Ji Mingchen roared, "You treacherous, scheming little man, defrauding your sovereign and wagging your tongue... You old villain, you deceived His Majesty, and that is what brought the Great Xuan to this state.

Traitor, you'll die a miserable death! You'll be nailed to the pillar of shame in history and stink for ten thousand years!"

Li Zhixing roared right after him, "Your Majesty, this old subject will gladly suffer the punishment of a thousand cuts, and asks only that Your Majesty put to death Zong Sibo, this old villain who has brought ruin on the state and misery on its people."

Zong Sibo ground his teeth. "You offend against your superiors and affront the majesty of Heaven," he said furiously, "and you still have the nerve to stand here and turn black into white.

Every civil and military official at court knows the three of you are thick as thieves with that traitor Ning Chen... Killing this old man is plainly your way of helping Ning Chen cut off His Majesty's right arm. You have evil designs.

Your Majesty, these three are guilty of rank treason. They meant to help Ning Chen murder Your Majesty. The crime is past forgiving. I ask Your Majesty to punish them severely!"

The De Emperor's eyes went vicious.

For Ning Chen, Ning Chen again... Why does everyone take Ning Chen's side?

Zong Sibo knew exactly how the De Emperor's mind worked. Mention Ning Chen, and jealousy turned the De Emperor's brain into an ornament.

"Kill them! Behead these three traitors and rebels in front of the whole city for this emperor!"

"No..." The Xuan Emperor went white. "They are pillars of the Great Xuan. You absolutely must not!"

(TL Note: 股肱之臣, literally "ministers who are the thighs and arms," the ministers a ruler cannot do without.)

Cruelty in his eyes, the De Emperor was about to speak when the common people below the wall began shouting, "Don't kill them! The three lords are good men! You can't kill them..."

The common people's reasoning was simple. If a ruler as kind as the Xuan Emperor…