Liu Ji entered the secret chamber, taking only Guo Meng and another guard holding a tray with him.
The tray was covered with a black silk cloth, making it impossible to tell what was inside.
"Prime Minister, how have you been?"
Xiao He, who was leaning against the corner with disheveled hair, slowly raised his head, cupped his hands and said, "This old minister pays his respects to Your Majesty."
"No need for formalities. I have come here today to ask the Prime Minister for a favor. I hope the Prime Minister will understand my predicament and grant my request," Liu Ji said with a smile, secretly anticipating Xiao He's crazed expression upon hearing the words "I'll take your life."
Xiao He smiled and said, “Your Majesty, please speak frankly. This old minister deeply regrets the crimes I have committed. Even if Your Majesty were to execute me, or even kill my entire family and exterminate my three clans, this old minister would never harbor the slightest resentment towards Your Majesty. It is all my own fault. If Your Majesty could show mercy and spare my family from the calamity, this old minister would be willing to commit suicide to preserve Your Majesty’s reputation.”
? ? ?
"What did you say?" Liu Ji blinked, looking completely bewildered.
"Even if Your Majesty were to take my life, kill my entire family, and exterminate my three clans, I would not harbor the slightest resentment towards Your Majesty. If Your Majesty could spare my family, I would be willing to commit suicide to preserve Your Majesty's reputation!"
The moment Xiao He saw Liu Ji, he already guessed what he wanted to do. For the emperor of a country to come to the prison to see a prisoner, there must be something he was up to.
After listening to Liu Ji's words, which expressed understanding of the difficulties and a firm commitment, Xiao He became even more certain that Liu Ji had come to kill him!
What could Xiao He say at this point? If he hadn't encountered that mysterious person, Xiao He would probably have just asked for a dignified death to protect his family.
But now, Xiao He decisively told the mysterious man what he had been taught, and it turned out to be surprisingly effective.
Xiao He saw an extremely complex emotion on Liu Ji's face. It was not emotion, but rather a mixture of surprise, helplessness, fear, and even a feeling that someone had caught him red-handed.
After being taken aback, Liu Ji realized that Xiao He had guessed that he was going to kill him, so he tried to show his loyalty and escape with his life, or perhaps he was sacrificing himself to save his family.
If it's the first scenario, Liu Ji has no reason to be afraid; he can simply kill Xiao He. Does saying he has no resentment mean he has none? Who would believe that?
But if it's the second scenario, then that would be troublesome. Back then, Wu Rui, the King of Changsha, died for his family without any regrets. He really got himself into a lot of trouble, and he gained very little resentment.
If killing Xiao He this time is also a waste of time, it will be really hard to explain to Hei Long.
Thinking of this, Liu Ji recalled Xiao He's past and realized that there might indeed be a possibility that he had no regrets. What could he do? Alas, it's not that easy to deceive me!
"Prime Minister Xiao, even now you still try to deceive me! Let me tell you the truth, I never intended to let you go this time. Furthermore, I have received accusations that your two sons are plotting a rebellion. How can I not exterminate your entire family? It would be best if you, Prime Minister, committed suicide, and I might consider leaving you with a complete corpse. As for anything else, hehe, I'm afraid I cannot comply!"
Liu Ji smiled coldly, "Let's see if you can keep up the act. Wouldn't it be better to just have a good last laugh or just pounce on me and fight to the death?"
Guo Meng immediately drew his sword and stood ready, fearing that Xiao He would fight to the death. If he had been treated like this by the lord he had served for many years, he would have fought to the death as well.
Upon hearing this, Xiao He was furious and was about to berate Liu Ji when he noticed a familiar mask on the face of the guard behind Liu Ji!
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my body. However, since my son dared to commit treason, it is only right that his entire clan be exterminated. Your Majesty may proceed as you see fit. If Your Majesty is concerned about the damage to your reputation, I may personally execute the rebellious son! Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will never harbor the slightest resentment towards you!"
Liu Ji, “…”
Chapter 190 Thanking the Emperor for His Great Grace
"This old minister will never harbor the slightest resentment towards Your Majesty!"
Xiao He's words echoed in Liu Ji's ears, making Liu Ji really want to curse him as an idiot. How could he be so blindly loyal to such a foolish emperor, even wanting to kill his own family without asking any questions? He should just leave himself a whole corpse.
The fact that a person could be so foolish is simply the kind of wise and virtuous minister that every emperor dreams of.
The problem is that what Liu Ji needs now is not blind loyalty, but resentment!
"You..." Liu Ji's hand trembled as he pointed at Xiao He, wanting Xiao He to commit suicide right now to see if Xiao He was really as he said.
But judging from Xiao He's smiling face, he seemed to have truly come to terms with it and was already prepared to die willingly. What was the point of testing him further?
He's probably far inferior to even Wu Rui, the King of Changsha. This is outrageous!
Xiao He smiled calmly. It seemed that the masked man was right. After he made it clear that he had no grudges, Liu Ji was indeed a little flustered.
But this was not the most shocking thing for Xiao He. What shocked him the most was that the guard behind Liu Ji had a mask that was exactly the same as that of the masked man!
Although Xiao He had no particular relationship with this Commandant of the Guards, he had seen him many times and was certain that it was not someone in disguise.
Judging from his physique, this guard captain was not the same person as the masked jailer who had visited him earlier.
But at the critical moment, this person brazenly put on the mask, using it as a reminder to continue following the plan.
Of course, after it worked, the other party secretly removed the mask, while Guo Meng and Liu Ji's attention was entirely on Xiao He.
They are truly skilled and daring. That masked man managed to plant his confidants next to Liu Ji, or perhaps these two have an even bigger backer?
Xiao He maintained his smile, imagining the masked man while enjoying Liu Ji's speechless and bewildered expression.
Liu Ji was at his wit's end and could only call out to the Black Dragon in his heart, "Dragon God, Xiao He has lost his mind. He wants to commit suicide to protect my reputation, and he also wants to personally kill the Xiao family members whom I have falsely accused of treason, without even a hint of doubt."
He even said it was all his own fault, and guaranteed he harbored no resentment towards me whatsoever. What can I do? Should I kill him or not? What if I kill him and he has no resentment—no, no luck—wouldn't that be a pity?
Black Dragon had actually been secretly watching Xiao He's performance the whole time, after all, this was a considerable gain. However, Xiao He's performance did surprise it a little, but that was all.
"Hehe, Liu Ji, is this all you've got? Didn't you realize that when you said you wanted to kill his whole family, Xiao He was already barely able to contain his anger? He clearly didn't expect you to be so shameless."
Although he later reverted to his submissive attitude, that fleeting moment of vulnerability couldn't be faked. Therefore, his attitude was very likely an act.
"Pretending? I see. Thank you for the reminder, Dragon God. I'll send him to his death now. If he gets less fortune, Dragon God, please don't blame me." Liu Ji didn't care whether Xiao He was real or fake. As long as the Black Dragon didn't blame him for it, he didn't care whether he killed him or not.
Black Dragon sneered, "Wait a minute. Who said you were going to kill Xiao He now? What if Xiao He really comes to his senses and has no regrets after revealing a weakness? Wouldn't you have wasted your time?"
"What does the Dragon God mean?" Liu Ji naturally noticed that Xiao He's expression changed slightly at that moment, but he still dared not gamble, and obviously the Black Dragon was also unwilling to gamble.
"It's very simple. Capture all of Xiao He's family members and make him kill them one by one. If he doesn't kill them, you kill them for him and see if he still resents you!" Heilong laughed heartily after saying this. This method would definitely bring Xiao He's resentment towards Liu Ji to its peak.
Liu Ji was slightly taken aback, then said with difficulty, "Dragon God, if I really do this, those ministers will definitely cause a huge uproar. The Lü clan already harbors resentment towards me for refusing to be granted the title of king, and they might take this opportunity to cause trouble."
"So what if you take this opportunity to cause trouble? You can just admit your mistake and step down voluntarily, right? Anyway, you're going to the immortal realm, so just leave the mess to your successor. How long can you manage it?" the black dragon said dismissively.
Liu Ji thought it made sense. If things went well, they might even be able to replace the crown prince. "In that case, I will follow the Dragon God's plan."
"Good! You truly are the person I've chosen." Black Dragon replied with satisfaction.
Liu Ji put his hands on his hips and said, "Hehe, I admire the Prime Minister's noble character, Guo Meng."
"Your subject is here," Guo Meng replied, clasping his hands in greeting.
"Take men and arrest all members of the Xiao family and bring them here. I want to see how the Prime Minister will uphold justice and even kill his own family. Hehe." Liu Ji stared at Xiao He with a playful expression.
Xiao He felt a chill run down his spine, but his expression remained largely unchanged. At this point, he could only hope that what the masked man said was true.
Guo Meng frowned. Killing Xiao He was bad enough, but to also arrest the entire Xiao family was outrageous. He gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, please reconsider."
"Hmm?" Liu Ji glared at him. "I have already thought it over thrice! Do you intend to defy me as well?"
Unexpectedly, the Imperial Guard Commandant, carrying the tray, also spoke up at this moment, "What crime has the Prime Minister committed? Why does His Majesty treat the Prime Minister like this? I believe the Prime Minister is utterly loyal to His Majesty..."
"Shut up! How dare you, a mere Commandant of the Guards, question my decision? If you dare to say another word, I will kill you as well!" Liu Ji was furious. Guo Meng was, after all, a marquis, and he had known Guo Ji for many years. It was one thing for him to offer a word of advice, but what right did this Commandant of the Guards, whose name he didn't even know, have to interrupt?
Although the Commandant of the Guards was one of the Nine Ministers, there was more than one. He was only responsible for leading the guards who guarded the palace gates and patrolling the perimeter of the palace. It was a thankless position.
The Commander of the Imperial Guards, responsible for protecting the inner security of the palace, was a true high-ranking official among the Nine Ministers, a position traditionally held by Chen Ping. If Chen Ping hadn't been transferred to oversee the construction of the imperial mausoleum, Guo Meng wouldn't have sought out this Commandant of the Guards.
Guo Meng originally intended to let this Commandant of the Guards show his face more to Liu Ji, hoping to cultivate him. However, Guo Meng did not expect that this person would be so bold as to question Liu Ji at this time, especially when it involved such a major matter as the life and death of the Chancellor.
In the early Han Dynasty, when Liu Ji had bestowed more than a hundred marquises upon him, it would be strange if the Commandant of the Guards, who had no merit, no title, and no fame, could even catch Liu Ji's eye. How could he be qualified to plead for Xiao He? To speak ill of Liu Ji would be tantamount to courting death.
"Wang Weiwei! Stop talking nonsense! Is this something you can interfere in? Why don't you go and issue the order to arrest the Xiao family?" Guo Meng was annoyed. He should have known better than to bring him along.
“Yes.” Wang Weiwei responded, but stopped abruptly as he was about to turn around. “Then this thing…”
"Put it on the ground." Guo Meng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, this person was not stupid. If he dared to anger His Majesty again, then even a god could not save him.
"Here." Wang Weiwei slowly squatted down, placed the tray in his hands on the ground, and then got up and walked outside.
"Since I have nothing to do, before the Prime Minister's family arrives, I'll loosen up the Prime Minister's bones first. Anyway, the Prime Minister won't resent me, right?" Liu Ji raised his eyebrows, "Let's see if you can still laugh later."
Xiao He looked in the direction where Wang Weiwei had left and laughed heartily, "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!"
Chapter 191 Fear of one's wife
Xiao He knew that if it hadn't been for Wang Weiwei's rash questioning, he might not have been the one to issue the order to capture the Xiao family, and the Xiao family would have been in grave danger.
But now, I'm afraid Liu Ji can't even catch half of the Xiao family. Without the threat of the Xiao family, he can continue this game without resentment. Liu Ji seems to care about this, and frequently tries to provoke him, attempting to make him resentful.
Now that I know this, how could I let Liu Ji have his way?
At worst, it's just physical pain, which is nothing compared to heartache.
Why should I, who wholeheartedly helped Liu Ji conquer and rule the world, be smeared with my own innocence simply because my prestige among the people is higher than Liu Ji's?
However, Liu Ji's good days probably won't last much longer. With the powerful masked man and the forces behind him, eliminating Liu Ji wouldn't be difficult.
At this moment, on the roof of this prison cell, Xiang Yu frowned.
“God of Wine, your idea doesn’t seem to work. Liu Ji didn’t listen to that Commandant Wang.”
"Haha, the historical records are probably wrong. I knew it. How could Liu Ji possibly listen to the advice of an unknown person? And he even dared to criticize Liu Ji for his shallow vision. It's clearly a fabrication."
Of course, it's also possible that Liu Ji was influenced by the Black Dragon and was too determined to kill Xiao He. "It's alright, we can just delay a little longer; reinforcements have arrived." Hao Jiu pointed towards the gates of the prison.
The main gate of the imperial prison.
"The Empress has arrived! Jailers, come and pay your respects immediately!" Lang Wei announced loudly.
The jailer groaned inwardly. His Majesty had said that no one was to disturb him, but the person who had come was the Empress. What could he do?
"This humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress!"
"Rise. Is Your Majesty on official business in the imperial prison?" Empress Lü, dressed in magnificent robes and adorned with jewels, asked coldly.
"Uh, yes." The jailer wiped his sweat. Since Empress Lü had already come here, she must have received the news. He wouldn't dare to lie to her even if he had ten thousand lives.
"Lead the way, let me see what important business His Majesty has come to the imperial prison for," Lü Zhi said calmly.
"Well, His Majesty has ordered that no one should disturb him. Besides, this prison is a filthy place. How can the Empress, whose body is of utmost importance, enter lightly?" the jailer said through gritted teeth.
"Hmph! Seize this man. He has defied me, and his crime deserves death." Empress Lü flicked her sleeves.
"Yes, sir!" The two guards agreed and rushed up.
The jailer was terrified and immediately kowtowed repeatedly, crying, "I'm innocent! Your Highness, spare my life! I was only following His Majesty's orders!"
Empress Lü smiled slightly, "Very well, I will ask His Majesty when I see him. If His Majesty admits that he does not allow me to enter, I will have you released. If His Majesty does not admit it, then you are guilty of falsely conveying the imperial edict, and you shall be punished for both crimes, and your entire family shall be exterminated!"
The jailer shuddered. "His Majesty would never admit it! Everyone knows His Majesty is henpecked!"