"Ding Jinzhi, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Li Zhishan, the commander of the internal bodyguards, are suspected of colluding with Tianxiao and murdering the prince. They are immediately dismissed from their posts, investigated and imprisoned in Tianlao; and the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple are ordered to conduct a joint investigation. After verifying the evidence, they will be punished as guilty!"
The emperor's dark eyes flashed with sharp luster, and his voice was slightly hoarse, but sonorous and powerful.
"Your Majesty is wise!" Feng Chaoying said with joy. He hurriedly asked the young eunuch beside him to get pen and ink; he stood in front of the writing desk and started writing in accordance with the emperor's instructions.
In a moment, an imperial edict was completed in one go. After finishing writing, Feng Chaoying held the imperial edict in both hands and respectfully presented it to the emperor for review.
The emperor browsed through ten lines at a glance, nodded and said, "Okay. I will read it in front of everyone tomorrow morning and announce it to the world."
Feng Chaoying said: "Wei Chen takes orders."
"In addition," the emperor pondered for a moment, then added: "Another decree will be read out together in the court hall tomorrow morning."
Feng Chaoying responded "yes" and laid out an imperial edict again on the desk. He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, held his breath and listened carefully to the emperor's instructions.
The emperor stood up and left the Long's Case, pacing back and forth in the imperial study room with his hands behind his back. He occasionally stopped and spoke one word at a time:
"By God's will, the emperor issued an edict:
Ling Yun, the former second-grade guard commander, entered the palace without permission and plotted evil. Later, he robbed the prison and killed the imperial guards, causing harm to the capital and causing cholera to the court. His crimes were numerous and unforgivable; and because he had been loyal to the country and served the imperial court, Therefore, he was given a lighter sentence according to the circumstances and sentenced to death by beheading. The execution was carried out outside the Meridian Gate at three o'clock in the afternoon three days later.
Admire this! "
The emperor's speech was slow and powerful, as if every word was filled with great power, and every sentence was like a knife, leaving no room for doubt, making people's hearts tremble.
Feng Chaoying's writing paused for a moment, and a large drop of ink fell on the yellow imperial edict, which immediately penetrated around like a scarlet blood drop.
He raised his head and looked at the Emperor with some confusion. He moved his lips a few times and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty..."
The emperor raised his eyebrows and said in a solemn and cold voice, "What's wrong?"
Feng Chaoying put down her pen and knelt down in front of the emperor. The words squeezed out of her throat were dry and hoarse, "I have the courage to tell you something..."
The emperor said expressionlessly: "Say."
Feng Chaoying stabilized her expression that was about to collapse and said tremblingly: "Ling Yun committed a serious crime and should be executed; but he also did some things in order to find out the case between the prince and Lu Wenzheng, and he had to do some things. His feelings are pitiful. His heart can be learned!
"Furthermore, when Ling Yun served as the commander of the bodyguards in the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of Justice, he also solved many shocking cases for the imperial court. It can be said that his heart is devoted to the country and he has made outstanding achievements! - Can the Holy One recognize his loyalty and give him a lighter sentence?"
The emperor raised his lips slightly and sneered, "I knew you would plead for him. But, do you think it's okay?"
The corners of Feng Chaoying's mouth twitched, and his expression changed from natural to extremely unnatural.
"Actually, how come I haven't thought about what you said?" The emperor turned around and looked at him, his eyes narrow and deep, like a deep pool of water, intimidating and irresistible.
"You have followed me for so many years, and I won't bother you. I just ask you: Can a person's merits and demerits be offset? For example, a heinous murderer, just because he did some good deeds later, can condone his previous crimes. A crime committed?"
Feng Chaoying felt her head buzzing, her mind went blank, and she was speechless.
The emperor added: "Actually, Ling Yun's martial arts and character are first-class, and he is also very good at dealing with people. I have always valued him and like him very much; and I can also understand Ling Yun's difficulties in doing those things - say To be honest, I really can’t bear to kill him!..."
Feng Chaoying looked up at the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, see you clearly."
"But so what? The things Ling Yun committed may be pitiable, but his crimes deserve to be punished!"
As he said that, the emperor raised his head and chuckled, "And when he made the matter so big, it was known all over the city and the whole world - I have to give an explanation to the ministers in the court and an explanation to the people of the world!"
Feng Chaoying calmed down and said calmly: "But, Princess Chang Qing and Master He..."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, and there was a cold air in his eyes, "The prince is guilty of the same crime as the common people, so what about Princess Changqing, what about the royal relatives? If you are always hesitant and timid in doing things, then the national laws How can we continue to implement it?”
"..." Feng Chaoying choked and was speechless for a moment.
The emperor frowned slightly, seeming to ponder, "Also, don't tell Aunt Changqing, He Yuting, Uncle Jinling and Princess Huanyu about this matter yet."
Feng Chaoying responded vaguely, feeling a little confused for a moment.
——Don’t tell them? The fire can't be contained in the paper. How can such a big thing be kept hidden?
Looking at Feng Chaoying's somewhat confused expression, the emperor sighed softly, as if speaking to him or to himself, "Actually, I am not afraid that they will know about this, but I am afraid that they will come here again to plead for Ling Yun. Alas. , I start crying and crying endlessly, which is really annoying.”
"But, Your Majesty—"
"Okay, don't say anything!" The emperor frowned, with a hint of irritation in his tone, "The matter has come to this, the outcome has been determined, what will happen even if they come here? I can't let it go because of this. Ling Yun, and it will also make things difficult for each other, so why bother?"
Feng Chaoying suddenly felt that the emperor's words sounded familiar, as if she had heard them somewhere.
Oh, his mind changed and he suddenly remembered that Ling Yun had just said these words to him when he went to visit him.
——"If at any time the Holy One makes a decree or sentences Ling Yun to death, please do not announce it to the outside world, let alone tell them..."
——"I really don't want them to come to the Holy One to plead for me again, and I don't want the Holy One to be in trouble because of this. The matter is here, the outcome is already determined, no matter what anyone does, it will be in vain, so why bother to make things difficult for each other? "…
History is always an amazing coincidence, and reality can also happen to coincide with each other inadvertently; just like what Ling Yun and the current emperor said just now.
It is really not an exaggeration to say that "the hearts are connected".
"Why are you in a daze? Why don't you follow my orders immediately?" Seeing that Feng Chaoying was just dazed, the emperor glared at him with some dissatisfaction and urged impatiently.
"Yes, the old slave takes the order..." Feng Chaoying responded in panic, bowed to the emperor stiffly, then turned around and walked out.
His feet were a little shaky and his steps were a little unsteady. Zheng Yifei on the side saw this and hurriedly took a few steps forward to support his somewhat shaky figure.
Feng Chaoying and Zheng Yifei left the imperial study. When the cool breeze blew, their minds became clearer, and then they remembered the purpose of their trip.
What are the two of us here for? Isn't it to report the confession of the assassin Zhou Yi, to ask the Holy One to bring order to the chaos, and to purge the rebellious ministers and traitors? How could I forget it in the excitement?
The two of them stamped their feet in frustration. But the matter has come to this, and we can’t just go and come back—why don’t we talk about it another day? …
The dim dusk gradually became lower and lower; the sky and the earth seemed to be sewn together by the night, boundless.
Qinglong Villa is ten miles outside the capital. In the office hall.
Li Ruiyun, the leader of the Tianxiao gang, was dressed in black and had his hands behind his back, standing majestically on the high platform.
His delicate facial features are as frosty as snow, with a kind of evil charm and ruthlessness; the sword-shaped eyebrows slanting into the temples, the blood-colored eyes, the slightly aquiline nose, the slightly sunken corners of the mouth, and the angular face become more and more... His hair perfectly accentuated the powerful aura emanating from his body.
Standing next to Li Ruiyun was Taoist priest Bai Yu.
His face is like a crown jade, his eyebrows are thick and his eyes are bright, his nose is like a jade pillar, his lips are like beads, he holds floating dust in his hand and carries a sword on his shoulder. He was wearing a green robe, his figure was slightly tilted, covering half of his face in thick shadows; only the light emitted by his cold eyes became darker and more elusive.
Under the high platform, Ding Jinzhi, the Minister of Rites, and Li Zhishan, the commander of the imperial guards, stood respectfully. Their faces were gloomy and their brows were knitted together, like eggplants beaten by frost, looking downcast.
What is striking is that beside the two people, there is also a beautiful woman with a charming and graceful posture.
She was wearing a green smoked sweater and a pleated skirt of mist and green grass. If the shoulders are cut into pieces, if the waist is straight and plain, if the muscles are like condensed fat, and if the Qi is blue. On the delicate and charming face, there are curved eyebrows, red lips and white teeth, and a pair of bright eyes like spring water. When she is delicate and graceful, she is simply beautiful.
This woman is none other than the enchantress-like girl Wan'er who once served Princess Jinling and Princess Huanyu, and who secretly went to Dauchei to inform and betray Ling Yun a few days ago!
Li Ruiyun pursed her thin lips tightly, and her eyes were as cold as blades. She was looking down at the people standing in front of her with a scornful attitude.
Several people under the high platform lowered their heads, with a thick layer of gloom covering their faces. The air around him seemed to be stagnant, making him feel suffocated.
Finally, Wan'er couldn't stand the suffocating atmosphere, and she mustered up the courage to speak first, "Gang leader, can you allow me to say a few words first?"...
