Taiji palace, harem.
Changsun Wugou was concentrating on embroidery when a strong wind suddenly hit him.
"See Your Majesty!"
"See Your Majesty!"
The maids and servants inside and outside all knelt down and saluted. ,
"It's quite late in the morning today..."
Changsun Wugou held his masterpiece and said with a smile,
"Er Feng, come and take a look, how is my embroidery? This mandarin duck is really difficult to shape. I accidentally embroidered it into a big goose..."
I asked twice, but didn't hear the slightest response.
The slaves inside and outside the house were still kneeling and did not hear the customary "flat body".
"Um?"
Changsun Wugou was a little confused, and when he raised his head, he saw Li Shimin looking at her with a gloomy face, without saying a word.
"What's wrong?"
She was stunned for a moment, put down her work and stood up to greet him, and asked,
"What happened? You look so ugly."
This gloomy look is very rare.
Since Erfeng ascended the throne, he has never shown such an expression even if the Turks invaded!
"You all get down."
Li Shimin gave an order.
"yes."
All the slaves were relieved and retreated numbly.
The emperor's pressure overwhelmed them all!
"I revealed something today."
Li Shimin said coldly,
"Hou Junji has been in the Youwei, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Industry these years. He has committed corruption everywhere, and the amount of money he embezzled amounted to tens of thousands of taels!"
"Tens of thousands of taels! That's all my money! Save money and use it to labor the army and use it for construction! He just got greedy! Let my soldiers and my people drink from the northwest wind!"
"Tell me! Should he die?"
The eldest grandson Wugou was shocked.
"Is this happening?"
She opened her mouth slightly and said hurriedly,
"Is there any evidence?"
Snapped!
Li Shimin took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and slapped it on the table.
"The scoundrels he arranged to embezzle in the Ministry of Industry have all confessed. Just take a look!"
Changsun Wugou took the confession and glanced up and down, his whole face suddenly turned ugly.
Now it's better, the couple has the same expression.
"Did Hou Junji defend himself?"
She looked up again and asked.
Li Shimin shook his head.
"No, what he muttered were all feeble words, such as 'I have shed blood for the Tang Dynasty, and I have performed meritorious service for His Majesty', haha..."
Li Er snorted angrily,
"Ha! Doesn't this just prove his crime? If he really didn't do it, why would he show off his scars to gain my sympathy?"
"This matter is inseparable. It must be greed, and it is huge corruption! If we want to investigate now, it is just a question of how much we have been greedy. I need a specific amount."
Changsun Wugou nodded slightly and fell into silence.
After a long time, she slowly stood up and walked behind Li Shimin, rubbing his back.
"Hou Junji is your hero. He made great military exploits in Tiance Mansion back then. Later, when you won the title of legitimate son...he also played a great role."
Changsun Wuguo muttered softly, and suddenly said,
"Who brought this up?"
Li Shimin suddenly shrugged his shoulders.
"You're on to the point."
He sneered,
"The whistleblower of this scandal is none other than our most trusted great master, Xu Guogong Xu Fenglei!"
"Just now! At the court meeting, in front of all the ministers, he revealed this matter!"
"What does he mean? Are you pinpin?"
The eldest grandson Wugu was stunned.
"It's actually Ting Ming?! This..."
She murmured,
"It shouldn't be. With his status in the court, there is absolutely no need to do this..."
She originally thought that this matter was brought about by a lowly official. Because of her low status, she could only choose to expose it at an occasion like the Great Court Meeting, in order to gain the attention of the ministers and the emperor.
She really didn't expect that it would be Xu Fenglei!
"Haha, yes! He could have told me directly in private and let's discuss how to deal with it in private, but he didn't."
Li Shimin said angrily,
"He insists on making trouble at the court meeting! What does this mean? This is completely forcing me! I have to follow the process he set!"
"This bastard, in order to defeat a Hou Junji, he plotted against me!"
What a good Xu Fenglei, he was laughing and joking as if nothing happened, but secretly he was collecting all kinds of evidence to make this case a solid case.
In the end, everything broke out at the court meeting. As the emperor, he had no choice but to be coerced by his will and ordered Hou Junji to be imprisoned and the case to be thoroughly investigated.
How can Li Er, who has always wanted to be strong in his life, not be angry?
His nose was almost crooked with anger!
"this……"
Changsun Wugao gave a bitter smile and said,
"Perhaps he is worried that in private, you will protect Hou Junji."
"With your temper, you will definitely do it... After all, Hou Junji has made a lot of contributions, so..."
boom!
Li Shimin threw the tea cup on the table.
"I wholeheartedly want to treat the heroes well, but I also have a bottom line, okay?"
Li Er said angrily,
"This level of corruption, no matter how tolerant I am, I will deal with it strictly!"
"Worried? Worried! He did it on purpose! I'm afraid he has rehearsed this situation several times in his mind!"
"He doesn't care about the situation at all, he doesn't care about my feelings at all... He Xu Fenglei is only thinking about himself! He really makes me mad!"
Swish.
The eldest grandson Wugou was busy rubbing Li Shimin's back.
"Calm down your anger, calm down your anger, don't let your anger break your body."
She comforted,
"Now that things have reached this point, there's no point in getting angry."
"Besides, no matter how you say it, Ting Ming is doing it for the sake of the court. Hou Junji's corruption is so serious. If he is not caught, there will be more and more such moths, and the atmosphere will get worse and worse."
"By then, the entire Tang Dynasty will be hollowed out by them!"
"This boy's actions may be inappropriate, but they are also for the sake of the country! Erfeng, you must understand this."
Li Shimin listened to Changsun Wugou's persuasion, his breathing became calmer and his complexion improved a bit.
"How come I don't know that he is doing it for the court and the country? But where does this put me?"
Li Er frowned and sighed heavily,
"In the past two years, I have been a little tolerant towards heroes like Hou Junji and others. It can even be said to be laissez-faire! But what is my purpose?"
"There are some things that I can't say to others, so I can only talk to you. I, Li Shimin, have already been charged with killing my brothers and forcing my father. Do you want me to add another reputation of being mean and unkind and killing heroes? Then What have I become? How will future generations judge me?"
"You know my ambition. I want to be a sage king like Yao and Shun, and I will never be a foolish king like Jie, Zhou and Yang Guang!"
"Guanyin Maid... do you know how depressed I am?!"
At this moment, Li Shimin's entire mood hit rock bottom, and he couldn't even call him "I" anymore. He told his wife his truest thoughts deep in his heart.
These words can only be said to my wife in this world!
"I know, I know..."
Changsun Wugou patted Li Shimin's back gently and comforted him softly,
"You are in power with shackles..."
Li Shimin leaned into her arms, nodded silently, and his mood improved slightly.
"Yes, I am in power with shackles. I dare not make the slightest mistake. I strive to achieve perfection in everything I do."
He said softly,
"The founding monarchs of the past dynasties often did things like removing mills, killing donkeys, and demolishing people across rivers, but I have made up my mind—"
"As long as they live up to me, I will live up to them!"
"But now... Hou Junji has done such a thing. According to the law, his huge amount of corruption is enough to kill him hundreds of times! But, but..."
"Can you say that he betrayed me?"
Changsun Wugou was silent for this.
She couldn't answer this question.
To say that it is true, as a founding hero, taking the lead in corruption and spreading bad habits, this really does not live up to the emperor's expectations.
But let's say he's a loser... In the final analysis, he is just greedy for money, but his loyalty to Li Shimin has not been compromised!
Li Shimin thought about it, his brows were almost knotted, and suddenly, he gritted his teeth again.
"The most disgusting thing is this Xu Fenglei! This matter could have been handled properly, but he insisted on reporting it in public and forcing me to express my position! Forcing me to take the path he chose!"
He gritted his teeth and said bitterly,
"Do you really think that I am a doll that he can manipulate?"
"He wanted to kill Hou Junji with one blow, but I refused to let him do it. I wanted to make his wishful thinking come to nothing!"
"Hou Junji's life is guaranteed by me! Even if the world accuses me of being fatuous or immoral, as long as Hou Junji does not rebel or rebel, he will always be my hero, and I will never use the butcher's knife. Reach for him!”
Hearing this, the eldest grandson Wugou had a look of helplessness in his eyes.
At this moment, Li Shimin looked completely angry and angry.
"Whatever you want to do, I support you."
She looked at her husband in her arms and said softly,
"No matter what decision you make, I firmly believe that my husband will never be an unruly king. He must be a promising and wise king."
Li Shimin raised his head slightly, his expression moved.
"Guanyin Maid..."
He said with moved eyes,
"Fortunately, I have you. I am really lucky to be able to marry you..."
Changsun Wugou smiled.
"Okay, okay, stop saying such silly things, we're already an old couple."
She patted Li Shimin on the shoulder and said,
"You can save Hou Junji's life, but a severe punishment is necessary. Otherwise, everyone will follow Hou Junji as an example, and corruption will quickly breed in the court, which is extremely bad."
"Put yourself together and think about how to be kind."
Li Shimin reluctantly left his wife's warm embrace and sat upright at the table.
"You are right..."
He mused,
"The top priority is to get to the bottom of Hou Junji's case. I need to know how much he has been greedy for!"
"Someone is coming——"
The attendants outside the house responded and entered the hall.
"Go to the Secretary's Department and call Changsun Wuji."
Li Shimin ordered,
"I have something to ask him."
"As ordered." The attendant responded and left.
Changsun Wugu raised his eyebrows.
"Ask brother?"
She frowned and said,
"Is he still in charge of the spies?"
She was the Princess of Qin back then and was in charge of all the internal affairs of the palace. She naturally knew that Li Shimin had spent a lot of money to train a large number of spies, and Changsun Wuji was the general person in charge.
But this secret force has disappeared since Li Shimin ascended the throne, and Changsun Wugou will naturally not deliberately ask about it.
But now Li Shimin suddenly called his name, which made her think of it all at once.
"Oh... why are you asking so hard? You have to do something for the auxiliary machine, right?"
Li Shimin spread his hands and said,
"I thought you knew."
Changsun Wugou raised his eyebrows.
"Did I press too hard?" she asked.
Li Shimin: "..."
After a while, a person crossed the threshold and saluted the emperor and empress.
"See Your Majesty, see the Queen."
Li Shimin drank tea and turned sideways.
"Auxiliary engine, come and sit."
The eldest grandson Wugou also raised his head, picked up the teapot and said:
"Brother is here, please have tea."
A cup of tea was handed to him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Queen." Changsun Wuji quickly stepped forward, took the tea cup, and sat down next to Li Shimin.
"Auxiliary engine."
Li Shimin looked at Changsun Wuji and said,
"What do you think of today's events?"
"Uh...what is your Majesty talking about?" Changsun Wuji was stunned for a moment, then asked tentatively, "About Hou Junji?"
Li Er glanced at him and nodded slightly.
"Hou Junji is so audacious that he dares to embezzle military pay and extend his dark hands to state assets. This is simply outrageous and heartbreaking!"
Changsun Wuji said indignantly,
"I am shocked, but I don't understand! Your Majesty obviously did not treat him badly and gave him many rewards. Why is he not satisfied?"
"This is really true. People's hearts are not as good as snakes swallowing elephants! I must take him as a warning and never do such a dirty thing. More importantly, I must not let His Majesty be sad or disappointed!"
He spat on Hou Junji until his head was bloody, and then expressed his loyalty again.
Changsun Wuji's words can be said to be a perfect essay.
"Yes, I am very sad and disappointed."
Li Shimin sighed lightly,
"Then what do you think should be done with Hou Junji?"
Changsun Wuji was stunned.
"This... such a serious case, how dare I dare to speak nonsense?"
He shook his head repeatedly, cupped his hands and said,
"Only Your Majesty's Holy Judgment!"
Li Shimin glanced at him again.
"Auxiliary machine, you seem to be much more tactful. Who did you learn this from?"
He said softly,
"What if I must ask you to deal with it? Just tell me, tell me, and I won't blame you if you don't say it well. Don't worry."
"Uh, this...this..." Changsun Wuji began to scratch his head and hesitated for a long time, but he couldn't make a sound.
Of course he has ideas, but he must not show off in front of the emperor. It is just a little cleverness, and it is easy to be misled by cleverness.
The only way to act stupid and avoid it is to be very smart!
"That's all! You are so boring, so boring! The secretarial department's classics have smoothed your edges!"
Li Shimin pointed at Changsun Wuji, turned to look at his wife, shook his head and sighed with a smile,
"Look at your brother, where is he still as high-spirited as before?"
"What does this mean? It means that no matter how sharp the knife is, if you don't use it or sharpen it, it will eventually become useless and become a useless knife."
"It's a pity, it's a pity..."
Changsun Wugou threw a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake into his mouth, and didn't answer the question at all, as if he didn't hear anything.
"Your Majesty is disappointed. Perhaps I am just a useless sword that cannot be sharpened or used."
Changsun Wuji lowered his head, raised his hands and said respectfully,
"Your Majesty has placed me in the Secretary's Department, and he is in his rightful place."
