Free Web NovelChapter 596: 681 How could we join the thieves?
Xiao Yunxi looked deeply at Chen Mo and nodded slightly. frёewebηovel.cѳm
She understood what Chen Mo meant: this matter would end with Mu Qing, there would be no further investigation, and incidents involving Chong’Er would not be spread.
Xiao Yunxi knew he did this for her sake; otherwise, with his current power, he would never need to consider Chong’Er...
She also understood why Chong’Er had acted this way.
Clearly, it was out of fear that the Zhao family’s reign would be usurped by others.
But between the two, reconciliation was no longer possible.
Her resolve only intensified—she must walk this path to the highest position, no matter what.
If Chong’Er hates her, then so be it.
...
The news of the Grandmaster Mu Qing’s suicide out of guilt quickly spread through the Capital, causing an uproar.
The Empress’s father, a First Grade official, just vanished like that, and the Emperor did not even utter a word about it.
In the hearts of the citizens in the Capital, their perception of Prince Zhen Nan’s power grew even deeper.
A young powerholder at the very peak of the court; in his eyes today’s Emperor is but a puppet. People knew the day of dynastic change was not far off.
...
The Empress awoke, but she was little different from the dead; her soul lost, she had not recovered from the news of her father’s death.
Suicide out of guilt?
She was no child; she knew this was merely a pretext offered by Chen Mo’s side. In truth, it must have been to prevent her father from saying something, to silence him by murder.
After waking, her mind was exceptionally clear. She knew her father’s character: as Grandmaster, to avoid provoking Chen Mo, he didn’t even dare to arrange for family members to take high positions in court, restraining his own people everywhere, forbidding them from stirring up trouble—how could he dare collude with traitors and commit such a capital crime?
Unless someone ordered him to...
Combining this with Zhao Chong’s earlier behavior, the Empress made a connection immediately.
It must be so—it must have been by Your Majesty’s instruction.
The court was ruled by the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor was her own son. Rumor had it that the Empress Dowager and Prince Zhen Nan were closely connected; with this happening now, there was no way they would let Your Majesty be implicated. Only her father could be sacrificed...
A single tear slid from the corner of the Empress’s eye.
No wonder Your Majesty so often summoned her father to the palace, keeping him for half an hour each time. She had once thought it was all for her.
Now, it was clear, she’d overthought everything.
There is nothing colder than imperial family ties.
However, less than a week after this happened, rumors of deposing the Empress spread throughout Bianliang.
This was not surprising—the Empress’s father colluding with rebels was a crime punishable by annihilation of the entire clan. As the foremost of the consorts, the embodiment of virtue for the realm, the Empress was gravely at fault. Moreover, she was childless. Not to be sentenced to death, only deposed, was already leniency.
...
Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion.
In the main hall, Gao Zheng pressed a group of military officers to their knees before Chen Mo, awaiting punishment from him.
These men were all commanders of the Imperial Guard, but had been heavily bribed by King Yan and other factions, leaking military intelligence.
According to military law, all these men should be executed. The reason Gao Zheng brought them here was to let Chen Mo hear their reasons for betrayal.
Chen Mo believed he had not treated them poorly.
He gave them generous provisions and salaries, took good care of their families, even introduced partners to those bachelor officers.
He had gone to such lengths—why would they abandon their stable lives, collude with rebels, and risk being beheaded?
Upon questioning—
He found that King Yan had simply offered them too much.
Now chaos reigned, battles every day. They weren’t high-ranking officers and might fall in battle at any moment. So, before dying, they wanted to grab some wealth for their families to live in comfort.
Besides, there was a touch of wishful thinking.
King Yan only bribed them to leak some intelligence, not to outright turn coats or betray at critical moments. They thought that if they were careful, they wouldn’t get caught, but little did they realize they had already been closely watched.
Chen Mo closed his eyes and said, "Drag them out and execute them."
For these traitors who bit the hand that fed them, Chen Mo would show no mercy.
The questioning was not only to know their reasons for betrayal, but, in part, out of his own unwillingness to accept it.
He arrogantly believed that with his own charisma, he could bind everyone around him to himself; no one would betray him, that he could control everything...
But under great temptation, human nature could not withstand the trial, nor resist the lure—those who would betray, still would.
This served as a wake-up call for him.
Fortunately, these officers were merely lower or mid-level; even if all were killed, it would not stir too much turmoil.
...
Southwest.
On the only route back to Youzhou, Zhao Jiang’s army stopped to rest along one bank of the Yao River.
Yellow waves rolled, the water roaring like thunder, drowning out the whinny of horses and the clamor of soldiers’ conversation.
The river surged, churning like a raging dragon, brimming with a murderous air. Staring at the river, Zhao Jiang saw himself—ambition soaring in his chest.
In just over half a year, he had risen again, now commanding a million troops, with warriors gathered in clouds around him. The spirit among them was far more unified than in the Eighteen Lords’ armies of the past; his power even more vast.
He now had the means to turn the tables, certain that this time, he could defeat Chen Mo.
Just as a trace of a smile appeared on his face, his personal soldier called loudly, "Prince, there are letters from Jizhou and the Capital!"
Zhao Jiang read the letters and could not help frowning.
None of it was good news.
The Intelligence Department he’d set up in the Capital had already been destroyed by Chen Mo’s people.
Even King Mu and the Grandmaster had been thrown into the Imperial Prison.
This meant he could no longer grasp the details of what happened in the Capital.
Picking up the letter from Jizhou, he said: "Send word to my generals that all Camp Commanders and above are to come here for council."
"Understood."
When all the officers had assembled, Zhao Jiang took out Zhang Jiao’s letter and said: "Gentlemen, Zhang Jiao, leader of Taiping Dao in Jizhou, proposes an alliance with us to combat Chen Mo. What are your thoughts?"
As soon as he finished, a loyal retainer who’d defected to Zhao Jiang stepped forward and declared: "Prince, absolutely not! This Taiping Dao is nothing but a band of traitors. They are rebels, we are soldiers—how can we ally ourselves with them?"
"Exactly. Your Highness is a wise prince, devoted to saving the realm and destined to be its future ruler. If word spreads that you have allied with traitors, will we not be condemned by all?" someone echoed.
"That is treasonous talk—be careful in what you say," Zhao Jiang raised his hand and said.
"That’s not the issue. Though they are outlaws, they are still subjects of our Great Song. If we unite with our own people, who could condemn us? Besides, this is only a temporary alliance; the Yellow Turban Army numbers in the millions—if we can use them, restoring the nation will be within reach..." a general offered a different viewpoint.
"Nonsense. A rebel is a rebel. How can we—men of loyalty and righteousness—ally ourselves with outlaws? The millions of Yellow Turban Army are nothing but rabble and refugees, a disorderly mob—not worth mentioning."
