The most important thing for a subordinate is loyalty or patience?
Du Gong always thought it was loyalty, but now his belief was shaken.
He stood in the prefect's mansion with his head bowed, listening to his lord Sun Jing's angry scolding.
A roll of bamboo slips fell in front of him. The hemp rope threading the bamboo slips broke and the knuckle-wide bamboo pieces scattered on the ground, making a clattering sound.
Gongsun Jing's face is fair, and unlike the warriors and the common people who have worked for many years, his face is well-maintained and does not have many traces of time.
He is tall and burly, and has inherited the good looks of the Gongsun family. He stands tall and straight in the lobby of the prefect's mansion. Even though he is not wearing luxurious brocade, his demeanor makes him a disciple of the famous family.
At this time, he was walking in the hall, his chest rising and falling.
"I know you are concerned about Abdul Na's identity, but how dare you deceive me about such a major military matter?"
Gongsun Jing sighed angrily: "Even if Bogui is not friendly to me, he is still my brother by blood. Bogui's daughter is like my daughter, and Bogui's son is like my son. How can I harm them if I can't protect them enough?"
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"You are deceiving me this time to make me be reviled by thousands of people!"
Compared to Gongsun Jing, who looked ashamed and angry, covering his chest and raising his sleeves to cover his face, Du Gong didn't have much expression on his face.
His eyes fell on the brocade bag hanging on the copper hook at his waist, which contained the silver tortoise button of the Taishou Palace Gongcao Citron. It was a small piece, but it was a symbol of his status.
He was from a humble background, and his step-by-step success was entirely dependent on Gongsun Jing's promotion.
At this point, it's time to pay it back.
Du Gong secretly took a breath and bowed deeply.
"It's because he's humble in his position and is good at making opinions, but he's too ambitious." Du Gong lowered his head and said, "Greetings touched Jihou's family wealth, and he was worried that the matter would be exposed, so..."
When he said this, Du Gong took a deep breath and paused.
Gongsun Jing in the hall paused and then heard Du Gong continue speaking in a hoarse voice.
"He deliberately leaked the news to let Aduna know, and..." Du Gong paused again and swallowed hard. He felt like a prisoner who had not had water for a long time and was too thirsty to continue talking.
"Huh?" Gongsun Jing heard a questioning nasal voice from the hall, seeming to be urging.
"Also, I must hide the news from Aduna about his troops moving south." Du Gong finally finished all the words with difficulty. His face turned gray, and in a few breaths, he actually looked several years older.
It wasn't until Du Gong finished speaking that the stagnant atmosphere in the hall suddenly began to flow again.
Gongsun Jing coughed, as if he was clearing his throat, preparing to make a judgment on this incident, or as if he was giving some secret signal.
A scribe standing on the side stood up, cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, although it is said that Du Gong was greedy for Jihou's family wealth and concealed military affairs, he has been following you for twenty years, and he has the skills to control and have the talents of military weapons. I hope you will."
I want you to remember your past merits and gratitude and save your family from death."
This scribe Du Gong is very familiar with him. Late last night it was this man with a few strands of beard on his chin and a pure face who paid a secret visit.
I sent him a deeply affectionate letter that touched Du Gonghan's heart.
With this scribe taking the lead in speaking, Du Gong's colleagues and subordinates in the past avoided the table and came out to intercede for him.
Only kill one person, but not sit down together.
Gongsun Jing put down the sleeves covering her face, pressed the corners of her eyes, and wiped away the tears.
He looked at Du Gong, who was asking for forgiveness and his back was completely crushed, with a sad look in his eyes, as if he was struggling between love and justice.
After a long time, he took a long breath and said seriously: "Please stand up, gentlemen. Although Du Gong made a big mistake, because of his affection for me, he only killed one person and did not involve his family."
Everyone in the hall showed relaxed expressions on their faces, praising and thanking Gongsun Jing for his generosity and kindness.
Suddenly, there was a peaceful atmosphere in the lobby.
"Don't worry, even if you go, I will definitely take care of your family." Gongsun Jing looked at the numb Du Gong, and only when he thought about his family, something strange flashed across Du Gong's face.
"Here comes." Gongsun Jing, like a magnanimous elder brother, comforted Du Gong and shouted outside the hall, "Push him out and behead him."
Two soldiers, who had been waiting at the foot of the veranda for a long time, strode in.
He took off his boots and put on his socks without following the etiquette, leaving a line of dusty footprints on the bright floor.
The armor plates on the soldiers' bodies clattered, and the sound of heavy footsteps came closer and closer. Du Gong trembled, but he made no other movements.
Two soldiers grabbed Du Gong's arms, one on the left and the other on the right, and dragged him out of the lobby.
In the past, his hair crown fell to the ground and his hair was disheveled without any grace at all.
He lowered his head and allowed the soldiers to drag him away. As soon as he left, he heard a burst of voices singing praises to the king for his generosity.
Du Yuan trembled slightly, not because he was afraid, but because he was ashamed.
Shame to die in such a way.
But what can he do?
Argue with reason?
No, it was he who led the people to inventory the treasury of Jihou Gongsun Zan's manor and transported most of the goods despite the obstruction.
It was he who informed Aduna that Gongsun Zan was an orphan.
It was he who temporarily suppressed Aduna's report on military mobilization.
But.
Where are the goods that were shipped away now?
How did he learn that Gongsun Zan was an orphan?
He was just a small meritorious officer, so why were military intelligence documents about alien movements sent to his desk?
Du Yuan gritted his teeth, as if he wanted to chew up the truth and swallow it.
His mother is old and frail, and she is at an age where she should enjoy happiness.
His wife is not a wealthy person, but she takes care of him every day.
His son will have a bright future as a servant in the prefect's mansion.
His daughter just married into a good family...
He is not worthy of arguing with reason to refute the truth.
Du Yuan was dragged in the courtyard, his heels stained with yellow mud, and there were little blood stains from being dragged out.
Finally arriving at the front yard, he saw the servants and sergeants in the prefecture and the low-level officials in the front yard whispering to each other and pointing at him.
How would these people talk about him, a sinner? Du Gong had a sad smile on his face.
Finally, he was dragged all the way to the front yard, facing the gate of the prefect's mansion.
The two soldiers chose a conspicuous position in the middle to stop, and knelt down while holding the frail scribe in their hands.
Du Gong moved a little, and he reached out to straighten his clothes that were messed up by dragging.
He wanted to leave as decently as possible.
Du Gong's actions seemed to have caused some misunderstanding, and the two soldiers hurriedly held him down, one on the left and the other on the right.
The two looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
The person on the right looks around.
Many petty officials gathered in the corridor to watch the excitement.
"The sinner Du Gong, the chief guard who stole and bribed and perverted the law, intended to murder the orphan of Jihou. I have ordered you to kill him!" The soldier slowly pulled out the Han army's standard Zanshou sword from his waist.
Du Gong lowered his head and listened to the soldier loudly recounting his crimes. He felt that the corners of his eyes were cold, and he burst into tears at some point.
He slowly raised his head, wanting to take another look at the sky, but he heard a clicking sound from the bones in his neck.
The man's hair covered his face, and he rolled into a pool of blood.