The atmosphere at the entrance of the palace was oppressive. No one knew if it was because of Shan Yu's words, or if it was because of her anger.
Fang Zhengzhi did not look at the Crown Prince. He smiled at Shan Yu and said, "If I say yes, what will you do?"
"Wow!"
The crowd was in an uproar.
Because, Fang Zhengzhi actually said yes? Even if he had said 'if', he was still putting the blame on the Crown Prince.
Wasn't he a little too daring?
"Is he really trying to push the blame on the Crown Prince?"
"That's a capital offense!"
"But if he doesn't push the blame on the Crown Prince, it's still a capital offense!"
The crowd looked at each other with their eyes wide open.
The officials behind the Crown Prince were equally shocked. They were not shocked by Fang Zhengzhi's boldness, but by the fact that Fang Zhengzhi had no evidence …
He actually dared to say such a thing.
However, they did not say anything. Instead, they looked at Shan Yu and waited for her reply.
"What a glib tongue. How dare you accuse the Crown Prince?" Shan Yu was slightly taken aback, but she quickly replied.
"We will know once we investigate. Do you dare to investigate?" Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.
"Why not?"
"Okay, what if the Crown Prince really killed the Crown Prince?"
"If what you said is true, I, Shan Yu, will seek justice for the Southern Region even if I have to sacrifice my life. However, if you dare to lie to me, I will kill you right now!" Shan Yu's expression was fierce.
"Very well, as you say!" Fang Zhengzhi nodded and turned to look at Crown Prince Lin Tianrong. "Your Highness, should we investigate or not?"
"How dare you! Fang Zhengzhi, how dare you slander me? Do you know how serious a crime it is to sow discord between nations? "The Crown Prince could not hold back any longer.
He exploded when he heard Fang Zhengzhi's question.
He did not wait for the officials to speak.
"Your Highness, are you feeling guilty?" Fang Zhengzhi smirked when he saw the Crown Prince's reaction.
"Your Highness …"
"Your Highness, please don't be angered by his words!"
"That's right, he's just spouting nonsense. Why should Your Highness pay attention to him?"
The officials began to feel nervous when they saw the Crown Prince confront Fang Zhengzhi.
"Hmph, why would this prince feel guilty? This case has already been decided. You were the one who killed him, could it be that this prince has wrongly accused you?" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong did not look at the officials behind him. Instead, he stole a glance at Emperor Lin Mubai, who had his eyes closed. Then, he clenched his fists tightly.
"Your Highness, what evidence do you have?" Fang Zhengzhi asked.
"Evidence?" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong was stunned. Fang Zhengzhi's attempt on the life of the Southern Region Noblelite had already been concluded.
In terms of evidence, Fang Zhengzhi should be the one giving it to him, not the other way around.
However, after hearing Fang Zhengzhi's words, he still gritted his teeth.
"Su Qing, Lord Su, was the only witness at the scene. Furthermore, I was also stabbed by you. Both the witness and the material evidence are here. What else do you have to say?" Lin Tianrong said.
"I don't think that's right. Now that the Crown Prince is a suspect, according to the law, you can't be a witness, right? If that's the case, what evidence do you have? "Fang Zhengzhi continued to ask.
"Are you trying to argue?" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong was infuriated.
"The Empire has its laws. If there is only a witness, it cannot be considered an ironclad case. Am I wrong?" Fang Zhengzhi replied.
All of the officials' expressions changed when they heard this.
It was no longer possible to stop Crown Prince Lin Tianrong from confronting Fang Zhengzhi. On the other hand, as Fang Zhengzhi had said, once Crown Prince Lin Tianrong became a suspect, there would only be one witness to the murder of the Crown Prince.
In a situation where there was only one witness …
The case could not be closed.
However, who would suspect that the Crown Prince was the one who killed the Noblelite?
This was completely different from when the Ministry of Law had closed the case.
The officials were silent. Crown Prince Lin Tianrong gritted his teeth. How dare a commoner from a mountain village talk to him about the law?
To him, this was undoubtedly a form of provocation.
"Fang Zhengzhi, you say that the Crown Prince killed the Noblelite. If that is the case, what is the Crown Prince's motive? How could he kill someone without a motive? " One of the officials stepped forward when he saw Crown Prince Lin Tianrong's expression, then looked at Fang Zhengzhi and Shan Yu.
When the other officials heard the words of the courtiers, they all came to their senses. Their dim eyes quickly lit up.
"That's right, why would the Crown Prince kill the Noblelite? That doesn't make sense! "
"Official Li is right!"
"Without a motive, one cannot be a suspect. Fang Zhengzhi, you are trying to twist the facts. Do you think all of the officials are idiots?"
All of the officials stepped forward to question Fang Zhengzhi.
Crown Prince Lin Tianrong heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this. If not for the officials' reminder, he would have forgotten about this.
According to the law, one cannot be a suspect without a motive.
"Fang Zhengzhi, I almost fell for your trap!" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smirked. He had a motive to kill Shan Ling.
However …
However, this motive could not be spoken out.
Shan Ling was determined to become the Emperor.
Crown Prince Lin Tianrong would never allow him to continue being the Noblelite of the Southern Region. As such, he had wanted to kill Shan Ling the moment he saw him in the Iron Hill Settlement.
However, killing the Noblelite of the Southern Region was a big deal. Without a clear reason or a scapegoat, how could he kill him?
Fang Zhengzhi had given him a reason.
He had taken advantage of the Princess of the Southern Region!
Then, he had made use of Shan Ling's trust to push the blame onto Fang Zhengzhi. He had also used this opportunity to get rid of the Southern Region threat. He had killed three birds with one stone.
However, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong had never expected that Shan Ling would let Fang Zhengzhi go before he died.
Because of this …
Today's events had taken place.
"If we are talking about a motive, Fang Zhengzhi, you have the motive and reason to kill Shan Ling!" The official who had stepped forward spoke again.
The crowd nodded in agreement when they heard what the courtiers had to say.
Fang Zhengzhi was guilty of molesting Shan Yu.
That was a valid reason to kill Shan Yu. However, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong had no motive to kill Shan Yu. It was obvious who the real murderer was.
"Fang Zhengzhi, what else do you have to say?"
"You used Fang Zhengzheng's name to swindle people in the capital. Now that you have admitted to your crimes, where do you think you can run to?"
"Men, arrest the murderer of the Noblelite of the Southern Region!"
All of the officials began to speak when they saw Fang Zhengzhi's silence.
"Who dares?!" Ping Yang's voice rang out at this moment. Her gold-threaded red dress fluttered in the wind, and her clear eyes swept across the officials below.
"Your Highness, this matter is clear …"
"That's right, Your Highness, why are you protecting him?"
"A dynasty has its laws."
All of the officials knew that Ping Yang was domineering. However, how could they let Fang Zhengzhi off the hook so easily?
In less than 10 days …
The former Minister of Justice Wan Chong fell.
Then, he was sentenced to death. That was not all. Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was sent to jail. The Minister of War was detained at the Ten Mile Lake and two Law Ministers were sent to jail.
Everything that had happened told them everything …
Fang Zhengzhi had come prepared for this trip to the Flame Capital City.
No one knew who Fang Zhengzhi's next target was. However, they knew that without Fang Zhengzhi, they would be safe.
"Your Highness, please move aside. Young Master Yan … I don't think Prince Yan knows what you have done today." The officials began to press forward.
Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smirked coldly when he saw this.
In the court.
This wasn't something a commoner could handle. After operating for more than a year, his position in the court was already deeply rooted.
How could Fang Zhengzhi overturn him?
"Naive!" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong chuckled icily. He could already foresee Fang Zhengzhi's fate.
Once Fang Zhengzhi was sent to jail, he had at least a hundred ways to kill him.
Even though the current Minister of Law was Wen Chuan and not his trusted aide, Wan Chong.
They were bound together for good or ill.
As long as he was still the Crown Prince, Wan Chong's case and Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping's case would never be decided.
Shan Yu turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi, her eyes filled with anxiety. She could roughly guess Fang Zhengzhi's plan.
She had been following Fang Zhengzhi's plan.
However, just as they were about to succeed …
However, such an unforeseen event had occurred. This was something that she had not expected, and it was something that she had not anticipated.
"What should I do?" Shan Yu weighed the pros and cons. What would the Great Xia Dynasty do if she gave the order to kidnap Fang Zhengzhi?
Yan Xiu's body was shrouded in a red aura.
Streaks of red radiance flashed continuously between his fingers. He could naturally see Fang Zhengzhi's current situation, but Fang Zhengzhi had no intention of letting him participate in this plan.
In fact, Fang Zhengzhi did not even greet him when he walked out of the crowd.
As such, he had no way of knowing what Fang Zhengzhi's trump card was. He had no way of knowing if Fang Zhengzhi would be able to answer the questions of the officials.
"Indeed, I have a motive to kill, but the Crown Prince does not!" Fang Zhengzhi's voice rang out as he looked at the officials.
"Since you have already admitted to it, then surrender!"
"Do you want to see the princess and Young Master Yan disobey the laws of the court because of you?"
"This case has already been decided. There is no point in trying to deny it."
All of the officials smiled when they heard Fang Zhengzhi's words. They looked at Fang Zhengzhi as though he was a dead man.
At that moment, a figure walked out from the crowd. He was dressed in the robes of a Marquis, his eyes glimmering.
It was Chi Hou of the Divine Constabulary.
"Fang Zhengzhi, you have done well in the battle of the Southern Region. This is a fact that everyone knows. Even though you killed the Southern Region Noblelite because you were afraid of being convicted, if you are willing to confess and surrender, you will be forgiven by the King of the Southern Region!" Chi Hou's voice was loud and clear, reverberating through the entire palace.
When the crowd heard Chi Hou's words, they fell into deep thought. Just as Chi Hou had said, Fang Zhengzhi's contributions to the Southern Region were too great.
Even though Fang Zhengzhi had accidentally killed the Crown Prince of the Southern Region, it did not diminish his contributions to the Southern Region.
Furthermore …
The Queen of the Southern Region, Shan Yu, had said it herself.
She did not kill Fang Zhengzhi immediately because of his contributions to the Southern Region. This indirectly told everyone that Shan Yu had no intention of killing Fang Zhengzhi.
Crown Prince Lin Tianrong turned to look at Chi Hou, a cold glint in his eyes. In the eyes of the crowd, Chi Hou was trying to persuade Chi Hou to surrender.
But in reality, he was trying to give Fang Zhengzhi a chance to live.
"That's right, Fang Zhengzhi has made some contributions to the Southern Region. However, the law is cruel. Even I have to abide by it. He has to pay with his life. Furthermore, he killed the Noblelite of the Southern Region. Be it in terms of relations between the two nations, or in terms of governance, he has to be punished severely!" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong could not allow Fang Zhengzhi to live any longer.
"Your Highness, you are right. Without the law, there would be no country. Since ancient times, merits and demerits cannot be compared. Merits are merits and demerits are demerits. They cannot be compared."
"Yes, merits can be rewarded, but demerits must be punished!"
"Those who kill must pay with their lives. Even if the Queen of the Southern Region is magnanimous, the Great Xia cannot be so cold!"
The officials quickly stood up and followed the Crown Prince's lead.
Chi Hou frowned. Just as he was about to continue speaking, he suddenly saw Fang Zhengzhi's smile. It was a smile as bright as the sun.
"This fella, how can he still smile when he is about to die?" Chi Hou did not understand. Even though he did not know Fang Zhengzhi well, he did not want Fang Zhengzhi to die just like that.
At this moment, Fang Zhengzhi's voice was heard again.
"That's right, the murderer must pay. Without the law, there would be no country. Even if the Queen of the Southern Region is magnanimous, this matter must be dealt with severely!" Fang Zhengzhi smiled at the officials.
However …
Chi Hou was a little confused.
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