I Did It! . . .
"Only Ling-Bao Hall could perpetrate such a bloodshed and then seamlessly proceed to other locations for the creation of a reward warrant... removing suspicion flawlessly," the king stated.
Cha Eun Xiao's expression displayed a cold smile. "Am I correct in understanding, your majesty, that you seek to place blame on us for this conviction based on your statement?"
The king responded, "Monarch, you've misunderstood. I am not here to pass judgment today. My son committed grievous crimes for which he deserved to face death. How could I hold anyone to account? Ling-Bao Hall dispatched assassins to carry out a great service, benefiting both the kingdom and its people. There is no room for reproach."
Cha Eun Xiao countered, "It appears that you are insistent on attributing this to Ling-Bao Hall! While numerous powerful assassin organizations exist, how can you be so certain it was our doing? Isn't that somewhat hasty?"
"There may indeed be numerous potent assassin organizations, but none possess the same rectitude as Feng Monarch, who embodies a strong sense of justice and abhors wickedness to such an extent," the king asserted solemnly.
Cha Eun Xiao was taken aback.
"A strong sense of justice?"
"Me?"
"I possess no such sense of justice," he remarked. "I harbor no desire to be a hero. I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals, regardless of how unsavory the means may be. I will kill whomever I deem necessary to kill. Justice plays no part in it."
With a wry smile, he continued, "Your majesty, you are fixated on this matter. You are eager to ascertain the truth. If you believe that Ling-Bao Hall is responsible, then I shall confess to it. Very well. I killed Second Prince's entire family!"
As he uttered those words, he was reminded of the first time he encountered the king in Prince Hua-Yang's Palace.
The king displayed an open, magnanimous demeanor, filled with trust and belief in Cha Nantian.
Cha Eun Xiao had decided to reveal the truth. However, he played the part of a beleaguered individual, falsely admitting to a crime he had not committed.
He felt no true fear of being branded a criminal, whether as Feng Zhiling or Cha Eun Xiao. "Even if a confrontation ensues, what does it matter? At worst, I will escape."
"Who in this world could genuinely pose a threat to me?"
In reality, if Ling-Bao Hall turned against the Kingdom of Chen, it would only spell great trouble for the kingdom.
The king fixed his penetrating gaze upon Feng Monarch, sensing a sharp pain in his heart.
The murderer of his son sat before him, openly confessing. Yet, what recourse did he have? How could he avenge his son?
Could he, a king, exact retribution? He found himself wrestling with a sense of shame.
The king heaved a deep sigh and, in an expression of melancholy, closed his eyes. He murmured, "If I... If I were not a king, I would do whatever it took to avenge my son. Perhaps I might not succeed, but I would try."
"Though his actions were unforgivable and heinous, he was still my son. He shared my blood..."
"No one could blame me for seeking vengeance for my son. At most, they would accuse me of selfishness..."
"But I am a king."
"I can only... sigh and remain silent, burdened with shame."
The king let out a long, heavy sigh.
"I understand. I do," Cha Eun Xiao's eyes appeared sharp. "But I have a few words to say, especially since you've come here in person. If I were faced with the same situation, if I encountered someone like your son again... I would still eliminate them."
"In fact, you should be commended. My arrival was delayed, granting you additional years of happiness with your sons. I should have come much sooner and put an end to Second Prince's family, which would have saved countless innocent lives. However, that would have also deprived you of many years of your own happiness."
"Regardless, I will bring justice to those who deserve it."
"Even if it puts me at odds with the king, I will remain resolute."
The king spoke solemnly, "In truth, I would make the same choice. If I were to encounter someone who had committed such crimes, even if it were my own son, I would."
With those words, he fell silent, no longer able to contain his emotions. Tears silently traced down his face.
Cha Eun Xiao sighed. "Please don't be despondent, your majesty. Having a son like that is worse than not having one at all. Life is full of unpleasant choices. Even a king must make decisions he would rather avoid. By choosing to be a good king, you cannot simultaneously be a good father to such a wicked son."
The king's body trembled.
"By choosing to be a good king, you cannot be a good father to such a wicked son."
"That's right," the king said bitterly. "I should bear the blame."
Cha Eun Xiao's tone turned cold. "This time, Second Prince was ruthlessly slain. It was a brutal act, but it spared the kingdom from a major disaster. I believe you have conducted some investigations. You are aware of Second Prince's power. Though he operated in the shadows, he wielded tremendous influence."
"He who has heard the stringed melody knows its grandeur."
The king was deeply moved. He had indeed dispatched many agents to gather information. Prior to Second Prince's demise, despite losing support from the noble clan, he retained significant power. He possessed a top-tier Sky Origin Stage cultivator and many high-level cultivators in the Sky Origin Stage. His strength was nearly on par with Boundless Lake. Had Second Prince contended for the throne, the outcome remained uncertain, but one thing was clear—war and chaos would have engulfed the kingdom.
Cha Eun Xiao gently touched the ring on his finger and then smiled, albeit with a touch of anger and derision. "I was aware of your imminent arrival, so I prepared these."
With a splash, a stack of account books and records materialized, forming a small mountain before them.
"All the evidence is documented in these books. They outline Second Prince's initial actions and detail his reprehensible activities with young women in various cities, the money he accrued, and all his nefarious deeds. It is explicit and shocking."
"These records reveal his sins."
"Some of these women were the wives and sisters of soldiers who had been fighting on the battlefield." Cha Eun Xiao smiled with anger and a sneer. "The number exceeds one hundred thousand."