Murong Xue was a little confused on the spot. He hesitated and replied: "Your Majesty, didn't I specially apologize to you before? I can't accept this gift."
Li Bing's eyes widened, and he deliberately pretended to be unhappy and said: "Li Jiangyao doesn't see me as an emperor, so he can push me away if he wants. What? You want to imitate him?"
"I am not imitating him." Murong Xue explained quickly: "My status is really low and I am not worthy of the princess' love."
Li Bing took control of the topic, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and hummed: "Li Jiangyao still has a legitimate reason for refusing the marriage. What about you? You are a bachelor, what qualifications do you have to be picky? You are of low status, how can you be so low-level? Is it possible for me to grant you the title of Zhuguo before marrying Li Xi? "
Murong Xue felt helpless: "That's not what I meant."
"That's not what you mean. What do you mean?" Li Bing said dissatisfiedly: "Do you know that just because you rejected my kindness, Princess Fenyang even committed suicide by hanging from a beam? Although she was fine, she became the target of the whole dynasty. You are the laughingstock, and the royal family is also humiliated. Murong, Murong, what do you want me to say about you?"
Murong Xue already knew what happened to Li Xi, and couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. She lowered her head and said, "It's all my fault. Please forgive me."
Li Bing waved his hand: "If you are punished, there is no need to mention it again in the future. You only need to tell me when you will welcome Li Xi."
Murong Xue asked slightly embarrassed: "Your Majesty, is there really no need to discuss Princess Shang's matter? You know that I have a woman."
Li Bing sighed softly: "Oh, I know very well that you have Rui Ji in your heart. I also heard you say that she is still alive. However, no matter how good Miss Rui Ji is, after all, she is just a prostitute, and the two of you are not The matchmaker is getting married. If we are destined to meet again in the future, it is enough for you to take her as your concubine. Can you really make her your wife?"
Having said this, Li Bing paused briefly, and then said in a sincere tone: "Murong, I regard you as one of my own, even as a brother, that's why I thought of bringing you into the imperial family. . With the status of consort, and the title of Duke in the future, the Murong clan will be secure for generations to come. Isn’t this good? Or are you saying that you dislike Li Xi because she is Li Kuang’s biological sister, so you don’t like her?”
"No, no, no, I don't dare to think so, and I have never thought so," Murong Xue explained quickly: "Princess Fenyang is the apple of the late emperor's eye, and she has already made it clear that she and the rebel king have made a clean break. I have no dislike for the princess at all. .”
Li Bing smiled and nodded: "That's it. I don't have biological sisters, otherwise things would be simple. As you said, Li Xi is the emperor's favorite daughter. She has a dignified and beautiful appearance, a good personality, and is of the right age. , what else do you have to hesitate about?"
Murong Xue asked: "Your Majesty, can I allow you to think about it again?"
"No! There's no need to think about it!" Li Bing flicked his robe sleeves: "Murong Xue, I'm leaving this conversation with you here. The Li family's face has fallen to the ground. You have to pick it up for me no matter what. Otherwise. , Li Xi will be ruined in your hands for the rest of his life."
Murong Xue looked at Li Bing blankly, and after a long time he hesitated and said: "I...well, I thank your majesty for your kindness."
Seeing that Murong Xue finally agreed, Li Bing smiled happily and said: "This is the right thing. You and I, the monarch and our subjects, will always be one! You just happened to come back from the front line, so there is no need to leave in a hurry. Go back and prepare immediately. I asked Qin Tianjian to Choose an auspicious day to celebrate the wedding. As for the mansion, the traitor Xie Guang’s mansion has been confiscated, so I’ll give it to you and Li Xi.”
Murong Xue didn't know what to say at this time, so she thanked Li Bing stumblingly.
Fortunately, he still remembered why he came back from the front line.
Murong Xue cleared her throat and spoke again: "Your Majesty, I have one more thing to report."
Li Bing felt helpless, frowned and asked, "Is it about Shen Lie?"
"That's right." Murong Xue responded loudly: "Your Majesty, what crime did Shen Changshi commit and why should he be arrested and imprisoned?"
Li Bing looked at Murong Xue quietly, waited for a while and then said calmly: "He secretly keeps Nilin Division's secret files and refuses to hand them over. What do you want me to do?"
Murong Xue was slightly startled: "Secret file? What secret file?"
Li Bing smiled and said: "A few days ago, Shen Lie said in front of me and the ministers that according to the centuries-old rules of the Holy Tang Dynasty, foreign officials are not allowed to interfere with Beiya's affairs, otherwise they will be killed without mercy. Why, you are running away now. Are you here to get into trouble?"
Murong Xue reacted very quickly and said: "I don't dare. I have no interest in Bei Ya's affairs. However, Shen Lie is a meritorious minister. He is loyal to both the late emperor and His Majesty. He will be able to do it every day." Learn.”
Li Bing snorted coldly: "According to what you said, as long as you have done meritorious service to the late emperor and me, you can do whatever you want without discipline. If you make any mistakes, you can't be punished, right?"
"I don't mean that." Murong Xue said: "I just want to say that with Shen Lie's personality, even if he makes some mistakes, he will never be disloyal to His Majesty. There may be some misunderstanding in this, Your Majesty. Insightful."
Li Bing responded coldly: "You are still here to teach me if you are aware of it or not? The matter has been found out very clearly. If Shen Lie secretly hid the secret file, as long as he is willing to hand it over, I will not pursue it; if he If you do not keep secret files privately, it is equivalent to losing important files while in office. According to the laws of Shengtang and the rules of Nilinsi, you should be punished with death. How to choose is not determined by me, but depends on Shen Lie's own choice. .”
Murong Xue had roughly understood the whole story at this time, and the emperor did not say anything completely and insisted on putting Shen Lie to death. In this way, there is room for change.
He thought for a while and tried to ask: "Your Majesty, I have some friendship with Shen Lie. Can I go see him and try my best to persuade him. If it can be solved satisfactorily, it will be a good thing for the country and the king."
Li Bing pondered for a moment and nodded slightly: "You are the person I trust most, and you will soon become a relative. I have to give you this face. Go, have a good chat with Shen Lie, and let him come back. In addition, you Remember, that secret file is of great importance. No one is allowed to know the contents, including you. Once you get the secret file, give it to me immediately, and I will let Shen Lie live."
Murong Xue said yes, then resigned to Li Bing and left. After leaving the imperial city, he didn't waste a moment and went straight to Dali Temple.
The official responsible for guarding the prisoners saw that it was the imperial general who had arrived, and he heard that he had received the holy order. He quickly greeted the leader diligently and led Murong Xue all the way to the cell where Shen Lie was being held.
As soon as they arrived, Murong Xue immediately frowned. How can the conditions in Dali Temple’s prison be any better? In the dark and humid environment, the musty smell is mixed with all kinds of unspeakable odors, which is nauseating.
Shen Lie sat alone on the broken straw mat, feeling indescribably lonely.
Murong Xue couldn't help but cursed: "Damn it! You bunch of beasts, can't you find a clean place? Mr. Shen was also the young minister of Dali Temple. Your immediate boss, and besides, he has the status of a marquis, so you behave like this him?"
The official looked embarrassed and quickly apologized with a smile: "General Murong doesn't know something. This has always been the case here. Even if the prince is guilty, he can only live here."
Murong Xue continued to scold, and Shen Lie suddenly stood up and said with a smile: "Are you here? Don't embarrass them. No matter how much you scold me, you can't make me move out. Xiao Su, you go and do your work, let me and General Murong Let’s talk alone for a while.”
The scolded official nodded in agreement as if he had been granted amnesty, and then ordered his prison boss to bring two stools over and make a pot of tea for the two adults. After the arrangements were made, he flew away as fast as he could.
Murong Xue looked at Shen Lie and said in a deep voice: "Brother Shen, you have lost weight. It must have been difficult in Jiangnan for more than a year."
"It's not bad." Shen Lie smiled casually: "With Jiang Yao's men taking care of me, my life is going well. It's just a pity that I couldn't catch Lao Jianhua."
Murong Xue's eyes were a little moist, and she shook her head and said: "Revenge is not urgent at this moment. Speaking of which, you left Jiangnan and met Jiang Yao and Touchang, why didn't you come to me?"
Hearing him complaining about himself, Shen Lie laughed loudly: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I originally planned to turn around from Luzhou and go to Suzhou to meet you, but the emperor summoned me urgently, and I was too late. "
Murong Xue nodded in understanding: "I was joking with you just now. We brothers, keep everything secret. Brother Shen, what are your plans next?"
Shen Lie smiled slightly and asked instead, "Have you met the emperor?"
"I've seen it." Murong Xue responded: "I came back specially for you this time, but it's a pity... the emperor hasn't let go yet. But don't worry, I heard what he said and didn't want to deal with it. did you mean."
Shen Lie smiled nonchalantly and said, "Thank you for still thinking about Shen and working hard for me. To be honest, Shen has already put life and death aside. It doesn't matter what the emperor wants."
Murong Xue sighed helplessly and asked: "Jiang Yao also revealed some of the secret files to me before, but I couldn't express it in front of His Majesty, so I could only persuade him in roundabout ways. Alas, Brother Shen, you What do you think? Why do you have to hold on to this hot potato? You know, this is not a good thing, but a huge trouble."
"It's just because it's such a big trouble that I can't take it out yet." Shen Lie shook his head: "If the emperor doesn't see the secret file with his own eyes, he won't be completely trapped in doubts about his identity. On the contrary, if he now Even after knowing the details, I still can’t figure out my life experience. I can only vacillate between yes and no. At the same time, it gives people with ulterior motives an opportunity to take advantage of me. Do you understand what I mean?”
Murong Xue was stunned for a while, and suddenly nodded solemnly: "Brother Shen, I understand what you said, and I admire your courage and responsibility. However, this will put you in a sea of knives and fire, and no one can save you. ah."
