Denghuangtai

After saying this, Yun Zheng turned and left the cell.

Pei Qingyan's originally straight back suddenly bent over, her body trembling slightly with pain. She smiled bitterly, "I'd only ever heard of piercing the collarbone before, I didn't expect it to hurt so much."

The strength she had painstakingly mustered finally gave out, and she lay on the spot, large beads of sweat sliding down her hair. Her vision became increasingly blurry, and just as her consciousness was about to dissipate, the sound of the copper lock being opened rang out again.

Pei Qingyan struggled to open her eyes and saw the Chief Justice of the Court of Justice standing with his hands behind his back in the doorway. Although she was dizzy from the excruciating pain and had no strength left in her body, she still forced herself to sit up.

This is a critical juncture; if she pulls through, she can escape danger. But if she doesn't…

On the road to the underworld, the whole family is together, so they are not lonely.

The Chief Justice approached Pei Qingyan and said, "General Pei, it's time to sign your confession."

"What crime have I committed?"

"The imperial envoy died at the place where you hosted a banquet. Only the two of you were present at the time, and the murder weapon was your personal short blade. The evidence is irrefutable, leaving you no choice but to confess." The Minister of Justice snorted coldly and waved to the jailer behind him.

The jailer stepped forward, preparing to force Pei Qingyan to sign the document.

Pei Qingyan stared coldly at the Court of Justice, "I am the Marquis of Yin'an, bestowed by the imperial court, ranking first among the twenty ranks of nobility. According to the laws of the Great Zhao Dynasty, no decision can be made without the Emperor's personal trial. Your forced confession today is nothing but a piece of waste paper."

Whether it's just a piece of waste paper or not, we'll find out when your head rolls.

After saying that, the Chief Justice shouted sternly at the jailer.

"Let's do it!"

Chapter Two: Breaking the Impasse and Escaping the Trap

"How dare you?"

Pei Qingyan suddenly sprang up, bypassed the jailers, and grabbed the Minister of Justice by the throat.

The Minister of Justice froze. "You've taken a high-ranking official hostage; are you planning a rebellion?"

Pei Qingyan sneered and dragged the court official to a dark corner of the prison cell.

When the jailer saw that the Minister of Justice had been taken hostage, he drew his sword and made as if to step forward.

"Don't move!" Pei Qingyan shouted sharply, increasing the pressure on her hands. The court official's face immediately turned red. She whispered a few words in his ear.

The court official's face changed drastically in shock, and he waved away the jailers.

Once only the two of them remained in the cell, the Imperial Censor, his face grim, asked through gritted teeth, "What do you know?"

Pei Qingyan released his grip on the Minister of Justice, leaned against the corner of the wall, his face growing paler and his vision blurring. He slowly uttered four words, "Dongping Iron Mine."

The Minister of Justice choked on his words, his face turning grim. "Dongping...where did Dongping get its iron ore?"

Pei Qingyan leaned against the wall, took a breath, closed his eyes to dispel the black mist before him, and looked up at the Minister of Justice, "Dongping has no iron mines, so what about Wu'an?"

Pei Qingyan paused, "Illegally mining iron ore will result in the extermination of nine generations of the offender's family. Is the Minister of Justice plotting a rebellion?"

"Slander! This is slander!" The Minister of Justice pointed at Pei Qingyan, rebuking him angrily, but his gaze had already begun to wander.

Pei Qingyan smiled. "Since I can name these places, I must have evidence. If the Court of Justice doesn't believe me, he can force me to confess and sign. On the day I pronounce my sentence, that evidence will be presented before His Majesty. Who knows, the entire Court of Justice and his family might even accompany me on the execution ground."

The Imperial Censor stared at Pei Qingyan, his face shifting between red and blue. After struggling for a while, he finally managed to squeeze out a voice through gritted teeth: "General, you have such a deep mind. What exactly do you want?"

"Help me to meet the Emperor."

The Minister of Justice remained silent, and the prison fell silent immediately.

After a long pause, Pei Qingyan spoke again, his tone calm and collected, "The fact that the Court of Justice is so eager to convict me must be at someone's behest. But between my life and the lives of the Court of Justice's entire family, which is more important? I ask the Court of Justice to weigh the options carefully."

The court official gritted his teeth and asked in a deep voice, "If I help you today, how do I know you won't use this evidence to frame me later?"

Pei Qingyan smiled. "I have no intention of making enemies. I just want to live."

Only by living can she uncover the truth behind her father and brother's deaths.

The court official remained silent for a long time before finally making up his mind. "I will help you this once, and I hope you will keep your promise. But the evidence against you is conclusive, and you may not be able to recant your confession even if you appear before the emperor."

"There's no need for the Court of Justice to trouble yourself with that."

As the copper lock fell, the Imperial Censor's departing figure appeared somewhat hurried.

Pei Qingyan swayed, finally exhausted his last bit of strength, and collapsed.

The next day.

Pei Qingyan was awakened by several old women, quickly washed, changed into clean clothes, and sent to the palace.

Xuanzheng Hall.

The emperor sat high on his throne, with the Grand Minister of Works and the Minister of Justice standing on his left and right, respectively.

Pei Qingyan knelt on the steps, her back straight, and the clanging of the chains could be faintly heard with her movements.

The emperor's voice, deep and resonant, descended from the high platform.

"General Pei, do you know what the crime is for plotting to assassinate the Imperial Envoy?"

"capital offense."

The emperor, though not angry, exuded authority. He waved his hand, signaling his men to drag him away.

"Killing an imperial envoy is a capital offense, but there are other hidden circumstances in this case. We implore Your Majesty to investigate!"

Pei Qingyan's words were firm and resonant, echoing throughout the hall.

"What's the hidden story?"

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Envoy's inspection tour to the northern border was ostensibly to escort military funds, but in reality, it was to thoroughly investigate a case of embezzlement of military funds. The Imperial Envoy secretly met with me and ordered me to fully cooperate. I disguised myself as a maidservant to accompany the Imperial Envoy..."