Since the Ling family was imprisoned, the emperor's desk had been piled high with memorials impeaching the Ling family.
The officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty had mixed feelings about the Ling family. With the Ling family around, no matter what under - hand tactics they played in private, they couldn't escape the Ling family's watchful eyes. As a result, officials at all levels in the Great Zhou Dynasty didn't dare to cross the line and only dared to test the boundaries.
However, if the Ling family disappeared, they didn't know who to turn to when the demonic beasts ran rampant.
So the appearance of the national preceptor replaced the Ling family. He could deal with the demonic beasts and also allowed them to cross the red line.
As soon as the Ling family fell from power, the officials couldn't wait for the emperor to strike with thunderous wrath and destroy the Ling family.
Among these memorials, the only one with a different content was the one right in front of him.
It was filled with words pleading for the Ling family. The author had tried to use a euphemistic tone to explain the importance and irreplaceability of the Ling family.
The memorial was signed by Wen Congyan.
Xiao Chengye didn't even know who Wen Congyan was. It was only because Wen Congyan had submitted several memorials pleading for the Ling family that he had someone investigate Wen Congyan's background.
This man came from a humble family. After much effort, he passed the imperial examination and entered officialdom. He was the second - ranked candidate in the second class of that year's imperial examination and now served in the Hanlin Academy.
The important positions in the court were monopolized by the sons of noble families. So it was already quite good for Wen Congyan to hold a medium - level position in the Hanlin Academy.
Xiao Chengye didn't believe that Wen Congyan had no powerful backer.
He had suspected that some prince was cultivating his own power. After much investigation, just when the clues were about to run out, he finally learned that it was his only daughter, Yuan Zhao, who was supporting Wen Congyan.
Following Wen Congyan's trail, he also dug out many officials from humble backgrounds who had all been recruited by Yuan Zhao.
Only then did Xiao Chengye realize that his only daughter had been doing so many things behind his back and had even formed her own power under the nose of her third elder brother.
He had underestimated his daughter after all...
After the farce at the execution ground, the prophecy left by Xue Ling had made the people in the capital city panic. They spent a nervous night like this.
The next day, the sky was gray, giving a feeling that a storm was coming.
The common people dared not go out because of the prophecy, and the streets looked desolate.
But after most of the day had passed and there was still no sign of anything happening on the street, some brave people began to think that Xue Ling's prophecy was just scaremongering. So they started going out. It wasn't until afternoon that the streets became bustling again.
The execution of the Ling family was still carried out in the afternoon. But this time, as soon as the members of the Ling family were escorted out of the prison, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the sky. Dark clouds loomed over them, so thick that it seemed they could be touched.
Lord Qin was still in charge of overseeing the execution. But seeing this situation, his heart skipped a beat.
The national preceptor was also there this time. He had to ensure that the execution of the Ling family could proceed as planned.
"National Preceptor... Look at the sky..."
The national preceptor forced himself to look calm and aloof. "Lightning and thunder are just natural phenomena. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Yes, yes, yes. I was out of line," Lord Qin said with a fawning smile, but rolled his eyes the next moment.
Who didn't know that after yesterday's incident, the national preceptor's authority had been greatly undermined in everyone's hearts. Now he was still putting on such an act. It was really hard to believe him.
Under his wide sleeves, the national preceptor's hands were tightly clasped together, and a thin layer of sweat had seeped into his palms.
He silently prayed that no one would cause trouble today. If it was just raining, he could still set up a barrier here and show the people a miracle. But if someone was causing trouble, he would have to take out his most powerful magic treasure.
When the members of the Ling family were escorted onto the execution platform, there was a loud thunderclap in the sky, and the rain poured down, drenching everyone onlookers and the national preceptor.
The national preceptor pressed the boundary stone in his hand and set up a barrier around the execution ground, blocking the rain outside.
The common people had never seen such a scene. The raindrops seemed to be blocked by something when they fell on the execution ground. The rainwater fell to the ground along a wide arc, without affecting the people in the execution ground at all.
"The national preceptor really has some skills. Look, this is simply a miracle!"
"What miracle? Don't show your ignorance. Even I know that the national preceptor must have set up a so - called barrier."
"Come on. If you're so good, go and set up a barrier. Don't just hold that tattered oil - paper umbrella."
"You...!"
The common people were chatting and excited, as if looking forward to what would happen next.
The branding punishment hadn't been completed yesterday, so it would continue today.
The five young members of the Ling family who had been punished yesterday were still the ones to be punished today. When they saw the executioner holding the red - hot branding iron towards their faces, they were calm, knowing that they couldn't escape today.
But they couldn't lose the dignity of the Ling family. So each of them held their heads high and showed no fear.
The executioner was a bit scared and just wanted to finish the task quickly. So the red - hot branding iron was only half - heated before it was hurriedly picked up and pressed towards the members of the Ling family.
But before the branding iron got close, a thick bolt of lightning fell from the sky, directly splitting the barrier set up by the national preceptor.
After splitting the barrier, another thick bolt of lightning fell, rushing straight towards the national preceptor. Even though he was prepared, the lightning still struck him, and Lord Qin beside him was also affected.
The national preceptor turned pitch - black from head to toe but managed to stand still.
Lord Qin wasn't so lucky. He fainted immediately after being struck by the lightning. It was unknown whether he was still alive.
The members of the Ling family on the execution platform were unharmed. The common people below saw it clearly and immediately knew that what Xue Ling had said yesterday was not false but true.
"The holy monk's prophecy has come true. Heaven is really protecting the Ling family!"
"Even the national preceptor has been struck by lightning. It seems that the Ling family is really wronged!"
"Please, Your Majesty, re - investigate the case of the Ling family and clear their name!"
The common people were in awe of the gods in the sky. So they all knelt on the ground and pleaded with the emperor to re - judge the Ling family's guilt because of the wrath of heaven.
The national preceptor let out a puff of white breath and stared fixedly at the lightning in the sky. As a cultivator with the cultivation base of a golden core, he naturally knew that the lightning and thunder in the sky were man - made, not the wrath of heaven.
But his cultivation was far from enough to break that magic treasure. He could only swallow this bitter pill.
In the same teahouse as yesterday, Yuan Zhao clapped her hands and laughed heartily, holding her stomach. She laughed at the national preceptor's embarrassment and at Lord Qin being struck by lightning.
"Lord Shen! Did you see that? I never thought in my life that the national preceptor and Lord Qin would end up like this. That tiny lightning - attracting bead could force these two people into such a sorry state. It's really ridiculous!"
As she laughed, tears welled up in Yuan Zhao's eyes. "It's so ridiculous. These fame - seeking people only care about their own interests. Father actually believes in them and is led around by the nose. Our Great Zhou is really going to decline!"