Chapter 506: Chapter 505: Killing the Donkey After Unloading the Mill

What Lu Qing thinks, Zhu Yu now doesn’t know either.

However, she knows that a cold sweat has already soaked through her back.

Although the words of the Fake Castle Master greatly reduce its credibility in her heart, just listening to this narrative alone is enough to make one’s heart pound.

Throughout history, the greatest fear in the hearts of emperors is those whose achievements overshadow the throne, hence the “killing the donkey after it has done its work” outcome mentioned by the Fake Castle Master has never been lacking through the millennia.

The better scenario is to promise the meritorious subjects glory and wealth, strip them of their heavy powers, and regardless of whether they are willing or not, send them away to live as wealthy idlers.

The worse scenario is being caught by the king on some mistake someday, and being exiled is the best one can hope for, as examples of heads rolling are in abundance.

The more an emperor has experienced bloody storms before finally ascending the throne, the more they cherish this hard-won victory, and how could they give others the chance to covet it!

Not to mention, Lu Qing’s family was once a branch of the Imperial Family…

After all, history has its proofs, a descendant of the collateral branch of a founding monarch twenty generations later, even downfallen as street peddlers, could still muster forces under the guise of restoring ancestral orthodoxy, establish power, and proclaim themselves king.

In comparison, Lu Qing’s grandfather had it much better than that.

He already had a troop formed of his clansmen, and many comrades willing to support and follow him, more importantly, he was open-minded and righteous.

If he even had a hint of such thoughts, or even if he originally did not, were those ministers who supported Emperor Jin because of him suddenly wake up and realize that there is a more suitable wise king candidate than Emperor Jin, would they forcefully elevate him and pull down Emperor Jin in the same manner they elevated?

After all, that throne was also snatched by Emperor Jin.

If he could seize it, why couldn’t other royal blood relatives seize it too?

To Lu Qing’s grandfather, it somewhat carried the flavor of “being guilty for having a cherished item,” regardless of whether he had such thoughts, all these conditions converging on him inevitably made him a thorn in the Emperor’s eyes.

Not to mention, Emperor Jin was inherently a hard-to-fathom personality.

Even if sitting on the throne myself, Zhu Yu indeed couldn’t guarantee not growing wary.

Lu Qing listened to these words, his face grew gloomier, and he did not respond to the question posed by the Fake Castle Master, which didn’t need an answer, but remained silent until after a while, he asked, “How do you, as an outsider, know so much about these ancient affairs of the court?”

“If I didn’t know, how could I help you distinguish right from wrong, identify friend from foe?” The Fake Castle Master seemed increasingly satisfied with Lu Qing’s reaction, “I guess, you’ve been in Bhutan for a while, met King Fan, and also came to the Great Priest Mansion, so you should know that originally, in the High Priest’s sect, there was a very formidable senior brother, right?”

Lu Qing nodded slightly, to indicate a response to his question.

“Back then, that senior brother of the High Priest was also among those who followed and supported Emperor Jin to ascend the throne.

After all, Jin Country is the Upper Country, and Emperor Jin is the Sovereign of the World, so that senior brother of the High Priest was wholeheartedly looking for opportunities to establish merits and illuminate the sect, hence defied the master’s objections to assist Emperor Jin.

Unfortunately, despite his hard work and countless merits, Emperor Jin always held disdain for the vassal state barbarians, finding that senior brother’s methods ruthless and underhanded, unworthy of recognition, thus never valued him or employed him significantly.”

The Fake Castle Master laughed mockingly: “People are just so selfish and hypocritical, even as the Sovereign of the World, it’s still the same.

When they are not in power, even if they think that senior brother’s methods are not gentleman-like or decent, since he’s capable of defeating enemies, he is useful and thus tolerated.

But when the situation stabilizes and achievements are ensured, they disdain again, fearing that employing him even slightly would cause public criticism and impact their reputation.

That senior brother of the High Priest was ignored and saw no honors, just eagerly trying to gather information, and was suddenly noticed by Emperor Jin.

Then Emperor Jin secretly summoned him to the palace and asked him to devise a method to silently annihilate your grandfather’s entire clan in one night.

Such a matter, others struggled to achieve, and even that senior brother of the High Priest found it difficult, but it was his only chance to climb up, he believed that achieving it would earn him the riches and honors he dreamed of.

He returned to Bhutan, spent a fortune hiring people to find the Jade Snowbird, and after much trouble, finally accumulated enough Jade Snowbird blood.

Afterward, he secretly searched within the Capital of Jin Country for someone who could be bribed to act as his inside man, and after meticulous planning, he found the right moment, during your grandfather’s grand birthday celebration when your entire clan gathered, using the occasion to have his inside man mix the Jade Snowbird blood into the food and drinks.

Indeed, all perished completely.

Afterward, that senior brother thought his moment of glory had finally come, but Emperor Jin turned his back, having him secretly brought into the palace and then having him executed secretly, even the body was dealt with, leaving no trace whatsoever.

That senior brother disappeared as if he never existed, and since he had no prior dealings with your grandfather and others, naturally no one suspected him first.

Thus your family’s tragic death overnight became an unresolved mystery.

Emperor Jin pretended to arrange for an investigation, but nothing could be found, and afterward, he never mentioned it again.

Once he stopped mentioning it, no one else dared to investigate, who would have the guts to bring up matters the emperor himself wouldn’t touch?

Of course, there’s also the credit of your imperial brother’s maternal grandfather in all this.”

“Duke Yan?” Lu Qing asked.

“Who else but him?” The Fake Castle Master laughed, “That old man was extremely jealous of your grandfather’s abilities and reputation, no matter how he schemed, his power always fell short of your grandfather’s.

Your family’s mishap suited him perfectly.

So when Emperor Jin avoided mentioning it, he eagerly conformed, coupled with the sycophants in the court, no matter what stance they held before, the dead do not need consideration.

Those people quickly fell under Duke Yan’s influence, and from then on, no one in the court dared mention your Lu Family’s unresolved case.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep