The Ze Tian Palace's main hall was filled with hundreds of officials. The Emperor, Qin Jin, sat on the dragon throne with a solemn expression. His hand was on the hilt of his sword and his expression was extremely ugly.
Lin Muyu's hands were tied and she was personally escorted into the main hall by Feng Jixing. The Holy Palace's battle robe on her body was still stained with blood. Some of it was hers, and some of it was Xiang Yu's. Behind her, Qin Lei and Xiang Yu also walked in, causing the officials to be dumbfounded.
…
"Tell me."
The Emperor, Qin Jin, looked at Lin Muyu coldly and said, "This Emperor specially pardoned you to join the Imperial Guard as a commoner. Why did you create such a disaster on your first day? Destroying the Nurturing Hall and releasing more than two hundred female soldiers, do you know how big of a crime this is? Lin Muyu, do you know your mistake? "
"I know my mistake." Lin Muyu readily admitted her mistake.
"Where did you go wrong?" The Emperor continued to ask.
Lin Muyu said indifferently, "You violated the military law."
"Since you know the military law, why did you release those two hundred female soldiers?" Qin Jin asked.
Lin Muyu raised her head, her gaze like a clear spring, and said, "Your Majesty, the female soldiers are also people and the daughter of an ordinary family. They shouldn't be treated like this. I know I violated the military law, but I don't think I did anything wrong. On the contrary, the military law is very wrong. Can raising female soldiers really increase the empire's combat power?"
"What did you say?"
Qin Jin raised his eyebrows, revealing a trace of anger.
The leader of the officials, Zeng Yifan, who was standing at the front, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Lin Muyu has no respect for the military law and should be executed immediately. The rules for female soldiers were personally set by the War God, Xiang Wentian, and they have been unimpeded in the army for so many years. This brat actually dared to question Xiang Wentian's foresight and even dared to contradict Your Majesty. This is simply disgraceful!"
Qin Jin said indifferently, "Official Zeng is right. Lin Muyu, what else do you have to say? "
Lin Muyu's heart sank. Did this Emperor really want to kill her?
"I have nothing to say."
He said calmly. He could not go against the Monarch anymore. A smart person should have a smart way of doing things. Instead of going against the Monarch here and getting killed, he might as well endure the humiliation and wait until he was strong enough to change all this unfairness.
"Minister, how should Lin Muyu be punished for her crime?" The Emperor asked.
The minister walked out slowly with a sinister smile on his face. He said, "Your Majesty, this person has committed a crime that should be punished. He should be executed in the Ze Tian Palace as a warning to others."
"Oh?" Qin Jin muttered to himself, but didn't say anything.
Feng Jixing hurriedly cupped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, Lin Muyu only violated the military law because he doesn't understand it. Moreover, his loyalty to the Qin family has never changed. This general believes that he shouldn't be punished with capital punishment."
Qin Lei also cupped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, this general also believes that Lin Muyu's crime shouldn't be punished. Your Majesty, please reconsider. The Empire is in need of people. Lin Muyu is skilled in both the pen and the sword. He can't be killed!"
Zeng Yifan sneered, "Do you think that our Qin Empire still needs a frivolous brat to lead the country? Your Majesty, this humble subject believes that Lin Muyu should be executed immediately. Otherwise, everyone will dare to disobey the military law. The Empire's army will collapse on its own. "
Minister Luo Xing cupped his fists and said, "This humble subject also believes that this person must be executed!"
Luo Xing's son, Luo Bin, was a deacon of the Spiritual Medicine Department. He had been injured by Lin Muyu before. It seemed that the stone that was thrown a long time ago had finally hit his head.
Qin Jin's expression was uncertain. Obviously, he didn't want to kill a talent like Lin Muyu. However, Zeng Yifan and Luo Xing were pressuring him. If he didn't kill him, it would definitely cause a backlash in the officials' hearts.
At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded from outside, "The Temple's Grand Deacon, Lei Hong, requests an audience!"
Before the voice even finished, Lei Hong had already entered the main hall, travel-worn. He waved his sleeves and cupped his fists, saying, "This old subject, Lei Hong, greets Your Majesty!"
"Elder Lei, you may rise!"
Qin Jin stood up and said very politely. It was enough to show how much he valued Lei Hong. He said, "Elder Lei, you must have come to the Ze Tian Palace for Lin Muyu's matter, right?"
Lei Hong nodded and said, "Yes, this old man is pleading on Lin Muyu's behalf."
Qin Jin said, "The officials want me to kill Lin Muyu, but Elder Lei is pleading on Lin Muyu's behalf. What do you expect me to do?"
Lei Hong's eyes shone brightly as he said, "Your Majesty, Lin Muyu's crime is nothing more than releasing more than two hundred concubines. He only saved two hundred women. What crime is there? Your Majesty, the empire has flourished for thousands of years. How many women have died in the tents? They were born of parents and are actually the same as us. This old man would like to ask the heavens, where is the justice and righteousness in the matter of the concubines? Your Majesty subdues people with virtue and your prestige spreads throughout the world. Could it be that Your Majesty has never questioned whether the existence of the concubines is reasonable or not? "
"Elder Lei, you …"
Qin Jin was slightly stunned. The power of Lei Hong's words was obviously not something that Lin Muyu could compare to. If even Lei Hong was questioning the matter of the concubines, then Qin Jin had no choice but to reconsider.
Lei Hong said indifferently, "Your Majesty, please forgive this old subject for speaking bluntly. Many of the concubines are young women, and some are even similar in age to Her Highness Yin. May I ask Your Majesty, if Her Highness Yin was reduced to being a concubine, as a father, what would Your Majesty think? Would you rescue those concubines like Lin Muyu? In this old subject's opinion, Lin Muyu is only doing something that others don't dare to do. She is not challenging the imperial authority or military law. "
Qin Jin pondered for a moment and sat down silently.
Zhen Yifan, however, sneered and said, "Great Deacon, you have quite a big tone. The strategy of the concubines was personally formulated by the founding Emperor, Qin Yi's God of War, Xiang Wentian. Our soldiers have gone on expeditions to the south and the north, relying on their blood and vigor. They have been away from home all year round and have never encountered a woman. They have risked their lives to charge and break through the enemy lines for the empire. Should we not give them the rewards they need after victory? This is the nature of lust. If we don't give them the concubines, are we going to allow our soldiers to force women from good families? "
Lei Hong said indifferently, "The concubine has always been an existence that distorts human nature. No woman is willing to become a concubine, and the majority of the concubines in the empire's army are women who have been forced into it. The Emperor has bestowed grace upon the world, so why can't he bring some grace to these pitiful women?"
Minister Luo Xing sneered and said, "It's easy for Great Deacon to say. If the concubines are removed, I'm afraid the soldiers in the barracks will be in turmoil. When the time comes, the army will start a mutiny. Will Great Deacon bear this responsibility?"
Lei Hong's voice turned cold as he said sternly, "Will a mutiny occur in an army without women? If that's the case, then the empire's survival is already at hand! "
"Lei Hong, watch your words!" Minister Luo Xing shouted, "Don't think that you can be so insolent just because you're a third-generation doyen. The Emperor is above, and everything here is decided by the Emperor himself. It's not your turn yet!"
Lei Hong smiled faintly, "Minister Luo Xing, your tone is really big …"
At this time, the Emperor Qin Jin's voice sounded, "My dear ministers, please stop arguing."
Everyone looked at the Emperor, and Minister Luo Xing said respectfully, "I wonder if His Majesty has a verdict?"
Qin Jin nodded and said, "Considering that this is Lin Muyu's first offense, and that he once saved Xiao Yin's life in the Dragon Seeking Forest, he can be spared from death. But while he can be spared from death, he cannot escape punishment. Minister Zhenqing, can you think of a surefire way to punish Lin Muyu?"
Zeng Yifan pondered for a moment and said, "Why don't we … send him into the Tower of Babel?"
"The Tower of Babel?"
Lei Hong's body trembled, and his gaze became fierce as he said angrily, "Zeng Yifan, why don't you go into the Tower of Babel yourself? His Majesty has pardoned Lin Muyu's death sentence, but if you send him into the Tower of Babel, he will still die! "
Zeng Yifan said, "That will depend on his luck. Moreover, no one has been sent into the Tower of Babel for seven years, who knows what has happened inside. As long as Lin Muyu survives for a month in the Tower of Babel, then all his crimes will be pardoned. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Qin Jin nodded and said, "Approved, Minister Zhenqing will send Lin Muyu into the Tower of Babel. If he can survive for a month, then he will be reinstated as a Royal Guard."
Feng Jixing hurriedly cupped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, please reconsider. The Tower of Babel is filled with demons, how can a mortal survive for a month in the Tower of Babel? Your Majesty … please let Yu go!"
Qin Jin said faintly, "I have already made up my mind, General Feng need not say anything more. Guards, send Lin Muyu into the Tower of Babel. Send food and water to the Tower once every three days. In addition, send 100 people from the Imperial Guards, Royal Guards, and Military Police Battalion to guard the Tower of Babel. If Lin Muyu is really lucky, then he will naturally come back alive to see me."
Lin Muyu raised his head and looked at the already aging Emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, although I don't know what kind of place the Tower of Babel is, if I come back alive, are you willing to consider banning the existence of female soldiers?"
Qin Jin was slightly startled, and his voice was very soft, "Let's talk about it when you come back alive! Guards, escort him to the Tower of Babel. "
… …
Several Temple Warriors from the Ze Tian Palace walked forward, twisting Lin Muyu's hands as they walked out of the main hall. Feng Jixing, Qin Lei, and Lei Hong also followed after them. Feng Jixing's face was ashen, and he said, "This is bad … this is bad …"
"Big Brother Feng, what kind of place is the Tower of Babel?" Lin Muyu asked.
Feng Jixing gritted his teeth and said, "The Tower of Babel is a tower so high that the top cannot be seen, and it is located in the ruins to the north of the imperial capital. It is said that there are many things that are neither human nor ghost living in the tower, and it is impossible for a living person to come back alive. Many of the martial artists in the empire who have committed serious crimes have been sent into the Tower of Babel, but not a single one has come back alive. It is said that some people who have entered only to see piles of bones."
Lin Muyu was silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Maybe I am lucky?"
Lei Hong said, "Foolish brat, no matter how lucky you are, you won't be able to walk out of the Tower of Babel alive. At that time, there were two experts with the strength of the Sanctuary who entered the Tower of Babel, and their corpses were found in the end. Do you think you are lucky?"
Qin Lei held the Burning Prairie Sword and handed it over to Lin Muyu, and said, "Brother, you must come out alive!"
… …
Lin Muyu looked at Feng Jixing and Qin Lei, and couldn't help but feel a little emotional, and said, "If I really can't come back alive, then we can only be brothers in our next life."
Feng Jixing's eyes reddened, and he turned around, "No, you can come back alive."
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