Chapter 103: False righteousness, regardless of the cost, a gamble regardless of good or evil. ...
In just a moment, the offense and defense changed.
There was an almost insane look in Shuanzi's eyes, his head felt dizzy and about to burst, and the smell of blood lingered in his throat. He stared intently at the group of sanctimonious and hypocritical hypocrites in front of him, and laughed wildly for another while.
Finally, he fixed his attention on Song Xieqing.
His good teacher, who had generously saved his so-called brothers and sisters, and had saved many distinguished ministers and elders, had always been diligent in his teachings since his return to the country, yet he never forced anything upon him. He always left him some wiggle room on government matters, letting him make his own decisions. Whenever he chose an inappropriate policy, his teacher would frown and ask, "Is this indeed the way, Your Majesty?"
He frankly explained the pros and cons to him, and then said, "A teacher is nothing more than a candle to guide the way and a stick to assist. Your Majesty can do whatever he wants, and I will only follow your advice. If Your Majesty knows that it is wrong but still does something, it is not my place to interfere. I only hope that Your Majesty will make any decision without regret, and I only hope that Your Majesty will understand your true nature and see the suffering of the people in the world."
Why should he see the suffering of coarse cloth and tattered clothes? Who has ever seen his suffering? Give him kindness, give him righteousness? If he is not treated well, why should he treat others well?
He also understood that Song Lang appeared cold and indifferent, but in reality he was always planning for him, but he often contradicted him... He was not the real Jiang Zhi, so Song Lang could not be his teacher. Song Lang treated him well only because he was wearing Jiang Zhi's skin and name...
It wasn't just Song Lang; everyone standing under the moonlit platform tonight was like this! Ah Lin was also...
Shuanzi closed his eyes. Beneath the moon platform, flags swirled and stretched in the wind, soldiers were in order, and the people were united. On the moon platform stood the right-hand man of the land minister, and there was also the real Jiang Zhi, the so-called orthodox Ying Dynasty.
He can't escape.
Although, he never thought of escaping. From the beginning to the end, all he wanted was to destroy everything they cared about... so that they could also taste the loneliness and desolation.
He felt as if he was drowned in a sea of smoke, but he could hear the clanging sound of a long sword being unsheathed. The next moment, he felt the pain of a sharp weapon piercing his skin and flesh right in the middle of his chest.
Shuanzi opened his eyes and saw Lan Yuan holding one end of the knife handle.
The storm that had just subsided in his heart surged again. He, they, everyone... treated him well because they mistook him for Jiang Zhi. Only Lan Yuan was different. Lan Yuan knew who he really was from the beginning! But now, Lan Yuan wished he was dead...
Shuanzi gripped the blade in reverse and laughed loudly towards the sky.
Lan Yuan twisted his wrist, and the blade moved forward another inch, directly stirring the heart petals.
Shuanzi crashed onto the blood-soaked platform, his lifeless eyes fixed on the calm Lan Yuan.
Thunder roared in the sky, and heavy rain came down with a strong wind.
Shuanzi recalled that many years ago, he had also met Lan Yuan during a rainy season. Looking back now, it seemed absurd and ridiculous...
Over the past ten years, he gradually realized in the faint breath of wind and rain that he had been just a puppet from the beginning to the end, and he had fallen into the chess game since the continuous rain many years ago.
It's hard to tell black from white.
What on earth is the meaning of his life, just seventeen years? Shuanzi thought.
If there is a next life, he would rather be reborn as an animal.
…
The rain was heavy and long.
Inside the Li Mansion, the ministers who had been drugged woke up one after another. When they took a closer look, they saw that all the red silks in the mansion had been removed, replaced by sad white silk.
Inside the palace, there was also a flurry of activity. A palace coup had just been settled, and the Xiayang issue needed to be resolved urgently.
Although Jiang Zhi did not regard himself as the emperor, he had already given orders for everything in an orderly manner and urgently summoned his close associates to the palace to discuss matters, including Song Xieqing.
Zhu Hao was alone under the palace eaves, taking shelter from the wind and rain. When the rain subsided, she took a step forward and ran into Mei Lianjun riding a horse.
She smiled and called her, "Ayin."
Mei Lianjun was in a hurry. Seeing that it was Zhu Hao, she quickly turned her horse's head. She dismounted swiftly and without thinking, gently hugged Zhu Hao, "Lucky to have you, Pianpian."
After she finished speaking, she said shyly, "Just now, I heard the Imperial Master calling you like this..."
Zhu Hao looked at her carefully. She must have been crying. Her eyebrows and nose were all red, and under her eyebrows were a pair of red, swollen and tearful eyes. She thought for a moment, wrapped her hands around Mei Lianjun's, and whispered, "I think Cang Ping Hou..."
"Pianpian, I'm fine." Mei Lianjun interrupted, her eyelashes drooping. "We both understood each other when we parted. This farewell... me and him... I just never thought that he would be the one to leave first..."
She forced a smile, but her voice faded. "Besides, I don't have the time to be sad, Your Majesty..."
Mei Lianjun paused, unsure how to address the man respectfully. He could only speak as usual, "His Majesty has issued an imperial decree, ordering us to lead 5,000 soldiers and march ahead. After the court session, we will inventory the national treasury and granary. The various prefectures along the coast will then report on the number of additional troops and fodder... and we are told not to worry..."
"Leaving overnight?" Zhu Hao seemed to be asking a question, but he was just explaining.
The general in front of him nodded slightly. "It's not good to let the two generals of Pu Shui defend the country forever. The country belongs to everyone. It would be best if I could reach Xiayang a day earlier. However... Qing Rang's funeral..."
She could no longer hold back her tears, and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Qing is the most petty person. I was engaged to him when we were young, but as soon as he saw me talking to another boy, he would start buzzing around me like a fly all day long... buzzing and buzzing. Now I can't even go to his funeral... I wonder how he must be blaming and cursing me in his grave."
"Pianpian... do you know, actually, I..." She suddenly threw herself into Zhu Hao's arms, sobbing uncontrollably, "I told him many lies before that I didn't like him, without repeating myself... He always smiled after hearing them, which was really annoying, but, but I know he must be very sad... Even when he gave up his soldiers for me, sent me away, and when we got married and he lifted my veil, I never said a word to him that I loved him..."
"Just now, I saw him lying lifeless on the stage with my own eyes, his face pale. I didn't dare look any longer, or even... dared not get close. I was afraid that if I touched him, his warm body would turn cold as ice..." She spoke incoherently, pulling away from Zhu Hao's arms, taking a deep breath and wiping away her tears. "Thank you, Pianpian... for giving me a corner to cry out loud. And A-Lin... I also heard that the so-called marriage was just to help her stay out of the spotlight for a while."
"...By the way, I still don't know how my brother is doing now. Pianpian, if you have time, I hope you can check on him for me... It would be best if you could persuade him to write a letter home."
Zhu Hao nodded, understanding. At the moment, all the important people were gathered in the imperial palace to discuss matters, and the Minister of Personnel was naturally indispensable. He had sent people to the prison to invite Mei Lianqing earlier, but for some reason, no one showed up.
Mei Lianjun no longer hesitated. She jumped on her horse and smiled brightly at Zhu Hao, "General, I am leaving now."
Zhu Hao smiled and said goodbye. They saw a man and a horse, their cloaks fluttering like flames, drawing a blazing red streak against the dawning sky. Zhu Hao shouted, "General Yun Wei, wait for me in the sunset."
She paused for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Will the general still chase me away then?"
The horse's hooves were still galloping, but the rider had already turned his head. Although he didn't understand why, Mei Lianjun still smiled and said, "You little girl, come anytime. This general will be waiting for you at any time."
After watching Mei Lianjun's figure disappear completely into the depths of the palace, Zhu Hao was about to leave when he unexpectedly bumped into a young eunuch whose feet were as fast as the wind. He knocked Zhu Hao to the ground and felt dizzy.
The young eunuch hurried forward to help him. The palace had been cleared of all the outsiders by now, and anyone who could walk around in the palace was definitely not an ordinary person. The young eunuch was so scared that he kowtowed repeatedly, "Madam, please forgive me! I, I really..."
Zhu Hao rubbed his still dizzy forehead and asked, "Why are you so panicked?"
"It's the Minister! The Minister..." The young eunuch hesitated, thinking that it was no secret after all. And since he had bumped into the noble, he had no choice but to report the truth: "Mr. Mei had his leg severed in prison... and now the bleeding won't stop. I'm afraid... I'm afraid he's in great danger. I'm just about to report this to the Imperial Palace!"
At that moment, a bright bolt of thunder brushed past the eaves and tiles of the palace and struck straight down. The roar of thunder circled in my ears for several times.
Zhu Hao's heart skipped a beat. He demanded, "Since this is a matter of life and death, have you summoned the imperial physician? Isn't there an imperial physician on duty in the Imperial Palace?"
The young eunuch trembled with fear. He had never imagined that the seemingly weak woman in front of him, who would fall down at the slightest touch, could be so powerful when she argued. The young eunuch felt that she had an extraordinary background. He did not dare to offend her, and knelt down to report: "The doctor of the Imperial Medical Bureau has long been... transferred... No one knows where he went! I really don't know what to do..."
I wish you all the best. She has heard that the fire in the Imperial Medical Bureau was caused by that fake one. Because he had a hidden illness, the Imperial Medical Bureau has found some feasible ways to treat the disease. Jiang... Shuanzi will definitely not kill him, so he must have sent someone to secretly transfer the medical officer.
Putting aside for the moment the mystery of Mei Lianqing's broken leg in prison, she glanced at the trembling eunuch and, with forced composure, ordered, "The Imperial Palace is currently discussing important state affairs. It's inappropriate to disturb them. Report this to the guards at the front of the palace. If any important officials enter or leave the Imperial Palace, report this to them immediately. Then, quickly find the captain of the Eighth Battalion's Imperial Guards and have him dispatch two teams. One team will pursue the medical officer... and they can first inquire with Lan Yuan, the imposter's former attendant... The other team, as a precaution, will immediately leave the palace and sincerely invite doctors from the public..."
"If the Eighth Battalion shirks responsibility, then... you should just say you're following orders from the Imperial Tutor's wife and go!" The young eunuch's eyes widened as he glanced up and down, wishing him well. Without further delay, he hurried off to receive the order. Then, the so-called Imperial Tutor's wife loudly warned, "Add more guards to keep a strict watch outside the prison! No one else should be allowed in or out! If there are any omissions, you will be punished after the court meeting!"
"Yes, yes, yes! I understand! I understand!" The young eunuch bowed and agreed while running, unwilling to give up the etiquette or put down his feet.
Even if the Eighth Battalion looked down on her fabricated title, its captain was Mei Lianjun's man after all, so he would not leave it alone. Zhu Hao felt relieved for a moment, but she did not dare to delay. She quickly wrapped her skirt around her waist and ran straight to the palace gate to borrow a horse from the guards stationed at the palace gate. All the guards in front of the palace gate had seen Zhu Hao in front of the Li family army. They knew that this woman was not simple, so they did not dare to ask too much and hurriedly brought a fast horse for her.
Zhu Hao thanked him hurriedly, got on his horse, and headed for Gongsun's house.
Unexpectedly, when Zhu Hao arrived at Gongsun's house, no one answered no matter how hard she knocked. Instead, the neighbors still had lights on, suggesting they hadn't slept since the night of unrest in the palace. An old woman pushed the door open and said, "The Gongsun family just left. They said they were taking their children back to Shu..."
"Just left?" Zhu Hao's heart tightened.
The old woman insisted, "That's right..."
Before she finished speaking, a gust of wind passed in front of the old woman. It turned out to be the woman who knocked on the door, spurring her horse and galloping towards the direction of leaving the city.
The sun broke through the clouds and the sky gradually brightened. Fortunately, because of the palace coup at night, guards had been posted at the city gate to strictly check all pedestrians entering the city. Perhaps because of the sudden change, many people planned to temporarily move to Yingdu to avoid the chaos. A long queue had already formed at the city gate, which bought time for Zhu Hao.
However, if Gongsun Jia insisted on leaving, the Gongsun family crest would no longer be left on the carriage. Zhu Hao was just worrying about where to find her when he heard a slightly childish voice calling from the end of the team: "Miss Zhu!"
Zhu Hao looked in the direction of the sound and saw that it was the sound of a bird. She was overjoyed. She ignored the sound of the bird and just as she had just stuck her head out of the window, she was pushed back inside. She then rode her horse straight to the front of the carriage.
I heard a murmur from inside the car: "I was wondering what you were doing, kid. One moment you needed to relieve yourself, the next you were hungry, and the next you were thirsty! It turns out you've been seeing pretty girls a few times, and your arms have become crooked! And you're actually waiting for me here!"
Quesheng grumbled aggrievedly, "...The Lord just said that there were too many people leaving the city, and the captain was right! He asked me if I wanted to go to the restaurant to eat breakfast before continuing on my journey..."
Zhu Hao dismounted and bowed respectfully through the curtains. She spoke earnestly, "Zhu Hao pays a visit to Elder Gongsun. I have come from the palace, and I believe Elder Gongsun has heard about the incident last night. Your Majesty and all the ministers are gathered in the Imperial Palace to discuss matters. General Yun Wei is leading the army to war. The Mei family has been so loyal to their country and their king. However... Minister Mei was ambushed in prison by a traitor and had his leg severed. He is now in critical condition, and the Imperial Physicians are unable to find him. I know Elder Gongsun's medical skills are remarkable and he has the ability to bring him back to health..."
Under the throng of people and countless gazes, she knelt heavily, her brows unflinching as she bowed prostrate to the ground. "General Yun Wei is away on a campaign. His grandmother also fought for the country on the battlefield. His brother risked his life to eliminate traitors. The Mei family has stood up for the people for generations. If Minister Mei were to die in prison today, wouldn't it chill the hearts of the Mei family and the people of the world? I will never use this as a threat..."
The carriage curtain was violently lifted, and Gongsun Jia spat, "What a wise man! Haha, you still say this isn't a threat?! Open your eyes and look! How many eyes are staring at me! You...you are trying to put me in an unjust position?"
"I dare not."
"Why are you so afraid? You're very brave! But did you learn that from Song Lang?" He kept mocking her, "You're such a good girl, but you don't learn from her!"
Zhu Hao raised her bewildered face from the muddy ground. Everyone saw a blush on her forehead, but she persisted, "I understand your elder's thoughts, and I also roughly understand why you decided to resign. Your elder believed that medicine can only treat superficial symptoms, but not the deepest ills of the human heart. So, you gave up medicine and entered the court... But you discovered that the emperor was gravely ill and could not be cured. The court was full of treacherous officials, and the poison had spread to the root of the country... Whether you are a doctor or an official, you are unable to address the root cause... So you were unmoved when your ancestral medical texts were burned before your eyes."
"But, sir," Zhu Hao's eyes shone brightly, and each word was sonorous. "What about a hundred years from now? A hundred years from now, the seas will be peaceful and the rivers will be clear, the ruler will be wise and the ministers will be virtuous, the people will live and work in peace and contentment, and there will be no more enemies and invaders. By then, the poisonous sores in people's hearts will have been healed, but who can heal the sores on the body?"
Zhu Hao kowtowed again, "Therefore, I only hope that the elder will pass on the medical classics to future generations! I beg the elder to save Minister Mei's life!"
"Future generations will have their own medical classics! Future generations will have their own doctors! In this life, what I hate most is being coerced..." Gongsun Jia's originally calm face suddenly darkened when he heard this. He threw down the carriage curtain and hid in the carriage, "Let's go!"
The bird stammered, "...Sir, but, but we are at the end of the line, we have to..."
"Then wait! I'm determined not to go anyway! Who cares about Mei Lianqing or Tao Lianqing? It's best if I can't stand it!"
Zhu Hao slowly stood up. The whispers around him were all about how ruthless and ungrateful Gongsun Jia was.
She curled her lips, quite self-deprecatingly.
Just as the elder said, she did have the crooked intention of using the power of the people to force others... She said it in a high-sounding way, like persuasion and pleading, and using the public opinion to add fuel to the fire, but in fact it was no different from the coercion mentioned by the elder. Moreover, Gongsun Jia no longer holds an official position and is about to retire in plain clothes. What do those court disputes, public opinion, and usurpation of power have to do with him, an old man with half his body buried in the ground?
She is so hypocritical and pretentious, using the name of benevolence and righteousness to oppress others.
However, just thinking about the look on Yin's face when she left just now... she wanted to take a gamble regardless of the cost, regardless of good or evil.
No matter what, she was unwilling to teach the little girl who traveled far to the border and fought bloody battles for her country and people to lose the person she loved and the brother who had protected her since childhood in just one day.
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