Kumoti's confession was like throwing a red-hot iron into the seemingly calm but actually turbulent deep waters of the royal court, instantly provoking a violent reaction and a piercing hiss.
Wuzhu, a fierce general renowned for his bravery, commanded nearly a third of the royal court's cavalry. Guli, one of the leading civil officials, had disciples and associates throughout the court and beyond, wielding immense influence. These two men, in both status and power, far surpassed Kumoti. Accusing them of treason was tantamount to declaring war on the most deeply entrenched traditional forces within the royal court.
That very afternoon, Wuzhu, dressed in full military attire and accompanied by dozens of personal guards, stormed directly outside the hall where Helian Jue was holding court. His voice boomed, filled with undisguised anger:
"Your Majesty! I have followed you through countless life-and-death battles, and my body is covered in wounds! How can you doubt my loyalty because of that old scoundrel Kumoti's incoherent accusations before his death?! Someone is trying to sow discord between us, the ruler and his subjects, and eliminate dissidents!"
His voice boomed like thunder, echoing outside the hall and attracting countless gazes, both overt and covert.
Almost simultaneously, a group of civil officials led by Guli also jointly submitted a memorial, their words earnest yet subtly pointed, on the one hand defending themselves, and on the other hand implicitly pointing to Helian Jue's recent tendency to "favor people of unknown origin" and "shake the foundation of the state."
The pressure, like an invisible mountain, pressed down on Helian Jue from both the literary and martial aspects.
Standing slightly behind Helian Jue, Su Nian could clearly feel the tension in the air, almost as if it were freezing. She saw Helian Jue's hand resting on the armrest of the throne, his knuckles slightly white from the force, but his face was expressionless, only his eyes were as cold as ice that had never melted.
He did not immediately respond to Wuzhu's roar, nor did he look at the memorials submitted by the civil officials. He simply remained silent, a silence more suffocating than any roar.
After a long while, he slowly raised his eyes, his gaze like a solid ice spike, piercing towards Wuzhu's imposing figure outside the hall.
"Wuzhu," his voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange, icy power that pierced through all noise, "Are you teaching me how to do things?"
With just one sentence, Wuzhu's overwhelming momentum came to a halt!
The next day, at noon.
The largest drill ground in the royal court was packed with people. All officials and generals of sufficient rank, as well as some of the royal court's subjects, were ordered to come and witness the execution.
A tall execution platform stood in the center of the training ground, the blazing sun making the rough wooden platform scorching hot. Kumoti and Lady Lan, stripped of their fine clothes and dressed in filthy prison garments, knelt on the platform. Kumoti's face was ashen, his eyes vacant, as if his soul had long since left his body. Lady Lan, meanwhile, continued to stare with venomous eyes at Helian Jue, seated at the head of the platform, and at Su Nian beside him, dressed in a plain cotton dress, her expression calm.
Helian Jue sat upright in the center of the execution platform, while Su Nian remained standing slightly behind him. She could feel countless gazes sweeping over her, some openly, some subtly, filled with a variety of indescribable emotions. She knew that today, she and he were truly bound together, standing on the opposite side of all opposing forces.
Batu stepped forward and loudly read out the charges against Kumoti and Lady Lan: embezzlement of military funds, collusion with foreign enemies, attempted assassination, and disruption of the royal court... each charge was punishable by death.
There was no lengthy ceremony; Helian Jue despised all forms of formalism. After the charges were read aloud, he merely raised his hand.
The executioner raised his blade and brought it down!
Two streams of blood shot into the sky, staining the dry wooden floor of the execution platform red, which quickly turned dark red and viscous under the scorching sun.
Suppressed gasps and gasps came from the crowd.
Su Nian forced herself to watch, despite her nausea. She knew this was an attempt to establish authority, a declaration. Helian Jue was using the most direct and bloody method to tell everyone the consequences of challenging his authority.
After the execution, the scene was deathly silent. Only the stench of blood lingered in the scorching air.
Helian Jue slowly stood up. He walked to the edge of the execution platform, his gaze like that of a hawk, slowly sweeping over the dark mass of people below, over Wuzhu with his ashen face, and over Guli and his cronies with their gleaming eyes.
"You all saw it?" His voice broke the silence, not loud, but clear enough to reach everyone's ears, carrying a cold, unquestionable authority. "This is the consequence of betraying me, betraying the Jie tribe."
He paused, then his tone suddenly turned fierce, filled with murderous intent: "Kumoti has already been brought to justice! But this matter is not over yet!"
His gaze, like two cold searchlights, suddenly locked onto Wuzhu and Guli!
"Wuzhu! Guli! What do you two have to say?!"
Wuzhu's face flushed red instantly. He took a step forward and roared, his neck stiff, "Your Majesty! This humble general is not convinced! How can you convict someone based solely on Kumoti's one-sided testimony?! Heaven and earth bear witness to my loyalty to Your Majesty!"
Gu Li, on the other hand, was much more composed. He stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said in a somber tone, "Your Majesty, please understand. This old minister has devoted his entire life to serving the royal family, and has never harbored any disloyalty. Kumoti is turning against us on his deathbed, intending to disrupt the court. I beg Your Majesty not to fall for the schemes of this treacherous man!" As he spoke, he glanced at Su Nian almost imperceptibly.
Helian Jue sneered, "Loyalty? Diligence?" He suddenly pulled a roll of parchment from his robes and threw it on the ground! "Then tell me! Three years ago, during the northern expedition against the Di and Rong tribes, why was our army's marching route leaked in advance, leading to the vanguard being ambushed and wiped out?! A year ago, when the border military supplies were robbed twice, why did the traces left at the scene point to your men?! And this time... do I need to list out all the times, places, and people involved in the dealings with you that Kumo submitted?!"
With each question he asked, his voice grew colder, and his imposing manner surged! The parchment scroll clearly contained far more detailed evidence than Kumoti's verbal confession!
Wuzhu and Guli's expressions changed drastically! They hadn't expected that Helian Jue possessed so much!
"This...this is a frame-up!" Wuzhu tried to argue, but his confidence was waning.
Guli remained silent for a moment, then raised his head, a glint of despair followed by madness flashing in his eyes: "Your Majesty! Are you going to discard us once the birds are gone, and cook our dogs once the rabbits are dead?! We followed the late King to build this empire; even if we haven't made any great contributions, we have certainly worked hard! Now you favor a woman of unknown origin from the Southern Xia, listen to slander, and want to exterminate us old ministers?! Aren't you afraid of chilling the hearts of all the old ministers and shaking the foundation of the nation?!"
He is trying to incite other disgruntled traditional nobles to launch a final counterattack!
The atmosphere at the scene instantly became even more tense! Some officials who were originally neutral or wavering began to have their eyes darting around.
Su Nian's heart leaped into her throat. She knew this was the most crucial moment. If Helian Jue couldn't suppress this backlash with absolute force, all his previous efforts might be in vain.
Just then, Helian Jue suddenly laughed.
That smile was cold and cruel, carrying an absolute confidence of being in control of everything.
"Undermine the foundation of the nation?" He repeated these four words as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "I, the king, am the foundation of the nation!"
He suddenly waved his hand!
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
The elite royal guards, who had been lying in ambush all around the training ground and were absolutely loyal to Helian Jue, appeared like ghosts in an instant. They nocked their bows and drew their swords, surrounding the entire training ground, especially Wuzhu, Guli, and their confidants and henchmen! A chilling killing intent permeated the air!
At the same time, Batu stepped forward and shouted sternly, "Wuzhu and Guli have colluded with foreign enemies and plotted rebellion. The evidence is conclusive! The King has ordered that the traitors be captured! Those who resist shall be killed without exception!"
Things changed too fast!
Wuzhu reacted extremely quickly, roaring as he tried to draw his sword to fight back, but before his personal guards could move, they were instantly subdued by the ferocious royal guards! Several cold crossbow bolts were already accurately aimed at his vital points!
Gu Li's face turned deathly pale. Looking at the arrows gleaming coldly around him, and at Helian Jue's emotionless, icy eyes, he knew that all was lost. He gave a bitter laugh, collapsed to the ground, and gave up all resistance.
A coup that could have triggered massive upheaval was nipped in the bud by Helian Jue’s absolute power and decisive methods.
Wuzhu and Guli were captured on the spot, and their close associates and followers were also taken into custody.
Helian Jue stood on the execution platform, looking down at the opponents who fell like harvested wheat, his eyes devoid of any emotion. The sunlight shone on him, making his black royal robes appear like congealed blood, and also shrouding the slender figure beside him in a shadow of power and bloodshed.
He turned around, his gaze falling on Su Nian again.
This time, his gaze was no longer complex or inquisitive; it was filled only with a pure, almost beastly, possessive quality, as if he were confirming his territory.
He reached out his hand to her.
That wasn't an order, nor a reward, but rather... an invitation. An invitation for her to share in the pinnacle of power paved with blood and bones.
All eyes were once again focused on Su Nian.
Su Nian looked at the hand with distinct knuckles, which had just signed countless death orders, and then looked up at Helian Jue's unfathomable eyes, which now only reflected her image.
Her heart was pounding violently in her chest.
She knew that once she took this step, there would be no turning back. She would be completely branded as "Helian Jue's person," inextricably bound to this tyrant and this bloody dynasty, until the mission ended, or... her own end.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and the chilling aura of power.
Amidst countless gazes filled with shock, fear, jealousy, or complex emotions, Su Nian slowly placed her cool, slender hand on Helian Jue's large, warm, calloused palm.
His hand tightened instantly, firmly imprisoning that slightly cool and soft flesh.
He looked at her, a faint smile playing on his lips, a smile so subtle it could outshine everything else.
"very good."
He said.
Then, he took her hand, turned around, and faced the silent and fearful crowd below, like a king displaying his unique... spoils and allies to his world.
(End of Chapter 112)
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