They will beg me
Xiao Chengyan paused, his eyes darkening instantly. All the anger he had suppressed outside the door turned into rage, and he immediately turned and walked towards the side room of Chun Shen Garden.
Only one lamp was lit in the room, and the strong smell of medicine permeated the air, making people feel depressed.
He waved away the maids who were standing by and walked alone to the bedside.
Gu Jinghong lay there, her cheeks flushed from the fever, but her lips were dry and pale. Her usually clear and stubborn features were softened by the illness, making her look fragile and vulnerable.
Xiao Chengyan sat down silently, reached out, and very gently touched her forehead with the back of his hand; it was very hot.
Then his gaze fell on her sweaty forehead and her trembling eyelashes, his eyes filled with an unyielding melancholy and tenderness.
He took a soft towel that was damp with warm water, wrung it out, and wiped away the cold sweat from her forehead and neck.
Suddenly, she unconsciously opened her lips, and a few indistinct murmurs escaped.
Xiao Chengyan leaned closer, bringing his ear close to her lips: "Ah Hong, what did you say?"
“…An’an…Brother…”
His babbling was intermittent and not very clear, but those four words suddenly burst into his ears.
Her voice carried a childlike dependence and grievance, so fragile that it was easily broken.
Xiao Chengyan's breath hitched, and his blood seemed to freeze. He remained in the bent-over position, frozen in place.
Is Ah Ning about to regain her memories?
He suddenly looked up, his gaze once again fixed on Gu Jinghong's face.
A mixture of immense panic and deep pity instantly overwhelmed him.
He almost instinctively pulled her into his arms, his arms encircling her slender shoulders and back with a gentleness he had never shown before.
"No, Aning, not now. I'm afraid you... won't be able to handle it."
Just then, a crystal tear slid down from the corner of her tightly closed eye, quickly disappearing into her temple along her burning cheek.
That tear seemed not to fall on the pillow, but to strike Xiao Chengyan's heart, shattering all his feigned composure.
His eyes were terrifyingly deep, suppressing a tidal wave of emotions that no one could understand, as well as a tremor from the distant past that was stirred by the word "Brother An'an".
Her brows were furrowed, tears streamed down her closed eyes, and she murmured incessantly.
Xiao Chengyan lowered his head, gently pressed his forehead against her burning forehead, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and smelled the faint medicinal scent emanating from her body. A sense of powerlessness and determination struggled wildly within him.
His fists clenched tightly at his sides, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.
—Okay, Aning.
—We're not waiting any longer.
...
The next day, at the Hall of Mental Cultivation
The air inside the hall was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, but it couldn't mask the medicinal smell emanating from the emperor's bed.
The emperor leaned against a bright yellow soft pillow, his face pale as if he had been ill for a long time, his eyes sunken, and only in his occasionally opening and closing eyes did a trace of the sharpness that belonged to an emperor remain.
The Fifth Prince, Xiao Chengming, stood respectfully to one side with his hands at his sides, but his eyes kept glancing at the Prince Jin, Xiao Chengyan, opposite him.
Xiao Chengyan stood like a solitary peak, his face cold and stern, his gaze fixed straight ahead, as if all the turmoil in the hall had nothing to do with him.
The Duke of Zhenguo, Gongsun Lie, who was ranked first among the important officials, wore a purple robe and a jade belt, and looked calm.
When it was Xiao Chengyan's turn, he stepped forward and solemnly said, "Father, I have to impeach someone today."
The hall fell silent instantly.
The emperor lifted his eyelids slightly: "Oh? Impeach whom?"
"Impeach the current Duke of Zhenguo, Gongsun Lie."
Gongsun Lie, who was standing to the side, looked surprised upon hearing this.
Although he had anticipated that Xiao Chengyan would impeach him, he did not expect it to be so...sudden.
However, Gongsun Lie had been immersed in politics for many years, and a single sentence from a young man behind him could easily make him lose his composure.
He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This old minister is terrified. I do not know where I have gone wrong that Your Highness would impeach me before the Emperor. Please enlighten me, Your Highness."
Xiao Chengming also frowned and said, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Zhenguo is a pillar of the country. If there is no conclusive evidence, I hope you will... be careful with your words."
He spoke the last two words "very softly," clearly warned by Xiao Chengyan's gaze, and subconsciously shut his mouth.
Xiao Chengyan bowed to the emperor, his voice clear and cold: "What I have presented is all supported by irrefutable evidence. First, I impeach Gongsun Lie for using the Southwest epidemic as a pretext to instruct his protégé, Sun Feiyuan, the former Inspector of the Southwest Circuit, to falsely report the disaster and embezzle the court's disaster relief funds and grain; and for colluding with Sun Miao, the Inspector of the Jinjiang Branch of the Grand Canal Transport Office, to use moldy grain, sand, and medicinal materials to fill the gaps, enriching themselves and causing unrest in the Southwest, poverty, and widespread public resentment!"
The emperor, who had been leaning back lazily, straightened up slightly, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his cloudy eyes.
Gongsun Lie sighed and shook his head, saying, "I have also heard about what Your Highness said about Sun Feiyuan and Sun Miao, and I deeply abhor such parasites! However, what these two have done has nothing to do with me? Does Your Highness believe that I should bear the blame for the crimes of anyone who calls me 'Master'? If that is the case, should Your Highness also bear the responsibility if any of your generals commit illegal acts?"
Xiao Chengyan did not dwell on it and continued, "The Duke cut ties quickly. Unfortunately, the third leader of the canal gang and his accountant have been captured. Their account details match the amount and time of Sun Miao's embezzlement perfectly. It is also clearly recorded that some of the stolen silver eventually flowed into the 'Yongshengchang' bank in the capital, and this bank... Qian Fu, the chief secretary of the Duke's mansion, holds a 30% stake."
"Furthermore, I have found the blood-written letter left by Sun Miao before his death!"
He slightly raised his hand, and his attendant immediately presented a copy of a blue ledger, which was then passed on to the emperor by a eunuch.
The emperor looked at the blood-written letter, his fingers seemingly trembling slightly.
Especially the last sentence:
"Your Majesty deserves to die, but everything was done under the secret orders of the Duke of Zhenguo. The Duke once said, 'Only chaos can cover up past mistakes, and perhaps this can be used to... shake the foundation of the nation.'"
The four words "shaking the foundation of the nation" were like a poisonous thorn, piercing the emperor's heart—the former crown prince was killed in that riot!
The emperor suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with fierce light: "Gongsun Lie! How dare you!"
Despite his pale face, Gongsun Lie remained calm in the face of such accusations. Instead, he kowtowed repeatedly, his voice filled with grief and indignation.
"Your Majesty! This old minister is innocent! This is a complete frame-up! Even a letter written in blood can be forged! As for the Yong Sheng Chang Bank, I was truly unaware of my chief clerk's investment; it was his personal matter, and I am willing to bear the blame for negligence! But if, because of this, I am implicated in heinous crimes such as colluding with the enemy, harming the people, and even undermining the foundation of the nation, I... would never accept such an injustice!"
Xiao Chengyan looked at the Duke of Zhenguo, his eyes sharp and piercing: "What do you mean by that, Duke? Did I provide false evidence to frame you? Then, what was my motive?"
Gongsun Lie's emotions began to falter: "You, you don't want to obey His Majesty's decree and refuse the marriage with my daughter."
Xiao Chengyan smiled: "Father's decree? Father never told me that he would bestow a marriage between me and the Duke's daughter. How could the Duke take such a baseless rumor to heart?"
Gongsun Lie looked at the emperor—that day, when he came to petition His Majesty, he had no idea His Majesty had mentioned it. Could it be… that His Majesty had actually mentioned it to Prince Jin?
The emperor's eyes remained half-open, showing no intention of flinching.
Everyone in the court knows that his son has a very strong personality. Even if he intended to bestow a marriage upon him, Gongsun Lie shouldn't have said it at this time, needlessly ruining the relationship between father and son!
Xiao Chengyan glanced at the two of them and continued.
"Secondly, I impeach Gongsun Lie for forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. His officials are spread throughout the Six Ministries and local areas, and corruption is rampant, undermining the laws of the court. This is a list of some of his cronies, secret correspondence, and evidence of his corruption!"
He then presented a thick memorial to the emperor.
The emperor frowned upon seeing this.
"Thirdly," Xiao Chengyan's voice was like an icicle, "Your Majesty, I have ascertained that the real epidemic in the Southwest that year was limited to Mengxing Village. The people in the rest of the area were actually poisoned by the 'Intestinal-Piercing Killer'! This is a secret report written by the head of the Imperial Medical Academy. Please take a look, Your Majesty! Gongsun Lie, you not only embezzled, but you also poisoned people! You did more than just create chaos and 'shake the foundation of the country'; you personally orchestrated a massacre!"
The word "massacre" resounded throughout the hall!
Gongsun Lie's body swayed almost imperceptibly, and all the color drained from his face.
He suddenly looked at Xiao Chengyan, a genuine look of horror appearing deep in his eyes for the first time. He hadn't expected that Xiao Chengyan had even uncovered the "Intestinal-Piercing Curse"! This went far beyond corruption; it was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!
The emperor's face had turned from white to green, his chest heaving violently. He pointed at Gongsun Lie, his lips trembling, too angry to speak for a moment.
Gongsun Lie's mind raced; he knew he would find it difficult to escape unscathed today.
He stopped arguing and instead struck his head against the ground with a dull thud, shouting, "Your Majesty! Prince Jin has fabricated charges against me, attempting to put this old minister to death! My loyalty is as clear as day! I implore Your Majesty to hand this case over to the Three Judicial Offices for a public and fair trial! I believe in Your Majesty's wisdom and that Your Majesty will surely restore my innocence! Until then, I am willing to relinquish all official positions and await the investigation in my residence without complaint!"
Xiao Chengyan squinted at Gongsun Lie.
He retreated in order to advance, voluntarily requesting to resign and be tried. This seemed magnanimous, but in reality, it was a way to buy time, stabilize his position, and place his hopes on external maneuvering and the emperor's consideration of maintaining balance.
The emperor coughed violently, and after a long while, he gasped for breath, staring intently at Gongsun Lie: "Guards! Strip Gongsun Lie of his official hat and belt! Throw him into the imperial prison! Keep him under strict guard! No one is allowed to visit him without my decree!"
"This case will be investigated thoroughly by the Three Judicial Offices in conjunction with Prince Jin! A rigorous and thorough investigation!"
The guards entered immediately.
Xiao Chengming's face turned deathly pale, and he stepped forward: "Father..."
"Step back!" The emperor abruptly interrupted him with a flick of his sleeve.
As the guards lifted him up and dragged him away, Gongsun Lie struggled to turn his head, his gaze passing over Xiao Chengming and finally landing on Xiao Chengyan's face.
Instead of roaring in anger, he forced a chilling smile and silently mouthed to Xiao Chengyan, "You will come begging to me."
Immediately, his official hat was removed, and he was forcibly dragged out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
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