Chapter 147: Kill Me? I Bled For The Emperor! 【 Extra Chapter For Ding Yuan’s Ally 1 】
“Quick! The Emperor has an edict! Seal the nine gates, allow entry but no exit—!”
“Halt! Everyone stay! Come over and register—!”
“Those who dare spread rumors will be treated as traitors—!”
Inside the small ancestral hall, a deathly silence was broken by the increasingly clamorous commotion faintly heard from outside the window, in the direction of the Imperial City.
The commotion was like a tide, signaling that the thunderclap from the Hall of Supreme Harmony was rapidly spreading, impacting the entire Yingtian Prefecture.
Chang Sheng’s expression shifted erratically, veins slightly throbbing on his forehead.
His nephew’s earth-shattering declaration and the even more earth-shattering court session upheaval that had just arrived were like two enormous vortexes, trapping him firmly in the middle.
The risk was so great that it could lead to the eternal damnation of the Chang family.
Yet, the peril of the opportunity might also hide the only chance for survival from a desperate situation.
He abruptly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the decisiveness of a founding Duke and the ferocity of a seasoned battlefield general in his eyes finally overpowered his hesitation.
He grabbed Zhu Yunteng’s shoulders with such force that Zhu Yunteng winced in pain.
But Zhu Yunteng did not retreat; instead, he met his uncle’s gaze with even more stubbornness.
“Yunteng!”
Chang Sheng’s voice was as low as a muffled drum, each word seeming to be squeezed from between his teeth:
“Do you know that the path you’ve chosen is one of nine deaths out of ten? Perhaps even ten deaths out of ten?!”
“I do!”
Zhu Yunteng replied without hesitation, his voice hoarse but firm: “Fighting is death, and living in obscurity is also death. It’s better to risk everything! Brother Hao Ren is right! Don’t bully a young man because he’s poor!”
“Good! A very good ‘Don’t bully a young man because he’s poor’!”
Chang Sheng slapped Zhu Yunteng’s shoulder with such force that he nearly fell apart, but quickly, with a face full of confusion, he asked, “Who is Brother Hao Ren?”
“It’s Zhang Biao!”
Zhu Mingyu quickly interjected, “It’s that crazy Censor who cursed at Imperial Grandfather, Fu Youwen, and Li Jinglong in the Hall of Supreme Harmony!”
“It was him?!”
Chang Sheng and his brother were utterly astonished.
They had just been trying to figure out how to avoid Zhang Biao’s ‘audit’.
Even though Zhang Biao was now imprisoned, their apprehension towards him had not lessened at all.
After all, it was Zhang Biao who, from prison, had implicated Li Jinglong and Guo Ying.
Then, Chang Sen couldn’t help but speak first, “How did you get involved with that madman?! And Yunteng, why do you call him Brother Hao Ren?!”
“Uh, well…”
Zhu Yunteng awkwardly pulled at the corners of his mouth, then turned to look at his two elder sisters.
Zhu Mingyue sighed, shook her head, and then recounted the entire sequence of events to the Chang brothers.
The Chang brothers listened, stunned, their mouths agape.
After a long pause, Chang Sheng looked at Zhu Yunteng with a peculiar expression and said with a wry smile, “I never expected that madman to have such abilities, to actually help Yunteng undergo such a transformation!”
“Yes, Second Uncle! That madman is amazing! He…”
“Second Sister!”
Zhu Yunteng scolded Zhu Mingyu with some dissatisfaction, “My Brother Hao Ren is not a madman, he’s a hero! A great hero!”
“Oh my! You’re really infatuated with him!”
Zhu Mingyu poked Zhu Yunteng’s forehead and muttered, “However, you should indeed thank him…”
“Yes! If it weren’t for Brother Hao Ren, I’d probably still be that ‘waste’, that ‘little beggar’…”
Zhu Yunteng nodded in deep agreement, then strengthened his resolve: “Therefore, I must save Brother Hao Ren!”
“This…”
Hearing the dialogue between the siblings, the Chang brothers exchanged glances.
It was clear they had never expected such a chain of causality, and they couldn’t tell if it was good fortune or disaster.
However, soon, Chang Sheng’s spirits were fully roused, and a terrifying gleam shot from his eyes:
“Regardless of the reason, since Yunteng has this courage, then the Chang family… will gamble this one time with you!”
Having said that, he scanned the people present, his gaze as sharp as a knife: “But today’s words, spoken by you, heard by me! They must never be mentioned to any outsider again!”
As his words fell, he glared at Zhu Mingyu, who was almost jumping with excitement: “Especially you, Mingyu!”
Zhu Mingyu stuck out her tongue and ducked her neck, but her eyes remained sparkling.
“However…”
Chang Sheng changed the subject, continuing to speak in a low, rapid voice:
“The Emperor is currently enraged, and his methods are extremely brutal. We must not act rashly, nor leave any trace of forming factions or coveting the throne!”
“Everything must be planned in secret, waiting for the opportune moment!”
As he spoke, his gaze returned to Zhu Yunteng, with a hint of complex anticipation:
“Yunteng, your most important task now is not to contend, but to hide! Hide your thoughts, hide your sharpness!”
“Especially in front of the Emperor, you must appear obedient, fearful, even… more cowardly and incompetent than before! Make him feel that you are not a threat at all! Do you understand?!”
Zhu Yunteng was momentarily stunned, then nodded emphatically: “Yunteng understands! Bide my time and conceal my strength!”
“Exactly!”
A trace of admiration flashed in Chang Sheng’s eyes. He thought that after his nephew’s awakening, his comprehension was indeed different from before.
“As for that Zhang Biao…”
He paused, his tone becoming solemn:
“This person is the eye of the storm. The Emperor is watching him closely. Anyone who touches him will die! Do not mention saving him again! At least not now!”
Zhu Yunteng’s lips moved, a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes, but he finally gritted his teeth and nodded.
He wasn’t unaware of the current situation.
Moreover, Zhang Biao’s active seeking of death, and even causing such a world-shattering incident in the Imperial Prison, must have had its reasons.
He wanted to save ‘Brother Hao Ren’, that was true, but he also didn’t want to disrupt ‘Brother Hao Ren’s’ plan.
“Second Brother!”
Chang Sen, unable to suppress his excitement, said in a low voice, “Then what should we do next? We can’t just wait, can we?”
“Naturally not.”
A cold glint flashed in Chang Sheng’s eyes: “The Emperor wants to investigate the Shaanxi old case, the forbidden palace medicine, and treason… The murkier this water becomes, the more beneficial it will be for us.”
“Although the Chang family has declined in recent years, we are not without foundation in the military. I will immediately make secret arrangements for our people to find a way to ‘assist’ Jiang Huan in his investigation…”
His voice lowered further, carrying a hint of cold calculation:
“Especially concerning the past affairs of Prince Qin in Shaanxi, and… certain old palace figures who were formerly in close contact with Consort Lü and the outer court officials… some clues should be ‘accidentally’ discovered by the Imperial Guard.”
Divert the disaster, borrow a knife to kill!
This was the true political struggle!
Zhu Yunteng and his sister listened, their hearts filled with awe. For the first time, they directly felt the cruelty and coldness of power struggles.
“Then what about us? What can we do?”
Zhu Mingyu anxiously pressed, she didn’t want to just stand by.
Chang Sheng looked at her, then at the pale Zhu Mingyue and the determined Zhu Yunteng:
“You? Return to the palace immediately! Act as scared as possible! Especially Yunteng, feign illness upon your return! Stay indoors!”
With that, he turned to Zhu Mingyue and added, “Mingyue, watch your brother and sister, and don’t make any unusual moves! Wait for my news on everything!”
“Yes…”
Zhu Mingyue replied softly.
Just then, a cautious urging voice came from an eunuch sent by Consort Lü: “Your Highness, Duke, it is getting late, you should return to the palace…”
Hearing this, Chang Sheng immediately suppressed all emotion, resuming his calm and dignified demeanor.
He patted Zhu Yunteng’s shoulder, his voice slightly raised, with the concern of an elder:
“Your Highness, please accept my condolences and take care of yourself. If anything happens in the palace, you can send someone to inform me at any time.”
The words had a double meaning, which Zhu Yunteng understood, and he nodded heavily.
The three siblings took one last look at their mother’s memorial tablet and, under the complicated gaze of Chang Sheng and Chang Sen, followed the eunuch and palace maids out of the Chang Family Old Residence.
When only the Chang brothers remained in the small ancestral hall, they exchanged glances with complicated expressions and then shared a knowing smile.
“Our sister’s son has grown up…”
“Yes… he hasn’t disappointed our Chang family…”
As their words fell, silence returned to the small ancestral hall.
After an unknown period of time, Chang Sheng finally spoke in a low voice:
“Sen, immediately arrange for someone to use our most discreet method of communication to ensure they meet with Uncle personally. Inform him of everything that happened at the court today and Yunteng’s decision, completely and without omission!”
“Tell him that the blade is at his throat; whether to lie low and accept death or fight for a future, he must decide quickly! I await his news at my residence!”
“Alright!”
Chang Sen also knew the gravity of the matter and nodded heavily: “Don’t worry, Second Brother! I’ll arrange it right away!”
Without hesitation, he turned and quietly left through the secret door of the small ancestral hall, his figure quickly disappearing into the complex corridors of the mansion.
………
Meanwhile.
Jianchang, the Pacification Army camp.
A whole lamb was roasting over the charcoal fire, its fat dripping and sizzling, the aroma mixing with the smell of leather and steel.
Lan Yu sat imposingly on a tiger-skin chair.
His build was robust, his face angular, and a sharp glint emanated from his piercing, tiger-like eyes.
Even when sitting casually, he exuded the imposing aura of a battle-hardened general and a hint of arrogant self-satisfaction.
At this moment, he had just finished listening to his trusted household general’s hushed report of the earth-shattering news from Yingtian Prefecture.
This news had been conveyed by the Chang brothers earlier.
Although slightly delayed, it clearly conveyed the situation in Yingtian Prefecture.
“Oh? Li Jinglong, that straw-stuffed pillow, and Guo Ying, that old fellow, were thrown into the Imperial Prison?”
Lan Yu’s voice was booming, with unconcealed mockery and amusement:
“And locked up with that madman Zhang Biao who scolded the Emperor unconscious and cursed the entire court?”
After speaking, he tore off a large piece of roasted lamb and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing heartily, as if what he heard was not bad news, but an amusing farce.
“Hahaha! Interesting!”
Lan Yu suddenly burst into laughter, his voice shaking the tent: “The Emperor is old, yet his temper has grown even fiercer? He’s starting to use these rabid dogs to bite people now?”
Although he respected Old Zhu, he felt more a subtle dissatisfaction due to his own meritorious service overshadowing the emperor.
In his opinion, Li Jinglong and Guo Ying were nothing more than wastes relying on their ancestors’ legacy or seniority; their capture was insignificant.
But as he laughed, his smile gradually faded, and a hint of imperceptible solemnity flashed in his tiger-like eyes.
“However… that Zhang Biao kid is indeed like a mad dog, biting anyone he catches.”
Lan Yu took a swig of strong liquor and wiped his mouth:
“Li Jinglong is a softie; he definitely can’t hold on. Guo Ying… his bones are a bit harder, but he can’t withstand Jiang Huan’s methods. As for Fu Youwen and the others…”
As he spoke, his fingers slowly caressed the rim of his wine cup, his gaze becoming sharp.
“If those two start biting indiscriminately…”
Lan Yu’s gaze swept over several generals in the tent, also from the Huai Xi region and closely associated with him, his tone deepening:
“It’s inevitable that some old grudges will be stirred up, and some people who shouldn’t be bitten will be implicated.”
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the tent instantly became heavy.
They were all brothers who had faced life and death with Lan Yu; their interests were too deeply intertwined, and many matters could not withstand scrutiny.
Moreover, Fu Youwen and Ru Chang, one being the actual head of the Ministry of Revenue and the other having worked in the Ministry of War for over a decade, would inevitably have entanglements with them regarding grain, military equipment, and even their private assets.
Then, a subordinate couldn’t help but whisper, “Duke, should we also make plans early? The Emperor seems to be serious this time…”
“Plans? What plans?”
Lan Yu glared, his arrogance returning:
“I have shed blood and made contributions for the Great Ming Dynasty! When I swept across the Northern Desert, Li Jinglong was still playing with mud! What is there for me to fear?!”
Although his words were tough, his heart was not entirely undisturbed.
He knew Old Zhu’s ruthlessness best.
The four words “meritocracy overshadowing the ruler” pricked his heart like a thorn.
He was silent for a moment, drained the wine in his cup, and placed it down heavily with a ‘dong’.
“Issue my military order!”
“First! All camps are to conduct self-inspections immediately! All accounts, correspondence, anything that might involve those people in Yingtian, or anything that is unsavory, burn what needs to be burned, hide what needs to be hidden! Clean up your act!”
“Second! Restrain your soldiers! And my adopted sons and godchildren! From now on, all of you, keep your tails between your legs!”
“Third!”
Lan Yu’s gaze became incredibly sharp, sweeping over everyone like a falcon:
“I don’t care about your reasons, whoever dares to act recklessly like before, to seize military land or bully civilians, won’t need the Emperor to act, I’ll skin them myself first!”
This was his most direct reaction to the previous situation in Yingtian Prefecture.
Temporarily restrain, avoid the sharp edge.
But then he sneered and added:
“However, we shouldn’t scare ourselves! The Emperor wants to clean up the court, that’s his business. As long as we ‘walk upright and sit straight’, what is there to fear?!”
“As for Chang Sheng’s side…”
A complex look flashed in Lan Yu’s eyes. He had always shown considerable care towards the descendants of Chang Yuchun:
“Let them be smart! Perform their sacrifices properly, don’t do anything strange! I can’t look after them right now!”
His strategy was clear.
On the surface, he would strictly discipline his subordinates, presenting a facade of law-abiding behavior.
Internally, however, he harbored defiance and vigilance towards the Emperor’s actions, and was determined to observe for the time being, absolutely not to court disaster.
He was confident that with his military achievements and prestige, as long as he didn’t court death, the Emperor would not easily move him, this pillar supporting the frontier.
【 Hmph, if you want to kill me, no way! 】
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