章 139: 18
The House of Marquis Boyang, the most powerful of the landowning households, was suddenly surrounded by the Imperial Army. All the men were "invited" into the Palace. This caused a great uproar in Jingdou, especially among the landowning households.
At this time, the Emperor did not care about the pressure and criticism he would have to endure for making this decision. He was pressing Gou Liang, who knew it was a trap but still charged in, onto the bed to punish him. He waited until Gou Liang cried and admitted his wrongs. He promised that he would not risk himself again. Only then did he let him breathe for a moment and then continue to squeeze out his strength.
After finishing, he cleaned up Gou Liang and hugged him as he stroked his back.
As he coaxed him to sleep, the Emperor calmed the waves in his heart through the rhythmic stroking. However, his deep gaze still revealed some lingering fear.
No matter how far away the library was, it was still within the territory of Zhengyang Palace. Now that Gou Liang liked to stay there, this place had become a place that was second only to the main hall in Ye Xiao's security. Naturally, it was impossible for a living person to enter without being detected.
Three days ago, when the Emperor accompanied Gou Liang to the library to search for books, he already knew the empress was there before he stepped into the library.
However, the Emperor did not care. He continued to do as he pleased and acted as though the empress did not exist.
Doing this, he may have had the thought of luring the empress to take the bait and use this as a pretext to organize the hougong.
However, the Emperor did not have high hopes for the intelligence of the empress and was worried that the empress would purposely make things difficult for Gou Liang. Thus, he still leaned toward what he had already planned — to evacuate the hougong from the previous court.
He had prepared for this for a long time. The evidence of Marquis Boyang leading the concubines and landowning households violating the law was already in his hands. He only needed a reasonable opportunity and he would get what he wanted.
However, the Emperor had missed the empress' madness and underestimated his viciousness.
He could not imagine if Gou Liang had not detected beforehand that the tea was mixed with the Drunken Red Dust Wine. Would he have lost him now?
Even though the Emperor had arranged for He Taiji and the deputy leader of Ye Xiao to watch over Gou Liang closely, in such a dangerous moment, no matter if it was He Taiji, Ye Xiao, or the Emperor himself, no one could guarantee that nothing would happen to Gou Liang. Even if it was Gou Liang, he might not be able to save him in time like last time, and luckily escape with his life.
Thinking of how Gou Liang had been on the verge of death after accidentally ingesting the Red Dust Wine, the Emperor felt a heart-wrenching pain and a bloodthirsty impulse.
He was too careless!
Even though nothing he feared had happened, the Emperor still blamed himself endlessly.
"Tianzong …" Gou Liang's eyes were still closed. He snuggled into his arms and murmured, "Can't sleep?"
"You're going to sleep soon. Xiao Kener, be good. I'll watch over you. Go to sleep first."
He gently kissed Gou Liang's hair and hugged him even tighter.
Gou Liang grinned and laughed softly. He opened his eyes to look at him and said, "Are you still angry that I didn't let you cut the Empress into eight pieces?"
The Emperor pressed their foreheads against each other and squeezed the back of his neck. In a low voice, he said, "He deserves ten thousand deaths."
He truly felt that Gou Liang had let the Empress off lightly.
When Gou Liang said that he would bestow a man to the Empress, he had even planned to throw the Empress into the Musical House after taking care of the House of Marquis Boyang. She would go from the high and mighty Empress to the cheapest and lowest official prostitute and have a taste of serving others with her flesh!
But Gou Liang did not do this. He even used words to scare the Empress until she had a mental breakdown before stopping.
The Emperor did not reject his decision, but the killing intent in his heart never subsided.
If someone had the thought of taking Gou Liang's life — — even if they did not act — — the Emperor would make them die without a burial place.
Not only did the Empress think this, she also did it!
Even though the Empress did not know that Gou Liang was a hidden couple and that drinking the Red Dust Wine was like drinking poison, she had plotted against Gou Liang and Shi Shuang. This was equal to causing chaos in the harem.
How big of a crime was causing chaos in the harem?
This was a big crime of conspiring to commit treason!
The Empress' plan was to expose Gou Liang and Shi Shuang's actions to the public and the Emperor's eyes.
If her plan succeeded, then even if the Emperor was biased, as long as the slightest rumor of this matter spread, Gou Liang's life would be ruined.
The nobles would definitely hit Gou Liang when he was down and use this opportunity to push the Chu family that they had been jealous of for a long time to a place of no return. Even if the Emperor tried his best to shield her, he would not be able to stop the people's mouths. Scholars cherished their reputation the most. Gou Liang had reached his current position and was respected by tens of thousands of people, becoming a role model for the new generation of scholars. This was even more so.
Once Gou Liang's reputation was tainted, it would not only damage his official career, but also the future of the Chu family and even the hundred years of reputation of Gou Liang's sect.
The Empress might not have been smart enough to understand the enormous impact her plan would have on the Chu family and the court, but her sinister intentions towards Gou Liang were completely exposed.
Other than scheming to have the Emperor and Gou Liang be at odds and abandon Gou Liang, the Empress also wanted to have Gou Liang die a horrible death.
After her plan was aborted, she first tried to have the cat injure Gou Liang and ruin his appearance. Then, she did not hesitate to tear open her clothes in front of everyone to frame Gou Liang for taking advantage of her.
The Empress was not like a little Shi Shuang at his side. Regardless of whether Gou Liang succeeded or not, as long as it was proven that Gou Liang really did have such intentions, it was enough to make Gou Liang lose all of his scholarly achievements and even his life.
The Emperor could not tolerate the slightest grievance that Gou Liang suffered, much less such malice.
Even if the Empress did not succeed, the Emperor still hated him so much that he wanted to implicate him and everything related to the Empress and let them taste the taste of a horrible death!
Seeing the cold murderous intent in his eyes, Gou Liang was not afraid at all. Instead, he laughed.
Even though he had said in a vicious and disgusting tone that he would bestow a man to the Empress, in the end, he had only given her a fake.
But even if it was a fake, it was enough to deal with the Empress.
Gou Liang glanced at the Empress in the surveillance system who had completely abandoned her modesty. She was currently in her most lascivious and lowly position in front of the men of the House of Marquis Boyang, all the servants of Feng Qi Palace, and the Imperial Guards. Desperately pushing the rough wooden stick into her body, the Empress twisted her body like a bitch and constantly begged the men around her.
Not to mention self-respect, even human nature had been abandoned by her at this time.
Gou Liang hooked the corner of his mouth.
Did the Empress love the Emperor?
Feelings that had never been reciprocated, perhaps for some simple and persistent people, could be called undying love. But Gou Liang could be sure that the Empress did not love the Emperor.
In the beginning, he had used the Drunken Red Dust to try to seduce the Emperor. Even though he had a twisted desire to possess the Emperor, the more important reason was that he wanted an heir.
A prince that could let him logically become the Empress Dowager, inherit the country, and restore the glory of the House of Marquis Boyang.
This goal was clear and straightforward.
And today, he had schemed against Gou Liang because of jealousy.
But this jealousy was not because he loved the Emperor. It was because he, as the Empress, had never had an Emperor. At the same time, he, as the noblest Shuang 'er in the world, had lost to a "man." This had created a perverted anger and jealousy.
He had planned to use such a despicable method to humiliate Gou Liang and stain him so that the Emperor would not like him. But he was not naive enough to think that without Gou Liang, he could have an Emperor.
It was just that if he could not have it, no one else could.
And the reason he dared to do this was not only because of his status as the Empress, but also because of the House of Marquis Boyang standing behind him.
The House of Marquis Boyang was a large landowning household that had gone through several generations. Its roots were intertwined and its foundation was deep. When the Emperor had ascended the throne, he had decisively suppressed the landowning households, but he had not made any big moves against a colossus like the House of Marquis Boyang. He was unable to shake the foundation of the House of Marquis Boyang. In the end, he had married him to "keep the peace" — the House of Marquis Boyang's legitimate twin as the Empress. In the Empress' eyes, this was the Emperor's performance of losing to the House of Marquis Boyang.
And the Empress was like her father, the House of Marquis Boyang. She was proud of her family name and status. He naturally believed that since the Emperor could not touch the House of Marquis Boyang in the past, it was even more impossible now.
Therefore, he believed that no matter what mistake he had made, the Emperor would at most confine him.
Therefore, he did not hesitate to act against Gou Liang.
Thinking of this, Gou Liang refused to analyze the inner world of Shuang 'er who was stupid to the point of being retarded. He rubbed the Emperor's chest and said with a light smile: "It is not easy to raise an Imperial Guard. Wouldn't giving it to the Empress be a waste of their future?"
After giving the Empress the aphrodisiac, Gou Liang did not arrange a man for the Empress. It was not because he was soft-hearted, but because there was no need.
Don't think that "executing" the Empress was a good job to gain the Emperor's trust and favor. On the contrary, it was a death sentence.
Even if the Empress was no longer the Empress tomorrow, she was still the Emperor's imperial concubine in name. Possessing his body was tantamount to violating imperial power. Even if the Emperor did not care about the Empress, his heart was as wide as the sea. In the future, it would be impossible for the "executioner" to gain the Emperor's favor.
Gou Liang did not want to involve innocent people. The reason he did not want the Empress' life was very simple.
"It is easy to take a person's life, but isn't it boring?"
Gou Liang said.
In fact, killing the Empress or making the Empress live a life worse than death, there was no method more merciful.
It was just that once people determined hatred and revenge — — this kind of soul connection of -100 favorability — — it was destined that there would be no coexistence between them.
It was just that he had never disdained to take lives and humiliate the body to get revenge.
Gou Liang had always done his best to survive in the transitional world. Later, he had received hundreds of millions of souls in the Space Administration.
He had seen too many different lives, whether it was tragic, happy, dull, long, or short. The body was just a carrier for the soul, and life was just a companion for the soul. Gou Liang had never cared about this kind of thing before.
It was before because after experiencing several lives with his goal, he and Gou Liang, who was an archivist of the Space Administration, had changed a lot.
He still could not develop the slightest sense of reverence for life and fate, but he had learned to respect it.
Because he truly felt that when people were alive, whether it was him or other people, they were all working hard to live.
The meaning of life might be humble, but it could not be underestimated, nor could it be denied. It was not like what he had thought before. Life and death were just a short journey for the soul, a box of memories that could not be read by anyone in the Space Administration. It did not matter when it began or when it ended.
Now, he still did not care about other people's lives. He was not touched by other people's life, but he also would not rashly intervene in the fate of other people who were not related to his goal. He would casually dispose of them like toys.
But when other people showed killing intent towards him, Gou Liang would not do nothing just because he was indifferent and did not care.
Therefore, when he made a move, it was always to destroy the enemy's spiritual world, to engrave a painful memory in their soul mirror image. Even after extracting the soul mirror image, this kind of soul needed a longer time to be purified than other souls.
This was the most effective and direct way of revenge that Gou Liang could do.
Gou Liang continued, "Even in the past, you didn't want him or the people in the harem to die, did you?"
In the time it took to say these words, the originally drowsy Gou Liang was completely awake. He heard the Emperor say, "That was in the past. Now, I wish I could kill him with my own hands." He couldn't help but smile.
"Don't kill at the drop of a hat."
Gou Liang propped himself up and lowered his head to look at him. He said seriously, "Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with this? Have I caused trouble for you?"
The Emperor saw that he was not sleeping, so he simply sat up and wrapped him in his arms. He warmly communicated his thoughts with him.
He said, "You have never caused trouble for me. If we really want to talk about it, it has always been me causing trouble for myself."
As he said this, he gave a laugh. For some reason, he felt that the word "trouble" could also make his heart feel sweet.
"Even without the matter of the empress, I have already thought about it. I will not keep the harem, and the crimes committed by the House of Marquis Bo Yang from top to bottom are countless. In the past, I was only thinking about the many things waiting to be done in the dynasty and the need to rest and build up strength, so I let them go. "
The Emperor could not tolerate Gou Liang having other people by his side, even if it was just for show.
Thus, the moment he fell in love with Gou Liang, the moment he held him in his arms, he had already made up his mind to give Gou Liang the same pure and unreserved feelings and status.
He did not express his determination to Gou Liang because this matter was not easy to accomplish and he could not be sure when it would be completed.
Thus, he did not tell Gou Liang. He did not want him to bear this pressure with him.
But now, the arrow had been nocked on the bow and had to be released. The Emperor no longer hesitated to reveal his true thoughts to Gou Liang without holding anything back.
The two of them talked until the middle of the night before they went to sleep.
The next day, the Emperor woke up in the morning like many years before. He quietly got out of bed and ordered his subordinates not to disturb Gou Liang.
When he was changing, Tong Gensheng reported in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the empress dowager sent someone over last night to ask about it. She said to ask you to send someone over to explain the matter to her. Otherwise, she will feel uneasy."
Yesterday, the Emperor had captured a male of the House of Marquis Bo Yang into the palace and locked him up for a night in Feng Qi Palace. Although the empress dowager did not know the reason, she knew it was not a small matter.
He was afraid that the Emperor would suddenly go against the House of Marquis Bo Yang and put himself in danger. Thus, he was very worried.
"No need."
The Emperor put on the crown and said, "When it is time for him to know, he will know."
His birth father was a qualified father, but not a qualified concubine, much less a qualified empress dowager.
Because of the weak family background, the empress dowager's vision was limited. Explaining to him now might not make sense. Rather than letting his imagination run wild, it was better to directly put the result in front of him.
*
This day's morning court arrived in the midst of the officials' apprehension.
"This subject greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
Because of the nervousness and fear in their hearts, they shouted the greeting that they were used to shouting especially loudly today. Unexpectedly, the Emperor did not have them rise this time. Instead, he said, "Raise your heads."
The tense nerves of the officials tightened even more. They half straightened and raised their heads.
Xu Fei was among them.
With his understanding of the Emperor, when the Emperor attacked the House of Marquis Bo Yang yesterday, Xu Fei knew that the Emperor would make a big move. However, he could not figure out what the Emperor's true goal was.
But even though he was mentally prepared, the moment he met the Emperor's gaze, Xu Fei's body still froze.
Even though he could not see the Emperor's expression with the crown, because the scene he once experienced was too deeply engraved in his memory, when Xu Fei saw the Emperor's posture, he immediately thought of the scene when the Emperor had the previous Emperor take the "Immortal Ascension Pill" and left behind a posthumous edict.
Because Xu Fei was good at imitating handwriting and could even pass it off as the real thing, the Emperor had brought him with him that day in case the previous Emperor's soft hand could not write the posthumous edict because of the pill sand.
But that day, after hearing the Emperor's request to "do one last thing for the world and for the ancestors," the previous Emperor seemed to have recovered. He laughed loudly three times and then happily wrote the posthumous edict and took the "Immortal Ascension Pill".
The previous Emperor said, "I didn't think that I could give birth to a son like you. Very good, you did very well. I finally don't have to be afraid of not having the face to face the ancestors … "
The previous Emperor knew that he was mediocre and incompetent. He had thought about abdicating for who knows how many years. When it came to it, he felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders and his wish had been fulfilled.
When the previous Emperor died, the Emperor, who had never changed his expression, finally showed a trace of emotion — — just like now, extremely cold and solemn.
The Emperor said, "Do you recognize this person?"
Following his hand gesture, the officials who had been looking straight ahead discovered that there was a person kneeling below the Nine-Five Dragon Stairs in the throne room.
"Marquis Bo Yang?"
"Is this Marquis Bo Yang?"
A bewildered voice rang out in the hall.
It was no wonder that they were so surprised. After being officials for so many years, they had never seen Marquis Bo Yang in such a sorry state.
His hair was messy, and he didn't wear a crown. His black hair had turned gray overnight, and he looked like he had aged ten years. Not only that, he did not have the arrogance and domineering attitude he had when he was arguing with the Minister of Revenue. His back was bent and he knelt without saying a word.
"It's good that you recognize him."
The Emperor gave a rare laugh and then raised his hand to indicate that Tong Gensheng could begin.
Tong Gensheng took out a scroll and opened it. He read aloud, "Where is the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works, Xu Jinshui?"
Xu Fei's eyelids twitched.
Xu Jinshui was his and the Emperor's father!
Assistant Minister Xu, who was called out, was much more inexperienced than his son. When he heard this, his entire body went soft and he almost collapsed to the ground. He trembled as he replied, "I, I am here!"
"Come forward, come forward."
Tong Gensheng pointed at the position next to Marquis Bo Yang.
No matter how stupid Assistant Minister Xu was, he still guessed that the Emperor wanted to deal with Marquis Bo Yang. He only woke up when his kneeling colleague pinched a piece of his flesh. He scrambled to the front.
While he was in a daze, two people had already been called out by Tong Gensheng.
When Tong Gensheng finished calling out the names, there were already 21 people kneeling in front of the hall. They were all officials of different ranks, but they were all from landowning households and were the current leaders of their families.
At the same time, they had the titles of 'Guozhang' or 'Guojiu' above their heads. Counting carefully, seven out of ten of the imperial concubines' fathers were kneeling here.
Seeing this, the officials felt that something was wrong, but they still did not understand the Emperor's true intentions. Even Xu Fei did not expect that the Emperor wanted to disperse the imperial concubines.
Tong Gensheng flipped to the second page of the scroll and began to read:
"By the will of the heavens, the Emperor declares. Ever since I ascended the throne, I have established the country according to the law. I have ordered the Emperor to be punished the same as the commoners if he breaks the law. Today, I have learned that there are several officials in the court who have defied the law and used their power for personal gain. I have confirmed that this is true. I hereby announce this to the world! "
"Marquis Bo Yang, Wang Yinhu, has accepted a large amount of bribes. Last year, he accepted 109,800 taels of silver and privately bought official titles. He even hid his crimes and killed officials of the court … "
The officials were shocked.
His Majesty had come prepared!
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