lcionline Chapter 652 The more eager they are to silence witnesses, the more it shows they are afraid.
Chapter 652 The more eager they are to silence witnesses, the more it shows they are afraid.
The turmoil at Yunshang Pavilion in the capital city ultimately declared Chu Ruohan's victory with an almost overwhelming force.
Liu Dehai and his men suffered a double loss, failing to shake Yunshang Pavilion.
Instead, because of the rumors, he was invited for tea by the Prefect of Jingzhao for several days, and his shops were ordered to suspend business for rectification.
Caishikou.
On the high platform, Chen Taimo, a criminal, was bound hand and foot and forced to kneel in a row, with death warrants stuck around their necks.
The night before the execution.
Deep within the prison, it was cold and damp.
"I want to see the Duke of Zhenguo! I want to see Gu Junze!"
Lin Wanjin, disheveled and looking like a madman, gripped the cell door tightly with his shackled hands and roared at the outside.
"I have powerful backers! I have incredibly influential people behind me! As long as the Duke spares my life, I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you everything!"
However, all he received in response was the impatient shouts of the patrolling jailers.
As night deepened, Lin Wanjin, who had been screaming all day, finally ran out of strength and collapsed onto the cold haystack, staring blankly at the small skylight on the top of the cell.
Just when he thought he could only wait to die, a light footstep sounded in the corridor.
"Squeak-"
The cell door was opened.
An unfamiliar jailer walked in carrying a food box.
"Lord Lin, let's have a good meal and get ready to set off."
The jailer placed the food box on the ground; inside were several delicate side dishes and a pot of wine.
A glimmer of hope suddenly appeared in Lin Wanjin's cloudy eyes.
He lunged forward and grabbed the jailer's trouser leg.
"Did your master send you? Did he come to rescue me? I knew he wouldn't abandon me!"
The jailer subtly withdrew his leg, looked down at him, and a strange smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Lord Lin is overthinking it."
He crouched down, his voice extremely low, like a viper flicking its tongue.
"Your master sent me here to see you off. To let you die with some dignity, so that you will be spared the pain of beheading tomorrow."
The ecstasy on Lin Wanjin's face froze instantly, then shattered inch by inch, turning into bone-chilling terror.
It wasn't a rescue... it was a cover-up!
He opened his mouth wide, but it felt like his throat was blocked by a wad of cotton, and he couldn't make a sound.
"you……"
"Woo——"
Before he could utter a sound, the jailer acted with lightning speed, covering his mouth tightly with a large, iron-like hand, while using the other hand to pick up the wine jug and roughly pour the entire cup of poisoned wine down his throat.
The pungent liquid burned his esophagus, and Lin Wanjin struggled desperately, kicking his arms and legs wildly on the ground, making a series of dull thuds.
But everything is in vain.
Soon, he began to convulse, his eyes widened, and black blood slowly flowed from his seven orifices.
The jailer watched indifferently as he breathed his last, then stood up, straightened his robes, and acted as if he had merely stepped on an ant.
He walked out of the cell, locked the door again, and calmly instructed the jailer guarding outside: "Keep a close watch. The criminal has committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Report to the Court of Judicial Review first thing tomorrow morning."
The next day, Gu Junze received a document from the Dali Temple in his study at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
The text above contains only a few words: "Lin Wanjin, a wanted criminal, committed suicide in prison out of fear of punishment."
Gu Junze held the thin piece of paper in his hand, his gaze deep and unreadable.
Behind him, Qin Fang bowed and said, "Lord Duke, the lead has gone cold."
"It can't be broken." Gu Junze threw the document into the brazier beside him, watching the flames engulf it instantly.
"The more eager they are to silence witnesses, the more it shows they are afraid."
With Chen Taimo brought to justice, the world in Chengdu was finally brought back to light.
But the position of prefect has also become vacant.
Everyone knows that it's a mess, and whoever goes there is doomed.
In the imperial court, civil and military officials argued fiercely over this hot potato.
Zhao Yunci, sitting on the dragon throne, listened to the words of shirking responsibility below, her face remaining expressionless.
He only spoke slowly after they had finished arguing and quieted down.
"I hereby order Gu Lü, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, to depart immediately for Chengdu to assume the post of prefect."
The imperial edict caused an uproar throughout the court.
Everyone was stunned.
Gu Lu?
That young man who became the third-ranked scholar and a high-ranking official of the sixth rank?
Should we appoint him as a fourth-rank prefect? Or send him to a place like Chengdu?
Isn't this a demotion in disguise, or even exile?
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the court became strange.
Many officials secretly glanced at Gu Junze, who stood at the head of the military officers with an expressionless face, their eyes filled with sympathy and schadenfreude.
It seems that, due to their overwhelming achievements, the emperor ultimately could not tolerate the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
This is a warning!
When the news spread outside the palace, it caused an uproar throughout the aristocratic circles of the capital.
The matchmakers who had been flocking to the Gu family's doorstep just a few days ago, eager to arrange a marriage between their daughters and Gu Lu, suddenly fell silent and never mentioned the matter again.
"Hey, have you heard? Lawyer Gu is going to be kicked out of the capital!"
"What a pity, such a brilliant and promising scholar, his future is ruined."
"Who can argue with that? Going to a place like Chengdu, it's questionable whether you'll even come back alive!"
In teahouses and taverns, discussions abounded, with everyone saying that this marked the beginning of the Gu family's decline from its peak.
However, in the Grand Tutor's residence.
The elderly Grand Tutor Li, stroking his beard, listened to his student's report but shook his head.
"How foolish! They've all misread it."
His student, now a vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel, asked in bewilderment, "Teacher, what do you mean? Isn't the Emperor's action aimed at suppressing the Gu family?"
Grand Tutor Li picked up his teacup, blew on the steam, and his cloudy old eyes gleamed with wisdom.
“Suppression? No, this is a reward.”
"Just you wait and see. That mess in Chengdu is a death sentence for others, but in Gu Lu's hands, it's a book of merit."
"Your Majesty, this is to give Gu Lu a real makeover. If this young man can manage Chengdu well, his future will be limitless when he returns to the capital."
Inside the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the atmosphere was completely different from the rumors circulating outside.
Gu Lu calmly accepted the imperial decree.
Throughout the entire process, there was not a trace of resentment on his face, only a sense of composure.
He was unfazed, but his sister was not.
"I don't allow it!"
Gu Lanxin rushed into Chu Ruohan's study like a gust of wind, her eyes red like a rabbit's, her plain little face covered in tears.
She rushed to Chu Ruohan without hesitation, grabbed her sleeve, her voice choked with sobs, carrying a sharp edge of despair.
"Aunt! You can't let my brother go to Chengdu alone!"
Chu Ruohan was looking at the account book when she was startled by the bump. She quickly put down the account book and supported the woman's shoulder.
"Lan-jie, what are you doing? Get up quickly."
"I won't get up!" Gu Lanxin shook her head vigorously, tears streaming down her face.
“Our parents passed away early, so I only have my brother! We’ve never been apart since we were little! Chengdu is so far away and so chaotic, how can he go alone? I can’t let him go alone!”
"Lan-jie, listen to what your aunt said." Chu Ruohan took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears on her face.
“Chengdu is not the capital. It has just experienced a great upheaval, and people’s hearts are still unsettled. It’s a mixed bag of people. It would be too dangerous for a young lady like you to go there.”
"I'm not afraid of danger!" Gu Lanxin raised her head, her eyes blurry with tears, but her gaze was exceptionally firm. "As long as I can be with my brother, I'm not afraid of anything!"
"Auntie, please let me go! I can take care of my brother's daily needs, do his laundry and cook for him. I won't cause him any trouble!"
"Aunt...please..."
Chu Ruohan looked at her, feeling a pang of inner turmoil.
The dependence that siblings have on each other is something that outsiders cannot understand.
Sending Gu Lu to Chengdu alone is a valuable experience for this mature-beyond-his-years young man.
But for Lan Jie'er, it was like the sky had fallen.
Outside the door, Gu Lu was already standing there at some point.
He didn't come in, but just watched quietly. His usually calm eyes were now flushed with red.
His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just silently bowed deeply, deeply to Chu Ruohan.
He didn't say a word.
But Chu Ruohan understood.
This bow was the elder brother's plea on behalf of his younger sister.
Chu Ruohan closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
She helped Gu Lanxin up, looked at her red nose from crying, and smiled with a mixture of helplessness and heartache.
"Silly girl, why are you crying?" She reached out and pinched Gu Lanxin's cheek. "If you're going, it's not for you to suffer."
Gu Lanxin was stunned, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, staring blankly at her.
Chu Ruohan turned her head and called out towards the door, "Qin Fang!"
"Your subordinate is here." Qin Fang immediately walked in from outside the courtyard.
"Go, bring over the best guards from the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce, and select fifty of the most skilled ones." Chu Ruohan's tone regained the competence of the Chamber of Commerce's head.
"Take another 50,000 taels of silver from the accounting office and pack it all up."
"Also, call the newly appointed Steward Wang back to me. He's quick-witted and resourceful. Have him accompany me and handle everything along the way."
“Select four of the most suitable cooks, maids, and servants from the household to accompany the young master and young lady on their journey.”
"Oh, and prepare two more of the most spacious and comfortable carriages, and replace all the bedding and utensils inside with new ones, the best of the best."
She gave instructions one by one, clearly and comprehensively.
Qin Fang was dumbfounded. This... this was a trip to take up a new post? This was even more extravagant than an imperial envoy's inspection tour!
Gu Lanxin was stunned. She had only wanted to go along, but she never expected her aunt to go to such lengths for them.
She opened her mouth, but couldn't speak for a long time.
Chu Ruohan looked at her silly appearance and felt both annoyed and amused.
"Once you arrive in Chengdu, there's no need to be afraid of trouble, and you don't need to worry about anyone's feelings."
“Your brother is the prefect, he’s the boss there. Who dares to disobey him, who dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy him? The guards aren’t just for show, and the money I give you isn’t for you to hoard.”
She looked at Gu Lu with sharp eyes.
“Brother Lu, it’s good that you’re calm and collected, but sometimes being too gentlemanly can make you vulnerable to being bullied. Remember what your aunt said: to deal with wolves, you have to use the methods of a hunter. To deal with villains, you have to be even more ruthless than them.”
"The waters of Chengdu are very murky. When you go there, don't hesitate to act without hesitation."
“If anything happens, I will support you, your uncle will support you, and the entire Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion will support you.”
These words contained not a trace of an elder's instruction to a younger generation, but rather a pre-battle pep talk before a campaign.
Gu Lu's eyes reddened even more, and he nodded heavily, his voice hoarse.
"Yes, nephew has remembered."
Chu Ruohan nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Gu Lanxin and patted the back of her hand.
"And you, Lan'er. After you go there, don't just stay cooped up in the backyard. When you have nothing to do, follow Steward Wang and learn to look at the accounts and manage things."
"Huh?" Gu Lanxin was completely stunned.
She felt her brain was a little out of sync with her aunt's pace.
What was originally a sad farewell was transformed by Chu Ruohan into a grand "territorial expansion".
The brother and sister's feelings of sadness and longing for each other vanished instantly.