The hall is brightly lit, but silent. From time to time, you can hear the soft sound of candles exploding.
The four people sat across the table, Yuan Jia, Yuan Yi, and Gao Zhao, with solemn expressions and as gloomy as water. Only Yuan Yong, whose eyes were full of fear, his cheeks were twitching, and his whole body was trembling slightly.
No one said anything, and it was like this. It was silent for nearly two moments, and then Yuan Jia sighed heavily: "It's just sitting there until dawn, what's the point? Let's just rest..."
Yuan Yong was so excited that he cried: "What about tomorrow?"
"Each one should perform his duties. When he should assist the government, he should assist the government, and when he should lead the army, he should lead the army!" Yuan Yi advised in a low voice, "Even if Your Majesty says he won't blame you, then he definitely won't blame you. Why should my fourth uncle be so frightened?
What does it look like?”
Fart, do you believe this?
Yuan Yong really wants to slap Yuan Yi in the face.
The emperor has been on the throne for eleven years. From the ignorance when he inherited the great treasure to the current state of his words, they have witnessed with their own eyes how Yuan Ke has grown up step by step. How his character is, these four people can be said to be like mirrors. Yuan Ke was suspicious by nature and believed in "nipping trouble before it happens and nipping it in the bud" as the ultimate principle. He never showed mercy when it was time to be ruthless, just like Yuan Xi, Yuan Xiang, Yuan Yu, Yuan Xie... Yuan Yong was suspicious.
Within three days at most, either a cup of poisonous wine or three feet of white wine will be sent to the Prince of Yingchuan...
"How are you doing?"
Gao Zhao asked coldly, "Like Yuan Yu, if you don't do one thing, you won't stop doing the other thing?"
"Put...fart...fart...fart..."
Yuan Yong was so frightened that he couldn't even say two words clearly.
"Since you don't have the courage, then do whatever you have to do. Do your job honestly and lead your soldiers..."
There was a trace of sarcasm on Gao Zhao's face, "It's not that Gao is looking down on you: compared to Yuan Xie, he is like clouds in the sky and you are like mud. You are like mud. Even if His Majesty is jealous, it is not your turn."
..."
In an instant, Yuan Yong's face turned as red as a pig's liver, and he gasped for breath with "ho ho ho" in his throat. He rushed towards Gao Zhao as if he was crazy, "Gu... Gu will kill you..." It's so insulting...
Gao Zhao just squinted his eyes and didn't even try to hide. He just stroked the handle of the knife lightly with his fingers and twitched slightly.
"Oops!"
The blade only pulled out three or four inches, and there was only a slight sound. Yuan Yong seemed to hear the morning bells and evening drums, and suddenly froze.
A face turns from red to purple, from purple to black, from black to green, and after a while, it becomes white and rosy again.
Yuan Yong is neither advancing nor retreating, but if he really pulls out his sword and fights Gao Zhao...how is it possible, grandpa hasn't lived enough yet?
Yuan Jia asked him with a half-smile, "Aren't you annoyed?"
Yuan Yong waved his sleeves and moved farther away from Gao Zhao, who had drawn Shao Ban's knife. He argued without blushing or out of breath: "I don't have the same experience as him!"
Yuan Jia asked again: "Aren't you afraid?"
Yuan Yong was stunned: Yes, why are you not afraid of sudden surprises?
He rolled his eyes several times, and a realization came to his mind: I didn't even have the guts to fight Gao Zhao, so how could I have the guts to rebel? Isn't it just like mud?
Gao Zhao wanted to let himself know: the emperor had already decided what he would eat...
He was overjoyed in his heart, but he could not hold back his face. Yuan Yong hummed and chirped: "Brother-in-law, you can persuade me, but your words are... too harsh..."
"If the words are not serious, how can I make you enlightened?"
Gao Zhao sheathed his sword and sighed leisurely, "If Your Majesty is afraid of it, the Taiwei will be the worst, and if you do it a certain time, Situ will do it again... The three of us are not afraid, so why should you be afraid?"
Yuan Yong grinned as if he had a toothache: "But Zhao Suiniang walked out of Gu Mansion..."
"What can happen if Yang Biao, one of the assassins, Zukong, who openly slandered His Majesty and raised an army, or the disciple of that beast?"
Yuan Jia said in a solemn voice, "Your Majesty has a keen eye for fire and is aware of it in his heart. He knows that this is a treacherous plot by thieves who want me to fight against each other in the same room, so that he can comfort us.
Therefore, Simu must focus on the overall situation and not mess up his position... He should go to the Yamen when he should go to the Yamen, and lead the troops when he should lead them, so as to prevent thieves from taking advantage of the situation..."
Yes, if I push back and forth in order to avoid suspicion and dare not go to the Yamen, let alone lead troops, what should Yuan Jia and Gao Zhao do, who have military power many times greater than mine?
Yuan Yong sighed, gritted his teeth and said, "Who is it?"
The other three looked at each other, but no one said anything.
To put it bluntly, none of the four of them can escape suspicion. Including Yuan Yong: Who can guarantee that he is not retreating in order to advance, playing a cruel trick?
Further down, there shouldn’t be too many suspects...
"Don't be impatient. As long as we don't mess up our position, work together as one, and do our best to help Li Chengzhi, the truth will always be revealed..."
As soon as Yuanjia finished speaking, someone reported something outside the door: "Gentlemen, Minister Li wants to see you!"
The four people's eyes lit up at the same time: "Please!"
After lying down for seven or eight days, no matter how quickly I recover, I still can't be alive and kicking the same day I wake up. It's okay to take a few steps on the flat ground, but when I go up and down the steps, I feel like a hemiplegic patient, and my legs don't listen very well.
Command.
Seeing two helpers helping him into the palace, Yuan Jia and Gao Zhao just nodded lightly, relying on their elders. But Yuan Yi and Yuan Yong stood up together. Especially Yuan Yong, who seemed to be rushing to help him.
His appearance.
You are a prince and the emperor's uncle... No wonder everyone is rushing to be a favorite and powerful minister?
Li Chengzhi was a little flattered and waved his hands repeatedly. He also glanced at Yuan Yong's face deliberately, but he didn't see much panic in him.
Isn’t that right?
With Yuan Yong's temperament, even if he wasn't so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, he would probably be out of his mind. But he looked extremely calm at this time?
Li Chengzhi said curiously: "Your Highness...you are so determined..."
I'm so calm that I'm scared to death...
Ren Yuanyong was as thick-skinned as a city wall, and he couldn't help but blush, and said angrily: "You even come to see Gu's joke?"
"How dare I laugh at His Highness?"
Li Chengzhi smiled and argued, "His Majesty specially ordered his subordinates to come here to deliver the message, saying that His Highness has always been cautious, but when it comes to small things, he walks on thin ice and is trembling with fear... In order to prevent His Highness from being suspicious and suspicious, he sent his subordinates to persuade him.
Your Highness, please don’t lose your bearings and mess up your position..."
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It is true as Gao Zhao and Yuan Jia said, the emperor really has a certain diet for himself, and he understands it thoroughly. Did he even think of this?
Yuan Yong was overjoyed and narrowed his eyes: "Your Majesty really said that?"
Li Chengzhi slapped his chest loudly: "Even if you have ten heads, you don't dare to falsely pass on the imperial edict?"
That’s right, falsely conveying imperial edicts is a crime of conspiracy. No matter how courageous Li Chengzhi is, he will definitely not dare to...
Yuan Yong's voice trembled with joy. He pushed him away and supported Li Chengzhi affectionately: "Sit...sit down quickly..."
He was so excited that he didn't realize that Gao Zhao and Yuan Jia's mouths were open wider than their fists.
How brave is Li Chengzhi?
If we say who knows the emperor best, Gao Zhao ranks first, Yuan Jia must rank second, followed by Liu Teng, Yuan Hui and the like.
Having already reprimanded Yuan Yong like an insult in the palace, the emperor would never take another step and send Li Chengzhi to say soft words... This was clearly Li Chengzhi's own initiative.
Gao Zhao frowned suddenly: In such a dangerous situation, if you make the slightest mistake, you may be in catastrophe. What's more, falsely conveying the imperial edict?
Are you afraid that the emperor will trust you too much?
Just as he was about to warn him, he suddenly felt his wrist tighten, but it was Yuan Jia who caught him.
Yuan Jia shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "Shou Wen, you and I are both old!"
He only said this sentence, but Gao Zhao was so blessed that he understood it: Li Chengzhi must have figured out some of the emperor's thoughts, so he was so bold...
He also thought of the meaningful look Li Chengzhi gave the emperor when everyone was asking for forgiveness in the palace.
Gao Zhao's heart skipped a beat: What did Li Chengzhi guess... No, what did the emperor want to do?
What else can you do?
Yuan Ke was about to lose control of his murderous intent and wanted to go on a killing spree. And the first one to be stabbed was most likely the old eunuch Liu Teng.
There is no other reason, just because the emperor felt the same way. Since Yuan Yong, Zhao Suiniang of Yuan Yue, and Yang Biao of Yuan Sengbao, he thought of the palace.
These two people generally do not have too many people in the palace after being implicated by their fathers, ancestors, and the master's family.
For example, Liu Teng, who was regarded as the emperor's most trusted minister, and Yu Jia Can, who specialized in serving decoctions and medicines, were all punished by corruption and entered the palace for their crimes.
The mastermind behind the scenes can contact Yang Biao and Zhao Suiniang, and can arrange their appropriate identities and the right time to enter the palace to assassinate them. Naturally, they can also contact palace officials with such identities and backgrounds.
Doubting whether there was something wrong with Liu Teng was only secondary. The emperor was angry that Liu Teng was afraid of getting burned. Knowing that there might be assassins in the palace, but not daring to investigate further was the most fatal thing.
Nine times out of ten, the old eunuch will not meet a good end, but now is not the time. The emperor can only endure it. But if he cannot bear it any longer, once he opens his mouth, he is afraid that there will be a mountain of corpses and a sea of bones, and blood will flow everywhere.
.
Even if all the eunuchs and maids in the palace were killed, it would only be within the palace. But if he killed someone like Yuan Yong, there would most likely be a chain reaction. That's why Li Chengzhi risked the emperor's suspicion.
Falsely preaching the imperial edict...
Yuan Yong didn't know that there were so many twists and turns, and he kept saying compliments. Li Chengzhi was a little unable to resist, so he could only praise him again and again, but he didn't dare.
He has long been used to being shameless, and Yuan Jia, Gao Zhao and others have become accustomed to it. Really impatient with his face, Gao Zhao interrupted coldly: "Let him finish talking about the business, and it's not too late for you to praise..."<
/p>
Business?
As if stuffed with a ball of cloth, Yuan Yong suddenly stopped talking.
Looking at the expressions of Yuan Jia and Gao Zhao, Li Chengzhi sighed secretly: He knew he couldn't hide it from these two old foxes.
He raised his hand and made a bow, and said solemnly: "I will speak bluntly: I would like to ask Taiwei, Sikong, who, in my opinion, is the most suspicious?"
Who is the most suspect?
Yuan Jia pondered for a moment, raised his palm, turned it left and right, and sighed sadly: "If we say the biggest suspects, they can only be counted on two hands: apart from the three of us, they are Yu Zhong, Liu Teng, Yuan Hui, and Chang Sun.
Zhi, Yu Wenfu, Yuan Yuan and others..."
Li Chengzhi changed his mind for a moment and understood what Yuan Jia meant: These six people are all responsible for the duties of internal guards in the palace. It is most convenient to deliver news outside and inside the palace. Add Yuan Yi, Yuan Jia, Gao Zhao and other three people.
, at most these nine people can know in advance who Hu Chonghua may invite if he wants to listen to scriptures. Even Yuan Yong has to be ruled out...
Of course, it is also possible that the palace maids in Qingquan Palace may have access to insiders outside the palace, but how did he send the news out?
We still have to go through these nine people, or their close subordinates...
It's not like Liu Teng didn't dig deeper according to this clue, but he couldn't find any clues. It's more like the thieves were able to predict the future and arranged the identities of the three assassins early.
For example, Yang Biao became a disciple of Luo Jie more than a year ago. At that time, Hu Chonghua was still a little transparent and fawned over Gao Ying all day long. How could he have the qualifications to invite people to give lectures?
Another example is Zhao Suiniang. At that time, she was just a wet nurse in Prince Yingyang's palace. She milked Yuan Yong every day. Not to mention Wuji Temple, she was a female crown in Chongxuan Temple, but she had not yet been given to Yuanyue by Yuan Yong... Naturally, the prophet was talking nonsense. Li Chengzhi suspected: Either the mastermind behind the scenes has laid a net and waited for the opportunity like a lucky break. For example, all the big temples and grand temples in Beijing have assassins arranged. As long as they wait for the opportunity to enter the palace, they will be lucky.
When he meets the emperor, he suddenly takes action.
But it would take tens of thousands of dead soldiers like Zhao Suiniang and Yang Biao to be arranged. With this ability, it would be more than enough to assassinate anyone, or to rebel directly.
Or it was intentional guidance, such as directly suggesting Luo Jie to Hu Chonghua. Liu Teng also investigated, and interrogated the palace officials of Qingquan Palace seven or eight times. Even Hu nun had been beaten to the point of dying, and they all just said that it was based on Hu Chonghua's advice.
Intentionally, please invite the eminent monks of Baima Temple and the eminent masters of Chongxu Temple (Tianshi Taoist Ancestral Altar).
Although he didn't mention names, why did Hu Chonghua suddenly designate these two places on a whim, giving the assassin an opportunity?
Well...
A flash of light flashed in Li Chengzhi's mind: It couldn't be Hu Chonghua, right?
When this idea came up, Li Chengzhi himself was shocked...