Chapter 78 - 77 He Was Too Harsh on Shen Yinning
Lu Ying remained silent.
Back then, Shen Zhi and his son were convicted of treason, the evidence irrefutable.
Moreover, Father already resented their accomplishments overshadowing his own, and had long been displeased with them. So, even if the treason had not occurred, Father was determined to deal with them.
At that time, he had not yet secured his position as Crown Prince. If he had intervened to help Shen Zhi, he would have been branded as part of Shen Zhi’s faction and eradicated along with them. In such a case, even Shen Yinning might not have survived.
When trouble arises, indecision only leads to further chaos. Back then, the only choice he had was to sacrifice the pawn to save the king.
Even now, he does not believe he made a mistake.
Facing Yu Laoxiansheng’s stern questioning, he calmly replied, "I may be Shen Zhi’s student, but I am also a Prince of Great Zhou. In the Imperial Palace, countless sinister schemes are aimed at me; one misstep, and I would be doomed with no remains left behind. Teacher, I could not protect Shen Zhi at the time—preserving myself was all I could do. It is precisely because of that choice that I have the power and position I hold today. My advisors and courtiers beside me will no longer suffer Shen Zhi’s tragic fate. Teacher, one experiences cold winds atop fortune’s pinnacle—I do not regret my decision."
Yu Laoxiansheng clutched his cane tightly: "Such cold winds atop fortune’s pinnacle, such lack of regret! You only remember yourself, and not the principles I taught you to live by!"
"Teacher taught me the principles of being a person, but relying solely on virtue, how could I survive in the depths of the palace? Teacher, what I must learn is the art of control—the Emperor’s skill."
Yu Laoxiansheng froze for a moment.
He gazed complicatedly at the cold yet noble young man before him, as if seeing him for the first time.