Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Eternity.
The third prince was imprisoned and committed suicide on the third day out of fear of punishment.
The case was initially tried by the Dali Temple, then jointly tried by the three judicial departments, and finally decided by the emperor, which took a total of 23 days.
The adult men in the rebel Duke of Ying were sentenced to beheading, the women were enslaved, and their money was added to the national treasury.
The emperor had just recovered from a serious illness when he encountered his rebellious son's rebellion. He shed tears several times in the hall and was so heartbroken that he almost fainted. In the end, he spared the death penalty for the other people in the third prince's house. Considering the kindness of Concubine Jiang who had accompanied him for many years, he only sent her to Dajueshan Temple to reflect and repent.
It can be said that the emperor’s grace is enormous.
*
Dajueshan Temple, Zen room.
Concubine Jiang was dressed in plain clothes, with all the hairpins on her head removed. Her long black hair was casually tied up with a wooden hairpin. She stood in front of the window in a daze, looking outside.
However, in just a short period of time, the beauty that once dominated the six palaces had withered like a dead leaf in late autumn, and she seemed to have aged ten years. Even her hair was dry as firewood, without a trace of its former luster.
The stone slab behind her suddenly made a sound. The sound that originally made her happy now sounded like thunder in her ears, making her tremble all over and she couldn't help but shrink and turn around.
After standing there frozen for a long time, she staggered forward two steps, but then abruptly stopped, keeping a distance from him. She asked in a hoarse voice, "Liang Yu, this... this can't be true, right?"
"I promised to find a way to send him away, but he chose to commit suicide. This is all because of the good son you raised!"
She hadn't expected Meng Liangyu to take the initiative and put all the blame on her. Her already shaky mind completely collapsed, and she cried out, "It's my fault?!"
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have told you that Huang'er already knew his life story. I shouldn't have told you that Hong'er gave him the armor!"
"The prince is young and ignorant, and his temper is impulsive. I just want you to stay away from him. Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs, so you—"
"you--"
Concubine Jiang was out of control and her finger pointing at him was shaking.
Meng Liangyu also scolded him, "He has already intended to kill me. He has such thoughts even before he holds full power. Even if I help him ascend to the throne in the future, who knows if he won't be raising a tiger to cause trouble? Everything I have painstakingly built must not be destroyed by this brat!"
"Did he think that by killing me, he could erase his true identity? How foolish!" Imperial Concubine Jiang burst into tears, choking with sobs, almost unable to speak. "Then why... the Jiang family? Hong'er has respected you as his teacher since childhood, and the Jiang family has supported you all the way to this day!"
"If it weren't for me, the Jiang family wouldn't be what it is today. It's just a matter of each taking what they need! Since I've made up my mind to destroy him, the Jiang family can't stay!"
"Each takes what he needs...? Then you and I also each take what we need, right?"
Although Meng Liangyu has a few strands of white hair on his temples, he is still in his prime, with an upright figure and a calm and restrained look between his eyebrows, and one can vaguely see the charm of his former years.
Concubine Jiang looked at the man in front of her in a trance, thinking about how they met and fell in love, and how he accompanied her from a neglected nobleman to the most glorious concubine she is today.
At that time, he was just a fourth-rank scholar, and he once said that he would protect her for the rest of his life. She thought that she would always be the queen in his heart...
Meng Liangyu remained silent for a long time before saying, "Since Your Majesty has shown mercy, I believe you will be safe for the rest of your life. I will send someone to seal this secret passage."
He opened his lips as if he wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.
*
In June, the dungeon of the Ministry of Justice was damp and hot.
With Meng Liangyu's approval, the jailer opened the iron lock of the cell. He bowed his head slightly and stepped in.
Ji Sui was sitting on his knees against the wall, leaning his head back. Upon hearing the voice, he slowly opened his gorgeous peach blossom eyes and raised the corners of his lips: "The Prime Minister has finally shown up. I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Meng Liangyu slowly approached, leaned over and squatted in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot, and fine lines at the corners of his eyes had increased without him noticing. The corners of his lips twitched. He tried to force a relaxed smile, but found that he couldn't smile at all, and finally a distorted expression was imprinted on his face.
What Ji Bai said to the Third Prince was half true and half false. The armor of the Shenwu Camp was indeed recorded, but the 300 people he gave to the Third Prince were all assassins bought on the black market. None of them was a registered soldier of the Shenwu Camp. Moreover, Ji Bai was not on Andu Mountain that day. No matter how they investigated or how they accused others, they could not link it to Ji Bai.
Ji Sui had already made plans to force the father and son to kill each other, and force him to get rid of his own son with his own hands!
I picked up a dog casually, and now it has grown into a wolf.
"You did a great job. You are worthy of being trained by this old man." Meng Liangyu's vein-filled hands tightly grasped Ji Bai's shoulders, feeling the warm blood from his wound flowing along his finger bones.
But this naturally could not ease his pain of losing his son and the pain of losing the Duke of England as his arm.
Ji Rui had only suffered some minor injuries, and he just wished he could peel off his skin and drink his blood!
Meng Liangyu finally laughed out loud, his short gray beard trembling with laughter, and the wrinkles on his face twisted into deep ravines because of his exaggerated smile.
Ji Sui looked at him coldly, then smiled and said slowly, "The Prime Minister has carefully cultivated me, and I will never forget it. It is my duty to let you see the true colors of these people. After all, I am your son. What do you say, godfather?"
"After the battle of Yizhou, I now have a large army at my disposal, and my adoptive father is in charge of the cabinet. Why don't you and I share the world?"
"Without the Third Prince, I can still support the Sixth and Seventh Princes! Why would I need a dog like you?"
Son...his son...
Ji Bai's words inadvertently angered Meng Liangyu. His eyes widened in rage, and tears welled up in his eyes because of his excitement. He grabbed Ji Bai's injured shoulder with both hands and slammed his head against the wall with all his might.
Ji Sui was shocked and coughed non-stop, but he didn't care. He knew that the more angry Meng Liangyu was at him, the less likely he would want to kill him.
After losing the Third Prince and the Duke of England, Meng Liangyu was severely injured and would never touch him again.
Even if Meng Liangyu didn't want to admit it, he was still someone he had to rely on.
But... Ji Sui looked at the suddenly old face in front of him, and suddenly felt that Meng Liangyu's anger was a bit too much, and even mixed with sadness.
But where does this sadness come from?
Before he could ponder, Meng Liangyu's expression softened, now replaced with a gentle and loving one. He loosened his hand, seemingly oblivious to the blood still lingering on his fingertips, and gently patted his shoulder. "You've suffered these past few days. I'm aware of your innocence and have already reported it to His Majesty. You'll be released from prison soon."
Ji Sui seemed not to have heard his harsh words and just smiled and said, "Thank you, foster father."
*
Three days later, the morning light appeared.
The pre-dawn mist had not yet dissipated, and a horse-drawn carriage slowly passed through the dew-soaked rice fields, along the winding country road, and galloped towards the farmyard on the hilltop.
Lin Zhen had been sleeping very lightly recently. When she heard a faint noise in her daze, she immediately got up and got out of bed. The moment Shizhu raised her hand to knock on the door, Lin Zhen had already opened the door.
"The general is seriously injured. Please take care of him, young lady. I will go find Doctor Bai!" Shi Zhu watched the two servants help Ji Bai lie on the bed, and said to Lin Zhen.
Unconsciously, Shizhu didn't realize that she had already changed her attitude towards Lin Zhen.
Ji Bai was wearing a dark long gown, but it still couldn't hide the blood stains all over his body, not to mention the bloody smell that filled the whole house the moment he entered the door.
Lin Zhen took a moment to come back to her senses. She couldn't help but curl her fingers and wanted to say something, but her throat felt very dry. She struggled to utter two words: "Okay, okay."
Ji Sui was lying on the bed, his face pale, his eyes closed, his chest heaving violently, his breathing rapid.
Lin Zhen stood guard by the bed, his body covered in blood. She stretched out her fingertips and then curled them up, feeling somewhat helpless. "What do you want? Do you want some water?"
“Don’t go…”
When Lin Zhen turned around, someone grabbed his sleeve. Ji Rui had opened his eyes at some point and his brows were no longer furrowed.
His fingertips accidentally touched Lin Zhen's wrist, which was as cold as water. She held his hand without hesitation, with only one thought in her mind, which was to make him warmer.
Several people surrounded Bai Ce as he entered the room. Lin Zhenfang stood up from the edge of the couch and made room for him.
Lin Yue followed closely beside Bai Ce, her face anxious, and her steps were quick. It would be more accurate to say that she was urging Bai Ce on rather than following him.
When she reached the couch, she was already at the front. The smell of blood and the blood-stained and pale appearance of the man made her gasp and subconsciously hide behind Bai Ce.
"First, use ginseng slices to keep him suspended, and I will slowly give him acupuncture." Bai Ce said immediately after taking his pulse.
Meng Liangyu couldn't find any evidence against Ji Bai, but he was unwilling to let him go, so he ordered his men to use all the methods in the prison on him.
Although it didn't really take his life, it only left him half alive.
When Ji Sui sent Lin Zhen and the others to the farm, he had made all the necessary preparations and brought all the necessary medicinal materials. Shi Zhu held the medicine box in front of Bai Ce. Bai Ce's thin fingertips gently stroked it, and he identified the ginseng slices, took them out and put them into Ji Sui's mouth.
Bai Ce covered his eyes with white silk and bowed his head, saying, "Someone go help him up."
"I'll do it!"
"I'll do it!"
"I……"
The three of them spoke almost at the same time, but after hearing the elder sister's voice, Lin Yue unconsciously lowered her voice to a mosquito-like level, and only Bai Ce, who had excellent hearing nearby, heard it.
When Shizhu saw Lin Zhen speak, he stopped talking.
Lin Zhen got on the bed and slowly helped Ji Bai up, letting him lean on his shoulder.
The acupuncture process lasted for nearly an hour. Lin Zhen's arms were shaking unconsciously, but she was only focused on the expression and breath of the man on her shoulder.
Lin Zhen got up before daybreak, and even now, in the middle of the night, she was still spinning like a top, her mental strength was terrifyingly strong.
Her eyes were as sharp as torches, staring intently at the person sleeping on the couch.
Ji Sui slowly woke up with blurry eyes, staring at Lin Zhen for a long time, a smile curled up at the corner of his pale lips: "It wasn't a dream."
Lin Zhen frowned and asked, "What?"
Ji Sui's strength hadn't yet recovered, so he could only raise his voice as much as possible, sneering, "Why are you guarding me like this? Are you worried that if something happens to me, they won't be able to fare well either?"
"You did the right thing, Lin Zhen. I want you to stay by my side forever. Don't even think about leaving. Otherwise, I will not let them go. I will kill them! Do you understand, Lin Zhen?"
Seeing that he still had the energy to say such words, Lin Zhen suddenly exerted force on his hand, trying to pull his hand away from his palm, "Kill them, why not kill them all now!"
"Hiss—" Ji Sui's wound was torn and hurt, which frightened Lin Zhen so much that he stopped moving quickly. He said in a floating tone: "Don't move..."
A few words exhausted his energy, and after he finished speaking, Ji Sui closed his eyes again.
Bai Ce said that if he could wake up tonight, he would be fine.
Listening to his even breathing, Lin Zhen felt as if all her strength was suddenly drained away from her. She suddenly felt sore all over, extremely tired and exhausted.
He sat on the footstool beside the couch and fell asleep with his arms as a pillow.
*
Late at night, candlelight flickered, and Lin Zhen was half asleep when he was awakened by a rustling sound. His phoenix eyes were dazed as he looked at Ji Sui who had sat up. His long eyelashes fluttered hazily, but he forced himself to stay awake and murmured, "Do you really want to go...? You are not allowed to go... I was just saying that in anger..."
She reached out to grab Ji Bai's sleeve, but before she could reach it, she fell into deep sleep again.
In the darkness, Ji Sui chuckled, raised his hand to hold Lin Zhen's face as she was about to fall on the couch, and helped the beautiful woman who was falling asleep again lie back on the bed.
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