Chapter 119: Immediate Execution

"Such a grave crime as treason, yet you executed the accused privately without reporting it to His Majesty. This is highly suspicious and fails to convince the public."

Hu Chengfu, Minister of Justice, shook his head repeatedly, and Bai Qiulian echoed his sentiments.

Bai Anning, a censor from the Censorate, added, "Princess, Lord Long, this matter is of such great consequence that it truly requires both human and material evidence to be complete."

Jing Heng also chimed in, "Exactly. Produce your witnesses. Let Shui Han speak for himself."

Jing Tianlie turned and glared at Jing Heng, who immediately lowered his head, too frightened to speak further.

On the Half-Moon Pavilion, Ji Ba listened to the bickering below. Hong Qi remarked, "Guild Leader, Long Chengen killing Shui Han was his greatest misstep."

Ji Ba shook his head and replied, "Circumstances change. At that time, it was necessary to stabilize Linjiang City."

"The Empress likely had no intention of stripping Jing Tianlie of his military power then, so she left no witnesses."

"Besides, even if Shui Han had been kept alive, would she have testified against Jing Tianlie?"

Willing to commit even treason, Shui Han was undoubtedly Jing Tianlie's loyal confidant. Even if captured, such a person would never betray him.

"In that case, does Long Chengen have no chance of winning this time?" Hong Qi asked, sounding disappointed.

Ji Ba laughed. "Long Chengen has already won. The prestige of the Great General's mansion has already been shaken."

Hong Qi asked, "Did Long Chengen not intend to topple Jing Tianlie all at once?"

Ji Ba shook his head slightly. "Is it time to replace the management of the Four Directions Pavilion? If you keep doing business with Long Chengen, you will eventually be sold off while still counting his money for him."

This was the second time; Hong Qi chose to remain silent.

Di Luoxi shouted angrily, "Where are the witnesses? Shui Han is dead, the messenger is dead, Shangguan Wei is dead—everyone is dead! Where are the witnesses!"

Bai Qiulian sneered, "It is precisely because everyone is dead that some people can recklessly spread rumors and frame others."

The Empress looked at Long Chen and asked, "Is there only the secret letter?"

Long Chen indeed only had this much. His goal had actually been achieved; the seed of doubt regarding Jing Tianlie had been planted in everyone's minds. As for whether he could strike another fatal blow, it now depended on Feng He. If that man truly wished to cooperate, he should act now.

The gathered officials and the watching crowd whispered among themselves, essentially dividing into two factions: one believing Long Chen had no concrete proof, and the other feeling the evidence was sufficient. Regardless, everyone felt there was something deeply wrong with the Great General’s mansion.

"There is a witness!"

Just as the debate reached a stalemate, Qingyue walked in with a woman.

Long Chen was stunned when he saw her. Medium build, a high hairline, a bulbous nose—was this woman Shen Hong, Shui Han’s confidant? Wasn't she dead?

Could it be that Zhang Ke was also compromised? Back in Linjiang City, when Long Chen sent Zhang Ke to find people, Zhang Ke had reported that Shen Hong was dead. Now that she had appeared here, what was going on?

"She is Shui Han’s personal attendant, Shen Hong. She was the one who delivered the defense map to Shangguan Wei," Qingyue said, pulling Shen Hong to the center.

Shen Hong glanced timidly at Jing Tianlie, then bowed to the Empress. "Your humble servant, Shen Hong, pays respects to Your Majesty."

The moment he saw Shen Hong, Jing Heng panicked completely, and Jing Tianlie was visibly shaken. Zhang Qian and Xuanyi immediately stepped forward to join Qingyue in shielding Shen Hong, fearing Jing Tianlie might attempt to silence her.

The Empress asked, "Shen Hong, tell us exactly what happened. Speak the truth."

Shen Hong bowed. "In reply to Your Majesty, on that day, I was in Linjiang City, defending the city alongside General Shui Han."

"The day before the Princess arrived, General Shui Han received a letter from the Great General, ordering her to leak the defense map to Shangguan Wei and to find an opportunity to kill Lord Long."

"Following the Great General’s orders, General Shui Han dispatched me to deliver the map."

Jing Tianlie flew into a rage, shouting, "Utter nonsense! I never sent any secret letter to Shui Han!"

The Empress commanded coldly, "Great General, let her finish!"

Jing Tianlie was so furious his eyes bulged like copper bells; he looked as if he wanted to devour Shen Hong alive.

"Continue. Who did you give it to, and how?" the Empress asked.

All the officials and citizens held their breath to listen.

Shen Hong replied, "I delivered it to a spy for the Tianwei Legion. The meeting place was the wine shop at the East Gate."

The Empress asked, "How did you know a spy for the Tianwei Legion?"

Shen Hong answered, "We were aware of the moles Shangguan Wei had planted in the city. We usually only monitored them, but in order to deliver the map, I went to find him."

The Empress pressed, "This is no small matter. What proof do you have?"

Shen Hong looked fearfully at Jing Tianlie, then pulled half of a jade tiger from her sleeve. "This is the token of trust agreed upon by the Great General and General Shui Han; it arrived with the secret letter."

The moment the jade tiger appeared, Jing Tianlie roared, "That is not my property!"

Di Luoxi stepped forward, snatched the jade tiger, and presented it to the Empress. The Empress held the jade tiger, examining it closely, and said coldly, "I use a tiger tally to mobilize troops. This jade tiger is similar to my own tally. Does the Great General also aspire to be Emperor?"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. This was an incredibly heavy accusation—it was only a step away from asking if Jing Tianlie was plotting a rebellion. A tiger tally was the imperial token for mobilizing armies; for Jing Tianlie to privately commission a jade tiger was evidence of treason.

Jing Tianlie knelt before the Empress, prostrating himself. "Your Majesty, please see the truth! Shen Hong is spouting lies; this is not my property!"

The Empress said coldly, "The secret letter bears your seal, and you claim it is fake. Shen Hong produces the jade tiger, and you say that is fake too."

"I ask you, what is real? To whom do this secret letter and this jade tiger belong?"

The Great General’s submissive posture made the officials who relied on him feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss. They had thought Jing Tianlie’s power was absolute enough to check the Empress, only to realize that was far from the truth.

Jing Tianlie thought for a long time before saying, "This must be the work of my rebellious son, Jing Heng!"

The Empress nodded slightly. "Hmm, I think so too. The Great General is loyal to the nation; how could he possibly collude with the enemy to rebel?"

"It must be that Jing Heng, out of jealousy toward Long Chengen for taking his position as Minister of Revenue, acted so recklessly as to commit treason, causing the deaths of forty thousand of our Great Zhou soldiers!"

"Jing Tianlie, you are the Great General. Tell me, how should this be handled?"

The Empress spoke calmly, but every word felt like a dagger piercing Jing Tianlie’s heart. The officials remained silent, but the onlookers began to shout, "Execute him without mercy!" "A life for a life!" "Behead him immediately!"

They had lost brothers, sisters, and sons among those forty thousand soldiers; they were filled with a hatred that craved vengeance.

The Empress interrogated, the officials watched, and the commoners cursed. Driven into a corner, Jing Tianlie had to provide an answer.

"Jing Heng committed treason. He deserves to die!"

Although Jing Tianlie had long thought his son incompetent, his heart bled as he pronounced the sentence. He was his own flesh and blood, yet he had to sacrifice him.

The Empress nodded slightly. "Jing Heng instigated Shui Han to commit treason, unrelated to the Great General. Let Jing Heng be beheaded immediately!"

Jing Heng sat in his chair, feeling as if his soul had left his body. Wasn't he here to interrogate Long Chen? Wasn't he here to force Long Chen to his death? How did it end with his own execution?

"Father, Father, it wasn't me! I... I was only... I didn't... Save me!"

Jing Heng stood up, intending to flee, but was immediately seized by the Imperial Guards.

The Empress looked at the Minister of Justice, Hu Chengfu. "Minister Hu?"

Hu Chengfu stood frozen. This meant he was to carry out the execution, but to execute Jing Heng was to burn his bridges with Jing Tianlie completely.

"Your Majesty, this..."

Hu Chengfu wanted to refuse, but the Empress’s gaze was piercingly cold. He had to choose: offend the Empress, or offend Jing Tianlie. He had only one choice.