104. Gentleman
There was chaos and war in the Xi Mansion, so Yun Zhi naturally showed no mercy to the Xi family. He searched the ground like a thief and found a lot of things, even some tributes from various countries that should have been included in the national treasury. Regardless of whether Xi Yan's exclusion of dissidents was true or not, the mere fact that he privately kept the tributes from various countries was a serious crime.
Yun Zhi immediately issued an order that no one in the Xi family should be allowed to escape and that all of them should be brought back to the Ministry of Justice for trial. This naturally included Liu Ran, who had been his wife for less than two days, and Xi Chaoyi, who had hurried back home.
Liu Ran was dragged by the imperial guards, screaming at the top of her lungs: "Let me go! Let me go! I am the wife of the current Shang Shu Ling! How dare you be so rude?!"
When Xi Chaoyi returned home and saw this scene, his face suddenly changed: "Stop! Yun Zhi! This is the Xi residence, what are you doing?"
Yun Zhi turned around and ordered calmly: "You've arrived just in time. Come on, take him down!"
Then he walked to the detained Xi Chaoyi, took out a document from his sleeve, flicked the paper, and said calmly: "I have been ordered to search. Please also go to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice will make the final decision on right and wrong."
Xi Chaoyi's face turned pale, but he was always aware of current affairs, so he forced a smile and whispered, "Excuse me, Governor Yun, what exactly is this matter?"
Yun Zhi didn't bother to be polite with him. His eyes were calm as he said calmly, "I'm sure Master Xi knows more about the Xi family's affairs than I do. You may as well figure it out yourself and take him away!"
Xi Chaoyi was unsure.
In the past few days, due to the open and covert ridicule of him in the capital, he bought wine every night and did not go to court. However, Xi Chaoyi knew clearly about the affairs of the Xi family. They were all serious crimes that would cost him his head!
But how many people in the court are innocent?
After all, Xi Chaoyi had been rooted in Jinjing for many years, so he remained calm. Before leaving, he whispered to Yun Zhi, "Governor Yun, do you really think that those false charges can bring down the Xi family?"
"Who knows?" Xiao Mufeng came over from behind, holding a sword, and said with a smile: "Master Xi, talk about this after you get out of prison."
Xi Chaoyi was taken away with a gloomy face.
Xiao Mufeng smiled and said to Yun Zhi: "There is no point in talking to a man who has not much time left."
Yun Zhi didn't respond.
.
Since Yu Qingzhou impeached Xi Yan for abusing his power for personal gain, Yun Zhi also seized countless stolen goods and gold and silver from Xi's home. The high and mighty Shangshu Ling suddenly became a corrupt official that everyone wanted to punish. Rong Se thought it would be easy to make a decision on the case, but Xi Yan's followers in the court helped him get out of trouble. Even if Rong Se took action himself, the case was still delayed for two days without any progress.
After nightfall, Liang Shenyu took off Rong Se's hair crown.
"It was Cao Lun who was dealing with him." Liang Shenyu said softly, "Before you, most of the government affairs fell into Cao Lun's hands. Naturally, there were officials who were not afraid of offending you and were willing to work for him. The court was full of factions and they were fighting against each other. Although there were no blades, they were also hiding murderous intentions. Prince, don't be impatient."
Rong Se thought he was very patient. He attacked the Xi family because he hated this family and because Xi Yan and Cao Lun protected the new emperor. When he advised Rong Xu to execute Yan Shuang, Xi Yan also played an indispensable role.
Moreover, Cao Lun is a close minister of the emperor, and the Secretariat where Xi Yan works is also used by Rong Jing. It is unreasonable and unacceptable to keep this person.
"The longer we delay, the more chances of something unexpected happening." Rong Se looked at his own face in the bronze mirror, his expressionless face revealed a cold look, "Since we have already taken action, we cannot let the Xi family turn the tables."
The slender knuckles with well-defined bones touched the beautiful face in the mirror, gently lifting up half of the face, stroking it as if soothing it.
Liang Shenyu laughed softly: "If there is no evidence, they won't be able to do anything."
Rong Se came back to his senses belatedly, retracted the cold and sharp look between his eyebrows, and sighed softly: "What a trouble."
He understood what Liang Shenyu meant.
Even though the tone was calm, the murderous intent was obvious.
If Xi Yan died, then no matter how Cao Lun tried, it would be useless.
"However," Liang Shenyu paused, and then said, "Xi Yan is dead and there is no evidence. I am afraid that his followers have not been completely eliminated. Your Majesty may wish to wait a little longer. If something really happens--"
He leaned over, put his lips to Rong Se's ear, and said in a low and calm voice: "At least the Xi family father and son can't leave the prison of the Ministry of Justice."
Rongse's ears blushed slightly, and he lowered his eyes slightly. After a moment of silence, he said with some emotion: "You are really different from what I imagined."
Liang Shenyu raised his eyebrows slightly and laughed: "What does the prince think of me?"
Rong Se recalled the Marquis Dingbei in the original novel, who was loyal to the emperor and had a good family background. He was truly upright and honest, and did not seem like someone who would do something shady in secret.
"Is it a..." Rong Se chose his words carefully and said cautiously: "Gentleman?"
"Well... a gentleman." Liang Shenyu smiled and hugged Rong Se from behind. He looked at the intimate reflections of the two people in the mirror and hummed a nasal laugh. "Is the prince disappointed? I'm afraid that the gentleman you and I have in mind is not the same."
Liang Shenyu did not consider himself to be a gentleman. He would use any sinister means. To use the words in military books, this is called "all is fair in warfare".
Rong Se thought for a moment and said seriously, "It's not the same. Climbing over the wall in the middle of the night is not what a gentleman does."
It was clearly a mockery of Liang Shenyu's breaking into the palace that night.
Liang Shenyu smiled and said, "That can't be said. A gentleman on the beam is also called a gentleman. He just climbed over a wall. Can't a gentleman climb over a wall?"
"This is a trick." Rong Se turned to look at Liang Shenyu with a smile in his eyes. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said softly, "But it doesn't matter. Dingbei Hou is still a hero of Dajin. A hero doesn't have to be a gentleman."
Liang Shenyu had different ideas from him, but it didn't matter. He was still the Marquis of Dingbei who led his troops to fight against the Huns. For many years, the Jin Dynasty had been confronting the Huns and was helpless. However, Liang Shenyu went to the border at the age of thirteen and defeated the Huns at the age of sixteen, and recaptured the sixteen cities of Qiangzhou in one fell swoop. During the years he guarded Qiangzhou, the Huns could not advance an inch.
Rongse believed that the Liang Shenyu he saw was a general who could plan and win battles thousands of miles away, and also the one who loved him and promised to be together forever.
The rest no longer matters.
However, Liang Shenyu tilted his head and thought for a while, then suddenly asked, "Can a hero not be a gentleman?"
Rong Se sensed some ill intentions in his gentle smile, and immediately understood what this man was thinking. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and cursed: "You don't have to be a gentleman, but you have to be a human being, Marquis Dingbei."
She had just dragged him around last night and almost fell asleep this morning. Rong Se would not allow Liang Shenyu to mess around again no matter what. She pushed him away firmly and went to bed to sleep.
Liang Shenyu knew that he was really tired today, and it was just a joke so that Rong Se would stop worrying about the Xi family's case. He then followed him to the couch, hugged him and kissed him lightly on the tip of his ear.
Only after Rong Se fell asleep with steady breathing did Liang Shenyu suddenly open his eyes, and a cold light flashed in the darkness.
Liang Shenyu got off the bed quietly and walked into the yard, casually wearing his outer robe, and called out in a low voice: "Come out."
The hidden dark guard appeared silently.
"Let's go to the Dianzhou military camp." Liang Shenyu ordered calmly, "No need to see blood, just make some noise."
"yes."
The secret guard retreated quietly again.
The camp of the Dianzhou Army was close to that of the Jinbei Cavalry, both in the hunting grounds on the outskirts of the city. The founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty loved riding, shooting and hunting. In the past, that place was a place for the royal family and the dignitaries in the capital of Jin to have fun. However, several generations of emperors preferred pleasure, and the hunting grounds were abandoned. Liang Shenyu took a fancy to it and used it to train his personal soldiers who followed him to the capital.
The troops from Dianzhou were also stationed there.
After the secret guard left, Liang Shenyu stood alone in the yard, looking up at the gloomy night sky, which looked like ink spilled all over rice paper. No light could be seen, and it was so dark that it seemed to swallow everything.
He didn't like nights like this.
Countless nights in the past, Liang Shenyu could only see a road paved with bones, lined with thorns, with wind and snow all over the sky, and he was the only one there.
After just a moment, Liang Shenyu withdrew his gaze, and at the same time, his expression, which was even more gloomy and cold than the night, disappeared.
He turned and walked into the room.
Now he has another way.
Even though he was still being attacked from all sides, at least he was no longer alone.
.
That night, the Yunnan Army lit torches and became a mess, saying that someone had attacked them at night. As a result, they wandered around with torches for half the night but did not find the person who attacked them. They did find a note left by the enemy, which they nailed to their tent. On it was the message: Unable to withstand a single blow.
Naked humiliation.
But in addition to humiliation and anger, Liu Xu was more afraid.
How could someone sneak into the Yunnan Army camp, leave this outside his tent, and get away with it!
If the other party had evil intentions yesterday, I'm afraid he wouldn't even know how he died.
This note is not meant to humiliate at all, it is a clear warning and threat!
Liu Xu held the note, his face pale, and muttered to himself: "Is it the Regent Prince... or the Marquis of Dingbei? What do they mean? No... No, we can't stay in Jinjing for long."
.
The next morning, Rong Se learned that someone had attacked the military camp in Dian Prefecture at night. He roughly guessed who did it, and glanced at Liang Shenyu meaningfully, then casually ordered a thorough investigation.
But it was just a lip service.
It can be said to be very perfunctory.
After the court meeting was over, Rong Jing, the nominal emperor, became extremely gloomy. He slapped the dragon chair hard and said in a deep voice, suppressing his anger: "Uncle, do you want to wait any longer? The Xi family and the soldiers from Dianzhou are coming for me! But we clearly have——"
"His Majesty."
Cao Lun's face changed slightly, and he interrupted him, "At first, I thought that Dingbei Hou would be our helper, but now the Regent Prince has the troops of Qiangzhou in his hands. If we force him to abdicate, it will be more trouble than gain!"
A look of fear flashed across Rong Jing's face, as well as a hint of jealousy. He lowered his head hastily and gritted his teeth: "What should I do? Should I just watch him ascend to my position step by step?!"
There were only the two of them in the hall. Rong Jing could no longer pretend to be respectful, gentle and harmless. His face was so gloomy that it was almost distorted.
He treated Rong Se cruelly and became more and more uneasy.
When he became emperor, he thought he had won, but looking back now, he is not as happy as when he was the crown prince!
Cao Lun was silent for a moment, not knowing what he was thinking, and then he said solemnly: "Qiangzhou may not be stable forever. Dingbei Marquis and Jinbei Cavalry will leave the capital one day."