After swallowing my anger and taking the blame, I became the lucky little queen

Nian Chengyun immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please look carefully! The reason why I have correspondence with the prince is because of the difficulties and problems in building the city wall. If we send someone to pass on the message every time, it will take too much time. And the letter talks about building the city wall, not treason!"

Every word and sentence is powerful and passionate.

Several neutral parties immediately followed suit and spoke up for Nian Chengyun.

The emperor became even angrier. "I saw that you were law-abiding and devoted to public service in the past, so I sent you to work with the crown prince. I never thought that you would form a clique for personal gain! I am so disappointed!"

These words really disheartened Nian Chengyun.

He has worked diligently for so many years, going against the wind in the treacherous position of crown prince. Although it was difficult, he managed to keep himself out of trouble and stood firm in his position. No matter how much he was threatened or tempted, he never wavered.

However, based on a few normal letters, the emperor determined that he was forming a clique for personal gain and even accused him of "treason".

It's really disheartening!

It not only disappointed him, but also disappointed many loyal neutrals!

Nian Chengyun is the core of the neutral faction. He is highly respected and still likes this, let alone others. Maybe one of them will be the next one.

The neutrals were pale and nervous. Of course, the prince's party and the Qingwang party were not much better.

For a moment, all the civil and military officials were terrified and kept their tails between their legs.

Qin Junyu argued, "Father, I was responsible for the construction of the city wall with Prime Minister Nian. The correspondence was only for the convenience of official business, and the content of the letters did not involve anything else except official business. How can there be any talk of treason!" His tone was cold and his attitude was tough.

Fearing that such a day would come, he chose his words carefully and checked the letter three or four times after writing it to make sure that it contained no content that could cause misunderstanding before sending it to the prime minister's residence.

They could only communicate through letters and never met because he was afraid that someone would report that he had private relations with ministers. Unexpectedly, this cautiousness became a weapon that killed him.

In the emperor's view, he refused to plead guilty.

The emperor snorted coldly, "Don't think that I can't see through your secrets. I know all the hidden poems and secret codes!"

Qin Junyu understood that it seemed that someone had deliberately misinterpreted the meaning of his letter.

Those in power are the most suspicious.

The emperor originally intended to use this to test his and Nian Chengyun's attitudes. After being instigated by someone, he could convict him directly without any evidence.

Now that it has been determined that he did it, any explanation would only make the matter more obvious.

Qin Junyu said nothing, his eyes lowered.

Nian Chengyun had a clear mind. It was very clear who wanted to harm him and who wanted to harm the prince. The only person was the emperor, who was so angry that he couldn't tell right from wrong.

He didn't dare to say such outrageous words, so he simply kept his mouth shut.

The two remained silent, and the emperor simply assumed that they had confessed to their crimes.

"Come here! Fight in court!" The emperor ordered coldly, his eyes fixed on Nian Chengyun. "Nian Chengyun formed a clique for personal gain and instigated the prince to do unfilial things. He should be severely punished."

"However, considering his advanced age and his hard work and contributions over the years, I shall punish him with thirty strokes of the cane in public as a warning to others. I hope you will take this as a warning and not let such a thing happen again."

At the command, the Kirin Guards immediately carried a bench up and placed it in the middle of the hall. Two of them held seven-foot-long millet boards in their hands, looking very imposing.

Many officials were frightened by this scene and trembled with fear.

There have been many officials who have been punished with caning in the court throughout the dynasties, but there are very few who are as powerful as Nian Chengyun. Caning in the court is one of the means by which the emperor punishes ministers who have made mistakes, and it is also the most humiliating kind of punishment.

Imagine a scholar with high moral character and elegant appearance being beaten in public until his skin was torn and blood was dripping, and he had to be carried by others. How could he have the face to talk about the integrity of a scholar in the future?

Nian Chengyun looked at the cold bench, leaned back, and closed his eyes in despair.

Qin Junyu couldn't bear it either.

The millet board used for beating people had a barbed hook on the hitting end. When the board went down, it would come up again. When the executioner pulled it, the sharp barbed hook would tear off a large piece of the prisoner's skin and flesh. If it didn't happen again, the prisoner's skin and flesh would be torn to pieces.

Many officials who were punished died under the caning. Even if they did not die, they would be left with lifelong disabilities.

Nian Chengyun was already old, and even if he didn't die after receiving these thirty blows, he would have lost half his life.

The most ruthless imperial family.

Accompanying you is like accompanying a tiger.

Qin Junyu once again had a deep understanding of these two sentences.

"Execute." the emperor ordered.

The guards of the Guards of the Unicorn tried to grab Nian Chengyun, but he shook them off with one arm. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'll do it myself!"

Nian Chengyun propped himself up and stood up. His body swayed twice and he felt top-heavy, dizzy and as if his soul had left his body.

Qin Junyu stood up and helped him up, whispering, "Nian Xiang, don't hold on, I will take the thirty strokes for you."

Nian Chengyun held his arm and said, "No need."

He forced a bitter smile, "The king issues orders, and the minister follows his will."

"Your Majesty punished me according to the law, and showed mercy considering my advanced age. I should be grateful. How can I let Your Highness take the punishment for me?"

He pushed Qin Junyu away and lay down on the bench with the mentality of going to die.

Many officials pleaded for him.

"Your Majesty! I believe that Your Highness and the Prime Minister would not do such a thing! Please be clear about this, Your Majesty!"

"I believe in Your Highness and the Prime Minister! Your Majesty, please look into this matter!"

Most of those who spoke were neutral or officials who were on good terms with Nian Chengyun.

But at some point, a member of the prince's party joined the plea team. Gradually, more and more princes' party members knelt down and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, please investigate!"

The Qing Wang faction saw that this was not going to work. The Prince's faction was taking this opportunity to win over the hearts of the people. If they did not act, Nian Chengyun would bring the neutral faction to join the Prince's team. So they knelt down together and shouted, "I believe in Your Highness and the Prime Minister!"

Qin Zehai followed them perfunctorily, moving his mouth a few times but not saying a word.

After a while, everyone in the Mingde Hall, except Qin Junyu and the Hulin Guards, had knelt on the ground.

Nian Chengyun had mixed feelings. He was touched by those who sincerely pleaded for him, but he sneered at those who took the opportunity to stir up trouble.

Far from being moved by their pleas, the emperor added an edict that "anyone who dares to plead will be punished with the same crime as Nian Chengyun."

silence...

The emperor looked as if he had expected this and said calmly, "Execute."

Nian Chengyun gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, holding on to the two corners of the bench with both hands. He already started to feel pain before the fight started.

The two unicorn guards exchanged glances with Qin Junyu calmly, then nodded.

The execution began.

After one blow of the stick, Nian Chengyun's lips turned white.

After two blows of the stick, his facial features were distorted.

After three blows of the stick, he couldn't help but groan.

……

Everyone was worried for him.