RPAGF Chapter 286 Rumors and Gossip: Consort Jing is Pressuring Her
Chapter 286 Rumors and Gossip: Consort Jing is Pressuring Her
After Gu Junze returned to camp, Gu Cheng'an immediately came to greet him, his face full of lingering worry.
"Brother, are you okay?"
"fine."
Gu Junze patted his shoulder, the two brothers becoming so close for the first time.
Deputy General Shi quickly caught up, "Your Highness, the enemy camp's food supplies are indeed fake."
Gu Junze nodded without saying anything, and took the lead in lifting the heavy curtain of the tent and walking in.
Others followed.
He did not go to the Pingzhou battlefield alone this time, but brought with him the elite troops of the Eastern Camp.
After experiencing the upheaval caused by the rebellion of the Marquis of Anyang, Dongying underwent a thorough purge.
Those who remain today are loyal, reliable, and battle-tested warriors.
The tents were brightly lit, but the atmosphere was somewhat tense.
General Wang Wu, the Grand General Who Conquers the North, was already seated in the main seat, clad in armor, with a solemn expression, clearly having been waiting for some time.
"came back."
Wang Wu's voice was low and unreadable.
"Ah."
Gu Junze responded and walked to the side.
Wang Wu glanced at him and cut straight to the point.
"Is the Kingdom of Zheng willing to release the young prince?"
Gu Junze calmly met his gaze, but the answer was not optimistic.
“The prisoners can be released, except for Lin Jingchuan.”
Wang Wu's brows furrowed instantly, and his fingers tapped the table unconsciously, revealing a hint of irritation.
The Prince of Yong was pressing him hard, urging him to find a way to bring the person back.
But the Zheng state wouldn't let it go, so how could he explain himself?
Gu Junze seemed oblivious to his emotions, or rather, he didn't care.
He walked straight to the hanging military map, his gaze falling on the intricate lines.
"His Majesty has already sent an envoy to the Liang Kingdom."
"We were ordered to stay here and hold back Duan Qingye's main force at all costs."
Gu Junze turned around, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone in the tent, finally landing on Wang Wu, his voice steady and clear.
"General, what do you think His Majesty's intention is in doing this?"
Wang Wu pondered for a moment, his thick eyebrows twitching slightly.
"Perhaps they intend to use the strength of Liang to attack Zheng from the rear?"
The commander of Hirasu no Morishige, however, shook his head slightly and offered a different opinion.
"The Liang Kingdom and our dynasty have always been on friendly terms and have a harmonious relationship."
"But they may not be willing to easily get involved in a war that could affect them just because of this friendship."
Gu Junze nodded in agreement.
"good."
“If the Liang Kingdom joins the war, it will inevitably arouse the vigilance of the surrounding countries and break the existing balance.”
"They are always cautious and will not take this risk easily."
His long, slender fingers touched the map, tracing the border line between the states of Zheng and Liang.
"Unless there is a sufficient incentive."
Gu Cheng'an couldn't help but interject, "But doesn't the King of Liang owe the Princess a life? Isn't that a debt of gratitude enough?"
A complex emotion flashed across Gu Junze's eyes, a mixture of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion) and 嘲讽 (cháofěng, a feeling of mockery).
Time flies, and things are different now.
"People's hearts are fickle; who knows how much of the kindness shown in the past still holds true today..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wang Wu interrupted him.
"okay."
Wang Wu's tone was impatient, and his gaze was heavy as he looked at Gu Junze, with a hint of warning in his eyes.
"Your Majesty has your own considerations, which are far-sighted and far-sighted. How can you and I presume to know them?"
"You and I only need to follow orders, guard the Pingzhou defense line, and keep Duan Qingye occupied."
Upon hearing this, Gu Cheng'an's face immediately showed resentment, and his fists clenched slightly.
The elder brother is clearly a man of great wisdom and strategy; Wang Wu is obviously taking advantage of his seniority and deliberately suppressing him.
But he held back in the end, suppressing his dissatisfaction.
People have to bow their heads under the roof.
Wang Wu was appointed marshal by the emperor himself, and was someone the emperor truly trusted and relied on.
As for what secret order the Emperor would give to Wang Wu, no one except Wang Wu himself knew.
The atmosphere inside the tent became subtly tense for a moment.
Gu Junze said nothing more, turned around and walked out of the tent alone.
The night wind, carrying the chill of the northern frontier, rushed towards him, stirring the hem of his dark robe.
He looked up at the distant, rolling mountains.
"Han'er," he murmured softly, "no matter what lies ahead, I will return to your side."
Over in the capital city —
Three days have passed in a row.
Inside Jing'an Residence, Chu Ruohan remained silent.
She spent her days resting in the house to prepare for childbirth, or helping Doctor Qian with the medicinal herbs; her life was peaceful and uneventful.
Consort Jing, on the other hand, was getting restless.
In recent days, an old story has been quietly circulating in the streets and alleys of Beijing.
The story of the Tian family being wiped out was suddenly brought up again.
In the teahouse, the storyteller, spittle flying from his lips, vividly described the bloodshed of that night.
Inside the restaurant, groups of diners whispered amongst themselves, discussing the matter in hushed tones.
"Have you heard? The Tian family's situation is quite complicated."
"It's not just complicated, it's incredibly complex!"
"There are insider rumors that the Tian family knew some secret they shouldn't have known back then, which led to their deaths."
"What secret?"
Shh—keep your voice down! I heard…it's related to royal blood!
"My God! Really?"
"It's pretty much true. They said the Tian family wanted to use this to control that person in the palace, but... tsk tsk, they were silenced."
"Wasn't it said that the Dali Temple was investigating?"
"Who dares to investigate the truth..."
Rumors grew wildly like weeds, becoming increasingly outrageous, with their aim subtly pointing towards the depths of the palace.
This news naturally reached the palace as well.
Inside the Qianqing Palace, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable.
Chu Ruohan and Dr. Qian stood side by side, heads bowed and eyes closed.
High above, the emperor's face was ashen, his gaze sharp as a hawk's as he slowly swept over the two people below.
"You've probably heard the rumors circulating in the capital."
The emperor's voice was not loud, but it carried an oppressive feeling of impending storm.
Chu Ruohan's heart tightened, but she remained expressionless.
"Your Majesty, I have heard a little about it."
Dr. Qian fell silent, his forehead damp with sweat.
The emperor picked up a secret report from his desk and tapped it lightly on the surface.
"We've investigated, and these rumors originated from Jing'anju."
His gaze fell on Chu Ruohan, scrutinizing her, and his voice suddenly turned sharp, "What exactly are you two trying to do?"
Chu Ruohan's fingertips trembled slightly, and her hand, hidden in her sleeve, quietly clenched.
Her mind was clear.
Consort Jing.
This is Consort Jing forcing her.
This forced them to turn the tables and completely stir up the muddy waters.
Since there is no way to retreat, we can only face the challenge head-on.
Chu Ruohan took a deep breath and slowly knelt down.
"Your Majesty is wise; I had absolutely no intention of inciting rumors."
"If this rumor originated from Jing'an Residence, it can only mean that someone did it deliberately to frame someone."