Everyone was stunned.
After a while, the messenger remembered his mission and said in a dry voice, "General Tan, the Marquis …"
"Shut up!" Tan Hong Fei roared. Following that, he stared at the man kneeling in the middle of the main hall with his bell-like eyes. For a moment, his throat tightened, and every hair on his body stood up as if they were trembling. "What did you say? Say it clearly — which loyal and honest? "
The middle-aged man straightened his back. His face was sallow and pitiful, but there was an indescribable determination on his face. "Twenty years ago, Bei Man was hit by a natural disaster. The Wolf King was ambitious and led his army to invade. The Marquis of Stability used the power of the Black Iron Battalion to pacify the northern border and made the wolves bow their heads. He offered his daughter and sister as tribute to our dynasty. The previous emperor took the elder sister as his concubine and the younger sister as a princess and ordered her to enter the palace to wait for her marriage to the imperial family."
"Unexpectedly, these two witches had evil intentions and conspired a great conspiracy. First, they forged letters between The Old Marquis and the Wolf King, framed The Old Marquis for threatening the eighteen tribes after the war, and secretly hoarding Purple Gold. Then, they used witchcraft to charm the previous emperor and drive a wedge between the emperor and his subjects day and night …"
After hearing these two sentences, the capital governor, Lord Zhu, exploded. He immediately shouted, "Guards! Take down this unruly person who slandered the previous emperor! "
Tan Hongfei's eyes widened. "Let's see who dares!"
He roared and the Beidaying soldiers around him drew their swords. They were uniformly clad in silver armor and their swords were like snow. On the hilt of their swords, there was a ferocious beast head carving that looked like it was about to rush out and devour people.
Zhu Heng's face was ashen. He held on to the courage of a scholar and said in a trembling voice, "Tan Hongfei, do you want to rebel?"
Tan Hongfei sneered. He turned around and walked down the stone steps in large strides until he was in front of the middle-aged man. He stabbed his saber into the ground and stood in front of the middle-aged man like an iron tower. He asked, "Continue. What happened next?"
The man who complained said, "General, do you remember that because the young Marquis was still young, there was no one at home to take care of him? After the border was pacified, The Old Marquis discussed with the Princess and her husband and brought him to the station."
Tan Hongfei's eyes flickered. Just a few words brought back old memories. He still remembered that Marshal Gu, who was now famous in the region, was an out-and-out brat when he was young. He dared to cause any trouble and was not afraid of anyone. The Old Marquis and the Princess did not have parents or elders to discipline him. Seeing that he was out of control, they had no choice but to take him away.
Tan Hongfei said, "Yes, there is such a thing."
The middle-aged man said, "The demoness took the opportunity to say that The Old Marquis must be plotting something big by taking away his only son. Maybe he planned to divide the east and the west with the Emperor. The late Emperor Yuan and the Emperor were confused by her Soul Manipulation Technique and hated The Old Marquis. They were also afraid of the Black Iron Battalion of the barbarians who were defeated by only 30 cavalrymen. They didn't know what to do."
Tan Hongfei said, "Ridiculous!"
The middle-aged man's expression did not change. He said frankly and with assurance, "At that time, the demoness and another scoundrel worked together to set up a vicious trap. My late father, Eunuch Wu, took 30 men of sacrifice and two disciples who were good at unorthodox methods to go to the northern border in the name of rewarding the army. They infiltrated the station and carried out the assassination. In order to prevent the plot from being exposed after they failed, they deliberately made the men of sacrifice have wolf heads tattooed on their chests to pretend to be barbarians."
Tan Hongfei's breathing became more and more heavy.
At that time, 30 barbarian men of sacrifice infiltrated the station in the northern border without any warning. It was as if they had descended from the sky. They first sprinkled paralyzing medicinal powder into the food and drink, then changed into Xuan Tie light fur coats and launched a sudden attack. The soldiers saw the light fur coat cavalry whistling through the patrol camp every day and were completely unprepared for it.
Tan Hongfei murmured, "Yes, you're right. At that time, I was only a small deputy general. There were only 30 men of the light fur coat cavalry."
The Old Marquis used 30 heavy armor to flatten 18 tribes. The demoness returned the favor with 30 light fur coats. She turned the invincible Black Iron Battalion upside down and injured the only successor of the Marquis of Stability.
Tan Hongfei suddenly laughed in a low voice, "That was the Black Iron Battalion's greatest shame and humiliation. I remember that The Old Marquis happened to be out of the camp on patrol. Her Highness the Princess wasn't feeling well early in the morning and didn't eat or drink. Otherwise, it wouldn't have just been a young Marquis who was injured, right?"
The Beidaying commander fiercely stabbed his long saber into the ground. The stone floor that was as thick as a palm was actually cracked by him. "In her anger, the Princess insisted that there was a traitor in our army. More than a dozen of my brothers were responsible for the defense of the station in the northern border. It was difficult for us to absolve ourselves from the blame. Our subordinates couldn't explain it clearly, so we had no choice but to take off our armor and resign. We returned to the capital to receive our punishment … For so many years, I've been complaining about her in private. I thought she had lost her mind because she loved her son dearly … So it was true …"
As Tan Hongfei spoke to this point, tears suddenly fell without warning. He didn't wipe them away or choked with sobs. He still stood there like an iron tower, constantly gasping for air as if he was in extreme pain.
Zhu Heng was subdued by the tears of this black-faced King of Hell. For a moment, even the anger in his heart seemed to have been poked into a pit, and he slowly vented it out.
The Capital Magistrate's voice couldn't help but soften a little. He said, "This matter is of great importance. If we only rely on this person's one-sided statement, it would be unavoidably biased. General Tan, please be careful."
Tan Hongfei slightly came back to his senses. In his heart, he was already seventy to eighty percent convinced. No one knew better than Tan Hongfei, who was in charge of the defense of the station in the northern border, just how invulnerable the Black Iron Battalion's defense was. However, he couldn't explain it clearly.
Even though Gu Yun had been kind to him, the former subordinates of the Black Iron Battalion, and even helped him climb to the position of Beidaying commander, he still remembered that he was wronged for not doing his job well and had no place to complain.
Tan Hongfei glanced at Zhu Heng and reluctantly gritted his teeth. He lowered his head and asked the middle-aged man, "That's right. What evidence do you have?"
The man took out a letter written in blood from his bosom. He prostrated himself and said, "This was written in my late father's own handwriting. His body is outside the door right now. General will know if he is Wu He once you see him, and you will also know if what I said is true."
Zhu Heng frowned, but Tan Hongfei had already ordered people to carry the body out.
A moment later, a man's corpse was carried in. The hanged man's face wasn't peaceful. His cheeks were swollen, the root of his tongue was protruding, and his throat was purple like a malicious spirit's. Tan Hongfei only glanced at him once before he looked away in panic, as if he couldn't bear the burden. He said hoarsely, "I remember that the old eunuch had a triangular scar at the corner of his eye …"
The middle-aged man who was kneeling on the ground crawled over and turned the man's face over little by little. He parted the dry white hair, revealing an old triangular scar at the corner of his eye that was full of wrinkles and age spots.
There was absolute silence all around. Zhu Heng's face didn't have a trace of blood. He suddenly took a deep breath and raised his hand to adjust his official's hat that had been slapped askew by General Tan. His scholarly hands were still trembling, but he asked, "What happened after that?"
The man in the hall said, "Fortunately, the young Marquis was blessed by the Heavens and didn't die. Later, the late Emperor woke up from the witch's witchcraft and regretted it. He secretly punished the barbarian and witch sisters, and also greatly favored the young Marquis. He took him into the palace and personally took care of him. However, although the witch was executed, the villain who had plotted against the late Emperor was still there. He was afraid that the Gu family would still favor him, so he colluded with Eunuch Wu He and wanted to make a move on the young Marquis again."
Zhu Heng said, "It's a secret in the palace. You have to think carefully before you speak."
The middle-aged man laughed loudly, "Thank you very much, Your Excellency. When this commoner was young, he was a farmer who grew up in the northern border. For generations, he was bullied by the barbarians. His parents and brothers all died at the hands of those evil people who pretended to be gods and ghosts. It was The Old Marquis who saved our lives and helped us vent our anger. This commoner was a lowly person and had endured humiliation for many years to serve that old eunuch. It wasn't for the sake of his family's wealth, but for the sake of this day!"
Tan Hongfei didn't have time to sigh. He was almost numb, "But I remember that the one who died that year was the Third Prince."
"That's right," the man said, "Wu He smeared a kind of poison that could disperse into the air on the gas lamp that the young Marquis used to read. Wu He said that when the young Marquis was young, he liked to turn the gas lamp to the brightest. Often, he would turn it on for the whole night, and even when he fell asleep, he wouldn't turn it off. After a night, the gas behind the gas lamp would often be hot enough to cook an egg. Naturally, the gas would dissolve the poison in the air and then be absorbed into the lungs. At first, the poisoned person would cough incessantly and have a low fever. These are all common symptoms of children, so they wouldn't attract much attention. But slowly, the poisoned person would weaken until the poison entered the five internal organs, and no medicine would be effective. "
Tan Hongfei's eyes looked like they were about to drip blood.
"At that time, the gas lamp that the young Marquis used in the palace was a seven-colored glass cover specially provided by the West. It was very precious, and only a few princes and the young Marquis had it. Even the Empress didn't get one. Unexpectedly, the Third Prince accidentally broke his own gas lamp. He was afraid of being scolded, but he didn't dare to ask others for help. Thus, the young Marquis gave his own gas lamp to the Third Prince and secretly stuck the broken one on it. Every day, he would cover it with a book and still pretend to use it."
"Everyone knows what happened after that. The Third Prince died prematurely due to poison. The late Emperor was furious and thoroughly investigated the harem. Wu He was imprisoned for plotting to murder the Emperor's heir, and became the villain's scapegoat." As the man who complained spoke, he flung his sleeves and threw himself to the ground. In a clear voice, he said, "Now, this commoner has explained the cause and effect clearly. Many thanks to the honorable generals. The villain who is still at large is the current Imperial Uncle, Wang Zhuang!"
Zhu Heng was already dumbfounded, "How dare you … You, you are so daring!"
That middle-aged man said, "You are so daring that you are willing to part with your mere physical body!"
Zhu Heng questioned, "What proof do you have?"
That middle-aged man took out an old and curly letter from his bosom, "Reporting to my lord, this is a letter that was written when Imperial Uncle and the Head Eunuch were privately communicating. Whether it is true or false, everyone will know with a single look."
After he finished speaking, that man placed the letter on the ground. He leaned back slightly, as if he was sighing slightly.
"The old grudges have been settled today."
When Tan Hongfei noticed the change in his expression, it was already too late. That man suddenly stood up. Before anyone could react, he turned around and slammed into the pillar next to him.
Blood and brain matter burst out and fell to the ground. He died on the spot!
He was just like another type of death warrior.
At this moment, in the hot spring villa, Gu Yun's eyelids inexplicably began to twitch incessantly.
The Marquis's Estate's Family Commander, Huo Dan, suddenly burst into the door. He was out of breath, "Hou, Marquis …"
Gu Yun suddenly turned his head, "What's wrong?"
After Commander Huo learned about the changes in the capital, his heart beat wildly. Before he could speak, the door was suddenly smashed open.
Changgeng tightly held a wooden bird in his hand. That little thing opened its mouth and had wings. Its body and head had been cut in half. The hard wood was actually crushed by him. The jagged gears were exposed, piercing his palm into a bloody mess. However, he did not seem to feel pain. He was like a fish out of water, gasping for breath, but his chest could not even hold a breath.
He held a blood-stained paper in his hand. The wooden bird was, after all, faster than the horse carriage. Someone had already passed on the news of the farce in the capital to him.
Changgeng's chest felt as if it was pressed against a sharp knife. Blood could be seen as he breathed. He staggered in front of Gu Yun and hugged him.
Commander Huo was shocked, "Marquis …"
Gu Yun gestured to him, "Old Huo, you go out first."
Commander Huo's throat moved, as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he silently retreated.
This unlucky child was quite strong. Gu Yun felt that his waist was about to be broken by him. After Commander Huo left, he freed a hand and patted his back, "What's wrong?"
Changgeng lowered his head and buried his face in Gu Yun's shoulder. His surroundings were filled with the smell of medicine from Gu Yun's body. In the past, he only felt at ease when he smelled it. Even when he entered his dreams, it could dispel the haze. However, he did not want to smell the medicine all over his body anymore.
Changgeng closed his eyes. His ears were ringing. His mind was clear. There was only one thought left, "I want to kill everyone in the Li family."
Gu Yun took the crumpled paper from his hand. He glanced at it and immediately gasped. He pushed Changgeng away and shouted angrily, "Huo Dan!"
Commander Huo, who had been waiting at the door, immediately pushed open the door and came in.
Gu Yun was about to go crazy. He stood so fiercely that his vision darkened. He hurriedly supported himself on the table. His elbows were trembling.
"Prepare the horse, I want to return to Jing," Gu Yun took a deep breath, "Take … cough …"
When he said this, his voice broke. He violently cleared his throat, "Take a few light coats and go first. You must stop Tan Hongfei."
Commander Huo looked deeply at him, "Yes!"
Gu Yun turned to take his court robes and light armor. Changgeng grabbed his wrist.
Changgeng, "Is it all true?"
Gu Yun lowered his head to look at him. His eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
Pausing, Gu Yun said in a low voice, "Of course not. The yao arts are all nonsense. Imperial Uncle Wang is just …"
Just a servant under the Emperor who would do whatever he wanted. Those two Bei Man women were just pitiful people whose country had been destroyed and their home destroyed …
Everyone knew the truth, but no one dared to mention it.
Gu Yun pulled his hand back, "It's been a bit chaotic recently. Don't return to Jing yet. Stay here for a few days …"
Changgeng wasn't willing to let him go, "Then other than the yao arts and Imperial Uncle Wang's part, everything is true? You knew, you knew all along? "
Gu Yun's patience ran out, "What time is it? You're still following the chaos. Go away!"
Changgeng spoke almost at the same time as him and said softly, "Why are you still willing to work so hard for him to protect this ruined country? Why are you still willing to compromise in every possible way? Why have you taken me in and taken care of me for so many years? "
That voice that was as light as falling snow was so weak that it wasn't worth mentioning under Gu Yun's angry roar. Yet for some reason, the moment the voice left his mouth, everyone who should have heard it heard it.
Gu Yun's heart tightened.
Changgeng's lips were bloodless. His gaze was pressing as he asked, "Adoptive Father, why?"
Gu Yun's throat moved slightly. He didn't know where to start — how should he say it?
Should he say that he didn't know, and had always thought that his injury was an accident. He had always thought that he hadn't been able to protect A Yan, and had watched him die in the struggle of the harem?
It wasn't until … he was ordered to escort Calais Yinghou's heir out of seclusion that he found out from the malicious werewolf that the poison of the grassland's goddess was a secret. For generations, only the goddess herself could control it. Even the barbarians didn't know about it. Twenty years ago, the thirty light cavalry heavily injured the Black Iron Battalion had nothing to do with the barbarians.
Family and country, hatred and resentment, the road towards the sky went in two different directions. If he took a step out, no matter where he went, he couldn't turn back.
Gu Yun didn't say a word in the end. He forcefully pried Changgeng's hand away and put on his armor to tie up his hair.
The general had a heart, but it was a pity that it was made of iron.
Gu Yun's reaction couldn't be said to be slow. It couldn't be said that the hundreds of Marquis's household's soldiers were not effective, but it was still too late.
When Huo Dan rushed to the foot of the Imperial Palace with cold sweat on his forehead, he was shocked to learn of the Beidaying mutiny. The Imperial Guards were urgently mobilized, the capital's nine gates were all sealed, and the entire Imperial Palace was in a mess.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
