Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!

Chapter 541 - 540: Overreaching

After Emperor Jin finished speaking, the South Study Room fell silent once more.

Zhu Yu and the others kept their eyes down, watching their noses and then their hearts, knowing it was not the time to express their own opinions.

During the speech of the Fake Castle Master at the Great Priest Mansion earlier, they were present and could be said to have heard everything clearly.

The events described by the Fake Castle Master back then and Emperor Jin’s current account had some points in common, yet in other ways, they were vastly different.

Clearly, either one spoke the truth and the other mixed some lies within the truth.

Or perhaps, both of them, from their own positions and interests, had mixed some falsehood into the real circumstances.

After Emperor Jin recounted all the events from back then in one breath, he seemed to have exhausted all his energy, weakly gasping for breath, leaning against the back of the chair while looking at Lu Qing: "This is the entire truth of the past, now you know, are you satisfied?!"

Your father was like a brother to me, and your grandfather was also an elder I greatly respected.

These many years, every time I think of the past events, it keeps me up all night, burning with anguish.

I took you in and raised you with care as a way to repay your grandfather and father.

Now, I don’t expect you to be eternally grateful, but at the very least, you shouldn’t be so ungrateful and break my heart."

Lu Qing, however, didn’t seem to believe Emperor Jin’s speech just now. He furrowed his brow slightly and asked directly: "If that’s the case, why has Your Majesty hidden and avoided mentioning the events of that year for so many years?

If it tortured you so much, why didn’t you have someone thoroughly investigate the matter over the years?

You are the Sovereign of the World, if you truly wanted to uncover the truth of that year and catch the murderer of my family, why prohibit anyone from bringing it up, and conceal the facts of that year?"

"Do you think being the Sovereign of the World is child’s play?!" Emperor Jin didn’t expect that after having laid everything out about the past, Lu Qing would still not let it go, his expression turning even more grim, "The deceased are gone; even if I could immediately punish the culprits of that year, can the dead come back to life?!

At that time, Da Jin’s foundation was still unstable, beset by internal and external troubles. I ask you again, even if the culprits were found, could they protect the legacy of Da Jin for me?!

This matter had deep implications, if I pursued an inquiry at the time, it would have caused panic, involving those still alive over ministers who’ve passed, leading to discord, when the court would have been filled with ulterior motives, resulting in national turmoil, and everything hard-earned would vanish.

At that moment, whether I remained the Sovereign of the World would no longer be paramount, but in the chaos, it’d be not just me suffering, but the people across the land being dragged back into war.

The world had suffered from war for too long, should I, as the Sovereign of the World you speak of, really push everyone back into the storm for the sake of a familial case?!

Back then, I had already found out about the strange poison affecting your grandfather and others, and executed the main culprit behind it publicly, with his head hanging below the city gate for three days!

Even the sect behind that person was implicated and dismantled by my forces, no longer posing a threat.

Moreover, I brought you, the adopted son, into the palace, entrusted to the personal care of my most trusted Empress.

This is my answer to your grandfather and father! This is my repayment for their loyalty and achievements during the pacification!

Well?! I’ve said everything that needed saying, is there anything else you want to add now?"

Lu Qing seemed somewhat stunned as well, clearly not inclined to agree with Emperor Jin’s view, yet unsure how to rebut, as if he had just received too much information to process all at once, leaving him momentarily at a loss.

Beside him, Lu Chao also sighed softly, his expression rather wistful.

"You... why have you never mentioned it all these years? If you had told me earlier about these things..." he murmured.

"Although I am in the palace, I rarely go out, but I haven’t been completely ignorant of the rumors outside.

All these years, those rumors have never ceased, claiming that back then, I was wary of your grandfather and father, because although they were collateral bloodlines, they were also members of the Imperial Family, and with their exceptional achievements and benevolent nature, they secretly gained a lot of support.

I feared if they had an intent to usurp power, it might threaten my position, so I secretly had them all assassinated.

You’ve heard these claims, haven’t you?"

Lu Qing remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.

Emperor Jin snorted coldly: "I knew you must have heard them.

So, how should I tell you the truth of these facts? Can you guarantee that you wouldn’t be prejudiced?

The rumors say I’m fearful of someone overshadowing me, and indeed I dread such scenarios.

And since the incident had no witnesses left, my words alone are not enough, even if I tell you, you won’t believe and will still indulge in speculation.

They say a father knows his child best, although I’m not your biological father, I’ve watched you grow up, so how can I not know what kind of character you have?

Since we both understand clearly, why waste words."

Emperor Jin paused, looked at Lu Qing, and shook his head: "I had thought over these years, there would be some tacit understanding between us, so whenever you discovered any little clues, you’d naturally realize the truth of the past.

But I didn’t expect your bias against me to run so deep, always harboring doubts about me, thinking I was the mastermind behind harming your grandfather and family. It’s really stubborn ignorance, wasting all the effort I’ve placed on you."

"Father..." Lu Chao seemed to have vaguely sensed something, shifting his knees, already numb from kneeling, uneasily, attempting to persuade Emperor Jin a bit.

Emperor Jin raised his hand to stop him from speaking, then pointed at Lu Chao, speaking to Lu Qing: "All these years, whether it’s Lu Chao or Lu Ze, they have all called me ’Father’, and referred to themselves as ’sons’.

Yet you have always called me ’Your Majesty’, referring to yourself as a minister.

It seems these past twenty-odd years, not for a day have you regarded me as your father."

"When you named me before, weren’t you always reminding me to remember always that I am just a minister, not to harbor any undue thoughts?" Lu Qing asked Emperor Jin with a bitter smile.