Chapter 463 His True Identity is Revealed
The Longqing Emperor knew about Chen Mo's reunion with Shen Chu.
He specifically asked the guards, who said that the scene was too chaotic and the guards did not get too close. They said the argument was about Shen Chu taking the Flying Eagle Guard exam.
He thought that thirteen years ago, Mo Chen was just a six or seven-year-old child who had narrowly escaped death and probably wouldn't know much.
But unexpectedly, silence remembered everything.
A flicker of annoyance flashed through the Longqing Emperor's mind; he was annoyed that he hadn't ordered his secret guards to silence Chen Mo immediately.
But he deliberately showed a look of fury on his face.
"Nonsense! When did I ever issue an order to strangle the Duke of Zhenguo and the Lu family army?"
"Keep silent. This is a serious matter. Don't talk nonsense. Thirteen years ago you were just a child. How would you know these things?"
"Besides, Zhou Qi was ordered to rush to the aid of the Lu family army, so how could he possibly kill the Lu family army and claim military merits?"
"Many of the Yizhou troops that Zhou Qi led back then were former members of the Lu family army. How could they possibly turn their swords against their old comrades?"
"That's utter nonsense. I can't possibly punish the Marquis of Anding based on just a few words from you, can I?"
A sense of smugness rose in the heart of the Marquis of Anding.
He wasn't unaware of the recent discussions among scholars and intellectuals, but so what?
He was indeed acting on His Majesty's orders back then, and His Majesty was fully aware of this matter and would naturally protect him.
Moreover, many of the soldiers in the Yizhou army he led back then were indeed former members of the Lu family army.
Those people also brandished knives, and now they've all been promoted. For the sake of their own lives, their families' future, they'll keep this matter buried deep inside.
Many years have passed since the incident, there is no evidence, and His Majesty is able to protect him, so no one can prove his guilt.
His future in the Marquis of Anding's mansion is secure.
Marquis Anding stepped forward and sighed heavily.
"Your Majesty, when I was ordered to rush to the aid of Liangzhou, I traveled for two whole days without sleep or rest."
Unexpectedly, it was too late. When I arrived, Liangzhou City was already a river of blood, a dead city.
Over the years, whenever I think of this matter, I feel heartache and regret, and cannot sleep.
I can't help but wonder, if I had run a little faster back then, would I have been able to reach Liangzhou sooner?
Perhaps that could have prevented the tragedy of the massacre in Liangzhou?
"In the end, it was I who was a step too slow. If Your Majesty punishes me for this, I am willing to accept the punishment."
Marquis An Ding knelt on the ground, looking heartbroken.
Many ministers spoke out in his defense.
"Although Marquis Anding was a step behind, he led his troops to drive away the Northern Rong people, which is a great achievement."
"Yes, such a great achievement is enough to overshadow the failure to provide timely assistance, especially since it is nearly 400 li from Yizhou to Liangzhou."
Marquis An Ding led his army on a whirlwind journey and arrived in Liangzhou in just two days. This speed is astonishing; how can one say the rescue was untimely?
"Back when this happened, this quiet young master was only seven years old, right? It's likely that he was frightened and his memory is confused."
"Your Majesty, please make the right judgment."
As the crowd chattered amongst themselves, all siding with him, a faint smile appeared in Emperor Longqing's eyes.
"What my ministers say is absolutely right. Silent, you were young then, so it's possible you've misremembered."
"I will consider your sincere heart and will not hold your offense of beating the drum to appeal for justice against me. You may leave now."
"Your Majesty." Silently stepped forward, crawling on his knees. "This humble subject is not speaking nonsense; this humble subject has evidence."
He pulled a thick stack of papers from his pocket, held them in his hands, and called out urgently:
"Your Majesty, these are all testimonies from the Yizhou army that participated in the relief of Liangzhou back then. They personally admitted that it was the Lu family army that repelled the Northern Rong people."
They also admitted that they massacred Lu's army under Zhou Qi's coercion.
These are all their testimonies. If His Majesty agrees, they are willing to testify in person.
Emperor Longqing's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly looked at Marquis Anding.
Marquis An Ding was also shocked, staring incredulously at the paper in Silent's hand.
No, that's impossible.
Those people also participated in the massacre, how could they possibly confess to it?
Don't they care about their own future, or the lives and property of their entire family?
How could anyone in the world not care about their own life and future?
He didn't believe it.
Pei Yuan, who had been silent all along, suddenly sneered and looked coldly at Marquis Anding.
"In this world, not everyone who does something wrong can live the rest of their life with a clear conscience."
Because they have a conscience and a sense of justice, even if they are forced to do things against morality and conscience, they will feel remorse.
For those who shared a bond with Lu's army, although they were forced by Zhou Qi's orders and threatened with their lives, they gritted their teeth and wielded the butcher's knife.
But in the countless days and nights that followed, they suffered the torment of their conscience.
They couldn't sleep at night; when they closed their eyes, they could see the tragic scene from back then.
Some people couldn't bear the pain and chose to commit suicide afterward.
The remaining people, suffering day after day, lived lives that were neither human nor ghost.
So when Pei Yuan's men found them, some of them told the truth almost without hesitation.
Some people, after struggling, chose to tell the truth.
They said that perhaps if they spoke out, they could finally sleep peacefully in the future, and even in the afterlife, they would have the face to kneel and beg for forgiveness from their former comrades.
Marquis An Ding's face was ashen, but he managed to maintain his composure.
"I don't know where they picked up this nonsense from, yet they dare to bring it before His Majesty to slander my innocence."
"I have acted uprightly and sat honestly, and I fear no slander."
He turned to look at Pei Yuan.
"But Your Highness, you keep saying you support silence, what are you really up to?"
"Oh, I remember now, the Duke of Zhenguo is His Highness Prince Rui's maternal uncle. What? Is Your Highness trying to speak out for your uncle?"
"Alas, the Duke of Zhenguo has been gone for many years. I haven't really noticed before, but speaking of which, His Highness Prince Rui looks more and more like the Duke of Zhenguo."
These words caused Emperor Longqing's pupils to shrink slightly, and his gaze swept over Pei Yuan inch by inch.
Pei Yuan was standing sideways at the moment, and from the side, the curve of his profile was almost exactly the same as that of the Duke of Zhenguo.
While it's true that nephews resemble their uncles, isn't the sixth brother a bit too much of a lookalike?
At this moment, Prince Heng suddenly stood up and said, "Father, there is something that I am increasingly afraid of the more I think about it, and I really dare not help to hide it anymore."
"What have you been hiding from me?"
Prince Heng knelt on the ground, looking annoyed.
"A few days ago, my mother investigated the old palace servants and thought of releasing a group of older palace servants, giving them some silver as a favor, and allowing them to return to their hometowns to live out their old age."
Who would have thought that an old nanny would be found in the Cold Palace, and that this old nanny had previously served Consort Yu.
The old nanny told the Queen Mother some shocking news, she said...
Prince Heng looked at Pei Yuan with a hesitant expression.
The Longqing Emperor seemed to sense something, his face darkening as he urged, "What did she say?"
Prince Heng said, "The old nanny said that the real sixth prince died long ago, and the sixth prince who was raised in the palace later was actually Consort Yu's nephew."
He pointed at Pei Yuan and shouted, "Father, he is not my sixth brother Pei Yuan at all, but Lu Zhan, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo thirteen years ago."
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