Chapter 313: You Wangzhi, who has no choice

"Dugu Zhao!" You Wangzhi's voice was quenched with ice, every word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth, "He is a trusted old subordinate of our Old Pillar of State!"

He remembered the appearance of his eldest son by a concubine, You Xiling, lying in a pool of blood.

Remembered the heart-wrenching "Dad" of his eldest son by his wife, You Qifeng, before he died.

Remembered those children who had not yet reached adulthood but had turned into corpses.

And remembered Chen De's unscrupulous face.

His heart felt as if it had been crushed by a giant rock, so painful he could hardly breathe.

"Yes!"

Chen Yan's mouth curled into an imperceptible arc: "It was precisely the Old Pillar of State Dugu who gave the Dingxiang Marquis the confidence and courage to act recklessly regardless of everything..."

He paused, then laughed softly, deliberately lowering his voice, the sound like a poisonous snake's tongue, carrying cold bewitchment: "And with him there, no matter how great the sin the Dingxiang Marquis commits, in the end, it will all be reduced to nothing, and nothing to nothing..."

"These souls full of grievances in the courtyard, I'm afraid it will be difficult to clear their names and close their eyes!"

After speaking, Chen Yan leaned over, picked up a blood-stained corner of clothing on the ground, shook it lightly, and tossed it up.

Every word, every action, was like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely into You Wangzhi's heart.

It cannot be denied that this is provocation, it is adding fuel to the fire, but it is also the truth!

With this Old Pillar of State's character, he would definitely protect him to the death, even if Chen De almost slaughtered the entire Junior Marshal's mansion!

"As long as Dugu Zhao is here for one day, Chen De will not pay blood for blood!" You Wangzhi's whole body shook, his pupils contracted sharply, and he gritted his teeth.

Immediately, as if remembering something else, bloodshot eyes burst, and he said in a deep voice: "But Cheng Huai killed Chen Yan in the end..."

"I am not in the right!"

As he spoke, he clenched his fists tightly, his nails embedding into the old wounds in his palms again.

Blood beads dripped down between his fingers.

The hatred still surged, but there was an extra layer of dense anxiety.

He seemed to be trapped in an invisible net, clearly the enemy was right in front of him, but he was blocked by that thin veil of "not in the right."

Any movement would be used by Dugu Zhao to make an issue of it!

He wanted revenge, wanted to fight to the death, but had an inherent weakness.

Hearing this, Chen Yan's mouth curled into an arc, carrying a kind of composure that saw through everything, like a chess player watching the changes from the side of the chessboard, finally dropping a key piece: "Who can prove that your son killed someone?"

"Chen Yan's corpse is here, and the Jingzhao Prefecture also..."

You Wangzhi subconsciously raised his hand, pointing to the coffin brought by the Marquis Mansion private soldiers, inside which lay the dead Chen Yan.

But before he finished speaking, he analyzed the deep meaning in Chen Yan's words in his brain, and tentatively asked: "Chief Chen, what do you mean by this?!"

At the same time, a bold thought also appeared in You Wangzhi's mind...

"This Chief can help the Junior Marshal solve this worry!"

Chen Yan smiled, but his tone added a bit more playfulness, without selling it, and said directly: "The one who killed Chen Yan is definitely not your son!"

This sentence struck You Wangzhi's head like a thunderbolt, and he froze in place, unable to recover for a long time.

"Chief Chen, can you really?!" You Wangzhi's voice was trembling, almost unable to believe his ears.

A wave of ecstasy rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, instantly crushing all his sanity.

As long as You Cheng Huai's crime can be cleared, his revenge will be justified, and there will be no obstacles...

By then, the Old Pillar of State Dugu and Chen De will be the murderers who harmed the loyal and good!

Thinking of this, You Wangzhi's eyes were shockingly bright, as if seeing a glimmer of dawn in the boundless darkness.

"Of course!"

Chen Yan nodded slightly, giving a firm affirmative answer.

He paused and continued: "The power of interpretation of legal provisions is in this Chief's hands..."

"Governor Liu is also a smart person!"

"Knowing what should be done and what should not be done..."

Undoubtedly, with Chief Chen here, all the worries and concerns of Junior Marshal You were not a problem at all.

Does Governor Liu dare not cooperate?

It's just that words like having already controlled the Jingzhao Prefecture are not easy to say directly!

But this ecstasy didn't last long before You Wangzhi smelled a different taste, and tentatively opened his mouth: "I don't doubt the Chief's means..."

"We have no friendship before, but why does the Chief want to help me so much?"

For this young Mingjing Si Chief, who can turn his hands into clouds and cover his hands into rain, You Wangzhi believed it...

After all, he is backed by the Grand Chancellor, and his previous deeds are enough to prove he has this ability.

But there is no hatred without reason in this world, and there will be no love without reason!

Why would he help himself and send charcoal in the snow?

Chen Yan's mouth curled slightly, and the moonlight happened to fall on half of his face, illuminating that half-smiling expression clearly.

"Since the Junior Marshal asked, then this Chief will speak plainly..." He raised his hand to tidy his cuffs, his tone as frank as if he were talking about a very ordinary matter, "I suppose the Junior Marshal has also heard that the two Old Pillars of State have joined forces with my father, who is not up to the mark, time and time again to set up traps, wanting to put me to death, right?"

This was as blunt as naked, without half a cover.

Chen Yan's frankness shocked You Wangzhi.

He originally thought the other party would find some high-sounding excuses, but didn't expect it to be such a crisp and neat showdown, muttering: "The enemy of an enemy is a friend..."

He paused and continued: "Chief, you don't want to help me, but want to use my hand to deal with Dugu Zhao!"

This is not a complicated conspiracy, nor is it an unfathomable calculation, but the most direct exchange of interests.

The person you want to take revenge on happens to be the one I want to deal with, everyone has a common goal, so let's join forces!

"Exactly."

Chen Yan admitted extremely frankly, the corner of his mouth curling into a shallow smile, and asked: "Then I don't know if the Junior Marshal is willing to accept this Chief's help?"

"Hahahaha!"

You Wangzhi looked up to the sky and laughed, laughing until tears flowed out, mixing with the blood on his face and flowing into his mouth, salty and fishy: "Chief, does You have any choice?"

Even if he is used as a knife, even if he is used, he must take revenge no matter what!

You Wangzhi looked at the blood all over the floor, looked at those dead sons, and the hesitation in his eyes was instantly replaced by determination.

No matter what Chen Yan's purpose is, as long as he can make the enemy pay blood for blood, even if it is seeking skin from a tiger, he recognizes it!

Chen Yan smiled indifferently and said: "Since that's the case, then we have a happy cooperation!"

Chen is certain that this Junior Marshal has no reason to refuse...

This is his only perfect choice for revenge!

The next day.

Chang'an.

Inside the Taiji Hall, the pillars are towering, and the mottled vermilion paint reveals the majesty of the years.

The gilded coiled dragon lamp hanging on the hall roof has not been lit, and the morning light shoots obliquely into the hall from the windows on both sides of the hall door.

Casting long and thin light and shadows on the blue brick floor.

The air is filled with the smell of sandalwood mixed with dust, solemn to the point of oppression.

Civil and military officials gathered in twos and threes, and the lowered discussion sound surged like a tide.

"Heard it? Chang'an was not peaceful last night..." Sican Doctor Deng Xiaoru shrank his neck, his voice pressed like a mosquito hum, but his eyes kept glancing at the group of people in the Summer Office, "You Cheng Huai killed the eldest son of the Dingxiang Marquis, and the Dingxiang Marquis directly led troops to the Junior Marshal's mansion, cutting You Wangzhi's sons until only two were left!"

"The Dingxiang Marquis is really a temperamental person who acts according to his own will!" Simu Doctor Su Rang couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this.

He looked like someone who was watching the excitement and didn't think it was a big deal.

"Didn't they say You Cheng Huai killed Chen Yan, but it was actually a rumor?" Si Yue Doctor Yin Shou put forward a different opinion.

"Right!" Imperial Censor Changsun Lan pinched his beard, his brows slightly furrowed, "And with You Cheng Huai's weak body, could he kill the eldest son of a military Marquis?"

He paused and continued: "That Chen Yan's martial arts are not bad!"

You Cheng Huai killing Chen Yan simply didn't conform to logic and common sense...

Was that martial arts practiced in vain?

"The Jingzhao Prefecture investigated the scene and said that the two encountered assassins, one dead and one missing..." Yin Shou nodded and said, "But the Dingxiang Marquis mistakenly thought that the missing You Cheng Huai killed his eldest son!"

Deng Xiaoru still wanted to express his point of view, but heard Su Rang say loudly: "Look over there!"

Only to see You Wangzhi wearing plain hemp clothes, the fabric rough and abrasive, out of place with the brocade official robes worn by the surrounding officials.

His eyes were dark, his hair disheveled, and there were still undried tear stains on his face, completely losing the decency of a high-ranking official in the past.

He looked exactly like a person who was grieving after his family was destroyed.

"Why did this Junior Marshal You come to court wearing plain clothes?!"

The buzzing discussion in the hall stopped abruptly, as if someone had strangled their throats.

The eyes of the officials were cast on him in unison, and most of them carried shock.

A neat sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, accompanied by the eunuch's long-drawn-out singing:

"His Majesty arrives—"

"The Grand Chancellor arrives—"

Before the words fell, a group of attendants surrounded a young man wearing a dragon robe and walked into the hall.

The young man was about fifteen or sixteen, his face still carrying childishness, but his eyes revealed a restraint inconsistent with his age, and he was the current young emperor Yuwen Yan.

He walked to the dragon chair, sat down somewhat clumsily with the help of the eunuch, and his hands gripped the dragon chair armrests tightly.

Following him was the Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu, wearing a purple robe and jade belt, who walked unhurriedly to the specially made throne directly below the dragon chair and sat down.

Although that throne was half a foot lower than the dragon chair, it was covered with bright yellow brocade of the same color as the dragon robe, showing his power above the hundred officials.

"Long live, long live, long live His Majesty!"

"A thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years to the Grand Chancellor!"

The hundred officials knelt down in unison, and the sound of shouting "long live" and "a thousand years" made the hall beams buzz.

You Wangzhi straightened his slightly hunched back, walked step by step toward the center of the hall, finally landed in the center of the open space below the dragon chair, knelt down slowly, his voice hoarse yet every word clear: "The minister wants to impeach the Duke of Wei, Dugu Zhao, for instigating the Dingxiang Marquis Chen De to act recklessly, despise the law, and kill innocent people!" ===== CHAPTER 314 =====