Inside the Haoxin Palace, the emperor was in a good mood and ordered the palace servants to set the meal. The bad boy didn't even come to see him after coming back, and had to ask someone to invite him. He was getting bolder and bolder. But it's good that he's back, it's good that he's back, now there's someone to read the memorials for him.
"Your Majesty, the leader of the Seven Stars Division requests to see you."
The emperor's smile froze and he looked up suddenly. It was not any of the other identities he usually used, not the crown prince. The person standing outside the palace waiting was the masked leader of the Seven Stars.
He was covered in dust, with visible stains on the hem of his black clothes. He also looked very imposing, with his body stretched straight like a spear.
Something happened. The emperor closed his eyes. He knew his nephew well. He would not come to see him like this unless something serious happened. The last time he did this was when he was poisoned by the elixir. This time...
The already heavy body felt even weaker. The emperor waved his hand and said, "Everyone, leave."
The palace maids and attendants left like a stream, and Lai Fu stood guard outside the palace himself, with worry revealed in his lowered eyes.
Gu Yanxi entered the hall carrying a wooden tray, knelt on one knee, and said in a deep and powerful voice, "Your Highness, I am reporting to the Second Prince Gu Cheng'an."
"What crime did he commit?"
"He is charged with corruption, treason, collaborating with the enemy, and murdering loyal officials."
The emperor only felt that his vision was black and his head was a little dizzy, but he forced himself to look like nothing had happened, just breathing heavily, "Tell me in detail."
"Yes." Gu Yanxi picked up the two letters and handed them over with both hands, "Please take a look."
The one on top was Wu Yong's memorial. The emperor quickly glanced at it and picked up the one below. It turned out to be from Hua Yizheng!
He didn't open it, but looked down at Yan Xi who was kneeling in front of him, "You left in a hurry before and went to Yinshan Pass? Why?"
"Yes, I received news that something was wrong at Yinshan Pass. At first, I thought the problem was outside the pass, but after a thorough investigation, I realized that the problem was with our own people. On the night of July 19th, the enemy attacked with great force. General Wu and I went to the front line, but who would have thought that the attack was fake and that it was a real attempt to lure the enemy away from the mountain. Their real target was the Hua family."
“Why!”
"The Wu family is a family of military commanders. They have no problem leading troops to fight, but their domestic affairs have always been chaotic. Hua Yi is helping Wu Yong catch a lot of rats. I guess they are worried that more things that are not favorable to them will be discovered, so the Hua family must disappear."
Gu Yanxi spoke calmly, took out another letter from the wooden tray and handed it over with both hands, "This is the testimony, and the witness has also been brought back to the capital."
After a while, the emperor took the memorial from him, but still did not open it. He remembered that he had received a memorial from Wu Yong not long ago, which talked about the spy planted in Yinshan Pass.
"Hua Yizheng can still hold the pen, which means the Hua family is fine."
"The ones who managed to make it to my arrival were Hua Zhi, a daughter of the Hua family, and a subordinate of Qi Su Si who had been hiding in Yinshan Pass for many years." Gu Yanxi took the initiative to speak without waiting for the question, "After I arrived, I learned that this was Hua Zhi's second visit to Yinshan Pass. She had been there once before."
The emperor raised his eyebrows. "The daughter of the Hua family? A woman went to Yinshan Pass?"
"yes."
"Where does she get the courage? Isn't she afraid that if I find out, she won't be able to come back?"
"I have asked her about this, and she said that the Daqing law only stipulates that exiled people cannot return without being summoned, but it does not say that relatives and friends cannot visit them."
The emperor suddenly wanted to laugh. Yes, the Daqing Dynasty had never stipulated that family members were not allowed to visit. Didn't anyone think of this? No, it just couldn't stand the rubbing of time.
As if forgetting something important, the emperor teased his nephew, "First you did business with her, and now you meet her again thousands of miles away. How is it? Do you like her?"
"I admire her. She chose the most difficult path among the several paths that the Hua family had to choose. However, it was also the path that the Hua family should take. She did not disgrace the Hua family name." Gu Yanxi said frankly, "As far as I know, she took the initiative to cancel the marriage with the Shen family and gave up the idea of getting married."
The emperor pointed at him with the memorial in his hand, as if he saw through him, "The more you talk, the more it shows that you treat her differently. I have watched you grow up, how can I not understand you? If you are really not interested, you can reply to me in just two or three words."
Gu Yanxi didn't respond. He picked up the next thing from the wooden tray and was about to speak when he saw the emperor shaking his hand, "No need. Since you have reported him for those things, you can't get away. I don't want to worry about these things. Just deal with them."
Looking at the gloomy look of his imperial uncle, Gu Yanxi didn't know what to feel for a moment. Fifty-four members of the Hua family almost lost their lives, Wu Yong was poisoned, Zeng Xian was wronged, there was collusion with foreign enemies, and so on. Each and every one of them was a big deal, but his imperial uncle just passed it over lightly with just one sentence. How heartbroken would the ministers be if they knew about it
"As for the second son, he will be demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in the prince's palace."
"… yes."
"Why are you still kneeling? Get up and have dinner with me." The emperor leaned over and patted his shoulder. He had always been satisfied with this nephew. He traveled all over the country all year round, had neither a good meal nor a good sleep. His clothes would be covered with so much dust if he patted them. He did more than anyone else, but he never asked for credit.
When the affair of the second brother was investigated, there might have been people who reminded him that he needed to step back, lest the fire burn himself instead of others. It would not benefit him at all to have the princes fall into his hands, and he himself might not be aware of the pros and cons. If he had taken these to talk to the second brother, even if the second brother took the throne in the future, he would have to give half of it to Yan Xi. But he presented his nephew to him without any concealment. It would have been great if this nephew was his own son.
The emperor once again felt regretful and even thought about moving his name to a famous person. If he really became his son...
Lai Fu's voice came in, "Your Majesty, the Seven Stars Division is requesting an audience."
"Xuan."
Chen Qing walked in quickly and greeted the emperor first, then reported to the leader, "The second prince is in the palace with Concubine Hui. I have no right to enter the back hall. Please give me instructions, leader."
"Empress Hui?" The emperor remembered that there was still a lovely person there, and Concubine Hui also had merit, so he stood up and said, "I will go with you, Yan Xi, the matter of the second son will not involve Concubine Hui."
“…Yes.” Gu Yanxi responded softly and followed behind without saying another word. He thought the emperor would be furious, that the second son would go to accompany the eldest son, that Fang Hongzhi would be confiscated and imprisoned, that the Tong family who stretched their hands too far would be severely punished, and he even thought that he might be implicated as well. However, it seemed that nothing had happened, and he even asked not to implicate Concubine Hui.
His whole body felt light, but his feet felt like they weighed thousands of pounds. Looking at his uncle the emperor in front of him, who had become much thinner and had a hunched back, Gu Yanxi didn't know what to feel. What was left of the once ambitious uncle the emperor now