Chapter 401 Leave no survivors
On sunny days in May and June, the sun shines brightly, but almost no sunlight enters the room where Pu Tonghe and the Prime Minister are. Only two luminous pearls, emitting a faint glow, cast a cold, eerie light on the blue brick floor, and the tables and chairs are bathed in half-light shadows, filling the room with a somber atmosphere.
The dimly lit room was eerily quiet. After a long silence, Pu Tonghe clenched his fist as if he had made a momentous decision: "Kill Jiang Yu, and that will end it all."
The Prime Minister's brows furrowed deeply. Pu Tonghe stared at the Prime Minister with a sinister and ruthless look. "I know you haven't made a move because Jiang Yu must have a master protecting her. If things don't go well, it will cause even bigger trouble."
"Since you already know, then don't say it." The Prime Minister's tone was somewhat agitated. Did he not want to kill Jiang Yu? He dreamed of it. Most of the predicaments he was facing now were caused by Jiang Yu. Without Jiang Yu, most of his current crisis would be resolved. Their grand plan could then be slowly pursued.
Pu Tonghe gritted his teeth, his tone becoming even more ruthless, and said, "But we have been forced into a corner. If he doesn't die, we will be the ones who die."
The prime minister frowned and remained silent for a while before asking, "What good idea do you have?"
Pu Tonghe: "No. The Duke of Chu's mansion is heavily guarded. Jiang Yu only goes to court and his official residence. He doesn't have much social interaction, so it's difficult to make a move. Therefore, we'll just assassinate him directly."
Silence fell over the room once more. The Prime Minister's fingertips unconsciously traced the cold corner of the desk, his brows furrowing even more deeply. To kill, or not to kill?
Jiang Yu is a meticulous girl. The Chu State Duke's mansion is heavily fortified, and she has always been surrounded by guards, both overt and covert. If there is any mishap, not only will they fail to kill anyone, but they will also expose their actions and give Jiang Yu a handle to use against them. They will then face an almost irreversible crisis.
In the silence, Pu Tonghe's words, "If he doesn't die, it will be us who die," pierced their hearts like needles. Recently, Jiang Yu has been pressing them relentlessly, disrupting their plans in the court several times. If this drags on, let alone their great cause, they might not even be able to keep their current positions.
The Prime Minister took a deep breath, suppressing his agitation, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "Fine, use suicide soldiers. Whether we succeed or fail, we must leave no survivors."
Pu Tonghe nodded, "Don't worry, we will definitely not leave any evidence. This time, even if we can't kill her, we will make sure she is bedridden."
"Yes, be careful." The Prime Minister breathed a sigh of relief. Now that the decision had been made, there was no need to hesitate any longer.
"My lord." The voice of the prime minister's attendant came from outside. The prime minister said, "Come in." The attendant pushed open the door, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I just heard that Yan Fengju, the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Yan, is to be engaged to Ning Yunchuan, the eldest grandson of the Duke of Wei."
One sentence made Pu Tonghe and the Prime Minister sit up straight, all four eyes staring at the attendant, waiting for his explanation. The attendant was so nervous that his whole body was tense. He carefully said, "An hour ago, the heir of the Duke of Wei and his wife, carrying a full load of betrothal gifts and twenty or thirty attendants, went to the Grand Tutor's mansion in a grand procession to perform the betrothal ceremony."
Seeing the solemn expressions on Pu Tonghe's and the Prime Minister's faces, the attendant swallowed hard, his voice strained, "I heard that the gifts they brought included silk, jade, and two fine horses—all the proper betrothal gifts. Everyone passing by saw it; the procession was far grander than that of ordinary aristocratic families getting married. Anyone with eyes can see that the Duke of Wei's mansion and the Yan family are genuinely going to form a marriage alliance. And..."
The attendant glanced at the prime minister's somber face, looking as if he wanted to speak but dared not. The prime minister, seeing this, said, "What else? Just say it."
"News has come from the Grand Tutor's mansion that Grand Tutor Yan's eldest granddaughter, Yan Fengxi, is to be engaged to the eldest son of the Qian family of Suzhou and Hangzhou."
........
Silence fell upon the room once more. The Prime Minister waved for his attendants to leave. Then Pu Tonghe's voice rang out, "That old scoundrel Yan is trying to board the Duke of Chu's ship!"
"A cunning old fox, a master at weighing pros and cons." The Prime Minister tapped his finger heavily on the table, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Isn't it because the Emperor's intention not to pass the throne to the Crown Prince is too obvious? He doesn't want to get on a ship that seems destined to capsize sooner or later. His current rush to form a marriage alliance with the Duke of Wei's family is nothing more than seeking advantage and avoiding harm."
He then looked at Pu Tonghe's solemn face and said, "Worried? But what's the use of worrying?"
The Prime Minister snorted heavily and said, "The Great Gan Empire was built by the King of Lingnan and the Emperor Taizu. The Qin family ruled the Great Gan Empire for more than two hundred years, and the King of Lingnan also managed Lingnan for more than two hundred years. You are the Prince's capable general, don't you know the Prince's power? Putting aside everything else, just the Crown Prince alone is a bargaining chip. According to our original plan, the Great Cause cannot fail."
These words restored Pu Tonghe's confidence. He smiled awkwardly and said, "I was also annoyed by Jiang Yu's recent momentum. She has been sabotaging our plans in court time and time again, pressing us too hard. I lost my composure and forgot where our real strength lies."
The prime minister glanced at him but didn't say anything. He knew the reason why Pu Tonghe wanted to back out. It was simply that his daughter couldn't become the crown prince's principal wife, and the benefits couldn't be seen immediately. It was just that he was preoccupied with the gains and losses in his heart, making him restless and wanting to waver.
He picked up the cold teacup and took a sip, his face showing a hint of impatience. Pu Tonghe had followed the prince for so many years; in every single matter, wasn't he bound to the prince? Whatever he had done, whether on his own hands or in secret, there was no way he could escape unscathed.
Now you want to back out? Too late! Once you're on board, there's no getting off so easily.
"What are these minor setbacks?" The Prime Minister put down his teacup, his tone softening, but with an undeniable certainty. "Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne and the Prince of Lingnan takes over the reins of government, will you be shortchanged for your contributions of risking your life alongside the Prince all these years? When the time comes to reward those who have rendered meritorious service, you will certainly be given a hereditary title."
He looked up at Pu Tonghe with certainty in his eyes: "The title of duke or marquis is within easy reach, and your descendants will enjoy endless glory and honor by virtue of the title. What is this little concern now compared to the real title of duke in the future? Stay calm, and once the great cause is accomplished, your Pu family will be a family of meritorious officials for generations."
Pu Tonghe's tense expression relaxed slightly, and he coughed lightly, saying with some unease, "The Prime Minister is right. I was momentarily confused and lost my composure because of Jiang Yu's interference. Don't worry, I will definitely stay calm and never make such a mistake again. I will arrange for someone to take action and kill Jiang Yu. Once Jiang Yu is gone, our great cause will be just around the corner."
The Prime Minister nodded. "Be careful. Be swift and clean, leave no survivors, and make sure there are no clues."
"Don't worry, Prime Minister," Pu Tonghe stood up. "I'll leave now."
The Prime Minister nodded.
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