Rectification in the Kingdom . . .
The two officials, who had been hauled away, were now returned, their faces etched with astonishment as the king's words washed over them. It was a rarity for the king to retract a decree he had issued, and this unprecedented act filled them with gratitude they could hardly believe.
The king's profound voice resonated, "You two, return and ensure the well-being of those women. You were right. This time, I must confront my own guilt. When the case is thoroughly unraveled, I will publicly acknowledge my wrongdoing, exempt all taxes for five years, and provide restitution to the afflicted families. I shall do the utmost within my power."
Tears welled up in the eyes of the officials, and they collectively knelt, chanting, "Long live the king!"
While nothing could truly heal the grief of those who had lost their loved ones, the king's acknowledgment of fault served as a significant step towards closure. In the face of such heinous crimes, it was the best course of action.
"Minister Wang, please continue," the king urged.
Minister Wang, his voice trembling, revealed the vast sums that the Voluptuous Flower Building had amassed from the exploitation of these women: a staggering sixty-three billion silver. As he spoke, the officials were left stupefied, realizing the immense wealth reaped from such nefarious deeds.
"We must enact a law, inscribe this event into our annals, and etch it into the collective memory of every citizen in the Kingdom of Chen," declared the king. His resounding voice reverberated through the chamber. "This is the kingdom's greatest disgrace since its founding, a deep and abiding shame. The one responsible is none other than my own son. I, as his father, share in the blame."
In response, there was a heavy silence.
"A monument of shame shall be erected within the royal house," the king decreed. "I ordain that henceforth, every king, prince, and princess in the Kingdom of Chen shall study and remember this monument. It shall be recited aloud every month. Those who dare to commit such an abomination shall be punished without mercy. Second Prince's actions were unscrupulous and unforgivable. I decree that he is no longer a member of the royal family or a prince. From this moment on, he is a pariah in the annals of the Kingdom of Chen. His body shall be cast into the wilderness. He is no better than a beast."
But before the king could complete his decree, he gasped and expelled a gush of crimson.
—Puff!—
The immediate surroundings were tainted red with his blood.
"Your majesty!" the officials cried out in alarm.
"I am well," the king reassured them, though his voice was ragged. He raised his gaze, revealing the turmoil in his eyes. "I am merely overcome by anger at that son of mine. Releasing this blood has lightened my heart."
"Ever since I ascended the throne, I've wished for nothing but peace and happiness for my kingdom and its people. I longed for our land to be one of joy and prosperity. Little did I know that my own son had committed such loathsome deeds. I cannot fathom how many lives he has despoiled and how many places he has ruined. He must answer for his actions in the eyes of both men and the heavens. His transgressions are beyond absolution. I am both a king and a father, and I bear responsibility for this. I am also unforgivable. I decree that my fault is unforgivable."
The assembled officials maintained a solemn silence, their hearts heavy with a shared burden.
The king continued, "In the future, all who wear the crown of our lineage must never forget the lesson I offer today. Our kingdom is important, but the well-being of its people surpasses all. The throne is of the least concern. All the generations to come, in our royal line, must remember the suffering we endure today. This pain must be etched in our collective memory."
"Anyone who forgets this or disregards it shall find themselves abandoned by the heavens."
He then issued two historic decrees. The first involved his admission of wrongdoing and the steps he would take to make amends, a course of action the officials found just and commendable. However, the second decree was a thunderclap of surprise. The king was effectively condoning the assassins' actions and allowing them to act with impunity as long as they targeted those involved in the Voluptuous Flower Building case. Such a directive had no precedent in the kingdom's history.
Inside the kingdom, a mysterious force was on a killing spree. Over a hundred thousand lives had already been claimed, and the death toll continued to rise. In an astonishing twist, the king had issued a decree that effectively sanctioned these murderers. In the eyes of the law, they were no longer considered guilty of their actions.
Such a decree left many in shock and disbelief.
[What on earth was happening?]
No one dared to voice their opposition. Doing so would pit them against the populace, and worse, it might arouse suspicions that they were somehow connected to Second Prince and his illicit affairs. As a result, most chose to remain silent, uncertain of how to respond to this unprecedented situation.
The officials in the Ministry of Rites found themselves in a quandary. They were the ones responsible for transcribing the king's words onto paper. However, his statements had been brutally candid, and committing them to writing verbatim would sully the royal court's reputation in the eyes of the world. It was imperative to rephrase the king's words in a manner that conveyed his true intent without compromising the dignity of the royal court.
"The entire kingdom must unite in eradicating the malevolent influence of the Voluptuous Flower Building. We must ensure a fair trial and unrelenting pursuit of the truth. I shall not permit any flagrant criminal to escape justice!"
As the king continued, he reached a critical point, and the officials could sense a change in his tone.
"From this day forward, in the Kingdom of Chen, all establishments of ill repute..."
A hushed unease filled the chamber as officials exchanged furtive glances.
[Surely he isn't contemplating the closure of all such establishments throughout the kingdom? Is it because of his son's heinous deeds?]
This line of thought stirred deep apprehensions.
Brothels, while far from the epitome of elegance, played a significant role in society. They provided an outlet for leisure and recreation and were linked to the fortunes of many influential individuals. The closure of all brothels threatened to plunge the kingdom into chaos, potentially inciting rebellion among the disgruntled nobility and affluent citizens.
What's more, the sudden shutdown of brothels would cast countless women adrift with nowhere to turn. They would face the grim prospect of starvation, as few viable alternatives existed for them. Wars had already skewed the gender ratio in many kingdoms, leaving fewer men for each woman, and women were often in physically vulnerable positions.
"As for the brothels within the kingdom... we shall launch a comprehensive investigation. Anyone found forcing women into prostitution or engaging in human trafficking..."
The king, it appeared, had also contemplated this matter thoroughly. He hesitated for a moment and continued in a low voice, "Shall be subject to dismemberment and clan extermination."
The firmness of the king's words reflected the gravity of the situation.
"Furthermore, there shall be no room for Discipline Supervisors within the Kingdom of Chen moving forward. Any Discipline Supervisor discovered shall face immediate execution by dismemberment. Minister Li, you and your Ministry of Penalty are tasked with enforcing this decree. Should you fail to eliminate any of these individuals, the lives of your family shall pay the price."
The king's proclamation carried an aura of unyielding determination and an unambiguous message: he was resolute in his pursuit of justice, no matter the cost.