Chapter 102 End (Part 2)
Lu Shuo finished speaking calmly, squinting his eyes to look at Xie Shu's expression. At this time, Lu Shuo did not forget to set a trap in his words, preparing for a counterattack in the future anytime and anywhere.
After all, the emperor was still in power, and Lü Shuo's position as the Grand Tutor had not been abolished. Even if Xie Shuan had accused him of treason, he still had to go through the process of a joint trial by the three courts. As long as he was given time, it would not be difficult to find a way to clear his name.
There is no need to say more about Shao Zhen. He is the third prince of the Qing Dynasty. Even if he really committed treason, it should be decided by Emperor Qing.
Xie Shu just smiled gently and said, "Brother, you are wrong." Then Xie Shu whispered, "Six years ago, Brother did me a favor. I said I would keep my promise. I wonder if Brother still remembers it?"
Shao Zhen could no longer hide the hatred in his heart when he heard this. He finally understood why Xie Shu had escaped his revenge six years ago.
Ever since he met Xie Shu, he had been frustrated at every step. He was a prince, but now, he was being trampled under the feet of a small figure whom he had looked down upon in the beginning.
The most hateful thing is that this person is so insidious and cunning to the extreme, and he even dares to covet the throne!
When Shao Zhen thought of this, he could not be as calm as Lu Shuo. He stared at Xie Shu fiercely, broke free from the soldiers' grip, drew his sword and shouted, "I am the current third prince, who dares to touch me! Xie Shu! Shameless villain, how dare you plot against me!"
Shao Zhen was a man of both civil and military talents, and had the bearing of a prince. The soldiers nearby were frightened and let go of him, failing to capture him. They watched helplessly as Shao Zhen drew his sword and rushed towards Xie Shu.
Everyone's heart was in their throat, but Xie Shu remained calm and composed. He said calmly, "The thief should be executed."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a strange noise, and a bloody hole appeared on the golden armor on Shao Zhen's chest, and then Shao Zhen fell to the ground.
To others it seemed like a miraculous skill, but in fact, Xie Shuling and Mu Wen were well prepared and were waiting by their side with □□ in hand.
But in the eyes of all the soldiers under the city, this scene was a punishment from heaven, enough to scare them and make them willingly submit. There was no chance of them having any thoughts of resistance.
Lu Shuo was also shocked. He thought that even if Xie Shu could react to Shao Zhen's attack, killing Shao Zhen would still be condemned by the world.
But no one expected that Xie Shu would kill the other party in such an incredible way.
Lu Shuo was standing close, so he could naturally see clearly the weapon in the hands of the man guarding Xie Shu, which was the key.
He had never heard of such a weapon before, which could kill the opponent with one blow at close range without any effort.
Is this what Xie Shu's Ministry of Industry came up with after gathering hundreds of craftsmen from all over the world to study for a year?
No wonder Xie Shu is so confident. One such thing is enough.
Thinking of this, Lu Shuo's heart was burning with excitement, and he really wanted to ask Xie Shu about the origin of this thing.
But then he discovered that there were not only guards beside Xie Shu, but also an army...
On that day, the third prince Shao Zhen disobeyed military orders and secretly led his troops back to the capital with the intention of treason. He was executed on the spot, and Lu Shuo was imprisoned.
Emperor Qing couldn't stand the repeated provocations and stopped attending court.
A month later, the Ministry of Justice, the Dali Temple, and the Taichang Temple jointly began to try Lü Shuo for his crimes.
Now Xie Shu has become the actual ruler of the entire court. Emperor Qing appointed him as acting Shangshu Ling. Lu Shuo's crimes were already innumerable, and many more were fabricated against him.
The Minister of Justice presented the final result to Xie Shu in a flattering manner. If it was according to the above, Lu Shuo should be sentenced to death by lingchi.
However, Xie Shu glanced at him and said coldly: "Law is the etiquette of the world. It is used to resolve doubts and clarify right and wrong. If you have laws but act selfishly, it is illegal. Don't you understand this principle, Lord Shangshu?"
Upon hearing this, the Minister of Justice bowed his head and left immediately: "No, no, I will discuss this matter later."
As soon as he went out, the Minister of Justice broke out in a cold sweat. In fact, they had originally charged Lu Shuo with so many crimes in order to test Emperor Qing's attitude.
Although Emperor Qing is now much older, he is not completely without the energy to review memorials. He must personally review important matters such as Lu Shuo's conviction.
By then, Emperor Qing saw that the three judicial officials had charged Lu Shuo with many crimes, including accusing him of making incorrect military decisions. This matter was related to Emperor Qing, but how could the emperor be wrong?
He might even fly into a rage, and in the end it might be Xie Shu instead of Lu Shu who would be held responsible.
Unexpectedly, Xie Shu actually saw through the key, so how could the Minister of Justice dare to stay any longer?
Lu Shuo was eventually convicted, and was only accused of "disregarding military orders and plotting treason." As for his other crimes, such as accepting bribes and investigating the emperor's whereabouts, they were nothing compared to this.
The final punishment was drafted by Xie Shu, who said it would be exile for thirty years.
As mentioned before, exile means being sent to a wild place, which is unbearable for most people, let alone thirty years of torture? But in the end, he still saved his life.
All the ministers were surprised that Xie Shu would let Lü Shu go like this, but they also thought privately that there would be many accidents during exile, so everyone was even more afraid of Xie Shu's methods.
Now that the Crown Prince and the Third Prince are dead, none of the remaining princes have the Emperor's favor. Only the youngest Eighth Prince is most likely to inherit the throne.
At some point, a rumor spread that Xie Shu had had an affair with the Eighth Prince's father, Wei Qingtong. Xie Shu then joined forces with Wei Qingtong to eliminate the other princes, support the Eighth Prince to ascend the throne, and then act as regent.
Although there are too many things to speculate on in this rumor, for example, as everyone knows, Xie Shu is clearly in power, but he is still the son-in-law of the Yu family. He and Yu Chuxi are in harmony with each other and have a deep affection for each other. They have been inseparable for many years.
But Xie Shu's current status is too high. Whether he holds all the power in the court or is supported by the people, many people want to see him fall.
However, despite this, Xie Shu still did not make any move to give up power. He was now the acting Shangshu Ling, and all major matters had to be decided by him, and even the military power was in his hands.
Emperor Qing's age had obviously increased. Sometimes he wanted to rest and recuperate and leave all matters to Xie Shu, but he was still worried.
Although the cause of the third prince's death was inevitable, Emperor Qing still felt alienated from Xie Shu. However, apart from Xie Shu, he now had no other ministers he could use, and Lu Shuo was also on his way to exile.
Emperor Qing sometimes asked Liu Qiang about matters inside and outside the court, but Liu Qiang naturally would not tell him the truth. The people guarding Emperor Qing were also replaced, so Emperor Qing had not heard of those rumors.
But after all, truth will come to light, and there is no impenetrable wall.
One day the weather got better, and Emperor Qing finally felt like going out for a walk, so he went for a walk at Jinming Lake.
Although Jinming Lake was the royal garden of the Qing Dynasty, common people were allowed to visit and do small business in March and April every year.
Emperor Qing wanted to have fun with the people and understand their sentiments, so he went to a teahouse in disguise.
When Liu Qiang heard the storyteller speaking, it was too late to stop him. He was extremely anxious, but his mind was clear. This must have been someone's deliberate plan, and it was too late to inform Xie Shu outside the palace.
The only thing to do is to quickly send someone to tell Wei Qingtong to prepare early.
After hearing this, Emperor Qing's face darkened. He asked Liu Qiang to keep everyone present silent, and then returned to the palace.
When Emperor Qing entered the inner hall, he saw Wei Qingtong listening to the eighth prince's study.
The eighth prince, Shao Yuan, was almost four years old. He stood straight and recited the words in the book in a clear voice. When he saw his father coming in, Shao Yuan immediately showed a happy smile on his face. With his big eyes flashing, he ran to Emperor Qing and shouted, "Father!"
Emperor Qing's tense face couldn't help but reveal a kind smile, but soon, Emperor Qing asked someone to carry Shao Yuan away, leaving only Wei Qingtong in the room.
Wei Qingtong seemed to have not noticed anything. He walked over with a sweet smile and took Emperor Qing's arm as usual.
Emperor Qing pushed him away very coldly, but the force of the push was not enough. Wei Qingtong stumbled a few times before falling to the ground, looking aggrieved and puzzled: "Your Majesty?"
Emperor Qing was indifferent, with only anger and disgust in his heart. He panted and shouted, "What is your relationship with Xie Shu?"
Wei Qingtong's expression was astonished, not at all fake, and she explained anxiously: "Your Majesty, although Lord Xie and I are from the same hometown, I have never had any disputes with Lord Xie." Wei Qingtong said this, emphasizing each word: "Besides, Lord Xie has been recruited as a son-in-law by the Yu family. How could I, a humble woman back then, compare with Yu Chuxi? If it weren't for your Majesty's pity, how could I be where I am today? Your Majesty, don't you know my innocence?"
Emperor Qing's expression relaxed a lot, but he still said: "Now that rumors are spreading everywhere, they are not groundless."
Emperor Qing was not actually angry about the rumor that Wei Qingtong and Xie Shu were having an affair. Although it was unbearable, Emperor Qing was not so angry that he could not tell the truth from the false.
What really bothered him was the collusion between Xie Shu and Wei Qingtong.
But Xie Shu is an important official in the court, his left arm and right hand, and Emperor Qing cannot touch him rashly. But Wei Qingtong is different.
Wei Qingtong didn't stand up until Emperor Qing left and wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. He looked at Emperor Qing's back indifferently, with a sneer at the corner of his lips.
Although he managed to cope with it today, Emperor Qing was suspicious and the thorn in his heart had already been planted.
Originally, Wei Qingtong wanted to wait until the Eighth Prince was a little older, so that it would be legitimate for Emperor Qing to pass the throne to Shao Yuan.
But now that this has happened, even if Emperor Qing will pass the throne to Shao Yuan in the future, will he still keep him?
Wei Qingtong didn't want to gamble. Even if his child took the throne, what would it matter? He wanted to be glorious himself!
Thinking about being respected by the whole world in the future, even Xie Shu and Yu Chuxi would have to bow to him when they saw him, what a wonderful feeling would that be?
*
After a few days, Emperor Qing ordered Xie Shu to deal with the Tatars' attack to the south without any delay.
What Xie Shu had said before was still fresh in people’s minds. The three-month deadline had passed in a flash, and all the ministers were waiting for the final result.
And too many people have failed in the Tatar incident. Wasn’t it because of this that Lu Shuo left the court?
So everyone hopes that Xie Shu can give up power.
But Xie Shu still did not do so. After a night's talk with Wang Zhen, he released Wang Zhen from prison and appointed him as a general to lead an army of 60,000. He also appointed a commander of the Ministry of War to assist him and lead 40,000 elite troops to attack from the side. He also appointed an assistant minister of the Ministry of War to inspect the two Hexi states all year round.
Coincidentally, the latter two are classmates of Xie Shu.
Xie Shu never left the capital, but the military power was still in his hands. Due to the Tatars, Emperor Qing did not interfere.
However, the trip went surprisingly smoothly. Xie Shu's reforms during this period worked. He wanted to enrich the country and strengthen the army, so there was sufficient food, soldiers, farming, and military equipment. Wang Zhen also returned the favor and fought bravely against the enemy.
Although the Tatar prince knew the situation in advance, he misjudged Xie Shu's existence.
Seeing the continuous good news, all the civil and military officials breathed a sigh of relief, but Emperor Qing did not live to see the day when the army would return to the capital.
On this day, when Emperor Qing was sitting in court, he suddenly stood up, then fell to the ground. Only his eyes could move, and half of his body was unconscious.
Eunuch Liu Qiang hurriedly supported Emperor Qing and then summoned the imperial physician.
The imperial physician said it was a stroke, and all the ministers were in confusion.
Afterwards, Emperor Qing was helped to the bed, and the important officials of the six ministries and Xie Shu were waiting beside him. Emperor Qing stared at the plaque, his mouth moving constantly, but he could not utter a word.
Liu Qiang understood and took out the will behind the plaque and read it out in front of everyone.
"The eighth son of the Emperor, Shao Yuan, was born to your Majesty, Wei Qing Tong. He is four years old, young and intelligent. He is qualified to inherit the family line and ascend the throne. He is hereby appointed as the Crown Prince and will follow the rules to succeed the Emperor. However, Shao Yuan is very young, so I have specially appointed Shang Shu Ling Xie Shu as the Grand Tutor to assist in government affairs, and your Majesty, Wei Qing Tong, as the Queen Mother, to manage the harem until Shao Yuan turns ten and returns to power. I decree this."
After the edict was read, Emperor Qing died with his eyes staring blankly.
The ministers wept bitterly. How could a four-year-old emperor secure the throne? Even after six years, it would be impossible for him to take power from the Taifu who had been in power for a long time.
The chaos in the political situation in the future is foreseeable.
Although under Xie Shu's governance, the foreign enemies of the Qing Dynasty have retreated, the country has prospered, and the situation of poverty and weakness has changed.
However, the court officials still suspected that Xie Shu had the intention of usurping power. After all, the temptation of the supreme throne to a person was too great.
Everyone in the world is watching him. If Xie Shu really dares to do this, he will become the target of public criticism.
Xie Shu's behavior seemed to be undisguised. He was called the Grand Tutor, so he did not pay respect to the emperor, but the emperor had to greet him. He also did not allow the harem to participate in politics. Wei Qingtong could only see the emperor when he returned to the palace after the morning and evening visits, and the annual birthday banquet could only be held in the harem.
Only Liu Qiang was satisfied, he just wanted the position of Grand Chamberlain.
In the eyes of others, Xie Shu ruled the territory of Daqing with iron-blooded means and maintained his dynasty.
The sad news of Jiang Hong's death came that day.
Jiang Hong is 75 years old this year and his life has come to an end. For this old man, the proudest thing in his life is that he taught two apprentices, but the most unfortunate thing is also that he taught two apprentices.
His eldest disciple, Lu Shuo, was a treacherous villain, and his second disciple, Xie Shu, was not much better.
Jiang Hong was filled with regret when he was dying, and he even asked his family to write a letter asking Xie Shu not to come to pay his respects.
Even though Xie Shu had developed a heart of stone over the years, he still felt bitter at this moment.
His friends didn't understand him, his political enemies didn't understand him, and even his teachers left him.
Xie Shu sat in the study until it was late and the moon was dim. The candle on the oil lamp was trembling and about to go out.
At this moment, the door was gently pushed open and a figure walked in. He held a star-like flame in his hand, illuminating his bright and beautiful face.
Even though the two had met for ten years, in Xie Shu's heart, the man's charm had not diminished in the slightest, just as it had been when they first met.
Xie Shu stared at Yu Chuxi until he slowly walked closer and placed the lamp on the table. Xie Shu stood up and put his arms around his waist from behind.
Yu Chuxi turned around, gently smoothed the deep scars on his brow that had been left behind at some point, and whispered, "Don't be sad."
Xie Shu smiled helplessly, shook his head and said, "I didn't... Langjun, I just missed the teacher a little."
Yu Chuxi looked at him tenderly and patted Xie Shu on the back: "The teacher never blamed you. He asked you not to go to the funeral, but he wrote to me. I think the teacher just wanted to keep things simple after his death and not disturb you."
Xie Shu stopped talking, but there was a soft light in his eyes.
Yu Chuxi realized that this man was actually crying, and he was so panicked that he didn't know what to do. He still remembered that when they parted many years ago, Xie Shu almost cried.
Later, Xie Shu gained more and more power and responsibilities. He rarely showed his youthful side again and became a man who was as majestic as a mountain and as vast as a river.
But when he was crying, Yu Chuxi still remembered the skinny girl lying on the sickbed, with the clear eyes looking at him.
He couldn't help but hold Xie Shu's face lovingly and wanted to wipe away his tears.
Xie Shu held onto his fingertips and kissed him softly: "My dear, I am so lucky to meet you here."
He often said some obscure words, but never explained them in detail, and Yu Chuxi did not delve into them.
But at this moment, Yu Chuxi clearly understood something. The corners of his lips curled up slightly and he just said: "Xie Shu, I am happiest when I meet you. If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would become... This place has become very good because of you. Whatever you want to do, just do it."
Under the light, Yu Chuxi's face flashed with a radiant and rich light in the hazy light and shadow, just like a blooming jade tree, which could make people infatuated.
Xie Shu's heart trembled, but he didn't dare to look again. He slowly closed his eyes, held back the tears in his eyes, hugged him, and then kissed him deeply.
*
Seeing that the young emperor is getting older, many people are ready to make a move.
Xie Shu's autocracy and ruthlessness were also criticized. Not only that, Xie Shu implemented many reform measures over the years, including the Land Reform Law, the Farmland and Water Conservancy Law, the open market, free marriage, and rule of law, all of which touched the fundamental interests of the upper class.
But Xie Shu's power and prestige were unmatched, so everyone could only endure silently and wait for the opportunity.
Fortunately, Xie Shu had no children, so everyone still had hope.
However, Wei Qingtong could no longer sit still. He had gone through untold hardships and finally watched his son ascend the throne as emperor. Unexpectedly, before he could even enjoy a single day of power, he was put under house arrest by Xie Shu in various ways.
Liu Qiang was powerless to do anything about it, besides, Liu Qiang just wanted the power of the eunuchs, so he just perfunctorily responded to Wei Qingtong.
Wei Qingtong could see it, but there were too few people he could use, so he could only look for Liu Qiang while secretly developing the power of the previous dynasty.
The time has finally come.
The young emperor is nine years old this year and will be ten in one year, but Xie Shu still has no intention of returning power to him, nor does he allow the young emperor to participate in government affairs.
This intention is already very obvious.
Wei Qingtong said to Liu Qiang that when the memorial requesting Xie Shu to return power is submitted in a year, Xie Shu will certainly be unwilling to do so, and by then the throne of the young emperor will be in jeopardy, so Eunuch Liu might as well make plans early.
Liu Qiang thought about it and agreed.
A palace coup was brewing, but on the surface everything seemed peaceful.
On this day, the first memorial "advising" Xie Shu to return to power appeared.
Everyone looked at the memorial, not daring to breathe, and secretly glanced at Xie Shu's expression.
The emperor of the time stood upright on his seat, and his precocious mind had already seen that the situation was about to break out.
Xie Shu just picked up the memorial with a normal expression. It was from none other than Xu Shengkai, who had been promoted to Imperial Censor.
Xu Shengkai had been promoted several times by Xie Shu and was also Xie Shu's fellow villager, so his stepping forward was probably the most surprising thing.
Xie Shu looked down at Xu Shengkai, but Xu Shengkai just avoided his sight, staring ahead, and said in a straightforward manner: "The late emperor ordered that the young emperor should return power when he is ten years old. Please return power to him, sir."
As soon as he finished speaking, many people echoed him, but more people were watching.
Xie Shu said calmly: "Return the government? Then I want to ask Xu Qing, is this world the world of the people, or the world of a family?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a huge wave of emotion arose. What did Xie Shu mean by this?
Several old officials looked at Xie Shu in disbelief. Even though Xie Shu's reforms had already begun to take shape, they had never thought that he would have such an idea. He was going against the foundation of the dynasty! The princes of the previous dynasty established themselves because the rituals and music collapsed and the emperor's authority was lost!
Xu Shengkai frowned and said hesitantly, "Daqing was established by the will of heaven, and the emperor was ordered to govern the people of the world."
Such a view cannot be considered a mistake. In order to ensure the orthodoxy of their own dynasty, the theory of the correspondence between heaven and man came into being.
Xie Shu sneered upon hearing this and said, "If it is destiny, who knows it? Could it be that just by making up a few auspicious signs, it is destiny?"
When these words were spoken, it was like a blow to the head, and everyone was both frightened and horrified.
Xie Shu continued, "The Book of History says: The emperor is the parent of the people and the king of the world. This is absurd! The emperor today is a ten-year-old child. Can he be the father of all people?
The people are the foundation of the country, how can we take it lightly? The foundation of a country is the people, and the governance of a country should also be people-oriented. However, from ancient times to the present, countries have risen and fallen because of the wisdom of a monarch. Have you ever thought about how much suffering the people will suffer because of this? "
When Xie Shu said this, he looked at the young emperor sitting on the stage. The young emperor was already sitting on the dragon throne in a daze. Although Liu Qiang behind him urged him in every way, when Xie Shu gave him a look, the young emperor's mind went blank.
But the ministers below still wanted to be loyal: "Xie Shu, you are so bold, you are just talking nonsense, trying to seize the throne! Then according to you, Your Majesty should not govern the country, so are you going to govern it?"
Xie Shu's voice was calm, his tone was calm, and his voice was as loud as a bell or drum, resounding through everyone's heart: "Even saints have shortcomings, let alone me, a common man. I should be governed by the law, not by humans."
*
The Qing Dynasty ended after eighty years and was succeeded by the Daqing Republic founded by Xie Shu. Although the title of Qing was still retained, there was no emperor, and the actual ruler was the prime minister.
Xie Shu abolished the imperial system, referred to the laws of later generations, and established the cabinet and six-department system as much as possible to fit the society at that time, and continued the imperial examination system of the Qing Dynasty. He vigorously developed the economy, abolished slavery, and private land ownership.
He was the chief minister of the cabinet and the founder of the people's legal system in the true sense.
Xie Shu was re-elected as the Prime Minister twice and then retired. He had never been interested in power, and at the beginning he just wanted to change his husband's situation, but later on, he could not let go of anything, whether it was the people or the country.
Many people don't understand him, and many people oppose him.
Xie Shu had no complaints. Seeing her husband being so free and happy in this era was the greatest comfort to her.
Later, Xie Shu retired and Yu Chuxi accompanied him. Now, all the businesses of the Yu family have complied with the system and become nationwide companies, so there is nothing to worry about.
From then on, the two of them sailed on the West Lake, in the misty rain of the south of the Yangtze River.
It was not until many years later that Xie Shu and Yu Chuxi returned to their hometown hand in hand and came to the former capital. They swam along the Qujiang River and met Wei Qingtong.
When Wei Qingtong was deposed as the Queen Mother, she still wanted to abdicate, but she was powerless under the overwhelming situation.
Wei Qingtong seems to be living a good life now. When he meets old friends, he actually goes up to them and chats with them.
However, Xie Shu had no intention of paying any attention to him and pulled Yu Chuxi away.
That night, Xie Shu suddenly felt that the feeling of detachment that he had always had on his body became more severe, so he hugged Yu Chuxi and coaxed her again and again, and then started from the beginning.
He is not from this world, but a soul from another world.
Every time he wanted to bring up this topic before, he felt as if he was rejected by the world. Until later, Wei Qingtong revealed the truth at a glance, and Xie Shu felt for the first time the feeling of his soul being suddenly torn away.
Therefore, Xie Shu could have avoided cooperating with Wei Qingtong, but he went with the plan. However, he could feel that even if there was a way to make Wei Qingtong stop mentioning this matter, he would still leave here sooner or later. Maybe he would return to his original world, or maybe not. Who knows?
He actually knew why.
But he couldn't bear to deny it to his lover, so Xie Shu had been silently enduring the increasing sense of detachment, until recently, he felt that his soul would leave in the near future.
He secretly wrote many letters to his husband, but after thinking it over, he decided to say goodbye in person.
As Xie Shu finished speaking, Yu Chuxi shed tears silently. He had known it for a long time.
If Xie Shu's arrival was the best secret, then he would rather never know it.
But Xie Shu smiled. It turned out that her husband had known about it a long time ago. That was great.
Xie Shu could feel his limbs becoming increasingly slower. He raised his hands clumsily to wipe away his lover's tears, but the more he wiped, the more tears came.
Yu Chuxi didn't ask anything else, just asked him: "What was your previous world like?"
Xie Shu rambled on for a while, and Yu Chuxi asked him again: "Is it the future now?"
Xie Shu narrowed his eyes and thought for a while, then nodded and shook his head.
There is no husband in his world.
Xie Shu's consciousness gradually became heavy, and he said with difficulty: "My dear, it's your turn to come to me next time..."
Yu Chuxi watched Xie Shu slowly close her eyes in his arms, and promised softly: "Okay, I'll come find you when the peach blossoms are in full bloom."
The corners of Xie Shu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.
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