Chapter 116 The Grand Finale 4
The retired emperor looked completely self-righteous and didn't think there was anything wrong with what he was doing.
Upon hearing this, Old Master Shan was so angry that he trembled all over.
His finger trembled as he pointed at the Emperor Emeritus and roared, "For many years, the Shan family has risked their lives for the court and made outstanding contributions, but all we get in return is your suspicion and scheming!"
As the head of the Shan family, he has always regarded "being loyal to the monarchy, protecting the monarchy, and taking the rise and fall of the monarchy as his own responsibility" as his first principle since he inherited the position.
The heads of the Shan family throughout the ages have always prioritized the monarchy and been wholeheartedly loyal to the royal family. However, what they have received in return is the royal family's endless suspicion and deep-seated fear!
"As the saying goes, merits overshadow the master, but the Shan family has kept a low profile for many years and is no longer what it used to be. Why are you still so wary?" Shanxi asked the retired emperor without blinking.
In her early years, she worried that the people's excessive affection for the Shan family would provoke the dissatisfaction of the royal family, so she deliberately kept a low profile, not only hiding her talents but also watching the Shan family gradually decline.
She thought that this would prevent the royal family from being wary or paying attention, but she never expected that the Emperor Emeritus had secretly plotted against the Shan family!
She was wrong. She underestimated the royal family and failed to take precautions in advance!
"You also know the principle of 'merit overshadowing the emperor'? Since you know it, there are some things you shouldn't do!" The retired emperor glared fiercely at Shanxi, his eyes like torches.
Shanxi looked puzzled, his brows furrowed, and he asked loudly, "What exactly did my Shanxi family do that we shouldn't have done?"
The retired emperor sneered, his laughter filled with mockery and disdain: "Hmph, don't you understand? The prestige of the Shan family among the common people has long surpassed that of the imperial family! Those foolish people only know the Shan family, not me! This is what you shouldn't be doing!"
Upon hearing this, Shanxiang was filled with rage: "For many years, the Shan family has worked for the well-being of the people and protected the peace of the region. The people love and respect the Shan family because we have sincerely devoted ourselves to them!"
"And you, as the retired emperor, do not think about how to let the people live in peace and prosperity, but only think about eliminating dissidents and consolidating your own power. Is this what you call the way of being a ruler?"
During the famine years, the philanthropist family used all their savings to buy grain at high prices and cook porridge to relieve the disaster victims. Even if they didn't express gratitude, they certainly wouldn't have earned any fear in return.
In a life-or-death situation, saving lives is the top priority!
"Insolence! I am the Emperor, and my word is law. How dare you, a mere woman, make such unfounded accusations!" The Emperor Emeritus's eyes widened in fury, and his voice boomed like a bell. "The Shan family's achievements have become too great for my own good, and they have become a major concern for me. If they are not dealt with today, they will surely cause great chaos in the future!"
Shanxi, undaunted, straightened his back and said with his head held high, "The so-called 'high merit that overshadows the emperor' is nothing but a reflection of his own narrow-mindedness and suspicious nature!"
"Shanjia was wholeheartedly devoted to the people and never harbored any rebellious intentions."
"If we punish those who are virtuous simply because they have won the hearts of the people, then what justice is there in this world?"
“You…” The Emperor Emeritus pointed at Shanxi with force, his finger trembling with anger.
At this moment, as if he had thought of something, Old Master Shan suddenly looked at the Emperor Emeritus and asked with a deep expression, "Then back then, your request to marry Grandmother, including arranging the marriage for the Crown Prince, were all schemes against my Shan family?"
For once, Old Master Shan was surprisingly clever.
The Emperor Emeritus laughed heartily and admitted without any attempt to hide it: "That's right! Back then, my desire to marry the head of the Shan family, who is also your great-grandmother, was a carefully planned move of mine."
"If they can interbreed with my royal bloodline, their children can rightfully inherit the family business."
"At that time, everything about the Shan family will be under my control."
"It's a pity that my great-grandmother couldn't marry him, but it doesn't matter. Your great-grandmother has agreed to be engaged to my grandson. In this way, after a hundred years, my grandson's child can still inherit the Shan family and take charge of it!"
"But that good-for-nothing..." The Emperor Emeritus gritted his teeth as he spoke, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.
If the Crown Prince hadn't suddenly changed his mind and instead married Shan Yurou, and if Shan Xi, the true head of the Shan family, hadn't agreed to marry Jun Yan, he wouldn't have been forced into this dilemma!
Thinking of this, the Emperor Emeritus felt a burning rage in his chest, wishing he could strangle his own grandson immediately!
What a great plan! How perfect it is!
Everything is ruined because of him!
Upon hearing this answer, Old Master Shan looked incredulous, and his body staggered backward uncontrollably.
"Grandma..." Old Master Shan looked at Shanxi with a pained expression.
He thought that Xiao Pa Cai genuinely loved his grandmother and had done so many shocking things for her sake. Little did he know that Xiao Pa Cai was full of schemes and plots against the Shan family!
"You know enough, you can die in peace!" After the Emperor Emeritus finished speaking, he waved his hand, and a sinister aura instantly spread out, as if an invisible hand was enveloping everyone.
"Oh no! It's the Ghost Sect!" Old Master Shan exclaimed in surprise and quickly stepped in front of Shanxi.
The Ghost Sect members surged out from all directions like ghosts. They were dressed in black robes, their faces hidden in the shadows, only revealing pairs of eyes that gleamed with an eerie light, revealing a bloodthirsty madness.
"Kill! Leave no one alive!" The Emperor Emeritus's voice was cold and cruel, like a demon from hell.
Upon receiving their orders, the members of the Ghost Sect surged towards the Shan family like a tidal wave. Their speed was astonishing, and wherever they passed, they stirred up gusts of eerie wind.
The attacks of the Ghost Sect are impossible to defend against; their moves are insidious and vicious, and every strike is aimed straight for vital points.
Although the Shan family's guards were all well-trained, they gradually became unable to withstand the Ghost Sect's assassins, who were skilled in assassination and strange techniques.
As time went on, the guards of the Shan family fell one after another, and the air was filled with the strong smell of blood.
Just then, a pair of eyes in the shadows were staring intently at Shanxi.
Just as the old master rushed out to help, Shan Yurou flashed and appeared behind Shanxi like a ghost, holding a sharp dagger in her hand, and stabbed it fiercely towards Shanxi's back.
Shan Yurou's movements were swift and ruthless, her eyes flashing with bloodthirsty madness, as if she could already see Shan Xi lying in a pool of blood.
However, Sun-hee had already noticed Sun-yu-rou's movements.
A slight upturn of her lips revealed a disdainful smile. With a slight shift of her body, she easily dodged Shan Yurou's attack.
Immediately afterwards, she turned around abruptly and slapped Shan Yurou in the chest.
Shan Yurou's pupils contracted, and she had no time to dodge. She was struck squarely in the chest by Shanxi's palm.
In an instant, Shan Yurou felt a tremendous force strike her, and her body flew out like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
