Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Familiar place, familiar position, but this time there is a different person.

In the courtroom on the second floor of the Parliament Palace, the "special seat" that originally belonged to Reinhardt has now been replaced by Lin Yi.

On the other side, the auditorium was already full.

In addition to those powerful parliamentarians, all the major noble forces in the empire were also present.

Looking around, the audience was filled with dignitaries, even the lowest-ranking noble was an earl who held real power.

Their faces were either solemn or uneasy, and some even had a hint of fear in their eyes.

Lin Yi's actions this time undoubtedly touched the most sensitive nerves of the nobles.

The fall of the Klein family and the Caesar family was like a heavy hammer that hit the hearts of these nobles.

That was the most powerful noble family in the empire! What happened? They arrested them and confiscated their property without giving them any chance to resist.

"Who will be next?"

This question hovered in the minds of the nobles like a ghost.

They exchanged glances, trying to find a trace of comfort in each other's faces, but they only saw the same fear and anxiety.

The demise of the Klein family and the Caesar family has made them completely lose their sense of security.

With a creaking sound, the door of the courtroom was pushed open.

Harold walked in, wearing an emerald green robe embroidered with intricate gold patterns, symbolizing his supreme position in the imperial judicial system.

Despite his luxurious clothes, Harold looked a little tired.

He obviously didn't get enough rest last night. Even with the careful application of makeup on his face, it was still difficult to completely hide the two faint dark circles around his eyes.

"Okay, everyone, sit down."

To be honest, Harold had not expected that he would preside over two consecutive trials in just two days.

This Judgment Palace is usually not used for two or three years, but this time it was opened continuously, almost breaking all records in the history of the empire.

As Harold spoke, the other figures who had stood up also sat down.

"I believe I don't need to explain the reason why you are here today, so please express your opinions first."

Harold glanced at the seats around him. When he looked at those members, he found that both radicals and conservatives were acting as if "it has nothing to do with me".

After more than ten years of purge, the current parliament has long become Harold's internal power.

He completely eliminated the aristocratic forces that once dominated the parliament.

Today, the only aristocratic force left in parliament is the neutral Paul family.

The reason why Paul's family survived is actually very simple.

When Harold was vying for the position of Speaker of the House, the Paul family stood on his side without hesitation, which can be said to be the merit of "following the dragon."

Moreover, in the years that followed, the Paul family always showed great tact, neither crossing the line nor backing down, always maintaining a just right stance.

That is why Harold kept them in Parliament as a symbolic presence.

"Mr. Speaker, I don't know what the Klein family and the Caesar family did to deserve to be wiped out in one day. According to the laws of the empire, unless it is an unforgivable felony, even if a noble has committed a crime, he or she should be tried by the noble court before his or her fate is decided."

This time, the Paul family member did not sit on the bench in silence as usual, but stood up and looked at Harold with sharp eyes.

In the audience, the nobles who had originally lowered their heads raised their heads one after another, with a glimmer of hope and approval in their eyes.

Paul Wayne represents not only the Paul family at this moment, but the interests of the entire aristocratic class.

In fact, the Paul family stood up this time not voluntarily, but was forced by the situation.

The demise of the Klein and Caesar families has plunged the entire aristocracy into unprecedented panic.

If the Paul family continues to remain silent as usual, then when the trial is over, they will probably be the first to be besieged.

"Mr. Speaker, the Klein and Caesar families are the pillars of the empire. Their demise has not only shaken the foundation of the nobility, but also plunged the entire empire into unrest. As members of the parliament, we have the responsibility to ensure that everything is done in accordance with the law and procedures, rather than allowing personal will to override the rules."

Paul's speech was not only logically rigorous, but also based on the interests of the empire. No matter who it was, it would be difficult to find any fault with it.

Whether it was the noble court or the procedure, Lin Yi did not follow the normal procedures this time.

Harold was not surprised that Paul would speak out this time. In fact, he had long expected that after the fall of the Klein family and the Caesar family, the aristocracy would inevitably react.

As representatives of the aristocracy, it was only a matter of time before the Paul family spoke out.

"Senator Paul, I understand your concerns. But the crimes of the Klein and Caesar families have long gone beyond the privileges of the nobility. They colluded with foreign enemies, conspired to overthrow the empire, and even tried to assassinate members of parliament. Do you think such crimes still need to be tried by the noble court?"

As expected, as Lin Yi finished speaking, the other congressmen finally turned their eyes to Lin Yi.

The parliament has not been stable at all recently. Some time ago, during Su Xiao's term of office, the leaders of the radical and conservative factions died mysteriously one after another. Later, the neutral congressman Bell was assassinated in prison and died miserably.

This also caused panic in the parliament, and fear spread like a plague in the hearts of all the members of parliament.

Now, Lin Yi mentioned that the Klein family was involved in the assassination, which instantly pierced the already tense nerves of the other congressmen.

"evidence."

A conservative congressman hesitated for a moment and asked whether Lin Yi had any evidence.

In the seats, both radicals and conservatives nodded in agreement.

There are too many people involved in this kind of thing, so naturally, no one would believe Lin Yi's one-sided words.

"Bonnie, take out the letter you collected from the Klein family earlier."

Lin Yi looked at Bonnie who was sitting in the audience. Following Lin Yi's gaze, the eyes of the entire court were focused on Bonnie.

Bonnie stood up, holding a yellowed letter in her hand.

She walked slowly to the center of the courtroom and handed the letter to Harold who was sitting on the judge's bench.

Harold took the letter and examined it carefully.

The paper of the letter has turned yellow and the edges are even a little damaged, obviously it is very old.

Since the aristocracy is a conservative force, it is not surprising that the Klein family still communicates through letters.

After all, these noble lords are very averse to even cars, let alone other technologies.

"This letter was found in the secret archives of the Klein family. It records in detail the transactions between the Klein family and the Shadow Council, including the specific intelligence provided by the Klein family to Senators Leopold and Jones. Through the transaction, the Klein family's goods can be transported to external forces of the empire under the escort of the Shadow Council."

After Lin Yi said this, Harold's face immediately turned gloomy.

The deaths of Congressmen Leopold and Jones have always been a pain in his heart.

With these two people around, the affairs of Parliament were in order and Harold could focus more on governing the empire.

However, their deaths caused the forces within Parliament to stir, which consumed a lot of Harold's energy.

Harold opened the envelope and began to read its contents.

The content of the letter was concise and direct, mainly describing the Shadow Council's request to the Klein family to collect daily life records of Senators Leopold and Jones.

Now, the fate of the two congressmen has proven whether the Klein family completed the deal.

The whereabouts of the congressman were the highest level of secrets in the empire. When Leopold and Jones were assassinated, Harold ordered the purge of spies in the forces around him in an attempt to find the traitor. He did not expect that the traitor turned out to be in the Klein family.

Harold took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

As Speaker, he cannot lose his composure in front of everyone, especially at such a critical moment.

"Everyone, take a look."

The letter was handed out from Harold's hands, and the first person to take it was a radical member of parliament.

His eyes swept across the letter paper, his expression gradually became solemn, and the shock and anger in his eyes could hardly be concealed.

Then, the letter was passed to the next congressman. Everyone who read the letter had a gloomier look on their face, as if they were covered by a thick dark cloud.

"This is simply... unforgivable!" A radical congressman clenched his fist and slammed it on the table, his voice filled with anger and disbelief.

"The Klein family deserves to be punished!" A conservative congressman couldn't help but slam the table, his eyes full of anger.

The atmosphere in the courtroom was instantly ignited, and the emotions of the congressmen surged out like a volcanic eruption.

The congressmen who had been waiting and watching the fight between Lin Yi and the Klein family could no longer remain calm.

The Klein family's behavior has touched their bottom line.

For these congressmen, the fight between Lin Yi and the Klein family is just part of the power struggle. As long as the fire does not burn them, they can just stand by and watch.

However, the actions of the Klein family completely broke this delicate balance.

Betraying the intelligence of the senators, colluding with the Shadow Council, and even indirectly causing the deaths of Leopold and Jones - these actions are not only a betrayal of the Empire, but also a direct threat to every senator.

For a moment, the entire courtroom was as chaotic as a vegetable market. What was originally a questioning of Lin Yi by the nobles turned into a united condemnation of the nobles by the parliamentarians.

The conflicting parties changed their positions in an instant, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

Paul Wayne sat in the parliamentary seat with a gloomy face.

As a representative of the aristocratic class, he felt more isolated and helpless than ever before.

His eyes swept across the chaotic courtroom, secretly wondering how to protect himself in this storm.

He knew clearly that the reason why he could become the representative of the aristocracy was not because of how powerful the Paul family was, but because he was a member of parliament and could speak for the aristocracy in parliament.

"Mr. Paul, as a representative of the nobility, shouldn't you give an explanation for this matter?" The voice of a radical member of parliament was sharp and aggressive, directed directly at Paul Wayne.

Paul Wayne's face grew darker, but he did not respond immediately.

He knew that any excuse he made at this moment might be used as evidence by the other party, further pushing the Paul family into the spotlight.

"Are you sure this letter is real? It's not a forgery by the nursing home to get away with it?"

Some nobles were still skeptical about the letter Lin Yi took out.

"Falsification? Are you questioning my ability or the authority of the parliament?"

Lin Yi's voice was not loud, but it drowned out the voices of the entire courtroom.

“The source of this letter has been verified multiple times. Handwriting identification, sealed records in the secret archives, and testimonies from people within the Klein family all prove the authenticity of this letter. If you still have questions, you can ask a professional appraiser to verify it on the spot.” After saying this, he turned slightly and made a “please” gesture to the nobles in the audience, with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes.

In the audience, those nobles who originally had flushed faces and were eager to try, now lowered their heads and did not dare to look Lin Yi in the eye.

They knew very well that since Lin Yi dared to ask for on-the-spot verification so confidently, he must have made all the preparations.

If they really invite an appraiser, the result will only make them more embarrassed.

Although Lin Yi's strong performance had caused most of the nobles to retreat, there were still some stubborn young nobles who were unwilling to give up.

They gathered together and whispered for a few words, then one of them stood up and said with a hint of stubbornness in his voice: "Mr. Speaker, I want to apply for an authentication of the authenticity of this letter."

Several other young nobles also echoed and expressed their support for this proposal.

Harold nodded slightly. "Your application is acceptable. However, I must remind you that if the appraisal results prove that this letter is authentic, you will bear the consequences of questioning the authority of Parliament."

The faces of the young nobles changed slightly. They exchanged glances with each other, and finally the noble representative who spoke first responded: "We are willing to bear the consequences."

A hint of coldness flashed across Harold's eyes, but he didn't say anything more. He waved his hand and signaled the guard beside him: "Go and ask the appraiser."

The guards took the order and left, and the courtroom fell silent again.

The eyes of the parliamentarians and nobles were all focused on the letter, and the air was filled with tension.

Lin Yi stood in the special seat, leaning against the railing, as if all this had nothing to do with him.

He glanced at the young nobles, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Your courage is commendable, but you are extremely stupid."

Bonnie stood aside and asked in a low voice: "Aren't you worried that there will be problems with the identification results?"

The others didn't know, but Bonnie knew very well where the letter came from.

The Klein family is not fools, so they would not keep anything that proves their guilt, and would have destroyed it long ago.

In fact, this letter was forged by Bonnie through a prisoner detained in an execution facility.

That guy is a genius at counterfeiting, and his skills are so superb that they can make the fake look real.

The reason why he was imprisoned in the execution house was quite ironic - he forged a certificate from the Imperial Bank with his own hands and successfully withdrew 500,000 gold lers.

If that day had not been the Imperial Bank's audit day, this guy would have probably escaped justice long ago.

"Do not worry."

Lin Yi smiled. He had already made full preparations for the little tricks that the nobles might play.

A moment later, the guards brought an old man in a gray robe into the courtroom.

He bowed slightly to Harold and said, "Mr. Speaker, I am Morris, the chief appraiser of the Empire. I have been ordered to come here to verify the authenticity of this letter."

Harold nodded: "Let's get started."

Morris walked up to the judge's bench and took the letter carefully, as if it were a fragile work of art.

He first took out a silver-rimmed magnifying glass and carefully examined the handwriting and seal on the letter. Then, he took the daily letters from the patriarch of the Klein family for comparison.

The courtroom was silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on Morris.

The young nobles clenched their fists nervously, with beads of sweat oozing from their foreheads.

This time, they openly questioned it despite pressure from parliament.

If they fail, the consequences will be disastrous - not only will their political careers end, but even their family's reputation will be affected.

Time passed minute by minute, and Morris finally put down the tools in his hands and looked up: "The handwriting and seal of this letter are all real."

"No, it's impossible! It's fake! It must be all fake! You must have colluded with each other." After Morris spoke, a noble who had just questioned turned pale and looked incredulous.

Everyone in the courtroom shook their heads, with sarcasm and indifference in their eyes.

No one would doubt the judgment of the Empire's Chief Appraiser, especially when he was so sure.

Lin Yi still stood in the special seat with a calm expression, as if all this was within his expectations.

He glanced at the noble who had lost his composure: "The ignorant always like to use the word 'impossible' to cover up their stupidity."

Three hours ago, Lin Yi asked Karl and Rudolf to visit all the great appraisers in the city and gave each of them 10,000 gold sterling.

No one can resist money, not to mention that Lin Yi has a sanatorium behind him, and these appraisers cannot afford to offend him.

"Fake? Collusion? It seems that you not only question the authority of the parliament, but also the professional ethics of the chief appraiser of the empire."

The noble took a step back under Lin Yi's gaze, his voice trembling, "You... don't think I don't know! You must have used some means to threaten these appraisers!"

One of the young nobles stood up tremblingly, his voice hoarse: "Mr. Speaker, we...we are just being cautious and have no intention of questioning the authority of the parliament..."

Harold waved his hand and interrupted him: "Your 'caution' has wasted the parliament's time and challenged the parliament's authority. According to imperial law, those who question the parliament's authority will be deprived of their noble privileges and fined. Guards, take them away and await punishment."

Several guards stepped forward and took the young nobles away.

Their cries for mercy echoed in the courtroom, their voices filled with despair and fear.

However, no one dared to plead for them, and not even a sympathetic look appeared.

In the current empire, the power of parliament is supreme, and even the nobles must prostrate themselves at the feet of parliament.

"So, does anyone else want to challenge this?"

Harold looked around the courtroom. This time, both the nobles and the parliamentarians lowered their heads, and no one dared to raise any questions.

Lin Yi's letter was like a sharp dagger, completely severing the already fragile trust relationship between the aristocracy and the parliamentarians.

Both sides knew that it was meaningless to target Lin Yi at this moment.

Everyone knew that Lin Yi was just a knife in the hands of Speaker Harold.

Without Harold's acquiescence and support, Lin Yi would never be able to stand here, let alone gain the upper hand in this trial.

"Okay, in that case, let's start announcing the verdict now."

"The Klein family and the Caesar family colluded with foreign enemies, conspired to overthrow the empire, and assassinated members of the parliament. The crimes they committed are too numerous to list."

"According to the imperial laws and parliamentary resolutions, the following judgment is now made against the Klein family and the Kaiser family—"

He paused, his eyes swept across the audience, and then continued to announce: "All members of the Klein family, the Caesar family, and others will be arrested immediately, stripped of their noble titles and all privileges, and all family property will be confiscated. The principal offender will be sentenced to death, and the accomplices will be exiled to a bitter and cold place on the border, never to return to the empire. In addition, all allied forces of the major families will also be subject to investigation by the special investigation team, and if they are implicated, they will be severely punished!"

There was dead silence in the courtroom, and no one dared to make any sound.

The demise of several major families such as the Klein family and the Caesar family not only means the fall of the empire's top nobles, but also symbolizes a complete reshuffle of the empire's power structure.

"In addition, since the sanatorium did not follow the Empire's procedures, the deputy director of the Empire Sanatorium will be fined for three months."

"The verdict of the trial has been announced. Does anyone have any objections to it?"

Seeing that no one raised any objections, Harold nodded and said, "Since no one objects, the verdict will take effect immediately. The meeting is adjourned."

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Harold was determined to protect Lin Yi this time.

Lin Yi did such a big thing, but he was only fined three months' salary - this punishment was so light that it was like drinking three glasses of wine as a punishment, just a formality.

But at this moment, the nobles did not dare to refute at all. The parliamentarians and Harold had blocked all routes of the aristocracy. Anyone who dared to jump out at this time would end up like the "fools" who were dragged out before.

The nobles lowered their heads and hurriedly left the Parliament Palace, as if staying for one more second would bring disaster.

Lin Yi casually opened the iron door of the judge's seat and walked out, as if everything he had just experienced was just an insignificant farce. (End of this chapter)