My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 240 Grandma's Noodles

Just as Yang Yue was pleading desperately, Yuwen Shiji rushed over. Before Li Yuan could say anything, Yuwen Shiji read out the emperor's order, demanding that Yang Yue go to the emperor's side immediately.

As Yang Yue was leaving, he looked at Li Yuan with lingering reluctance, his eyes filled with pleading.

For a moment, Li Yuan had no idea what Yang Yue meant.

Is he harming himself, or is he begging for his own benefit?

Was he genuinely trying to plead for his nephew, or was he using flattery to his advantage to harm himself?
While Li Yuan was still deep in thought, Yang Yue had already been brought before the emperor.

Yang Guang stared intently at the old man before him, his eyes filled with unspeakable rage.

Yang Yue followed Yang Guang for a long time and did a great deal of work, making outstanding contributions. He personally strangled Yang Yong. It can be said that without these two brothers from the Yang family, Yang Guang would not have been able to sit on the throne.

"Very well, so Lord Yang has come all this way, despite his illness, just to sow discord between the emperor and his ministers and to murder loyal officials?"

"I was still wondering who wanted to murder the Duke! Today I've figured it out, it was Minister Yang! That's right, wasn't Pan Dan the one you recommended to me back then?"

"All of this was to protect your nephew?"

Yang Guang spoke the truth from the very first word.

Yang Yue raised his head, his face covered in tears.

“Your Majesty, I have been unwell and have been recuperating in Luoyang. If it weren’t for Yang’s letter, I would not have known that my nephew had done so many things. I have come here to protect my nephew, but I absolutely have no intention of sowing discord or plotting against him.”

"Those prophecies, those nursery rhymes, Pan Dan, Anga Tuo—weren't they all your doing? These things look quite familiar to me!"

"I have been wronged!"

"Your Majesty, I know nothing of these matters. Just over ten days ago, I was still in Luoyang. After leaving Luoyang, I have been on my way here and have no idea what is happening outside."

Yang Guang remained stern, seemingly not quite believing his explanation.

Yang Yue ignored all of that and burst into tears, “Your Majesty, after my elder brother passed away, he entrusted his children to me, but I have failed him and let these brats commit a grave mistake!”

"I just learned that Yang Xuangan, that brat, was jealous of the Duke of Tang's promotion and felt that he had stolen his job. So he sent people to spread rumors and frame him, which was detrimental to the Duke. Then, he used his status as the eldest son of the eldest brother to pressure Yang Wang into helping him promote his relative to an official position."

"He appears honest and kind, but he has completely disgraced his elder brother. Over the years, he has relied on his elder brother's legacy to coerce his former subordinates into working for him, seizing farmland, and taking advantage of beautiful women. He has caused widespread resentment, and his former subordinates all hate him with a passion."

"He has offended many nobles in the court. This is all my fault. I failed to keep a close eye on him!"

Yang Yue didn't care what the emperor was asking; he just talked about his own things.

Yang Guang sneered again, "Minister Yang, you have served me for many years. Whether you did it or not, I can see through it at a glance. If you want to spare his life, just tell me the truth. Why resort to such despicable means?"

"You have rendered many services to me. If you have only come to plead for mercy, I may forgive you. Do not jeopardize your own life!!!"

Clearly, Yang Guang didn't care what Yang Yue was saying; he asked what he wanted to ask.

Yang Yue looked up again and wiped the tears from his face.

“My brother and I have followed the Sage for many years and know his talent. We would never do such a despicable and childish thing to provoke him. I heard the nursery rhyme on the way and never expected that there would be so many people who wanted to kill Yang Xuangan.”

“Xuangan had a falling out with Yang Jijiu, so someone tried to assassinate Yang Jijiu. They failed to kill him, but Xuangan was framed for murder.”

"On the way, this old minister heard the nursery rhyme again. It seems someone felt that Xuangan hadn't died quickly enough, so they deliberately used this despicable tactic to try to anger His Majesty and force him to take action."

Yang Yue gave a bitter laugh, then looked at the emperor, his expression gradually turning solemn.

"Your Majesty, this nursery rhyme and prophecy are absolutely not true. They are spread by someone with ulterior motives. Please do not believe them."

"Your Majesty could arrest Pan Dan and interrogate him about this matter. Perhaps we can find the real culprit."

"This old minister knows that no matter what I say now, Your Majesty will not believe me. However, this old minister is not afraid. Your Majesty is a man of great talent and wisdom! How could those villains deceive Your Majesty?! Whether they are loyal or treacherous, Your Majesty knows for yourself!"

"Pfft~~"

As Yang Yue spoke, blood suddenly spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Yang Guang's eyes widened in astonishment as he stared at him. "Your Majesty?! What are you doing?" "Your Majesty! Please allow me to speak frankly!"

"Your Majesty is wise, but... too benevolent... too kind."

Seeing Yang Yue bleeding profusely, Yang Guang panicked and quickly stood up, shouting, "Guards! Guards!"

Immediately, warriors rushed in, and Yang Guang shouted, "What are you doing here? You fools! Call the imperial physician! The imperial physician!"

He walked a few steps to Yang Yue's side and helped up this trusted confidant who had worked for him for many years. Seeing him like this, even Yang Guang's eyes reddened, and he felt a pang of heartache.

"Your Majesty, I have no other request."

Yang Yue had barely said a few words when he fainted.

The imperial physician arrived and quickly took Yang Yue away.

After Yang Yue was taken away, Yang Guang sat alone, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

On the one hand, he strongly suspected that all of this was Yang Yue's scheme, that Yang Yue had done it on purpose to protect Yang Xuangan and eliminate Li Yuan. But just as Yang Yue said, in the heart of a sage, as long as there is even the slightest doubt, the sage cannot make a decision easily.

Moreover, such small doubts often grow extremely quickly.

Because sages are very intelligent, as soon as they have even the slightest doubt, they will keep making connections, forcibly linking all sorts of different things together, and using their own conjectures to prove their doubts.

This is terrifying, because if a sage is willing, he can prove any of his doubts himself.

Therefore, Yang Yue didn't care whether the sage believed him or not, nor did he care whether he would be discovered. As long as he could arouse even the slightest suspicion, he would leave the rest to the sage.

After Yang Yue was taken away, Yang Guang frowned and fell into deep thought.

He began to connect the events of those days.

Xingyang, Loufan, Luoyang, Daxing.
Why was it Li Yuan who found those horses? Why didn't the people of Mayi and Yulin discover them?
Why was Li Yuan so certain that the first person to deal with him would be someone who was secretly colluding with the Turks?
Why did an assassination attempt occur as soon as Li Yuan's family arrived in Luoyang?
Yang Yue was cared for by the imperial physicians, but there was no sign of improvement. The emperor continued on his journey, and the group eventually reached Shiping.

This place is very close to Daxing.

Those who came to greet them were also well prepared.

Yang Guang finally summoned his ministers.

The accompanying ministers gathered together and paid their respects.

Yang Guang summoned them to discuss an important matter.

This was the famous appeasement strategy. Yang Guang believed that the enemies in the northwest had been pacified. Next, two preparations should be made: first, to appease and reward the northern barbarians and keep them submissive; second, to station troops outside the Great Wall to exert military deterrence.

Pei Shiju strongly agreed with the sage's plan.

He was the one who came up with this excellent solution for the sage.

However, some people disagreed, such as Su Wei. Su Wei felt that doing so was a waste of national resources. The roads in the northwest were already difficult to travel, and whether it was for rewards or stationing troops, it would require a lot of supplies and corvée labor, which might cause considerable hardship to the region.

But the sage did not listen to him, thinking him to be pedantic and short-sighted.

Li Yuan cleared his throat, preparing to express his opinion.

Yang Guang, however, looked at him coldly.

"Can an old lady talk about world affairs?"

Li Yuan stood there, stunned and at a loss. Yang Guang pointed at his face and said to the assembled officials, "With so many wrinkles on his face, isn't he just like an old woman?"

The courtiers were astonished. Just recently, the emperor had called Li Yuan a pillar of the state and said he was like one of his own brothers.

How did my own brother turn into an old lady's face in the blink of an eye?
The courtiers couldn't understand it, but they dared not stop laughing.

Upon hearing this blatant mockery, Li Yuan's face instantly turned red.

(End of this chapter)