Chapter 39 Caught in the Act: This is where we were having our secret rendezvous!

The following day, an imperial edict was issued from the cabinet, promoting General Yen Teh to full authority over the suppression of the rebels.

Almost no one knew that, just before the imperial decree was issued, Emperor Zhou Ling had already given instructions through top-secret channels to the spies lurking in the core of the Baiyang Society: "Make every effort to pressure Gu Zhou and make him the only 'beacon' for the court's movements."

These two seemingly unrelated moves are actually intricately linked, forming an impeccable double-kill situation.

After learning the full plan, the trusted ministers pondered it briefly and were all deeply moved and impressed by His Majesty's shrewdness.

His Majesty's intentions are profound.

Firstly, this is the best strategy: to use someone else to do the dirty work.

The immense pressure of Yan De leading the crackdown will force the Baiyang Society to urgently need internal intelligence.

If Gu Zhou's warnings are consistently "accurate," coupled with his previous inexplicable promotions, what will the higher-ups in the organization think? They will undoubtedly conclude that there is a mole, and Gu Zhou is the most suspicious one! To save themselves, they will certainly try to eliminate him first.

The most ingenious aspect of this plan is that, regardless of success or failure, the imperial court does not need to get involved personally, leaving no trace.

Secondly, this is a poor strategy, but also an obvious one.

If the leader of the Baiyang Society is muddle-headed and fails to see through this scheme, or if Gu Zhou is exceptionally cunning and manages to escape, it doesn't matter. Yan De's purge operation itself is a huge net. His Majesty has secretly ordered Yan De to conduct the investigation with utmost care and thoroughness.

At that time, someone will present "conclusive evidence" to Yan De, confirming Gu Zhou's identity as a spy for the Baiyang Society.

Therefore, it was perfectly justified and a meritorious deed for Yan De, this "capable lieutenant," to personally eliminate the traitors in the court.

In this way, Gu Zhou is now in a hopeless situation. Bai Yang will kill him because he is a meritorious official of the court and will die at the hands of a traitor; Yan De will kill him because he is a traitor of the court and will die under the law.

There is no way to advance or retreat; life and death are entirely in His Majesty's hands.

Once the senior ministers understood this, their gazes were filled with awe when they looked at the young emperor on the throne.

This plan was not only ruthless, but also ingenious in turning Yan De into a pawn and judge, so that he could complete this reckoning for His Majesty without the emperor even realizing it.

They believed that His Majesty's move was intended to rectify the power of the martial arts world and eliminate hidden dangers.

They even secretly admired this two-birds-with-one-stone strategy, using Yan De as the open weapon and Baiyang Society as the covert blade, so that no matter who killed Gu Zhou, the court could easily close the net.

But what they didn't know was that the purge of Baiyang Society was a pretense, the coercion of Gu Zhou was a pretense, and even the promotion of Yan De was a pretense.

All of this has always been for one person: Shen Fangru.

The woman who was once promised to Gu Zhou and then married Yan De.

Zhou Ling couldn't tolerate that she still had someone else in her heart, especially Gu Zhou, with whom she had once been engaged.

He was even less willing to see her living a peaceful life by Yen Te's side.

Therefore, he devised this scheme to kill three birds with one stone.

The first target is Gu Zhou. If Bai Yanghui suspects Gu Zhou of being a traitor and kills him, that would be best; otherwise, he will have Yan De "discover" "ironclad evidence" that Gu Zhou is a Bai Yanghui spy during the purge, and then have Yan De execute him personally. This will allow Fangru's former fiancé to die at the hands of her current husband.

The second bird is Yan De. Regardless of how Gu Zhou died, Yan De was the executor. If he killed Gu Zhou with his own hands, how could Fang Ru forgive a husband who murdered her deceased friend?

The third bird is Fangru. Zhou Ling wants to make her lose the true love of Gu Zhou and Yan De one after another. When her lover is sent to prison by her husband, when she has no one left to rely on in this world, then Zhou Ling will be the only place she can go.

"Your Majesty, our spies have reported that Gu Zhou will definitely make a move soon," the eunuch whispered.

Zhou Ling nodded slightly.

He won't do it himself; he'll use someone else to kill him, and more importantly, he'll destroy his spirit.

He wanted Yan De to destroy his place in Fang Ru's heart, and he also wanted Fang Ru to see clearly that the only one who could truly control her destiny in this world was him, Zhou Ling.

The chessboard has been set up, and the pieces have been placed.

He waited to see how those two would gradually move towards the ending he had set, and how Shen Fangru would eventually return to his cage.

...

When Yen Teh received the appointment, he was initially taken aback, but then a long-lost sense of excitement and gratitude welled up within him.

He had been disabled for many years. Although he held the nominal title of general, he had long been marginalized and often felt inferior and useless deep down.

Now that His Majesty has entrusted him with such an important task, isn't that a recognition of his abilities?

He immediately threw himself into it, neglecting to eat or sleep, as if he had rediscovered the feeling of strategizing on the battlefield back then.

Returning home late that evening, Yan De wore a tired yet satisfied expression.

Fangru stepped forward politely to inquire about his well-being and served him tea.

However, before he could even put down his teacup, Yen Teh suddenly swayed and collapsed to the ground without warning!

The mansion was thrown into chaos.

The doctor rushed over, and after taking the general's pulse, he frowned: "General, this is due to overwork, old injuries that have not yet healed, and excessive mental strain. If you continue to work like this, not to mention recovery, I'm afraid... it will affect your lifespan."

Fangru looked at Yan De, who was lying on the bed, pale as a ghost, and a surge of anger rose in her heart.

Zhou Ling!

He knew Yan De was physically disabled and riddled with old injuries, yet he deliberately entrusted him with heavy responsibilities! This was not a sign of trust, but rather a slow and painstaking process, yet he expected Yan De to be grateful to him! How despicable!

She was filled with hatred, but she refused to bow her head and beg Zhou Ling.

After much deliberation, she found an opportunity to ask someone to deliver a letter to her cousin Li Shuo, who worked in the Ministry of Personnel, hoping that he could tactfully convey Yan De's health condition to His Majesty in order to alleviate his burden.

Unexpectedly, Li Shuo quickly found an opportunity to reply to her privately, but his tone was not the sympathy and help she had expected: "Cousin, do you know how many sensitive aspects Yan De has recently been involved in? How can a disabled person who has been idle for a long time be qualified to shoulder such an important task? This is against the law and the country! I have joined forces with several censors to prepare a memorial to impeach Yan De for dereliction of duty and incompetence. Please ask Your Majesty to rescind your order!"

Upon hearing this, Fangru was struck dumb, as if by lightning.

She never imagined that the help she sought would turn into yet another blow to Yen Te!

Meanwhile, Gu Zhou found himself in the dark side of a dangerous street.

In the narrow alley, the liaison sent by the Baiyang Society spoke urgently and threateningly: "Young Master Gu, you must find out the imperial court's troop deployment outside the East Gate as soon as possible! If you can't get accurate information, the sacrificial ceremony at the Qingmu branch altar will be in danger of total annihilation! The date is set for two days from now, and time is running out!"

Gu Zhou suppressed the turmoil in his heart and reluctantly agreed.

After turning away, a chilling fear and urgency mingled within him, and his first thought was that he might be able to get information from Fangru.

Fangru was in a state of utter confusion when she received confirmation from her father, Shenfu, that her cousin, Li Shuo, was indeed working with the censors to gather evidence against Yan De.

A chill ran up from the soles of my feet; this was clearly Zhou Ling's trick!

He first burdened Yen Teh with heavy responsibilities, which weakened Yen Teh's health, and then incited court officials to impeach him, all in an attempt to put Yen Teh to death!

Enraged, she immediately decided to go to the palace to meet the emperor and demand an explanation.

However, just as she changed her clothes and was about to go out, her personal maid secretly handed her a secret letter, which turned out to be written by Gu Zhou.

The letter was earnest, stating that there were important matters to discuss regarding the dispute between Li Shuo and Yan De, and requesting that she wait at the residence.

Thinking of the fact that Gu Zhou and Li Shuo had always been on good terms, Fangru felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps Gu Zhou could find a way to turn the tide?

Furthermore, recalling how her cousin Li Shuo had helped her many times in previous lives, she absolutely could not stand by and watch her cousin be used by Zhou Ling, resulting in both of them being harmed.

If it was really Zhou Ling who instigated this, she would definitely settle the score with him!

So Fangru suppressed her urge to go to the palace to question them and waited anxiously in her residence.

During dinner, Yan De noticed that she seemed distracted and casually asked her about it. Fang Ru hurriedly made an excuse: "It's nothing, I just made an appointment to talk with Miss Su this evening, and I'm waiting for her."

Yan De had no suspicions and, being exhausted from his official duties, went to rest first.

As night deepened, there was still no word from Gu Zhou.

Disappointed, Fangru also prepared to go to bed.

Just as she blew out the candle in the outer room, there was a very soft knock on the window.

She pushed open the window with a pounding heart, only to see Gu Zhou standing silently in the shadows of the corridor outside the window!

"you!"

Fangru lowered her voice, both shocked and furious, "How dare you sneak into the manor without permission?!"

As soon as she said it, she suddenly remembered that Zhou Ling had come and gone so freely that night. He must have used some means to make the guards of the Yan residence ineffective, which allowed Gu Zhou to take advantage of the situation!

Gu Zhou looked anxious and said in a low voice, "Fangru, this matter is of great importance. Walls have ears. Let's go inside and talk."

Fangru immediately shook her head: "No! You are a man, how can you enter my bedroom so late at night? Go to the study!"

She knew that although the study was only separated from Yan De's bedroom by a wall, it was still better than the bedroom, so she hurriedly added, "Be quiet, don't disturb the general."

Gu Zhou nodded in agreement.

Like wandering ghosts in the dark, the two silently slipped into the study next door.

Fangru carefully closed the door.

Inside the study, the candlelight flickered, illuminating two restless faces.

Gu Zhou approached Shen Fangru urgently and whispered, "Fangru, the situation is dire. Yan De and Li Shuo are at odds over their disagreement on personnel matters, and they will jointly impeach Li Shuo's cousin at tomorrow's morning court. The only chance for a turnaround right now is for me to see a copy of that memorial. As long as I know which officials are being impeached, I can try to smooth things over overnight and perhaps persuade them to back down. Only then will my cousin have a chance to survive."

These words were like a boulder thrown into Shen Fangru's heart, stirring up ripples of panic.

On one side is her blood cousin, whose fate rests on her shoulders; on the other side is her husband, Yan De.

If we follow Gu Zhou's words, peeking at the memorials is tantamount to betraying her husband's trust. How can a wife do such a thing?

But if we ignore it, my cousin's career will be ruined, and how will the family cope?

Two conflicting thoughts battled fiercely in her mind, almost tearing her apart.

Her face was pale, her fingertips were icy cold, and after struggling for a long time, she finally found an excuse that seemed to satisfy both sides but was incredibly weak. Her voice trembled as she said to Gu Zhou, "Perhaps... perhaps when the general wakes up tomorrow morning, I will ask him myself..."

"Ask him?" Gu Zhou interrupted her, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Fangru, don't you understand? His Majesty has reinstated him to power, and he's currently basking in the glory of regaining his lost authority. How could he possibly tell you the truth? By then, it will be too late. Although your cousin's life won't be in danger, being demoted or exiled will likely be inevitable!"

Seeing that Fangru was still hesitating, a resolute look flashed in Gu Zhou's eyes.

Without saying another word, he took it upon himself to gently push open the study door and, like a shadow, swiftly slipped out, heading straight for Yan De's bedroom next door.

Fangru's heart sank suddenly. She subconsciously reached out to grab his sleeve, but her fingertips only brushed against a patch of cold air.

She wanted to shout, but the sound was stuck in her throat, afraid that the slightest noise would wake the person in the bedroom.

Overwhelmed by terror, she could only cover her mouth and follow him with trepidation, each step feeling like walking on a knife's edge.

The bedroom door was ajar, leaving a dark crack.

Without hesitation, Gu Zhou took off his shoes and slipped inside like a ghost.

Fangru stood frozen at the doorway, caught between a rock and a hard place. She wanted to follow and stop them, but her legs felt like they were made of lead and she couldn't move.

By the faint moonlight seeping in through the window, Gu Zhou immediately saw the document bag that Yan Deming would need for court the next day, neatly placed on the small table beside the bed.

He held his breath and cautiously reached out.

Fangru stood guard outside the door, her heart pounding like a drum, so violently that it seemed the entire silent courtyard could hear it.

She stared intently at Yan De's blurry outline on the bed, fearing that he might suddenly wake up at any moment.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the fatigue of the past few days, coupled with the calming effect of the medicine, Yan De's breathing was deep and even, and even the slight rustling sound of Gu Zhou turning the pages could not break his sleep.

That brief moment felt like an eternity to Fangru.

Gu Zhou quickly jotted down the information needed for the Baiyang Meeting, then quietly retreated outside the door, exchanging a quick glance with Fang Ru.

The two dared not linger for a moment, quickly and silently retreating back to the study, leaving only a slumbering darkness behind them.

"Did you see it? Which officials were mentioned in the memorial?" Fangru asked hurriedly, her voice trembling.

Gu Zhou's eyes flickered, and he was about to make up a few names to mislead others when suddenly...

With a loud bang, the study door was suddenly pushed open!

Yan De stood at the door with a livid face. He had obviously been awakened and followed the sound, catching the two of them red-handed in the middle of the night!

Yan De's gaze first fell on Fang Ru in shock, then fixed on Gu Zhou, his voice trembling violently with anger and disbelief: "Gu Zhou?! You...you...what are you doing here in the middle of the night?! Fang Ru, how dare you meet with him behind my back?!"

Fangru was terrified and rushed forward to support his arm: "General! Let me explain! It's not what you think! We were discussing important matters, it's about my cousin Li Shuo..."

"Important matter?!" Yan De abruptly shook off her hand, his chest heaving with rage, his eyes filled with the pain of betrayal. "What kind of important matter requires discussing it privately with my wife in my residence, in my study, in the dead of night?! Do you really think I'm a three-year-old child?!"

When Gu Zhou saw that things had been completely exposed, and saw Yan De reprimanding Fang Ru like this, a surge of anger mixed with jealousy, resentment, and a sense of despair suddenly rose to his head.

Instead of backing down, he stepped forward, shielding Fangru behind him, a cruel, mocking sneer on his face.

“Yan De,” his voice was low, but every word was like a knife, “even now, don’t you understand? We’re meeting here in secret! What do you say?”

"Gu Zhou! You're insane! Shut up!" Fang Ru shouted, her face ashen.

But Gu Zhou had already lost control. He continued to scrutinize Yan De, who was trembling with anger and weakness, with a harsh gaze. His words were like poisoned daggers, stabbing at the most painful spots: "What, did I hit a nerve? Look at yourself, a cripple who can't even stand up! A useless piece of trash who needs medicine to stay awake! What makes you think Fangru will be sincere with you? What makes you think you're hogging her best years?"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, his pleasure mixed with twisted hatred: "You can't satisfy her! You can't give her a normal married life! By marrying her, you're just dragging her into your living dead tomb to be buried with you! Let me tell you, Fangru has only ever loved me! She only married you because Zhou Ling forced her, and every day she's by your side is torture for her!"

"You...you're talking nonsense...pfft..." Yan De pointed at Gu Zhou, his blood rushing to his head, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his body swaying precariously.

Fangru cried out, trying to support him: "General! No! Don't listen to his nonsense!"

Seeing this, Gu Zhou became even more aggressive, sneering, "Did I say something wrong? You're not even a man, and you expect her to live a life of widowhood? If she doesn't come to me, is she just going to wait to wither and die by your side? Yan De, you're a joke!"

"ah!"

Yan De let out a roar of extreme pain, a roar filled with humiliation and despair he had never experienced before in his life.

He stared intently at Gu Zhou and Fang Ru, his eyes bloodshot, then suddenly clutched his chest, his body stiffening as he fell backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

"General!" Fangru fell to the ground, her hands trembling as she checked his breath, then hurriedly bent down to listen to his heartbeat.

A deathly silence.

Yan De has already died.

Those wide-open eyes held a final, overwhelming rage and endless sorrow.