Princess and the General

Ashamed to Face the Late Emperor
Eunuch Chi saw him vent his anger and thought that he would surely refuse to see Ji DaoGong’s group.

Just as he was about to speak, Ning ChengZhi suddenly sat up with a vicious look on his face, “Bring it on. Apprehend these old officials and bring them in for Us. We will give them a fierce scolding!”

“App… Apprehend?”

Eunuch Chi did not dare believe his ears. Ji DaoGong was the most virtuous and senior member of court, and senior minister Chen was the deputy leader of the cabinet. Were people with their statuses people who could be apprehended?

More importantly, there was that one…

“Your Majesty…”

“Majesty what? We told you to apprehend them, so go and apprehend them. Go, now!”

Ning Chengzhi gave the order, and the imperial guards left the imperial study and immediately went to apprehend Ji DaoGong’s group. The group was extremely shocked. They knew that Ning ChengZhi did not want to see them, but they did not expect that he would make his move so directly.

He was no longer even giving any consideration to face.

“Who dares to make a move?!”

Yu Fu supported Ji DaoGong, “What crime did we commit that would warrant us being apprehended? You are the imperial family’s personal guards. Could it be that you only know blind loyalty and nothing of righteousness?”

The imperial guards did not dare step forward. They were already worried about being ordered to apprehend a senior official like Ji DaoGong, much less with Princess ZhenJiang herself standing in front of them?

Everyone had a scale in their hearts. Of everyone in the capital, this princess was the only one whom they could not afford to offend. This was a person who even dared to give His Majesty a beating.

Ning ChengZhi angrily waited in the hall, but after waiting for some time, he still did not see Ji DaoGong’s group brought in, thus he shouted: “Where are they? Quickly apprehend them and bring them in!”

“Whom does Your Majesty want to apprehend?”

A female voice responded to him, and Ning ChengZhi froze, as he saw Yu Fu slowly walk into the hall with Ji DaoGong and the others following behind her.

He was shocked, “Yu Fu, why have you come too? Nobody told Us that…”

He looked at Eunuch Chi, and the latter wore a bitter expression, “Your Majesty, this servant tried to tell you, but you interrupted me in your fit of anger. This servant did not have a chance to tell you!”

Ning ChengZhi was all too eager to have Eunuch Chi torn apart.

Would he not speak if not given an opportunity?

If he had known that Yu Fu was outside, he would have at least feigned politeness toward the old officials. How could he have possibly thrown a tantrum and called for them to be apprehended?

This was bad. Yu Fu had advised him, but he ended up acting even more aggressively in front of her.

He immediately put on a pleasing smile, “We were just angry for a moment, thinking that the old officials were coming to oppose Us. That’s why We just wanted to scare them a little. Sit, sit, let’s all sit to speak!”

After everyone saluted and sat down, Yu Fu supported Ji DaoGong to the seat nearest the head of the group and then moved to sit between Ning TangShu and Chen GeLao.

She did not make use of her status here as a princess. Instead, she venerated the older officials and treated herself as a member of the younger generation.

Ning ChengZhi was filled with a feeling that was hard to describe, feeling that all of Yu Fu’s words and actions portrayed him as a despicable and foolish ruler.

He felt uncomfortable, and just as he was about to speak, Ji DaoGong stood up and cupped his hands, saying: “This subject heard that the Gu family’s heir died in battle and that the second young sir was imprisoned. As a result, Lord Marquis Gu coughed up blood. Your Majesty, could it be that the Imperial Court of Justice has already found evidence of Marquis Gu’s Manor colluding with the enemy? If there isn’t any, please release the second young sir.”

Chen GeLao also stood up and cupped his hands, “This subject agrees. Lord Marquis Gu has fought bitter battles for many years and has accumulated many great accomplishments. If there is no solid evidence, how can we imprison the second young sir?”

Ning ChengZhi sneered, “If there was solid evidence, the one locked up in the Imperial Court of Justice’s prison would be Marquis Gu and not Gu JiuGe! We did not have Marquis Gu detained to show consideration to the fact that Gu ShuBai died in battle. That is already kindness enough. Does everyone have anything else to say?”

When he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Yu Fu.

Yu Fu kept her head down and pretended not to notice. Her elders were speaking, thus she chose not to interrupt. She just remained silent and listened.

Ning TangShu and Chen ChuXiu could both tell what Ning ChengZhi intended. He was observing Yu Fu to see what she thought. He still wanted to have her agree to become the empress by suppressing Marquis Gu’s Manor.

This was especially true since Gu ShuBai had died in battle.

The two of them were known for being playboys, thus they had seen all sorts of flirtatious and shameless people, yet they had never seen someone as obscene as Ning ChengZhi.

If other girls did not want to marry him, he would make their families suffer.

Ji DaoGong said: “Your Majesty, this subject, as a member of the Imperial Censorate, will be sure to carry out the investigation into Marquis Gu’s Manor and ensure that nobody innocent is harmed. Would Your Majesty please not rush to say that they are guilty.”

Ning ChengZhi glanced at him, “There’s no need. Old Lord Ji is already old. The Imperial Censorate no longer has a need for you. You can go home and recover from your illness. There’s no need to come back to court!”

“Your Majesty!”

Ji DaoGong did not think that he would be treated in this way, and the old imperial uncle stood up and said: “Your Majesty, if not for old Lord Ji and Lord Marquis Gu helping back then, it’s possible that Your Majesty would have already perished at the hands of Ning YiZhao’s schemes. How could you be on the throne? It’s one thing to treat others discourteously, but you absolutely must not treat them that way!”

The old imperial uncle was the late emperor’s uncle. According to seniority, Ning ChengZhi should refer to him as imperial granduncle, and it would not be good for him to treat him too disrespectfully.

Turning his eyes, he looked at Yu Fu and fell silent.

The old imperial uncle thought that Ning ChengZhi had listened to what he had just said and hastily added: “Since Your Majesty refuses to let the second young sir go, allow him to stay in the Imperial Court of Justice. It’s just that Lord Marquis Gu’s status is too great, and he has suffered from coughing up blood. Could you avoid detaining him?”

He saw that Ji DaoGong and Chen GeLao’s pleas had been useless, thus he decided to reduce the request. Even if they could not get Gu JiuGe out, they should at least protect Gu HuaiJiang.

Ning ChengZhi had been wanting to give him some face. Seeing Yu Fu’s cold expression, however, he immediately became furious, “No! At the very most, We can agree to give him ten days to recover from his illness. After those ten days, he must be detained for the investigation!”

Yu Fu finally looked at him.

She slowly stood up, as her frigid gaze landed on him, “May I ask Your Majesty, what crime did head general commit that requires him to be detained? Could it be that second brother being locked up isn’t enough? Do they all need to be paraded out and punished?”

Ning ChengZhi said: “Although Marquis Gu’s Manor’s guilt has not yet been determined, it’s almost guaranteed. Marquis Gu has the late emperor’s golden tiger tally. If he find out that his schemes have been uncovered and decides to rally his soldiers to rebel, what would we do? We have no choice but to take precautions!”

“There’s also you!”

Ning ChengZhi decided to grit his teeth and push on, saying: “You were conferred the title of princess by the late emperor and are completely separate from Marquis Gu’s Manor. Our desire to dispose of Marquis Gu’s Manor has nothing to do with you. From now on, We will provide you with a princess’ manor and allow you to move out of Marquis Gu’s Manor to sever any relationship you have with them!”

Yu Fu smiled, “Your Majesty said that it’s almost guaranteed, so that must mean that cabinet leader Yin’s falsified evidence was very thorough, right?”

Her words were shocking, and Ning ChengZhi was hit by a wave of guilt. He could not stop his heart from skipping a beat.

Yu Fu continued to smile, saying: “You just want to frame people as you desire. Old Lord Ji, Yu Fu accepts your kind intentions. Even if you did your best to investigate the truth of the situation, you can’t stop a ruler from telling his subject to die, and that subject having no choice but to die.”

Her voice was full of sadness.

“Impudence!”

With the conspiracy exposed in front of court officials and members of the imperial family, Ning ChengZhi’s complexion rapidly changed between bright red and pale white. He was livid.

Yu Fu did not speak, and he continued to feel angry on his own for a while before quickly calming himself down.

What was the point of getting angry at her? Gu ShuBai had already died, thus her engagement no longer existed. As long as she was willing to be his empress, he would be willing to do anything that she said.

He slowed himself down, “Yu Fu, We will just say this today, and you can make the decision yourself. As long as you are willing to agree, We can send the decree to appoint you as empress to Marquis Gu’s Manor at any time. When that happens, Gu JiuGe would be a brother-in-law to the imperial family, and Gu HuaiJiang would be my father-in-law. We would not act against Our own family. Think about it carefully!”

Before Yu Fu could speak, the old imperial uncle’s hands were shaking with anger, as he stared at Ning ChengZhi in a daze, “Your Majesty, is a court official something that you can use as a bargaining chip to threaten princess with! With you acting so foolishly, how should this subject face the late emperor when this subject meets him in the underworld!”

Ning TangShu had never seen his father so aggrieved and indignant. Just as he was about to step forward to support him, he saw the old imperial uncle rush toward a pillar in the middle of the hall, “This old subject will go and see the late emperor to apologize for my failure!”

“Father!”

Ning TangShu cried out and subconsciously ran toward his father, but the old imperial uncle’s mind was full of righteous indignation. How could he possibly be stopped?

Just as his head was about to collide with the pillar, Yu Fu sent a silver needle flying from her hand, and it landed on the back of the old imperial uncle’s neck.

The old imperial uncle suddenly froze like a mannequin and passed out. Fortunately, Ning TangShu arrived in time to catch him and keep him from hitting the ground.

Ning ChengZhi was given a fright and let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that the old imperial uncle’s head had not hit the pillar.

Ning TangShu worriedly looked up at Yu Fu, “Princess, this…”

Yu Fu said: “Don’t worry. There was no poison on the needle. It just hit an acupuncture point on old imperial uncle’s neck, and he will be unconscious for a while. You take him back to your manor for now and take good care of him. Don’t allow old imperial uncle to do anything foolish again.”

Ning TangShu silently nodded, picking his father up and carrying him out. Before leaving, he did not even glance at Ning ChengZhi, much less salute him.

Fortunately, Ning ChengZhi did not quibble over this. After all, old imperial uncle was a senior member of the imperial family. He also did not hope for anything to happen to old imperial uncle.

After the incident with the old imperial uncle, everyone felt deeply affected. They felt even more disappointed toward Ning ChengZhi, not knowing how they should try to persuade him.

Yu Fu said to Ji DaoGong and the others: “My lords, please go back. His Majesty wants to ignore reality, so nothing anyone says will have any effect. Yu Fu just hopes that everyone will be able to return alive and that nobody copies the old imperial uncle.”

“Princess, then you…”

Yu Fu raised her head and looked at Ning ChengZhi. Everyone thought that she would agree to his request, and Ning ChengZhi was looking at her with even more hope, thinking that his threats had finally succeeded.

Unfortunately, Yu Fu was never one to tolerate being threatened.

She smiled at Ning ChengZhi, “Even if the entirety of our Marquis Gu’s Manor is sent to the underworld, Your Majesty should give up on having me compromise!”

It was not that she did not care about the lives of everyone in Marquis Gu’s Manor. Rather, it was that she understood very well that the people in Marquis Gu’s Manor would rather die than see her compromise.

They were family and were of one heart.

Ning ChengZhi looked at her in absolute astonishment. His legs gave out, and he dropped his butt onto the throne.

…

Returning to Marquis Gu’s Manor, she saw many of the Gu family’s army’s soldiers inside the manor. Arriving at the main hall, Yan HuaShi and the others were present.

Seeing her return, it was as if they had found their pillar of support.

“Young miss, how did it go with trying to persuade His Majesty with old Lord Ji? Did His Majesty agree to let second young sir return?”

Facing so many hopeful faces, Yu Fu could not bring herself to speak the truth.

She was afraid of seeing everyone feel disappointed, hopeless, and even despair.

Gu HanMo came out from the inner room, “Yu Fu, father has woken up. He wants to see you!”

She quickly rushed into the inner room and found Gu HuaiJiang laying in bed. Yue Hu was standing next to the bed, “Lord Marquis Gu has recovered a bit, but his situation is still unstable. Don’t talk too much. I will go and get some medicine.”

Saying this, she left the room, allowing father and daughter to have a chance to talk.

Gu HuaiJiang forced himself to cheer up, “I heard that old Lord Ji, senior minister Chen, and the old imperial uncle all went into the palace to plead for Marquis Gu’s Manor’s forgiveness. How did it go? What did His Majesty say?”

Yu Fu paused for a moment. Knowing that she could not hide the truth from him, she told him the truth of the situation, “His Majesty refused. Fortunately, he did not immediately call for head general to be imprisoned. Let’s think of another idea.”

She did not tell him about how the old imperial uncle had tried to bash his head in on a pillar, nor did she tell him about Ning ChengZhi’s offer to make her empress, nor did Gu HuaiJiang ask.

He smiled and changed the topic, “I heard your senior disciple sister say that the Deity of Medicine is currently in seclusion. He’s about to come out, isn’t he?”

“Un.”

Yu Fu did not know why he would talk about this but went along with it, saying: “The duration of each time that master goes into seclusion is never certain. It could be a long time, or it could be a short time. Even as disciples, we can’t say for certain.”

Gu HuaiJiang laughed, “I was thinking that you are about to get married, so you should pay a visit to Immortals Valley. After all, you are the Deity of Medicine’s disciple, so it would break the Deity of Medicine’s heart if you stayed in Eastern Ling and never went back to visit him.”

Yu Fu was stunned and suddenly understood what Gu HuaiJiang meant.

“Head general, are you chasing me away? Did senior disciple sister say something to you? I’m going to look for her!”

“No, it wasn’t her!”

Gu HuaiJiang covered his mouth and coughed. His voice was very weak, “Don’t wrongly blame her. She did not say anything. It was my idea. When you first came to Marquis Gu’s Manor, I promised that I would provide you with a worry-free life and that you could move around Eastern Ling as you pleased. But now, Marquis Gu’s Manor can’t even provide you with proper protection. There’s a limit to His Majesty’s patience, so we can’t say for certain when Marquis Gu’s Manor will be directly targeted. You cannot stay here…”

Yu Fu anxiously said: “It’s because Marquis Gu’s Manor is currently in a difficult situation that I can’t leave! If I leave right now, how could he still be lenient? I can’t just worry about myself and ignore you guys. More importantly, my status still has a use. Even if I need to enter the palace and become empress, I absolutely will not allow anything to happen to you!”

Gu HuaiJiang started violently coughing, and Yu Fu hastily moved to pat him on his back, but Gu HuaiJiang weakly pushed her hand away.

Yu Fu was so frantic that she nearly started crying, “Alright, alright, alright, I won’t say that sort of thing again! Don’t worry, let’s think of another plan. There surely must be another plan!”

Gu HuaiJiang slowly recovered, “There isn’t another plan, Yu Fu. I have served in court for many decades, and I am not afraid of traitorous officials. What’s truly to be feared is a foolish ruler. To say something impolite, the late emperor could not be considered a wise ruler. He was mediocre. He had also been suspicious of me and envied me. When he sent me to fight on the border, he did not dare sleep, as he would always be suspicious of what was happening in court.”

Yu Fu fell silent and nodded. In truth, this was what she also thought. When the late emperor was still alive, she would often feel that Gu HuaiJiang was being treated unfairly and feel that with his talent and loyalty, there should never have been the slightest bit of suspicion towards him.

Fortunately, there was the case of the eldest prince poisoning the late emperor, and they were able to put on an act with Xun Chi. From that moment on, the late emperor fully trusted Gu HuaiJiang.

Gu HuaiJiang continued: “In truth, no matter how mediocre the late emperor was, he was not terrifying. I am not a warrior who only knows how to fight battles. It wasn’t as if I didn’t know the techniques used in the struggles for influence in court, and I could be cautious and deal with them. But have you seen His Majesty?”

He could not help but laugh, “His Majesty is a foolish ruler. From top to bottom, he is a foolish ruler! I previously believed that as long as the cabinet was not abolished, and as long as Yin Shuo’s influence could be curbed, Eastern Ling could be protected, but I was wrong. The ruler is the foundation on which the country is built. If the foundation is rotten, how can it avoid being targetted?”

Even if Yin Shuo is eliminated, there are other traitorous officials. Even if there were no traitorous officials, His Majesty would still refuse to heed the advice of decent officials, and that would slowly cause the complete destruction of Eastern Ling’s court!”

Yu Fu understood that Gu HuaiJiang was seriously ill. He had been suspected by the late emperor for many years, yet he had never been this disappointed before.

No matter how much the late emperor suspected him, he would never act against him without any evidence. Ning ChengZhi was different. Even without evidence, he wanted to completely destroy Marquis Gu’s Manor.

A ruler who would frame and destroy a loyal subject for personal gains was far more dreadful than a hundred traitorous officials.

Gu HuaiJiang slowly closed his eyes, and a hot tear dripped from the corner of his eye. Landing on Yu Fu’s wrist, it felt as hot as fire.

He was an iron-willed general who had fought in hundreds of battles, and he never let a tear out while fighting. He never let out a tear when he narrowly escaped death on the battlefield, but when he personally saw that Eastern Ling did not have a future, he allowed a tear to spill out.

He muttered the exact same sentiment as the old imperial uncle had, “This subject is ashamed to see the late emperor, truly ashamed to see the late emperor…”