This villain has become a ghost

Shen Yue was very familiar with what Nangong Mingzhu's paintings looked like. He recognized at a glance that the letter came from Nangong Mingzhu and not Yue Liuyun.

This is really strange.

It is clear that the emperor was a completely different person yesterday, but today he has returned to his old self.

But Shen Yue didn't care about these.

He slowly picked up the letter and put it into the brazier, where it burned up instantly.

Since childhood, his relationship with Nangong Mingzhu has been very delicate. It is not a tense relationship, nor are they close friends. It can only be said that they are very indifferent.

There was a time when their relationship was pretty good, but due to differences in political views and ideologies, they gradually drifted apart.

However... Nangong Mingzhu's habit of holding grudges has not changed at all.

As Shen Yue was thinking about it, he suddenly burst into laughter.

-

The moon rises, the lanterns light up, the night is long and dark, and the evening breeze blows. Dongdu is the most prosperous capital in Daying. Its nights are not quiet. The streets are brightly lit and people come and go in an endless stream.

The restaurant was bustling with activity, the clamor surging like the sound of waves. Red lanterns hung from the walls, illuminating the surroundings. The wood and stone carvings exuded a simple elegance. In the center of the first floor sat a massive wooden table, surrounded by smaller tables, each overflowing with delicious food. Everyone, wine glasses in hand, chatted and laughed loudly, their voices overflowing with passion. Dressed in opulent silk robes or simple cloth, they all gathered in a joyful atmosphere.

The musicians played music, their fingers dancing on the instruments, the passionate notes echoing in the air, the music and the noise intertwined, it was extremely lively.

Passing through the bustling corridors of the restaurant, the stairs spiraled upwards, and as we neared the second floor, the view suddenly opened up. Amidst the scattered trappings, a tranquil world emerged. The door to the private room gently opened, revealing a calm and peaceful atmosphere within, a stark contrast to the clamor downstairs.

Exquisite tea and wine sets and mellow wine are placed on the table, and a censer of fragrant sandalwood is placed in the corner.

The young emperor was dressed in black robes and purple skirts, with a noble and majestic temperament. He sat lazily, playing with an exquisite glass wine cup in his hand.

In contrast, there was a handsome young man in black with a murderous aura. There was a sense of coldness and arrogance between his eyebrows and eyes. He had an expressionless face and a long sword at his waist. His black clothes were noble and fluttered with his long hair. His face was even colder, as if covered with frost and snow.

Yue Liuyun stared at him with inquiring eyes, but could not read any expression on his face.

This person is one of the four generals, General Kuishao of Zhenbei, Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan saluted calmly and said, "Your Majesty has summoned me. What is the important matter?"

Nangong Mingzhu slowly stood up and looked him in the eye, his gaze as sharp as a torch.

"General, you should know why I am not in the Imperial Palace, but secretly summoned you in the dark room of this Golden and Silver Terrace."

Lin Yuan remained expressionless: "Your Majesty, I don't know."

Nangong Mingzhu looked at him quietly for a while, then suddenly smiled, but his eyes were still cold: "I don't want to keep you in suspense, General, so I'll get straight to the point."

He paused, then continued, "I heard that the general had close contact with Lord Zhang Jing during the time I was unconscious."

Lin Yuan raised his cold eyes and looked directly at Nangong Mingzhu, saying, "Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly does Your Majesty want to say?"

Nangong Mingzhu smiled slightly, sat down again, and motioned Lin Yuan to sit down and chat slowly.

Lin Yuan thought about it, sat on the mahogany chair, and waited for his answer.

Nangong Mingzhu pushed the wine glass in front of him and spoke slowly, his voice as cold as the autumn wind: "I want to know, what benefits did Lord Zhang promise the general?"

Lin Yuan's hand holding the wine glass paused, and there was an inexplicable coldness in his lowered eyes.

He said calmly, "Sure enough, I can't hide it from your Majesty."

"No," Nangong Mingzhu shook his head slightly and said seriously, "The general didn't intend to hide it from me. Instead, he deliberately revealed his close relationship with Lord Zhang, just to see if I would come to find you."

Lin Yuan stared at him for a long moment before he emptied the wine in his cup and said calmly, "Your Majesty is truly exceptionally intelligent."

"To be honest with Your Majesty, I have actually agreed to Lord Zhang's request and will help Her Royal Highness the Princess at the Autumn Banquet and act according to her plan." He said in a calm tone.

Nangong Mingzhu didn't get angry after hearing this. Instead, he curled his lips and smiled again, saying, "Then why did the general deliberately let me know about this?"

The cold moonlight leaked through the window lattice, making his face look even more like ice and snow.

"Your Majesty, you're asking despite knowing the answer," Lin Yuan said. "I'm so bold... I want more leverage from Your Majesty."

Nangong Mingzhu paused as he stroked the glass cup. "Oh? It seems the Imperial Sister's leverage isn't enough for General Lin."

Lin Yuan stood up slowly, his tall stature standing tall, handsome and inviolable, but he slowly bowed.

He said seriously, "Her Royal Highness is only the Princess after all, and Your Majesty is the current ruler of the world. Only Your Majesty's actions can be justified and can truly convince the people of the world."

"Her Royal Highness the Princess once said that His Majesty would ignore the Song family's grain and fodder, and would even deal with it perfunctorily, ignoring the soldiers at the border."

"However, your Majesty's actions have not moved me much. I know that your Majesty is different from the previous emperor and will not chill the hearts of the soldiers."

"Your Majesty, please come to see me privately today. I understand your Majesty's attitude and I beg you to... agree to my request."

Nangong Mingzhu and Yue Liuyun were both slightly stunned at this moment.

Yue Liuyun even felt a little sad and touched, with his eyes slightly red.

In fact... General Lin Yuan was the one most qualified to negotiate with the Emperor. He had carried too many heavy, bloody burdens, and he really didn't need to be so loyal.

They had already prepared themselves to spend a lot of effort to convince him, but they didn't expect that he would be so easy to...

Yue Liuyun closed his eyes, feeling a tightness in his chest and a little sad.

Such a loyal person died in this autumn banquet in "The Story of Ying".

Even Nangong Mingzhu was silent for a long time before he asked in a slightly hoarse voice, "You... don't hate me?"

Lin Yuan is not a pretentious person, nor is he someone who cannot distinguish between right and wrong.

Perhaps remembering something, a crack finally appeared on his icy face. He said bitterly, "Back then, Your Majesty was still just a young prince. It's not Your Majesty I should hate, but the late Emperor."

"Furthermore, Your Majesty clearly knows that I still harbor resentment for my father's crime, yet you still use me and appoint me as the General of the Northern Frontier. This is a testament to Your Majesty's trust in me. Since Your Majesty has a broad vision, I will not lose my composure."

"But I still feel hatred."

"How many times have I woken up in dreams of my father being tortured? I was filled with hatred and wanted to rush into the palace with my sword to kill the late emperor and those treacherous people. I even wanted to drink their blood, eat their flesh, and tear out their bones."

"But if I do this, what will happen to the people of the world, and what will happen to my father's lifelong reputation?"

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, his eyes were already red, every word he said was like a pearl, and every utterance was tearful.

"But now is different. Since the Princess has planned this, now is the best time. I implore Your Majesty to overturn the verdict of that year!"