"Prime Minister, Yan Wen has found out!"
Liu Zhennian had returned to the hall at this time, holding his body that had not yet fully recovered from his illness and sitting upright on the armchair.
"Bring him up." Liu Zhennian seemed to have two balls of fire in his eyes.
"yes."
Soon after, two military men arrived carrying a thin official. The man did not wear a gauze hat, and his half-white hair was hanging down from it. His face was dirty and black, with only a pair of dark eyes showing, which looked lifeless.
"Is...Yan participating in politics?" Liu Zhennian stretched out his head to look, his eyes widened, and he didn't dare to recognize him at all.
"Yes." Yan Wen replied in a low voice.
Liu Zhennian's anger gradually disappeared, and he asked as usual: "I heard from the clerk in my house that you came to see me a few days ago, right?"
"Yes. You were not here when you went home to recuperate," Yan Wen said.
"Isn't it too late to see me now?"
Yan Wen raised his head slightly and looked into his eyes nervously, trying to see some kindness and forgiveness, but there seemed to be nothing in his eyes, just turbidity. He began to be afraid: "What do you mean Mr. Liu?"
Liu Zhennian was silent for a moment, then turned to look at the people around him: "Please step aside for now."
The soldiers looked at each other and accepted the order in astonishment. They had no choice but to put down Yan Wen's arm and walked out with several scribes. After a burst of chaotic footsteps, Yan Wen remained frozen in place, motionless.
There was absolutely no sound in the hall, except for the birds outside that kept chirping.
"cough."
Liu Zhennian suddenly coughed, and the birds on the eaves suddenly became quiet as if they had read his mind.
"If it's not too late," Liu Zhennian's fingers gently landed on the armrest, "Yan Shenzheng can tell me more about what's on his mind... This may be the last time you and I meet."
Yan Wen slowly raised his head and looked straight at him with his eyes, but there was no surprise or fear in his eyes, just a blank look in his eyes. This continued for a while, without answering, and slowly lowered his head.
"You should know that I called you here this time just to give them an explanation and remove you from your official position... Mr. Yan, things have developed to such an extent that no matter how much I say, it's useless. It's just Liu. I'm sorry, I can't forgive your sincerity in the past." Liu Zhennian was talking to himself, but seeing that Yan Wen still kept silent, he sighed and said: "Forget it, if you don't want to talk, just hand over the seal. Just go and go.”
"General," Yan Wen finally spoke, "I have no merit, but I have failed you, allowing you to make such a difficult choice. Just let Niu Yuan kill me, I am willing to admit defeat."
"It's already here, are you still thinking about the party struggle?" Liu Zhennian let out an unusually cold laugh, then suddenly stood up, trying his best to open his bloodshot eyes, "He is fighting, and so are you. In the fight, you are satisfied if you have brought down the country, right? You keep saying that you want to revive the ritual system of the previous kings, but in the end it is just an excuse and a piece of bullshit! You seemed so righteous at first, but you have been deceiving for a long time. My trick!"
Yan Wen gritted his teeth and immediately knelt down on his knees. He trembled and said, "Yan has never deceived anyone, let alone his favor. I have always been thinking about the teachings of the ancient Confucianism and aspired to revive the ancient system." , and never abandon the ethics... Today's New Deal is what I have planned to implement from the beginning, but I just brought it forward in order to deal with Niu Yuan. I am definitely not fighting for personal gain in the name of the ancients, otherwise my ancestors would also You should be punished!"
"Then why do you want to make a river of blood? Why do you want to kill so many people?" Liu Zhennian looked at him puzzled, "Is this your Confucian dream?"
Yan Wen's breath began to tremble: "I...I don't understand either."
"You don't understand?" Liu Zhennian, who was still angry just now, was stunned.
"I heard the ancient Confucian saying: 'The way of Yao and Shun, without benevolent government, cannot rule the world peacefully', so after I became prime minister, I assiduously pursued the word 'benevolent'. But I don't know why, so many people don't want this benevolent government. , there are so many people blocking my way...to persuade them not to move, the only way is to kill them."
"You often mention that Confucius killed Shaozhengmao, just to make excuses for yourself?"
"It's definitely not an excuse, just to comfort myself. But until that time I personally visited the execution ground and saw a dozen people's heads rolling off the stage, and saw the horrifying blood stains... I was a little shaken. Since the disciples Good governance is not enough, so we must be ruthless and strict in law; but once we kill so many people, how can we call it benevolent governance? What should I do? I really can’t figure it out..."
"If so, have you ever doubted these ethical systems?" Liu Zhennian asked.
Yan Wen was confused at first, and then he was filled with endless horror, and his face became even paler: "No, no, absolutely not... It's because I haven't understood the meaning of the sages yet. That's why I'm like this. If you give me a few more years..."
At this point, he suddenly paused, and then shook his head: "No, I still don't understand, I can't figure it out..."
Liu Zhennian couldn't help but feel a sore nose when he saw him looking half crazy, and tears welled up in his eyes. He turned his back and raised his head: "Forget it, everything is over, there is no need to be harsh and regretful anymore. Just put the seal on the table."
"Yes..." After saying that, Yan Wen took it out of his pocket for a long time, and finally took out the seal and held it in his hand - the luster of this thing had been dimmed for a long time.
He looked at the square seal with reluctance and moved forward with difficulty. When he saw that he was about to reach the table, he slowly put it down.
He began to retreat; after taking two steps, he bowed deeply and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Yan Wen thanks you!" Then he waved his sleeves and left. Liu Zhennian heard that he was walking away. He looked back and saw the bird on the eaves screamed in surprise and fluttered its wings.
"Reporting to the Prime Minister, the traitor Yan Wen has been captured!"
A military man rushed up to the lobby of Zhongshu Provincial Department and hurried to claim credit from Niu Yuan.
After Niu Yuan heard this, he only looked at each other with Hong Lisan and others, and all the ministers in the hall laughed.
"Have you taken all the seals on him?" Niu Yuan asked, knocking on the table.
"We took off the official uniform, and Mr. Liu took the seal."
"Did he be the only one arrested?"
"Yes, we have been thinking of venting our anger on Mr. Niu, tying him up and pushing him in front of the imperial guards, and they will scold him!"
"Okay, okay!" Niu Yuan laughed proudly again, "But this man has a lot of followers. If we don't arrest them all, how can we get rid of this evil spirit! Go to Dali Temple and arrest his brothers as well. They will be tortured and tortured, and they must be made to account for all their accomplices!"
