Xie Jiayan's face remained impassive, unafraid. "Uncle Gu, you cannot kill me. If you don't believe me, turn around and take a look."
Before Gu Bohao could turn, he heard the Eighth Prince's voice, "Lord Gu, save me! Lord Gu, save me!"
A flicker of disgust flashed in Gu Bohao's eyes. This good-for-nothing who could achieve nothing.
Gu Bohao smiled sinisterly. "Xie Jiayan, it seems you came prepared. I underestimated you."
"Uncle Gu, call off your troops."
"You might as well advise me to die. Xie Jiayan, if you haven't experienced someone's suffering, don't advise them to be kind. I, I want this entire world to die with me." Gu Bohao sneered. "Why don't you try what mutual destruction feels like? Fire the arrows!"
"Gu Bohao, how dare you not save me, how dare you not save me! Feng Qirui, Feng Qirui, hurry and save me..."
Feng Qirui arrived in a hurry with his troops from Ying Tian Gate. Seeing the Eighth Prince being held hostage, he exclaimed, "Stop!"
If the Eighth Prince were to die now, how could they hold the Son of Heaven hostage to command the feudal lords? It would be illegitimate and without proper authority, and how could they make the Northern Army obey their orders?
"Gu Bohao, have you gone mad?" Feng Qirui lowered his voice. "We want Emperor Yong'an's imperial decree, not to fight them. If you fire the arrows and a real war breaks out, we might not have the advantage."
Gu Bohao sneered. Advantage? When had he ever considered having an advantage? He wanted them to fight, to plunge the Great Wei into chaos, endless war, and the more people who died, the better.
"To this day, do you think we still have room for negotiation? How could Yong'an appoint such a fool as the new emperor? It would be better for you, Brother Feng, to rebel. We will assist you, and from today onwards, Brother Feng will be the new emperor." Gu Bohao enticed.
Feng Qirui was indeed tempted. He glanced at the Eighth Prince, who was greedy for life and fearful of death, and thus incapable of achieving anything significant. However, he was always cautious, worried about being used by Gu Bohao.
"Brother Gu has the support of the noble clans, why don't you declare yourself emperor and instead want to assist me?" Feng Qirui's eyes shifted.
"Me?" Gu Bohao let out a laugh. "My only wish is revenge. Whoever helps me overthrow the Xiao family's empire will be my lord."
Feng Qirui saw that Gu Bohao spoke with conviction and did not seem to be lying. Before Hua Chaofei could make a move, a dart shot out from his sleeve unexpectedly. The Eighth Prince died on the spot.
Hua Chaofei had not expected Feng Qirui to make a sudden move and was truly caught off guard. Xie Jiayan and Hua Chaofei exchanged a look. Judging by the situation, a battle seemed inevitable.
"Brother Feng has excellent martial arts. If we seize the opportunity and attack Shen Hu Gate, we might soon become saints." Gu Bohao wanted to add fuel to the fire, igniting Feng Qirui's ambition.
After speaking, Gu Bohao looked at Xie Jiayan. "Jiayan, Emperor Yong'an cannot tolerate you. Not only did he dismiss you from your post, but he also sent you out to die at this time. Why not seek a new lord?"
"Uncle Gu, your resentment and desire for justice from the Sage are understandable. However, by instigating chaos throughout the land, you become a sinner to the world." Xie Jiayan said word by word, "The Great Wei now has the hearts of the people, its borders are stable, and Crown Prince Xiao Che shows signs of being a wise ruler. The Sage has already agreed to abdicate, and after the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the Great Wei will usher in a new era of prosperity and peace. Uncle Gu, are you certain you want to become a sinner for your own selfish reasons?"
"Haha, how ridiculous! Do you think you alone can uphold the banner of integrity in the Great Wei's officialdom, sweep across the land, and cleanse the world? The world is treacherous, and human hearts are unpredictable. The court is rife with infighting and factionalism, everyone acts for personal gain. Even the current Sage schemes for the Xiao family's empire. Let alone you, Xie Jiayan, even ten or eight of you could not hope to transform this court, which distorts right and wrong and schemes against people's hearts, into a clear and bright one. As for prosperity and peace, that is merely empty talk. This world has always been the suffering of the common people, whether the dynasty prospers or falls. You, with just yourself, cannot change it."
Gu Bohao, truly deserving of the title "Little Prime Minister Gu," articulated the advantages and disadvantages of the current court in a single speech. For the ordinary soldiers of the Northern Army, this was an excellent opportunity, a chance to redefine their origins.
The rise of one general is built upon the bones of ten thousand. Wealth and status are always sought in danger.
Feng Qirui's ambition was completely ignited. "Fire the arrows!"
Just then, the palace gates opened, and Xiao Che, clad in armor, personally led the imperial guards.
"Lord Gu, the Sage has exonerated the Gu family. The imperial decree is here. Lord Gu, do not make any further mistakes."