DLERB -Chapter 3 The Evidence of Crime Is Overwhelming — And You Still Dare to Kneel?

Li Si felt as if his head were about to split in two.

He glanced at the headless corpse on the floor, then at Ying Ziye, who was sitting on the dragon throne swinging his little legs.

Begin the court session?

How was this court session supposed to begin now?!

The blood had already flowed to the center of the hall!

“Chancellor, are your ears failing too?”

Ying Ziye tilted his little head and looked innocently at Li Si.

Li Si’s body stiffened.

He took a deep breath and was just about to speak—

“Wait!”

A furious shout interrupted him.

Chunyu Yue finally snapped out of his shock.

Just now, he had actually been led astray by the absurd words of an eight-year-old child!

What did he mean by “What’s wrong with killing someone?”

This was the Great Qin imperial court!

Not some butcher’s market in the streets!

If today’s matter were allowed to pass just like this, where would the dignity of the Confucian scholars go? Where would the laws of Great Qin go?

“Ninth Young Master!”

Chunyu Yue stepped forward, his graying beard trembling with anger.

“You are still young and ignorant. This old minister can understand that.”

“But a life for a life, and debts must be repaid—these are the principles of heaven itself!”

“Lord Yan Le is an official of the imperial court, favored by His Majesty’s grace. Even if you are a prince, you cannot execute someone without trial or judgment!”

As Chunyu Yue took the lead, a large group of Confucian scholars behind him dropped to their knees with a rustling sound.

“Please, Ninth Young Master, give an explanation to the people of the world!”

“Otherwise, we shall remain kneeling forever!”

Their voices thundered through the hall.

The entire Qilin Hall buzzed from the noise.

This was the method of the Confucians.

Forcing the palace’s hand!

They could do nothing against the First Emperor, but could they not pressure an eight-year-old child?

Li Si’s brows twisted tightly into a deep frown.

Things had escalated badly.

These scholars usually knew nothing beyond reciting empty classics, but when it came to disgusting and pressuring others, they were undoubtedly number one in Great Qin.

Everyone’s eyes focused on the dragon throne.

They wanted to see how this eight-year-old regent prince would handle the situation.

Would he be frightened into tears?

Or bow his head and admit fault to these old ministers?

Ying Ziye sat upon the enormous dragon throne, looking incredibly small.

He stopped swinging his legs.

Resting his chin on one hand, he curiously looked at the crowd kneeling below.

“You people are so noisy.”

Ying Ziye muttered softly.

His voice was not loud.

But in the silent hall, it sounded exceptionally clear.

Chunyu Yue’s old face flushed the color of pig liver.

Noisy?

They were loyally serving the nation, and this child actually found them noisy?

“Ninth Young Master! This old minister is teaching you the way of a ruler!”

Chunyu Yue beat his thigh as he wailed in grief and indignation.

“If His Majesty were here, he would never allow you to behave so recklessly! If Great Qin falls into your hands, I fear it will perish by the second generation!”

Those words were extremely harsh.

He was practically pointing at Ying Ziye’s nose and calling him the ruler who would destroy the nation.

Li Si’s expression changed drastically.

“Lord Chunyu, mind your words!”

But Ying Ziye suddenly laughed.

“Hehe.”

The crisp voice of a child sounded strangely out of place within the solemn grand hall.

“Old man, what did you just say Yan Le was? Some kind of court official?”

Chunyu Yue straightened his back and declared righteously,

“That’s right! Lord Yan Le has worked diligently and faithfully for Great Qin—”

“Alright, alright, stop bragging already.”

Ying Ziye waved his little hand impatiently, cutting off his long speech.

Then he reached into his oversized sleeve and rummaged around.

Everyone stared at his movements.

No one knew what he was trying to do this time.

Could he be hiding another sword?

Quite a few people instinctively shrank their necks backward.

That strike earlier had simply been too fast and too ruthless.

Finally—

Ying Ziye pulled out a bamboo scroll.

There were even a few grease stains on it, as though he had just used it to rest a chicken drumstick.

“Here.”

Ying Ziye casually tossed it forward.

Smack.

The bamboo scroll struck Chunyu Yue squarely on the forehead before rolling onto the ground.

Covering his forehead, Chunyu Yue was both shocked and furious.

“Ninth Young Master, what do you mean by this? Are you humiliating this old minister?!”

Ying Ziye could not even be bothered to look at him.

“Read it.”

He casually pointed at a golden-armored guard standing at the front.

The guard froze for a moment and glanced at Li Si.

Li Si nodded grimly.

Only then did the guard nervously walk over and pick up the scroll from the ground.

He had barely read two lines before—his face instantly turned pale, and the hand holding the scroll began trembling violently.

“Read it. Didn’t you eat today or something?”

Ying Ziye urged impatiently.

The guard swallowed hard and began reading aloud in a trembling voice:

“In the thirty-sixth year of the First Emperor, Yan Le secretly colluded with former Zhao nobles and illegally sold three thousand jin of military-grade refined iron, profiting ten thousand gold coins…”

Boom!

The moment the first charge was read out, the entire court exploded into uproar.

Selling military iron?

That was aiding the enemy! That was treason!

The anger on Chunyu Yue’s face froze instantly.

His mouth hung open. The words he had just used to defend Yan Le were now stuck in his throat, unable to come out or go back down.

The guard’s voice continued, growing louder and steadier as he read:

“In the thirty-seventh year of the First Emperor, Yan Le embezzled funds allocated for repairs to the Lishan Mausoleum, causing seven hundred convict laborers to starve to death…”

“In the same year, he abducted thirteen civilian women into his residence by force. Five were abused to death, their bodies buried in a dry well in the rear garden…”

“In the thirty-eighth year of the First Emperor…”

One by one.

Case after case.

Every charge was horrifying!

Any single one of those crimes was enough to have Yan Le executed ten times over!

The great hall fell into complete silence.

Only the guard’s voice reading the charges echoed through the chamber.

The officials who had just knelt together with Chunyu Yue to pressure the throne were now drenched in cold sweat, wishing they could bury their heads between their legs.

They had actually pleaded for mercy on behalf of a heinous traitor to the nation?

If this reached the ears of the First Emperor, even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to save them!

Li Si’s expression also changed.

He knew Yan Le’s hands were dirty—after all, he was Zhao Gao’s man.

But Li Si had never imagined Yan Le was rotten to this extent!

He had even dared to sell military-grade iron!

This was no longer mere corruption.

This was digging at the very foundation of Great Qin!

“Enough!”

Chunyu Yue suddenly shouted.

He could not endure it anymore.

Every charge the guard read felt like a fierce slap across his old face.

Just moments ago, he had confidently called Yan Le a “loyal minister” and “diligent servant of the state.”

Now this list of crimes was like throwing the honor of the Confucian school onto the ground and stomping on it!

“T-This must be forged!”

With bloodshot eyes, Chunyu Yue made one final desperate struggle.

“For the sake of escaping punishment, Ninth Young Master, you actually fabricated evidence and slandered a high official! Your crime is even greater now!”

He refused to believe it!

How could an eight-year-old child, secluded within the palace all day, obtain such detailed evidence?

Even the exact dates and amounts were perfectly recorded!

Ying Ziye sat on the dragon throne, watching the hysterical Chunyu Yue below.

The smile on his little face slowly disappeared.

In its place—was a cold indifference that sent chills down people’s spines.

“Forged?”

Ying Ziye stood up.

His tiny body standing atop the towering dragon platform somehow gave everyone the oppressive feeling of Mount Tai collapsing upon them.

“You old fool.”

“Do you think that just because my imperial father isn’t here, nobody can deal with people like you anymore?”

Ying Ziye slowly walked down the steps.

He walked very slowly.

But every step felt as though it were stomping directly onto the hearts of the assembled ministers.

He stopped in front of Chunyu Yue.

Less than three feet separated them.

Looking at the child who barely reached his waist, Chunyu Yue found himself unable to stop wanting to retreat.

Those pitch-black eyes contained none of a child’s innocence.

Only an endless abyss.

“These things were delivered overnight by the Black Ice Terrace.”

Ying Ziye spoke calmly.

“Would you like to go inspect their authenticity inside a Black Ice Terrace prison?”

The moment the words “Black Ice Terrace” were spoken—

Chunyu Yue’s entire body went limp, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

That was the First Emperor’s personal intelligence and secret police organization—the most terrifying force in Great Qin!

If the Black Ice Terrace had uncovered this evidence, then there could be absolutely no mistake!

So… His Majesty had known all along?

Then today’s killing by the Ninth Young Master—could it have been ordered by the Emperor himself?

At that thought, everyone felt a cold chill creeping down the backs of their necks.

If all of this had truly been arranged by the First Emperor—then their actions just now amounted to openly defying an imperial command!

Ying Ziye no longer bothered looking at the ashen-faced Chunyu Yue.

He turned around to face the civil and military officials filling the hall.

Pointing his little hand at Yan Le’s still-bleeding corpse on the floor, he spoke in a childish voice overflowing with killing intent:

“The evidence of his crimes is piled as high as mountains, right before your eyes.”

“Who was it just now that called him a loyal minister?”

“Step forward.”

“Let me see who else wants to go down there and keep him company.”

The hall fell deathly silent.

No one dared move.

Even their breathing became deliberately subdued.

The once-aggressive Confucian faction now resembled a flock of quails with their throats tightly gripped.

Who would dare step forward?

At a moment like this, stepping out would mean being Yan Le’s accomplice!

A traitor to the nation!

Someone deserving extermination of all nine familial clans!

Ying Ziye’s gaze swept across every face present.

Anyone who met his eyes instinctively looked away, not daring to make eye contact.

Finally—his gaze settled upon the Confucian scholars who were still kneeling on the ground.

The corners of his lips curled upward slightly, revealing two tiny canine teeth.

“Why aren’t you talking anymore?”

“Weren’t you all pretty eloquent just now?”

“Still planning to kneel forever?”

Ying Ziye walked up to the Confucian scholar kneeling the straightest and lightly kicked him with his little foot.

Thud!

The scholar’s entire body went limp with fright, and he collapsed onto the floor.

A foul smell spread from beneath him.

He had actually wet himself from fear!

Ying Ziye covered his nose in disgust and took two steps back.

“So useless.”

He turned back toward Li Si, impatience written all over his little face.

“Chancellor, this place is way too dirty now. It reeks because of these people.”

“Clean it up.”

“Throw all these messy people out. They’re annoying to look at.”

Watching everything unfold before him, stormy waves had already risen in Li Si’s heart.

Was this truly something an eight-year-old child could accomplish?

First using brute force to intimidate, then provoking them with words, and finally producing irrefutable evidence to seal the matter completely!

Every step connected perfectly with the next!

He had toyed with these usually arrogant Confucian scholars as though they were in the palm of his hand!

How could this possibly be some spoiled brat?

This was clearly someone born to be an emperor!

“This old minister… obeys your command!”

Li Si bowed deeply.