Liu Zhennian, dressed in dark clothes, was sitting in his study with the windows open on all sides, staring calmly at the red smoke in the distance. When he heard the faint voice, he slowly turned around and saw that it was Taiwei Guifu, with a dark look on his face.
Gray and disheveled.
"Why are you sitting here so calmly?" Gui Fu walked in and asked, shaking his sleeves, "Cun Zhao has launched a rebellion and is going to lead two battalions of troops to defeat Lu Si Jin! If there is still no action,
We will die without a burial place!"
"It's too late," Liu Zhennian stared at him with dark eyes, motionless, "everything is too late. Of course I can call in the defenders from outside, but they acted quickly and had the support of most officials.
It won’t leave us any time.”
Guifu was so disheartened that he immediately fell to the ground and cried loudly: "General Liu... No matter what, we have to fight hard..."
Listening to his sobs, Liu Zhennian's expression looked extremely numb. Just when he was about to raise his hand to stop the useless crying, a rough voice suddenly came from outside:
"Those inside, please be smart and open the door for the officers and soldiers!"
"who?"
The prince returned to the study from the window. Just as he was about to light the lampstand in front of the desk, he heard someone stepping on the wooden board behind him and turned his head sharply.
"It's Chen Shangshu." After Lan Yuan bowed, he pointed to Chen Tongpao beside him. Mr. Chen, wearing a jet black robe, walked out of the shadows and slowly lifted the hood on his head.
The prince's eyes lit up, he walked up to him, held his hand and asked, "How did your Excellency come here? What's the situation like at Cun Si Jin's place?"
Chen Tongpao said: "Cun Si Jin was having a lively fight with Lu Yingshan, and the Emperor was nowhere to be seen. I was very worried about His Highness's condition, so I risked my life to come to see you. Fortunately, Mr. Lan showed the way and came in through the side door, but I didn't meet anyone."
The prince breathed a sigh of relief: "That's okay, but delaying it for a long time is not a good idea for us."
Lan Yuan replied anxiously: "Don't worry about this. Mr. Chen has asked Su to convene the officials for discussion. Once the decree is issued and the attitude of liquidating the Liu Party is expressed, Lu Yingshan's army will automatically collapse. The most important thing now is to capture the thieves first."
King, we must catch Liu Zhennian early."
The prince sneered: "He is the turtle in the urn, when can we not catch him?"
"This..." Lan Yuan wanted to continue explaining, but seemed to have considered something, so he shut up and lowered his head.
Chen Tongpao, however, looked completely unaware. He gently stroked his sleeves and said, "Lan Shidu doesn't have to worry about this matter at all. Mr. Shi has always been very thoughtful and abandoned his army at such a critical moment.
There must be more important things to do. It is expected that since he abandoned Lu Yingshan, it means that he will not associate with Liu's party, and he went to the official office of Liu's thieves. If we leave it to him, we will be safe.
Why bother intervening?”
After hearing this, Lan Yuan became even more anxious and had to make it clear: "Your Highness, this matter cannot be left to Shi Xiushen! This person does not have many friendships with the court officials and has no feelings of solidarity, and Liu Zhennian Mansion
Must be pinched
There are many officials with clues, and there are many people with both ends of the stick. If they are all handed over during the search, people's hearts will become even more unstable! We should send our people quickly and surround the prime minister's house first.
That’s easy to say.”
The prince frowned and looked at Tongpao Chen dubiously.
Tongpao Chen nodded slightly: "Shi Lan's analysis is indeed very clear, but this method of handling it is not suitable. If Shi Xiu Shen left earlier than us, then everything would be in vain.
"If Shi Xiu Shen hadn't gone, we wouldn't be able to guarantee the speed of the search. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if someone else got involved later and discovered the fact that the evidence was destroyed or that the evidence was hidden?"
"Then what should we do?" Lan Yuan was very depressed.
Chen Tongpao said calmly: "Instead of wasting effort during the search, it is better to do more tricks during the interrogation."
"How to say it?"
"The trial of a criminal like Liu Zhennian should be done by Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment in front of the imperial court. The chief of Dali Temple is from Guoxiang. He is my most trusted person. I can mobilize him to take the lead in instigating the officials and start the trial in advance. No wait.
Once the evidence is presented one by one, Thief Liu and his accomplices will be convicted, and those things that undermine the unity among the ministers will be useless. At that time, whether it is burned with a fire or hidden,
No one will care anymore."
"This plan is indeed brilliant!" The prince clapped his knees and exclaimed, "But if you want to interrogate, you must bring Liu Zhennian himself. I don't know how to solve it?"
Tongpao Chen smiled meaningfully: "Then I'll trouble the prince to take action."
The soaring firelight surrounded the prime minister's office on all sides, illuminating the wall that had just been painted with vermilion paint as bright as jade, and the plaque above the head also shone particularly brightly. Under the plaque, two rows of soldiers wearing black clothes and armor looked like countless stone statues.
The plastic eyes look forward, and the eyes reveal a fierce light.
Ye Yongjia dismounted at the door, climbed the steps step by step, and walked into the inner courtyard. He saw that it was as bright as day, and the texture of each tree could be vaguely seen. Without the help of lights, he just followed the cobbled path and found
study.
"You go in," Shi Xiu Shen stopped on the wooden steps, which creaked as he stepped on them, "I'll leave the interrogation to you."
"good."
Ye Yongjia looked resolute, and without saying a word, he strode into the study. He looked around, but did not see Liu Zhennian.
"Tinglong, Liu is here."
This familiar voice sounded in Ye Yongjia's ears again, which made him think it was an ordinary chat, and he forgot what a tense moment it was now.
There was a complex emotion in his heart, and even he couldn't figure out whether it was sadness, happiness, or nostalgia; but he felt resistant to such emotions and secretly suppressed them, but the latter was obviously more
strong.
"Tinglong, isn't it you? Haven't you come here yet..."
Ye Yongjia gritted his teeth until they almost broke, and swallowed back his tears. He opened the curtain of the back room and leaned down to go in.
"Willow Thief!" His eyes were bloodshot and his voice was trembling, "You killed my father back then, don't you remember? I have always remembered it in my heart! In order to avenge this great revenge, I have been dormant beside you for so long
After many years, today I finally have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you can’t escape it!”
Liu Zhennian had already been mentally prepared, knowing that he would never call him 'benefactor' again, but when he heard him gnashing his teeth and telling the hatred of the past, he still couldn't help but shed tears and his eyes became wet.
"I admit it," Liu Zhennian's purple lips trembled and he exhaled slightly, "but please Tinglong, please listen to me and say a few more words."