The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

At this time, Xia He pushed the door open and came in. She came to deliver the food that Shen Tianjiao had ordered just now.

In addition to rock sugar and pear juice, and some freshly baked pastries.

Xia He also prepared some snacks such as beef patties and soup dumplings.

The reason why she prepared these foods was not because she knew Yan Yu had not eaten anything today, but because Shen Tianjiao had not eaten anything so far.

Xia He prepared these foods so that Shen Tianjiao could eat a little to fill her stomach while waiting for dinner.

After putting the things away, Xia He quietly retreated without saying a word.

Shen Tianjiao made a bowl of rock sugar and snow pear juice for Yan Yu and handed him a beef patty. "This beef patty reminds me of when you took me to eat it when we were little in southern Xinjiang."

"So the girl next to me copied it for me as I asked. Although the taste is very good, it lacks some indescribable flavor after all."

"Try it and see how it tastes. Is it any different from what you've had before?"

Yan Yu lowered his head and took a bite of the beef patty in his hand. The aroma of meat mixed with the aroma of green onions, noodles, and various seasonings instantly exploded in his cavity.

I wonder how much more delicious this beef patty is than the one I ate outside with Shen Tianjiao before.

The reason why Shen Tianjiao felt that the beef patty tasted less delicious was probably because her mood had changed and the person who ate the beef patty with her was no longer there.

After Yan Yu ate several mouthfuls of the beef patty, he said, "This beef patty is indeed delicious, but it does lack some flavor."

"I'll bake some for you myself tomorrow. Try it."

During the years when Yan Yu was marching and fighting, he was mostly in a state of having nothing to eat or drink, and often had to do it himself to fill his stomach.

So during those years, General Yan was not only good at fighting, but his cooking skills also improved day by day.

"Okay, then I'll look forward to eating the beef patties baked by General Yan himself tomorrow."

Shen Tianjiao didn't take the beef patties to eat, she just took some pastries and ate them with hot tea.

She knew the beef patties tasted good, but she just couldn't work up an appetite to eat them.

In Wenyuan, Ruan Yuhu arrived late. When she arrived, those who were brought back had already met the elders and family heads who had been invited by Ruan Yuhu a long time ago.

Those heads of noble families who have been locked up here for two days and have never been paid any attention to by anyone, what is there that they don't understand when they see their sons or grandsons?

So when Ruan Yuhu appeared, those who had evil intentions and participated in Li Chaohui's rebellious camp knew that they and their entire families would be in big trouble this time.

Some of the elderly and those in poor health fainted immediately.

But even if someone fainted, no one dared to make loud noises here.

Each family took care of their own family. They helped their elders who had fainted and handed them over to the imperial doctors on standby. Then they came back and stood still, not daring to move or run around.

This shows how terrible a position Ruan Yuhu holds in the minds of these people.

Ruan Yuhu's eyes scanned the faces of the people standing in front of him.

Then he said, "There are no younger generations here at home. You can leave the palace and go home now."

"The reason I'm keeping you in the palace for the next two days is actually for your safety."

"Yesterday, Li Zhaohui raised his army to force the Queen to abdicate and hand over Yunli's kingdom to her."

"It's such a pity. She planned for so many years and brought so many of you together, but in the end, she failed at the last moment."

"The entire army was annihilated, and he himself, unable to bear the setback of failure, chose to jump from the city gate tower and die."

"Her body is now at the fire scene. If you are interested, you can go and see it later."

"Identify the identity of the person, lest some people with evil intentions take the opportunity to spread rumors and confuse the people, causing unrest in the court and panic among the people."

After Ruan Yuhu said this, everyone present didn't even dare to breathe.

Those who had not experienced the events in the Taimiao were fine, but those who had just experienced it in the Taimiao, saw the emperor angry with their own eyes, and saw Li Zhishan, Sun Feng and Liu Xun being beheaded in front of their own eyes.

At this moment, facing the critical attack from Ruan Yuhu, God knows how complicated their feelings are.

Ruan Yuhu looked at the people below, with all kinds of expressions on their faces. He remained calm on the surface, but he was very disgusted in his heart.

These people are so brave that they even dare to follow others and rebel. It's really speechless.

Not to mention that they failed in their rebellion with Li Chaohui today, even if they succeeded this time, they would still be a group of scattered sand and would not be able to achieve anything big.

"Jiuruo, arrange for someone to send those who need to go back. Go back and rest."

"Also, the Empress has instructed that each of them will be given a large gift to take back with them when they leave the palace."

"This great gift contains some precious medicines for calming the mind and strengthening the body. Everyone, take some when you go back. It will calm your mind and nourish your body."

"This is the Empress's concern for you all. Please take care of yourselves. Yun Li will need your help in the future."

Those who did not participate in Li Chaohui's rebellion and were about to be sent out of the palace would naturally be grateful and say some polite words.

It took a lot of time just to send them out of the palace. If they didn't leave, Ruan Yuhu would be unhappy.

After finally sending those people away, Ruan Yuhu sat there, saying nothing, and drank his tea calmly, as if these people in front of him didn't exist.

Ruan Yuhu was able to keep his composure, but those people could not.

After they had silently fought the case thousands of times, they finally selected a highly respected person among them to speak out.

This highly respected person is Wu Shide, the head of the Wu family, one of the top ten aristocratic families in Shangjing, ranked third after the Su family.

Wu Shide is over eighty years old at this time and is the oldest among these family heads.

And more importantly, Wu Shide really didn't know that the Wu family's descendants were involved in Li Chaohui's rebellion.

He is old and has long stopped caring about family affairs. The reason why he is still the head of the Wu family is simply because he is still in good health and his mind is not confused.

Warrior Deben also didn't want to speak and be the first to speak in front of Ruan Yuhu.

He is much older than Ruan Yuhu and has witnessed everything about how Ruan Yuhu assisted the late emperor in consolidating Yunli's regime step by step.

How did he kill so many people in all directions, suppress these powerful families, divide the power in their hands, and let most of the power return to the hands of the late emperor?

It can be said that if it were not for Ruan Yuhu, the top ten families in Shangjing City would have divided up Yun Li’s army and political power completely, and the current emperor would be nothing more than a puppet with an empty shell.

But Wu Shide has no choice now. Who made his family have two unfilial descendants?

If he knew that his children and grandchildren were overestimating their own abilities, they would follow Li Chaohui and make trouble, trying to rebel against the emperor.

Then he would definitely rather break their legs, even make them crippled, and prevent them from becoming officials forever, than let them follow Li Chaohui in rebellion.

But it’s too late to say anything now. There are all kinds of things for sale in this world. It’s a pity that there is no medicine for regret.

Wu Shide struggled for a long time, and finally prepared himself mentally. He walked up to Ruan Yuhu, bowed, and said, "Madam Ruan, please calm down."

Because the previous emperor had never given Nguyen Yuhu any title, people like Wu Shide would call her Madam Nguyen when they met her.

However, with the death of the previous emperor, Ruan Yuhu's growing age, and Shen Tianjiao's ascension to the throne, Ruan Yuhu was directly promoted from Madam Ruan to the ancestor.

Ruan Yuhu looked up at Wu Shide and knew that the old man had not been concerned with worldly affairs for many years. He definitely didn't know that the descendants of their Wu family had followed Li Chaohui in rebellion.

"Jiuruo, go get a chair for Duke Wu and let him sit and talk."

Looking at Wu Shide, who was as old as his father, Ruan Yuhu really couldn't bear to let him just stand there and talk.

The old man is very old. If he doesn't sit on a chair and have someone watch him, it would be bad if he falls down in excitement.

Ju Ruo quickly signaled to the people around her to move a chair over for Wu Shide and let him sit down and talk.

"Madam Ruan, it's my fault that this rebellious and unfilial descendant has appeared in my family today."

"It is my fault for not managing my household properly. I have been negligent in my management of my children and grandchildren, which is why they committed this heinous crime of genocide today."

"I dare not hope that the Empress will forgive the crime of the Wu Guogong Mansion, but I hope that the Empress will consider that my Wu family has also been loyal to the country and leave me a descendant to continue the Wu family's incense."

"So that I can have an explanation when I meet my ancestors in the underworld."

Wu Shide grew up in a family of officials and has been in officialdom for his entire life.

He also knew very well that rebelling against the emperor was a heinous crime that would never be forgiven.

At this time, instead of quibbling and causing trouble, it is better to accept your fate, adjust your attitude, bow your head humbly and admit your guilt. This way, you may be able to leave hope for the family and allow some descendants to survive in the world.

This will prevent the Wu family from having no successors and completely disappearing from this world.

Ruan Yuhu listened to Wu Shide's words and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "Wu Shide is still the same Wu Shide who knew the current situation. Now facing the imminent destruction of his family, he can still be so calm and composed. This kind of demeanor is beyond the reach of his unworthy descendants."

Wu Shide used to be a man who knew when to advance and when to retreat. He never cared about his status. He looked down on everyone for the sake of his own boasting and relying on the fact that he was the Duke of Wu.

Because of Ruan Yuhu, a series of actions were taken to reclaim the rights of the aristocratic families and to affect their interests.

Therefore, the noble families at that time all jumped out to oppose Ruan Yuhu, and they were determined not to stop until Ruan Yuhu was killed.

But at that time, Wu Shide strictly disciplined his family and clansmen and did not allow them to participate in anything against Nguyen Yuhu.

Wu Shide also became the second person besides Zhenbei Hou who did not make things difficult for Ruan Yuhu.

Therefore, when those aristocratic families were purged, Ruan Yuhu did not make things difficult for the Duke of Wu's Mansion, making the Duke of Wu's Mansion the second aristocratic family that was not purged after the Marquis of Zhenbei's Mansion.

It's just a pity that Wu Shide was such a visionary and wise man, but his descendants were a bunch of useless good-for-nothings who didn't inherit any of his style. This is really a misfortune for the family.

"Duke Wu, you also know what your son and grandson have done."

"It is clearly stipulated in my Yunli's Grand Law that anyone who participates in treason will have their property confiscated and their entire family exiled. Their descendants will be prohibited from taking the imperial examinations or serving as officials for five generations."

"Today, your son Wu Jingyuan and grandson Wu Long disregarded the great laws. As officials, they knowingly broke the law. They failed to be loyal to their master and serve the country, and instead colluded with the rebels to commit treason. Isn't this an even greater crime?"

"Not to mention leaving a surviving offspring for your Wu family, even anyone who has any connection with your Wu family will be held accountable within three generations."

How could Wu Shide not know what Ruan Yuhu said?

At this moment, he only felt a tightness in his chest and his head began to dizzy. It seemed that their Wu family was doomed this time.

"Dad, Dad, please don't. I don't want to die."

Before Wu Shide could calm down, Wu Jingyuan suddenly stepped forward, hugged his father's legs and burst into tears.

This useless coward is so afraid of death that he actually dares to learn from others and rebel. He really has no brains at all.

Wu Shide, who was already flustered, became furious when Wu Jingyuan hugged his legs and cried like that.

Wu Shide stretched out his hand, grabbed Wu Jingyuan's hair, and pulled it to the side. After pulling Wu Jingyuan away for a distance, he kicked him directly. Wu Shide used all his strength in this kick and kicked Wu Jingyuan away.

When Wu Jingyuan landed on the ground, his head hit the stone table beside him, and blood immediately flowed all over his face. He looked very scary.

Wu Long, who was standing by, saw his father in such a miserable state. Just as he was about to run over to help his father, he was kicked over by Wu Shide.

However, Wu Long was luckier than Wu Jingyuan. He was just kicked to the ground and was not seriously injured.