Chapter 1207 – Zhao Shao’s Death (5)
Jiang Pengji was quite straightforward, or rather, too straightforward.
She directly categorized the whole world by interests, but Han Yu was at a loss for words.
Suddenly, a horrifying thought popped into Han Yu’s mind.
He made a bold hypothesis.
“Is it really impossible for the gentry to completely dominate the commoners?”
Jiang Pengji chuckled, “Of course not.”
“Not possible?”
Han Yu’s heart sank; he didn’t want to hear any more, fearing Jiang Pengji’s words would unleash the most terrible beast within him.
“Naturally, there is a way—using religious beliefs to deceive the masses. Once you control their thoughts, they become a herd of pigs without any notion of rebellion rather than humans with a backbone.” Jiang Pengji shrugged dismissively, looking quite disdainful, “It’s far easier to control millions of commoners riddled with rebellious thoughts than millions of brainless pigs, right? But if one truly does that, they’ll be remembered as historical villains.”
Han Yu shivered involuntarily, his gaze wide with horror as he looked at Jiang Pengji.
He secretly wiped away a cold sweat, thankful that the person before him still had a clear mind; otherwise, it would be too terrifying.
“The gentry wants to monopolize the benefits, unaware of the risks they’re taking. I won’t be as foolish as they are.” Jiang Pengji snorted, “Sure, if the lords manage to get support from the noble families, it’s a huge boon, but nothing comes for free. Once you take someone else’s profit, you should cough up even more benefits to satisfy them. I don’t want anyone pointing fingers at me or holding me back—”
Han Yu said, “I initially thought our leader setting up on her own was reckless, but now I see the profound wisdom in it.”
Jiang Pengji shamelessly replied, “Just a little cleverness, nothing worth mentioning.”
Han Yu: “…”
Flattering you a bit really got into your head, huh?
After exchanging a few words, the topic shifted back to Cheng Xun.
“I actually feel sorry for Gong Liao and Mr. Wenfu. Cheng Xun followed his old master to his death, preserving his good name, but how long will his surviving family take to recover from the grief of his passing?” Jiang Pengji held no ill will towards the man since she hadn’t even met him, so it was hard to feel either dislike or fondness, “I’ve heard that Cheng Xun has a wife and children at home; it’s simply tragic.”
Han Yu looked at her with a peculiar expression, as if Jiang Pengji’s viewpoint was the odd one.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
Han Yu said, “Our leader is compassionate.”
Jiang Pengji responded, “I don’t believe you; I feel there’s an ulterior motive in your words.”
Han Yu helplessly replied, “Our leader is well-read. Are you not familiar with the saying, ‘Brothers are like limbs, wives are like clothes; torn clothes can be stitched, but severed limbs cannot be reunited’? Gong Liao is grateful to Lord Zhao and willingly sacrifices himself for loyalty, so how could he live just for his wife and children?”
Jiang Pengji felt quite uncomfortable inside.
Who would’ve thought you, Han Wenzhong, would turn out to be such a scumbag.
“You really think that makes sense?”
“I can’t agree,” Han Yu replied, “Wives and children are also blood relatives, not to mention Gong Liao’s parents are still alive.”
Jiang Pengji said, “Wenzhong seems to have a strong will to survive.”
Han Yu looked puzzled.
His confusion was justified.
Jiang Pengji had all sorts of slick talk; how could he possibly keep up with her rhythm from a bygone era?
The two of them, the newly minted lord and minister, seemed to get along quite well from an outsider’s perspective.
But only they knew the true nature of their conversation.
Wei Ci noticed Han Yu appearing behind Jiang Pengji and secretly let out a sigh of relief, feeling it was as expected.
Whether in past lives or this one, Han Yu was destined to serve under the leader.
He sincerely hoped that this time their collaboration would yield favorable results—so that Han Yu wouldn’t have to end his life with a mouthful of gold and write a lengthy letter of apology before his demise. Wei Ci hadn’t seen the contents of that letter, but Han Yu had indeed penned a farewell letter to his old friend, revealing the twists and turns of his fate. During that time, the emperor fell gravely ill, and with court politics unstable, she had to handle affairs while sick and couldn’t afford a moment of relaxation. Although Han Yu’s suicide was ultimately for the emperor’s sake, it also dealt her a great blow.
Han Yu’s wife came from a noble background, and she maintained close contacts with her family, conspired against him.
Han Yu spent years in the office revising laws, and sometimes he would run about collecting case files from various places.
As a middle-aged man who rarely returned home, Han Yu completely missed the movements in the rear courtyard and thus fell into a trap.
After the failed coup, Fu Wang led troops to confiscate the homes of the conspiratorial officials, and Han Yu also got entangled due to his wife’s relations.
Han Yu hadn’t participated in the conspiracy, but his wife used his name and connections; it was a mess he couldn’t wash off even if he jumped into the mother river.
The emperor intended to protect Han Yu, but he penned an apology letter at home, accepting blame and committing suicide by swallowing gold.
Why did he do this?
Because if the emperor protected a Han Yu, she wouldn’t be able to deal decisively with other conspirators—a real catch-22.
Han Yu was willing to bear the weight of punishment to let the emperor act freely, dragging down a whole bunch with him.
Sigh—
Wei Ci sighed as Han Yu’s voice floated softly into his ears.
“Zixiao, it’s been years, and you’ve really made progress.”
Wei Ci replied amiably, “Not as much as Wenzhong.”
Han Yu snorted, his sarcastic tone taken as praise, feeling utterly deflated.
“Are you not afraid Yu will really become angry?” Han Yu asked, “Yu seldom debates with others, and you happen to be one of the few.”
Wei Ci had sold out his friend before, but being confronted head-on made him somewhat embarrassed.
“The leader is great; regardless of what Ci says, Wenzhong will recognize her.”
Wei Ci said warmly, quickly steering the conversation back on track.
In their previous lives, without Wei Ci’s assistance, the emperor managed to win over Han Yu and make him utterly devoted.
Otherwise, why would Han Yu choose to swallow gold?
Because a true scholar would die for one who understands them!
Han Yu: “…”
He finally got to witness the power of a devoted fan.
But—
Han Yu nodded and said, “She truly is exceptional.”
Wei Ci agreed.
The two whispered to each other, and soon Wei Ci steered the topic towards family matters.
Wei Ci humorously lamented that at nearly thirty, he was still single while praising Han Yu for having a beautiful wife and children.
Han Yu didn’t see anything wrong with this topic and soon coaxed out what he wanted to know.
A sinking feeling filled his heart as Han Yu caught a fleeting emotion flicker across Wei Ci’s eyes.
Han Yu asked, “Is there something wrong?”
After all, they were fellow disciples; Han Yu naturally knew Wei Ci had a knack for divination.
The crucial part was that this diviner wasn’t just a talking head or a market fortune teller; he had genuine skill.
Wei Ci replied, “Sister-in-law has some issues, nothing major, but—”
Han Yu interjected, “What exactly is the issue?”
Wei Ci said, “Be wary of your wife’s family; beware of petty people.”
He had studied divination and had read Han Yu’s fortune in their past life.
Back then, his insights were vague, but he had a faint sense Han Yu would encounter petty troubles, though he didn’t know the source.
In this life, things were clearer, and he felt the need to warn Han Yu.
Han Yu’s brow furrowed. He turned to Jiang Pengji, not having considered the implications on his wife’s side.
But—
“Is it really that serious?”
Wei Ci replied, “It concerns your life and family; one misstep could lead to disaster. Staying alert is never a bad thing.”
Han Yu’s expression grew grave, “Hmm, I will take note.”
