I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 356 - 274: The Disciple Sends His Teacher to the Afterlife?
Seeing Gu Lan and Gu Changting leave, Commander Song Zhi asked lightly, "Vice Minister Xie, what brings you here?"
Xie Yun pressed his lips together, showing a complicated expression, "Commander Song, the Prime Minister is my teacher. Before you lead the imperial guards to raid his house today, could you let me see him one more time?"
Song Zhi frowned, tightening his grip on the Holy Decree, his voice devoid of emotion:
"The Emperor’s order is to deliver everyone in the Su Family directly to the Ministry of Justice’s prison. If I’m not mistaken, you were one of the most active in impeaching the Su Family. So why bother seeing Su Wenzhong now?"
Xie Yun sighed, his tone laced with a hint of desolation, his voice slightly deep like a spring breeze carrying fine rain:
"Indeed, the Emperor decreed as such, but the Emperor also stated to have the Ministry of Justice investigate the Su Family, not to have them executed indiscriminately. I just want to see the Prime Minister one last time, as a gesture of our teacher-student friendship. I assure you, nothing will go wrong. Moreover, if I truly wanted to save the Prime Minister, why would I—" Why would I destroy my own reputation and impeach my teacher?
Next to them, several officials passing by Xie Yun after the court session, usually respectful to him, now looked at him with a hint of disdain.
"The Su Family is indeed guilty, but Xie Yun stepping over his teacher to climb up is no good thing either."
"Still being called the First Gentleman, it’s truly laughable."
"Such a person seeking fame and fortune, it’s an embarrassment to be in the same office as him."
The subtle sarcasm pierced Xie Yun’s ears, yet he remained calm as if he hadn’t heard it.
Song Zhi stared at Xie Yun’s face, and after a long while, suddenly nodded, "Alright."
"Well then, if Commander Song truly refuses, then let’s pretend I never asked... Uh, alright? Th-thank you, Commander Song!"
Xie Yun thanked him in surprise, having prepared many arguments, not expecting Song Zhi to agree to his request so easily.
It was rumored that the head of the Imperial Guards, Song Zhi, was a stubborn and ruthless man, one that only the Emperor could sway.
Xie Yun had just been making a request. If Song Zhi really refused, he would have had to seek Zhou Xing’s help instead, to see Su Wenzhong in the Ministry of Justice’s prison sooner or later.
Song Zhi said coldly, "No need, Vice Minister Xie, accompany me to the Su Family, conveniently... as a guide."
Aside from the Su Family members, the person most familiar with the Su Family would be none other than Xie Yun.
Xie Yun followed Song Zhi and the imperial guards. As they approached the Su Mansion, the Black Armor soldiers surrounded the vast Su Mansion layer upon layer, not even allowing a bird to fly over this territory, with archers constantly watching the sky, searching for any carrier pigeons. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
Xie Yun looked up at the ebon signboard of the Su Mansion, his long and narrow eyes squinting, his gaze deep and complex.
The noonday sun was warm, casting on his slender eyelids, making him appear ethereal and gentle.
At this moment, the dark, profound doors were opened from within by an old servant of the Su Family.
After opening the door, the old servant knelt to the ground, crying out:
"The 271 people of the Su Family humbly welcome the imperial grace."
Song Zhi stood at the doorway with his sword in hand, his voice indifferent, "Vice Minister Xie, you only have one half of a two-hour period."
"Understood." Xie Yun took a deep breath, stepping into the Su Mansion’s gate.
He had lived here for many years, until passing the Advanced Scholar exam and becoming Crown Prince’s Companion, he then had his own residence.
The Su Family had a nearly century-long history in the Capital City, the current old Prime Minister Su Wenzhong was a renowned genius in his youth, praised even by the proud literary scholars of Wei Country, honoring him as the master of Yan Country’s literary circle.
Xie Yun had never witnessed that grandiosity; he only knew that his grandfather, Grand Tutor Xie, had been Su Wenzhong’s political rival, holding extremely opposing views.
The reason was, his grandfather had a close personal friendship with the Third Prince, Rong Jue, an intergenerational friendship.
The Third Prince, renowned for his literary prowess, was a rising star in Yan Country’s literary world. His grandfather often exchanged paintings and writings with him, while Su Wenzhong’s sister was the Empress, and he had married his daughter to the Crown Prince Rong Jing, birthing a grandson for the throne, forming an absolute Crown Prince faction. The Third Prince was the biggest impediment to the Crown Prince, and Su Wenzhong regarded his grandfather as a thorn in the eye, a pain in the flesh.
For many years, Xie Yun had suspected that the person who slandered his grandfather back then, causing the Xie Family to be executed, was none other than Su Wenzhong.
However, when he became a new Advanced Scholar investigating the matter, the former Emperor, upon re-examining the case, only redressed the injustice against the Xie Family, and by that time, Su Wenzhong was already the reigning Prime Minister, and everything just faded into oblivion.
Xie Yun’s gaze swept across the Su Family residence.
What he could never understand was, if Su Wenzhong, because of differing views, had secretly harmed his grandfather, why didn’t he eradicate the roots and kill him too?
In earlier times, he had Gu Chengluan’s protection, but Sister Luan soon departed, yet Su Wenzhong let him grow unscathed to this day—
Xie Yun shook his head, surveying his surroundings.
Growing up in this mansion in his youth, he had never had the mind to observe all of its aspects, daily thinking only of how to make ends meet, to coax Su Shoucheng’s son Su Zixiao.
Becoming friends with Su Zixiao made his days at the Su Family a bit better.
After the Xie Family was exonerated, Su Wenzhong valued him even more as a disciple, allowing him to no longer live under others’ noses.
The Su Mansion, with its century-old essence, had elegantly and grandiosely styled buildings, its ground paved with jade-like cobblestones. At this moment, the vast courtyard was completely empty, like colors falling from green pines, sunlight unable to penetrate the fickle worldly affairs.
In the distance, a small pavilion was Su Wenzhong’s study.
Xie Yun walked to the door, slowly pushing it open.
He understood Su Wenzhong; though aging, he was extremely afraid of death and would refrain from doing anything unexpected.
"Xie Jingqi, you have indeed come," an old, feeble voice sounded.
Xie Yun asked, "Teacher knew I would come?"
Sitting on a chair in the study, Su Wenzhong’s hands rested weakly on the armrests, his breathing was frail, "As my disciple for so many years, I believe I understand you quite well."
Xie Yun’s voice was soft, "The chestnut cake, was it tasty?"
Last night, Xie Yun visited Su Wenzhong, delivering, in the name of a disciple, a serving of his favorite chestnut cake from West Cao Street.
Su Wenzhong let out a bitter laugh, "You rascal, to keep me from attending court, you resort to such filthy tricks. Do you know excessive diarrhea for an old man can be fatal?"
Xie Yun’s lips curved into a fleeting, clear, cool smile.
He casually sat opposite Su Wenzhong, his gaze deepening, with a vibrant tint of flower colors:
"Are you not sitting well in front of your student right now? I know you’re reluctant to die and even more reluctant to have your head chopped off by the Emperor."
Su Wenzhong stretched out a hand, soothing his chest, calmly saying:
"The Emperor will not kill me. I am the father of the Empress, the brother of the Empress Dowager, and more importantly, the master of Dayan’s literati. Emotionally and rationally, the Emperor will spare my life to let me enjoy my twilight years."
The reason Xie Yun gave him laxatives was because he knew Su Wenzhong was a deeply scheming old fox. With him not present, state affairs would proceed more smoothly.
Xie Yun nodded in agreement, his gaze growing colder.
"Teacher is right, the Emperor won’t want your head, but he can kill several of your sons, the 200-plus people of the Su Family, deposing the Crown Prince and the Empress, leaving you to die of illness at the end of your life."
He paused, smiling as he asked:
"Teacher is at the ear-comforting age of sixty-seven, and should perhaps be plagued by untreatable maladies. Should I... send you on your way, Teacher?"
