It was already the afternoon when Zhao Chen returned to Chang'an from Wannian County.
During the twenty days after leaving Chang'an, Zhao Chen thought about a lot of things.
I had been afraid of this before.
But since he made up his mind to attack Cui Yan, Zhao Chen found that he felt a lot more relaxed.
Many times, simply escaping is not the answer after all.
Not long after Zhao Chen came back, Cheng Chumo, Qin Huaiyu, and Luo Tong arrived.
Sitting in the courtyard, several people had worried looks on their faces.
"What's wrong? These are all." Zhao Chen smiled, and a maid at home brought tea to several people.
"Sir, the killing of Cui Yan's family has been criticized by 90% of the officials in the court. I'm afraid this matter will not be handled well."
"If there is no other way, Luo Tong is willing to bear the responsibility alone." Luo Tong spoke first and said to Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen is his benefactor, and Luo Tong will never let anything happen to Zhao Chen.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen. It's just Cui Yan. As long as the emperor doesn't tell me, who will know that I mobilized the Xuanjia Army." Zhao Chen smiled and waved his hand, signaling Luo Tong not to worry.
Luo Tong looked at Zhao Chen, with a trace of hesitation flashing in his eyes.
He remembered what Cui Yan had said to him when he died.
At first, he was a little suspicious that Cui Yan said these words deliberately to make him angry.
But now when he thought that the emperor had even handed over elite members like the Xuanjia Army into Zhao Chen's hands, Luo Tong couldn't help but wonder if Cui Yan's words were true.
"Sir, can I ask one more question?" Luo Tong hesitated for a moment and said to Zhao Chen.
"Well, you can ask whatever you want." Zhao Chen nodded.
Luo Tong completed his mission well this time.
"Sir, what is your relationship with His Majesty? Why is Your Majesty even willing to hand over an army like the Xuanjia Army to you?"
"I remember that when the prince was thirteen years old, he wanted to ask the emperor to borrow the Xuanjia Army for two days, but he was kicked out of the palace by the emperor. But why did you sir..." Luo Tong still wanted to know Zhao Chen from the side.
relationship with the emperor.
So I had to ask this question.
Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaiyu also looked over at this moment.
They all know about Li Chengqian.
But no one regarded this as a joke. The Xuanjia Army only obeyed the emperor's orders and was the emperor's greatest security guarantee.
The emperor's attitude should be like this.
But why was this token that could mobilize the Xuanjia Army given to an outsider like Zhao Chen?
As early as the first time he saw the Xuanjia Army, Cheng Chumo had this question in his mind.
I just never knew how to speak.
"I don't know about this. When Old Li Tou asked me to help him deal with those aristocratic families, I felt that my safety was not guaranteed, so I asked him to give me some ability to protect myself."
"He gave me the token at that time and never took it back." Zhao Chen didn't hide anything and directly talked about the situation at that time.
"But Cui Yan told me..."
"Why are you still sitting here? The prime minister told me that the memorial for you little bastards was sent to the palace like snowflakes."
Luo Tong was about to tell what Cui Yan had told him before.
Wei Zheng's voice suddenly came from behind.
"Old Wei!" Zhao Chen stood up and held hands with Wei Zheng.
"Doctor Wei!"
"Doctor Wei!"
"Master Wei!"
The other three people also saluted one after another.
"The Boling Cui family is in some trouble. Although there is no evidence pointing to you in Cui Yan's death, the public is furious, and 90% of the officials are asking your Majesty to punish you."
"We? Aren't I the only one?" Zhao Chen said to Wei Zheng with a smile.
"You guys have also noticed that this time Cui Yan died, and you have caused public outrage. It is estimated that many officials have developed the sad thoughts of the rabbit dying and the fox dying. They have sued everyone involved in the Boling Cui family." Wei Zheng shook his head.
This time Cui Yan's death made all officials feel Zhao Chen's lawlessness.
The Bolingcui family, the head of a large family, was actually exterminated forty miles outside Chang'an City.
Even if there is no evidence, they still believe that Zhao Chen did it.
Even the nobles and officials' children who went to smash up Boling Cui's shop were not spared.
"You three boys, someone will come to get you later. Stay inside for the next few days and don't cause trouble."
"Zhao Chen, I'm here with you!" Wei Zheng and Cheng Chumo said, their moods seemed a little low.
Wei Zheng has seen countless things in the court these years.
But there has never been another time like this.
Almost all the officials in the court were targeting the same person.
Although there is no conclusive evidence, the entire Chang'an city knows about the smashing of Cui's shop.
Zhao Chen can't escape his involvement.
Now, it depends on how Zhao Chen defends himself.
"Zhao Chen, although I am an official, I am not a fool. Cui Yan has dealt with you first. There is nothing to say if he dies."
"Tomorrow when you are in court, as long as you insist that it was not you, nothing will happen."
"I will help you hide this matter. Of course, in the academy from now on, you have to work hard for me and you are not allowed to run away." Wei Zheng patted Zhao Chen on the shoulder, said a few words, then stood up and left.
Those words just now violated the principles he had always adhered to.
"Da Zhao, Doctor Wei seems to be different from before. In the past, we just smashed a stall on the street, and he..."
"Sir, there are official messengers outside the door, saying that they want to invite some young masters to Dali Temple." The maid ran in and looked at Zhao Chen nervously.
"Zhao Da, we're leaving, please pay more attention to yourself." Cheng Chumo frowned, but finally let go.
"Don't worry in the court tomorrow, father and the others will help you." Qin Huaiyu also comforted Zhao Chen.
"Sir, take care." Luo Tong also handed over to Zhao Chen.
After that, the three of them left together.
The courtyard fell into silence again.
…
"Everyone, we must go all out at tomorrow's court meeting and make sure that Zhao Chen pleads guilty."
"Yes, the Boling Cui family is from a dignified family, and even Zhao Chen dares to attack."
"If we can't punish Zhao Chen, won't we have to be treated like this by him in the future?"
"The eighty-two lives of the Cui family must be washed away with the blood of Zhao Chen."
In the evening, no less than twenty officials gathered in a mansion.
They are all from major families.
Zhao Chen's harsh methods frightened the heads of all the major families.
If Zhao Chen cannot be captured this time, no one knows whether his family will be the next Bolingcui family in the future.
"Don't worry, everyone, people from the three provinces and six ministries, Hongwen Hall, Yushitai, Guanglu Temple, and Taichang Temple are all involved in this operation. Even if we have no evidence, so what, this time Zhao Chen will definitely be found dead.
"The leading official said loudly.
"That's right, there are so many of us, but we can't defeat one Zhao Chen. As long as he shows a slight flaw, we can take him down."
"When the time comes, Zhao Chen will definitely die without a burial place."