CHAPTER 683: CHAPTER 565: REWARD AND PUNISHMENT WITH CLEAR DISTINCTION

The Miao King grinned crookedly.

Well, well, well, losing the National Master Order was quite "tragic" enough, and now the Astronomical Bureau is lost too.

Gongsun Yanming’s foundation in the Imperial City was the National Master Order and Astronomical Bureau, losing either one would be a significant blow to him, let alone both?

Ah, today the in-law looks particularly pleasing!

Duke Jiang was quite surprised by Emperor Liang’s decision, which made the other’s image grow loftier in his mind.

Meng Qianqian truly couldn’t help but laugh.

It would be better if he was imprisoned on the charges of conspiring against Your Majesty, at least there would be a possibility of "overturning the case," but Your Majesty is convinced of his incompetence, making it impossible to overturn.

If word gets out, Gongsun Yanming would lose all face and dignity, how would he ever hold his head high in front of his colleagues in the future?

The only pity is that he wasn’t made to eat prison food.

Emperor Liang watched him unblinkingly: "Gongsun Yanming, do you still insist you are being wrongly accused?"

Gongsun Yanming clenched his fists and said seriously, "I am indeed wronged!"

Emperor Liang nodded: "Very well, since so, I will give you ten days to find evidence proving your innocence. If after ten days you still cannot prove yourself, I will punish you for the crime of treason!"

If the earlier developments were enough to shock Gongsun Yanming, then Emperor Liang’s words nearly made him lose composure.

They accuse him, shouldn’t it be up to them to present evidence?

"Your Majesty, they accused me falsely as the culprit, it should be up to them to present evidence!"

"They have provided evidence." Emperor Liang pointed to the corpse on the ground and the Gu Worm in Meng Qianqian’s hand, "You claim it is false evidence, then, you need to prove it."

Gongsun Yanming: "..."

Lu Yuan smiled, "Pavilion Master Gongsun, ten days."

Gongsun Yanming didn’t know how he left the Imperial Study Room. Anyway, even Prince Ming felt the calm exterior barely concealing his brewing frustration.

Witnessing the National Master, second only to one, being humiliated, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

"Father."

Prince Ming walked to Emperor Liang’s side, "You were so wise and mighty today!"

Emperor Liang asked coldly, "Was I very foolish before?"

Prince Ming blinked: "Well... not exactly."

Meng Qianqian secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Today has truly been quite thrilling.

Thinking their identity was exposed and the crime of deceiving the emperor was inevitable, who knew Your Majesty had forgotten about the feud with the Miao King.

And Gongsun Yanming’s eloquence, thinking they had to expend great effort and go to great lengths to gather more evidence, falling into a very passive state.

Who would have thought Your Majesty would shift the burden onto Gongsun Yanming.

Lu Yuan manages the Jinyi Guard’s prison affairs, following the rules, it indeed would be up to them to prove Gongsun Yanming’s guilt.

But Emperor Liang seemed to have forgotten the rules.

Lu Yuan cleared his throat, signaling his wife with his eyes—how about letting the emperor forget for a couple more days?

Meng Qianqian: "..."

After leaving the Imperial Palace, Gongsun Yanming coldly got on the carriage heading back to the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

Inside the carriage was a man wearing a bamboo hat and a bronze mask.

The very same person who had once confronted Liu Qingyun and the Miao King.

Having been kicked by the Miao King, he has barely recovered enough to go out and about now.

He observed Gongsun Yanming’s brewing frustration, chuckled, and said, "I warned you before, pushing the Gu Worm was a risky move, you acted too hastily."

Gongsun Yanming closed his eyes.

The man continued, "I’m quite curious, what kind of people are they, repeatedly gaining the upper hand against Pavilion Master Gongsun and driving you into a frantic mess."

Gongsun Yanming ignored his mockery, coldly saying, "Your Majesty has given me ten days to find evidence that the Heart-devouring Gu is unrelated to me."

The man asked in confusion, "You find evidence? Shouldn’t they find evidence?"

Has Emperor Liang gone senile? What kind of operation is this?!

The man said, "Even without the control of the Heart-devouring Gu, things shouldn’t happen like this. Haven’t you told Your Majesty that the Crown Prince’s father-in-law is the Miao King?"

Gongsun Yanming frowned and said, "I did, but Your Majesty couldn’t care less, neither angry nor convicting the Crown Prince Mansion for deceiving the emperor."

This is what is most puzzling.

Based on Gongsun Yanming’s understanding of Emperor Liang, he absolutely cannot tolerate being deceived, not even by his own children or grandchildren.

Plus, the Miao King is a sworn enemy, it almost touches all of Emperor Liang’s sore spots.

The man asked suspiciously, "Could it be they’ve placed a Gu on your emperor too?"

That is the most reasonable explanation.

Gongsun Yanming meticulously recalled all that happened in the Imperial Study Room and felt today’s Emperor Liang was indeed somewhat unusual.

Could it really be that the Miao King has placed a Gu on him?

No, Emperor Liang wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

The man asked, "What happens if you can’t find evidence?"

Gongsun Yanming said word by word, "You and I will both die."

The man sneered, "Your emperor killing you, what does it have to do with me?"

Gongsun Yanming glanced at him, "You don’t think the Miao King and the Princess haven’t recognized you, do you?"

The man’s smile slightly stiffened.

Gongsun Yanming said calmly, "If I die, you won’t meet a good end either."

A glimmer of coldness flashed across the man’s eyes: "You’re the one who messed things up, I warned you not to be impulsive, knowing the peril ahead, yet you charged forward. Now the Heart-devouring Gu issue is exposed, I’ve already been gracious by not blaming you for losing a Gu Master, yet you want to drag me down? Gongsun Yanming, you don’t seriously think I’m made of paper, do you?"

Gongsun Yanming gave him a calm and composed look.

This seemingly casual gaze, without even killing intent, silenced the man.

Gongsun Yanming gently shifted his gaze, his fist slowly tightening.

Emperor Liang only gives him ten days.

During these ten days, does this truly give him a chance to prove himself?

Or is Emperor Liang waiting for him to reveal more flaws?

The effects of the Heart-devouring Gu won’t dissipate all at once, unless something has happened with Emperor Liang’s body that he isn’t aware of.

What could it be?

Gongsun Yanming closed his eyes, and despite racking his brains, he couldn’t unravel the crux of the matter.

After strategizing for years, for the first time, he feels everything is gradually slipping out of control.

This feeling is not very pleasant.

-

Emperor Liang is a man who rewards and punishes clearly; those who deserve punishment get punished, and those who deserve reward must be rewarded.

Duke Jiang, having successfully protected the emperor, was granted a thousand silver and white cloth by Emperor Liang.

Duke Jiang was hardly interested in these, just as he was about to inwardly curse Emperor Liang for being stingy, he heard Emperor Liang ask someone to bring him a token.

He held it in his hand and almost jumped in surprise: "Death Exemption Token?!"

Emperor Liang said, "It can only be used once and only to save one person."

This he knew, of course, the Death Exemption Token can only be used once per person.

This is the first imperial Death Exemption Token granted since the founding of the Liang Country, and its significance is extraordinary.

Duke Jiang instantly felt as if his life reached its peak.

With this inaugural Death Exemption Token, he was no longer just a small officer tending to sheep; he became a formidable man who earned merit with his own efforts!

Duke Jiang hugged the Death Exemption Token, smiling like a foolish bride.