Chapter 440: Jun Family’s Influence
Translator: Novel Saga Editor: Novel Saga
"For the country…? For the people in your land…? That's a great argument! How pompous of you! Why don't you say you were thinking of yourself? It's all because of your selfishness! It's because you fear that someone will overthrow you. You're wary and jealous of everyone! You don't trust anyone, and you don't dare to have confidence in anyone! You lift a person high up yourself. And, you knock them down into a bottomless abyss when they reach a high position and amass considerable power. You'll never be lenient with anyone. In fact, you'll use it to declare to your council of officials that there will be clouds if you turn your hand, and there will be rain when you remove it. You'll use that to show that you're omnipotent. Moreover, you will send this message to them with the help of these things —'obey me and you'll flourish. Disobey me and you'll die!' Do you genuinely think of yourself as someone very noble? No! You'll have them obey orders, right? In fact, they won't necessarily flourish if they obey you. But, you'll surely have them killed if they don't!"
The Empress gave him a biting look. Her eyes were as icy as a mountain-lake in winter, "But you can't do anything about it anymore, can you? So, you can only get emotional about it now!"
"This is rubbish! Yours are the eyes of a woman! What would you understand?!" the Emperor roared. He felt that his aloofness and pretense had no effect over his wife. So, the man couldn't control his anger...
"I'm talking rubbish? Am I wrong? You're telling me that I've accused you wrongly?! So, let me ask you this! What was the cause of the Ye Family's extermination?!"
The Empress gave a tragic laugh. Then, she suddenly stood up and spoke, "Who was behind the evils done to Jun Wu Hui? Who was behind Jun Wu Meng's murder? Jun Mo You and Jun Mo Chou were youngsters with unlimited prospects… what caused their premature deaths? What caused these young ones to be buried with so many troops? What left Jun Wu Yi crippled for ten years? And, why couldn't anyone even find Dugu Xiong's corpse?"
"These things… these things… How much do you know? How many cases are you aware of?!" It seemed like a deeply concealed scar had suddenly been exposed. His Majesty felt enormous pain… like his lungs had been torn apart. Moreover, he had started to panic. In fact, his face had started to convulse.
He had believed that the Empress had finally opened her golden mouth to argue. So, he thought that she'd argue the next day as well. And, these instances would only increase in the future. Therefore, he believed that there was a chance that their relationship of a husband and wife could gradually become normal.
However, he was unable to control his anger now!
The Ye Family, Jun Wu Hui, Jun Wu Meng, Dugu Xiong… these names were like sharp needles pricking at his heart. And, these needles had only left his heart to bleed in time…
In fact, the pain had eventually reached his very bones!
The Emperor would've dismissed anyone with a laugh if they had asked him these questions. Perhaps he would've admitted to the inconsequential things, and would've then covered his actions with weak excuses. But, the one asking these questions was Murong Xiu Xiu…
It was the person he cared for the most… The woman he loved the most!
The woman he had yearned for… even in dreams.
He had been dreaming about her ever since he had been a young man. He had been dreaming and hoping to get that woman even when he had become the Prince. He was ready to incur any costs to obtain her. In fact, he would've stinted to institute the most disgraceful conspiracy for that woman…
Then, she had eventually become his woman.
He had spared no expense to obtain her. He had climbed to the Emperor's position to obtain her. He had even deposed his previous Empress to obtain her. And, he had endured for ten years to get her back. For her… everything had been for her!
Things went further, and she finally became his Empress and came to his palace. But, his long-longed happiness lasted only for two short years. The people had remained the same, but the conditions had changed. The only thing which had remained was their status as husband and wife. However, they didn't have any personal connection between them.
He had dreamt many dreams late at night. He had always felt extreme hatred in love. However, he had never hated her inconsistent love for him. Nor had he ever hated the fact that he wasn't able to get her heart. Instead, he hated the person who resided in her heart. Things would've been different if it weren't for him. Then, there was an assassination attempt on Princess Ling Meng, and Ye Gu Han had suffered grave injuries. This had only increased the fissure between the two of them. Therefore, he had started to harbor even more hatred…
He had then heard of the deformity that man had been rendered with. His right hand had been chopped off. Even his Xuan strength had been annihilated. So, he would never be able to fight again. In fact, this condition was even worse than that of Jun Wu Yi's…
[Ha ha ha…]
The Emperor had felt a sense of tyrannical elation when he had heard that news.
However, his expression had become somewhat twisted and convulsed at this moment…
"I don't know much. I don't need to know much. But, I know one thing. And, I already know enough! Isn't it enough?" She looked at him coldly, "You wouldn't have gotten emotional if something bad happened to the Murong Family even though they are the First Family. But, why have you forgotten yourself when there's a sudden rise in the Jun Family's power? Why? Can you give me one reason?"
"Reason…? What reason? What reason would be there? How can a woman make absurd comments about major events that concern the nation? You have your own life… And, you live a good and comfortable one. How many things have you been involved in?" the Emperor grumbled as he impatiently took large strides back and forth.
"Haha… what have I seen? Jun Wu Yi's brothers were killed, and his body was destroyed. The Jun Family continued to decline for ten years, and they had no qualified successors. But, you were very cheerful then, weren't you? After all, you didn't feel threatened anymore; am I right? Your Majesty must've felt amazing when such great men were destroyed along with their might armies! After all, that must've been a handy deal; so, you must've felt great?"
The Empress sneered as saw the Emperor looking irascible in the face of her sarcastic remarks. She even felt a small sense of elation at this sight. In fact, it was the kind of elation one feels after they've given vent to their long-standing hatred. Consequently, her words had started to sound even sharper.
"What can you understand? What do you understand? What can you comprehend?" The Emperor's face went dark, and his voice was astonishingly loud. His Majesty no longer had any misgivings about his daughter who watched from the side as he glared in a malevolent manner, "Do you realize how weak and unstable our position as royalty was at that time? Our position was jeopardized! The Tian Xiang Empire was outwardly strong, but it was weak on the inside! You, you, you… do you know how serious those conditions were? No! You don't know anything!"
He looked down his body, and waved his hand energetically in resentment. He then thundered, "You don't know! You've never known! You've only known how to criticize to no end… only to complain endlessly! You only have baseless suspicions! You don't know! You don't know anything! Do you know what cost I had to pay so that we could walk this day?"
"I don't know much about these events. But, I know one thing very clearly. The whole thing changed the moment Jun Wu Hui took command and went into battle. The Yu Tang and the Shen Ci Empire still don't dare to invade our boundaries. Isn't that because of the Jun Family's contribution? Will you deny that as well? They were brimming with talented men… they wouldn't lose any battles… they had such divine capabilities! Yet, you had them killed! You used every possible means and methods; you used everything which you shouldn't have used, and employed every method you shouldn't have… to get them killed! But, there's something that I've never understood. That is… how can you have such lack of foresight?!"
Princess Ling Meng was shocked to hear this, and her entire body had been left to tremble. Her small hands had tightly covered her mouth. In fact, she was about let out a cry of alarm at one point, but she had somehow held it back. However, her eyes were filled with terror and despair.
"Father… don't tell me… you…"
"You're right! Jun Wu Hui was indeed a divinely talented general of his generation! He made clever tactics and excellent strategies. And, no man could contend with him! I've always admitted it! I've never denied it!"
Veins had pooped-up on the Emperor's face by now. He had a fanatic and fiery expression, "The other two empires wouldn't dare to violate our borders because of Jun Wu Hui, his brothers, and Jun Zhan Tian. That's something I already know! Do you understand? I know all of that! I know it full well! I know it much better than you do!" the Emperor's voice was like a low thunder, while his expression was one of hysteria.
"Then, why did you do that if you knew everything?" The Empress stared intently. "Don't tell me that you wish to rule a vanquished nation?!"
"Do you know the inside story? Did you know that only the army in the western part was under the Dugu Family's control? Moreover, that was the weakest one! However, Jun Wu Hui had eight-hundred-thousand men under him. Eight-hundred-thousand! Do you understand what eight-hundred-thousand means? Do you understand? No, you don't!
"Jun Wu Meng had another five-hundred-thousand! And, Jun Wu Yi had two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand! Moreover, Jun Zhan Tian supervised the entire military because he was the Supreme Commander. Do you know what that number entailed? And, do you understand what that meant?
"The four Jun generals had over 1.5 million men under them put together. The entire Empire's strength was at 2.6 million at that time! The Dugu Family had only two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand men, while the Murong Family had two-hundred-thousand. Then, there was the defense army… a motley crew… the forest rangers, and the guards. However, even these factions had people from the Jun Family inside their ranks!
"Do you know what this meant? Do you understand? No, you still don't understand! I will tell you!" His Majesty's eyes were bloodshot. He lowered his head and continued resolutely, "This meant that we would've been helpless if the Jun Family had decided to rebel. And, that would've meant my head! My head..."
The Emperor pointed to his head with his finger and roared, "I've been under a sword since the beginning! And, anyone could've taken my head with that sword if they wanted to! Do you understand? Could you have allowed such a family to exist if you were me? Disgraceful!"
"But, the Jun Family never had any intention to rebel. I know this, and I'm sure that you know this as well. In fact, you always knew!" The Empress looked at him coldly. In fact, her biting-cold glare had been following him as he was walking about, "Tian Xiang would have been named for the Jun Family if they had ever thought of rising in rebellion. And, it remains the same today. Do you deny this? Can you deny this…? But, they are loyal. So, why don't you let them rest easy? Why do you insist on getting rid of them so quickly?"
"Why do I wish to get rid of them so quickly? You've already spoken the most important reason. And, I've acted for that alone!" The Emperor smiled in a cruel manner, "Do you know what it is that you've said? Tian Xiang would've already been named for the Jun Family if they had wanted to rebel! Is this not a good reason? Isn't it good enough?"