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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as the Crown Prince spoke, the court fell silent. The ministers dared not interject, fearing they might unwittingly get caught up in this murky situation.
The Emperor merely cast a light glance at Murong Cheng and said, "Gu Bei has eradicated the bandit stronghold and eliminated local banditry, which is a great achievement. How has it turned into a crime in the mouth of the Crown Prince?"
Murong Cheng felt a pang of anxiety under the Emperor's gaze but insisted, "Father, our dynasty has always valued promises. When General Gu was sent to suppress the bandits by imperial decree, it was understood that he would bear the burden of his past mistakes. He must achieve a complete victory to turn his faults into merits. Now, not only has he failed to return victorious, but he has also suffered losses among his troops. If you show leniency towards General Gu now, it may lead to gossip."
"Then what does the Crown Prince suggest we do to gain everyone's approval?" The Emperor seemed to be asking a question, but before Murong Cheng could respond, he continued, "Should I punish the general who leads my armies after he returns victorious? Is this the way of governance according to the Crown Prince?"
Murong Cheng hurriedly replied, "Father misunderstands. I am not targeting General Gu; I simply believe that we should be pragmatic. Rewards and punishments must be clear. General Gu deserves praise for eliminating the bandits, but since he did not fulfill his promise to you and lost many soldiers in the process, he should be punished!"
"Hmph!" The Emperor scoffed coldly. "The Crown Prince is so meticulous about every detail; it shows a lack of broad-mindedness! Among capable soldiers, can there truly be someone without flaws? To point out every minor mistake will only dishearten those under your command!"
If these words had been spoken in private between the Emperor and the Crown Prince, they could have been seen as paternal guidance. However, by saying this in front of all the civil and military officials in court, it became a reprimand.
Moreover, it was an extremely severe reprimand that offered no leniency to Murong Cheng.
The ministers lowered their heads in unison, wishing they could cover their ears and pretend they hadn't heard anything.
Only Chancellor Liu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty's benevolence is commendable; it is a blessing for us all. Although General Gu faced some setbacks this time, his merits far outweigh his faults. His ability to eradicate banditry and resolve long-standing issues for the court is indeed a great achievement deserving of reward."
"What you say is very true!" The Emperor stroked his beard, feeling his anger from earlier gradually subside. "I have made up my mind on this matter. Gu Bei has resolved a significant threat for me and deserves recognition. In the future, if anyone among you can match his excellence, I will naturally reward them as well. Let us not dwell on this matter any longer; if the Crown Prince finds himself with too much free time, he should practice his studies and martial skills so that I may see you excel beyond Gu Bei!"
With a wave of his hand, the Emperor dismissed further discussion on the topic and instructed the ministers to present today's memorials for review—those with matters to discuss could speak up; those without could leave.
Having been publicly reprimanded by the Emperor left Murong Cheng feeling as though he had been slapped ten times across the face—his cheeks burned with humiliation. He returned to his position but could not calm the turmoil within him.
Glaring at the Emperor on the dragon throne, resentment flickered in Murong Cheng's eyes.
He was clearly the Crown Prince, yet the Emperor consistently favored an outsider, disregarding his dignity. That old man, once I ascend to the throne, I will make sure to repay this humiliation tenfold!
After returning home, Murong Cheng still couldn't shake off his anger. He glanced at the sword hanging on the wall of his study and recalled the Emperor's words, reigniting his fury.
He took down the treasured sword and unleashed a series of moves, scattering broken branches and leaves all over the floor.
"Your Highness."
A voice came from behind him; it was Gu Rong. The Crown Prince displayed a hint of annoyance and sheathed his sword.
"What brings you here?" he asked coldly, without a trace of pleasantry.
Gu Rong seemed accustomed to Murong Cheng's attitude and was not offended. Instead, he forced a smile and said, "Are you still upset about that Gu Bei fellow? There's no need for you to be so troubled, Your Highness. Just relax; Gu Bei won't last long."
"Oh?" Murong Cheng shot a skeptical glance at Gu Rong. "Do you have some good idea?"
Gu Rong hesitated for a moment, feeling guilty as he replied, "Not at the moment, but there's no need for you to worry. With Gu Bei's tricks, he will soon reveal his true colors. He lacks the aptitude for an official position and won't be able to stay in the capital for long. He is bound to make mistakes that will bring him trouble!"
Murong Cheng looked at Gu Rong expressionlessly, saying nothing.
Seeing that Murong Cheng was no longer as agitated as before, Gu Rong assumed he had calmed down and continued to chatter away.
Watching Gu Rong like this, Murong Cheng couldn't help but compare him with the two brothers of the Gu family.
Both were descendants of the Gu family; Gu Bei was the pride of it, while Gu Rong was just a fool whose every action caused nothing but worry.
From plotting against Gu Bei with malicious intent to seeing Gu Bei thrive effortlessly while completely disregarding Gu Rong.
For the first time, Murong Cheng felt that he must have been blind. He had actually believed that collaborating with Gu Rong would lead to success. Now it seemed that this person was utterly useless, only dragging him down!
If one were to choose among the Gu Family brothers, ninety-nine out of a hundred would pick Gu Bei. Only he, who had been blinded at the time, had chosen Gu Rong.
The light in Murong Cheng's eyes flickered uncertainly as he secretly plotted in his heart.
On the other hand, Gu Bei did not care at all about the coveted rewards that others envied.
He divided the rewards into two parts: one part was given to his subordinates based on their merits in battle, ensuring everyone received something. The other part he sent to the families of the soldiers who had died in battle.
Although there were compensation funds for those who died on the battlefield, they were not substantial. Gu Bei made sure to give a little extra wherever he could.
To Gu Bei, these rewards were merely external possessions; he felt it was most appropriate to use them where they could truly help others.
The soldiers and their families were extremely grateful to Gu Bei. These responsibilities were not originally his, yet he willingly took them on and had done so consistently over the years, which was truly commendable.
Unknowingly, Gu Bei had once again won over and solidified a group of supporters.
Ye Xiaohan temporarily parted ways with Gu Bei before entering the city gates. She had followed him secretly; having previously stayed in the military camp, her presence there was already questionable.
At that time, being in a remote area far from High Emperor Mountain, such trivial matters were overlooked.
However, in the capital city, there were many eyes watching Gu Bei. Any small mistake could bring trouble upon him, so it was best to be cautious.
Gu Bei did not want Ye Xiaohan to encounter any more dangers because of him. At least until he was capable of protecting her from recklessness, he could only let her endure this for now.
Thus, Ye Xiaohan jumped down from the carriage first and entered through the city gate, returning to her own residence.
"Sister-in-law, you're back!"
As soon as the door opened, Li Yang and Li Qi rushed toward her like two excited guard dogs. Ye Xiaohan took out the local specialties she had brought and began to share them with them, as the family gathered around the table to chat.
"This is delicious! I’ll save some for White Maiden," Li Yang said after tasting a piece. He found it so good that he set aside a portion, gradually piling up a large plate.
Ye Xiaohan looked at the towering pile of snacks that kept sliding down and said, "While I was away, did anything happen?"
Why does it sound like you suddenly became very familiar with Bai Rong'er?
Ye Xiaohan didn’t voice the latter part of her thought. She needed to give the young ones some space; if she accidentally asked something inappropriate, they might get embarrassed and angry.
Earlier, when Ye Xiaohan visited Bai Rong'er, she hadn’t said a word. Upon seeing Ye Xiaohan return, there was no reaction from her, as if she hadn’t seen her at all—there was no difference.
Li Yang raised an eyebrow and said, "Sister-in-law, you’ve asked the right question! After you left, a lot of things happened at home. If I told you, you definitely wouldn’t believe it. I’ll take this over first and come back to tell you later!"
With that, Li Yang dashed off, still carrying the plate of snacks.
"Qi, something seems off with your Second Brother!" Ye Xiaohan said as she leaned down to wipe the crumbs from Li Qi's mouth. She repeated, "Very off!"
Li Qi looked up with a puzzled expression and asked, "When has Second Brother ever been normal? Isn’t he always acting strange?"
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