The system forced me to blow up the female lead's fishpond.

Thinking this, Hua Pengtian turned around and respectfully bowed to Chu Chouchi.

"Your Highness, it is my fault for failing to discipline my daughter properly. What happened just now was merely a quarrel between women, nothing serious. I'm sure the esteemed officials didn't take their dispute too seriously."

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately echoed:

"Yeah yeah."

"I didn't really pay much attention to what Miss Shen and Miss Hua were arguing about just now."

……

Shen Zhizhi pouted. These people really change their tune quickly. Just now they were insisting that she made the first move, but now they're saying they didn't notice?

Even as an outsider to the game, she felt a chill run down her spine watching this scene, and she couldn't bear to imagine how the original owner had spent the past few years.

"I hope Your Highness and Lord Shaoqing will be lenient and not hold a grudge against these women."

Hua Pengtian smiled slyly, his feigned sincerity making Shen Zhizhi roll her eyes.

He didn't act like this when he was standing up for Hua Yulan.

"Shen Zhizhi, you speak," the voice above said slowly.

"Eh?"

Before she could recover, Chu Chouchi suddenly leaned down, his eyes like boundless stars, and said with a smile, "This prince believes you, you tell me."

The weighty statement caused a murmur of surprise among the crowd, who turned and whispered among themselves.

"Who is this Shen Zhizhi? Whose daughter is she?"

"She seems to be the illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family?"

"I saw her getting off the Second Prince's carriage from afar this morning!"

……

The courtiers were filled with trepidation, and a wave of dizziness washed over them as they buried their heads in their arms.

They could never have imagined that this mere concubine's daughter would have such a close relationship with the Second Prince. Judging from the Second Prince's expression when he spoke to her, he must be extremely supportive.

They are likely doomed to die today.

Shen Zhizhi glanced at him cautiously, hesitating to speak.

She naturally knew what those words meant; they meant Chu Chouchi's assurance to her, and they also meant that her next words would hold the power of life and death over these people.

Although she really wanted to teach these ministers who were lying through their teeth a lesson, her main task was to reduce Chu Chouchi's corruption level.

If these verbal disputes lead him to commit further killings, all the previous efforts will be in vain.

Seeing that she remained silent, Chu Chouchi withdrew his gaze, straightened up, and said with a slight parting of his thin lips, "You don't need to be afraid that they will retaliate against you in the future, because there is only one outcome for deceiving this prince."

After saying that, his cold, deep gaze swept around, his meaning self-evident.

Shen Zhizhi felt a chill run down her spine. She quickly stood up from the ground, grabbed his sleeve, and shook it.

"Your Highness, things are indeed as the Junior Minister said. However, I have already taken action to retaliate, and the score with Miss Hua is now settled. So, do you think these ministers can..."

Shen Zhizhi looked on with hope and carefully tried to persuade Chu Chouchi to release them.

After all, there are so many ministers. If they all died, given Zhang Jiali's personality, he would definitely petition the emperor to execute Chu Chouchi to appease the spirits of the ministers in heaven.

If Chu Chouchi gets angry then, the feud between the two will be reignited.

Sigh! This task is definitely not simple at all.

Chu Chouchi frowned, waiting quietly for her answer, but saw that her eyes were bright and she seemed to have no sense of grievance.

But in his eyes, this appearance was just a pretense of strength, a way of swallowing the injustice she had suffered.

She must be asking him if he could let these ministers die, right?

"I understand." After pondering for a long time, Chu Chouchi nodded slightly.

Shen Zhizhi blinked, somewhat surprised by his reaction.

Chu Chouchi has always been ruthless in dealing with those who deceive him, but this time, a few words of persuasion were enough to make him change his mind.

On another note, Chu Chouchi has been saving her from danger lately. You should know that in the original work, with his twisted values, he was indifferent to everyone except Shen Qinshou.

It seems that after these two days of brainwashing, he has slowly transformed into a normal person, and everything is developing in the direction she expects.

Thinking about it, Shen Zhizhi couldn't help but chuckle with delight, "Second Prince, then..."

Chu Chouchi glanced down at her and said, "I know what you want to say, so I will grant your request."

Shen Zhizhi's eyes curved into crescents, and she was about to thank him when she heard him continue:

"Where are the archers?!"

Shen Zhizhi:? ? ?

With a wave of his hand, he put his arm around her waist and retreated ten meters away in an instant.

Suddenly, a cold glint appeared all around, and the sound of bows being drawn was perfectly synchronized.

The crowd was terrified and panicked, so they all prostrated themselves on the ground and begged for mercy.

"Your Highness, spare my life! Your Highness, spare my life!"

Zhang Jiali's pupils constricted sharply; he was not unaware of the Second Prince's arrogance and domineering nature.

But he never expected that he would disregard the power of the court officials and kill them at will, acting so arbitrarily.

Shocked, Zhang Jiali pursed his lips and hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects, "Your Highness, the crimes of these officials do not warrant death. Please spare their lives."

Hua Yulan was so frightened that her face turned pale. She never expected that the Second Prince would go to such lengths for a concubine's daughter.

Shen Zhizhi stared blankly at the minister who was prostrate on the ground begging for mercy, and after a long while she suddenly came to her senses.

"Second Prince, didn't you promise me?"

"Hmm." Chu Chouchi lowered his eyelids and looked at her calmly. "This prince promises you to execute them all."

What? She has amnesia?

How come she doesn't remember saying such a thing?

"No! No! That's not how it is!"

Shen Zhizhi was so shocked that her jaw almost dropped. She quickly struggled out of his arms and waved her hands frantically.

They were terrified that if they hesitated even a moment, these ministers would die under these arrows.

Then, meeting Chu Chouchi's confused gaze, she said, "What I mean is that Your Highness should release them, since I haven't suffered any loss!"

Shen Zhizhi almost cried. Looking at the eyes of the ministers below, they were practically ready to label her a "femme fatale."

Chu Chou glanced at her anxious expression as she pleaded for mercy, his dark eyes turning cold. "You don't need to plead for them. They deserve to die."

With such a kind heart, it's no wonder she gets bullied.

"Your Highness, today is a palace banquet. Judging from the time, the Emperor should be arriving soon. What if he sees corpses everywhere and becomes furious, throwing you into prison?"

Shen Zhizhi suppressed her unease and whispered her advice.

Although he knew that Chu Chouchi had never taken his father, the Emperor, seriously, the Emperor was hosting a banquet for him today, so he would at least give him some face.

As expected, Chu Chouchi was dismissive of her earlier words, but her concerned words later eased his stiff expression.

Was she worried about him? Afraid he would be locked up in jail?

Does she really love him that much? Would she rather suffer herself than let him be punished in the slightest?

Her voice softened unconsciously as she said, "You don't need to worry, Your Highness will not be punished."

Even if he were imprisoned in the dungeon, he would have a hundred ways to escape.