I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 354 - 272: Chilly Winds, Su Family Broken

Gu Lan stared at him, her clear eyes glinting coldly, her voice sharp, questioning without a trace of emotion:

"When I don’t attend court, I’m accused of being arrogant and disrespectful, defying protocols. When I do attend, I’m labeled an unworthy playboy. Why is it that whatever is said, it’s always by Lord Su?

When Prince Rui was diligent throughout his life, fighting battles, yet died at the hands of his own; when I defended the southern border and defeated eighty thousand enemies; when Prince Xiang led his troops to suppress Yinzhou—Lord Su, where were you, and what did you say then?"

Her eyes were as cold as a winter pool, her aura formidable, unreserved in revealing the battle spirit that returned with her.

It wasn’t until this moment that the surrounding officials realized that standing before them was no longer the wanton Heir of Duke Dingyuan they once knew, but the Pingnan General returning from the battlefield.

Su Shoucheng faced Gu Lan directly, retreating half a step, his face flushed with anger. Flinging his sleeve, he shouted, "A crude military brute, engaging in slanderous acts, unworthy of high society!"

"The same line of words, repeated over and over. Yet, Lord Su, Dayan was built and protected by the so-called crude military brutes. The northern border is cold and harsh, ravaged by Qiangrong, with suffering people. It’s my marquess’ lineage that bled for generations on the battlefield to build Dingbei Pass and defend Dayan’s territory;

The southern border is barren, with all nations gathered, a mix of fish and dragons. It was Prince Rui who stationed in Yinzhou with his own flesh and blood, protecting the southern border’s safety, allowing people to live in peace. However, he didn’t die in battle against enemy troops but rather on the city walls he defended, falling by the hands of the Yan people. Prince Xiang couldn’t bear the unrest among troops, so he refrained from investigating at that time.

The Marquis Mansion, the Prince, they bravely fought on the frontier, defending home and country. What were all you distinguished officials doing at the rear? To ask everyone, who isn’t saddened for Prince Rui? Yet, will all in attendance allow the Su family to bring chaos to the court, harm fellow officials, and chill the hearts of the people?"

Faced with Gu Lan’s sharp questioning, Su Shoucheng’s eyes flickered, momentarily at a loss for words.

The military officials in the court, recalling the tragic death of Prince Rui, were all breathing heavily, their eyes moist with tears, their fists clenched tightly.

Gu Lan stepped forward, raised her hand, and presented the memos and documents, saying word by word:

"Prime Minister Su Wenzhong’s son, Assistant Minister of Rites Su Shoucheng, aided the Crown Prince in the Jiande first year spring examination, secretly colluding with second-place scholar Xu Wencai, embezzling a thousand taels of gold from him; the evidence is here;

As Vice Minister Xie stated, the governor of Ningzhou, Su Shouli, facilitated the Qiangrong people’s infiltration into the southern border; Prince Xiang has already investigated this matter, and evidence is here;

The traitor Li Yuanju’s concubine in the Capital Mansion was secretly gifted by Crown Prince Rong Qichun, in an attempt to win over supporters; this concubine is a woman from the Su family, and evidence of guilt is here;

The illegitimate children of the Su family, including Su Zhengming and two others, conspired in the Jiande first year spring, in Yinzhou with border army death warriors to assassinate Prince Rui. His wife and three daughters fled to Tongzhou with a hundred taels of gold, and this evidence is here—"

With every word spoken by Gu Lan, the expressions of the Su family members in the court grew more ghastly.

Finally, Crown Prince Rong Qichun was sweating profusely, trembling all over, kneeling on the ground, his teeth chattering.

Rong Miaoyan looked at the Crown Prince and softly asked:

"It’s not the dead of winter, why is Crown Prince Brother shivering? They say if you don’t have a guilty conscience, you won’t fear ghosts knocking at the door. Look, the Prime Minister is also my maternal grandfather, yet, I’m not afraid at all."

Rong Miaoyan never had any sibling feelings for the Crown Prince since childhood; in her heart, she always believed Rong Qichun lacked virtue and talent, unfit to be a country’s crown prince.

For some reason, she would rather admire her Uncle Rong Heng, also known as Wu, than be close to the Crown Prince and Second Prince. Rong Miaoyan thought perhaps her nature was inherently cold.

The Crown Prince’s face turned from red to pale, gritting his teeth without saying a word.

Rong Jing quietly listened to Gu Lan’s words, and even though he had seen countless military reports describing how Young Master Gu heroically maneuvered and strategized in battle, hearing it himself was more vivid.

—Gu Lan was still the capital’s playboy in name only, but today, everyone saw the true face beneath her unruly façade...

The next generation Duke Dingyuan in Dayan still displayed grand aspirations, still capable of serving as a pillar of the nation.

Rong Jing rotated his thumb ring of jade, his long eyes tinged with a color like peach blossoms, deeply gazing at Gu Lan.

He suddenly thought, thankfully, the southern border was in Rong Heng’s hands, thankfully, Gu Lan entered the capital in white and had handed over military power.

At least, he trusted Wu harbored no disloyalty, but he did not trust Gu Lan.

This young man held no fear or reverence for the Emperor in his heart.

"Enough!"

The Crown Prince, repeatedly provoked, finally couldn’t control himself and roared in anger.

"This is the Taihe Palace, how dare you scream and shout here, Gu Lan, don’t think that just because you won a battle, you can lecture the Prime Minister. Don’t think that just because you’re the Heir of Duke Dingyuan, you can manipulate His Majesty!"

Gu Lan fiddled with her ear, not even glancing at the Crown Prince.

Whether in the original book or now, the Crown Prince was merely a puppet supported by the Su family.

He wasn’t the Empress’s biological son, merely raised under her name as an heir. The Su family was his only support, and now that the Su family was being impeached and about to fall, he naturally became more anxious and irritable than anyone else.

Zhang Fengcai stepped forward and took the document and dossier from Gu Lan’s hand.

Gu Lan looked directly at Rong Jing, his voice calm as he lazily said, "The one causing a ruckus is not me."

Rong Jing picked up Gu Lan’s memorial and slowly opened it.

In the next moment, his narrow, deep peach blossom eyes were stunned for two seconds.

This...

He looked up at the elegant and extraordinary Young Master Gu, his eyes filled with a complex emotion.

"You..."

Gu Lan politely asked, "Your Majesty, is there anything amiss?"

Rong Jing’s gaze moved to the spider-like handwriting in front of him, thinking, what could be amiss? How could Gu Lan ask such a question?

A person who has always hidden his talents, acted like a playboy yet is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and holds a high position of power, suddenly has an endearing flaw that made him both laugh and sigh.

This little annoyance, which used to fill him with dread and disdain, suddenly seemed much more pleasant.

"Continue speaking," Rong Jing took a deep breath, restrained his emotions, and continued to read.

Some of the evidence here had been previously reported by Xie Yun and Rong Miaoyan, some had been investigated by Song Zhi, and then there was Rong Heng’s statement and the scene of Rong Shuo’s death, which gradually cooled Rong Jing’s gaze.

The Su Family, including Su Xinyu, indeed deserved death for their crimes.

Gu Lan lightly cleared his throat and continued:

"The Prime Minister is the pillar of the nation, leading all officials and governing state affairs. However, Prime Minister Su, being a veteran of three reigns and in the position of Prime Minister, behaves tyrannically, filling the court and the country with his protégés, planting and employing traitors everywhere. Considering historical records, Su Wenzhong is the first among these unprincipled ministers! I ask all officials, are you receiving the Emperor’s salary, or the Su Family’s salary?"

After this was said, the entire court of civil and military officials was utterly silent.

The grand hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, with only the intense and heavy breathing of the Crown Prince kneeling on the ground.

Rong Jing finished reading Gu Lan’s personally written memorial, looked up, his gaze cold and calm, passing over each person one by one.

After a long while, Rong Jing spoke deeply, "Han Ande, Ning An."

"Present," Han Ande and Miaoyan stepped forward simultaneously.

"The Ministry of Personnel is to investigate the examinees of the spring imperial examination. If what Xie Yun and Gu Lan said is true, revoke the academic and official positions of those involved, never to be employed in any prefectures or counties again. Gu Chengye, you will resume responsibility for the spring imperial examination, and the Second Prince, having nothing to do in the mansion, will be in charge of the palace examination."

"I comply with the order."

Rong Miaoyan knelt on the ground, lowering her head to accept the order, and when she heard the words "Second Prince," she couldn’t help but curl her index finger.

The collapse of the Su Family and the Crown Prince’s factionalism have inadvertently allowed the Second Prince, previously out of the succession picture, to gain the advantage.

Combining this with Xie Yun’s previous assignment to visit the Second Prince, it was clear that the Emperor indeed intended to nurture the Second Prince anew.

"Song Zhi," Rong Jing called out another name, his low and hoarse tone carrying a hint of murder.

"Present."

A clear and cold voice rang out, and Gu Lan couldn’t help but turn his head to look at the military general who stepped forward.

Song Zhi stood tall and wore the robes of a military general, with his shoulders covered in dark blue light armor. His face was stern, moving like the wind, akin to a drawn blade with an indifferent demeanor towards the world.

Upon closer inspection, Song Zhi had distinct and handsome features, but his aura was so cold and hard that one wouldn’t notice his outstanding appearance.

Remarkably, he had a pair of phoenix eyes, with pure black eyes that only focused on Rong Jing, devoid of any other emotion.

If she remembered correctly, this man named Song Zhi was the head of the Imperial Guards in the original story, who remained by the Emperor’s side through numerous battles.

Later, Song Zhi, seeking to avenge the Emperor, unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Rong Heng, who had become Regent King, upon his entry to the capital, and then fled to Chen Country with the Second Prince.

In Chen Country, he killed the Monarch of Chen but did not make himself emperor. Instead, he supported the Second Prince to the throne and lived until the story’s end, continuously causing trouble for Dayan from behind the scenes.

Due to his handsome looks and loyal nature, he and the Second Prince had many fans shipping them as a couple outside the story.