Chapter 95 Chapter 95 "No rush."
Before Su Wang entered the officialdom, he knew that he had an elder brother who was a prominent figure in the officialdom.
By their generation, the Su family was no longer considered a wealthy family, but it was his elder brother Su Yu who brought their Su family to a new height.
At that time, the entire Su family was proud of Su Yu, and Su Wang also learned a lot from Su Yu. He admired his brother's talent, admired his brother's elegance, and wanted to become a person like his brother.
So he kept following Su Yu's footsteps.
But later his brother fell ill and was about to die, and by that time he had also made some achievements in his official career.
So others said that the burden of the Su family would be taken over by him, and Su Yu's ambitions would be inherited by someone.
So at that time, Su Wang received many people's advice and expectations, asking him to shoulder the heavy responsibility given to him by Yuhua Gong, continue his brother's legacy, and truly become a person like his brother.
At the beginning, Su Wang did think so, but after hearing it more, he felt that why should he be someone else's shadow?
Is he necessarily worse than his brother? Is he destined to only follow the path left by his brother and unable to create greater glory on his own?
So later he secretly vowed that he would surpass his brother. His brother was a famous minister of the time, so he would become a wise minister of all ages!
He wanted future generations to call him brother, rather than call him his brother. He was not the younger brother of Lord Yuhua, but Lord Yuhua was the elder brother of the famous prime minister Su Wang.
The dust rising from the road was getting closer and closer. Su Wang stared at it and said, "Let's go."
Su Shang withdrew his gaze from the distance and turned to look at Su Wang beside him.
Su Wangyi turned sideways to look at him: "Go quickly, I won't interfere with your choice."
"Father doesn't interfere with my choices, but what about his choices?"
"I've just stated my choice."
In fact, Su Shang already had the answer when he asked that question, and sure enough, what Su Wang said was the answer.
"Father……"
"There's a folk saying," Su Wang interrupted Su Shang, "that goes, 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket.' Qilang, do you understand what that means?"
Su Wang looked deeply at the young man in front of him, his eyes filled with tenderness and kindness. "You have been very independent since you were young. Even when you wanted to go to the Ministry of Rites after you entered the officialdom, and even when you got married later, I respected your choice. I didn't force you, and I didn't interfere. So now, your father still respects your choice, but you also have to respect mine."
"Go, Qilang, and go to Xiyan with the hopes of the Su family."
Su Shang's eyelashes trembled a few times, and his eyes returned to their calm state in an instant. He lowered his eyes: "Father, take care. Go to Jiangnan and find a good place to stay. Don't worry about me anymore."
Su Wang raised the corners of his lips slightly, nodded lightly, and turned casually in the direction of the person who came.
Su Shang did not delay any longer, led the horse over and climbed on it.
Along with a shout of "Gee", the sound of horse hooves rang out behind him, the ground shook, and then the sound gradually weakened and dissipated.
Su Wang's eyes darkened, he took a deep breath, and told the rest of the people to draw their swords and get ready.
When Shangguan Li rode up the mountain alone, Su Wang was standing there with his hands behind his back waiting for him.
Su Wang calmly said to the visitor, "You are here."
Shangguan Li stopped his horse and said, "Father-in-law."
Su Wang laughed inexplicably, "I almost forgot that we have this kind of relationship. But you were so ruthless when you attacked me. I guess it's because we're closer as brother and sister."
Shangguan Li said: "It's because you did something wrong."
Su Wang suppressed his smile and said with a hint of resentment, "What did I do wrong? It was because of them that I was attacked. Did I harm the emperor? Kill the prince? Replace the prince?! I did this for the sake of the world!"
"Ask yourself, how have I managed to lead the government over the past few years? Has the national treasury become richer? Are the granaries more abundant? Is the world at peace?! Have I done a bad job? The people of the world all have their own lives to live. What does the royal family's struggle have to do with them? As long as they have enough food to eat and a roof over their heads, that's all. Who cares who's the emperor? Who cares who's in charge!"
"And over the years, if it weren't for me, how could the people of the world be so united! How could the Great Jin be so prosperous!"
Su Wang continued to question him, but Shangguan Li replied calmly, "Indeed, although I haven't been in government for several years, I've heard that the national treasury's granary reserves have increased significantly every year. However, are you truly unaware of the drawbacks of your policies? Many of your policies may have a significant effect in the short term, but the hidden dangers they create will only hit bottom in a few years, and all the problems will surface at once. By then, nearly everyone, from officials and gentry to the common people, will be trapped in an intractable predicament."
"You've been an official for many years, so you're not unaware of the hidden dangers that might arise from the implementation of your policies. You simply want to achieve your so-called prosperity as quickly as possible. It's like draining the pond to catch all the fish; you need to achieve your goal first and then try to salvage it."
"And as you said, the people's livelihood is their most important thing. As for the struggles within the court, they have nothing to do with them. They don't care at all, and it's difficult for them to know about them. However, all of this is based on the premise that these struggles will not affect them."
"Do you still remember the great flood in Luozhou in the seventh year of Xining? It was not unstoppable, but after the night of Shangsi that year, all the ministers and assistant ministers of the Ministry of Works were punished, and many officials of the Ministry of Works were also implicated. At that time, many matters of the Ministry of Works were suspended, and the levees in the Luozhou area were among them. Therefore, before the flood season, Luozhou did not repair the levees and failed to block the floods. Thousands of people in the Luozhou area suffered as a result.
Shangguan Li asked, "Is this what my father-in-law wanted?"
Under Su Wang's hateful gaze, Shangguan Li continued, "As for the struggle you just mentioned, I just want to ask, do those people you mentioned deserve to die? Are they guilty? If we ignore their identities and only look at themselves, aren't they also living people? Shouldn't we let anyone else judge whether their life or death is worth it?"
The wind blew the leaves. Su Wang looked at him and suddenly lowered his head and chuckled a few times: "How can you be qualified to blame me? Weren't you involved in those things too?"
"Yes, so I should atone for my sins as well."
"So you came here to capture me and atone for your crime?"
Su Wang said with a look that could see through people's hearts, "You had no choice but to leave the Central a few years ago, but now you think that if your sister wins, you can go back. So you came to capture me personally, hoping to use this as an opportunity to return to the Central?"
Shangguan Li still maintained a calm expression under Su Wang's playful gaze.
"I will be judged by the law with you."
Su Wang sneered: "You are so hypocritical. She is your sister, how could she be selfless? You say it easily now, but in a few years, can you resist the temptation of power and position and never enter the central government?"
Shangguan Li: "I never deny that everyone has selfish desires, and I always tend to favor certain people over others in certain matters. However, having selfish desires is one thing, and being able to control yourself and not follow your own will is another. I will never serve in the Central Government again, and I will never serve as an official again."
Su Wang's eyes widened because he saw an extremely determined expression on the face of the man in front of him.
Shangguan Li dismounted, drawing his longsword as he spoke, "Ten years ago, while hunting, my horse was frightened and lost its temper. It was you who shot that arrow in time and saved my left hand. Today, I will put an end to that incident."
After he finished speaking, he turned his hand to hold the sword, and with a muffled groan that he had managed to suppress, Shangguan Li actually moved his shoulder and arm to the position where they were connected, then grasped the hilt and lifted the sword upwards.
Shangguan Li half-knelt on the ground in so much pain, but he still relaxed and re-applied force again and again to lift the sword. But perhaps he felt that this was too slow, so he pulled out a dagger and pointed it straight at his shoulder!
Su Wang was stunned: "Are you going to cripple your hand?"
Shangguan Li's forehead was covered in sweat. He raised his head with difficulty. His face was pale and he said, "Now, my left hand is disabled, and I will never be able to enter the officialdom again. The debt between you and me... is settled."
The corners of Su Wang's lips twitched, and he smiled maliciously: "So you came here alone today not only to say those words to me, but also to repay my kindness. But even if your left hand is crippled, what does it have to do with me? I haven't received anything in return."
Su Wang's eyes darkened, and he said coldly, "It's better for you to end it yourself. You have to know that you owe me not only an arm, but the lives of both of you and your sister."
The pain of broken bones was enough to break a person's will. Shangguan Li raised his eyelids weakly and said nothing to Su Wang.
After a moment, Su Wang said, "What? Are you hesitating? But I've waited for you for so long. You didn't win, and I didn't lose. Everything is still uncertain."
"There are no variables..." Shangguan Li opened his mouth, his eyes condensing with strength at this moment, "I will not commit suicide here. I will go back and testify against you."
"If you don't break up, I will help you break up."
"Do you really think I came here alone?"
Shangguan Li's words shocked Su Wang.
"During the time we were talking, the Imperial Guards had already made their deployments on this mountain. You...can't escape."
"you……!"
Shangguan Li ignored Su Wang's shock and murmured to himself, "Indeed, to deal with a sinister person, it is faster to use equally sinister means."
Shangguan Li was a kind person throughout his life. He never used cunning tactics in his words and deeds. He always did what he said. So now, his use of the self-torture trick to delay time can be considered as a sinister tactic on his part.
Su Wang was furious and wanted to draw his sword to kill him immediately, but a figure suddenly appeared in his mind. He paused, gritted his teeth, and asked all the people accompanying him to mount their horses and find a way to break out quickly before the encirclement was consolidated.
With his head lowered, Shangguan Li listened to the frantic voices fade away. He pulled his lips together weakly, smiled palely, and then fell to the ground...
——
After noticing that Shangguan Li was missing, Shangguan Xu and Zhou Jingzhi immediately looked for someone to inquire about his whereabouts, only to find out that he had left the city with the imperial guards.
Logically speaking, there were quite a few imperial guards, so the safety of this trip was guaranteed to a certain extent. However, Shangguan Xu was still worried. After all, Shangguan Li didn't have to participate in the pursuit of Su Wang.
Shangguan Xu recalled what Shangguan Li said to her on the day he entered the palace.
He said it was his fault and he should take responsibility for it.
How would he bear it? Why would he say such words if it was just a punishment under the law?
Shangguan Xu felt that his purpose of leaving the city this time was not just to accompany the imperial guards to hunt down Su Wang, or it was not the kind of hunt she thought.
Zhou Jingzhi also felt that this matter would not be simple. The Shangguan Mingyue he knew was too noble and too kind. After experiencing the events of the seventh year of Xining, such a person would definitely live in irreconcilable pain and torture for a long time.
Now that things have come to an end and almost all of his concerns have been resolved, he may want to put an end to it.
Both of them were worried about Shangguan Li, but fortunately, someone had reported back the location of Shangguan Xu's imperial guards along the way, so the two of them quickly rushed to support him.
"Brother!"
Following the mountain path up, Shangguan Xu saw a man lying in a pool of blood with a sword stuck in his body on a flat and high place.
Zhou Jingzhi: "Call the military doctor!"
——
In Shangguan Mansion, there was a constant stream of people carrying water in and out of the room. When they entered, they had a basin of clear water, but when they came out, it became a basin of blood-stained water with no bottom visible.
Although the military doctor tried to stop the bleeding of Shangguan Li's wound on the way back to the capital, the wound was too deep and too long. In addition, Shangguan Li had lost a lot of blood before he was found, so he fell into a coma on the way back.
Seeing Xun Yang coming out from the inner room, Shangguan Xu immediately stood up and walked forward to inquire about the situation.
Xun Yang lowered his eyes and sighed softly, "He lost too much blood. He needs to recuperate for a while. But...Shangguan's hand..." He looked up at Shangguan Xu, seeing her eyes filled with anxiety and expectation. But he had to say, "Although the bones in his arm are not completely broken and there is still a possibility of healing, as for the rest of his hand's mobility, I can only say that I am powerless to save him."
Xun Yang explained, "Lord Shangguan struck him without mercy. All the tendons and veins in his left hand were severed. Even if the wounds healed, it would be almost impossible for the tendons and veins to recover. With a bit of luck, he might be able to move slightly, but most likely he wouldn't be able to do even that."
"Xu'er..." Zhou Jingzhi felt heartbroken after hearing Xun Yang's words, not to mention Shangguan Xu, who had a deep brotherly relationship with Shangguan Li, so he quickly turned around to look at her, wanting to say some comforting words.
However, Shangguan Xu did not show any signs of losing control, but her face was still painful. "I'm fine." She took a moment to digest Xun Yang's words and then looked up at him. "I'll have to trouble Ziyang to look after my brother for the next few days."
Xun Yang nodded: "Of course, your Majesty can rest assured."
After saying that, a female doctor came out from the inner room and told Xun Yang that there was something else inside that needed his attention.
Xun Yang went first.
Zhou Jingzhi looked at Shangguan Xu with undiminished worry in his eyes and said, "You should go and rest for a while. I'll take care of Brother Mingyue here."
First he rode out on a fast horse to look for people, then he escorted them back without stopping, and he stayed here for so long that Shangguan Xu's eyes had a faint blue color and he looked a little haggard.
Looking at the bloodstains on her clothes, Zhou Jingzhi felt a pang in his heart and opened his mouth to persuade her again.
"Actually, I'm not surprised by what happened today." Shangguan Xu spoke first when Zhou Jingzhi was about to speak again. "I've been with him for many years and I've long understood his character. To him, those things were like thorns rooted in his heart. He planted them himself, and he will definitely remove them with his own hands. And the purpose of removing them is not just to give himself an explanation..."
Shangguan Xu was silent for a moment, then finished what he had unfinished: "He also wanted to avoid embarrassing me."
"Once Su Wang's case is settled, he will definitely be involved. He's worried that I might be unfair and biased in my final conviction because of him. So he cut off his arm first to take responsibility for his mistake."
Zhou Jingzhi lowered his eyes: "Indeed, considering Brother Mingyue's character, these are indeed things he would be concerned about."
Shangguan Xu's eyes welled up. "But perhaps this is also a relief for him. That thorn has been lodged in his heart for over four years. Even though it's been torn out now, along with his flesh and blood, this was his own choice, so he should be relieved."
Zhou Jingzhi said softly, "Although it's true that what happened back then can't be said to be completely unrelated to him, he was ultimately coerced. And judging by Su Wang's momentum at the time, even if he had resisted with all his might, the final outcome wouldn't have changed much. Brother Mingyue is too kind, so when facing someone like Su Wang, his kindness became his weakness for others to exploit."
Zhou Jingzhi looked towards the inner room and sighed softly, "I just hope he can be more open-minded in the future."
The two were silent for a moment, both immersed in the past, their hearts uneasy.
It was Zhou Jingzhi who spoke first: "Go and rest quickly, I'll be here."
Shangguan Xu raised his eyes and said, "Su Wang has been taken to the Heavenly Prison. Don't you have anything to say to him?"
Zhou Jingzhi raised his hand and stroked her eyes with his thumb, trying to relieve her fatigue.
He said softly, "No hurry, go and rest first. I'll go after you've rested."
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