The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1000 - 1000 474 Domineering Marquis (first update)_2

Chapter 1000: 474 Domineering Marquis (first update)_2 Chapter 1000: 474 Domineering Marquis (first update)_2 In front stretched an island, and behind lay a city.

Gu Jiao had never visited that city, yet in her dreams, she could name it—Nanhai City, the smallest city in the southernmost part of Zhan Country.

The island was originally part of Nanhai City but had been occupied by sea bandits.

The purpose of Marquis Xuanping’s mission was to eradicate the pirates and reclaim the island.

The situation with the pirates was anything but simple, for as Marquis Xuanping headed south to suppress the bandits, dire news arrived from the border of Zhan Country—colluders of the old dynasty, in cahoots with Chen Country, had resulted in a defeat at Tang Yueshan; Princess Ning An was captured.

To rescue Princess Ning An, the old marquis ventured alone into danger and unfortunately fell into a trap set by remnants of the previous dynasty.

With three cities lost at the border, the emperor raged with fury and immediately summoned Gu Changqing, who was near Fengdu Mountain, to return to the capital and commanded him to reorganize the Gu Family army and march north to fight the enemy.

Yet before the army could set off, news came from the border that both Gu Chengfeng and the old marquis had perished.

It turned out that Gu Chengfeng, learning of his grandfather’s capture, had quietly left Capital City and headed for the border alone, planning to rescue his grandfather.

He was Fei Xue, and in principle, stealing a person from the enemy camp should have been well within his capabilities.

But something went awry along the way, and he was discovered by the enemy, peppered with a hail of arrows, and killed.

The enemy severed his head and displayed it on the city walls alongside the old marquis’ head.

This was a premeditated trap.

The border was cold, and the two heads hung on the city walls for a whole month without the slightest sign of decay. The old marquis had to watch as his grandson was struck down by a barrage of arrows right before his eyes, dying with eyes wide open in unyielding indignation.

Frozen eyes brimmed with rage and despair.

Even though Gu Changqing had prepared himself mentally on his way there, witnessing such a scene and seeing the dishonored heads of his brother and grandfather displayed, he was still overwhelmed with emotion, and blood surged up, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood in front of everyone!

In the end, Gu Changqing succeeded in reclaiming the border, annihilating the remnants of the previous dynasty, and wiping out the large forces of Chen Country.

The cost, however, was his legs and the lives of one hundred thousand Gu Family soldiers—eighty thousand never returned, leaving the land to brave young men, their heroic spirits forever guarding the border.

Because of this overly tragic dream, when Gu Jiao woke up, she didn’t immediately realize that she was lying in Xiao Hen’s bed. She sat at the head of the bed in a daze for a while, with that tuft of hair on her head sticking up obstinately.

What had occurred in the dream would happen six months later.

However, given the previous incident when the Twin Saber Sect abducted Xiao Hen, Gu Jiao could no longer be sure that the events of her dreams wouldn’t happen sooner.

Why they might happen earlier, she was unclear.

Sometimes she felt her dreams were a form of precognition, but lately, she had started to suspect that they were things that had happened before.

She had experienced them, only to forget them again.

This speculation was bold, even absurd, which is why she considered it might only be her own misconception.

She suddenly remembered the time traveler from Yan Country. She wondered if they had similar experiences to hers.

It would be great to ask them in person.

Never mind, now was not the time to ponder this—it was better to think about what happened in the dream.

If her guess was correct, then the most pressing question was—would the tragedy of the Gu ancestors and the one hundred thousand Gu Family soldiers come sooner?

…

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Bad news!”

The emperor was reviewing memorials in the Imperial Study Room when Eunuch Wei entered, his face showing urgency.

“What’s the matter that you’re in such a flap?” the emperor scowled at Eunuch Wei.

Eunuch Wei was an old servant by the emperor’s side; he should have known better than to be so unseemly.

Eunuch Wei felt bitter inside. He didn’t want to, but this time, a serious matter had indeed arisen!

He reported, “Your Majesty, Marquis Xuanping has bullied Grand Tutor Zhuang, and now Grand Tutor Zhuang has come to seek justice from you!”

The Emperor frowned, “Grand Tutor Zhuang?”

Had the Marquis of Xuanping dared to bully Grand Tutor Zhuang?

To be honest, his impression of Grand Tutor Zhuang was not very good. The Zhuang family’s power was overwhelming. Grand Tutor Zhuang seemed to respect him greatly as the Son of Heaven on the surface, but how many hidden obstacles he had put in his way was unknown.

However you put it, Grand Tutor Zhuang was a veteran of two reigns, a pillar of the state, and the blood brother of Empress Dowager Zhuang. He was his uncle by definition.

Still, the Emperor summoned him to the Imperial Study Room.

As a scholar, Grand Tutor Zhuang’s power lay in his words. His lengthy accusation deftly painted Marquis Xuanping as a lawless bully who humiliated an imperial officer in broad daylight with exceedingly vivid detail.

The Emperor thought to himself, could he be unaware that Marquis Xuanping was a bully?

What use was it to come to him?

Even he could not out-bully Marquis Xuanping.

Grand Tutor Zhuang knew the Emperor inclined to side with Marquis Xuanping, but what of it? The Emperor couldn’t possibly show favoritism to the point of forgetting his own rules.

Grand Tutor Zhuang spoke with earnest seriousness, “Your Majesty, this occurred right under the nose of the Son of Heaven. If he dares to be so violent here, not keeping Your Majesty’s dignity in his sight, who knows how he might trample the royal family’s honor in the future!”

These words didn’t stop short of saying Marquis Xuanping’s merits overshadowed his Master—you dare to bully your Uncle the Emperor today, who’s to say you won’t dare to make trouble sitting atop the Emperor’s own head tomorrow!

Had the former Emperor heard this, he certainly would have caused an uproar.

But the current Emperor was not the former one; he harbored far fewer suspicions. Moreover, in his view, this was just who Marquis Xuanping was. Indeed, if Marquis Xuanping were to change one day and no longer act with arrogance and presumption, he would cease to be Marquis Xuanping.

“Send for Marquis Xuanping!”

The Emperor commanded sternly.

The entire Avenue’s citizens had witnessed it with their own eyes—he, as the Emperor, could not simply ignore it.

Soon, Eunuch Wei brought Marquis Xuanping into the palace.

“Your Majesty, your subject is guilty.”

The moment Marquis Xuanping entered the Imperial Study Room, he admitted to his crimes, and confessed his bullying of Grand Tutor Zhuang and Prince An in the street without hesitation.

This unexpected maneuver completely bewildered Grand Tutor Zhuang!

He had anticipated Marquis Xuanping might deny everything relying on the Emperor’s favor, or perhaps push the blame onto him, claiming he was merely helping someone wronged by intervening due to Grand Tutor Zhuang first using his status to oppress Xiao Liulang.

But Marquis Xuanping had just admitted to it outright!

“Ahem!” The Emperor cleared his throat. Marquis Xuanping, this rascal, really was–––always surpassing the limit of what people thought they knew about him.

Forget it, one could get used to it. With no sense of shame, what wouldn’t he admit to?

Denying it meant a hundred board lashes, admitting could cut it in half.

The Emperor had long given up on trying to “cure” Marquis Xuanping. In earlier years, he thought highly of this court official of his, whose every word and deed affected the court’s reputation and his own dignity as the Emperor. But gradually, as the common folks cursed only at Marquis Xuanping personally and not at the court, the Emperor ceased to seek out such troubles.

Looking at Marquis Xuanping, the Emperor spoke solemnly, “Taking into account your correct attitude and willingness to admit your guilt, go and receive fifty board lashes yourself. Additionally, half a year’s salary will be docked.”

Marquis Xuanping’s face darkened.

He could accept the board lashes, but the docking of his pay was unacceptable!

Grand Tutor Zhuang was also unsatisfied with this outcome. The Zhuang family’s dignity had been ground into the dirt by Marquis Xuanping, and the Emperor’s response was just a docking of some salary and a few board lashes?

Marquis Xuanping had wealth amounting to thousands of taels; what did half a year’s salary matter to him?

As for those lashes, he was a martial man; being hit with boards was about the same as being tickled!

Grand Tutor Zhuang was so angry his face turned iron blue, his fists clenched with a crackling sound.

Marquis Xuanping walked out leisurely and took a glance at Grand Tutor Zhuang, clicking his tongue and sighing, “All grown up and still not weaned? Do you need to go tattle?”

Grand Tutor Zhuang: “…!!”

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