The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

Ruan Yuhu knew what Shen Tianjiao was worried about, and she understood her concerns.

It was obvious that Shen Tianjiao could make the decision without caring about anything and without asking for her opinion, but she still respected her wishes and asked for her opinion.

This is enough for Ruan Yuhu.

And Ruan Yuhu really doesn't care what method she uses to take revenge. What's important to her is the result rather than the process.

In order to achieve the purpose of revenge, what's wrong with cooperating with the father and son of the Su family?

The one who had a grudge against her was Su Chang, not Su Yang and Su Wenhao. Although she hated the Su family to the core, she was not blinded by hatred to the point of killing innocent people.

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and whoever commits the evil is responsible for it.

What's more, she now has Shen Tianjiao by her side and two lovely grandchildren. She is a person who cherishes blessings, so she is naturally unwilling to commit more killings and increase the sinful debt for her children and grandchildren.

"Go, let them in. As long as their demands are not excessive, agree to them."

"If I'm not mistaken, they came here today to protect their own lives and property."

"If Su Chang dies, the Su family will never be able to recover."

"They are alive, but they are just struggling to survive and have no hope."

"It poses no threat to any of us. There's no need to worry."

Shen Tianjiao looked up at Ruan Yuhu. Her vision and mind were indeed no match for this old ancestor. She was too narrow-minded in what she did today.

"Go, let the father and son in." After Shen Tianjiao gave Qiong Niang instructions, she helped Ruan Yuhu up, supported her and walked behind the screen, and then asked Ruan Yuhu to sit there and listen.

Not long after Shen Tianjiao sat down, Su Yang and Su Wenhao, father and son, came in.

"Your servants Su Yang and Su Wenhao pay their respects to the Empress. May the Empress be blessed with good health and happiness."

When Su Yang came in, he knelt down with his son Su Wenhao and kowtowed to Shen Tianjiao to pay his respects.

"Well, get up." Shen Tianjiao nonchalantly put down the book in her hand, looked at Su Yang and asked, "Su Qing, why did you bring your son to see me at this time?"

Su Yang turned his head slightly to glance at Su Wenhao standing next to him, then said, "Your Majesty, my family and I have committed a serious crime. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy."

"Master Su, what you said is so incoherent. How come I don't understand?"

"If you come in with these words, you should first apologize. I don't even know what crime Lord Su and the Su family have committed, so how can I grant them mercy and pardon?"

Shen Tianjiao looked at Su Yang and Su Wenhao calmly. She already knew in her heart that the Su family really could not escape the blame this time.

The Su family, which has dominated the Yunli Top Ten Families for over a hundred years, will soon fall from the altar and will no longer have the glory of the past.

"Please forgive me, Queen. My father was so shocked that his words were not clear."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to explain the truth to the Empress on behalf of my father. I hope the Empress will grant your approval."

Compared to Su Yang's panic and excessive nervousness, Su Wenhao showed a fearless demeanor and looked calm and composed.

This made Shen Tianjiao look up to Su Wenhao. She remembered that two days ago in the court, it was this unknown young man who stopped his great-uncle from talking nonsense in time, so that his anger would not fall on the Su family.

Looking at Su Wenhao again at this time, Shen Tianjiao actually felt that the young man was formidable. The son of an unfavored concubine was brought up so well.

It seems that Su Yang is not really as cowardly, incompetent and honest as he appears to be.

"I agree. Go ahead." Shen Tianjiao nodded, indicating that Su Wenhao could speak on behalf of his father Su Yang.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your permission."

After Su Wenhao thanked her, he lowered his head and said, "My father and I have come to request an audience with the Queen because a major event has occurred in my family."

"Not long ago, my cousin Su Wenzhi passed away unexpectedly. My grandfather was devastated. He refused to accept this fact and announced to the public that my cousin Su Wenzhi had gone abroad to study."

Su Chang thought he had kept Su Wen's death a secret, but how could there be a wall in this world that is completely airtight?

What's more, a few days ago, Su Chang asked Su Yang to find a way to bring back the child that Su Wenzhi had with his concubine with a legitimate reason that would not be criticized.

He said that he would personally raise the child in place of Su Wenzhi.

Su Yang is not a fool. Considering what happened at home some time ago, he quickly guessed that something might have happened to Su Wenzhi.

So he sent people to investigate the matter. It would have been fine if he hadn't investigated, but once he did, Su Yang was almost scared to death.

Not only did Su Wenzhi die, but his death was extremely ignominious. He was caught having an affair with a concubine in the harem and was sentenced to death in the palace.

Having an affair with a concubine in the harem is a serious crime that will result in the extermination of the entire family. However, the Empress Dowager took the reputation of the Su family into consideration and did not make it public. Instead, she sent someone to send Su Wenzhi's body back to the Su family.

Not only did it save the Su family's reputation, but it also saved the lives of the Su family members. This should make the Su family grateful for the rest of their lives.

But Su Chang was too obsessed. Over the years, he placed all his hopes and expectations on Su Wenzhi.

Su Wenzhi's death took away Su Chang's soul and spirit.

Recently, Su Chang listened to someone's instigation and actually wanted to join forces with Li Chaohui to rebel.

Who is Li Chaohui? She is a thorn in the emperor's side. Everyone has seen how the emperor treats her since she returned to the capital.

Wouldn't it be tantamount to seeking death to conspire with such a person to rebel? Wouldn't it be like sending the entire Su family to hell?

Besides, the Queen is the daughter of the Marquis of Zhenbei. Who is the Marquis of Zhenbei? He is the commander-in-chief of Yunli’s army. All of Yunli’s soldiers, whether they are the direct descendants of the Marquis of Zhenbei or not, must obey the orders of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

With such strength, who in Yunli dares to go against the Queen?

In the face of absolute strength, any conspiracy or trickery is futile.

This coup will undoubtedly be strangled in the cradle before it even begins.

It's a pity that those who have been smart all their lives and have manipulated others at their fingertips, become confused and unconscious at this time.

I always thought that I could rely on my own strength to fight and compete in an attempt to change the current situation.

Su Chang wanted to die, but Su Yang and Su Wenhao didn't want to die. They didn't owe the Su family anything, so there was no need for them to die together.

So after Su Yang and his son Su Wenhao discussed it, they decided to come to see Shen Tianjiao and surrender next time.

He hoped that through their sincerity and surrender, he could save the lives of his family.

"But actually, my cousin Su Wenzhi has died unexpectedly."

"My grandfather loved my cousin the most, so he was devastated and lost his mind."

"I don't know whose instigation they've followed recently, but they're actually trying to join forces with Li Zhaohui to plot a rebellion."

"Please understand, Your Majesty, that my father and I were absolutely not involved in this matter."

"After my father accidentally learned of this news, he discussed with me about going to the palace to report this matter to the Empress."

"We, your servants, have absolutely no intention of rebellion. Father and I are willing to act as accomplices and help the Empress eliminate these traitors in one fell swoop."

"After this is accomplished, I only hope that the Empress will have mercy on me and spare my family."

"My father and I are willing to resign our official positions and retire to the countryside. From now on, no one in our family will ever serve in officialdom."

Su Wenhao, like his father Su Yang, is one of the more sober people.

Growing up in the Su family, Su Wenhao witnessed Su Chang's partiality and coldness.

This made him understand very clearly both his father and himself that they were just tools used by Su Chang and could be sacrificed and abandoned at any time.

In the Su family, they can only be tools and can never become a family member.

Since we cannot be a family and protect each other, and can only exist as an insignificant and insignificant tool, then it doesn’t matter if we don’t have this family, and it doesn’t matter if we don’t have these so-called relatives.

Su Chang has been working tirelessly for the Su family over the years, but in the end, he is still an outsider in Su Chang's heart.

If you do something well, you will get a few words of worthless praise. If you do something badly, you will be discarded like a worn-out shoe. At the very least, you will be criticized for some hurtful words, but you will also be punished.

Su Yang's background is a fact that he cannot change, but the culprit who caused all these consequences is Su Chang. If he hadn't behaved improperly, how could such a thing have happened?

But in the end, the culprit was not blamed or punished, while the victim had to bear all the consequences.

Is this fair? Is this justice?

It would have been fine if it were just like that, but now Su Chang, out of his own selfish desires and to avenge his grandson who had done something wrong and deserved the punishment, was going to drag the whole family with him to pay with their lives.

This is something Su Wenhao absolutely cannot tolerate, so he persuaded his father Su Yang to come to Shen Tianjiao and confess his guilt.

He hopes to be Shen Tianjiao's accomplice, and take this opportunity to help his family escape the fate of being killed, stay away from the Su family from now on, and live their own lives in peace.

Before Su Wenhao said that Su Chang had colluded with Li Chaohui, Shen Tianjiao had actually guessed that these two people were going to join forces to deal with her.

But what Shen Tianjiao didn't expect was that it would happen so quickly. Judging from the current situation, Su Chang should have colluded with Li Chaohui many years ago.

It’s just that Su Chang was a cautious person and did things secretly so he wasn’t discovered.

Su Chang's behavior of supporting the emperor while casting a wide net and secretly supporting powerful forces for his own benefit is common in Yunli's officialdom.

Therefore, if Yun Li's court is not reformed, the imperial power cannot be stabilized and rebellion and treason will never stop.

If this continues, Yunli's national strength will be exhausted, and the country will be destroyed without waiting for the enemy countries to attack.

Although Su Yang and Su Wenhao were standing at this time, their heads were almost touching the ground.

Every minute that Shen Tianjiao didn't speak was filled with fear and torture for both father and son.

This is the real person in power in Yunli, and any decision he makes at this moment can change the fate of his family.

Either they escaped the disaster and lived a peaceful life in the countryside as a family from then on, or they angered the Holy Emperor and were killed on the spot, in which case their family would have to be reunited in another way.

Shen Tianjiao raised her head and looked at the father and son standing below, anxiously waiting for the verdict of their fate.

"I can pardon your family's death sentence, but the price is a bit high. I can give you some time to consider it."

"Wait until you have thought it through before telling me?"

"Empress." Su Wenhao suddenly knelt down and said, "Empress, no matter what the price is, as long as it can save the lives of my family, I am willing to accept it."

"No matter what the cost?" Shen Tianjiao looked down at Su Wenhao, who was kneeling before her, and asked, "Even if it costs your life, are you willing?"

"Your Majesty, I am willing." Su Wenhao's voice was not loud, but extremely firm.

"Empress, my son is young and ignorant. I, I am willing. This life is worthless. I will do whatever you want me to do."

When Su Yang heard that Shen Tianjiao wanted Su Wenhao to sacrifice his life in exchange for the safety of his entire family, he suddenly panicked.

He is old now, and it doesn't matter whether he keeps this life or not. But it is different for his son. His son is now in the prime of his life and has a long way to go in life. He must live well.

Shen Tianjiao looked at the two people in front of her who were willing to sacrifice their lives for their families, and her heart was filled with emotion.

In these aristocratic families, everyone respects profit above all else, and many people are willing to hurt their closest and dearest ones for their own sake.

Treat your parents, brothers and sisters as stepping stones and let them pave the way for you.

Such a touching scene today is really rare.

"Okay, get up." What Shen Tianjiao asked Su Wenhao to do was indeed very risky, but it should not cost him his life.

After all, Su Wenhao seems to be a very smart person. Smart people will always be able to adapt to situations. As long as they deal with them properly, they can safely get through the crisis and avoid danger.

"I don't want your lives, but you have to earn your own lives."

"As for whether you can earn money or not, that's your business."

"However, I can grant you a favor in advance. Apart from you two, I can send the rest of your family members out of the capital to a safe place first."

"After you complete your mission, I will send someone to take you there for your family reunion."

The work has not been done yet, but grace has already been bestowed. What else is there to say? The father and son of the Su family can only kowtow and express their gratitude.