"I’m not entirely clear on the specifics either," Long Xuanmo said gravely, "On the 20th of July when I was five years old, Father took Sun Chuanmao, disguised in plain clothes, to Huangjue Temple. Out of curiosity, I quietly followed them and saw Father offering sacrifices at a grave without a name on the rear mountain;
From the few words I overheard between Father and Sun Chuanmao, I learned that the grave entombed the bones of Chu Wenzhong and his three sons. I also discovered that Chu Wenzhong’s death was a forced choice, and that the so-called evidence of treason was actually fabricated by Chu Wenzhong himself;
To honor Chu Wenzhong’s loyal heart, Father had no choice but to order his execution by beheading for public display, and implicated his Nine Clans. Since then, every year on the 20th of July, Father would go to the back of Huangjue Temple to worship Chu Wenzhong and his three sons;
I have secretly examined the records, and the information on Chu Wenzhong was almost superficially noted. I’ve also sought out information in secret but never found anything valuable. It’s likely that no one besides Father knows the truth, and since Father has never vindicated him, it suggests the matter is very complex."
Yang Mengchen furrowed her brows. What kind of matter could have been so grave that Chu Wenzhong willingly went to his death, and even implicated his family members?
"How was Chu Wenzhong known to conduct himself?"
"To my knowledge, he was known to be upright and absolutely loyal. At the age of sixteen, he was invincible on the battlefield and never suffered defeat. By twenty-two, he had become the Great General Huaihua."
"The situation does indeed sound very strange."
"Yes," Long Xuanmo sighed deeply, "Unfortunately, Father is tight-lipped, and we can’t find any evidence, rendering us unable to uncover the truth."
Yang Mengchen spoke softly, "Ah Lan did find some clues, but they are of little use. Moreover, every time she came upon a significant lead, it would abruptly come to an end, clearly someone doesn’t want her to continue investigating. It shows that this person holds high status, great power, and considerable strength."
She intuitively felt that the person wasn’t the Emperor. After all, since the Emperor knew that Chu Wenzhong was wrongly accused, he would want to vindicate him sooner than anyone and thus wouldn’t stop Ah Lan from investigating.
But the Emperor had many brothers and sons, and more than one person eyed that position with covetous desire. Not to mention those from the Royal family: there were also the Dregs of the Previous Dynasty plotting rebellion, powerful relatives by marriage, or high-ranking Imperial Court officials, as well as the other three nations that had their sights set on Dong Chu... could it be one of them, or was it a collusion between some of them? How else could they have forced Chu Wenzhong to bear such shame and resolutely go to his death, leaving even the Emperor helpless?
Furrowing his brows tightly, Long Xuanmo’s lips were pursed in silence, and a sharp, elusive glint flickered within his dark eyes.
The loyal and capable Chu Wenzhong’s death, a victim of malicious scheming, was a deep source of frustration and a considerable loss to the Imperial Court.
Sensing the piercing cold emanating from Long Xuanmo’s body, Yang Mengchen gently advised, "Even Father is powerless in this case, which proves the complexity of the matter. We’ve already been waiting for over twenty years, so there’s no rush at this moment. Let’s investigate slowly, and I believe the truth will eventually come to light."
Subduing the deadly aura around him, Long Xuanmo embraced his wife tightly, his long eyelashes shielding the emotions in his eyes from view.
"By the way, Wende, select the five hundred best guards and Hidden Guards in the next couple of days. I have a mission I will entrust to them in a few days."
"Whatever Ah Jiu intends to do, just leave it to me."
Detecting a hint of jealousy in Long Xuanmo’s tone, Yang Mengchen tilted her head up and quickly kissed the corner of his lips. "In a previous life, Ah Lan was openly a special forces soldier but actually the country’s most outstanding agent. Skilled in assassination, intelligence gathering, infiltration, rescue, interrogation, and also in ground, naval, guerrilla, and urban warfare, among other skills;
I’ve already arranged with her today to use the next few months she’s staying with my brother-in-law to help us train an elite force. Luckily, I have an estate near the mountains outside the city, where they can train without drawing attention."
Seeing Long Xuanmo purse his lips in silence, Yang Mengchen thought for a moment and said, "Ah Lan holds deep sisterly affection for me, and I firmly believe she has no ulterior motives. You can rest assured, Wende."
"I trust you!" Looking intently at his wife, love and adoration flickered in Long Xuanmo’s eyes.
If Ah Jiu trusts Chu Dieyi, he would choose to trust as well. If Chu Dieyi ever betrayed them, he was confident he could handle any repercussions.
Straddling Long Xuanmo, Yang Mengchen gently stroked his eyebrows and eyes, her lips curving into a shallow smile. "To love and protect each other in this life is my fortune."
"To grow old with Ah Jiu is my fortune as well," he said, encircling his wife’s slender waist. Recalling the exquisite pleasure from moments earlier, Long Xuanmo’s gaze became fiery, his voice husky and captivating. "I’ll do anything Ah Jiu asks for. You must reward me well." Not waiting for his wife to speak, he suddenly captured her full and delicate lips.
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