Xiang Yu knelt in the grand hall, his fingers deftly unbuttoning his silk shirt, ready to receive his punishment. As he did so, one of the councillors stepped forward, kowtowing deeply. "Your majesty, this this, the crown prince won't be able to bear it. Please, have mercy."
Another councillor quickly followed suit, his voice pleading. "Yes, your majesty, please be magnanimous. His Highness is your son, after all."
The Imperial Lord's gaze was fierce as he stared down at his son. The other councillors, who secretly loathed Xiang Yu and deemed him too weak and foolish to inherit the throne, wore expressions of feigned sadness, though inwardly, they were pleased.
Peng Xiu found herself torn. She wanted to see Xiang Yu beaten half to death, but she also wanted to take Han Xin away from him. She stepped forward, her voice smooth. "Father, brother can't withstand this punishment. Why not bring his—" Her voice faltered as she met Han Xin's gaze in the crowd.
