Chapter 314 Guilt

Yu Cunzheng said these words almost with all his strength, his voice was almost a roar.

He seemed to want to express the sorrow he had suppressed for nine years through these few words, so intense, so sad, with the determination to fight to the death.

These words had been buried in his heart for nine years, and he had said them countless times in his dreams at noon, but every time he woke up, it was all in vain.

He was terrified of missing out on this opportunity, that he would never have the chance to say it again.

In the past nine years, he has lived in an almost endless nightmare. Every time he closes his eyes, he will go back to that time, dreaming that he and his comrades stood firm for Tailing City, dreaming that the city was broken, dreaming that They were buried alive together, dreaming that he was struggling under the earth...

Once, he thought that he would never wait for this day, but he finally did!

The man's tragic voice spread far away with the night wind, echoing in the empty palace.

Not far away, Kang Wang Chuyou walked over from the direction of Qianqing Gate, and heard Yu Cunzheng's words clearly.

His tall body shook violently, and his steps paused slightly.

Yu Cunzheng's shoulders were trembling, and he was still talking excitedly: "Even if we couldn't wait for rescue, even if there was no food and no one, Gu Houye would stick to it, even if the soldiers and the people were eating cowhide and peeling bark. "

"We even successfully intercepted the food and grass of the Vietnamese army. For this reason, we lasted for another half a month..."

Back then, when they were about to starve to death in the city, it was Dingyuan Hou Gu Ce who led the soldiers to snatch the food and grass of the Vietnamese army. Otherwise, Tailing City would not last until February. , all the soldiers and people in the city died in the first month!

People who weren't in it didn't know the tragedy of the year. Some people in the city committed suicide because of hunger, and some even cut their flesh to feed their children. At that time, everyone wondered whether they had been abandoned by the court...

As the mighty general of Yangzhou, Gu Ce had the opportunity to abandon the city, but he didn't. He fought with the soldiers and people in the city until the last moment...

Yu Cunzheng still had a lot to say, but was interrupted sharply:

"absurd!"

Chu You couldn't listen anymore, a pair of eagle eyes gleamed with a cold light.

Everyone's eyes flocked towards him.

Chu Yi fixedly looked at Chu You, who was advancing gradually, with the corners of his beautiful mouth slightly raised, holding a gentle smile, but the smile was not as deep as his eyes.

Chu You walked swiftly towards the South Study Room, glanced at the crowd sharply, and said loudly, "Can you believe what a deserter says?"

"He was talking nonsense just to get rid of the punishment. Desertion is a death penalty!"

Chu You stopped a few steps away from Wei Guogong, and asked aloofly: "Wei Guogong, you brought this man, so you must know exactly who he is. As you It is impossible for a dignified Duke to not know what kind of crime is harboring deserters!!"

Chu You's voice was colder and sharper than Ten Thousand Years of Ice, with a domineering aura, like an unsheathed long knife releasing a murderous aura.

In the face of the aggressive Chu You, Duke Wei, who has experienced many turmoil in the three dynasties, remained calm and looked at him calmly and fearlessly.

Wei Guogong brushed off his sleeves casually, and asked proudly: "Could it be that King Kang wants to punish me by saying this?"

Chu You: "..."

Wei Guogong stared at Chu You, his eyes didn't waver at all, and he was even smiling.

He sneered, and arrogantly called his name directly: "Chu You, who do you think you are! You are a mere county king, and you want to punish me?"

In this Dajing Dynasty, apart from the emperor and Fengyang, probably only the Duke of Wei dared to call King Kang's name like that.

Fang Huairui laughed without any scruples, crossed his arms over his chest, and idly repaired the knife for Duke Wei: "It's not your turn, King Kang."

Chu You gritted his teeth and stared at the two singing together, his eyes were sharp and cold.

The head of the Weiguo case took a step closer to Chu You, "Chu You, we're talking about the facts, and we're talking about the Gu Ce case, but you still hold on to the deserter. You don't want to let the truth of what happened back then come to light?"

The distance between the two was no more than two feet, and where their eyes met, sparks shot out.

"Ha," Wei Guogong smiled suddenly, "I almost forgot, you were also in Sishui County, Yangzhou, right? Was it in Tailing City?"

He asked knowingly, and without waiting for Chu You's answer, he continued on his own: "From Gu Ce to the common people, everyone in Tailing City is almost dead."

"It doesn't look like you're massacring the city, but it seems like you're covering up something?" During the speech, the smile on Duke Wei's lips deepened, and his voice was sharp, "What do you think?"

His eyes stabbed straight at Chu You like a sharp sword, seeming to reprimand, question, and test.

At this moment, Duke Wei did not suppress his aura at all, he was as invincible as Mount Tai pressing down on the top.

Everyone was silent, watching the confrontation between King Kang and Duke Wei.

To put it bluntly, this is not only about the win or loss between these two people, but also the family behind Kang Wang, and the emperor and eldest prince behind Wei Guogong.

"Bold!" Chu You's face darkened, and his veins twitched violently.

The candlelight of the lantern reflected on Chu You's face with profound features, and his tall nose cast a shadow on one cheek, which made him have a gloomy temperament, and the light in his eyes was colder than the night.

His chiseled chin raised slightly, and his voice became colder: "Wei Shen, you are talking nonsense in order to get rid of Gu Ce, and you still want to wrong the king!"

Duke Wei still looked at Chu You, without flinching at all, and said forcefully, "Since you feel wronged, why don't you allow me to raise this case again?"

"Whether what Yu Cunzheng said is true or not, you haven't verified it yet, so why deny it!"

"..." Chu You was speechless for a moment, and narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Hmph!" Xiao Shoufu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly walked up to Chu You, clearly standing on the same front as him, "Duke Wei, treason is treason. The two countries have already reached a conclusion, and facts speak louder than words." ! Why do you disregard right and wrong and turn black and white?!"

"Is it a 'conclusive conclusion', or is it wrong if you want to make a mistake?!" Wei Guogong was half a head taller than Xiao Shoufu. When he approached Xiao Shoufu, his tall shadow cast on the opponent's body. An oppressive coercion.

"If you say to overturn the case, then overturn the case. Wouldn't it mean that criminals would come and clamor that they were wronged and demand that the case be overturned!" Xiao Shoufu still did not let go, and said convincingly, "My lord, a thief will not admit that he is a thief!"

"Well said. A thief will not admit that he is a thief, and King Kang will not admit that he is guilty!" Wei Guogong sneered, "But if he is not guilty, why is he not allowed to investigate this case again?"

"In my opinion, King Kang must have something to hide!"

These two people, one civil and one military, are both important figures in the court. At this moment, the two sides hold their positions and refuse to give in to each other.

No one can persuade the other, and no one wants to show weakness to the other.

"..." Wang Nan stared blankly at Yu Cunzheng, unable to say a word for a long time.

Over the years, he has firmly believed that Gu Ce is guilty, but since Yu Cunzheng appeared just now, a crack appeared in his rock-solid determination.

Yu Cunzheng is a deserter. According to the law, a deserter should be executed. As King Kang said, Yu Cunzheng also needs to make meritorious service in order to get rid of the crime.

But Wang Nan knew Yu Cunzheng, and they had used their lives to cover each other on the battlefield, and they were in an old relationship. He didn't believe that Yu Cunzheng was exactly the kind of person Kang Wang said.

What was the truth nine years ago? !

With a "squeak", the closed door of the South Study Room opened, interrupting the sparkling atmosphere.

Everyone turned to look in the direction of the south study, and saw the emperor walking out of it.

Everyone shut their mouths and kept silent.

Suppressing the myriad of thoughts in my heart, everyone including Wang Nan and Yu Cun bowed in unison and saluted:

"See the emperor."

The door of the South Study Room was open, and when everyone bowed their heads, they could vaguely see a blue corner of their clothes. Even if they only glimpsed a corner, several people guessed that Princess Fengyang was also inside.

The emperor stood with his hands behind his back, and the five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with gold thread on the bright yellow dragon robe shone in the moonlight and lights.

"I heard what you said just now," the emperor said slowly, stroking his beard. "Since the two sides insist on their own opinions and it is difficult to make a decision, then we should re-investigate the Yangzhou case nine years ago."

"Whether it's Gu Ce's treason, or the Seventh Brother's concealment, we should investigate clearly. I won't wrong any innocent person."

"Shoufu, don't you think so?"

The emperor looked at Xiao Shoufu with a smile, his expression was as gentle as before, smiling slightly, but with the aura and strength of the majesty of the emperor that cannot be refuted.

These words are also high-sounding, and people can't find fault.

Xiao Shoufu pursed his lips tightly, his heart sank slightly.

The Duke of Wei was messing around with King Kang there just now, probably because of this step, the emperor and the Duke of Wei had teamed up to get them in.

Having said all this, if they insist on opposing the emperor's re-examination of Gu Ce's case, it will be tantamount to proving that Kang Wang has a ghost in his heart.

Kang Wang is the one who will be enthroned as emperor in the future, and he must not fall into the situation of the sound of the ax and the shadow of the candle.

As of now, there is no other choice.

Xiao Shoufu quickly weighed the pros and cons, and said with difficulty: "The emperor is wise..."

The corner of Chu You's mouth curled into a sharp arc, and his eyes became even colder. He glanced at Xiao Shoufu coldly, and his whole body seemed to be shrouded in a thick layer of haze.

He didn't know that his imperial brother was so eloquent. It was clearly the emperor who insisted on overturning the case for Gu Ce, but he spoke as if he was wholeheartedly for his imperial brother.

The emperor glanced at the crowd leisurely, taking everyone's silence as an acquiescence, and said lightly: "Since all the lovers have no objection, then let's do this."

So far, the final word.

"Father is wise." Chu Yi was the first to bow to the emperor, his posture still elegant, his eyes as bright as the silver moon in the night sky.

Duke Wei clasped his fists together and said loudly, "Your Majesty is wise, long live your Majesty!"

The other honorable generals also shouted Long Live the Emperor, their shouts were uniform, and they fell to the ground with a sound, as if with the power of thunder.

But in just a short time, their mentality has turned upside down. Their hearts are full of agitation. Some people's eyes are red, some people's eyes are shining with water, and some people's teeth are clenched.

They were all replaying the words that Yu Cun was saying just now in their minds.

No one can better understand the despair and tragedy of being alone and helpless than those who came out of the battlefield. It is like a knife piercing deeply in their hearts, making them feel bloody and excruciating pain. .

Fighting for the country is a matter of course, and it is an honor to die for the country, but they cannot bear the stigma of treason!

A dignified and solemn atmosphere enveloped the entire palace.

This night was destined to be uneven. In the early hours of the morning, official documents were posted at the city gates, indicating that the emperor ordered a thorough investigation of the Gu Ce case nine years ago.

This is also a statement from the emperor that the case will be investigated openly and in front of the people of the world, without the slightest falsification.

As a result, the people who entered and exited the city gate early in the morning saw the official document, surrounded by three inner floors and three outer floors around the bulletin board, bustling with people.

Among the onlookers, some could read and some could not.

Those who didn't mean illiterate grabbed other people to help read the official document.

The battle between Dajing and Yue State nine years ago was a pain for all Dajing people.

At that time, a total of 80,000 soldiers and civilians in Dajing died, and many families lost their wives and children behind them, and many families lost their young men and struggled to survive.

Even if the first emperor did not expressly declare that Gu Ce was treasonous, the whole country, from the elderly to the children, all knew that it was Gu Ce who surrendered the enemy and opened the city gates, which led to the massacre of the Vietnamese army and the defeat of Dajing in that battle.

Everyone called Gu Ce a traitor, despicable and shameless, without integrity, called him a disaster for the country and the people, and blamed him for his crimes, which are known to the heavens, and ten thousand deaths are not enough to atone for his sins.

This heavy sin was all borne by Gu Ce alone.

But just in case...

Is Gu Ce innocent?

The people were very emotional. Some complained for Gu Ce, some said they would wait and see, and some firmly believed that Gu Ce was guilty. They discussed fiercely, and it was as noisy as a pot of boiling water.

Outside the crowd, an eight or nine-year-old boy grabbed the hem of a middle-aged man in a green robe and said sharply, "Father, I want to eat that rice cake, buy me that rice cake!"

The middle-aged man frowned, and reprimanded angrily: "Li Hao, didn't you just say you wanted to come down to watch the fun?"

"Anyway, I want to eat rice cakes!" Boy Li Hao said stubbornly with his head raised.

An old female voice came from a green-covered carriage nearby: "Zhaodi, take your brother to buy rice cakes."

Another young female voice responded quickly, and a handsome young woman in Tsing Yi, in her twenties, quickly got off the carriage. Li Zhaodi grabbed Li Hao's hand and said flatteringly, "Brother Hao, my sister will take you to buy."

When Li Hao grabbed the hot rice cake and returned to Father Li, Father Li was still looking at the official document in front of him, and Li Zhaodi asked casually, "Father, what are you looking at? What does the official document say?"

Li Zhaodi was illiterate, so she had no choice but to ask her father, but she was confused by what the people around her were saying such as "Gu Ce" and "reversal".

"It is said that it is to rehabilitate Gu Ce..." Father Li's eyes were fixed on the official document in front of him, and his eyes almost burned two holes in the official document.

"Rehabilitation? What redress!"

"That damn girl came to the capital, and if she doesn't do other things, she will make such a mess!" Father Li gritted his teeth and said, his rough face was a little distorted, and strong disgust burst out of his eyes.

Li Zhaodi pursed her plump but somewhat bleak lips, her expression a bit complicated.

Of course she knew who the "dead girl" her father was talking about was the second younger sister who had lived in their family for fourteen years.

She didn't know until last year that her second younger sister was not her real sister, but Gu Yunxie, the daughter of the Hou Mansion, was her real sister.

The crowd in front was still discussing the official documents enthusiastically, and even more people gathered around.

A silver-haired old woman said in a high-pitched voice: "This must be the Eldest Prince who wants to vindicate Gu Ce for Marquis Ding Yuan. I saw the Eldest Prince with my own eyes at the Ten Thousand Herbal Hall yesterday!"

The old woman's face was full of pride, her eyes sparkled, and she felt that this matter was enough for her to spend the rest of her life.

A plump middle-aged woman held the silver-haired old woman curiously, and asked, "Old sister, what does the eldest prince look like?"

The old woman raised her chin, "It's as handsome as a banished fairy, it's pretty, it's so pretty!"

She uttered words frequently, and she could only emphasize that the eldest prince was very good-looking.

Father Li snorted coldly: "What banishment? You must be blind, the dignified prince would actually look at that dry, dead girl."

A square-faced young man in Tsing Yi got down from the shaft of the car, and urged a little impatiently, "Hurry up, my son is still waiting for you."

The young man in Tsing Yi pointed in a direction, and saw a seventeen or eighteen year old man in blue robes walking out of a restaurant not far ahead, young and handsome, with a tall and straight figure.

Father Li immediately changed into a warm smile, squinted his cloudy eyes, and asked eagerly: "Is that Mr. Fang?" The Mr. Fang who ordered them to be brought to the capital? !

"Let's go." The young man in Tsing Yi nodded perfunctorily, and hurriedly led Father Li and the others towards Fang Mingfeng's direction.

The green-covered carriage followed closely beside them.

Fang Mingfeng at the entrance of the restaurant looked at Father Li and his party who were advancing gradually.

Father Li is of medium height, wearing a half-new sky-blue straight gown, with a black silk sash around his waist, and a few strands of frosty hair on his temples, and he is fairly well-groomed.

Fang Mingfeng's eyes immediately fell on Father Li's fingers constantly rubbing on his robe and his wandering eyes, a trace of contempt flashed in his eyes.

This person's behavior is vulgar and vulgar, and his connotation is empty. It's no wonder that a person like this who can't get on the stage can raise a person like Gu Feiyan who is vain, contrived, and cold-hearted.

"Mr. Fang." Father Li bowed to Fang Mingfeng respectfully, not daring to look directly at Fang Mingfeng.

He used to work in the Gu family for many years, and later went to Yuzhou to manage Zhuangzi for various reasons, so he still understands various rules and etiquette.

Fang Mingfeng quickly withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, and didn't even look at Li Zhaodi and Li Hao, who were behind Father Li.

He stroked his sleeve lightly, and said indifferently: "I have asked someone to prepare a house in the west of the city, you go and live there first, and I will ask someone to call you when you need it."

After a pause, he slowed down and warned: "Other than that, you'd better be quiet."

His expression and tone were calm from the beginning to the end, as if he was looking at them, and it seemed that they were not reflected in his eyes at all, and there was a proud nobleman's demeanor in his whole body, aloof, which made people feel hopeful But not at hand.

"Yes, Mr. Fang." Father Li agreed, nodding humbly, "Don't worry, we will obey your arrangements for everything."

Li Zhaodi was a little dazed, she stared blankly at Fang Mingfeng, and suddenly remembered that the old woman praised the eldest prince just now like a banishing immortal.

It turns out that there are such handsome and noble young masters in the capital, and the exiled immortals in the sky should be like this Mr. Fang in front of him.

A slight blush appeared on Li Zhaodi's cheeks, and she subconsciously held her younger brother's hand even tighter, feeling a little uncomfortable in her heart, sour, bitter, and stuffy.

Thinking of her vulgar dead husband again, she bit her lower lip slightly, and couldn't help thinking: If only she was the one who was replaced back then...