AWB Chapter 893 Death-Free Gold Medal
Chapter 893 Death-Free Gold Medal
The guards immediately stepped forward and tied up the Third Prince.
Upon seeing this, the imperial guards who had accompanied the Third Prince into the palace realized that all was lost and threw down their weapons to surrender.
The Third Prince knelt on the ground, still somewhat dazed, not understanding why he had lost so quickly.
The emperor closed his eyes briefly and gave the order.
"Shen Kuo, throw all the traitors who followed the Third Prince in this rebellion into prison to await their fate. As for the rest, those who surrender will not be killed."
"Yes," Shen Kuo replied and left.
The Third Prince seemed to wake from a dream, and, kneeling with his head up, took a few steps forward, pleading, "Father, Father, I was confused, I was confused for a moment, Father, please spare my life!"
The Third Prince kowtowed desperately, but his upper body was bound, making it difficult for him to move, and he almost fell to the ground.
The guards rushed forward and pinned him down.
The emperor waved his hand, "Drag him aside first."
The emperor looked at the ministers still kneeling in the Hall of Diligent Governance, and Lu Wei and others who had come to his rescue, and said, “You have rendered meritorious service in saving my life and should be rewarded accordingly. I hereby issue the decree that the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review may retire to his hometown, and Ying Xun shall be promoted to the new Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and Lu Wei shall be promoted to the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.”
Lu Wei hurriedly knelt down to express his gratitude, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
The emperor also bestowed titles and rewards upon the military officers who had come with Shen Kuo.
After bestowing rewards upon the individuals, the emperor turned to Sheng Junyi and said, "Second Master Sheng, you deserve the greatest credit for capturing the rebels this time. Tell me, what reward do you desire?"
Sheng Junyi knelt down, saying, "This humble subject dares not take credit for anything."
"Merit deserves reward, especially since this is a great one. If you hadn't arrived in time, I fear I would have died at the hands of this rebellious son." The Emperor stared at Sheng Junyi, pondered for a moment, and then spoke meaningfully, "What do you think of the title of Duke of Sheng that His Highness the Third Prince just offered you?"
"This humble subject dares not. I humbly beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree. My father falsely accused a loyal official, a crime that cannot be forgiven. Your Majesty's decision to strip the Duke of Sheng of his title and redress the injustice done to the loyal official is a righteous act. If I were to claim the title in exchange for my merit, it would truly be my fault," Sheng Junyi respectfully refused.
"Then, how about I appoint you as the commander of the Imperial Guards?" the emperor asked after thinking for a moment.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am but a recluse, unworthy of such a great responsibility. I only beg Your Majesty to allow me to atone for my father's sins by serving as the vanguard of the Northern Expedition, fighting on the battlefield to comfort the spirits of those who died unjustly in Chenzhou. I will die without regret." Sheng Junyi bowed deeply.
"You want to join the army?" The emperor stared at Sheng Junyi with an ambiguous expression.
"Your Majesty, please grant my request," Sheng Junyi pleaded again.
"With your merits, it's not impossible for you to exchange them for a pardon for your father's death sentence. Your accusation against your father was for the greater good, and exchanging your merits for his pardon is also a matter of duty as a son, which the world will understand. Tell me, what are your thoughts?" the emperor asked.
"I believe that as Your Majesty's subject, Father should set an example and punish crimes accordingly." Sheng Junyi had no intention of pleading for his father, but only pleaded, "I have another matter to ask Your Majesty."
"tell me the story."
"My father's actions were not the responsibility of the Sheng clan. However, the Sheng clan has benefited from my father's title and should share in his honor and disgrace. I beg Your Majesty's permission for the Sheng clan to return to their hometown and reflect on their actions. I wish to use my merit today to ask Your Majesty to grant the Sheng clan a pardon from death, to protect our clan members," Sheng Junyi earnestly requested.
"Have you thought this through? In my Great Zhao Dynasty, the 'golden token of immunity' may exempt you from the death penalty, but the crime itself is unforgivable." The emperor looked at Sheng Junyi.
"This humble subject thanks Your Majesty."