SWDnovel Chapter 264 His Majesty acted voluntarily!
Chapter 264 His Majesty acted voluntarily!
Gu Jiantang's pupils suddenly contracted!
"Imperial Preceptor," his voice trembled slightly, "you mean...it's fake?"
Li Chunfeng neither nodded nor shook his head.
But a complex and insightful glint flashed in those eyes that seemed to see right through the world.
"I've been thinking about this for the past few days," he said.
"I witnessed everything that happened at the Nujiang ferry on the night Your Majesty disappeared."
"That giant dragon, that figure emerging from its body, that young man standing atop the cliff who shattered the illusory image of the Emperor's edict with a single blow—"
He paused, his gaze deep and unfathomable:
"I've been thinking about all of this, what exactly happened?"
Why did the dragon shatter?
"Why did that figure emerge from the dragon's body?"
"Why that person—"
His voice grew softer and softer, until it was almost inaudible:
"Could it be Mo Ya?"
Gu Jiantang fell silent.
Zhang Julu also fell silent.
Inside the hall, a deathly silence fell once again.
Only the faint sound of burning candlelight and the distant, indistinct sound of drums could be heard.
Li Chunfeng continued, his voice aged yet calm:
"I've been thinking, if those really were people from the North, if it really was Xu Longxiang who kidnapped His Majesty—"
He paused, his gaze falling on the letter:
"Then how should this letter be interpreted?"
"Xu Longxiang kidnapped His Majesty, yet he forced her to marry Qin Mu?"
"That doesn't make sense."
Gu Jiantang felt his mind go blank as he listened to these words.
Yes.
If Xu Longxiang really kidnapped His Majesty, then how could His Majesty appear in the Great Qin Imperial City?
Why would she want to marry Qin Mu?
This doesn't make any sense.
"So," he began, his voice hoarse, "the Grand Preceptor means... that the Black Raven that night was a fake?"
Li Chunfeng looked at him and nodded slightly.
"I'm not sure," he said, "but it's the most reasonable explanation at the moment."
He paused, his gaze deep and unfathomable:
"These past few days, I have been using the excuse of 'observing for a while longer' to prevent you from putting pressure on the North."
"It's not because I don't trust you."
"But because—"
He took a deep breath:
"I have never really believed that Xu Longxiang was behind that incident."
Gu Jiantang was stunned.
"Why?" he blurted out.
Li Chunfeng looked at him, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
"General Gu," he said, "think about it—"
"If Xu Longxiang truly possesses such skill, he could render a half-step Land Immortal realm expert completely undetectable, and shatter the illusory image formed by the ancestral decree with a single strike—"
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"He has already successfully rebelled."
Why remain inactive?
"Why should we ally with Li Yang?"
Why bother—
His gaze fell on the letter:
"Just watch Xu Fenghua marry Qin Mu?"
Gu Jiantang was stunned.
He stood still, motionless.
Li Chunfeng's words echoed repeatedly in his mind.
Yes.
If Xu Longxiang truly possesses such abilities—
He succeeded long ago.
Why wait indefinitely?
Why keep enduring it?
Why should we form an alliance with Li Yang?
The person who appeared at the Nujiang ferry that night, the person who shattered the illusory image of the Emperor Taizu's edict with a single blow, the person even Li Chunfeng couldn't see through—
It's not Xu Longxiang at all.
Not from the North.
Yes--
Qin Mu.
Gu Jiantang's pupils suddenly contracted!
He suddenly looked at the letter.
Look at the elegant handwriting and the bright red mark.
In my mind, a terrible thought cleaved through the chaos like lightning.
His Majesty was abducted by Qin Mu.
His Majesty was forced to write this letter.
His Majesty--
She wanted to marry Qin Mu.
"Bang!"
Gu Jiantang slammed his fist hard on the long table again!
This time, the force was even greater than before!
The long table made a creaking sound, and a thin crack appeared on its surface.
The teacup jumped up, rolled to the ground, and shattered into pieces.
Tea was spilled all over the floor.
But Gu Jiantang seemed oblivious.
He just stared intently at the letter, his eyes burning with overwhelming rage.
"Qin Mu..."
He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word as if squeezed out from between his teeth.
"You scoundrel—"
"I'm going to kill you!"
His hand rested on the hilt of the sword, and the massive sword, as wide as a door panel, emitted a deep clang, as if it were about to be drawn at any moment.
Zhang Julu sighed softly as he looked at him like this.
"General Gu," he said, his voice hoarse and weary, "please calm down."
"calm?"
Gu Jiantang suddenly turned her head and looked at him.
Those tiger eyes were bloodshot, filled with rage, and brimming with a despair that seemed to devour him.
"How can you expect me to stay calm?!"
"His Majesty was kidnapped, imprisoned, and forced to write this kind of letter!"
"I'm going to marry that scoundrel!"
"How can you expect me to stay calm?!"
Zhang Julu looked at him, seeing the despair and anger in his eyes.
A deep sense of sorrow welled up in my heart.
He knew what Gu Jiantang was thinking.
Because he is the same.
They watched His Majesty grow up.
From an eight-year-old princess to a twenty-year-old empress, to her current status as a powerful figure in the Eastern Continent.
They watched her come step by step, watched her grow little by little, and watched her shoulder the responsibility of the entire Liyang.
They were her subjects, her arms, and her support.
But at this moment—
They can't do anything.
All I can do is sit here and look at that letter.
Looking at those words, looking at that mark.
Zhang Julu closed his eyes.
Take a deep breath.
When I opened my eyes again, they were filled with a cold, clear light.
"General Gu," he said, his voice hoarse but unusually clear, "now is not the time to act impulsively."
He paused, his gaze sharp:
"The most urgent task is to confirm His Majesty's safety."
"We need to find out exactly what happened."
"yes--"
His gaze fell on the letter, and he spoke slowly and deliberately:
"We await Your Majesty's next instructions."
Gu Jiantang looked at him.
Looking at the determination in his eyes and the solemnity on his face.
The raging anger in his heart was gradually suppressed.
It's not extinguished.
Instead, it was suppressed deep in my heart, suppressed completely.
He knew Zhang Julu was right.
Now is not the time to act impulsively.
The most important thing now is His Majesty's safety.
It's about figuring out exactly what happened.
It is waiting.
Gu Jiantang slowly released his hand from the hilt of the sword.
The greatsword let out a low groan, as if expressing its dissatisfaction.
But he ignored it.
He simply took a deep breath and sat heavily back in his chair.
It felt as if all my strength had been drained from me.
Seeing him like this, Zhang Julu felt an even deeper pang of sorrow in his heart.
But what else can we do besides wait?
With His Majesty in the hands of the Qin Dynasty, they would be hesitant to act, fearing the consequences of their actions.
Unless they install a new emperor.
This way, we can break free from the control of the Qin Dynasty.
But that's even less realistic.
Her Majesty the Empress went to great lengths to stabilize Li Yang.
If they were to establish a new emperor now, not to mention whether there is a suitable candidate, even if there is, the others in Liyang would not give up easily.
Especially those vassal kings who were suppressed by His Majesty, how could they possibly give up such a good opportunity?
At that time, their first thought will probably not be how to resist the Qin Dynasty, but how to seize power and ascend the throne as emperor.
By then, before the Qin Dynasty even attacks, Liyang will probably already be in chaos.
If the Qin Dynasty seizes this opportunity to attack, it will likely be able to enter an uninhabited territory.
By then, Liyang will no longer be a country, and its people will be destitute.
Zhang Julu sighed slowly.
This is simply an unsolvable situation.
Li Chunfeng's gaze fell on the letter, and on the bright red seal.
The Imperial Seal of the Liyang Royal Family.
That mark is real.
I know Zhao Qingxue's personality all too well.
She is not the kind of person who will easily give in.
He is not the kind of person who would be coerced into writing such a letter.
But she wrote it anyway.
The Imperial Seal of the State was affixed to it.
Shen Mo was instructed to send it back to Li Yang using the fastest possible means.
What does this mean?
mean--
Your Majesty has made your choice.
Li Chunfeng slowly closed his eyes.
The scene at the Nujiang ferry crossing that night flashed through my mind.
That figure that carried His Majesty away from the thick fog.
That unfathomable aura, which even terrified him.
That dish—
It made him so weak that he couldn't even muster the courage to take action.
If His Majesty were facing such a being...
If Your Majesty has no other choice...
Then this letter is the best proof.
His Majesty chose to compromise.
He chose to sacrifice himself to save Li Yang.
Li Chunfeng opened his eyes.
Those insightful eyes were now filled with complex emotions.
I feel sorry for her.
I admire him.
There is sorrow.
There was also a deep, almost powerless sense of guilt.
It was his inadequate protection that led His Majesty to such a predicament.
He underestimated his opponent, which led to Li Yang's current predicament.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But just then—
"Bang!"
Gu Jiantang slammed his fist hard on the long table!
The force was so great that the entire long sandalwood table shook violently, and the teacups on the table fell to the ground with a "clatter," spilling tea all over the floor.
"No!" He stood up abruptly, his tiger-like eyes blazing with fury. "I cannot accept this!"
"How could Your Majesty marry that tyrannical ruler Qin Mu?!"
"That tyrannical emperor is licentious and has countless concubines in his harem. If Your Majesty marries him, wouldn't that be..."
He couldn't continue.
He didn't even dare to think about that possibility.
Gu Jiantang's hand rested on the hilt of the sword once more.
"I'll muster the troops right now!" he declared, each word sharp as a blade tempered in ice. "Three hundred thousand troops, cross the Lancang River!"
"Bring His Majesty back!"
As he spoke, he turned and headed towards the exit of the hall!
"stop!"
A sharp shout came from behind.
Gu Jiantang paused and turned around.
Zhang Julu stood up, his face ashen, his sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed on him.
"What are you trying to do?!" Zhang Julu's voice was hoarse and low, filled with suppressed anger.
"I'm going to fetch His Majesty!" Gu Jiantang roared. "Are we just going to stand by and watch His Majesty marry that tyrant?!"
"Foolish!"
Zhang Julu slammed his hand on the long table with such force that the table shook violently once again.
"You're leading troops to fetch His Majesty? You're leading troops to attack the Qin Dynasty?"
"and then?"
"When the two armies clashed, rivers of blood flowed!"
"How many soldiers do you want to die on that battlefield? How many families do you want to lose sons, husbands, and fathers?!"
"Most importantly, are you going to disregard His Majesty's safety?!"
Gu Jiantang was stunned.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But Zhang Julu continued, each word like a sharp blade tempered with ice:
"Furthermore, what do you think His Majesty's purpose was in writing this letter?"
"Do you think she doesn't know how much of a storm this letter will cause if it gets back to Liyang?"
"She knows everything!"
"But why did she still write it?!"
Gu Jiantang's pupils contracted slightly.
Zhang Julu looked at him and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Because she wanted to protect Li Yang!"
"Because she knew that if she didn't bow her head, only destruction awaited Li Yang!"
Gu Jiantang's body trembled violently.
He stood still, motionless.
The flames of anger in those tiger eyes were slowly dying out.
Instead, there was a deep, almost desperate sense of powerlessness.
Zhang Julu took a deep breath as he looked at him.
The breath he inhaled, carrying with it the heavy atmosphere of the hall, made him more alert.
He turned around and walked back behind the long table.
He sat down slowly.
Those sharp eyes were now filled with exhaustion.
"General Gu, please sit down." His voice was hoarse, yet exceptionally clear.
"We need to discuss the follow-up matters."
Gu Jiantang stood there, silent for a moment.
Then, he slowly turned around and walked back to his seat.
sit down.
The movement was slow and heavy, as if it required all the strength of the body.
His head was lowered, so his expression was not visible.
Only his slightly trembling shoulders betrayed his true state of mind at that moment.
Li Chunfeng glanced at him, then looked at Zhang Julu.
"Prime Minister Zhang," he began, his voice aged yet ethereal, "what do you intend to do?"
Zhang Julu fell silent.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Those sharp eyes were now hidden behind their eyelids, revealing no emotion.
Only his tightly furrowed brows betrayed the turmoil in his heart at that moment.
for a long time.
He opened his eyes.
"Do as Your Majesty says," he said.
The voice was very soft, yet every word was clear.
"Preparing for the wedding."
"All ceremonies should be performed with the utmost solemnity."
"The Empress of Liyang cannot lose face when she gets married."
Gu Jiantang suddenly raised his head and looked at him.
Those tiger eyes were filled with resentment and pain.
"Zhang Xiang—"
"Shut up!" Zhang Julu interrupted him, his voice suddenly rising several decibels. "Do you think I want this? Do you think I want to see Her Majesty marry that tyrant?!"
His eyes had become slightly red without him noticing.
"But what can we do? What else can we do besides comply?!"
"Do you want to plunge Liyang into internal strife? Do you want those royal elders who have always coveted the throne to take the opportunity to cause trouble? Do you want to destroy Liyang's three-hundred-year-old foundation in an instant?!"
His voice grew louder and more excited.
Finally, it was almost a shout.
Gu Jiantang was rendered speechless by his words.
He lowered his head and stopped talking.
But his clenched fists were still trembling slightly.
Inside the hall, a deathly silence fell.
The only sounds were the faint flickering of candlelight and the occasional whisper of the night wind sweeping across the square from outside the window.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly at that moment.
I don't know how much time passed.
It may be just a moment, or it may be a long time.
Li Chunfeng finally spoke.
"Prime Minister Zhang," he said, his voice aged and ethereal, "there is something I do not understand."
Zhang Julu looked at him.
Li Chunfeng continued, his gaze fixed on the letter:
"Where did Your Majesty's letter come from?"
Zhang Julu was slightly taken aback.
"It was sent back by Shen Mo," he said. "He said it was written by His Majesty himself, and that Shen Mo was instructed to send it back to Liyang as quickly as possible."
Li Chunfeng nodded.
"That's the problem," he said.
Zhang Julu frowned.
Li Chunfeng looked at him and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Shen Mo is a spy in the Qin Imperial City. He has been lying low for many years and has never been exposed."
"But this time, His Majesty directly sent a palace maid to the Brocade Pavilion to find him and deliver the letter to him."
What does this tell us?
Zhang Julu's pupils contracted slightly.
He understood.
Li Chunfeng continued, each word like a sharp blade tempered with ice:
"This shows that His Majesty no longer cares whether Shen Mo has been exposed."
"This means His Majesty has made his choice."
"illustrate--"
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Your Majesty, it is entirely of your own free will."