“Execute.”

An order given!

The onlooking crowd was filled with righteous indignation, shouting “beast,” “deserves to die”…

Gao Meng’s traveling companions had also all arrived at the execution ground, each filled with fury, clenching their fists and gnashing their teeth.

Wishing they could cut Zhang Daqi into a thousand pieces.

Seeking revenge for their chief.

Just after the supervising official’s command to “execute,” the executioner lifted a jar of wine, poured a mouthful into his mouth, and violently sprayed it onto the great blade in his hand.

The wine splashed onto Zhang Daqi’s cheek—the ice-cold sensation suddenly jolted him awake. He opened his empty eyes, looking at that great blade raised high!

The blade’s edge caught the light, gleaming with an intimidating silver glow, stabbing into his eyes.

In just a moment, he would meet his end.

Afraid!

He was truly afraid!

Now facing imminent death, his struggles were useless. He could only watch with eyes full of terror.

At this moment, the commoners held their breath, just waiting for the great blade to fall.

To sever the head of that perverted murderer.

The executioner was very experienced. His eyes aimed at the criminal’s neck, the blade in his hand also targeted the position.

Breath steady, concentration focused, his wrist tightened.

Swinging down forcefully.

The great blade was already touching Zhang Daqi’s neck—

But, at this critical moment, a sword shot from afar, striking right against the great blade.

The force was substantial.

The direction was precise.

“Uh?”

The executioner was jolted and staggered repeatedly to the side, his wrist numb, the great blade knocked to the ground.

It only severed a few strands of Zhang Daqi’s hair.

The crowd was in an uproar.

Including the supervising official.

“Who dares to interfere with the execution ground?”

The officials at the execution ground drew their swords, surrounding Zhang Daqi in the middle.

“Neigh.”

The sound of a horse came.

Everyone looked toward the incoming “culprit.”

They saw Lang Bo hastily dismount, push through the crowd, and stride quickly onto the execution platform. He pulled out a command token and showed it to the supervising official.

“Prince Rong commands—stay the execution!”

His voice resonated like a great bell.

The supervising official was stunned on the spot.

…

An incense stick’s time later.

Prince Yi’s Manor.

Prince Yi was leisurely drinking tea. Now, he had already won ninety percent. As long as Zhang Daqi’s head fell, he would win completely and utterly.

He turned the exquisite cup in his hand, the sense of pride overflowing from the corners of his upturned lips.

“Jingrong, oh Jingrong, no matter how you waste your efforts scheming, you are ultimately this prince’s defeated opponent.”

“Wen offers congratulations to Your Highness in advance.” Wen Shisan said from across.

Prince Yi smiled, “Shisan, this prince’s victory this time—you have half the credit. Without you, this prince wouldn’t have been able to capture Zhang Daqi so smoothly. Moreover, that case file of yours—even the Emperor couldn’t find a single flaw, and had no choice but to order the criminal’s execution.”

“To assist Your Highness is Wen’s honor.”

What a glib tongue.

Prince Yi picked up the teapot and poured a bit more into the teacup in front of Wen Shisan.

The tea water nearly overflowed.

“Come, this prince substitutes tea for wine and toasts you a cup.”

Wen Shisan raised his cup, “It should be Wen who toasts Your Highness instead. In the future, I will still have to rely on Your Highness’s care and attention.”

“Rest assured, what this prince promised you, I will never go back on my word.”

The two clinked cups and drank tea.

Prince Yi: “Once Zhang Daqi dies, first thing tomorrow morning, this prince will enter the palace to discuss with the Emperor about the position of Director of Legal Penalties. When the time comes to recommend you for it, naturally it will succeed.”

“Many thanks to Your Highness.”

Prince Yi laughed heartily.

However—

Wen Shisan opposite suddenly lowered his eyes slightly, as if his previous smiling companionship was just a pretense.

At the end of the day, deep in his heart, he could never get past these four words: “victory without honor.”

Using underhanded tactics to beat Ji Yunshu—what kind of real ability was that?

But he didn’t display that emotion in front of Prince Yi.

Suddenly—

A voice came from outside: “Your Highness, something’s wrong.”

This shout nearly made Prince Yi’s heart jump out.

He was only one-tenth away from victory!

There must not be any mishaps.

Dou Quan rushed in anxiously, “Your Highness, something’s wrong.”

“What matter?”

“The execution ground… the execution was stayed.”

Uh!

The teacup in Prince Yi’s hand fell onto the table with a “bang.”

Tea water spilled out, splashing onto his magnificent robes. The cup rolled, clattering as it rolled to the ground.

Shattered into pieces!

Dou Quan’s body trembled.

And Wen Shisan across also quickly stood up, retreated to the side, silent!

After a long moment, Prince Yi furrowed his brow, his eyes gloomy, asking, “Where is the person?”

“The person is still at the execution ground, but the supervising official has already sent someone to report to the Emperor.”

“Thud.”

A fist slammed onto the table.

Prince Yi’s eyes filled with vicious energy as he roared furiously, “This prince doesn’t believe that Jingrong could find evidence to prove Zhang Daqi isn’t the murderer in just one short day.”

He didn’t believe it!

Dou Quan said, “But Your Highness, if there were no proof, Prince Rong wouldn’t dare have someone block the execution ground.”

“No matter what, no one can disrupt this prince’s entire plan at this time.” He ordered, “You go quickly and keep watch. As soon as the Emperor makes a decision, report immediately.”

“Yes!”

Dou Quan left.

The atmosphere in the room was tense.

Wen Shisan kept his head lowered, his expression complex.

As if… he breathed a sigh of relief?

Prince Yi was extremely angry—clearly he was just one step away from winning.

“Jingrong, you truly won’t give up! Even at the very end you must compete with this prince. Fine, this prince would like to see just what capability you have this time.”

A snort.

Then, he looked toward Wen Shisan, “Shisan, in your view, if Jingrong truly finds evidence proving Zhang Daqi isn’t the murderer, what should this prince do?”

Wen Shisan bowed his head, his tone even, “The case file Wen prepared has everything written clearly with evidence and proof. Moreover, Zhang Daqi personally signed and acknowledged his guilt with his thumbprint, and even tried to bite off his tongue to commit suicide, nearly losing his life. This is the behavior of suicide out of guilt. Therefore, as long as Your Highness holds fast to this point, even if Prince Rong has great ability and proves Zhang Daqi innocent, in the end, even if it truly is a wrongful case, it has nothing to do with Your Highness. After all, it was Zhang Daqi himself who confessed to the crime. The person who ordered the execution was also the Emperor. Your Highness merely went with the flow and reported the evidence found upward.”

Truly formidable.

The dead could be described as living.

Prince Yi thought through his words carefully and nodded, “That’s right, Shisan, your mind turns quickly indeed.”

“Wen should naturally scheme and plan in service to Your Highness.”

“But if… Jingrong cannot find evidence, this prince will absolutely place him in a position of certain death this time.”

His eyes were sinister.

Wen Shisan remained silent, no one could fathom his thoughts.

Just at this moment, a young maid from the Western Courtyard rushed to the doorway, shouting, “Your Highness, something’s wrong, the Secondary Princess Consort she… she…”

The maid gasped for breath, anxious and flustered.

As soon as she entered the room she knelt on the ground.

Prince Yi was already vexed, and hearing this “something’s wrong” again made his anger flare from nowhere. He picked up the pot of hot tea beside him and violently splashed it toward the maid.

The scalding hot water splashed onto the back of her hand, causing the maid to cry out “ah ah” in pain.

She immediately covered the back of her hand, her body prostrating even lower to the ground.

Kowtowing repeatedly, “Your Highness spare my life, Your Highness spare my life…”

“Get out!”