Chapter 316: That’s why I have to enter the palace
Gu Junze rode at full speed and finally arrived in the capital.
The atmosphere at the city gate was solemn, the guards were tight, and the checks were extremely strict, which was different from the past.
The number of soldiers guarding the city increased several times, and they repeatedly checked everyone entering and leaving the city gate.
Gu Junze sat upright on the horse, his black cloak fluttering in the wind, his narrow and long phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.
Something is wrong.
Something is so wrong.
This is definitely not the scene that should be used to welcome a victorious general back to the court.
"Brother, what's going on? This scene..."
Gu Cheng'an reined in his horse, his face full of confusion, and muttered softly.
Gu Junze did not answer, but raised his hand to signal the team to continue moving forward.
After passing the strict and almost difficult inspection, the group finally drove into the city.
The streets, once bustling and noisy, were now filled with an eerie silence.
Pedestrians walked hurriedly, with expressions of fear or inquiry on their faces, and their eyes were evasive.
When they saw the flag of Gu Junze and his group, many people's faces changed slightly and they quickly lowered their heads, while the sound of whispers entered their ears like mosquitoes.
“…It’s him…”
“…Pingzhou…”
“…collaborating with the enemy…”
"...I heard he's a bastard..."
The fragmented words were vicious and harsh, like poisoned needles, stabbing Gu Junze.
Gu Cheng'an was young and energetic, so he couldn't stand this.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
He reined in his horse suddenly and glared at the whispering crowd.
"Who dares to say that again?"
The surroundings suddenly became quiet, leaving only countless pairs of eyes, some terrified and some gloating.
"Cheng'an."
Gu Junze's voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable majesty.
Gu Cheng'an turned his head and met his brother's deep eyes. The coldness in them made him calm down instantly.
"Go back first."
Gu Junze said calmly, his tone calm, as if those vicious rumors had nothing to do with him.
He knew that getting angry at this moment was pointless and would only fall into someone's trap.
The team slowly moved forward again, passing through the dead silent streets.
When we reached Chang'an Road, we saw a familiar figure waiting anxiously by the roadside.
It’s Qin Fang.
When he saw Gu Junze, he immediately came forward with an unprecedented solemnity and anxiety on his face.
"General!"
Qin Fang lowered his voice and quickly walked to Gu Junze's horse.
"Something happened."
Gu Junze pulled the reins and looked at him calmly.
"explain."
Qin Fang took a deep breath and quickly told everyone about the changes that had taken place in the capital in the past few days.
"After the general left the capital, rumors began to spread about you... your background, saying that you were not of the Gu family's bloodline."
"Prince Su and his followers seized this opportunity to launch an attack and accuse you of deceiving the emperor."
"More importantly... Madam..."
Qin Fang's voice was a little difficult.
"Madam was falsely accused of poisoning an old man. They said they killed him to cover up your background and silence him."
"Now... Madam has been thrown into the Dali Temple Prison!"
The air around Gu Junze seemed to freeze into ice in an instant.
Even the warhorse under his crotch seemed to sense his master's anger and pawed its hooves uneasily.
His hands unconsciously clenched the reins, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
Chu Ruohan... is imprisoned?
The woman who seemed weak but was actually strong was now imprisoned.
The fierce murderous intent surged wildly in his eyes, almost bursting out of his body.
But in just a moment, the overwhelming anger and murderous intent were forcibly suppressed by him, and settled again in the depths of his deep eyes.
He forced himself to calm down.
The more critical the situation, the calmer you should be.
Prince Su.
What a great chain of tricks.
First, they set an ambush on his way back to Beijing, attempting to take his life.
After his failure, they immediately spread rumors to ruin his reputation.
Then, they threw dirty water on Han'er and threw her into jail.
Step by step, insidious and vicious, with a clear purpose - to pluck out his wings before he returns to Beijing.
Defame his reputation, leave him isolated and helpless, and make him surrender.
"I see."
There was no emotion in Gu Junze's voice, only a chill that penetrated deep into his bones.
"Go to the palace immediately."
He turned his horse around without hesitation.
Qin Fang was stunned: "General, the situation in the palace is unclear now, and those rumors..."
"That's why I have to enter the palace."
Gu Junze interrupted him and looked towards the towering imperial city with a cold and sharp gaze.
"First, I will report the battle situation in Pingzhou. This is my duty as a minister."
"Secondly, I want to see with my own eyes the emperor's attitude towards this matter."
"Third..." He paused, his voice deeper, "I want to save Han'er."
At the same time, in the Imperial Palace, inside the Purple Palace.
The old woman who was complaining was kneeling in the hall, trembling.
She was dressed in rags, looked dazed, and had empty eyes, as if her soul had been taken away.
Beside her, a eunuch was "reminding" her of something in a very low voice, with an undisguised threat on his face.
"...Think it over carefully, your little grandson..."
The woman shuddered all over, and her already confused eyes became even more confused.
The emperor sat high on the dragon throne with a gloomy expression on his face, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrests.
"Tell me again, who instructed your husband to spread rumors, and who poisoned him?"
The emperor's voice carried the majesty of an emperor, as well as a subtle hint of irritation.
The woman kowtowed suddenly, her voice hoarse and with a strange accent.
"Reply... Reporting to Your Majesty... It's... It's Madam Gu... It's Chu Ruohan!"
"It was her...it was she who gave this woman money, letting my dead husband go around telling lies...and then...and then, afraid that the truth would be exposed, she...she poisoned him to death...wuwuwu..."
She spoke incoherently, her words were inconsistent and full of loopholes.
But these words just confirm the result that some people want.
The emperor frowned, he was suspicious by nature.
Gu Junze won a great victory in Pingzhou, but then stopped fighting strangely, which made him suspicious.
Now another old woman appeared, her statements were inconsistent, and she finally pointed the finger at Gu Junze's wife.
All this is too coincidental.
The coincidence seems like an elaborate conspiracy.
But is this game true or false?
Just when the atmosphere in the hall was solemn, a report from the eunuch came from outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, the army has returned to the capital. Gu Junze requests an audience with you outside the palace."
A complex light flashed in the emperor's eyes, showing surprise, scrutiny, and deep suspicion.
As for Prince Su, a hint of sinister pride flashed across his eyes.
You came just in time.
The emperor was silent for a moment, as if weighing something.
Finally, he said in a deep voice: "Xuan."
The heavy palace door slowly opened.
Gu Junze was dressed in a dark military uniform and armor, and walked steadily as he stepped into this hall that symbolized the pinnacle of power.
He could clearly feel the solemn atmosphere in the hall.
He could even feel the scrutinizing and suspicious gaze from the dragon throne falling on him.
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