Chapter 52 The Downfall of the Liang Family: The Liang family was nothing more than a pheasant with a tuft of false feathers on its tail.
Yao Ruyi's eyes were red and swollen. He listened to Thirteen's words and could not calm down for a long time. The emperor originally had a very good birth mother. He and Consort Wei should have been a loving mother and filial son, but because of those two holy maidens...
Yao Ruyi rubbed her eyes and choked out, "I want to go in and be with him."
Thirteen nodded, "But His Majesty's feelings for Consort Jin..." He couldn't say for sure. Consort Jin had fulfilled Yue Wuyou's dying wish and continued to keep His Majesty by his side, yet she had also raised His Majesty as his apprentice since childhood. It was estimated that His Majesty had long regarded Consort Jin as his master.
But without these two people, Consort Wei and the Feng family would not have ended up in such a state.
"I see."
Thirteen nodded with a wry smile, "Go."
As he watched the person walk in, Thirteen's expression turned cold. They couldn't do anything about the two deceased people now, but it was time to deal with the Liang family and the grasslands properly.
From the darkness of night to the desolate silence of midnight, and finally, as the dawn gradually broke, Yao Ruyi couldn't resist falling asleep by the emperor's bedside. He dreamed of the scene in Gu Huizhou's dream.
If Consort Wei hadn't been framed by villains, she would have remained a lively and charming woman. Even after Gu Huizhou grew up, she would still gently call him Zhou'er and ask him to accompany her to Jiangnan or the northern frontier.
When Yao Ruyi opened his eyes again, the bed was empty. He was dazed for a moment, then suddenly stood up, looked around the Cloud Palace, pushed open the door, and bumped into Xiao Dezi, who was on duty at the door. He asked anxiously, "Where is His Majesty?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, His Majesty's fever has subsided this morning, and he should have already finished court." Just as Xiao Dezi finished speaking, a series of footsteps came from the other side of the corridor. Judging from the few people, Yao Ruyi nodded and quickly walked over there.
After suffering a serious illness last night, Gu Huizhou's face was as pale as a sheet of paper covering his flesh. The blood vessels around his eyes were faintly visible, and the redness in his eyes had not faded. He was expressionless as he led Cui Xiangzhu toward the Yun Palace's sleeping quarters.
Summer is just around the corner. The peach blossoms bloom and fade, falling to the ground where the eunuchs sweep them into mountains of petals. If the wind blows, they collapse like landslides, and then the sweeping continues.
They originally intended to clean it up and throw it away, but Eunuch Cui stopped them, saying that the Nineteenth Prince liked to look at these flowers and plants when he had nothing to do, and if the Nineteenth Prince was pleased with them, the Emperor would be happy too.
Upon seeing that the person who came was Yao Ruyi, Gu Huizhou's eyes finally warmed. He waved his hand, and Cui Xiangzhu immediately stopped and turned around.
The two of them left behind and walked back together.
As soon as Yao Ruyi leaned in, he hurriedly touched the man's wrist. He remembered how hot the man's wrist and arm had been last night, but now they felt cool again. He muttered to himself, "It's not even summer yet, why are you wearing so little?"
The voice was not loud, as if the person was dissatisfied but dared not speak out because of the other party's power.
"Ha," the man sneered.
"Is that all you've got?"
Yao Ruyi was dissatisfied, but he was indeed a man who spoke like that. As he entered the room, he was still indignant. With a stern face and an unyielding look, he stepped in before the emperor, striding in and angrily sitting on the bed. His eyes glared silently at Gu Huizhou, as if to say, "Useless?"
"Yes, the 19th Party Congress has made something of himself."
Yao Ruyi, "..."
Gu Huizhou could feel his physical weakness from the inside out. His fever was not caused by external factors; the anger that came from within could not be masked by the medicine. Only by releasing the pent-up anger in his heart could he resolve it.
He took a deep breath.
He passed by Yao Ruyi, put his arm around her thin shoulder, and led her to sit on the dragon throne. He sat on the dragon throne and let Yao Ruyi sit on his lap.
Why shouldn't I sit in a chair?
The man remained silent, looking at the person in his arms with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. After a long while, he asked, "Where do you want to sit?"
Yao Ruyi's eyes darted around, and she hesitated, "I can sit on your lap too."
"Oh."
Gu Huizhou was satisfied. There were just the right number of memorials on his table. Because of the illness he had suffered these past two days, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Emperors were furious. Most of the memorials were sifted out by the Thirteenth Emperor because they were all nonsense. Only the memorials that still had some merit were left for the Emperor to review.
The grassland people set off back to the grasslands early in the morning. Yuan Liao sent a messenger to the emperor to say that the Holy Maiden had changed her mind and could not remember her husband. Moreover, regarding the matter of reclamation in the south, the grasslands await His Majesty's instructions.
They run really fast.
"Your Majesty, is this Liang Fu's memorial?"
Gu Huizhou snorted coldly. Their information network was indeed well-informed. Ever since he detained the two imperial physicians, Cao Li and Zhang Yuqiang, the Liang family had been making constant moves, and they had been submitting memorials to the emperor frequently after Yuan Liao handed over the maid Yue Wuyou to him.
[Two days ago, I learned of some of the outrageous things my father did while the late Emperor was alive. My heart aches terribly, and I wish I could go back in time and stop him from committing these absurd acts, preventing him from committing such a terrible crime. The Liang family knows the enormity of their sins and humbly begs Your Majesty to show leniency.]
"Take a lenient sentence?"
Yao Ruyi's face was cold. The Liang family had an affair with the imperial physician and concubines, and their crime of framing loyal officials was unforgivable.
They actually thought they could be treated leniently?
With a stern face, he turned to meet the emperor's gaze and shook his head firmly, "Your Majesty."
Gu Huizhou stared at the person in his arms for a few moments and then suddenly smiled. He didn't consider himself a foolish ruler, nor did he want to become an incompetent emperor like the late emperor, who mingled in the harem and was eventually devoured by it.
But at this moment, it was as if the person in his arms had set a trap, and he wished he could hide with them in the mountains and forests.
What does the Gu family dynasty have to do with him? If the Gu family dynasty were to be destroyed in his hands, wouldn't that be exactly what those people wanted, and everyone would be happy?
A soft chuckle. "Not enough."
What's not enough? Yao Ruyi was puzzled.
“The Liang family holds half of the Tiger Tally, which allows them to mobilize the troops stationed in the capital.” Gu Huizhou’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Moreover, my Crown Prince brother has not yet shown himself. If the entire Liang family is executed from this point on, wouldn’t that leave behind a hidden danger?”
"How can we allow the Liang family to continue to evade justice?"
“No,” Gu Huizhou retorted, “I really can’t be such a magnanimous emperor.” He said halfway through, then looked at the person in his arms with a smile and reached out to touch the corner of his lips, “Yao Ruyi, kiss this.”
"I will explain it to you in detail."
Upon hearing this, Yao Ruyi stared at the spot the emperor was pointing to. He noticed that the lips there were not as rosy as before, and had turned somewhat pale since last night. He felt a surge of desire and was about to lean forward when he suddenly remembered something and paused.
"I discussed matters of the heart between men and women with you a few days ago."
“What you say is that only married couples can do such intimate things. If they are not married, then it is disrespectful to others.” He said seriously, “Your Majesty, am I disrespecting you?”
The two looked at each other in silence. A look of silence flashed in Gu Huizhou's eyes. After a long while, he finally laughed and said, "No."
"Wang Qianshan is talking nonsense." He corrected Mushroom with a gentlemanly air, "If I were willing, you would be willing too. How can that be considered frivolous?"
"I'm asking you, are you willing?"
He nodded. "I'm willing."
"Hmm." The man's voice was deep and content, and the satisfied answer made his eyebrows and eyes relax.
Feeling a light peck on the corner of his mouth, Gu Huizhou couldn't help but click his tongue.
But when he looked up and saw the joyful look in Yao Ruyi's eyes, he was slightly taken aback. His eyelashes cast a shadow under his eyes. Today, he was wearing a black robe with gold thread, which made his skin look even whiter. His lips, which had been moisturized, were a little redder, and his whole face looked healthier when he smiled.
"Without Liang He, the Liang family also lost its support in the army. Even with the Tiger Tally in their hands, they would find it difficult to achieve great things."
Gu Huizhou's expression turned disdainful, but the tiger tally being kept in the Liang family's residence was a knot in his heart. "There are people in the army watching over this, so the Liang family will keep quiet about this for a while."
She said softly, "But if Liang Fu dies, the Liang family will be desperate and try anything."
Yao Ruyi suddenly realized.
Although Liang Fu was unlikely to achieve great things, he was still far better than Liang Chengfeng. With Liang Fu's death, only Liang Chengfeng remained in the Liang family, and he naturally became the head of the family.
Gu Huizhou, "Understood?"
"Um."
He continued, "Liang Chengfeng is stupid and incompetent, yet he holds the power of the Tiger Tally. Therefore, he will put all his cards on..." Gu Huai'an.
He silently murmured the name to himself.
Gu Huizhou leaned back in his chair, raised an eyebrow, and squeezed the wrist of the person in his arms with his large hand, stroking it. "Being emperor is really easy for me. The treacherous officials will run into my knife one by one."
Liang Fu, the Liang family, and finally Gu Huai'an.
If he wasn't mistaken, the pardon was probably in the hands of his good brother, the emperor.
"Um?"
Gu Huizhou looked at Yao Ruyi, who had just stood up, her wrist still held in his hand, unsure of where to go. "Why are you running?"
Mushroom frowned. "Let's go eat."
"Yes, I know."
Yao Ruyi didn't believe it; he never knew when it was time to eat.
"Thirteen."
A few quick footsteps sounded as Thirteen entered from outside the door. "Your Majesty."
“Go to the Liang residence and ask Minister Liang. Does he want to hang himself from the rafters of his own house, or does he want to be hunted down by villains and have his body torn apart in the bustling city?” He quickly added, “Or perhaps Minister Liang also wants to be imprisoned in my Ministry of Justice.”
"Let's go, let's have our meal."
-
The capital was in an uproar; news had spread that Minister Liang of the Liang family had hanged himself at home.
"Minister Liang hanged himself?!"
"How is this possible!"
The night before, Liang Fu hanged himself from the beam in his bedroom with a white silk ribbon. He left only a letter, saying that his deceased father had been foolish and had done something stupid like framing loyal officials. He felt sorry for the emperor and would go to the underworld alone to apologize to the loyal officials on his father's behalf.
We hope Your Majesty will spare the Liang family members.
"Liang Fu is dead?"
"He didn't even explain which loyal officials he had framed? And he just died like that?"
"Hmph! Listen to him say that, it sounds nice. He's pinning all the blame on his father. If he hadn't done anything wrong, would he have died so easily?"
"Hey, do you guys know about the Feng family back then?"
"The Feng family?" a young man asked, puzzled.
Several people, men, women, and children, surrounded another old man. Some of them couldn't wait any longer and said, "Tell us quickly!"
"It was the Feng family, the birth mother of the current Emperor. Back then, the young lady of the Feng family was incredibly beautiful; she was a recognized beauty in the capital. Later, she entered the palace. I heard that not long after the Feng family was beheaded, the young lady of the Feng family went mad!"
The old man spoke in a strange tone, "Moreover, I heard that back then, Master Feng of the Feng family was the Minister of Personnel, whose official rank was several ranks higher than Liang Wangli of the Liang family. But after that, the Liang family rose to prominence and became a favorite of the late emperor. The late emperor listened to whatever the Liang family said."
An old woman chimed in, "Oh well, let them listen. It's not like it's a bad thing."
"Don't interrupt!"
The old man continued, "I think the loyal and virtuous people Liang Fu mentioned in his letter were most likely from the Feng family. If they weren't from the emperor's maternal family, would he have died so easily?"
"That sounds too mysterious, let's wait and see."
"Believe it or not, just wait and see what the Liang family will become in the future. Even if they can stay in the capital, they will be like rats crossing the street. Such a great family as the Liang family only has two people in this generation. Who knows how they will be bullied?"
"I can fix your shoes!"
The crowd dispersed in a panic. Seeing that they didn't believe him, the old man was too lazy to argue with them. He just obediently repaired shoes on the street. What couldn't he see?
Not only were the common people discussing it endlessly, but even the court officials were confused. A few people who knew a little about it dared not say anything and just listened to the various opinions of others.
Xue Qingping sat in the carriage, resting with his eyes closed. As they passed Liangfu Gate, he lifted the curtain to peek inside, only to find the gate tightly shut and several times more guards than usual. The streets were inevitably filled with onlookers.
Xue Qingping waved his hand, "Let's go."
"Yes, sir." The carriage slowly passed by, the sound of its tracks drowning out the cries.
Behind the vermilion gate, cries of sobbing echoed one after another.
Since discovering the person hanged in the room that morning, Aunt Wang had been weeping uncontrollably. Despite her frail health and advanced age as a mother, her tears still evoked pity.
But no one cares about her now. Liang Pingxia fainted from crying after learning about this in the morning. Now she sits blankly in the hall, staring at the sky with a vacant look in her eyes. She cries from time to time, and then sits quietly again after her tears have dried.
White tear streaks covered her face. Liang Pingxia hadn't even had time to comb her hair. She had heard from the housekeeper that her father had hanged himself, so she didn't care about anything else.
Wang hugged Liang Pingxia tightly, weeping, and the mother and daughter cried together. "Mother—"
"Xia'er—what will become of Xia'er, my dear Xia'er!"
"Mother, Xia'er wants Father!" Liang Pingxia could usually control her emotions when she was alone, but now that she was being held in Wang Shi's arms, the words that were choked in her throat flowed out like a spring.
Her eyes were swollen from crying; they were incredibly red from morning till evening.
She leaned against Wang's chest, unable to come back to her senses for a long time. Thinking of Liang Fu, Liang Pingxia felt like crying again. She felt like she was dreaming lately, first her second uncle, then her father...
I wonder when it will be my mother's, my brother's, and her turn.
"Mother—" Liang Pingxia trembled as she hugged Wang Shi. The mother and daughter were originally the enviable concubines of a high-ranking family in the capital, but now they could only huddle together in the room, shivering.
"Knock knock knock—"
"ah--"
Liang Pingxia screamed in fright at the knocking on the door. Madam Wang quickly hugged her and comforted her, "It's alright, Xia'er, be good!" As she spoke, tears began to fall from her own eyes. "Mother will go and see."
"Mother!" Liang Pingxia tugged at Wang Shi's sleeve, shaking his head pleadingly, "Mother, don't go."
The flickering candlelight cast the shadow of a tall, strong man outside the window. Liang Pingxia was terrified that this man was the murderer who framed her father and had rushed in the instant her mother opened the door, killing them both!
"Aunt, Pingxia."
It is Liang Chengfeng.
"It's my brother!"
This time, Wang didn't even need to open the door. Liang Pingxia didn't even bother to put on her shoes. In her panic, she stepped barefoot on the ground, opened the door, and threw herself into Liang Chengfeng's arms. Her sobs and tears flowed out, "Brother, Pingxia is scared!"
Liang Chengfeng's eyes were covered in bruises, and in just one day, the heroic spirit on his face had been completely worn away. His eyes were chaotic and sinister. He looked at Liang Pingxia in his arms with a complicated expression. After a long while, he forcefully pulled her off him and called to the maid beside him, "Keep an eye on Miss."
Liang Pingxia couldn't believe it. "Brother!" She couldn't believe that her brother, who had always been so accommodating to her every need, would push her away at this moment. Her sobs intensified. "Brother—"
A tear fell from Wang's eye and landed on the ground. She cupped Liang Pingxia's aggrieved face in her hands and forced a smile. "Xia'er, you should sleep for a while. Your brother and I need to talk about something."
"Mother, I don't want to be alone, Mother!"
Wang felt sorry for him, but there was nothing she could do.
She nodded to the person, "Mother will be back soon." After saying that, she told the maid to take good care of Liang Pingxia, and then Wang Shi turned and left with Liang Chengfeng.
"mother!"
The night seemed to swallow everything up. Liang Chengfeng led Wang to a roof beam, where the moonlight couldn't reach, making the place even more dark and gloomy. Wang was wearing a simple gauze robe and shivered in the cold wind.
Her slender figure was Liang Fu's favorite, but no one cared whether she was cold or not. Liang Chengfeng's brows were full of impatience and coldness. "I have already brought her back to the capital. As for Pingxia, Auntie, please keep an eye on her."
Madam Wang was taken aback. She stared at Liang Chengfeng in disbelief, her eyes wide. "Last night, Master summoned Young Master to the study to discuss something, and that was because..."
Liang Chengfeng remained silent, his fists clenched tightly. He had gone to the study with his father last night, but what had they said? He was told to conserve his energy, that revenge was a dish best served cold…
Not too late?
Gu Huizhou has almost wiped out the Liang family! If they wait any longer, the tiger tally in his hand will be taken away, and they don't even know if they will be spared!
"Auntie, you should know that I am now the head of the Liang family."
Wang lowered her head and clutched her sleeve, saying, "I know."
"That's good. Auntie, if you know this, then don't do anything useless." Liang Chengfeng squinted at Wang Shi and said threateningly, word by word, "Then don't always go to admire flowers with Madam Baili. Baili Wenhan won't get better."
"He's a eunuch, he'll never be able to marry again."
Madam Wang was so frightened that she stepped back, and she replied tremblingly, "Yes, yes, sir."
"It's good that you know, Aunt. It's late. You should go back now."
"……yes."
Stepping out from under the eaves, Liang Chengfeng stared silently at his shadow cast by the moonlight. After a long while, he smiled. It was the first time he had smiled since Liang Fu's death; his initial grief and helplessness had vanished within a single day.
Now he is the head of the Liang family, and everything in the Liang family belongs to him. So what if he no longer holds an official position? He has plenty of leverage.
This world will eventually belong to Liang Chengfeng!
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Under the moonlight, the faces of the people were not clearly visible. The servant at the gate of the courtyard could only see that the eldest son was standing not far from the eaves, and it was unclear whether he was crying or laughing. He lowered his head and covered his face, his body gradually trembling, and finally he slowly squatted down.
After a while, he stood up again, turned around and left.
Half a month passed quickly after Liang Fu's death. For ordinary families, this half month was no different, but for Liang's family, it was quite the opposite.
They hold no official positions in the court now, so what good is their wealth?
Even the emperor doesn't care, and the Liang family is now not even comparable to a minor aristocratic family.
"So? Am I right, old man?" the shoemaker said with a smile to the people around him, who gave awkward smiles. It just goes to show that karma is a cycle...
"Did you see that this morning at the other end of South Street, Minister Li's carriage was stopped? It was Liang Chengfeng who stopped him."
"Oh, is that so? Tell me about it."
A woman scoffed, "That's the only way officials take after court. Perhaps Vice Minister Li was walking slowly today, as his carriage was the last to pass through South Street. He was immediately stopped by Liang Chengfeng."
"Young Master Liang isn't ashamed at all. He even came out in Liang Fusheng's old carriage. Doesn't he care about scaring anyone?"
"Don't even mention it! Just thinking about it makes me feel unlucky!"
An old man with a cane appeared out of nowhere, dressed in tattered clothes, carrying a bowl of vegetarian porridge he had received from the government. Hearing the group's laughter and mockery, he trembled with anger and could barely speak, yet he still managed to argue, "You bunch of brats! You spout nonsense!"
The woman stared wide-eyed. "Who is this?"
Everyone shook their heads and remained silent.
The old man was furious. "Lord Liang is a great benefactor! After Old Master Liang passed away, did you ever let us go hungry? But look at us now, since the new emperor ascended the throne, I—"
Before the old man could finish speaking, he choked on a mouthful of congee and coughed incessantly, "Cough cough—cough cough."
Everyone rolled their eyes and ignored him; he was just a fool who still couldn't see the situation clearly.
A group of people stood at a distance from the old man and continued talking.
"Does Vice Minister Li know all this? Li Li, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, is the same Vice Minister Li under Minister Baili!"
"Who doesn't know that? Go on, tell me more."
The woman, annoyed that the man was rushing her, waved her hand impatiently, "The daughter of Vice Minister Li married General Liang He years ago. How glorious it was back then! A victorious general marrying a renowned talented and noble lady from the capital—a perfect match!"
"Do you know what happened next? Liang He of the Liang family fell off the mountain, and his body was long gone by the time it was brought back to the capital. Miss Li also disappeared without a trace. Vice Minister Li and his wife cried their eyes out and went to the Liang family every day for two months to demand her return."
"At first, the Liang family tried to persuade people to leave in a polite manner, but later they simply refused to see them."
Some people were puzzled, "How do you know so much about these feuds between high-ranking families?"
"Oh dear! My husband delivers vegetables to these families, and he's always chatting with the servants at the gate, so he knows quite a bit." The woman said smugly. "Now look what's happened! Liang Chengfeng stopped Minister Li in the street, but Minister Li completely ignored him and didn't even show his face!"
Everyone sighed, "This is truly a phoenix fallen from grace, worse off than a chicken."
"What phoenix?"
"Can the Liang family really be called a phoenix?" the woman scoffed. "They're just pheasants with a tuft of fake feathers hanging from their tails."
A burst of laughter erupted, and seeing that it was getting late, everyone dispersed, carrying the groceries they had bought.
Thirteen laughed heartily in the crowd, brushing off the plum blossom scent from his clothes, holding the letter he had taken from Twelve. He glanced at the bustling market, then turned and returned to the palace.
An old lady selling steamed buns passed by and bought a few for Nineteen, muttering to herself, "There are still many discerning people here. Where did all these phoenixes come from?"
"Just a pheasant."
In the blink of an eye, he entered the palace.
Yao Ruyi and Thirteen squatted side by side on the stone steps of the corridor, each holding a steamed bun and eating them with relish. Yao Ruyi stared at Thirteen with bright eyes, eagerly asking, "And then?"
"Of course, Li Li rejected him without any mercy." Thirteen sighed. "I'm afraid Young Master Liang is completely disheartened. I heard that a few days ago, Liang Chengfeng stopped the eldest son of the Baili family at the Wanyou Chamber of Commerce. The eldest son is a respectable man, so he had his servant take Liang Chengfeng to a private room for tea."
Yao Ruyi listened, frowning slightly. He hadn't expected Baili Qingxiao to get involved in this mess.
"By evening, when the sun had set, there was still no sign of the eldest young master," Thirteen said enthusiastically. "Then the servant went to tell Liang Chengfeng that his master was too busy and had forgotten about it, and told Liang Chengfeng to come back later."
"Pfft—" Yao Ruyi laughed heartily. When he laughed, his eyes curved like crescent moons, and his cheeks puffed out, making people want to touch him.
Thirteen glanced at it, but thinking of his own life, he still didn't make a move. He took a bite of the bun. "Li Li hates the Liang family to the extreme. He wishes he could skin them alive, chop them up, and feed them to the dogs. Avoiding people is already giving them enough face."
The two ate and talked, and soon only two buns remained in the paper bag.
Cui Xiangzhu stepped out of the sunlight and approached the two men in the shade, smiling broadly. "Lord Nineteen, His Majesty is about to have his meal. Shall we go?"
Yao Ruyi shook her head, "I'll not go now, I'll chat for a while longer."
Cui Xiangzhu was stunned. "This won't do!"
After saying this, the head eunuch looked up at the thirteenth prince and winked. "How can we not even dine with His Majesty!"
Thirteen chuckled twice, then casually scooped up two buns from the paper bag on the ground and put them in his pocket. "Little Nineteen, hurry up and go. I'll take the rest to Fourteen to try."
Yao Ruyi thought it was a good idea. "Alright then." He turned his head and smiled. "Eunuch Cui, let's go."
Cui Xiangzhu laughed heartily, "Oh! Your Excellency Nineteen, you'd better eat more today, because His Majesty said he'd take you out of the capital for some fresh air later!"
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[sunglasses]
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