Chapter 1367: The Path of the Power Minister (Final Chapter)

Qin Yingyuan heard Gu Chengyu’s voice and finally snapped back to reality. Her gaze towards Gu Chengyu was incredibly complex, filled with hatred, regret, and an obvious affection.

“Gu Chengyu!”

Gu Chengyu heard a hoarse female voice, paused in his steps, and turned around.

Qin Yingyuan looked at the fluttering robes ahead and the jade-like visage, suddenly laughed, “It’s nothing but a flower in the mirror, a moon in the water!”

Gu Chengyu was taken aback and then looked fixedly at Qin Yingyuan. Last time, he didn’t notice, but now he understood the meaning in Qin Yingyuan’s eyes. Was it really as he thought?

“Let me ask you, if the Emperor hadn’t arranged our marriage, would you have married me?” At this moment, Qin Yingyuan only wanted to know one answer, that’s all!

“Absolutely impossible!” Gu Chengyu, after being stunned, immediately shook his head.

He didn’t expect this Commandery Princess to still be clinging to these things even on the brink of death. He remembered they only met once when she kidnapped Yao Mengxian. Other than that, they had no interactions and he didn’t understand why this Commandery Princess would take a liking to him. It was simply unfathomable.

As for marrying her, that was truly impossible. If it were because his mother fancied her and he had to marry, then finding a way to marry her might have been feasible, given the inevitable fate of marriage.

However, the Eldest Princess insulted him and his mother so severely. If it were only sarcasm towards him, he wouldn’t care, as he wasn’t so petty.

But she insulted his mother, something he could not tolerate.

In this world, no one could love him unconditionally except his mother. Coming to this era, he finally felt the warmth of maternal love. How could he allow others to treat his mother like that? What was all his struggle for?

With these words, a wave of hatred surged in Qin Yingyuan’s heart; it was not a matter of ability, but an impossibility.

“Where am I lacking compared to her? In terms of family, I outrank her; in terms of appearance, I’m not inferior.” Qin Yingyuan was unwilling, unwilling to accept such an answer.

Gu Chengyu was rendered speechless; how would he know where she was lacking? Marrying Yao Mengxian was due to his teacher. However, he admired her for being a rare, brave, and steady ancient woman.

“There’s no comparison!” Gu Chengyu shook his head. He didn’t know this Commandery Princess, so there was no way to compare.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yingyuan coughed up blood. Swallowing the remnants, she smiled bitterly, “In your eyes, she’s indeed different.”

Gu Chengyu’s lips twitched; she seemed to have misunderstood. But thinking it over, there was no need to explain to an unrelated person. Besides, regardless of his feelings for Yao Mengxian, he was bound to marry her.

Remembering the Little Emperor awaiting him, Gu Chengyu turned and left. But he hadn’t walked far when he heard a startling sigh from behind.

Turning back, he saw that the once exalted daughter of the heavens had fallen on the chaotic ground.

“Prince! She poisoned herself!” The young general seemed at a loss, not expecting such fierceness from this woman.

“Bury her!” Gu Chengyu didn’t check if Qin Yingyuan was still alive. Even if saved, what difference did it make? She was bound to die, sooner or later.

“Min, Min, wake up!” As Gu Chengyu reached the city tower, he suddenly heard a shrill shout from behind.

The voice was familiar, so he turned around to see it was the Eldest Princess.

The Eldest Princess was hysterically turning over the body lying on the ground, looking disheveled and mad.

“Min, why are you so foolish?” The Eldest Princess finally found Qin Min’s corpse and cradled it, weeping bitterly.

She had blamed and hated before, but in her days of confinement, enduring was only her longing and worry.

This sight stirred something in Gu Chengyu. The once proud Eldest Princess was now a pitiful and pathetic madness.

Mothers are alike worldwide; they all love their children.

Gu Chengyu sighed and walked towards the city tower. The downfall of an aristocratic family is but a matter of a day, and all is nothing but fleeting clouds!

…

“Prince! The Emperor has returned to pacify the ministers. He instructed me to tell you to visit the palace upon returning.” Ming Mo reported to Gu Chengyu as he ascended the tower.

Gu Chengyu nodded; the Little Emperor was indeed responsible.

“Send someone to escort the Eldest Princess back. Wasn’t she confined in the mansion? Why is she here with no attendants? Find out.”

The Eldest Princess was the Grand Empress Dowager’s daughter. Even if her husband and son were unforgivable, it wasn’t related to her, and the Grand Empress Dowager wouldn’t want her in danger, would she?

“Yes!” Ming Mo answered, following Gu Chengyu down the tower.

As they descended, a soldier arrived to report, “Prince! The Eldest Princess committed suicide!”

“Go and see!” Gu Chengyu frowned; if she was dead, it would indeed be troublesome.

Arriving at the scene, Gu Chengyu saw the Eldest Princess lying in a pool of blood. Beside her were Qin Min and Qin Yingyuan’s bodies. He sighed again; even in death, they sought to die together.

He intended to check the Eldest Princess’s pulse, but upon rolling her over, he saw a deep gash on her neck. No need to check the pulse; it had been completely severed.

“Collect the bodies of these three, and after informing the Emperor, deal with it accordingly.” Remembering the Eldest Princess was of the Imperial Family, Gu Chengyu realized the Emperor would want to prepare a princely funeral for her.

The other two might, perhaps, be buried together. No need to fuss over trivial matters with the dead.

“Place Prince Jing’s, Xiao Ba’s, and Lu Chen’s bodies separately.” Gu Chengyu instructed, then turned to leave.

Remembering Xiao Ba’s background, having concealed himself for so many years, who knew if there were remnants of the former dynasty? The Emperor must be informed to investigate thoroughly.

“Emperor! Who would have thought Prince Jing was bold enough to attack the Imperial City? Hmph! Eliminating these worries at once is truly satisfying. Yet, there’s still no word from the border. We don’t know if Prince Gong still lives.”

Qian Licao was delighted to hear that Prince Jing had been slain. Without Prince Jing’s threat, the court was much more stable. It’s just that Prince Gong remained unsolved, still a major concern.

“Reporting to the Emperor, Prince Gong died five days ago at Zifeng Prefecture!”

Hearing a voice, everyone turned to see Gu Chengyu entering, dressed in plain mourning attire. The hem stained with spots of crimson, like blooming red plum blossoms.

However, they knew it wasn’t any plum blossom, but blood, human blood.

In his blood-stained and murderous aura, appearing before them, everyone fell silent, afraid to utter a sound.

Now, with no threat from the two figures, the empire belonged to the Little Emperor, and to Gu Chengyu. Knowing the times, they dared not disrespect Gu Chengyu.

“Your servant greets the Regent King!”

…

In the first year of Xizong, Prince Jing led troops to attack the Imperial City. Regent King Gu Jinyu confronted him and killed him outside the city gate, protecting the capital.

On April 27, Emperor Guanghui’s eldest son Zhao Guangye ascended the throne, changing the national title to Xizong and appointing Regent King Gu Jinyu to manage state affairs alongside the Emperor.

From then on, the Regent King embarked on his path as a powerful minister…