章節 2: The Treacherous Minister Who Helps the People 2
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!!”
“Your Majesty, please don’t!!!”
The Emperor’s expression grew increasingly grim.
Don’t? But he insisted!
Just as the Emperor was about to speak, Shen Qi’s unique, gentle, and clear voice suddenly rang out.
“Due to General Gu’s failure, tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives in An Nan, countless people lost their husbands, sons, and fathers, and white mourning flags hung in every household. What wrong has General Gu committed to deserve execution?”
A faint smile lingered on Shen Qi’s lips.
The courtiers looked at Shen Qi’s young and handsome face, unable to comprehend how she could utter such heartless words.
If the courtiers felt sorrow, anxiety, and anger towards the gradually incompetent Emperor, then towards the original host, most courtiers felt nothing but resentment and disdain, considering her a sycophantic villain who exploited the Emperor’s trust to harm loyal subjects.
They truly couldn’t fathom how the virtuous and noble Grand Preceptor Shen had raised such a despicable person like Shen Qi!
The courtiers dared not criticize the Emperor, so they directed their anger towards Shen Qi, who colluded with the Emperor to their detriment. “This battle in An Nan was clearly Zhao Song’s fault. Instead of submitting to execute Zhao Song, you framed General Gu, a meritorious hero who protected the Da Liang. This is truly the behavior of a petty person!”
As soon as Minister Xu spoke, the courtiers’ expressions changed drastically.
This was terrible!
Although it was widely known that this battle was Zhao Song’s fault, the Emperor protected Zhao Song as if he were protecting his own son.
By speaking against Zhao Song like this, Minister Xu was clearly trying to involve the Emperor in it.
Now the situation has become even more complicated!
The Emperor’s face turned ashen upon hearing this and was about to erupt, but then he heard Shen Qi sneer.
Everyone turned to look, only to see Shen Qi’s mocking expression that seemed to say, “Everyone present is trash.”
She calmly said, “Your Majesty, Minister Xu is right. General Gu is a hero of Da Liang and should not be beheaded for the crime of a single battle.”
As soon as her words fell, including Minister Xu, the courtiers felt a chill down their spines. Shen Qi actually spoke in a conciliatory tone. What was she planning to do?
The Emperor on the throne slightly opened his mouth, clearly showing his astonishment.
What was wrong with Shen Qi?
She was the one shouting for Gu Qing’s punishment, but now she’s pleading for him?
The Emperor’s anger diminished, replaced by curiosity as he inquired, “According to your opinion, what should I do?”
Shen Qi held her tablet of authority and bowed, her face displaying honesty. “Why not strip General Gu of his rank, demote him to a slave, and keep a close eye on him? I am close with General Gu, so if Emperor is at ease, you can entrust General Gu to my care.”
The corners of the courtiers’ mouths twitched. They were close? Everyone in the court, civil and military, knew that Gu Qing couldn’t stand Shen Qi, this treacherous thief.
They almost came to fight in front of the Emperor. If Gu Qing were demoted to a slave and sent to the Shen residence, wouldn’t that be subjecting him to Shen Qi’s humiliation and eventual death?
Hiss~
Shen Qi is deliberately seeking revenge!
Well done, Shen Qi. What a malicious scheme!
The Emperor seemed to have the same idea, as he pondered while stroking his chin. “Very well, let’s demote Gu Qing to slavery and send him to the place of Minster.”
Ah~
Didn’t the courtiers forbid him from killing Gu Qing?
He may not kill him, but he could hand him over to Shen Qi for torment!
This Emperor was so unreasonable. If someone offended him for a moment, he would punish them for the rest of their lifetime!
“This cannot be, Your Majesty!”
“So, are you all suggesting that I immediately cut off Gu Qing’s head?”
The courtiers fell silent. Being in Shen Qi’s hands is still better than being dead. Seeing the courtiers looking frustrated, the Emperor’s fondness for Shen Qi grew even more.
Shen Qi truly lived up to being his loyal subject.
Just look, with a few words, he resolved a major problem for him.
If Gu Qing is truly tortured to death, it will be Shen Qi’s responsibility, not the Emperor’s.
This way, he could preserve his lifelong reputation! “Enough, let this matter rest. Dismissed.”
The Emperor laughed heartily and walked towards the back hall, intending to share this incident as a joke with Zhao Baiyue.
The courtiers dispersed in groups of two or three, casting disgusted glances at Shen Qi, wishing to keep their distance.
Shen Qi paid no mind to this minor issue and boarded the carriage, hurrying back home.
In fact, a few years ago, the original host still lived with Grand Preceptor Shen.
However, since the original host was manipulated by Zhao Baiyue and became a treacherous minister, Grand Preceptor Shen drove them out and cut off all contact. The original host felt bitter in her heart, but she couldn’t say anything.
As soon as Shen Qi got off the carriage and steadied herself, the steward hurriedly reported, “Master, the palace just sent a man who is heavily injured and unconscious.”
“Where is he? Has anyone informed the doctor?”
“Yes. The person is in Mingtang Residence, and the doctor is currently attending to their injuries.”
Shen Qi nodded slightly and walked through the corridor towards Mingtang Residence.
There, she saw Gu Qing lying pale on the bed, their clothes tattered from the punishment of whipping, and a slave mark branded on their forehead. Only his appearance was good, and the branding on his face added a touch of charm.
The doctor was busy organizing the medicine box, and Shen Qi asked in a deep voice, “How is he?”
“The internal organs are damaged, and the external injuries are quite severe. He will need careful recuperation for three months.”
“When will he wake up?”
“After taking the medicine, he should wake up tonight.”
At that moment, a maid brought the medicine, but Gu Qing tightly sealed his lips, making it impossible for her to feed him the medicine.
Frowning, Shen Qi took a step forward, firmly held Gu Qing’s mouth, and forced the medicine down.
Afterward, she wiped her hands stained with medicine and walked to the study, grinding ink and picking up a brush to write a letter, which she instructed to be secretly delivered to the Grand Preceptor’s Residence.
In her residence, Grand Preceptor Shen sat in the study with a gloomy face, reading a book. A servant entered the room with quick and light steps, whispering, “Master, the young master sent a letter just now.”
“Discard it!”
Grand Preceptor Shen didn’t even lift his eyes.
The servant’s hand holding the letter trembled slightly, unsure of what to do, and stood still in place. “But, Master, the young master has been away from the residence for two years…”
“I told you to discard it! No, burn it!”
Grand Preceptor Shen glared at the servant, “In my residence, there is no young master!”
Since Shen Qi was born, he had placed high hopes on his only child, naming them Qi, which represents the harmony of yin and yang and the five elements, as well as the Confucian ideals.
He wished for his safety and prosperity, for him to achieve great success.
He carefully nurtured and admonished him, providing a comprehensive education in the Four Books, Five Classics, and Six Arts, hoping he would become a “perfect” person.
But he never expected that this child, who once made him immensely proud, would become a corrupt official in the court, harming the virtuous and colluding with the Emperor. It was his failure in education.
He had let down the late Emperor’s trust, the ancestors, and the people of Da Liang!
Whenever he thought of these things, Grand Preceptor Shen felt a piercing pain in his heart. He even doubted whether the person standing in the court now, Shen Qi, was truly his child.
The servant, seeing the anguish on Grand Preceptor Shen’s face, dared not say anything more and quickly left with the letter.
Just as the servant was about to leave, Grand Preceptor Shen suddenly called him back, his tone filled with desolation. “Enough, bring it here for me to see.”
The servant happily exclaimed, “Yes!” and quickly handed over the letter, then breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly left.
Grand Preceptor Shen stared at the familiar words on the envelope, “Personal Letter to Father” his fingertips caressing the edge of the envelope, but hesitated to open it.
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