Under the ancient Chinese imperial power structure, once the emperor publicly declares someone as a "rebellion," it often means that the person has been sentenced to death. Because the emperor holds the highest authority and the final decision-making power, and "rebellion" is the most serious political crime, once such a designation is made, interrogation and defense are usually just procedural steps rather than the true determinants of life or death. Often, the issue is not whether the person actually revolted, but whether the emperor has already lost trust in or become suspicious of them; when such suspicion forms, the emperor's will alone is enough to determine the outcome. Historically, even those with outstanding contributions like Han Xin were ultimately executed on charges of rebellion; Zhu Yuanzhang carried out large-scale purges of meritorious officials during the Hu Lan case; and the literary inquisition during the Yongzheng Emperor's reign also reflects a power logic where "designation" precedes facts. Therefore, in a system with highly centralized imperial authority, once the emperor labels someone as a rebel, the individual almost loses the possibility of changing their fate through explanation, and life or death depends more on the monarch's will than on the facts of the case itself.