Chapter 240 The Ruthless Emperor

Gao Xun arrived a step too late for Qiuqiu's first birthday banquet. By the time he delivered the birthday gifts he and Yun Xiangling had prepared to the Wenyang Marquis's residence, the guests had already left, leaving only the Marquis's wife, Lady Yun, sitting quietly in the hall with a sorrowful expression.

He knew then that something bad must have happened.

Before he could ponder it carefully, his subordinate reported to the Crown Prince that the two had spent the entire afternoon in private conversation before finally understanding the ins and outs of the matter. He was ordered to mobilize troops in a time of crisis, and after some effort, they finally tracked down Gao Wenyan to Yuncheng, following the clues he had left behind.

Gao Xun's mission in Yuncheng was arduous, carrying the hopes of many powerful figures in the capital. If he hadn't seen the lively and energetic Qiuqiu, it would have been hard to say whether he could have returned.

My right eyelid had been twitching since I entered the city, and I knew I was in trouble after I saw Gao Wenyan.

Chiu Chiu is lost!

The moment Gao Wenyan saw Su Jinze return unharmed, he felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. Su Jinze felt a gust of wind pass in front of him, and then he looked behind Gao Wenyan and saw, "Chiu Chiu isn't back."

"Chiu Chiu isn't back?" Gao Wenyan asked, displeased. "Why did you come back if she's not here?!"

Su Jinze: "..."

He was a brave and valiant young general, how come he's so disliked once he leaves the border!

One cares about Yun Shuyue, the other is desperately searching for Qiuqiu. Alright, alright, I'll have his mother arrange a blind date for him when we get back. He needs someone who cares about him!

"She's in a very safe place," Su Jinze reminded her. Returning here now would be the most dangerous thing for Qiuqiu. After all, he didn't know what kind of role Gu Qiuheng played in Yuncheng.

Gao Wenyan breathed a sigh of relief; as long as he was sure that Qiuqiu was safe, that was all that mattered.

"It's good that Qiuqiu is alright. This matter has already alarmed the ladies in the palace. When I left the capital, the Empress Dowager instructed me to confirm Qiuqiu's safety before returning."

Everyone knows that Chirp is incredibly charming.

Instantly, their gazes towards Gao Wenyan were filled with sympathy; they could already imagine how those people in the capital had lectured him so much when he left the capital.

Gu Qiuheng's return to the capital this time was ostensibly unauthorized, so the Shao family did not suspect anything. They were even waiting for Gu Qiuheng to be punished for disobeying the imperial decree. It would be best if they could get him out of Yuncheng, so that they could become the dominant family.

In reality, Gu Qiuheng was returning to deliver evidence of the Shao family's collusion with remnants of the previous dynasty in an attempt to rebel!

"Gu Qiuheng's wife was killed by the Gu poison from the Southwest back then. She was a Gu master who worked for Shao Xin. The mother died and the son was injured. Gu Qiuheng was originally stationed in Lingnan. He came to the Southwest to find a way to save Gu Qinghuai. He discovered the collusion between the Shao family and people from the previous dynasty by accident. As the investigation progressed, he learned that his wife was also killed by Shao Xin. However, His Majesty decided to play the long game and catch the big fish. It is not easy for him to have been able to endure for so many years."

Gao Xun was older than them and had witnessed Gu Qiuheng and his wife's loving and trusting relationship back then. Now, he could only lament the cruel twist of fate.

Su Jinze felt a chill run down his spine and stared blankly at Gao Xun for a long time, until Gao Xun herself felt uncomfortable and took the initiative to ask, "What's wrong with you?"

Thinking of how Duohe fell ill, and then of the sorrowful expressions on Axia and Yuanmu's faces when they lost their loved ones and clansmen, Su Jinze felt his whole body trembling, and his voice became hoarse: "You mean His Majesty knew all along that the Shao family was growing and selling longevity ointment in Yuncheng?"

Gao Xun was taken aback, but didn't know how to speak.

His appearance confirmed Su Jinze's guess.

Gao Wenyan, new to officialdom, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. "His Majesty knows? You all know?"

"Look at the kind of life the people of Yuncheng are living! Families are torn apart! People are dying!"

Zhang Linyue's despairing, murderous state was still vivid in his mind. Gao Wenyan walked up to Gao Xun, and this frail scholar, with all his might, grabbed the much stronger Gao Xun and pulled him away. Su Jinze hadn't expected his courage to grow, and before he knew it, Gao Wenyan had pounced on him.

Gao Xun is a skilled martial artist; if someone were to kick him, he would probably be bedridden for three months.

"Gao Wenyan, don't be impulsive!"

Gao Xun, who wasn't exactly known for his good temper, seemed like a completely different person, letting Gao Wenyan tear at him. He could understand Gao Wenyan's feelings at this moment, just as he had when he first learned of the matter.

Shock, anger, sorrow...

“Go and see the streets of Yuncheng! See how the people who have lost their loved ones are suffering. See how those controlled by the Longevity Elixir are gradually destroyed and turned into monsters. See how Yuncheng has become a hell under the control of the Shao family! Look! Where are the people of the imperial court? Where is the savior of the people?”

"Someone, please save them! Someone, please save them!"

Exhausted, Gao Wenyan knelt on the ground, head bowed, muttering, "Who can save them...?"

Gao Xun squatted down to meet his gaze: "We can save them, we can save them right now. Arrest Shao Xinyi and the others, take them to the capital to be executed, and restore peace to Yuncheng!"

"That's it?" Gao Wenyan asked him in a low voice, his hair falling down and obscuring his eyes, making him look somewhat gloomy.

Is killing Shao Xin and his ilk enough to bring peace to the people of Yuncheng?

Can past hurts be so easily erased?

Gao Wenyan wanted to say something more, but suddenly felt a pain in the back of his neck, his vision went black, and his body went limp and collapsed.

Su Jinze: "Thirteen, what are you doing?"

Thirteen withdrew his hand and looked back at them coldly: "He's too emotional. I'm afraid he'll die here."

“He’s not like you pampered rich kids who learn political maneuvering and strategic thinking from a young age. He’s experienced hardship and knows the struggles of ordinary people, as well as the helplessness of struggling in the mire. He’s luckier than the people of Yuncheng; he’s met a good man. That’s why he can’t accept the so-called ‘considering the big picture.’ Let him think about it.”

Thirteen escorted Gao Wenyan back to his room to rest, while Gao Xun and Su Jinze stood in the courtyard. Looking at the boundless sky over Yuncheng, they felt only confusion and uncertainty.

Youthful arrogance often leads to impulsive actions, but Su Jinze's status prevented him from uttering disrespectful words. While his father was alive, he could roam the battlefield and act recklessly, but he always remembered that he was the legitimate son of the Marquis of Wenyang, and that he would one day stand in the imperial court, wearing the same impeccable smile as his father.

He looked dejected and listless.

Gao Xun twitched the corner of his mouth: "Can't you even handle this?"

Su Jinze pressed his chest: "It hurts a lot."

I think I understand why my uncle would rather eat a mouthful of sand at the border than return to the capital. If he could, he would also like to escape.

But everyone has their own mission to fulfill...

Gao Xun patted him on the shoulder: "The most ruthless are those in the imperial family. What those in high positions fear most is not seeing the suffering of the people. If you can't accept this, then change it."

Su Jinze smiled and suddenly asked, "You're one of the Crown Prince's men, aren't you?"

Gao Xun neither admitted nor denied it.

Su Jinze didn't press the matter further. Who the emperor was wasn't important; what mattered was whether the world was at peace.

Chuchu: Bro, are you sure your wife was found for you? (*σ`)σ