Chapter 1957

Chi Potian took a deep look at Gao Yang, understood the meaning in Gao Yang's eyes, sighed in his heart, and then said to the scholars and commoners behind him, "Gentlemen! Everyone, listen to Chancellor Gao and disperse!"

"Do not make things difficult for Chancellor Gao!"

Seeing this.

Huang Zhizhan, Chen Wanjuan, and others also spoke out one after another.

For a time.

Some sobbed in low voices, some bowed deeply to Gao Yang, and the crowd began to retreat slowly, filled with endless unwillingness and grievance, like a receding tide.

Seeing the crowd retreat, Gao Yang dismounted and looked at the Imperial Guards before the Chengtian Gate, and then at the imperial palace behind them.

He straightened his simple green shirt and faced the direction of the imperial palace; across the layers of palace halls, he seemed to be able to feel that extremely cold gaze.

He bowed slowly and meticulously, performing a salute.

"Commoner Gao Yang thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"

After the salute, Gao Yang straightened up and did not look at anyone else, including the shaken Zhang Ping and Zhang Shou, and including Li Long, who had a complex expression.

He took his horse and strode away.

Li Long looked at the resolute departing back, his throat bobbing, finally turning into a heavy sigh.

"..."

Soon.

The news that Wu Zhao had issued an edict granting Gao Yang's resignation spread throughout Changancheng at a terrifying speed.

Among these, the Imperial Study naturally knew faster.

"What did you say? Gao Yang... came forward to stop this rebellion?"

"He came?"

Wu Zhao, in her black dragon robe, had been dealing with memorials, her expression cold, but after hearing Xiao Yuan's report, she raised her phoenix eyes, her face full of astonishment.

"Yes!"

"Your Majesty, you don't know, the situation was extremely dangerous at the time; although some commoners retreated, thousands were still full of anger, and some Han Lin scholars were even willing to use their chests to face the spears in the hands of the Imperial Guards, wanting to die to remonstrate!"

"Just when it was about to spiral out of control, Chancellor Gao appeared!"

"He stopped this rebellion, and when he left, he bowed in the direction of the imperial palace to thank Your Majesty for your grace."

Wu Zhao's phoenix eyes paused.

"Bowed?"

"Thanked for grace?"

Wu Zhao appeared calm, her expression unreadable, but in reality, a trace of imperceptible panic surged in her heart; she said in a deep voice, "What did he say, what did he do? Tell me, word for word!"

Xiao Yuan had a complex look in her eyes and recounted everything exactly as it happened.

Finally, Xiao Yuan added, "When Chancellor Gao left, his eyes were very empty, as if the light had gone out, and his body was bent even more..."

Wu Zhao felt as if something had fiercely tugged at her heart.

But what followed was a tide of doubt, and a regret that she herself was somewhat afraid of!

Because... she realized a very terrifying thing.

If this was truly planned by Gao Yang behind the scenes, why would he appear and stop it all?

As a poisonous strategist, he should have stirred the water to make it muddy, so he could fish in troubled waters and reap greater benefits.

He had painstakingly incited all of this, only for it to end so hastily?

This was not Gao Yang's style.

And with Gao Yang's capabilities, this method was too low-level.

You must know, the Zhao Kingdom was left half-dead by just one of his schemes.

He insisted on resigning, not hesitating to break with her, and now, carrying the petition of the masses, what was his goal? To be restored to his original position?

The more Wu Zhao thought, the uglier her expression became.

An endless sense of lingering fear surrounded her from all sides, wanting to swallow her completely!

Especially when Wu Zhao thought of the words of Zhang Ping and Zhang Shou, that it was Gao Changwen who went to deliver the bamboo paper and planned all of this, her face turned almost deathly pale!

Who was Gao Changwen?

If Gao Yang really wanted to incite everything, would he use Gao Changwen?

Even setting aside all previous speculations, just the fact that Gao Changwen was sent to deliver the message was filled with a huge sense of unreliability!

Just that single sentence about Gao Changwen delivering the message was enough to conclude—this was absolutely not planned by Gao Yang!

But in her rage, she had been blinded by fear and suspicion, completely ignoring this fatal loophole!

If it wasn't Gao Yang...

In this instant, Wu Zhao's face turned deathly pale, turning into heaven-shaking fury!

She raised her phoenix eyes, looked directly at Xiao Yuan, and said in an unquestionable, extremely urgent voice, "Xiao Yuan, you immediately follow Li Long and take people to the west of Changancheng, find that Han Lin scholar named Wang Sheng, and bring back the bamboo paper he received from Gao Changwen last night, every single sheet, exactly as it is!"

"This matter must be fast, and it must be secret! Do not alert anyone, especially... Zhang Ping and Zhang Shou; send people to watch them closely, make them wait outside the palace gate for me, and without my edict, they are not allowed to move a single step!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan's eyes widened.

Clearly, she had also figured all of this out.

She nodded repeatedly and quickly took people out of the imperial palace.

Inside the Imperial Study, it was as silent as a tomb.

Wu Zhao stood alone behind the dragon desk, her black dragon robe making her figure appear even more isolated.