Chapter 47 Betrayal for the Twentieth Time!
Chapter 47
Ye Xiren and Jiang You had both old and new grudges.
In Jiang You's memory, on the first day of the third lunar month, he tried to frame Ye Changming for cheating in the imperial examination, but Ye didn't show up for the exam. On the second day of the third lunar month, he tried to frame Ye Changming again using a Buddha statue, but that also failed...
But only Ye Xiren knew how many times Jiang You had caused her entire family to be executed!
How could I not be angry?
She released her grip, her expression indifferent: "Oh, Prime Minister Jiang, don't be angry. Although you were blind and trusted the wrong person, it's alright. After all, General Yan is already dead, and it's too late to regret it. Think positively. At worst, the country will perish, and we can start over."
Liu Duoxi: "…………"
That was a good piece of advice; don't try to persuade me again next time.
"Zhang, Yuan, Mou!"
He wouldn't hold Ye Xiren's "offense" against him. If he wasn't mistaken, the person who was with Ye Xiren that morning... was Yan Danqing.
Yan Danqing died, and he felt guilty. He wouldn't care what Ye Xiren said. On the contrary, he wanted to tear the traitor to pieces whenever he thought of him!
Ye Xiren and Liu Duoxi were stunned for a moment, then exchanged a look of shock. The one who sent the fake secret letter was none other than Zhang Yuanmou, the Vice Chancellor! The second most powerful minister in the court, and Jiang You's confidant.
"Prime Minister Jiang, you're not mistaken?" Liu Duoxi shook his head in disbelief. "How could Councilor Zhang collude with Northern Yan?!"
"I also want to know what benefits Northern Yan gave him to betray me and betray Liang!"
Jiang You took a deep breath, his eyes darkening:
"Guards, seize Zhang Yuanmou and bring him before the Emperor. I want to question him personally in His Majesty's presence!"
After saying that, Jiang You lifted his foot and headed towards the palace.
Ye Xiren and Liu Duoxi exchanged a glance and hurriedly followed. This round required information, a lot of information, but she really didn't expect... that the first one would reveal such a key point, which was shocking.
Zhang Yuanmou, the Vice Chancellor, was actually a traitor!
Throughout the journey, Jiang You remained eerily silent, walking forward with his head down, the dull sound of his shoes on the ground revealing his unease.
Liu Duoxi's expression shifted rapidly as he lowered his voice to Ye Xiren:
“Zhang, the Councilor, came from a military background. He is domineering, unreasonable, and extremely stubborn. I have worked with him for many years, from the time of Emperor Xianzong to the present day, from north to south. He was the one who strongly advocated abolishing the corrupt prime minister, and he was also the one who supported Jiang You to become prime minister…”
“He is different from me. Chiang Kai-shek trusts him. As a councilor, he is a real vice prime minister with power and influence.”
So, why exactly?
Zhang Yuanmou wasn't lacking in anything, was he?
Ye Xiren had gone through too many cycles and witnessed too many changes. She shook her head and said, "When General Yan was imprisoned in the imperial prison, His Majesty entrusted him with the interrogation. But what was the result?"
General Yan was clearly innocent, yet he never informed the Emperor. Instead, he concealed the truth and allowed Lu Qian to torment people. The Ye family was equally innocent, yet they were killed several times... Zhang Yuanmou was able to harm loyal ministers and generals in this way. What does it mean to be a traitor?
Liu Duoxi tugged at her sleeve, his voice even lower:
“You don’t understand. Politics is different from other things. There is no black and white. His failure to help General Yan get out of his crime, or even his framing of General Yan, does not directly prove that he is a traitor who will harm the Great Liang. Different political views can lead to life-or-death struggles, even if you can’t tell right from wrong.”
Ye Xiren truly didn't understand.
All she knew was that Jiang You and Zhang Yuan had attempted to murder her and Yan Danqing more than once!
Ahead, Jiang You paused slightly, then spoke, his voice deep and muffled: "It was I who prevented Zhang Yuanmou from telling the Emperor the truth about his interrogation of Yan Danqing."
"To put it nicely, he's straightforward; to put it bluntly, he's stubborn. Once he's made up his mind, nothing can change it. I used to think I knew him well enough, but now it seems like a joke..."
Just as Liang Yue trusted him, he had always trusted Zhang Yuanmou. To be betrayed so severely by someone he trusted was like a blow to the head, leaving him dizzy and almost unable to hold on.
But he was determined to get to the bottom of it!
Liu Duoxi sighed deeply.
Ye Xiren said nothing more and followed them into the palace. This was the first clue: Zhang Yuanmou was colluding with Northern Yan. By following the trail, they could uncover more of the truth. There was still some time...
-
Wende Hall
Zhang Yuanmou was brought in by Ying Changping, who pulled the rag out of his mouth. He shouted angrily, "Ying Changping, how dare you arrest me? Are you tired of living?!"
His gaze fell upon the fact that besides Ying Changping, only Liang Yue, seated above, and Jiang You, Liu Duoxi, and a strange woman were present in the hall. He immediately looked at Liang Yue and called out:
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Jiang, this audacious fellow Ying Changping actually forcibly kidnapped me! Your Majesty must avenge this old minister!"
Is he still protesting his innocence?
Liang Yue could no longer hold back. He threw down the evidence he had gathered, gritting his teeth, "Zhang Yuanmou, look what you've done!"
"What is this?" Zhang Yuanmou looked up at the sheets of paper filled with writing, his face full of doubt.
"The evidence is conclusive, yet you still dare to argue?" Liang Yue pointed at him, his eyes blazing with fury. "It's utterly ridiculous that the Vice Minister of State Affairs of the Great Liang Dynasty is a traitor."
Zhang Yuanmou, incredulous, continued to plead his innocence: "Your Majesty, I know nothing! This is a frame-up! Someone must be framing me to throw the Great Liang into chaos..."
He freed himself from the ropes binding his hands, picked up the evidence—a confession from a secret agent—and the instant he read its contents, his pupils constricted, and his voice rose:
"It's fake! It's fake!"
Confusion flashed in Liu Duoxi's eyes. He exchanged a glance with Ye Xiren. Could it really be a frame-up?
However, unable to restrain himself any longer, Jiang You kicked him, gritting his teeth:
“Zhang Yuanmou, we’ve known each other for decades. Do you think I don’t know what you’re like when you’re acting? If you were really wronged, you would be out here with a knife by now.”
He was kneeling and crying out for justice; he was clearly acting.
At this moment, Jiang You finally realized that there was no longer any hope; Zhang Yuanmou had betrayed him, betrayed the Great Liang...
"Why?" Jiang You stepped forward, standing before Zhang Yuanmou. "Tell me, why? Haven't His Majesty and I been good enough to you? What did Chizhan Lance give you that made you betray your country?"
The person kneeling on the ground, who was trying to explain, suddenly fell silent. The grievance and urgency on his face gradually disappeared, and his expression returned to calm. His gloomy face, which usually looked depressed, was now unusually peaceful.
Zhang Yuanmou slowly lowered his head, his voice soft:
"I have not betrayed the Great Liang."
"Then what is this? And what about the secret letter I received from Northern Yan appointing a new crown prince?!" Jiang You questioned loudly, his cloudy eyes fixed on Zhang Yuanmou, his face full of disappointment.
This is the person he trusts the most. They can argue, they can part ways because of differing political views, but how can he betray his country and become the most shameful traitor?
Zhang Yuanmou raised his head and suddenly smiled: "I told you, I did not betray the Great Liang."
His expression changed, becoming unusually sharp:
"After all, the treacherous ministers plotted to seize the throne, and the Great Liang Dynasty is long gone!"
The Wende Hall fell silent instantly.
Liu Duoxi felt his scalp tingle, Ying Changping froze on the spot, only Ye Xiren looked blank, not understanding what Zhang Yuanmou was saying.
Enraged, Liang Yue drew his imperial sword from the side and was about to step down to kill Zhang Yuanmou, his voice trembling: "Nonsense! You have betrayed the Great Liang! This traitor deserves to die!"
Zhang Yuanmou was fearless and completely dropped his pretense. He stood up, shook his purple official robes which were wrinkled from being bound, raised his chin, and laughed wildly: "Kill me, even if you kill me, you can't save this usurped empire. The Great Liang Dynasty has long since perished."
The loud voice echoed in the hall, making people uneasy.
Jiang You finally came to his senses and was furious:
"Nonsense, the Great Liang still exists. Your Majesty is the only bloodline of the Great Liang royal family. The late emperor unfortunately passed away, and Your Majesty ascended the throne in accordance with the will of Heaven."
"Destiny?" Zhang Yuanmou turned his head, flicked his sleeve, pointed at Liang Yue, and then slowly pointed at Jiang You. "You and Liang Yue know perfectly well how the young emperor died. Did you arrange destiny?"
Wende Hall fell silent once more.
Liang Yue, who was holding the knife, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Ye Xiren's pupils contracted. She looked at Liang Yue, then at Jiang You, in disbelief. She opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound. This information was too much to handle.
Liu Duoxi immediately covered her ears, on the verge of tears.
Upon hearing such a secret, they knew they wouldn't survive!
Jiang You flicked his sleeves, gritting his teeth: "Nonsense! I saw right before my eyes how the young emperor died, don't I know?!"
His eyes were bloodshot, staring intently into Zhang Yuanmou's eyes with utter indifference.
"Yes, Lord Jiang, you know this all too well."
Zhang Yuanmou laughed, then pointed his finger at his chest, striking it repeatedly in anger, his eyes blazing with fury: "He's too young to govern, you've all forgotten him, but I remember!"
Jiang You's body trembled.
Zhang Yuanmou recalled last year, when officials and commoners had a difficult journey from north to south. They were carrying the young emperor through icy and snowy terrain, making the road ahead even more arduous. Chi Zhanlan was cunning and treacherous, always managing to catch up with the Northern Yan army and even lay in ambush beforehand.
So, they would sometimes change carriages, sometimes mount horses and flee, enduring hardships along the way. They were not comfortable entrusting the young emperor to anyone else, so they would always hide him in their arms. With their wide cloaks protecting him from the wind and snow, the young emperor would snuggle in their arms and ask, "Will he survive?" They would answer, "He will survive," and he would obediently listen to them.
But clearly, Jiang You forgot; he didn't forget.
He was restless day and night, as if he could always see the young emperor looking up at him and asking: "Why didn't you save me, my dear minister?"
"I supported you to become prime minister because I believed in your talent and loyalty, and I believed you could quell the turmoil in this great dynasty!" Zhang Yuanmou said, his face streaked with tears. "But I never imagined that it would be you who would usurp the throne and end this dynasty!"
The moment the young emperor died, in his eyes, the Great Liang Dynasty was already doomed.
His voice echoed deafeningly in the empty hall.
Liang Yue dejectedly put down the knife.
Jiang You's chest heaved violently. Only he and Liang Yue knew about the young emperor's affair, but he never expected that Zhang Yuanmou had already discovered it and was thinking about revenge day and night...
Jiang You stared at the person in front of him, took two steps back, and spoke with difficulty: "So, you knew the truth all along, but held back, just to find an opportunity to completely destroy us and the Great Liang? When did you collude with the Northern Yan?"
The fake secret letter must not be the first time the other party has colluded with Northern Yan; he must have done other things as well.
"I contacted Chizhan Lance the moment I learned that the young emperor had been murdered," Zhang Yuanmou answered frankly. Standing in the Wende Hall, he knew he was going to die, but his face showed no remorse. With a clear conscience, he had no fear of death.
“Northern Yan doesn’t need to give me any benefits. I have not betrayed Liang, abandoned the Emperor, or let down the ancestors of Liang. It is you who have done so.”
The "Emperor" he referred to was only the young emperor they had placed on the throne, the last emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty.
Liang Yue pointed at him, veins bulging on his forehead, trembling with rage, his eyes moist. "You're angry that Jiang You harmed Liang Jin, and you're angry that I seized the world, so come and kill me and Jiang You! Why did you collude with Chi Zhan Lan Ce to destroy the Great Liang?"
How innocent are all the people of Daliang!
If there's anything wrong or guilty, come find him; kill him if you must. Why did you have to harm the Great Liang?!
Zhang Yuanmou spread his arms wide and laughed wildly: "Hahaha, he plotted against the emperor and seized the throne illegitimately. The Liang royal family has no one left to ascend the throne. Liang has long since perished. I have harmed the traitor who plotted to usurp the throne."
His resolute face was now contorted with madness. He flicked his sleeve, his eyes growing even more ruthless, and he spoke each word with utterance:
"The Great Liang is already a thing of the past. Since that's the case, why not take drastic measures, let the Great Liang fall into complete chaos, overthrow the country, and hand over this land riddled with holes to those with ambition to establish a new dynasty?"
"Our land has always produced many talented people. Even if the Northern Yan were to wreak havoc for a few years, someone will surely rise up in rebellion, restore peace to the world, and rebuild a prosperous era!"
He completely disregarded the shock his crazy words would cause to those present.
Zhang Yuanmou continued with a smile:
"I helped Chizhan Lance intercept military supplies, so that the Huai'an Canal, which was already short of food, only received a batch of river sand. I originally thought that Yan Danqing, having been forced to this point, would definitely rebel against the Great Liang. At that time, I would disrupt the court, which would be considered as helping him."
He shook his head, quite regretfully: "Who knew Yan Danqing was such a fool? Forced to this extent, he still didn't rebel? A foolishly loyal bastard!"
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Author's Note: This story features a cast of ruthless individuals, each with their own unique perspectives...
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