"I do not dare. Perhaps Your Majesty has also been deceived and blinded by others. I am loyal to Your Majesty and sincere to my friends, never have I done anything to betray my friends or Da Jin. I implore Your Majesty to investigate the origins and afford me justice," Lin Junsheng hurriedly responded.

"What a master of eloquence, truly won't shed a tear until seeing the coffin," the little Emperor commented with a click of his tongue.

At this moment, Yuan Ming, standing to the side, suddenly revealed a hint of a smile and stepped forward.

Seeing this, both Prince Xian and Lin Junsheng's eyes simultaneously twitched, while the State Preceptor sitting to the side picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

"Lin Junsheng, you claim you are innocent? Prince Xian, you say you've been wronged? Then take a look at this," Yuan Ming said, producing a blue Treasure Bead from within his sleeve.

It was Ma Xingkong's Magic Artifact that could record light and shadow images.

Yuan Ming tossed the bead into the air and cast a spell into it.

A bright blue light shot out from the bead, whirling as it expanded to become a blue water screen showing segments of light and shadow images—the very meeting between Prince Xian's Heir and Lin Junsheng.

The words of their conversation were clear and distinct, reaching the ears of all the court officials present.

"Rest assured, now that you're a disciple of Chang Chun Temple, and he has no proof. That Yuan Ming survived was entirely due to your blunder, the father-king has satisfied your demand, the State Preceptor made an exception to take you as a disciple, and you've entered Chang Chun Temple. But while you may be safe for now, that won't last forever; dealing with Yuan Ming is up to you."

The result was as clear as day.

Lin Junsheng's eyes bulged wide, never had he expected that his meeting with the Heir of Prince Xian would be exposed here.

"Lin Junsheng, now that things have come to this, what do you have to say?" the little Emperor asked with a cold laugh.

"I, I..."

No matter how eloquent he was, the evidence before him left him utterly powerless to reverse the situation.

"Eighth Imperial Uncle, what do you have to say?" the little Emperor then looked toward Prince Xian.

The latter's pale face took on a hue of utter despair, but suddenly he spoke again, "Your Majesty, this was all my wayward son's doing, using my name without my knowledge, I am utterly clueless."

No sooner were these words spoken than the assembly burst into an uproar.

Everyone was shocked at the shamelessness of Prince Xian, who, in an attempt to save himself, pushed all the blame onto his son.

"Your Majesty, for the sake of Da Jin's destiny, I have battled on the frontiers year in and year out, dedicating my life to the country, and I only have one son. Unexpectedly, he has been maliciously harmed by Prince Xian's jealousy and hatred; I am at a loss to understand. What is my error?" General Yuan, who had been silent for a long while, finally spoke.

His few short sentences moved all the civilian and military officials in the court.

For military officers like him, especially those deployed on the battlefield, their families were almost all in the Capital, virtually no different from being hostages, a means of the court's checks and balances.

They had never questioned this arrangement, but the incident with Yuan Ming made them realize that their children, too, could be the victims of clandestine attacks in the future due to unknown reasons, and they were immediately filled with empathy.

"Your Majesty, we implore you to punish Prince Xian severely and afford General Yuan's family the justice they deserve," one military officer stepped forward and said with a salute.

Soon after, seven or eight individuals likewise stepped out.

"We plead for a severe punishment of Prince Xian and the execution of Lin Junsheng," the Civil Servants also spoke up one after another.

For a time, the entire court was filled with cries for the execution of the conspirators.

Prince Xian completely panicked now, unconsciously looking toward the State Preceptor sitting by his side, his eyes full of pleading.

The hint of composure in Lin Junsheng's eyes completely vanished, and he, too, looked to the State Preceptor for help.

The reason he had agreed to Prince Xian in the first place, to move against Yuan Ming, was for the chance to enter Chang Chun Temple for Cultivation, and especially to become a disciple under State Preceptor Master Yu Hu.

Because this not only meant he could safely embark on the path of Cultivation but also implied that the assassination was supported by the State Preceptor, who would be his greatest backing in the future.

"Your Majesty," Master Yu Hu set down the teacup and sighed.

The little Emperor looked at him, silent, but a hint of displeasure flickered in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, since the matter has now been clarified, please proceed with the punishment without delay, so as not to postpone the succession ceremony," Master Yu Hu said.

But before the little Emperor could speak, he went on:

"Eighth Prince, Prince Xian, is a key official of the court and a member of the Imperial Relatives. I implore Your Majesty to bear in mind the ties of blood and his years of assistance, and spare his life. As for Lin Junsheng, since he has become my disciple, I ask Your Majesty to do me the honor of allowing me to deal with him."

With just a few casual words, he sought to rescue the two men.

However, upon hearing this, the civilian and military officials alike dared not rebuke, for although the State Preceptor never involved himself in worldly affairs, his Cultivation was profound, representing the hidden voice of Chang Chun Temple in the court. When he spoke up, anyone had to weigh the significance of his words. Everyone involuntarily looked towards the little Emperor's grandfather, who appeared calm and unmoved.

"Your Majesty..." General Yuan began with furrowed brows.

But before he could finish his sentence, the little Emperor gestured with his hand for him to stop.

General Yuan's expression froze, filled with disappointment.

The others let out a silent sigh, presuming the matter to be thus settled.

"State Preceptor, Prince Xian and Lin Junsheng conspired to kill an envoy, and the victim is the son of a general of our court, my study companion. How can such a heinous crime be pardoned? According to my will, they must be executed. If justice cannot be upheld, then I am unworthy of being the Emperor and must redouble my diligence and dedication to rule. How can I retire in such circumstances? And how would I be qualified to go to Chang Chun Temple for Cultivation?" As soon as the little Emperor opened his mouth, it was like thunder shaking the heavens.

All who heard him were startled.

How could they have expected that the little Emperor, for the sake of Yuan Ming, would go to such lengths?

This was already using the issue of abdicating to cultivate as a threat against the State Preceptor.

Prince Qing, who had been shocked from the beginning, now only hoped to hurriedly kill his Eighth Imperial Uncle, and as for Lin Junsheng, it wouldn't matter if he was cut to pieces a thousand times.

The old emperor, who had been sitting back and watching the drama unfold, frowned immediately upon hearing the little Emperor's intention to give up Cultivation.

"Tianming, the matter of succession concerns the continuity of the nation's rule, it's not something to be trifled with," he said.

"Grandfather, if this matter is not dealt with properly, it is the nation's laws that will become a joke. I can step down, but can the laws?" the Emperor retorted.

The old emperor frowned upon hearing this and turned to the State Preceptor:

"Master Yu Hu, though you hold the esteemed position of State Preceptor, your duty is to guide the new Emperor in his Cultivation, not to meddle in secular state affairs. Do not forget, Lin Junsheng has only entered your mentorship and has yet to be officially recorded in the genealogy of Chang Chun Temple."

What he meant was that Lin Junsheng was not yet an official disciple of Chang Chun Temple, and should thus fall under the jurisdiction of Da Jin, not to be protected by him.

The old emperor didn't really care who lived or died in these secular matters; what mattered to him was whether his grandson, who had excellent qualifications for Cultivation, could enter Chang Chun Temple for Cultivation as soon as possible.

Upon hearing these words, the State Preceptor opened his mouth as if to speak, but finally, under the old emperor's stern gaze, shut it again.

This meant that no one else would speak out on behalf of Lin Junsheng and Prince Xian, sealing their inevitable doom.

Lin Junsheng's last glimmer of hope extinguished, and he slumped to the ground in defeat.

"Bring Prince Xian and Lin Junsheng to the prison, and execute them without delay," the Emperor commanded in a low shout, and immediately Armored Soldiers stepped forward to seize the two men.

Prince Xian's face showed terror, and he began to speak, but after locking eyes with the State Preceptor, immediately fell silent as if struck by a chill.

Lin Junsheng also seemed to have lost his soul, his entire being in a state of stupor. But when someone grasped his arms again, he suddenly became hysterical.

He flung his arms, struggling to throw off the two men controlling him, and with a face full of unwillingness roared out:

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged! The reason I was misled by Prince Xian is that there is someone else behind this, and that person is the... "

Just as the words "State Preceptor" were on the brink of escaping, everyone in the room was greatly shocked.

Prince Xian looked at Lin Junsheng as if he were a madman, whereas Yuan Ming, the one involved, was the most composed of all.

At that moment, everyone in the hall felt a scorching wave of heat rise up.

"Whoosh... "

A fiery Fireball roared out, and before Lin Junsheng could spout his mad accusations, it struck him in the chest.

In the next instant, the firelight suddenly exploded with a loud bang.

Lin Junsheng's body burst into Flames in midair, turning to ash.

The powerful blast knocked over the surrounding Civil Servants and military officers, throwing the hall into chaos, with the Armored Soldiers stationed outside all drawing their swords and rushing in.

"Silencing the witness?" was the first thought that came to everyone's mind.

They all turned their gazes to the State Preceptor, only to see him calmly drinking tea, making no move to attack.

It was then that they were surprised to discover that the caster of the Burning Explosion Skill was none other than the little Emperor Liu Tianming himself.

"Audacious traitor, My decree has already been pronounced, and yet he dared to speak and bring false accusations; he truly deserved to die," the Emperor shouted in anger.

As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at Yuan Ming by his side. Seeing that Yuan Ming still maintained his composure, with no particular reaction to the event, the Emperor then relaxed.

Yuan Ming actually understood the Emperor's dilemma. Dealing with Lin Junsheng and the Eighth Prince during today's succession ceremony was something they had agreed upon beforehand. But that was as far as it went; no matter how one looked at it, Yuan Ming's power was insufficient to make the State Preceptor pay the price. The State Preceptor's reputation, Cultivation, the backing of Chang Chun Temple, and even his influence in the court far exceeded that of Yuan Ming.

"The matter is settled; let the succession ceremony continue," the Emperor declared, effectively putting an end to the drama. Servants immediately came forward to clean the mess in the hall.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the upheaval was finally subsiding.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say," Yuan Ming's voice suddenly rose at that moment.

It was then that everyone realized that Yuan Ming, as the person involved, had said very little during the entire conflict. His presence was so minimal that people had almost forgotten he was the unfortunate victim.

So when he started to speak, everyone's eyes were immediately drawn to him.

The Emperor's expression changed slightly, and General Yuan's brows also furrowed in nervousness.

The two of them were the most knowledgeable of Yuan Ming in the entire hall and immediately guessed what Yuan Ming intended to do.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.