freenovelworld Chapter 317 Did Chen recant her testimony?
Chapter 317 Did Chen recant her testimony?
Gu Junze's face remained calm and expressionless, but his deep eyes were even more unfathomable.
He was about to step forward according to etiquette and report on the battle situation in Pingzhou.
Prince Su suddenly stepped forward first, his voice sharp and filled with undisguised malice, pointing directly at Gu Junze.
"General Gu, your return to the capital was swift!"
"I would like to ask, is the truce at Pingzhou a result of some shady 'private deal' you made with Duan Qingye, the commander-in-chief of Zheng?"
Gu Junze seemed not to hear, his gaze calmly turning to the emperor on the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty, the battle at Pingzhou has been decided."
"I negotiated with Duan Qingye, the commander-in-chief of Zheng, and Zheng agreed to withdraw its troops and never invade the border of Eastern Jin again."
He paused, then continued, "However, Duan Qingye put forward three conditions."
"First, His Majesty must personally sign an oath that the two countries will not invade each other. All cannon formulas and blueprints must be destroyed."
"Second, the border line between the two countries needs to be resurveyed and demarcated."
Gu Junze recounted the details of the negotiation.
The emperor on the dragon throne frowned even more deeply, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face.
As the ruler of a country, how can one easily write an oath to another country? This would damage the dignity of the emperor.
Moreover, those cannons were new weapons developed by the Eastern Jin Dynasty at great expense, and were powerful tools for countering enemy countries. How could they be destroyed so easily?
These words made the atmosphere in the hall even more solemn.
The emperor frowned, and his fingers tapped the armrest of the dragon throne more frequently.
Prince Su immediately seized the opportunity and launched another attack: "Gu Junze! You knew that these conditions were harsh and unreasonable, yet you still agreed to such humiliating terms that would surrender the country's sovereignty?"
Where is the emperor's dignity in all this? What regard is the safety of the nation for?
"In my opinion, this is clearly an act of treason, and their intentions are despicable!"
Just as Prince Su was pressing closer and closer, trying to pin the blame on Gu Junze completely.
The Third Prince, who had been silent all along, slowly stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and bowed slightly.
"Father, Second Brother is mistaken."
The Third Prince's voice was gentle, yet it possessed a strange, comforting power.
"The Buddha said, 'Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot.' Weapons are instruments of violence; when war breaks out, the people suffer."
"General Gu has stopped the fighting without bloodshed this time, restoring peace to the border and saving the court from endless military and food consumption. This is a great achievement."
"As for the oath and firearms, they are merely external things. If the two countries can truly end the war forever and the people can live in peace and prosperity, what are a few external things worth mentioning?"
"Second brother has lived in the capital for a long time and has never experienced the battlefield. I'm afraid he can't understand the hardships involved. It would be better if he didn't make any rash comments on matters of state and military affairs."
These words were veiled in barbs, both highlighting Gu Junze's achievements and subtly criticizing Prince Su for sitting comfortably in his high position, lacking military knowledge, and only capable of empty talk.
The emperor's gaze shifted between Prince Su and the Third Prince, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.
"What my son says makes sense," the emperor said slowly.
"Gu Junze has rendered meritorious service in repelling the enemy at Pingzhou, but he has also committed a wrong by privately negotiating peace. The merits and demerits cancel each other out, so this matter will not be discussed for the time being."
He changed the subject, his gaze sharp as he looked at Prince Su: "But you, Second Prince, just now you mentioned General Gu's family affairs."
"How is the case of poisoning the old man and slandering Madam Gu being handled by the Jingzhao Prefecture?"
Prince Su's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am also worried about this matter."
"The woman who poisoned the body, Chen, has been brought to the palace, but..."
He paused deliberately, observing the reactions of the emperor and Gu Junze.
"But now she has changed her story and insists that it was... that Madam Chu, the young mistress of Gu, gave her money to confess to murdering her husband."
He clapped his hands, and immediately guards escorted Chen Shi into the hall.
At this moment, Chen's eyes were even more vacant, as if she were completely being controlled by someone.
Upon seeing the emperor, she immediately knelt down and cried out in a shrill voice, "Your Majesty! I am guilty! I lied before!"
"It's...it's Mrs. Gu, Chu Ruohan! She gave me a large sum of money...I don't want to die!"
As soon as this statement came out, the whole hall was in an uproar.
Upon hearing this, Gu Junze's eyes suddenly turned icy cold, and the pressure around him became frighteningly low.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, and Ma Fuhai, the chief eunuch beside the emperor, rushed in with a flustered expression.
"Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!" Ma Fuhai knelt on the ground, his voice trembling. "News has come from the prison... Madam Gu... has been suddenly poisoned in prison and is in critical condition!"
"what?!"
Gu Junze turned his head sharply, his eyes instantly becoming bloodshot, and the calm he had been forcibly suppressing finally cracked.
The murderous intent in his eyes was almost bursting forth.
Prince Su was also taken aback, his face hardened, and a hint of disbelief flashed in his eyes.
How could that be? He clearly arranged for...
Gu Junze's gaze was like a knife as he swept over Prince Su, his voice icy and chilling: "The person behind this wants to kill you to silence you, so that there will be no evidence against you!"
Before he finished speaking, he disregarded the etiquette between a ruler and his subject, suddenly turned around, and strode out of the hall!
"presumptuous!"
There was an uproar in the hall.
The ministers were astonished. Gu Junze dared to behave so disrespectfully in front of the emperor, showing no regard for him whatsoever!
The emperor's face instantly turned ashen, and he gripped the armrests of the dragon throne so tightly they creaked.
"Father, please calm your anger." The Third Prince stepped forward again, his tone earnest. "Your wife is in grave danger. If a husband doesn't react at all, wouldn't he be worse than a beast?"
"General Gu may have acted improperly in his haste, please forgive him, Father Emperor."
He then turned to Chen, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes filled with pity, but his voice carried an invisible pressure.
“Ms. Chen, raise your head.”
Chen shrank back and looked up, meeting the Third Prince's eyes, which seemed to see right through people.
“Mr. Chen, Buddhism teaches about cause and effect and reincarnation. Your words and actions today are all sowing seeds of cause.”
"Do you know who will ultimately be punished for your evil deeds of telling a colossal lie and framing innocent people for your momentary gain?"
"Can you bear to let your children suffer this sin for you?"
Chen trembled violently. The Third Prince's words struck the deepest fears in her heart like a heavy hammer.
She was afraid, she was really afraid, that retribution would befall her innocent child.
"I...I don't want this..." she murmured to herself, her face filled with pain and struggle.
She was filled with guilt and fear, and wanted to tell the truth.
But when she thought of the threats from those people, and the possibility that her children might be in danger if she told the truth, her words caught in her throat.
"what--!"
Chen let out a desperate scream, suddenly stood up, and slammed herself against the crimson-gold dragon pillar in the main hall!
"boom!"
With a muffled thud, blood instantly stained the cold pillar.
Chen collapsed softly, her fate unknown.
"Father! My third brother... he actually drove someone to their death in the imperial court!"
Prince Su immediately seized the opportunity and pointed at the Third Prince, accusing him sternly.
The Third Prince turned around, calmly meeting the Prince Su's gaze, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Isn't it the person behind the scenes who orchestrated this murder, the one who drove someone to their death?"
"Second brother, why are you in such a hurry?"