Shi Lang’s statement shocked the people. They all did not expect this young man to speak in this manner. The guard captain wanted to move closer to Shi Lang when the young man said, “Your Majesty, I have evidence to impeach a few people in the court.”
The guards froze and turned their heads to look at the King. The man sitting on the Throne was silent till now. However, hearing that Shi Lang wanted to impeach someone, he could not stay calm.
The King asked, “Young man if you cannot prove these words, you will be killed along with your entire family?”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “I swear on my Dao Heart that if I cannot prove any of the allegations, my soul shall disperse in the void, never to be reborn.”
The King glared at Shi Lang intently and said, “Go on.”
Shi Lang nodded and took out the box from his space ring. He looked at a guard and said, “You can check it before presenting it to His Majesty. Ensure that I have not laced the box with anything.”
The guard looked at the King, who nodded, and the guard checked the content. Then with a shocked gaze, he moved over to present the box to the King. The Left Minister and the Right Minister were watching the scene intently. They had a bad premonition developing in their guts. The chief Eunuch collected the box from the guard and bought it closer to the King for inspection.
Shi Lang spoke in a sonorous voice, “The box contains a few letters that prove that both the left minister, Huang Ching, and the right minister, Tong Shimen, have been corresponding with various rebel forces.”
Both the ministers reacted, “Lies! How dare you?”
Shi Lang replied, “The judgment resides with His Majesty.”
The King’s expression turned livid as he inspected the content more and more. The terran said, “The letters also suggest that these things were done on the suggestion of the two princes. I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but this is true.”
The court fell silent, and after a few minutes, the King said, “Summon the two Princes. Also, call the Fourth Prince.”
The eunuchs moved quickly. Soon they returned with the Two Princes. The two individuals were unaware of what was happening there. Isolation barriers cordoned off the courtroom. No sound leaked out of the space.
The two princes bowed to the King, and the middle-aged man snorted in response. His reaction shocked the two youths, and the first prince asked, with an amiable smile, “Imperial Father, you summoned for us?”
The King replied coldly, “How dare I summon your Majesties? I just wanted to ask if you would spare my life if I gave up the Throne.”
His sarcastic tone shocked the two people. They did not expect the King to say such words. Unintentionally, they both could not help but gaze at the two ministers who supported them, but when they saw the two people with pale complexion, their souls shivered.
The King said, “Still not repenting?”
The voice was calm, but the cold in his tone made the two people feel pressure like never before. They knelt in the middle of the court, and the King said, “The evidence we have is enough to have you both executed in the city square, along with the families of the two ministers.”
The courtiers were still processing this explosion and found that the King wanted to kill the princes and even the ministers. This shocked them, and they all began to worry about the big and small things they had done in the past few years.
The King asked, “Commander Shi Lang.”
Shi Lang replied, “Here, Your Majesty.”
The middle-aged man spoke solemnly, “How do you think they shall be dealt with?”
The court was surprised. Shi Lang thought, ‘Such a crooked King, no wonder his children are snakelings.’
Shi Ning looked at him from the corner of her eyes, and the man said, “Your Majesty, I would like to ask the Princes a few questions, and then I will be able to comment.” 𝑂𝑽𝐥xt.𝓬𝗈𝐌
The King nodded, and Shi Lang turned to face the two Princes. He asked, “Your Highnesses, please tell me, what is a King?”
The people were surprised. They could not see these questions’ relevance, but the Princes had to answer since Shi Lang asked. The First Prince said, “A King is a nation’s sovereign. Without his will, nothing can go on. A King provides livelihood to the citizens. The King looks after the welfare of the nation.”
Shi Lang heard this vague answer and turned his head to look at the Second Prince, and he was given a similar answer. The terran wanted to say something when the announcer said the fourth prince had arrived. The young man greeted his father and stood there silently. He did not even look at his brothers.
Shi Lang said, “Fourth Highness, what is a King?”
After some thought, the Prince frowned and asked, “Longjian’s knowledge is shallow. I ask Master Shi to guide me.”
Shi Lang sighed and said, “A King is a servant to the nation.”
The people were shocked, and Shi Lang continued, “The King is a servant leader who looks after the civilians. If the citizen does not recognize the King, how can he bear the title of the sovereign? If we scale the two things, the citizen always outweighs the King and his stature.
However, citizens act normally and humbly because the King represents their strength. The respect is not for the person but for what he stands for.”
The people were shocked and never expected someone to make the Title of King look humble. Shi Lang turned to look at the King and said, “Your Majesty, the problem is not with the actions of the Princes. The root of this issue lies in their understanding of the word, King. They do not understand what it is that a King does. They were born in silk, ate silver, and rode on gold. How will they know that the Crown is not just jewelry but a symbol of hard work and sacrifice?
I think if Your Majesty could correct the world views of the Princes, this situation could be handled. They are young, and the bad elements, like the ministers and the greedy courtiers, have influenced them.”
The King was surprised and raised his eyebrow. He stood up from his Throne and said in a sonorous tone, “Commander Shi Lang, today, I reward you with three wishes. Your courage, your strength, and your wisdom are the skills that this court needs. I would have loved to hold you down in this court.
However, a chained dragon can never take a flight to heaven. You are a dragon, and I do not wish to sin to hold you back. Say what you wish for.”
Shi Lang was shocked. He did not expect the King to be so generous. However, the next moment, the King said, “XiaoEr, have these traitors and their families executed publicly for the crime of instigating the two princes. The First and Second Prince will be given fifty lashes each in the public square. Immediately.”
The court echoed with gasps and cries for mercy, but the King did not spare anyone. The queens also came rushing, but given that they were from the families of the left and right ministers, they were warned to consider their lives a blessing. At least the King did not abolish their titles as the Queens.
After everyone was pacified, Shi Lang was given an audience again, and the Terran said, “Your Majesty, I would like to as the Throne. If you have any lightning-attributed treasures, I would like to ask for one.”
The King nodded and said, “You can have the stalk of Purple Lightning Bamboo from the Treasury.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The King asked, “What else do you want?”
Shi Lang thought about it and said, “I do not have any wishes. I only hope that Your Majesty can be generous toward the Shi Family. I promise they will be loyal to the Throne only.”
The King thought about it and smiled faintly before nodding. Shi Lang said, “My last request is for Your Majesty to consider the Fourth Prince as the successor, with the two Princes being the right and left ministers. This way the household will stand strong, and the respect of the two princes will remain intact. In the future, the King should be decided based on their deeds.”
The King did not expect such a thing and asked, “Tell me more about this matter.”
Shi Lang nodded and told the King what he had in mind, and the King could not help but be impressed by this suggestion and said, “It is our fortune to have a genius like you among us, Shi Lang.”
The terran shook his head and said, “You flatter me, Your Majesty.”