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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 125: Eying
Yuwen Shu summoned Yuwen Eying, but before that, he deliberately took her to see the miserable state of Li Min and Li Hun to instill fear.
Although Yuwen Eying was the widow of the deceased Duke, it was her maternal grandfather who had usurped the throne. Naturally, she had not suffered much. After being imprisoned, although she found it hard to eat and sleep, her daily life of luxury had not been interrupted, and no one dared to treat her harshly.
She originally thought that her husband and the others were in a similar situation, but she did not expect them to be tortured like this. Angrily and fearfully pointing at Yuwen Shu, she said, "You... how dare you do this?"
Yuwen Shu calmly replied, "This is the Emperor's will."
The Emperor's will also required someone to dare to carry it out. Pei Yun did not dare, but Yuwen Shu did, and he even dared to extend and elaborate on it.
"I am the Emperor's niece; I want to see the Emperor."
"But the Emperor is not in the mood to summon you."
"Then I want to see the Empress."
Yuwen Shu nodded, "The Empress is kind-hearted; perhaps she will meet you. However, the Empress cannot go against the Emperor's wishes. My lady, rather than seeking help from others, why not rely on yourself?"
Yuwen Eying wanted to maintain her dignity, but the sight of several people hanging nearby made it impossible for her to do so. She could only follow Yuwen Shu's words: "What should I do then?"
Yuwen Shu smiled and said, "With your noble background, if it weren't for Li Min's involvement, you should never have fallen into such a place in your lifetime. Since that is the case, why not abandon him for your own safety? Are you worried about not finding a worthy husband in the future?"
"He wouldn't dare rebel."
"Li Min is known as a demon and an omen; the country has condemned him—there is no saving him!"
After saying this, Yuwen Shu's expression gradually turned cold. No matter what, he was someone who had commanded an army. Terrified, Yuwen Eying could only tremble and say, "I do not know where I stand; I only follow what my elders have taught me."
Thus, Yuwen Shu dictated the teachings, while Yuwen Eying personally wrote them down. The Li Family intended to rebel, and Li Hun secretly told Min Yun: "You should plot against the throne; you will become the emperor. Now the Sovereign has good soldiers, troubling the common people. This is also the downfall of the Sui Dynasty; it is indeed time for us to take it."
"If we cross the Liao River again, you and I will surely be great generals, each commanding over twenty thousand troops, totaling fifty thousand men. We can also mobilize our relatives and friends, recruiting more to join the expedition. My family’s sons will definitely be the commanders, leading the troops scattered among various armies, waiting for opportunities to respond."
"You and I will advance first, attacking the Imperial Camp. Our sons will raise their voices, killing the military generals. Within a day, the world will be settled!"
After Yuwen Eying finished writing, she couldn't help but say, "I have often heard people say that you are not skilled in military affairs and strategies; now it seems those were mere words."
Yuwen Shu smiled proudly on the surface but felt frustrated inside. Why was it that when he was leading troops into battle, his mind wasn't as sharp? How strange.
He then ordered someone to send Yuwen Eying back and went to see Li Hun's wife. Logically, it should have been easier since she was his own sister-in-law.
However, unexpectedly, he was slapped in the face by the Yuwen Clan: "You want to kill my husband and my children, yet you still dare to come see me!"
Yuwen Shu angrily replied, "What are you talking about? We are close relatives; I will ensure your safety as well as that of my nephews."
"Pah! Nice words! Do you think I don't know you? Without your title, you have become a traitor's offspring with no future to speak of, living in humiliation at your uncle's house begging for scraps. It would be better to die cleanly!"
"Your vision is shallow! Those are my nephews; in the future, I will surely secure a prosperous future for them."
"Oh? You plan to devour the Li Mansion completely and throw us a few scraps?"
Yuwen Shu's face turned red as he slapped Yuwen Clan down: "Then go die together with Li Hun!"
...
At the court meeting, Yuwen Shu presented Yuwen Eying's handwritten confession: "I have obtained evidence of Li Hun and Li Min's rebellion and have a secret letter from his cunning wife. I humbly request Your Majesty to review it."
Last night, several officials from the Ministry of Justice had already reviewed the contents, and thus the Courtiers were also aware of it. How could the Emperor not know?
However, after reading it, the Emperor surprisingly covered his face and pretended to weep, saying, "Our dynasty is on the brink of collapse, thanks to my Father-in-law for saving us!"
The Civil and Military Courtiers could hardly bear to listen, but who would dare to say that the Emperor was being insincere? Who would have the courage to defend those two at this moment?
Taking advantage of the Courtiers' silence, the Emperor immediately issued an edict to execute Hun Min and thirty-two others from the Clan, all of whom were present in court or military. The rest, regardless of age, were to be exiled beyond the mountains.
The Emperor restrained himself from a wider purge, which was also a concession to prevent panic among the Courtiers. After all, he knew that executing two high-ranking ministers based on baseless accusations was already excessive.
Thus, the Emperor declared that he would set out for war, determined to completely eradicate Goguryeo and solidify the position of the Sui Dynasty and the Celestial Empire.
When news reached Duke Tang's Residence, Li Jian Cheng and his son once again petitioned for Li Min and Li Hun, but they were rebuked by the Emperor, who imposed a fine of two years' salary on Li Yan.
"This is a good thing; it would be even better if they stripped him of his title," Li Yan thought to himself. He wondered if this matter could be considered completely settled. If not, there was no one in the Court more prominent than him as Duke of Tang.
Li Shimin furrowed his brow. "This is against propriety; how can His Majesty so easily execute court ministers?"
Li Xuanba expressed his concern as well: "We cannot petition for mercy any longer; our father and brother should be cautious and even consider self-deprecation."
Li Yuanji remained silent but kept his head down, clearly troubled.
It was evident that they all felt fear; while speaking of death might seem easy, it was only when it loomed overhead that one realized how terrifying it truly was.
It was no wonder they felt this way; after all, they were still young and had witnessed their own kin being killed or exiled simply because of their surname.
For the first time, the oppressive imperial power made them realize that while being a noble might allow one to act arrogantly towards commoners and officials, in front of the emperor, it meant nothing.
"Jian Cheng, the matter we discussed last time has been arranged."
Li Jian Cheng replied, "Everything is in order."
He then reassured his younger brothers, "Don't worry, this will pass quickly. You don't need to be too anxious."
…………
The emperor soon left the capital, taking with him his Valiant Fruit Army and the Million-Strong Army to cross the Liao River once again. The arrangements were identical to those made last time; perhaps this was the emperor's pride.
The army continued to split its forces. One contingent of four hundred thousand troops besieged Liaodong City, which had only forty thousand defenders, while another force led by Come to Protect the Child with the Naval Forces and Yuwen Shu with his army—totaling over six hundred thousand—attacked Pyongyang City.
This time there was no Envoy for Surrender, but facing the walls of Liaodong City that had been reinforced countless times, although the Sui Army had numerical superiority, they still struggled to take it quickly.
Siege towers, battering rams, ladders, tunnels, and death row prisoners took turns attacking. Liaodong City swayed on the brink of collapse yet held on tenaciously. However, with only forty thousand defenders and some conscripted Commoners, they could not withstand the relentless assault from the Sui Army.
…………
(End of Chapter)
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