Chapter 976: Stabbing You

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Since ancient times, it was said that officials gave up their lives to maintain justice, and soldiers fought with their lives for victory. However, there were very few people with such boldness.

That old minister’s surname was Gu, and he was not famous in the Imperial Court. He had wasted half his life and was already close to the age of compulsory retirement.

The Imperial Court had a clear rule that once an official reached 70 years old, they had to retire on their own. In addition, although one was still young, it was still acceptable to describe them as old.

Therefore, most officials would resign before they reached 70 or even 60.

The Imperial Court also needed new blood to continue operating.

In the first year of the Northern Song Dynasty, there was an official called Si Kejiu. He was over 70 years old but still did not take the initiative to resign, causing Song Taizu to be unable to stand it. He wanted to personally give an order to resign, but he felt that it was too ugly for an emperor to personally urge an official to resign. Hence, he stipulated that the people from the

Imperial Censor’s Office should impeach those old officials and let them resign.

That Senior Imperial Censor did not have any achievements in the Imperial Court, nor did he have an outstanding background. What right did he have to stay in the Imperial Court until he was 70 years old?!

It had to be known that the officials of the Imperial Court each had their own task, and no one was dispensable. Every time someone left, it meant that there was a vacancy. Many aristocratic families specially watched the impeachment of the old officials to pave the way for their families.

From this, it could be seen that this Senior Imperial Censor was not simple.

It was not difficult to deduce that there was definitely someone behind his actions.

In that case, why was Imperial Censor Gu willing to sacrifice his life to stand out?

This began with the situation after the official retired.

Once ordinary officials left the officialdom, they would face a situation where their reputation and wealth were in the past.

Other than receiving half of their salary when they were still officials every month and still enjoying tax-free treatment, their lives were still very good.

However, compared to when they were an official in the court, it was completely incomparable.

Most people still could not accept such a difference. If they still had some connections in the court, they could still cherish their descendants and pave the way for their future.

However, the Imperial Court did all the work of offending others. For someone like Yu Zongzheng, who was born into a n.o.ble family and had the protection of a n.o.ble family, as long as there was any commotion in the court, it was not his place to take the lead. Even if the wind blew in the wrong direction and the Imperial Court denounced him, he would not step up. The first to bear the brunt were those officials who had no foundation and had even stood out.

As an official with no foundation or backing, the consequences could be imagined once the Senior Imperial Censor lost his power. Even if a promising descendant of the family entered the royal court in the future, he would also face the outcome of being ostracized and his future would be worrisome.

The Senior Imperial Censor was in his seventies. Before he retired, he had been a pathfinder for some people. Although he had lost his life, he had obtained protection for his descendants.

It could be considered the last time in his life that he could shine.

At this moment, this court situation was in line with the scheme of “fighting for the throne.” Yu Youyao suddenly asked, “Who is this Senior Imperial Censor

under?”

Was he under Concubine Lan, Imperial Concubine Xu, the va.s.sal lord, or Yin Huaixi?

Yin Huaixi smiled. “He’s under the King of Liang.” Then, he changed the topic and said meaningfully, “However, this matter was instigated by Concubine

Lan.”

This was as expected, but it was also unexpected. Yu Youyao sighed a little. “The King of Liang has already stretched his hand so far.”

Yin Huaixi smiled. “To the King of Liang, everything is ready, but the critical element is lacking. If there’s no compet.i.tion for the throne, how can there be a reason?”

Yu Youyao agreed deeply and frowned. “Senior Imperial Censor Gu is under the King of Liang. Does Concubine Lan know? Concubine Lan doesn’t look like the kind of person who would ask a tiger for its skin.”

In the past, the Weining Marquis Residence was powerful, and Imperial Consort Lu had a n.o.ble status. Not only was the Second Prince’s status the most important, but he was also deeply trusted by the emperor. To the Second Prince, the King of Liang was a source of help. Of course, there were threats, but they were not impossible to suppress.

Today was different from the past. Ning Yuanbo’s residence was in jail, and Concubine Lan no longer had the support of her maiden family. If she was involved with the King of Liang again, she would be asking for trouble and courting death.

Concubine Lan wanted to support the Second Prince and help him climb up the social ladder.

The King of Liang also wanted that position.

Concubine Lan couldn’t suppress the King of Liang’s ambition, so it was impossible for them to continue working together.

Yu Youyao thought of Concubine Lan, whom she had seen in the Longevity Palace when the emperor had conferred her the t.i.tle of County Head. She deliberated for a moment.

Yin Huaixi asked, “Why do you think so?”

Yu Youyao said, “Concubine Lan is a very smart person. She knows how to judge the situation and is good at scheming. On the surface, she’s smiling, but in the blink of an eye, she can stab you.

Her words were not groundless.

Back then, the eldest son of the emperor had died prematurely, and the Empress had suffered a huge blow and sealed the palace.

It was Concubine Lan who controlled the phoenix seal and the harem for many years.

The Great Zhou Dynasty valued the eldest son of the first wife. The dog emperor definitely doted on his eldest son who had just been born. It might not be the case that the dog emperor really wanted to kill the emperor’s eldest son. However, it was inevitable that his feelings for the emperor’s eldest son would become a little complicated because of the matter at the Ning Residence.

Even a monster would not hurt its own children. Furthermore, he was still an innocent child who had just been born and was not a threat.

No matter how one looked at it, it was impossible to explain the emperor’s killing intent towards the emperor’s eldest son.

The emperor might not have been the one who caused the death of the emperor’s eldest son. Instead, someone had taken this opportunity to attack the emperor’s eldest son.

Grand Tutor Yang was the emperor’s teacher. His daughter who had been “married” out was like water that had been splashed out. If his daughter made a mistake, on account of the kindness of his teaching, Grand Tutor Yang did not deserve to be punished.

However, the dog emperor did not even let his mentor off, causing him to bear the name of “killing his master.” It was obvious that he was really filled with regret for the death of the emperor’s eldest son.

Next, the Second Prince took over as the eldest. Naturally, the emperor’s deep regret and value for the emperor’s eldest son was channeled towards the Second Prince.

The person who had planned all of this had polished the emperor’s thoughts perfectly and made full use of them.

Looking at the harem, Yu Youyao could only think of one person who could grind the heart of a saint so accurately.

It was the former Imperial Concubine Lu, and the current Concubine Lan!

During this period of time, Consort Xu had been jumping up and down, manipulating the n.o.bles of the North and causing trouble in the North.

In the end, she suffered a double loss.

The Han family’s case in Xi’an was still under trial. The Han family’s descendants, led by Elder Han, were still locked up in the residence. From the progress of the case, the Han family’s pavilion could not escape punishment.

It seemed that all of this had nothing to do with Concubine Lan, but the Second Prince naturally suppressed the Third Prince and obtained a lot of reputation for being virtuous in the court.

Empress Ning and the Fourth Prince did not stop either. Their eyes were fixed on the Yu Clan’s scheme. They were determined to not stop until they achieved their goal and even caused the matter of patrolling the North.

However, in the end, the “opportunity to patrol the North” that Empress Ning had painstakingly planned was also put on hold.

On the surface, Concubine Lan did not gain much, but the matter of the compet.i.tion for the throne was ultimately decided by the emperor. Concubine Lan’s “low profile” and “restraint” recently formed a sharp contrast with Imperial Concubine Xu and Empress Ning..