Chapter 315: Relinquishing Military Power

Chapter 315: Surrendering Military Authority

The Emperor gave Gu Huai an amused but pointed stare. "Gu Huai, you can’t flip-flop now. You just said your wedding with Princess Qingyu is coming up."

"Gu Huai, you’re lying to your Emperor," the Emperor’s voice turned low and icy.

"Is the Duke’s army backing you up?"

The Duke controlled 100,000 troops, second only to the former Duke of Xinguo.

The Xinguo household held power in the northern frontier for decades. The Northern Frontier Army answered to both orders and the Xie family.

No ambitious emperor would tolerate the Xie family expanding unchecked.

Yet his elder brother and Xiao Cheng, out of some ridiculous sentiment, always supplied their armies, letting the Xie family keep growing stronger.

If military orders ever clashed with the Xies’ interests, would the Northern Frontier Army obey orders or the Xies?

No one knew.

Rather than gamble on the Xies’ loyalty, it was better to keep control of the armies.

To him, the Xie family had only one path—death.

The Duke’s Gu family held influence in the western frontier, without the Xie family’s clout, so he had let the Duke continue commanding.

But lately, Gu Huai was getting cockier.

Gu Huai’s heart sank. "I wouldn’t dare, Your Majesty."

Was the Emperor using this moment to reclaim the Duke’s military authority?

Would the Gu family inevitably meet the same fate as the Xies?

Gu Huai couldn’t bear to think about it.

"Is there anything you wouldn’t dare?" the Emperor said coldly.

"This doesn’t sound like loudmouth Heir Gu I know."

"If I recall correctly, last winter, you challenged the Duke, saying that if you were wrong, should I, the Emperor upon the golden throne, also publicly apologize to the world and kneel in repentance before the ancestral tablets of the Xiao family?"

"Gu Huai, tell me—what fault do I bear? For what should I repent?"

"Is it for what you call 'killing my nephew, usurping the throne, and persecuting loyal subjects'?"

The Emperor’s voice was soft and slow, laced with a creepy laugh, even carrying a hint of eerie excitement.

It was bone-chilling.

In an instant, Gu Huai’s face went white as a sheet.

Lu Mingchao was equally shaken, too shocked to speak.

She was stunned by the principled defiance hidden beneath Gu Huai’s seemingly reckless demeanor, and terrified by the Emperor’s spying on his ministers’ households.

The Emperor knew every word of the father-son argument.

The scariest part was that the Emperor chose to remain silent after learning of it.

It seemed the current Emperor wielded a force comparable to the Broidered Uniform Guard of Emperor Hongwu.

"I am guilty and beg for Your Majesty's judgment." Gu Huai stood on the edge of an abyss, knowing no clever words could fix his mistake. "I spoke recklessly and committed a grave offense, deserving severe punishment."

"However, my father is utterly loyal to Your Majesty, has no rebellious thoughts, nor has he ever shown the slightest disrespect. I implore Your Majesty to see this with your discerning wisdom."

Gu Huai kowtowed repeatedly, his head striking the ground heavily each time.

"I am willing to die to atone for my crime."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "Die?"

"I do not take pleasure in killing the innocent."

"But crimes must be punished, or the law would lose its meaning."

"Call for the Duke."

When forced to choose between military power and his son, what would the Duke decide?

Lu Mingchao keenly noticed the Emperor's gaze shifting back to her. She grew more humble and cautious, carefully concealing her thoughts, not daring to let anything show.

Gu Huai had only said some treasonous things.

But she had married Xie Yan, and the former Crown Prince Xiao Hang once called her 'mother.'

Compared to that, she deserved death even more.

"As I understand, the Empress Dowager bestowed upon you the ivory-carved mirage screen?"

"Your Majesty, the ivory-carved mirage screen was granted to me along with Her Majesty the Empress's other favors," Lu Mingchao answered calmly. "At first, I did not recognize it as the Empress Dowager's possession. It was only when County Princess Le Rong invited me to enjoy the flowers that the screen's origin was identified."

"The Empress Dowager does not bestow gifts lightly," the Emperor remarked coolly.

Lu Mingchao gave no sign of agreement or disagreement. "I humbly suggest it may be due to loving the owner extending to his crows."

The Emperor dotes on County Princess Le Rong.

Loving the owner extends to his crows?

His elder sister, Yongming Grand Princess, was the true "owner."

Whether it was Princess Pingning or County Princess Le Rong, they all enjoyed the shelter of Yongming Grand Princess.

"You may leave the palace."

"Within three days, depart the capital for Wanxing and Beiba."

I obey Your Majesty's command."

Without any delay, Lu Mingchao lowered her head in deep respect and backed out of the hall.

Though the process had been rather dangerous, in the end, she got what she wanted.

To travel to Wanxing and Beiba openly for disaster relief was precisely what she had desired.

The moment she pushed Lu Minghui out, she had already prepared herself.

She just hadn’t expected it would implicate Gu Huai in treasonous talk.

The Duke’s lineage had been loyal and distinguished in military service for generations—they could protect Gu Huai, but the military command of the western border would likely have to be relinquished.

From beginning to end, what the Emperor wanted was not the hot-headed Gu Huai, but to use him as a warning to the Duke, prompting his compliance.

This Emperor genuinely lacked the generosity to tolerate others.

He doubted those he employed, and he doubted those he didn’t.

Perhaps those who ascended the throne unjustly lived in constant fear of traitors threatening their rule.

Thus, he secretly established a secret police force comparable to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, meticulously monitoring every move, word, and even meal of his high-ranking officials.

It was truly fortunate that the Yongning Marquis’s estate was nothing more than a hollow facade, unworthy of the Emperor’s attention.

Under the corridor eaves, Lu Mingchao gazed distantly at Gu Huai, kneeling prostrate on the ground.

Gu Huai carried an innate arrogance—not a good man, but not completely wicked either.

With a soft sigh, she quietly followed the eunuch guiding her out of the palace.

In the long palace alleyway, lanterns swayed gently, casting mottled shadows.

Apart from the occasional patrol guards passing by, the surroundings were deathly quiet.

"Madame Xie."

The eunuch suddenly whispered, "Empress Dowager Xie has instructed that you need not trouble yourself over the matter of Xie Sanlang’s unborn child. It has already been properly arranged."

Lu Mingchao’s fingers curled slightly, but she remained composed. "What do you mean, eunuch?"

After tonight’s confrontation, she dared not underestimate the one seated on the throne again.

Heartless, he was a natural master at manipulating hearts, wielding power, and stirring storms.

The eunuch’s steps did not falter—quick and shuffling.

Once outside the palace, Lu Mingchao breathed a sigh of relief.

In Changning Palace, Empress Dowager Xie also heaved a great sigh.

If Cheng’er had been the one on the throne, why would Lu Mingchao have needed to tread so carefully in the palace?

Xiao Yao—truly, He deserved to die! she thought.

...

Within thirty minutes, the Duke hurried into the palace.

In just fifteen minutes, he left with Gu Huai.

"Father, it was my fault for bringing trouble upon the Duke’s estate," Gu Huai said, his voice racked with guilt.

The clip-clop of hooves echoed.

Some rough edges were smoothed away in an instant.

Under absolute power, no room for pride or individuality.

Everyone must kneel to power.

The eternal truth remains unchanged: those who submit thrive, while those who resist perish.

After tonight, the Duke's mansion would be just like any ordinary noble house in the capital.

The Duke glanced at Gu Huai and snapped, "His Majesty is magnanimous and does not hold your offensive words against you. You should remember this and be grateful for His Majesty's mercy."

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