Chapter 726: A Man's Gaze, Enough to Ruin a Life |
Only Zi Ping Xu listened, saying nothing. He sat calmly, his face grave.
Having said all that was necessary, the cultivators exchanged glances among themselves.
Finally, Gu Wu Chun, clearing his throat, approached them and, clasping his hands, said, "The Three Guardian-Mentors have toiled diligently. The Chancellor is currently gripped by sorrow and has lost his composure. Pray forgive him."
The three naturally responded politely. Gu Wu Chun then hinted to the steward to escort the cultivators. He also gestured towards his sleeve, indicating to the steward.
The steward understood that he was hinting for him to give the cultivators a generous reward. He then left to personally accompany the cultivators.
Once the outsiders were gone, Gu Wu Chun turned and, looking at Zi Ping Xu, finally said, "Chancellor, everything happened so suddenly. There's no need to torment yourself with grief. The dead cannot be brought back!"
"Ah!" Zi Ping Xu eventually sighed and, chuckling grimly, said, "He didn't want to hide behind a woman's skirts? Heh. Does he not understand that my Chun cherished him so deeply? Did I truly want to send him out with troops at a time like this? My Chun constantly complained, saying I should give him a chance. And I did! He took his own life. He didn't even care for his wife and children. Excellent! He cared for his reputation but gave no thought to his family. Is that truly good?"
Thud! He slammed his tea cup onto the table, sending water splashing everywhere.
Gu Wu Chun rushed to his side and began to console him, "Chancellor, the general was a man of the military. He possessed a fiery temperament. All these years, he harbored a sense of grievance; it's understandable!"
Gu Wu Chun said, "Chancellor, you speak incorrectly. The general has, in this way, preserved the Chancellor's position. Did the general not previously defeat Meng Shan Min's forces? Did he not secure a major victory? Although there was assistance from the Thousand Beast Sect, the reports stated that without the general's brilliant strategy, we would not have achieved such a great victory! This major victory proves that the Chancellor chooses the right people and manages talent wisely!"
"He was defeated because a smaller force yielded to a greater one! The loss here was inevitable. Victory was simply impossible to expect. Who could have imagined that the Yan Kingdom's forces would be able to overcome the Thousand Beast Sect's method? Even the Thousand Beast Sect's own method failed to hold. How could one hope to achieve victory commanding a disorganized rabble? Who would dare to defeat the Yan Kingdom's forces with such an army? Furthermore, in this bloody battle, without pursuing selfish ends, the general, despite having the opportunity to flee, remained with his troops and chose suicide. Who would now dare to claim that the Chancellor misplaces his trust? With the Chancellor's power, who would now dare to question his judgment!"
At these arguments, Zi Ping Xu began to recover his composure and nodded in agreement. However, hesitating, he looked outside and said, "After the battle, only a few people remained. If they have selfish intentions, they might change their words." Gu Wu Chun understood that the Chancellor was hinting at those cultivators: "Chancellor, you worry excessively. It would not be advantageous for the guardian-mentors to flee the battlefield without the general. Therefore, they will not spread any more malicious rumors. It would be difficult to fault the general for anything. At this time, there is also no need to create chaos in the imperial court. His Majesty does not need such disturbances."
At these arguments, Zi Ping Xu gradually recovered his composure. He then said seriously, "If so, why did the Thousand Beast Sect's method not work against the Yan Kingdom's forces?"
Gu Wu Chun said, "I have carefully reviewed everything. The beasts and snakes did not attack the Yan Kingdom's forces, nor did they attack the Song Kingdom's forces. I believe that the one who put the bell on the tiger's neck was also the one who took it off."
Zi Ping Xu raised his head and squinted, saying, "Are you saying that the Thousand Beast Sect did not keep its word?"
Gu Wu Chun shook his head: "I doubt it. However, if the Thousand Beast Sect had wanted the Yan Kingdom's forces to win, they would simply have recalled their people from the Song Kingdom's forces. Then the Song Kingdom's forces would at least have been mentally prepared. And there would have been no tragedy for the Chancellor's son-in-law. Only here, the opposite happened. Perhaps there were internal disputes within the Thousand Beast Sect. I don't know what is happening with them now. And outsiders are unlikely to find out anything. Therefore, I cannot say for certain."
"However, one thing is certain. If someone from the Thousand Beast Sect secretly helped the Yan Kingdom's forces, it would be tantamount to going against the sect, against their teachers. Then anyone privy to this would hold that disciple's life in their hands. Therefore, such a scenario is highly improbable. Perhaps there truly was a dispute within the sect, due to external pressure. The Yan Kingdom's forces were losing the battle, and someone was definitely looking for ways to help."
Zi Ping Xu: "The Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom?"
"If my understanding is correct, then the Three Great Sects have the highest probability! Only..."
"What?"
"I am thinking of someone else." Gu Wu Chun mused and asked, "Chancellor, do you remember that I was concerned about Niu You Dao back then?"
Zi Ping Xu: "Of course I remember. You said he was very dangerous. But do you really suspect him?"
Gu Wu Chun did not answer directly: "I have been constantly observing the battles. The Yan Kingdom's forces showed no intention of retreating despite their losses. They constantly avoided battle, as if searching for an opportune moment."
Zi Ping Xu didn't understand: "Isn't it normal to constantly seek an opportune moment?" Gu Wu Chun: "What is crucial is that even after suffering losses, they never altered their trajectory. It seemed they harbored no thoughts of turning back. Our forces were pursuing them, and Luo Zhao was returning. What if the Yan Kingdom's forces had found themselves caught between the two? Yet, none of this seemed to faze the Yan Kingdom's forces. What does that signify?"
Zi Ping Xu narrowed his eyes: "It signifies that the Yan Kingdom's forces initially believed they could turn the tide!"
Gu Wu Chun said louder, "After that, the Yan Kingdom's forces shifted tactics, suddenly surrounded our forces, and crushed them in a single stroke! Chancellor, was that merely luck?"
Zi Ping Xu seemed to have understood something, but still not grasping the whole picture, he said, "What does this have to do with Niu You Dao?"
Gu Wu Chun: "Chancellor, don't forget that, according to the Thousand Beast Sect's response, the Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom sent their own people to them! The Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom were furious. But they achieved nothing from the Thousand Beast Sect. Therefore, perhaps the Yan Kingdom's forces' confidence wasn't rooted in the Three Great Sects!"
Zi Ping Xu was astonished.
"Of course, it cannot be ruled out that the Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom deliberately created a commotion within the Thousand Beast Sect to distract attention. However, I have calculated all the actions and timing. The timeline for preparing medicine for the soldiers doesn't align. Therefore, the likelihood of the Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom having caused this commotion is slim."
"Of course, one cannot say with certainty that it was Niu You Dao. It could have been someone else. However, I think it is most likely Niu You Dao's handiwork. As I said, Niu You Dao would not simply stand by and watch Meng Shan Min suffer defeat."
"If my suspicions are correct, then it is most likely someone from the Thousand Beast Sect under Niu You Dao's control. A disciple of the Thousand Beast Sect cannot be bribed for such a task, as the retribution for it would be immense. Therefore, that individual must have been under Niu You Dao's direct control. It's a pity I cannot find out what is happening within the Thousand Beast Sect. Otherwise, I could confirm my suspicions!"
"It's impossible to compel the Thousand Beast Sect to divulge their internal affairs." Zi Ping Xu shook his head and waved his hand, signaling him to drop the matter. Then he looked towards the door and sighed, saying, "Even the body hasn't been returned. Chun. How will she ever recover..."
He had not finished speaking when a person came from outside and shouted, "Chancellor, Chancellor! Lady, Lady she..."
Zi Ping Xu and Gu Wu Chun were instantly terrified. Then they ran outside.
Gu Wu Chun still retained his composure; he grabbed a servant en route and inquired about what had happened, then continued running.
Upon learning that Cheng Shao Tong had perished, white mourning cloths had already been hung in the Chancellor's courtyard.
In the courtyard of the Chancellor's beloved daughter, people were running to and fro. The Chancellor rushed into the house and saw a white silk cloth draped over a beam. His heart lurched!
The Chancellor's wife had already fainted.
And on the bed lay a married woman with deeply bruised skin on her neck.
A cultivator stood by her side and, looking at Zi Ping Xu, said, "Discovered too late. She has already passed away."
"You..." Zi Ping Xu rushed over and stood before his daughter, his eyes red. "You undutiful daughter. You didn't think of your mother and father, since... since..." He began to shake his head, on the verge of collapsing. Thankfully, people swiftly rushed to his side and steadied him, preventing a fall. And the cultivator approached him and began to regulate his qi.
Looking at the deceased, Gu Wu Chun knitted his brows. He pressed a person about what had happened. He pressed: Given the Lady's profound sorrow, why was she not closely attended to?
The maid in charge stated that the Lady had felt weary and wished to rest, thus dismissing them from the room. When they reopened the door, intending to re-enter, they discovered the Lady hanging. They themselves were nearly overcome by faintness at the sight.
Then Gu Wu Chun asked the household manager, "What about the children?"
The manager replied, "Upon receiving the news of her lord's demise, the Lady feared the children would be unable to bear the grief of their father's passing. Therefore, she sent them to the country house to amuse themselves."
Gu Wu Chun sighed, saying, "It seems the Lady had long intended to seek release in the afterlife. The Lady's love for the general was my failing. The children should not be brought back yet. Let them remain in the countryside for longer. Send people there to watch over them carefully."
"Good! The household is in disarray, and I have little time. I am grateful for your reminder, Master. Should I err in any way, I beg Master to inform this old servant." The manager said, nodding his head. And gazing at his fallen masters, he wiped tears from his eyes.
Gu Wu Chun patted him on the shoulder, and motioned for him to attend to his duties. Then he began to carefully examine the room. On a nearby table, he spotted a sealed letter. He reached out, picked it up, and examined it. Amidst such turmoil, no one else had noticed it.
The letter contained a suicide note. The daughter felt that she had made a mistake when she compelled Cheng Shao Tong to marry her. And how much trouble she had caused her parents in orchestrating her marriage to Cheng Shao Tong. She pleaded with her parents to carefully watch over her children. And she had followed Cheng Shao Tong into death.
"All those years I watched you grow, for naught. My foolish girl. What had Cheng Shao Tong done to deserve such boundless devotion from you? What now of your grieving parents?! It is my fault for returning so late. Had I returned sooner, I could have intervened with the Chancellor. You would not have enraged him... A single glance from a man is enough to ruin a life. What a cruel, cruel fate!" Gu Wu Chun shook his head, his gaze fixed on the letter.