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Chapter 541 Demoted to Common People
These words seemed to have touched a nerve with Emperor Jin, causing his face to darken even more. He clenched his fist and raised it high as if he wanted to slam it on the table, but he paused and finally let go, slowly lowering his hand with a somewhat dejected air.

Emperor Jin's originally gloomy expression gradually turned into a sorrowful one. He sighed deeply and said, "Enough! You don't need to say anything more. Since you are so convinced that there is no father-son relationship between us, I will not force you."

The one who died in this incident is the King of Brahma, not some nobody. Even if I want to protect him, I still have to give them an explanation.

You say you did not harm King Brahma, but the only things you can use to prove your innocence are the documents examined in the capital and the so-called prescriptions brought back by Lu Chao.

These things were all made by our own people in Jin Kingdom. Even if they were fair, if I let you go back like nothing happened because of this, it would be unfair.

Although you never regarded me as your father, I still cherish our past relationship and cannot bear to punish you severely.

"Eunuch Gao, take Lu Qing to the palace gates later and give him fifty heavy lashes in public as punishment for his mistake of going to the Kingdom of Brahma without permission and causing trouble."

Fifty strokes of the cane are certainly not light under normal circumstances. If someone is physically weak, they might be beaten to death before all fifty strokes are finished.

However, if the crime of plotting against the King of Brahma were confirmed, it would definitely mean losing one's head. Emperor Jin ordered Lu Qing to be beaten with fifty strokes of the cane, which clearly meant he wanted to spare his life, especially after being provoked to such an extent just now. It was already an exceptional act of mercy.

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Gao immediately accepted the decree, his face beaming with smiles, and said, "Your Majesty is merciful. This old servant will take the Prince down to receive his punishment!"

"Wait," Emperor Jin raised his hand, stopping Eunuch Gao, who was about to take Lu Qing away, "I haven't finished speaking yet."

Lu Qing went to the Vatican without authorization, so he was given fifty strokes of the cane.

However, the prescription was written by his fellow disciple, and this cannot be ignored. If the High Priest of Brahma, as you claim, were still alive, this matter would be easy to handle. But since he is dead and there is no way to verify this, I have no choice but to disregard the dignity of the Hermit of Qiyun Mountain and execute his disciple to quell the resentment of Brahma.”

Yan Daoxin remained expressionless. This outcome was already within his expectations, so he did not show the slightest panic upon hearing Emperor Jin's words.

Lu Qing, on the other hand, was completely different from her previous calm and composed demeanor; a look of panic finally appeared on her face.

"Your Majesty!" He knelt and moved forward a few steps. "Please have mercy, Your Majesty! Yan Daoxin is a highly skilled physician, a rare and divine doctor in the world."

Lu Chao has already obtained the prescription he gave to the Brahma King, and there is clearly no problem with it. If he is still to be executed, it would be unfair and would also cause the world to lose a rare medical genius!

Your Majesty, I humbly beg you to show him leniency and spare his life!

"I am willing to accept severe punishment, but I beg Your Majesty to spare Yan Daoxin's life!"

"What a joke! What do you take me for? A vegetable vendor at the market? Someone you can haggle with me about?!" Emperor Jin laughed angrily.

“Your Majesty, going to the Vatican was my idea. If we truly want to give the Vatican an explanation, please grant me death. I am willing to exchange my life for theirs,” Lu Qing said firmly.

Emperor Jin looked at him coldly: "You are quite loyal and devoted to your fellow disciples."

Unfortunately, even so, this time you can only watch helplessly as your fellow disciples lose their heads.

This is the consequence of your reckless behavior.

Next time, before doing anything, you'd better think about who you still care about, how many heads she has on her shoulders, enough to be chopped off a few times.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yu looked up at Emperor Jin and saw that Emperor Jin was only looking at Lu Qing and did not glance at him. Lu Qing's face was ashen, and he glared at Emperor Jin. His back teeth were clenched so tightly that his cheeks were bulging, and his two bloodshot eyes were filled with anger.

Emperor Jin glanced at him silently, then said to Eunuch Gao beside him, "Have someone lock Yan Daoxin in the death row, and have Lu Qing take him outside the palace gate to be flogged."

Tomorrow at the morning court session, I will formally issue an edict demoting the Prince of Xiaoyao to a commoner.

Eunuch Gao originally thought that Lu Qing had escaped a calamity, and fifty strokes of the cane wouldn't be a loss. As for Yan Daoxin's life or death, he wasn't particularly concerned, since they were not related.

Unexpectedly, there was another step: "demoted to commoner status," which left him somewhat dumbfounded.

"Your Majesty..." He wanted to plead for Lu Qing, but seeing that Emperor Jin's attitude clearly didn't seem to leave any room for maneuver, he swallowed back half of what he was about to say.

If Emperor Jin is truly determined to demote Prince Xiaoyao to a commoner, then Prince Xiaoyao will likely have no place to stand from now on.

No matter how grateful he was for the respect the emperor had shown him in the past, he still had to work in the palace and serve Emperor Jin. He couldn't risk offending his master for the sake of a hopeless wretch.

“Father…” Lu Chao frowned and began to speak, seemingly wanting to offer some words of advice.

"If you dare utter another word today, I'll send you both outside the palace gates to be flogged." Before Lu Chao could finish speaking, Emperor Jin interrupted him, "This is the person you've been befriending all this time! Have you ever asked him if he's ever treated me as his father, or even as your brother?!"

Lu Chao was about to speak when Eunuch Gao quickly stopped him, standing between him and Emperor Jin, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your headache has only recently subsided. You mustn't be so angry."

His Highness Prince Xu's temperament is most like Her Majesty the Empress's; he is the kindest-hearted. Please don't blame him.

Emperor Jin glanced at Eunuch Gao, but didn't bother with Lu Chao. He waved his hand, signaling Eunuch Gao to call someone in.

Eunuch Gao rushed out and quickly summoned the guards.

Two guards stepped forward, pulled Yan Daoxin up from his kneeling position, and led him out of the south study.

Lu Qing got up to stop them, but the guards grabbed both of her arms.

Yan Daoxin remained calm and gestured to his guards not to rush, then turned to Lu Qing and said, "Junior brother, don't waste your breath."

We are, after all, cultivators of the Tao, and we have acted uprightly and honestly. Even when we go down to the underworld, we will have a clear conscience.

I am, after all, a cultivator. If I were to cling to life and fear death, wouldn't that be a disgrace to my sect?

"But you, when you get your spanking later, don't wail and embarrass your master."

After teasing Lu Qing as if nothing had happened, he was taken away by two guards and imprisoned in a death row cell.

Then, several guards escorted Lu Qing away, preparing to take him away.

However, after glancing at the talismans and Zhu Yu kneeling behind them, they turned to look at Eunuch Gao with some uncertainty.