Xianyue said coldly: "You were instigated by others to kill Concubine Yi, which was a big mistake. Now not only do you not know how to repent, but you are also instigated by others to frame me. It is really stupid. Before you said these words, did you ever
Have you thought about your family and what consequences they will face?"
Xiao Mengzi's eyes shrank, and then he quickly met Xia Yue's eyes as cold as fresh snow again, and sneered: "I know that from the time you forced me to help you harm your master, you already thought that my servant and his family would not have a happy ending.
, It’s a shame that my slave was weak and didn’t dare to disobey, otherwise why would he end up where he is today? However, you don’t have to think that your slave will help you harm others, except your concubine.
, Who else do you want to harm, Concubine Ying? Or Concubine Hui? One day, you will pay the price for your cruelty. I am waiting for you on the road to hell. I believe..." He smiled strangely: "This
One day will not last long, and as for the dragon fetus in your belly, there will never be a day when the dragon fetus is born safely. Even if it is born reluctantly, it will be riddled with all kinds of diseases and die worse than me!"
"Shut up!" Xiao Mengzi's vicious words made Hongli feel more angry than ever before. He nodded slowly and said: "Okay! Okay! Since you want to die, I will make you regret coming to this world!"
"After that, he said to Si Xi, who was standing aside with his hands down, with a cold look on his face: "Take him to the Sentence Department and give him the punishment of 'all five punishments'. Remember, don't let him die!"
From the words of Mencius just now, Hongli already understood that it was impossible to ask the truth from his mouth. In this case, there was no need for him to ask any more questions.
Si Xi has been with Hongli for many years and has seen a lot of big and small things. However, when he heard the words "all five punishments", his eyelids jumped hard, a look of panic flashed in his eyes, and he hurriedly
He lowered his eyes and accepted the order, dragging Xiao Mencius out of the inner hall.
The so-called "all five punishments" refer to beheading, beheading, cutting off hands, gouging out eyes, and cutting off ears, that is, "cutting into pieces". This is usually done after death, but this punishment changed after Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty.
Empress Lu captured Madam Qi, the favored concubine of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, chopped off her hands and feet, and mutilated her
The nose, ears, tongue, and eyes were gouged out and thrown into pig pens to feed, which is called "human pigs." Therefore, in later generations, if the "five punishments" are mentioned and people are not allowed to die, they are referring to human pigs.
Life is truly worse than death. No wonder Sixi showed fear.
When little Mencius was half dragged out of the threshold, Xianyue suddenly said: "Keep his ears, I will be useful in the future."
Sixi looked at Hongli, and after the latter nodded, he respectfully said: "This slave obeys the Queen's will."
After they left, the inner hall became extremely quiet. Liu Qi and the two knelt uneasily, waiting for their unknown fate. However, Xiao Mengzi's backbiting of Xianyue made the two of them feel much more at ease than before.
After a long time, Hongli interrupted the unbearable silence, "How does the Queen want to deal with these two people?"
Xianyue gritted her silver teeth and said, "Even if Concubine Yi was not killed by the two of them, she must be related to them. They all deserve to die. Please give them the death penalty!"
For them, Hongli would not have any pity or reluctance, and immediately nodded and said: "Okay."
Hearing Hongli say this word, Xiao Yuanzi and Xiao Yuanzi were really scared. They didn't expect that after going around in such a big circle, they still couldn't escape death. The two kowtowed repeatedly, hoping to survive, but unfortunately everything was doomed.
It's futile.
At this moment, a voice fell into everyone's ears, "Please have mercy, Your Majesty."
"Concubine Shu?" Hongli looked at Yehenara who was dressed in plain clothes, "Why are you here?"
Yehenala bowed and saluted, and said: "The queen had a fetal movement yesterday, and I was worried, so I came over to have a look. Unexpectedly, as soon as I came, I saw Sixi dragging little Mencius down, saying that she wanted to do it.
'All five punishments', in my impression, the emperor has never executed this punishment on anyone, why is he so angry this time, and what crime has he committed?"
Faced with Yehenala's inquiry, Hongli did not explain anything. He only said: "He deserves to be like this and is not worthy of anyone's intercession."
Seeing his unkind expression, Yehenala didn't dare to ask any more questions, so he turned to him and said, "What about Xiao Yuanzi and Liu Qi? What crime did they commit? The emperor wants them to die?"
Hongli said coldly: "These two people are related to the death of Concubine Yi, and they cannot escape the death penalty!"
Yehenala said in shock: "Are they really so bold?"
"No, I'm unjust!" Xiao Yuanzi said with tears streaming down his face: "Your Majesty knows that I went to your place the night before, so it's impossible for me to go to the House of Internal Affairs to meet with Liu Qi; besides, even if I have great courage, I can't
Never dare to plot against Concubine Yi."
Yehenara glanced at Hongli and said cautiously: "Your Majesty, is there any definite evidence for this matter...?"
Xianyue looked coldly and said: "Concubine Shu thinks that the emperor and I have wronged them?"
"I don't dare, but I know Xiao Yuanzi a little bit. This servant has always been timid and honest. I really can't imagine that he would do such a rebellious thing." After that, Yehenala said again:
"Besides, in
There were no traces of being bitten by Imperial Concubine Yi on their bodies, so I ventured to guess whether there might be some misunderstanding. Moreover, Xiao Yuanzi did come to see me the night before, and it was unlikely that he would go to Chonghua Palace to harm me again.
people."
"Even so, based on his disrespectful words to the Queen just now, he is still worthy of death!" It was Hongli who spoke, and the coldness in his eyes made Xiao Yuanzi and Xiao Yuanzi tremble.
Yehenara looked at the two of them with pity, bowed and said: "I am so bold, I want to ask the emperor to spare the lives of these two people!"
There was a coldness in Hongli's eyes, and he stared at Yehenala and said, "Didn't Concubine Shu hear what I said?" Yehenala quickly lowered his eyes and said, "Please calm down, Your Majesty, I don't think these two people are the same."
I don’t deserve to die, but I’m thinking of the Queen’s pregnant dragon and don’t want to cause more murders in the palace, so I make this plea.”
Xianyue looked at her deeply and said coldly: "But there are some people who cannot be killed."
"I understand the hatred in my heart, but until now there is no direct evidence proving that Concubine Yi's death is related to the two of them, so why do you insist on taking their lives? If you have to spare others, please let them go.
The only way for them to survive is to accumulate virtue for their unborn children."
Yehenala's words reminded Hongli of the almost cursed words of Mencius just now. Although he did not think that those words would come true, he still felt a trembling feeling.
Hongli thought about it for a long time and said slowly: "Send these two to serve as sergeants in the Ping Army. For the rest of their lives, they will not be able to..."
"Your Majesty," Xianyue said, "Can you please listen to me?"