Since Luo Xishi was imprisoned, the palace has replaced an experienced censor, Shi Yushi, as the envoy. However, Xue Baicai got rid of the officials when he took office, which also kept his colleagues at a distance. No one dared to share the same official residence with him.
Other official houses were overcrowded, but Xue Bai had a room to himself. Even the Diao brothers each had their own desks and struggled to read.
"Brother, I can even recognize the word '奭', so am I considered a literate person?"
"I don't think so..."
While the two brothers were muttering quietly, Xue Bai was writing a letter of remonstrance on the throne. As the imperial censor, his duty was to "rectify and impeach things strictly". In short, he was to correct inappropriate things.
He heard something from Yang Guozhong today: Li Longji intended to make An Lushan the king of Dongping County.
I don’t know whether the news is true or not. After all, I haven’t heard of An Lushan’s contribution recently. But Jiedushi has never been crowned king before. This is by no means a trivial matter. Xue Bai will definitely write a letter to stop it.
Just as he was writing, Du Jin sent someone to deliver a message.
——"Li Chen has entered the palace."
Xue Bai did not get up in a hurry, but finished writing the memorial, dried it, and called a clerk from the censor's desk to hand it to Zhongshu's door. The censor's memorial can be done without going through the superior, so it is said to have great power. Tang Dynasty
In the beginning, there was no need to send it to Zhongshu’s sect for review, but could be handed over directly to the sage. However, now that state affairs are entrusted to Li Linfu, there is an extra step.
"Xue Yushi, what is this?"
"Correction of books."
"Censor Xue knows that Fengwei Tower was searched by Jingzhao Mansion yesterday. It is said to be related to a murder case outside the city. Many censors over there are watching this matter."
"I've heard about it."
"Then, Yushi Xue can't protect himself, so he still has the mood to picket others?"
"You still have to do your official duties well," Xue Bai said.
…
A car was parked outside Yushitai.
After Xue Bai boarded the car, he saw Du Jin dressed as a waiter with a food box beside him.
He opened the food box and took a look, and saw that there were no dishes inside, only a stack of notes, which made him smile bitterly and shake his head.
"Do you regret offending Wu Huaishi?" Du Jin asked with a smile, "For an ordinary person, if he had let Lu Linghao go when he was in Yanshi County, the following things would not have happened."
"What we are about to do is not ordinary."
"Have the arrangements been made? Will Yang Yuhuan help you?"
"She agreed." Xue Bai frowned unnoticeably and said, "But I didn't tell her that this time Li Chan and I are in a life-and-death situation, and she may not be able to help."
"You are always sure of everything you do."
Xue Bai thought for a while and sighed meaningfully: "Be prepared for the worst."
When Du Jin heard this, he glanced outside the carriage curtain and saw several men still following him, holding daggers in their hands.
Xue Bai read the messages one after another in the food box and said thoughtfully: "Jing Zhaoyin, Dali Temple, Punishment Department, Yushitai and other yamen are cooperating with Wu Huaishi to create evidence, and Li Linfu was persuaded by him."
"Can't that beauty help you?" Du Jin asked.
"Are you in a bad mood?" Xue Bai looked at Du Jin and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Menstruation is coming and I am in a bad mood. At this time, I will kill anyone who messes with me."
"Then I'll go find Li Linfu." Xue Bai said with a smile, "I'll save his life to prevent you from killing him."
"I'm not in the mood to joke with you."
~~
When we arrived at Youxiang's Mansion, we waited for a long time before seeing Li Xiu come out in a daze.
"You are facing a catastrophe, but you still want to come to the Right Prime Minister's Mansion. Are you addicted to holding the power of prime minister?"
"Is Juro trying to tip me off?" Xue Bai said, "It turns out that I am in danger."
Seeing that he refused to leave, Li Xiu led him in. He sighed and said: "I don't want to see you die in such an ugly way after we met each other."
"I'd like to lend you some good words."
Today's Youxiang Mansion is quieter than usual. In Yanyue Hall, Li Linfu is sitting on a recliner.
This recliner was a gift from Xue Bai. It is more comfortable than any couch or bench in the world. Li Linfu probably likes it very much. Although he has never said so, he has been lying on it all day long recently.
Just now, the Li family's father and son had obviously had a fierce quarrel. Both of their faces were a little flushed, showing a sense of exhaustion.
"If you don't try to save yourself, what's the point of coming to see me?"
"Coming to see the Prime Minister is my way to save myself."
Li Linfu shook his hand and said: "This time it is Wu Huaishi who wants to harm you. It is you who are related to the affairs of King Ruyang and the secret affairs of the palace. The role of each yamen is small and it is just a bluff. Why don't you come and beg me?"
Go and ask General Gao."
Xue Bai asked: "Does the Right Prime Minister want to help the two sides?"
"To tell you the truth, I have to help Wu Huaishi this time... This matter is not something I can afford."
It was rare for Li Linfu to be so decadent. Even when he was most seriously ill, his spirit did not drop, but today he looked helpless.
"You just go find General Gao. There is no need to stay here."
Xue Bai said: "If I were the right prime minister, I would first see clearly who I am standing with and whether they can succeed. After all, this is not the first time that I have failed to deal with Xue Bai and suffered disaster instead."
"You mean King Shou?" Li Linfu coughed twice and said, "Juro, please step back first."
"Here."
When there was no one else in the hall, Li Linfu looked at Xue Bai. His eyes were like lightning, as if he could see clearly all Xue Bai's thoughts.
"You said you asked me to help you, so you have to tell the truth... Did you tell King Ruyang that Li Qian was still alive?"
"What?" Xue Bai asked in surprise: "Who is Li Qian?"
The surprised expression he showed at this moment was extremely real, and it passed by in a flash, and he quickly regained his composure.
"I only know that after the death of King Ruyang, a concubine named Xi Liu Niang escaped from his palace and was involved in the death of two eunuchs. Yesterday, Jingzhao Mansion searched Fengwei Tower. Someone must be trying to frame me.
The right minister also knows that Wu Huaishi and I have issues."
Li Linfu said: "When you get to the imperial court, are you going to defend yourself like this?"
"Excuse? I think they are the ones who should defend themselves!"
He died, I did trace the cause of his death, and there are clues that it was Wu Huaishi who instigated Xi Liu Niang to poison him. Wu Huaishi had a personal grudge against me, and when he realized that he was being targeted, he instigated the evildoer King Shou to file a complaint first."
"Cough cough cough cough..."
After Li Linfu heard this, he seemed to be shocked and took in cold air and coughed.
After a while, he came to his senses and murmured: "Do you think the saints will believe you, or will you believe them more?"
Xue Bai said: "What I said is true."
"In the past, you have succeeded many times in calling a deer a horse in front of the sage." Li Linfu said, "You thought it was because you were very smart. You were wrong. It was just because the sage liked you at that time. He liked your poems, songs, and tricks.
There is also a noble concubine who speaks kind words for you, but unfortunately, you have exhausted the saint's favor, and now you want to compete with Wu Huaishi to see who has the saint's trust more."
"I did what a palace censor should do." Xue Bai said: "Pursue the truth and not be afraid of the collusion between the prince and the eunuch."
"Even if the saint believes in you, he can still kill you all."
"How about making a bet?" Xue Bai said: "The Shou King will definitely die in front of me. If the Prime Minister helps him, he will be implicated. You promised Concubine Wu Hui that you will protect the Shou King." By then, in the 25th year of Kaiyuan,
If the old things are uncovered, it will be difficult for you to keep your position, even your life."
"Enough!"
Li Linfu scolded, his chest heaving.
He stroked his chest, closed his eyes, gasped, and remained silent for a long time.
Xue Bai waited until his breathing returned to steady, then said: "Help them or help me, it's not difficult to choose, I have a complete set of excuses..."
Li Linfu opened his eyes, his eyes blank, and murmured: "Who are you?"
He was ill at this time and could not remember what had just happened, so everything Xue Bai had discussed with him was invalid.
"Who are you?"
"Xue Bai."
"Xue Bai?"
Li Linfu actually forgot the name. He stretched his neck while sitting there, rolled his eyes, looked at Xue Bai in a weird posture, looked confused, and murmured: "No, I remembered, you are
...Xue Pingzhao?"
"no."
"You came to kill me for revenge. I can't marry my daughter to you..."
Xue Bai said: "I said, there is no grudge. I only care about the current pros and cons."
"Wait, wait."
Li Linfu suddenly frowned and looked around.
He lowered his head and saw a list of words written on his sleeve, and murmured in surprise: "Am I suffering from dementia and amnesia? Impossible."
"Right Chancellor? What year do you think this is?"
Li Linfu ignored Xue Bai, stood up, and continued to look for something.
Finally, he took out a file from the drawer of his desk, squinted at it, and then looked at Xue Bai, his eyes flashing, full of shock and vigilance.
"You are not Xue Pingzhao, you... you are, you are..."
Xue Bai noticed something was wrong with him, took a few steps forward, and snatched the file from his hand.
Although Li Linfu was old and sick, his hand holding the file was very strong. When Xue Bai snatched the file to read, he no longer stopped him. He stroked his beard and sat down on the chair again, his eyes filled with confusion.
The first page of the file is a new piece of paper, which reads: "The last writing of Qing Jing, the prince of Ruyang County..."
Xue Bai continued to look back, talking about an old thing.
On April 21, the twenty-fifth year of Kaiyuan, Li Jing was ordered by Concubine Wu Hui to go to the East Palace to kill Concubine Xue and take away several of the emperor's grandchildren. It happened that a soldier of the Imperial Guard accidentally injured Li Qian. After that, the Imperial Guard soldier went crazy and started killing people.
During the chaos, Li Jing took Li Qian to a safe place for treatment. He left for a while and then returned, but Li Qian was not there. He did not want to say anything, so he told Gao Lishi and Chen Xuanli that the emperor's grandson was dead.
In the thirteenth year, Li Jing claimed to have met the emperor's grandson again, and realized that he had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor and was unworthy of the saint, so he informed the matter. In addition, he had been suffering from illness recently, and he no longer had any worries about this matter.
, not daring to face the saint again, so he took the first step.
Xue Bai picked up the letter, looked at it for a while and said, "This is the handwriting of King Ruyang? The handwriting is exactly the same."
He observed carefully for a while and noticed that the handwriting of this final letter was a little sloppy and weak at the end, as if Li Jing was ashamed and wanted to die, and could not control himself.
If he didn't know the truth, even Xue Bai would think this letter was true.
There are also some other things included in the file, such as Li Cong's memorial requesting to raise Li Ying's son. The names of several princes are clear, except for Li Qian.
Xue Bai watched for a while, then suddenly turned around and saw Li Linfu staring at him intently, his eyes like a fighting cock shining brightly.
"Is this forged by Wu Huaishi or by the Right Prime Minister?" Xue Bai asked.
"Aren't you Xue Pingzhao? You are... the emperor's grandson Li Qian... are you here to kill me?"
Xue Bai thought for a while, laughed at himself, threw away the file in his hand, and said: "Okay, although some of the evidence here is forged... but I have to admire your insight."
Li Linfu didn't answer and seemed a little slow.
Xue Bai said: "You always convict people first and then concoct evidence, but occasionally you can guess right once or twice."
Li Linfu's eyebrows twitched and he said slowly: "You admit it?"
"Admit it, admit it, you can't remember it anyway."
Xue Bai said casually, tore off Li Jing's last letter, tore it into several pieces, turned his back, and burned it on the candlelight.
"Don't be afraid, I'm really not here for revenge. Compared with the throne, grudges are nothing." Xue Bai laughed at himself: "It's okay to talk to you. The great ambition in my heart can only be compared with a hysterical person like you.
Said."
"Hysteria? I'm not sick. The truth is telling you that you are dead." Li Linfu shook his head, without knowing which year it was, and said: "You pretended to be Yang Shenjin's son to hide your identity, but you can't hide it.
Once the saint finds out, you will be dead."
"Really?" Xue Bai squeaked lightly, pulled up a stool, sat down opposite Li Linfu, and said, "I'll tell you what will happen."
"If you die, don't even think about bringing the truth to light."
"Li Yan, Li Shen, Li Qiu, and Li Bei are not dead, why would I die?" Xue Bai said, "The danger I face this time is different from any other time. If I lost before, I would die. And
This time I can continue to hide the best, but if I can’t hide the worst, I will resume my status as the grandson of the emperor."
"You have ulterior motives, the saint will kill you!"
"No, I will become the best tool to check and balance Li Heng. Instead of you, I will become the prince's next opponent."
Li Linfu had not thought of this level before and couldn't help but be stunned.
Xue Bai smiled and said: "When the saint knew that I was Li Qian, everyone thought that I would be sentenced to death. But I can cry, roll on the ground and beg for mercy. I am still young and fledgling, and I am not a threat to the saint.
, it is more useful for him to keep me than to kill me."
"No, you are a threat." Li Linfu said: "You are too smart, you can always surprise people, the saint will never guess what step you can take, and he will never dare to use you."
"The worst case scenario is to put me under house arrest. Think about it, if you had a grandson like me, would you really be able to kill him?"
Li Linfu didn't answer.
Xue Bai said: "How long can the saint confine me? No one can deal with Anlushan. When the saint dies, Anlushan will raise troops to prevent Li Heng from ascending the throne, and the palace will change... Do you know how many supporters are behind me? Do you know
Who has protected me and taught me this skill for the past thirteen years?"
"who?"
"You can't see it, but they are extremely powerful. They are loyal ministers and righteous men of the Tang Dynasty."
Li Linfu was very concerned about these questions, so he had been investigating them for a long time before finally getting Xue Bai's answer.
"Right Prime Minister." Xue Bai emphasized his tone and said: "You have always been the saint's tool to check and balance the East Palace, but do you have your own opinions? Who do you want to support as the successor?"
"It's none of your business."
"Then how will your children survive a hundred years from now?"
"What did you say?"
"I said, why not go crazy and take a gamble?"
"What did you say?" Li Linfu said: "The Dragon Boat Festival Imperial Banquet is about to begin, why don't you help me enter the palace?!"
Xue Bai said: "Who do you think I am?"
Li Linfu stretched out his hand to hit, but Xue Bai reacted quickly, avoided it, and took two steps back.
"Unfilial son, go and ask Cang Jade to prepare the horse."
He seemed to be having a seizure again and couldn't remember what happened just now.
Xue Bai came to chat with him today, but all his efforts have been in vain.
At this time, it was too late to hope to persuade Li Linfu to help deal with Wu Huaishi, so Xue Bai bowed and left.
"Okay, let's get ready for the horse."
Li Linfu looked at his leaving figure, his face gradually darkened.
What Wu Huaishi said is true. Whether Xue Bai is the emperor's grandson or not can be known as soon as he deceives him. Now he has indeed deceived him.
But when it turned out to be a scam, he found it unbelievable.
~~
Xue Bai looked back at the Youxiang Mansion and boarded the carriage.
Du Jin was still waiting and asked: "How?"
"It's time to stabilize him." Xue Bai said: "No matter what, we don't care about the court for the time being, we only focus on the palace."
"Are you ready to confront Li Heng in front of the emperor?"
"No."
Xue Bai shook his head and said: "I'm tired thinking about the confrontation, and Li Longji is also annoyed... Go directly to Gao Lishi. He is the most critical person this time."
"I sent someone to check, and he is still in front of the emperor."
"What about the renovation of his house?"
"There will be a banquet tomorrow."
What the two people said was that Gao Lishi donated his house in Yishanfang to be used as a temple, named Baoshou Temple, to pray for saints. This is also a common thing for eunuchs to do good deeds nowadays. Now Baoshou Temple has been rebuilt
Well, I just hung up the cast temple bell yesterday.
Xue Bai originally expected Gao Lishi to hold a banquet at Baoshou Temple today so as to have a chance to persuade him, but the timing was not right after all.
He thought for a moment and asked, "Where is Guo Qianli?"
Du Jin was still sorting out the news sent by various clerks, searching through a pile of papers, and said: "At Baoshou Temple, the temple has been completed. There are many things to deal with. He took people there to take care of it."
"Go to Baoshou Temple."
As soon as the carriage entered Yishanfang, the bells were heard in the distance.
The bell never stopped ringing, and every time it rang, there were cheers to accompany it.
Xue Bai asked Diao Bing to inquire. It turned out that Gao Lishi's bell was not easy to ring. Anyone who struck it would have to donate a thousand dollars on the spot. Even so, there were still people who kept ringing, hoping that if they gave more alms, they would get one.
A chance to go to a banquet tomorrow.
In fact, the banquet hosted by Gao Lishi was all vegetarian and there was nothing delicious.
Xue Bai looked around and saw rows of guards maintaining order to avoid looting due to charity.
After entering the temple, he found Guo Qianli.
Guo Qianli's official rank has risen and fallen, and now he has been appointed as a lieutenant general in the Longwu Army. At this time, he is standing by the temple bell wearing armor and happily watching people ring the bell, as if he is supervising the accounting.
"General Guo."
"Haha, Xue Lang is here to ring the bell too. Come on, you go first... you guys, go to the back."
"I have to queue up to ring the bell. My hands are sore after holding so much money."
Xue Bai stepped forward and said, "I won't ring the bell. I have something to say to General Guo."
"Then you knock, you guys are watching, knock a thousand dollars, don't let them knock more..."
"Boom! Boom!"
Amidst the sound of the bells, Xue Bai and Guo Qianli walked through the newly renovated temple, feeling somewhat absurd for no reason.
"Is General Guo doing these things now?"
"Isn't that just like this? Can I go back to Longyou to kill the enemy?" Guo Qianli said: "Just like an old horse can't go to the battlefield and can only carry things. If it can't even carry things, it is not far from death.
Already."
"I'm not far from death either." Xue Bai said: "This time, Wu Huaishi and King Shou framed me for a major crime."
"What?!" Guo Qianli was surprised at first, then nodded and murmured: "If it's Xue Lang, you've caused trouble again, it's normal. What happened?"
"General Guo will naturally know what happened." Xue Bai said, "General Guo just needs to bring me a message to General Gao, okay?"
"Okay, you say."
Xue Bai wanted to say a lot to Gao Lishi face to face, but now he only had one sentence to convince him, which made it much more difficult.
He pondered and said: "I am a court official. I only care about the affairs of the court and not the affairs of the palace. The recent disputes are all because I have fulfilled my duty as censor."
Guo Qianli heard the clouds and mountains shrouded in fog and asked: "Can you do this? Otherwise, I will help you tell General Gao. Whatever he asks, I will answer it for you."
"No need."
Xue Bai guessed that if Gao Lishi also wanted to get rid of him, it must be because he stretched his hands too far and inquired about the palace affairs that should not be inquired into. The most important thing is to clarify this point.
This matter also involves another person, Chen Xuanli.
"Where is General Chen today?"
"In the Longwu Army Yamen, how can I control him? Only he can control me."
"All right."
Xue Bai asked, and when he turned his head, he saw a group of guards walking towards him. He exhaled and faced them.
"Xue Bai? You've been quite easy to find all day long."
"Thank you for your hard work, please."
"You!" Guo Qianli shouted, "What are you doing?!"
"General Guo, just remember to take the message for me."
Xue Bai waved without looking back.
~~
Outside Baoshou Temple, Diao Bing hurried to the car and whispered: "Mr. Lang has been taken away."
Du Jin asked: "Do you know where you want to take me?"
"Diao Geng has already followed."
"Go back to Dongshi first."
Du Jin lowered the car curtain and looked at the bustling scene inside and outside Baoshou Temple, thinking that it was really a prosperous time now.
She had to prepare for the worst.
~~
At the same time, Xue Zhai.
Li Yuetu came over to talk to Yan Yan again today.
She is very different from Li Tengkong and Li Jilan, that is, unlike them who always mention Xue Bai casually, she really likes to play with Yan Yan. But she still got the advice and wanted to find out something.
The two first read the picture book of Calabash Baby drawn by Yan Yan and listened to her story.
When the last page was turned, Li Yuetu still felt a little unfinished. After the story was told, the rest was no longer simple. She thought about it and pointed to the unfinished painting on the desk and asked, "What is that?"
"That's a new story. I'll tell the princess later."
"Don't you want to talk about it today?"
"Um."
Yan Yan put away her picture book, looking a little depressed.
"It's hard to tell this story now, and it would be criticized as innuendo."
"What's wrong?" Li Yuetu asked tentatively: "Did something happen?"
Yan Yan waved her hand mysteriously and whispered: "My husband is in trouble again. He is said to be related to the murder case in the city."
"Then... do you need my help?" Li Yuetu asked, thinking that Yan Yan finally took the bait.
"The princess seems to be really helpful."
"What do you want to do?"
"Lang Jun is accused of sending someone to kill the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I guess it is related to the fact that he and the princess went to Yeting Palace. The palace may call the princess again for questioning."
Li Yuetu said: "How should I answer?"
After asking this question first, she thought of something, and then asked: "Aren't you afraid that I will harm your husband?"
According to her position, if she takes the opportunity to get rid of Xue Bai, she can eliminate a powerful enemy for the East Palace.
Yan Yan was stunned by the question, and exhaled helplessly, saying: "I can't control that much. He is in trouble anyway, so I asked my friend to help him."
Li Yuetu couldn't help but smile after hearing this and said, "Are we friends?"
"Of course."
The two chatted for a long time, and then a maid from Princess Hezheng's mansion came over and said: "Princess, I have been summoned from the palace. Please come into the palace..."
~~
Xingqing Palace.
Gao Lishi originally planned to leave the palace and return home today, but he was called back before leaving. He waited outside Nanxun Hall for a while before seeing Yuan Siyi come out.
Both of them were third-grade chamberlain eunuchs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but Yuan Siyi was very respectful to Gao Lishi and saluted, "General Gao has been waiting for a long time."
"The saint has rested?"
"Yes, the noble concubine is not here. The saint has been in a low mood recently, and it happened that King Shou came to report such a thing."
The content of Li Jin's report was also simple. He said that Xue Bai once told Li Jin that Li Qian was still alive, and the saint was very unhappy after hearing this.
Gao Lishi wrote lightly: "Maybe there is a misunderstanding."
Yuan Siyi smiled and said: "The saint was in a bad mood and was too lazy to deal with this matter. He gave an oral order and asked General Gao to take full responsibility for this matter."
"According to the decree."
Gao Lishi leaned over and bowed to Nanxun Palace.
He was not surprised when the saint handed over the matter to him, because it was he who dealt with the news of the accidental killing of the emperor's grandson.
Now that old things are being brought up again, it seems that he failed to do his job well or hid some ulterior secrets. After being on duty in Miyagi for so many years, this is the most taboo thing for him.
Because of his age, he felt a little dizzy when he looked up. The memories flashed through his mind, and in the pool of blood was a pale and childish face...