The Emperor's words caused not only Ding Yun's face to turn grim, but also many courtiers present to look displeased.
This was because they generally felt the proposed action was overly humiliating.
After all, she was still a princess of a nation.
Even though she was effectively abandoned and sent for a political marriage, such a humiliating act was inappropriate. What was the difference between this and stripping a foreign envoy and parading them through the streets?
If this matter were to get out.
With what face could they claim to be moral and civilized?
Furthermore, in the current era, nations generally adhered to a tacit understanding of not pushing things to the absolute extreme. Even when conquering a nation, they would not extinguish its lineage, always leaving a piece of land for the defeated royal family to perform ancestral rites.
Thus, they would naturally not engage in utter extermination.
Towards envoys and princesses sent for marriage alliances, some degree of dignity would be preserved. The general tacit bottom line was that envoys and princesses could die, whether from illness or sudden demise, but they must not die from humiliation. After all, this concerned national prestige.
Therefore, Du Kui immediately stepped forward to intervene.
"Your Majesty, this cannot be done. Such an action is discourteous.
Your Majesty's desire for Princess Anping to be pure and untouched, I can understand, but an examination should be conducted in a private chamber. Conducting an examination in the open court is utterly absurd. I implore you to retract the order.
Furthermore, this matter must not be leaked.
Otherwise, it may harm Your Majesty's reputation."
While such an act could humiliate Zhao country to a certain extent, it would also reflect poorly on Wei country's reputation.
It was purely a case of harming the enemy while also hurting oneself.
Although Emperor Wei had committed absurd acts before, they had always been suppressed or he had been persuaded against them.
However, engaging in such overt mischief was quite rare. How could a minister not try to dissuade him? Of course, the most important thing was that this Princess Anping was brought back by him.
Even if Emperor Wei merely intended to humiliate her.
If the final action harmed Emperor Wei's reputation, the blame would inevitably fall upon Princess Anping, and by extension, upon him, the one who brought Princess Anping back.
Therefore, even for his own sake.
Du Kui had to step forward and intervene quickly.
"Since it will be fine as long as it is not leaked, then what is the harm? Are there any here who dare to defy my decree and spread what happened today?"
"Princess Anping, she is nothing but a lustful and audacious slut. She was restless on the journey here, even daring to seduce my son to beg for your leniency!
Du Kui, could it be that you are also involved with her?"
As Emperor Wei spoke, the attitudes of the officials present changed again. From being ready to dissuade him, they turned to look at Ding Yun and Du Kui with amusement. Some even began to size them up, and no one else offered any more advice.
At this moment, both Ding Yun and Du Kui were somewhat bewildered.
However, they were not foolish. After a moment of thought, they roughly understood the situation. This matter likely had something to do with the Fourth Prince. It was highly probable that he, in a moment of naive sympathy, felt that Ding Yun, this princess, was quite pitiable and specifically went to plead with his father. Then, whether due to his lack of eloquence or some other reason.
His father might have misunderstood.
Misunderstood that Ding Yun had been intimate with him on the journey.
If one's own son was spared, then Ding Yun, the one who had sinned, would naturally be punished. In the interim, there might have been the Fourth Prince's mother, the Imperial Noble Consort, whispering into his ear.
It must be said, this was a case of misfortune striking from nowhere.
Dou E was never this wronged.
Having understood the situation, Ding Yun remained standing calmly. She was not afraid. Although she was not Sun Wukong now, Emperor Wei was not the Jade Emperor either. Causing a ruckus in the palace was still an easy matter.
What was there to fear?
Ding Yun was unafraid, but Du Kui was afraid. After understanding the specific reason, he couldn't help but curse the Fourth Prince inwardly while also hastily trying to explain.
"Your Majesty, I am wronged.
But I dare to guarantee that I, along with the Fourth Prince..."
"Enough, I do not wish to hear any of your defenses. Go for the examination. If you are not pure, you shall be executed on the spot!"
Emperor Wei clearly did not want to listen to Du Kui's defenses. With an order, several conveniently prepared elderly female attendants stepped forward, intending to subdue Ding Yun for the examination.
At this moment, Ding Yun naturally would not surrender meekly.
"What makes you think, this princess is so easy to bully? Originally, I wouldn't have minded staying here and playing along, but I didn't expect you to bring this upon yourself."
After uttering these words, which made the assembled officials wonder if the princess had gone mad, Ding Yun stomped her foot. The stomp not only cracked the floor beneath her but also, using the impact, she leaped as if flying, reaching Emperor Wei's side in an instant and lifting him with one hand.
The speed was so great that the imperial guards hadn't even reacted before the Emperor of Wei was in her grasp.
"An examination on the spot, was it?
Heh heh, I just so happen to want to examine you as well..."
With that, Emperor Wei's clothes were torn off by Ding Yun in a few swift movements, leaving him completely naked.
Without clothes, Ding Yun could only awkwardly grip his scruff. As the guards beside him moved to rescue him, she stomped on the ground again. While holding Emperor Wei, she rapidly maneuvered around the pillars and beams of the palace.
Destroying critical structural points.
Then, still holding Emperor Wei, she charged out of the grand hall.
Simultaneously, those behind her who had just reacted and hadn't managed to escape the hall were buried beneath it as it collapsed a moment later. Whether they suffered broken limbs or met their end was a matter of personal luck.
"Spare... spare my life..."
It must be said, Ding Yun's actions earlier were truly appalling and incredibly swift. Emperor Wei was so stunned that he only reacted now, begging for mercy.
"Begging for mercy now.
Don't you think it's a bit late? Don't worry, I won't let you die a pathetic death. I will definitely let you die gloriously, renowned throughout the land, and remembered for eternity!"
Since the other party enjoyed examinations so much, she might as well take him out and let the people of Wei examine him. With a cold chuckle, she uttered these words, no longer listening to his pleas. Still holding him, she continued to stomp and leap, and within a short while, she arrived at the city gates.
After that, she naturally broke Emperor Wei's neck and hung him at the city gates before quickly departing again.
Back and forth, it didn't even take ten minutes.
At this time, the officials hadn't even climbed out of the palace ruins, and no one at the city gates had seen the Emperor, let alone the Emperor wearing his new clothes. Thus, no one pursued Ding Yun, or rather, even if they did, they couldn't catch up.
Instead, the citizens who gathered to gawk at the corpse at the city gates.
Came in endless streams...
As for where Ding Yun went?
Naturally, she continued to the imperial palace to plunder some more.
Sun Wukong caused havoc in Heaven, and he didn't even meet the Jade Emperor, yet he still managed to get some immortal peaches and elixirs. She had already killed the Emperor, would leaving empty-handed not be too much of a loss?
Even if she didn't possess the "Sleeve Universe" ability, she still had great strength, and carrying things weighing a thousand or eight hundred pounds was not difficult at all.