0p0 Chapter 604 Only the dead never betray.
Chapter 604 Only the dead never betray.
After the banquet ended, Su Lingyue bid farewell to the ladies and prepared to return home. However, Su Nanxing blocked her way, revealing a cold smile with arrogance, and said, "Father wants you to stay. He has something to say to you."
Su Lingyue glanced at her and said indifferently, "Oh, I see."
Without giving Su Nanxing a second glance, she led Caiyi and the others past Su Nanxing and continued walking out.
Seeing that he was being ignored again, Su Nanxing instantly became furious and shouted at Su Lingyue, "Su Lingyue, are you deaf? Father told me..."
"It's his business if he wants to see me, and it's my business whether I go or not. I have other things to do and need to go back to the manor. If Father really has something to do, let him come to the manor to find me."
After saying that, he left without looking back.
Su Nanxing stared resentfully at Su Lingyue's retreating figure until she disappeared.
It shouldn't be like this.
Su Lingyue was forced to marry the sickly, dying prince in her place. Prince Su and her father were mortal enemies, so Su Lingyue should have suffered greatly in her place.
But why does she seem not only not in pain, but even living more freely than before?
It shouldn't be like this.
She also has something on Su Lingyue.
She was determined to use this leverage to deliver a fatal blow to Su Lingyue, ensuring she could never recover.
*
On the carriage back to his residence, Zheng Zixu finally asked the question that had been bothering him: "What happened to you and your two children?"
Jiang sat in the carriage, already draped in a thick cloak, but her body trembled uncontrollably as she thought about what had happened.
"Prime Minister Su... he drugged us and then tied us up. He wanted to kill us."
Zheng Zixu was struck dumb, frozen in place, his face filled with disbelief.
Su Heng clearly told him that everything was resolved, so why did he still kill his family?
An idea popped into his mind.
Perhaps Su Heng simply lacked the ability to resolve this hidden danger, so his wife and children were used as leverage to blackmail him.
At this moment, Zheng Zixu knew that he and Su Heng had completely broken off their relationship.
If He Mazi is alright, it won't be long before Marble comes looking for him.
Before that, he had to protect his son no matter what, and not let the Zheng family line die out.
As soon as the carriage stopped at the side gate of the Zheng residence, the steward rushed over and said, "Master, distinguished guests have arrived at the residence."
Zheng Zixu, preoccupied with figuring out how to handle the situation, casually asked, "Who?"
"It is Prime Minister Su."
For a moment, Zheng Zixu, Jiang Shi, and her two sons were all stunned.
When they left the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, Su Heng was still there. How did he suddenly appear in front of them in the blink of an eye?
Moreover, they've almost completely broken off relations, so why would Su Heng come to the Zheng residence now?
Even if you feel uneasy and full of doubts, there are some things you still have to face.
"You may all return to your respective courtyards. Do not come out without my order."
After giving his instructions, Zheng Zixu went straight to the main hall.
*
Upon entering the hall, Zheng Zixu saw Su Heng sitting in the main seat, holding a blue and white porcelain cup and slowly skimming the tea foam with the lid.
Hearing footsteps, he did not stop what he was doing. Instead, he glanced at Zheng Zixu casually and continued drinking his tea, just as he usually did when chatting.
"Why is the Duke here instead of being busy with the banquet at his residence?" Zheng Zixu, whose wife and children had just been tied up, naturally didn't give Su Heng a friendly look. He stopped five steps away from Su Heng and glared at him angrily.
Seeing his angry but speechless expression, Su Heng slowly put down his teacup, looked up at Zheng Zixu standing in front of him, and said without any emotion, "Would you like to say what you're about to say here?"
Zheng Zixu glanced at the servants, maids, and stewards who had followed him outside the hall; he didn't trust any of them.
"follow me."
After saying that, he led the way slowly toward the garden.
The Zheng family's garden wasn't very large, but it was well-maintained. Although there were many flowers, plants, and trees, you could see the whole thing at a glance, and there was no one lying in ambush nearby.
Zheng Zixu stared at Su Heng, his eyes filled with both anger and wariness. "What brings you here today, Prime Minister Su?"
Su Heng met his gaze, his eyes displaying a calm that seemed to control everything. "Lord Zheng, are you planning to swallow this insult by not asking about your wife and children?"
In front of Su Heng, Zheng Zixu had always been a follower and a person who was controlled.
Zheng Zixu knew where his anger came from, but he lacked the courage to ask. Su Heng, however, was unfazed and pointed it out directly, leaving Zheng Zixu with no way to escape.
Before things turned sour, the two could pretend to be good acquaintances and chat and laugh. Now that things have broken down, it's clear who holds a higher position in the relationship.
Zheng Zixu stared intently at Su Heng and asked the question on his mind: "Prime Minister Su, I have worked for you for many years. Even if I have not made any great contributions, I have certainly put in a lot of hard work. Why do you not trust me and are willing to kill my wife and children?"
The birdsong in the garden and the few bees flying by did nothing to ease the heavy atmosphere between the two.
Su Heng glanced at Zheng Zixu and sneered, "There is no such thing as trust in this world. What you consider trust is just a temporary alliance of interests. Now that our interests are at odds, we will naturally settle our differences."
Then, changing the subject, he said, "However, there is still trust in this world; the dead will not betray you."
Zheng Zixu froze.
On a hot summer afternoon, under the blazing sun, Zheng Zixu felt a chill run down his spine.
"You want my life?"
"No, it's the Court of Judicial Review, the Censorate, the Ministry of Personnel who want your life, and the remnants of what happened seven years ago."
A gust of hot wind blew by, and Zheng Zixu felt dizzy and short of breath.
He had never felt so powerless.
He was never afraid when he followed Su Heng and did everything he could.
As long as he follows instructions, someone will clean up the mess afterwards.
But at this moment, he finally tasted fear, the panic of being abandoned by the whole world and the fear of being at odds with everyone, which chilled him to the bone.
With a thud, Zheng Zixu knelt down in front of Su Heng, grabbing his clothes and pleading, "Prime Minister Su, please save me again! I don't want to die! You must still have a solution, right?"
The more panicked Zheng Zixu became, the calmer Su Heng appeared.
He looked down at Zheng Zixu, his gaze gentler than ever before: "I've said it before, only the dead are the most reliable."
These days, Su Heng often wakes up in the middle of the night feeling uneasy, as if a venomous snake is watching him in the darkness, waiting for the right moment to strike him dead.
Almost everyone who knew what happened back then was dead, except for Zheng Zixu, his former most loyal subordinate.
For so many years, Su Heng thought he was safe with Zheng Zixu under his nose, but he never expected to be targeted.
"It's come to this, there's no way I can protect you now. Do it yourself!"
As he spoke, Su Heng took out a small medicine bottle from his pocket and handed it to Zheng Zixu.
The bottle is labeled "Crane's Crest Red".
"Entering the gate grants one a noble title, without any pain."
Zheng Zixu's eyes were filled with despair. He released Su Heng's clothes and took the poison from Su Heng's hand with trembling hands.
Finally, Zheng Zixu closed his eyes, as if he had made some kind of decision.
"Prime Minister Su, after I die, could you please not harm my wife and children?" Zheng Zixu stared intently at Su Heng.
The Zheng family bloodline cannot be broken. If Su Heng does not agree, he will fight to the death against Su Heng.
Su Heng gave a gentle smile. "Of course, since you died for my loyalty, I will naturally treat them well."
Having received Su Heng's promise, Zheng Zixu stood up, cupped his hands to Su Heng, and said, "I still have some things to settle down before I die. I implore Prime Minister Su to give me some more time. I will satisfy Prime Minister Su before midnight tonight."
A thick cloud drifted over and blocked out the sun.
Su Heng said with a gloomy expression, "You know what you should say and what you shouldn't say."
Those secrets—whoever knows them will die.
Zheng Zixu respectfully replied, "Yes, I know. It's just to give them some instructions on everyday matters and tell them to live a peaceful life from now on."
Su Heng didn't linger any longer. He flicked his sleeves and left the Zheng residence.
As soon as Su Heng left, a rumble of thunder sounded in the sky, and a torrential downpour began, soaking Zheng Zixu completely in just a few breaths.
He looked up, and the rumbling thunder in the sky seemed like a punishment from heaven; the rain seemed to be washing away all filth.
*
Before midnight, news came from the Duke of Dingguo's mansion that Zheng Zixu, the Minister of Rites, had died suddenly.
"are you sure?"
"Yes, the person in the coffin is indeed Zheng Zixu. I checked his pulse, and he is indeed dead."
Listening to the sound of rain under the eaves, Su Heng was in a particularly good mood. He picked up his wine glass and drank the warm wine in one gulp.
Nothing will change.