The atmosphere in the palace was somewhat quiet.
Li Linfu bowed and stood, and when he glanced over, he saw that the saint was looking at the bamboo paper presented by Wang Zhongsi with a playful look in his eyes.
"Li Jingzhong?"
Li Longji murmured, seeming to be amused by the name, and said, "Juro, let's take a look too."
A servant handed the bamboo paper to Li Linfu's hand.
Li Linfu looked at it and his eyes were fixed. He was a little surprised that Wang Zhongsi would use such means to save himself. This was completely inconsistent with his understanding of Wang Zhongsi.
He had a guess in his mind because he thought of Xue Bai and Wang Zhongsi drinking together and giving speeches last night.
"What do you think, Juro?"
"I am really surprised. Wang Zhongsi has always been close to the prince, but this time he actually wrote a letter to accuse the people around the prince. Is there any hidden secret?"
Li Longji did not ask for his opinion, and said directly: "Since the person who dared to kill people in Beijing is an old soldier from Longyou, the case will be handed over to Wang Zhongsi to investigate, find out the evidence, and finalize the case as soon as possible."
"According to the order."
Remember URL
Li Linfu hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't hold it back and asked: "Dare you ask the saint about the border town?"
Li Longji did not answer immediately, and his eyes fell back on the bamboo paper. This time, he was not looking at the No. 1 paper with handwriting on it.
Just yesterday, Yang Zhao dared to openly say at the imperial banquet that Hu Er wanted to covet the position of Hedong Jiedushi...
"Hexi and Longyou are at war with Tubo, and the commander-in-chief change has been arranged in advance. Shuofang and Hedong have nothing to do for the time being, so there is no rush. Let me think about it slowly."
"I obey the order."
Li Linfu understood Li Longji's intentions and would not believe that Wang Zhongsi's position had changed and that the Jiedushi of the four towns would definitely resign just because of a letter. Only the treatment of Wang Zhongsi may be different.
Outside the main building of Qinzhengwu, Wang Zhongsi waited for a long time, and finally a servant arrived.
"General Wang, the saint is discussing state affairs with the right minister, and it is not convenient to summon you to meet him for the time being. As for what General Wang said in the letter... the saint ordered you to find out the evidence and give an explanation to the officials."
"Thank you, officer."
"I also asked the general to go to Beiya to find General Chen Xuanli and dispatch manpower to help the general supervise the case."
"According to the order."
Wang Zhongsi understood and took the order and left Xingqing Palace.
Xue Zhai.
The main house has been decorated by Qinglan in a different way.
Because Xue Bai was hungover outside, which made her very worried, she couldn't help but complain a few words, feeling that she was speaking in a concubine's tone.
"My husband's drinking capacity is so light. What if he catches a cold if he is drunk outside with no one to take care of him?"
"The amount of alcohol has increased a bit."
"I don't believe it." Qing Lan already dared to annoy Xue Bai and said, "When I...that day, I will give you a glass of wine and see if you are drunk."
"What day? What kind of wine do you want me to drink?"
"I won't tell you, Lang Jun, I will go back to Du's house anyway, and Lang Jun will come and pick me up..."
What I'm talking about is actually some etiquette of taking a concubine. Qinglan wears many hats and is busy arranging the arrangement process of the new house, as if she is taking in her own concubine.
Seeing her hard-working yet shy look, Xue Bai found it interesting when he suddenly heard the announcement.
"Mr. Lang, I have a visitor asking to see you. He calls himself Yuan Zai and Wang Yunxiu."
"I'll go meet you."
Xue Bai left for a while, but came back again.
Qinglan was putting flowers on the bronze mirror. When she heard the movements, she couldn't help but asked, "Why is Mr. Lang back?"
"I have something to tell you. Do you remember the eunuch Li Jingzhong who tricked us into burying him alive?"
"Remember, Lang Jun, what's wrong?"
"Today's revenge, do you want to see it?"
Qinglan was stunned for a moment, then shook her head.
"I am a little girl, I just like to watch revenge, and I don't hate him very much." Qing Lan looked up at the decorations she had arranged, and whispered: "It was in the tank that we had this marriage... marriage Well.….."
Xue Bai didn't know what was going on in this girl's mind.
If she doesn't go, he will definitely go.
It's not that he is being cautious, but that he personally got rid of Li Jingzhong, which was a deterrent to those who knew about it.
This kind of intimidation will reflect his power better than his official position...
Shaoyangyuan.
Zhang Ting's life is similar every day. In the afternoon, he sits by the window, holding his cat, and listens to the slaves reporting news about Chang'an City.
"I have asked Mr. Li, and it seems that His Highness did not listen to Er Niang's suggestion."
"really."
Zhang Ting frowned slightly, because Li Heng originally promised to push Li Jingzhong out and close the case, but seeing that Li Jingzhong was still doing things as usual, she had doubts in her heart.
What's more, she also noticed the scene where Wang Zhongsi broke up unhappy after meeting Li Heng.
When I asked Li Mi, it turned out to be true.
Zhang Ting put down the cat and went to find Li Heng.
"Why is Your Highness so disobedient?"
"Ting Niang, you have been taken advantage of."
Li Heng said: "After listening to them, the Yang party will not guarantee the military power of the sworn brother. As long as the prince has a reputation, he will have generals to surrender."
He seemed to have recovered from his illness. He stood up, personally took out a book from the bookshelf, opened it, and said softly: "Let me teach Ting Niang how to read it."
"What's this?"
"List."
Li Heng said: "I have been running Shuofang for a long time. How can I only have my sworn brother to help me in the army? It is true that I will suffer heavy losses this time, but thanks to the sage's reuse of the king, I, the crown prince, are still popular among the people."
Only then did Zhang Ting understand and asked: "Your Highness has a back-up plan, so he may not need Wang Zhongsi."
"As long as you and I know."
At this time, there was another noise from the front yard. This was the third time in recent days. Wang Zhongsi had barged in the past two days, but I don't know who it was this time.
"Your Highness, General Wang is here again!"
"Sworn brother?" Li Heng knew Wang Zhongsi's temperament very well and couldn't help being extremely surprised. "How can I meet my adopted brother? Let him come to see me quickly."
Li Heng patted Zhang Ting's back gently and comforted her a few words to prevent her from losing confidence in the future of the East Palace.
"Your Highness, General Wang... came with Sergeant Long Wu. He said he was here to handle a case and had escorted Mr. Li to the front yard."
impossible.
Li Heng didn't believe it, so he immediately strode out and saw Wang Zhongsi directing the Longwu Army to search Li Jingzhong's residence.
"Brother, what are you doing?"
"Your Highness, I have been ordered to investigate the case, and please forgive me."
"That's enough." Li Heng pulled Wang Zhongsi over and whispered: "It's all over here. My sworn brother has just conquered Shibao City and made great achievements. Even if he is not the governor of the four towns, he can be promoted to a high official. , why force me to such a point?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to see a figure in his peripheral vision...it was Xue Bai.
Xue Bai was standing next to Yuan Zai. He was here today as a witness. When he saw Li Heng turning his eyes, he nodded politely.
Li Heng was caught off guard by this small movement and panicked for a moment.
He forgot to talk to Wang Zhongsi, took a few steps forward, and heard Xue Bai and Yuan Zai talking.
"This is my third visit to the Prince's Villa. It was Li Jingzhong who hosted me the first time."
It didn't matter if this sentence fell in the ears of others, but it sounded like a bolt from the blue to Li Heng. He wished he could give himself a slap in the face and let himself know that everything was just a dream.
Xue Bai persuaded Wang Zhongsi and asked Wang Zhongsi to go to the prince's courtyard to get Li Jingzhong with his own hands? Such a situation is only possible in a dream.
"General, there's a fire!
"Li Jingzhong burned the evidence!"
"The traces of Li Jingzhong were discovered!"
Following these shouts, things began to happen one after another.
Wang Zhongsi didn't look like he was here to investigate the case, but rather to fight. Sergeant Longwu quickly put out the fire in Li Jingzhong's house and went to the backyard to arrest Li Jingzhong.
"Go quickly, don't let anyone escape!"
Li Heng was furious when he saw this and shouted: "This is still the residence of the crown prince of a country, you dare to frame it openly..."
The next moment, Wang Zhongsi pulled him over and said again: "I want to control Hedong and protect the Tang Dynasty. You believe me."
Li Heng didn't care to listen to this at all, for fear of being framed by Long Wu's army, he continued to step forward to stop him.
Zhang Ting hurriedly followed Li Heng, and not long after, he heard screams coming from the side yard.
When I caught up with him, I saw a group of Long Wu troops surrounding Li Jingzhong and forcing him into a corner.
Among them, there were already people with their bows and arrows ready. They heard the sound of the bowstring being pulled at close range, and looked at the shining arrowheads, which looked very scary.
What is surprising is that Li Jingzhong actually holds a single sword in his hand.
No one knows where the knife came from. There is no such thing in the Prince's Courtyard.
Li Jingzhong himself didn't know why there was a knife placed in the corner. He was forced to use it in an attempt to scare away the soldiers.
He was extremely frightened and shouted: "Don't come here! It's not me, you framed me!"
"You still dare to resist? Tell me, did you secretly raise Longyou soldiers after Huangfu Weiming's death?"
"I...I didn't!"
"Put down the knife!"
Li Jingzhong actually wanted to throw away the single sword in his hand, but because he was too frightened and could not lose this support, he had to cry: "It's really not me, I'm just a slave serving others..."
Suddenly, he looked up and saw Xue Bai. His pupils trembled as if he had seen a ghost.
"you!"
He recalled that afternoon, walked through the corridor, trotted up to the young man and the maid, smiled apologetically and asked them to enter the big tank, and told the Longyou veterans to deal with them.
At that time, he never thought that the other party would force him to this point.
Maybe Xue Bai has been trapped underground and the ghost came out to take revenge. Only ghosts can have this ability.
"Have you ever secretly communicated with Pei Mian?!"
"Did you send the Huihe who died on the outskirts of Chang'an City?!"
After pressing the questions one by one, Li Jingzhong finally found that he could not defend himself.
"I don't!"
He shouted and suddenly rushed towards Xue Bai.
If he is bound to die and cannot harm His Highness, then before he dies, he should kill the evil ghost Xue Bai for His Highness.
Li Jingzhong was already frightened out of his mind, but became even crazier. With a ferocious smile on his face, he swung his knife and struck at Xue Bai.
"puff."
Wang Zhongsi caught up with him in two steps, grabbed the sword from the soldier's hand, and slashed with the sword. The series of movements were faster than Li Jingzhong's slash.
Li Jingzhong's knife was still in the air, but Wang Zhongsi's knife had already chopped off his head.
It was beheading, beheading the prince's confidant eunuch in the prince's courtyard.
Zhang Ting's eyes widened.
She wanted to close her eyes, but before she could, she watched Li Jingzhong's head fall to the ground, blood spurting out from his neck, and then his body swayed and fell to the ground.
This scene was so terrifying that she almost stopped breathing.
In front, someone turned around and looked over, it was Xue Bai.
Zhang Ting turned his eyes to Xue Bai's face, and suddenly realized what this meant... Dong Palace had buried him alive, and he wanted revenge.
She suddenly felt that he was scarier than Li Jingzhong's body. Her legs and feet went weak and she almost fell. She quickly stretched out her hand to support him and landed on Li Heng. The couple staggered at the same time.
"My father-in-law is still soft-hearted."
Yuan Zai leaned close to Xue Bai's ear and whispered: "If you can accuse the prince of sin, you can protect him as a military envoy."
"If you are soft-hearted, be soft-hearted." Xue Bai responded.
The difference between closing the case with Li Jingzhong and closing the case with Li Heng is not very big. Anyway, Li Longji was too lazy to depose the crown prince for the time being, so he just found a reason to suppress the East Palace.
He looked around and saw a head rolling twice on the ground and then stopped. Li Jingzhong's face still looked ferocious.
Starting from a trap and killing, the grievances between each other were finally settled.
News of everything that happened in the Prince's Courtyard was quickly sent to the Right Prime Minister's Mansion.
"Wang Zhongsi killed Li Jingzhong?" Li Linfu sighed: "This sword may seem ruthless, but it is actually sentimental."
It doesn't matter whether he is ruthless or affectionate. After this incident, the prince will definitely feel resentment towards Wang Zhongsi. "
"It actually fulfilled the Yang Party's wish and allowed them to win over Wang Zhongsi."
"What's the use? Even though Wang Zhongsi showed his true feelings like this, it's possible that he was deliberately making a show. The saint will still seize the power of the four towns from him. But there is one more reason to depose the prince, which is great news for the right minister!"
"Is it worth it?"
Li Linfu twisted his beard and pondered.
He had never had this opportunity before to pin a major crime on the prince. This seems to be the closest to the deposed prince.
If it can't be abolished even this time, there will be no need to deal with any major cases in the future.
But the next day, Li Linfu entered the palace and talked about Li Jingzhong's crime. Li Longji thought about it briefly and said, "Summon Li Mi to see him."
With just this sentence, Li Linfu had actually noticed the saint's intention.
Why depose a prince who has lost military power and prestige, and then establish a new prince who is full of energy.
really.
"The prince was not strict with his subordinates and allowed his servants to commit such a heinous crime. Later, he moved to the northwest palace of Daming Palace to reflect on himself. He was not allowed to participate in state affairs until he repented..."
After learning that this was the case, Li Linfu felt a little disappointed, but at the same time he breathed a sigh of relief.
He was disappointed that he could not depose the prince after all, but during the saint's lifetime, the prince no longer had any strength that could threaten him as the prime minister.
Instead of thinking that saints can make ruthless decisions, it is better to prepare for the future.
Thinking of this, Li Linfu felt a chill in his heart and became alert again.
The key no longer lies in Li Heng, but in Wang Zhongsi's military power.
At this point, it is nothing more than Wang Zhongsi biting Li Heng in order to eliminate the saint's suspicion. But there is a difference between the forces in the East Palace and the prince himself. The good-for-nothing prince who is not favored by the Holy Family has withdrawn. Next, he and Wang Zhongsi compete for the power of the border town, which is the real confrontation.
"Your Majesty." Li Linfu carefully probed and asked, "Wang Zhongsi made great achievements in attacking Shibao City, and after returning to the capital, he discovered such a major case. Why not move him to the position of Minister of War?"
"There's no rush, we'll talk about it after I hear his report of his merits..."
Northwest of Daming Palace, Shaoyang Courtyard.
In the dormitory, the female relatives cried hard.
Li Heng was upset after hearing this. He frowned and turned to the small courtyard. He raised his head and stared at the high palace wall in a daze.
He originally thought that he would only lose Wang Zhongsi's position as the Jiedushi of the Four Towns, but he did not expect that he would also lose his reputation in the end. Now, no one believes that Li Jingzhong committed all the crimes on his own initiative.
"By knocking the prince down to such a low level, the foolish prince will be able to enjoy himself even more unscrupulously."
With this thought lingering in his mind, Li Heng's eyes were sarcastic, but his hands hidden in his sleeves were clenched tightly.
I don't know how long I stood alone, but a young eunuch led several beautiful palace ladies to Shaoyang Courtyard.
"I have met His Highness. These people were given by saints and will stay with His Highness to serve..."
Li Heng looked at the palace people, knowing that his every move would be watched, which made his heart even more painful.
He turned his gaze and landed on the young eunuch's face. Seeing that the other person's eyes were moving and quite intelligent, he couldn't help but ask: "What's your name?"
"Thank you for your inquiry, Your Highness, your servant Li Gou'er."
"You don't have a name?" Li Heng raised his eyebrows and said, "I, the prince, have nothing to offer and I have nothing to reward you. How about I give you a name?"
"This... I would like to thank Your Highness for your great kindness."
Li Heng nodded, thinking of Li Bi's often-spoken ambition to help the country, and sneered slightly.
Li Jingzhong, who sincerely assisted him as the prince, is dead.
However, his ambition is still there.
He then stood up, helped the young eunuch on the ground, and said slowly: "From today on, your name will be Li Fuguo..."
