the hall.
The Emperor leaned forward slightly on his throne, his lips curling into a dark smile as he gazed down at the weeping Minister. "Not true?" he echoed, his voice low and dangerous. He chuckled darkly, his amusement thinly veiling his disdain. "You’re calling me a liar now?"
Minister Pei’s eyes widened in horror as he realized the magnitude of his mistake. He was digging his own pit. "No!" he screamed, his voice cracking with fear. "Your Majesty, please! I made a mistake! I—I take it back! Everything I said, I take it back! Your Majesty, mercy! Please have mercy!"
His sobs grew louder as he crawled forward, pleading for mercy, but the Emperor’s expression remained cold. He had never liked a single member of the Pei family. He would use the opportunity to put them in their place and stop them from thinking they had the power to control him. He, as the Emperor, was untouchable.
The hall went silent, the weight of the Emperor's judgment pressing down on the sobbing Minister like a tightening noose.
“Your Majesty, please, spare me!" Minister Pei continued to cry vehemently. "I swear, it will never happen again! I will willingly resign from my post and leave the palace. I will even leave the Kingdom, Your Majesty. Please have mercy! I will die Your Majesty! Please, I don't want to die!”
The Emperor’s gaze remained unyielding, his eyes like steel. “You should have thought of that before you ran your mouth.” Then, in a voice that brooked no argument, he commanded, “Guards, seize him.”
Two guards immediately stepped forward, their faces expressionless as they grabbed the cowering minister by the arms, ignoring his pleas. His cries grew louder, more desperate, but they fell on deaf ears. He squealed and thrashed like a pig being led to slaughter, but the guards were relentless.
The once-arrogant Minister Pei was dragged away, his cries for mercy fading into the background.
The Emperor watched, his expression cold and unforgiving. He then turned to look at his last two Generals. "Yin Mei, you shall oversee his punishment."
Yin Mei bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Majesty." With that, she followed the guards dragging the crying Minister Pei out of the hall.
The Emperor turned his gaze back to the court, his presence as imposing as ever. “Let this be a lesson to all of you,” he said, his voice carrying a weight that none dared challenge. “The law is absolute, and no one, no matter their status, is above it.”
It was also an indirect message to the Pei family. He was not afraid of them.
The hall fell into a heavy silence, the ministers, officials and soldiers too terrified to speak. They exchanged uneasy glances, each one inwardly grateful that they had not been the one to incur the Emperor’s anger.
The Emperor shifted his gaze to Hua Ren, his expression cold and unreadable. After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice cutting through the tension in the room.
"Everyone, leave us."