Chapter 257: Joining Liang Jingyao
After the court session, Grand Tutor Zhao hurried back to the Grand Tutor's Mansion.
As soon as he entered the mansion, Grand Tutor Zhao ordered his men to go find his son Zhao Shuyi and bring him back, while he went to the study first.
When Zhao Shuyi entered the study, he saw Grand Tutor Zhao sitting at the desk, his eyes full of suppressed anger and unwillingness!
"Father, what's wrong with you? Did the emperor make things difficult for you in court again?" Zhao Shuyi asked worriedly.
Grand Tutor Zhao slammed his hand on the table and said angrily, "The Yumu Kingdom's army has invaded, and Dongdan has fallen. Emperor Liang ordered me to go and fight against the Yumu Kingdom's army. If I can't drive them out of Dongsui Kingdom within ten days, then my Zhao family will be exterminated!"
Zhao Shuyi couldn't believe it. Ten days was such a short time. Not to mention that his father was just a civil servant, even if he brought a military officer, he wouldn't dare to make such a guarantee. It was obvious that Emperor Liang wanted his father and the entire Zhao family to die!
"Father, we can't just sit and wait for death! Why don't we go to Liang Jingyao for help? He needs support right now, and it's still not too late for us to go now. If we wait until Liang Jingyao attacks the capital in the future, we will be in a passive position!" Zhao Shuyi said anxiously.
Grand Tutor Zhao nodded and said, "I think the same as you, but there are too many members of the Zhao family. If only one or two of them can escape the capital, there is still a chance, but it is impossible for everyone to leave. So I want you to take Yongchang and flee the capital overnight. I will have someone take care of the city gate."
When Zhao Shuyi heard that only two people could go, he was dumbfounded. He had thought that at least the family members of the Grand Tutor's Mansion could escape, but he didn't expect that his father would only agree to let two people go, himself and his son Zhao Yongchang, who had just learned to walk.
"Father, what about the others? Is there really no way? What about my Wanyu? She is my wife, I can't just abandon her like this! And my only daughter Zhenzhen, Father, I really can't do it!" Zhao Shuyi burst into tears as he spoke, his heart full of resentment towards Emperor Liang.
Grand Tutor Zhao shook his head and said helplessly, "It would be too obvious if there were too many people. Shuyi, if you're worried about implicating Wanyu, then divorce her in advance. Let Wanyu take Zhenzhen back to her parents' home. Wanyu is the daughter of the Dongfang family, a prominent family that has been isolated from court affairs for hundreds of years. Emperor Liang will not offend the Dongfang family for two women."
Zhao Shuyi staggered back a few steps. Ever since they got married, he and Wanyu had always been in love. How could he say such cruel words as divorce?
"Father, is there no other way? Please help your son!" Zhao Shuyi thought of the scene of his wife and children leaving him, and knelt on the ground with a "thump".
Grand Tutor Zhao had an ugly look on his face. He had been in officialdom for many years, all for the bright future of the Zhao family's descendants. He never expected that he would fall to the point where he could not protect the entire Zhao family!
"Shuyi, just be content! Your brother Shujin has to stay here, and his family has no choice!" Master Zhao sighed and covered his face with one hand.
Zhao Shuyi knew that it was useless to stay here and continue to beg his father. There was not much time left, so he should go back and talk to his wife and children more.
"Father, I know I was wrong. I will take my leave now."
Grand Tutor Zhao looked up, stopped Zhao Shuyi, and said, "Wait a moment, Shuyi. This is a letter I wrote, and it contains my keepsake. When you see Liang Jingyao, you must give these things to him. Follow Liang Jingyao well in the future. The future of the Zhao family depends on you!"
Zhao Shuyi took the thick envelope with both hands, nodded and said, "Yes, son, I'll take my leave."
Not long after Zhao Shuyi left, Zhao Shujin walked in.
Grand Tutor Zhao glanced at his youngest son, his old face full of guilt. "Shujin, have you heard the news?"
Zhao Shujin nodded and said, "Yes. Father, are you really going to fight?"
Grand Tutor Zhao said with certainty, "Shujin is indeed my most intelligent son. Alas, if the ruler wishes for the death of his subjects, then the subjects must die! It is your father who has let you down. If I cannot drive away the Yumu Kingdom's army within ten days, you will all be killed by Emperor Liang."
Zhao Shujin thought for a moment and said, "Father, we won't blame you, but I have a request, and I hope you will agree to it."
Master Zhao thought Zhao Shujin wanted to save him and his wife and children, but Master Zhao refused directly, saying, "Shujin, father is at his wit's end. There is really no other way."
Zhao Shujin knew that his father had misunderstood him. In this situation, any family would go to Ju Baoshuai. Since he was not the eldest son, it was impossible to expect the family to save him. His only hope was to save himself!
"Father, staying in the capital is also torture. I want to accompany you to the battlefield to kill the enemy. Win or lose, I just regard it as a gamble!" Zhao Shujin looked at Master Zhao expectantly.
At this point, Grand Tutor Zhao could only hope for a slim chance of survival.
"Okay, come with me to the palace to meet the emperor. If the emperor agrees, I will take you with me." Grand Tutor Zhao stood up and said.
Zhao Shujin nodded and said, "Thank you, father!"
The next day, at dawn, Zhao Shuyi and his son Zhao Yongchang quietly left the capital under the arrangement of Grand Tutor Zhao.
When it was daybreak, Grand Tutor Zhao led his army out of the capital in a mighty procession.
On the city wall, Emperor Liang watched the army leave, a satisfied smile on his face. This was probably the happiest thing for him recently!
Because, as long as Grand Tutor Zhao dies, there will be no more people who are an eyesore in the capital!
At this time in Yangming Town, Liang Jingyao had breakfast with Lin Xiaoyue, and then asked someone to call Zhao Shuyi and Zhao Yongchang in.
"Shuyi, how are you? You are not here to lobby for Emperor Liang, are you?" Liang Jingyao was sitting at the table. When he saw Zhao Shuyi, there was no expression of surprise in his eyes.
As the eldest son of Grand Tutor Zhao, Zhao Shuyi was also a well-known figure in the capital, so Liang Jingyao knew Zhao Shuyi. They had met each other when they were young and frivolous.
Liang Jingyao knew that Zhao Shuyi had come to him at this time. It was likely that Emperor Liang had sent Grand Tutor Zhao to deal with the Yumu Kingdom's army, so Grand Tutor Zhao was thinking of switching sides. He probably wanted him to take Zhao Shuyi in and preserve some bloodline for his family. But why should he help them? They were all on Emperor Liang's side back then. When his family was exiled to the northern border, Grand Tutor Zhao had played a big role in their misfortune.
Zhao Shuyi pulled his son to his knees, took out the letter from Grand Tutor Zhao, and said, "Jingyao, our Zhao family has offended you greatly in what happened back then. I kowtow to you and apologize! But I'll also let you take a look at this handwritten letter from my father!"
Liang Jingyao looked coldly at Zhao Shuyi who was knocking his head on the ground, making a loud "dong dong" sound, with no intention of accepting the letter at all.
"Shuyi, I'm meeting you today to give your Grand Tutor's House a face, but why should I read your father's letter? Has your father forgotten that my father, the king, is still suffering in the northern border? The fate of your Zhao family today is all the result of the karma you sowed back then. I can't do anything about it!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
