Chapter 32: Joys and sorrows
Zhong Jian's heart was as mired as a quagmire, and he did not utter a word.
Gu Mengzhen's complicated emotions were like dark clouds covering the sun and rumbling thunder.
"The late emperor treated me with great respect and kindness."
"I am grateful and always want to repay you."
"If it weren't for your instigation, I would have been a loyal and devoted minister."
"The ancestors of the Gu clan will not lose their prestige and be disgraced for generations."
"It's you who brought shame to our Gu family!"
"It's you who made me do all these evil things!"
"You betrayed the late emperor, flattered Xingliang, exterminated all the Yan people, and put the people in a state of chaos. These acts of rebellion were all unintentional mistakes on my part."
"In fact, the one who has been plotting rebellion has always been you!"
"I have done my utmost to keep you here until now."
The memories are still vivid in my mind.
Zhong Jian suppressed his heartache, but remained silent and his vision blurred.
Finally, the look of respect disappeared completely.
"If that's the case, why did the emperor occupy the throne for twenty-two years and refuse to abdicate to Prince Dijin?"
"Is it really because Prince Di Jin is unwilling to take the throne out of consideration for his brotherly love?"
"I still remember when the Grand Commandant Gu Mengzhen ascended the throne,"
"With awe-inspiring righteousness, I declare to the world that when Prince Di Jin has grown out of his immaturity and is old enough to take charge of his own affairs, I will abdicate the throne."
"For the past twenty-two years, Lord Gu has been saying 'Forever a Servant of Yan'."
"I originally thought that Lord Gu was just being hypocritical."
"did not expect,"
"It turns out that Master Gu has no self-awareness at all!"
"In the early years, when the late emperor was still the Prince of Yu, you and I became his retainers."
"The late emperor valued you and me, and especially valued Lord Gu."
"Later, the late emperor ascended the throne and rewarded his meritorious officials."
"Master Gu was originally just a supervisor, an insignificant supervisor, and only a third-rank official."
"The late emperor believed in him without a doubt and appointed him as the first-rank military commander, making him the highest ranking military official..."
Gu Mengzhen looked at him coldly and interrupted him.
"After the late emperor ascended the throne, you were also a first-rank official, the top civil official, wasn't that right, Grand Secretary Zhong?"
"How come Lord Zhong keeps saying that I have the intention of rebellion, but never mentions his own rebellious behavior?"
"I am not the only one who is ungrateful and treacherous. How can Lord Zhong be an exception?"
There was a hint of disdain on Zhong Jian's face.
"At least I have self-awareness."
"Unlike Lord Gu, who actually thinks he is a loyal and devoted minister."
"The heaven has eyes, and the late emperor is wise."
"Even though he was deceived by you for many years, the late emperor still saw through your hypocrisy at the critical moment."
"Now it seems that the late emperor had already planned everything for King Di Jin before that night."
"No matter whether the late queen gave birth to a prince or a princess, you would be in the same situation as now."
"Otherwise, why would the late emperor issue a decree in advance to allow the princess to be crowned as the Crown Princess, with a status equal to that of the Crown Prince, and to be able to succeed to the throne as the emperor?"
"It is no coincidence that Fang Renshu came with his group."
"The late emperor and empress knew that after your plot, the Yan clan had no chance of survival, so they simply risked their lives and used the strength of their entire clan to win the hearts of the people."
"So, even if you have worked hard for 22 years,"
"The people's will still be with the Yan clan!"
Gu Mengzhen began to feel uneasy.
"It's you!"
"It is you who has put me in a difficult position now."
"You are on good terms with me on the surface, but in fact you are still a minister of the previous emperor."
"You instigated the late emperor to do this."
"You've been teasing me from the beginning!"
Zhong Jian's eyes were gloomy.
"Why would the late emperor go to such lengths to exterminate his entire clan just to make it difficult for you to get off the tiger?"
"Why would I give up my position as a first-rank minister just to let you 'reward' me as a second-rank minister?"
"After you ascended the throne, why did you seize the real power of the Grand Minister and the Grand Commandant, and divide the power of the Prime Minister among the eight ministers?"
"What are you feeling guilty about?"
"You are unrepentant and try to cover up your mistakes. Gu Mengzhen, all this is caused by your own greed!"
"The late emperor ordered me to go north to appease the people, and you to go south to recover the lost territory."
"The intention is to lure the tiger away from the mountain and test whether the person who is plotting rebellion is me or you."
"I went north as ordered. What about you?"
"No matter how bad I am, at least I am loyal to you and have never coveted the throne. That's why I resolutely went north to stay away from trouble."
"But you insist on 'supporting the late emperor' and keep accusing me of instigating you?"
"They even made up a bunch of nonsense, fabricating the story of the men in black and trying to use it to convict me."
"In the battle of Yueshengxingliang, you will have countless opportunities to regret."
"But you insist on being stubborn and have no regrets."
"Who is more ungrateful, you or me?"
"Now, you regret it."
"Why do I remember that when you joined forces with Xingliang to plot against the late emperor, you were enjoying it!"
Gu Mengzhen felt heartbroken and tormented.
"Don't spread rumors and slander."
"I am consistent in my words and deeds, and I will always be a minister of Yan, and my determination will never change."
"Today, I am killing your entire clan, not killing innocent people or taking their lives lightly."
"You were the one who betrayed us first, and implicated the Zhong and Yao clans."
Zhong Jian's heart was as cold as ashes, and he responded calmly.
"Then I will return to the palace and wait."
"After the emperor finds a reason to announce it to the public,"
"We will meet again in the next life, in sorrow and joy."
……
When Zhong Jian left the palace and returned home, the Zhong Mansion had been surrounded by people from the Tongshitai.
Tongshitai, one of the eight towers, was under the jurisdiction of military officials and was responsible for training guards, imperial guards and secret guards to ensure the safety of the imperial palace and the imperial city.
Yao Ruopian was very anxious. When he saw him come back, he immediately pulled him aside to ask.
"Master, what is going on?"
"What is the purpose of the Emperor's urgent summons?"
"How could it alarm the Tongshitai?"
Zhong Jian had a serious look on his face and never relaxed.
"If the Tongshitai is disturbed, it will naturally be a major event that confiscates the family's property and seals off the house."
"And it was His Majesty who personally convicted him."
Yao Ruopian was shocked.
"The master is loyal, why is the emperor like this?"
"There must be a reason for confiscating the property and sealing up the house."
"Why do you have to directly accuse me of a crime?"
"My Lord, as a second-rank official, even if you make a mistake, you should first let Yin Sitai investigate."
Zhong Jian held her hand, both to comfort her and to comfort himself.
"The emperor has not yet decided on the external reason."
"As for internal affairs..."
"Madam, you and I planned for him and helped him to sit on the throne, but in the end, we chose the wrong person."
"Now, I am filled with regret."
"The late emperor treated me with great kindness, and never suspected me of anything, even though I was the Grand Minister."
"But I was blinded by jealousy!"
Yao Ruopian understood what he meant.
"Could it be that because of the rebellion back then, the emperor is wary of us?"
Zhong Jian nodded and burst into tears.
Yao Ruopian was so frightened that she almost couldn't stand.
"I will go to Prince Dijin's mansion right now and ask the prince to save us!"
Zhong Jian held her hand a little tighter.
"He already knows that I betrayed his father."
"He won't help."
"Today's disaster is most likely the result of his conspiracy with Ning Yunxi."
"We were originally using him, and he knew it very well, so he set up this plan to trick us."
"Besides, this is about the rebellion that happened back then, and the emperor cannot possibly condone it."
"No one can save us."