"Has the cause of the avalanche that day been found out?"
"Not yet. It's strange, actually. According to the local geography records, Beiling has experienced major snow disasters before, but there have never been any avalanches. Given the natural conditions here, there shouldn't be any avalanches."
If it wasn't caused by nature, then it must have been done by human hands. In order to protect lives, the person behind the scenes really came up with one deadly move after another.
"I thank you, Magistrate Chen, for saving me that day. Is there anything else, Magistrate Chen?"
Lingyan gave a perfunctory thank you and then began to shoo people away.
"I have a feeling... that you dislike me, sir? Could you perhaps enlighten me?"
Chen Muxian smiled wryly, his eyes filled with puzzled confusion.
“Chen Kuling, don’t overthink it. I’ve always treated people this way,” Ling Yan said firmly.
This person was truly perceptive, although she genuinely loathed this heartless scoundrel who dared to plot against her. However, Lingyan didn't think she had shown it outwardly, and besides, she hadn't spoken to him more than a few times.
"It was my fault, Your Excellency."
Chen Muxian wasn't the type to pester Ling Yan, so since Ling Yan said so, he simply believed her and gracefully withdrew.
Lingyan then turned her gaze to the plum blossom that was in full bloom, reached out and broke it off, placing it perfectly on Gu Zhong's desk.
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, lest they wither and leave only bare branches."
Before long, the day of the banquet arrived. Gu Zhong temporarily borrowed the prefectural governor's mansion as the venue for the banquet. A few days ago, he arranged for people to make good preparations and secretly hid many guards throughout the mansion.
The gate was bustling with carriages and guests. Acquaintances chatted with great enthusiasm, and everyone seemed to be as close as family. However, they exchanged veiled insults and witty remarks for who knows how many rounds.
"Your Highness seems much more at ease attending banquets these days, and your migraines have subsided?"
Inside the quiet room, Lingyan stood behind Gu Zhong, straightened her hair ornament, and teased her.
"This is a banquet orchestrated by Gu Yi, far more interesting than those frivolous and boring palace banquets."
When Lingyan suddenly mentioned the excuses he used to avoid palace banquets in the past, Gu Zhong paused in adjusting his clothes.
"Has Your Highness reviewed the information compiled by the Capital Garrison on the various powerful families of Beiling over the past two days?"
"Rest assured, sir, I understand perfectly well."
"The banquet is about to begin, Your Highness, aren't you going out?"
I could faintly hear the tolling of the bell in the front hall; the banquet must be about to begin.
Why should I put on a show for these self-proclaimed noble families?
Gu Zhong scoffed, picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, determined to give those with ill intentions a taste of their own medicine today.
Gu Zhong finally appeared calmly, having already exhausted the patience of the people in the front hall. Those with guilty consciences were probably also impatient.
"Long live Your Highness!" All the officials in the hall rose and knelt in obeisance.
"My lords, please rise. I was delayed by some matters and it was my fault. I will punish myself with a cup of wine."
Gu Zhong raised the wine cup on the cutting board, covered her face with her sleeve, and made a gesture as if to drink it all in one gulp. Ling Yan, who was beside her, could see clearly that she had poured the wine all over the ground, but no one noticed because her sleeve was wide.
Those seated below repeatedly said they dared not accept such praise, and then raised their cups to drink together.
"Let the feast begin!"
Gu Zhong clapped his hands, and the serving maids filed in, filling the table with jade platters of delicacies.
After the maidservants withdrew, a group of singers and dancers entered the hall, bowed to Gu Zhong in greeting, and, after receiving her permission, began to sing and perform in the hall.
At first, the people who came to the banquet thought that Her Highness the Crown Princess had found a troupe of actors to entertain them. However, as the story unfolded in the hall, many people gradually stopped eating, broke out in a cold sweat, and dared not move at all, like statues.
"What? Do you gentlemen dislike this play?"
Gu Zhong sat at the head of the table, taking in the postures of everyone present.
Ling Yan sat to one side, secretly noting down the names of those who had reacted excessively, matching them one by one with all the information in her mind.
"Your Highness, please forgive us! We are filled with trepidation!"
Most of the people present knelt down again, and those who did not understand what was going on sensed something was wrong and followed suit.
In an instant, the entire hall fell silent, except for the actors still singing in the hall, who were performing the scene of "a god descending to earth to protect all living beings, but they only know the god and not the emperor."
"I have no idea what crime you have committed?"
Gu Zhong spoke softly, without a trace of anger in her voice, as if this "celestial sacrifice" she had deliberately arranged was merely for entertainment.
But no one would be foolish enough to really think that way. Today's banquet is clearly a trap. The spread of witchcraft in Beiling must have angered the Crown Princess. I wonder if His Majesty in the capital is already aware of it.
Throughout history, divine authority has merely been a tool for emperors to rule and educate the people. There has never been a case where divine authority superseded imperial authority, let alone instances of people being fooled into abusing their power, or of imperial merits being stolen and placed above religion.
On a grander scale, this is an attempt to overthrow the current regime and usurp the throne, and those who facilitated the cult are all accomplices.
The Crown Princess was assassinated outside the city, presumably because she happened to encounter a shaman and priest on her way to a lower county.
Those involved secretly resented those audacious individuals who, knowing the Crown Princess was patrolling the border, still dared to openly perform sacrifices. Were they afraid of not being exposed quickly enough, or did they think they had too long a life?
Gu Zhong waved for the actors and troupe to leave for the time being, and coldly swept her gaze over the silent crowd below. The sheer number of aristocratic families who were providing great assistance to the witchcraft sect far exceeded her expectations.
As the saying goes, what the superiors do, the inferiors follow. If this is the case in Beijun Prefecture, it is no wonder that the county magistrates of the lower counties are difficult to manage and the people of the whole city are fanatically devoted to the faith.
However, this also made Gu Zhong realize something: these aristocratic families actually had little respect for the emperor. If it weren't for the presence of a large army, they probably wouldn't have acted so submissively.
After all, the rise and fall of dynasties can last from a few decades to several hundred years. Who knows who will sit on your throne tomorrow?
The aristocratic families, however, have a long and distinguished history. As long as their lineage continues, it doesn't matter who rules the world. They don't care about the emperor's worries. As long as it brings benefits, what's wrong with betraying the royal family?
Lingyan coldly watched the crowd of people bowing and scraping before His Highness. She guessed that in her previous life, when Gu Zhong was overthrown by Chen Muxian, these noble families, remembering the old friendship of the previous dynasty, had also contributed a lot.
However, it is truly chilling and appalling that these officials of Beijun, who are paid by the emperor, are in cahoots with him.
Why is no one answering my question?
Gu Zhong stood up and slowly walked down the steps, exuding an awe-inspiring imperial majesty.
Silence remained; no one wanted to be the first to bear the brunt of the Crown Princess's wrath.
"I was unaware that Beiling could be renamed Wu Kingdom. In a few years, the northern army will likely have to change its allegiance."
"Take another look at this."
Gu Zhong flicked his sleeve and threw a handkerchief on the ground.
Still, no one dared to step forward.
"I'll show you!"
Gu Zhong suddenly shouted, and many people below couldn't help but shudder.
At the urging of his colleagues and powerful families, the prefect had no choice but to bite the bullet and shakily climb forward to pick up the handkerchief.
"This...this is a banded serpent?"
The prefect was shocked when he saw it.
"Oh? The prefect knows the meaning of this emblem?"
Gu Zhong pressed for an answer.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty saw this more than ten years ago... This is... the emblem of the former imperial guards."
The prefect stammered out these words, then bowed down again, not daring to breathe.
"What a coincidence! My whereabouts are quite secretive, so why did these remnants of the previous dynasty choose such a good place to ambush me?"
Your Excellency Prefect, has your Beiling Prefecture been thoroughly sieved?
"I wonder which one of you here is willing to go to such lengths to take my life? Today, I'll have to have a good talk with you all."
Gu Zhong walked back to the head seat and sat down, pretending to have a heart-to-heart talk with everyone. She made a show of force in the hall, just to disturb the mind of the people behind the scenes.
However, it is impossible to find the spies hidden in Beiling County by relying solely on a few days of investigation and verbal bluffing.
The real killer move is outside the mansion. Today, the Crown Princess is holding a grand banquet for the officials, and the heads of all the powerful clans and bureaucrats in the city, as well as their wives, are gathered here. It is precisely when there is no one in charge of the household.
Gu Zhong's presence at the front line led to the sealing off of the city and the order for soldiers to thoroughly investigate each household. With the person in charge of making decisions blocked and the channels of communication cut off, the group was leaderless, which was the perfect opportunity to strike at the heart of the matter.
Lingyan focused her attention on Chen Muxian. He only showed a slight change in expression when the prefect shouted "the ringed snake." Otherwise, he remained calm and detached, as if everything was truly none of his business.
The more so, the more terrifying he becomes. Putting aside his despicable methods and character, he is indeed a formidable opponent.
"Report! Your Highness! Urgent report from the Northern Border! A barbarian army of 50,000 is launching a massive invasion!"
An unexpected military intelligence report broke the oppressive silence in the hall.
"Ha... What a brilliant scheme! Colluding with foreign invaders, how wonderful!"
Gu Zhong gritted his teeth. The barbarians had to come at this exact moment to cause trouble, no one would believe there wasn't a traitor among them.
Despite her reluctance, the Crown Princess had no choice but to deal with the military situation first. She hurriedly strode out of the palace, and Lingyan quickly followed.
"Without my decree, no one may enter or leave this gate!"
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Author's Note:
Revising is so hard, writing is so difficult QAQ
The author is already bald.
Chapter 13 The Imperial Tutor and the Crown Princess (Part 12)
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As the Crown Princess departed, the gates slowly closed. The once silent hall suddenly erupted into a clamor.
"This brat has gone too far! How dare he treat us like this?"
"Rou Ru just vomited! Would you have dared to say that when Your Highness was here?"
"What should we do now?"
"What do you think, Lord Chen?"
An old man with a round face and a white beard appeared beside Chen Muxian at some point, his eyes looking ahead, but he was asking him a question.
How would I know?