Outside Wei's house, Diao Bing's voice suddenly sounded.
"Mr. Lang, the county magistrate has sent an official document."
"Wait." Xue Bai said, "No one is allowed to approach."
"Here."
Yang Guozhong was in a state of shock and had to come to his senses. After thinking for a while, he simply untied his belt and opened his robe, and a ball of white flesh on his waist immediately popped out.
Afterwards, he took out a bag of tips.
"How can you say it's a lie? Brother, I've been using it all the time, and it's somewhat effective." Yang Guozhong looked stern and said with a smile: "It's a bit hot and itchy, but it's always better to get an erection."
Xue Bai just smiled and said nothing, sitting there, picking up a roll of official documents and flipping through them carelessly.
Yang Guozhong stood there, as if he was here to report something, but since he had been a spitting pot, he was embarrassed and asked in a flattering tone: "What did Director Li say?"
"He said that even though the centipede has its head and feet removed, it may not be poisonous, and Kansui is even more poisonous. These medicinal properties are all strong and can stimulate the blood. As you said, the prime man has fever and itching. However, the saint is old. How effective will it be to stimulate the blood energy again? If it erodes the skin again..."
As he said this, Xue Bai couldn't help but think that what really disappointed Li Longji was not his weakness, but his greed.
A sixty-six-year-old man dreams of regaining the energy of a thirty-three-year-old. He is unwilling to face decline and death calmly. He is cowardly and selfish. Just like his governance, he is no longer able to face the stubborn diseases accumulated by the dynasty for hundreds of years, but he is always attached to power. , is it for the world?
It's just for that weak selfish desire.
"If the saint's skin is broken." Xue Bai's eyes became colder and he sneered: "Brother and Taoist Li, both can die."
Yang Guozhong turned pale when he heard this and said, "That's not what he told me in the beginning."
"He didn't expect that his uncle would introduce him to the saint at first."
Yang Guozhong keenly captured the title of "Uncle Guo" in Xue Bai's dialect.
Everyone is bent on making progress, and accusing Wang He and An Lushan of treason is nothing more than trying to climb up by stepping on them.
Why did Xue Bai return to Chang'an this time? In order to retain the power left by Yang Zheng after his death, and to compete with him for the Yang Party, the rebellion was just an opportunity for the two sides to fight. He originally wanted to get rid of Wang He and Xue Bai at the same time, but the result was the other way around. Xue Bai suppressed him by getting rid of Wang He.
Beneath the surface of a treason case, its essence is still the distribution of power.
"Abai, listen to me, it was like this at that time." Yang Guozhong lowered his stance, "Brother passed away suddenly. It was you who should have been in charge of the situation. Among our brothers and sisters, you are the only one who is the most capable. Look, the first thing I think of is to write to you. But the situation at that time was that the Yang family had no backbone, and Li Linfu and Wang Xian were squeezing out our people. I was anxious, and while urging you to come back, I introduced Li Xiazhou to the saint... "
Xue Bai was too lazy to listen to his nonsense. He threw the official document in his hand on the table and shouted: "Is this the reason why you forced Wang Wen to rebel and caused the saint to lose his face?!"
Yang Guozhong was so frightened that he almost jumped up and asked quickly: "Is this what the saint said?"
"The saint asked you to rest behind closed doors at home, but you still dare to walk around the city wearing this purple robe?"
"Abai, save me!"
"Now that things have come to this, who can save you?!"
Yang Guozhong actually rushed forward, knelt on the ground, hugged Xue Bai's boots, and said: "I know you are angry with me. I shouldn't promote your confidants and suppress the people you recommend. I shouldn't use you to investigate the Wei case. But What's the problem between you and me, brother? How about I listen to you in everything from now on?"
"I can't save you."
"Abai, your next step is to move to the censorship, right? I am the censor Zhongcheng. I can help you to supervise the censor, serve in the palace, and serve as the censor. Within half a year, we can move you three times in a row, and within two years, you can become the censor. When you go up to Hongpao, I will definitely help you with all my strength. Yes, there is also your teacher. He has made great achievements in Longyou, so he should move up two more times."
These were the conditions that Yang Guozhong had considered before he came. He planned to use one or two of them to exchange interests with Xue Bai, but he didn't expect that the way of conversation had changed. At this time, he could only pour out all of them at once and try his best to win over Xue Bai. support.
"Also, the departure of Wang Fei has left a large number of official positions. Du Youlin can be appointed as the water and land transport envoy, and Yuan Jie can be appointed as the salt and iron transport envoy. Now that I am the Taifu Shaoqing, as long as I can find the household department again, With He Bianzhi, you and I can compete with Li Linfu and share the glory from now on... Not only that, Abai, you have great ambitions, and sooner or later you can become the prime minister, or even easy to save. We have all offended the prince, haven't we? Yes, our enemies are Li Linfu, An Lushan, and Li Heng, we should work together to save me!"
Xue Bai looked grim and said, "If I don't take action, what will brother do?"
Yang Guozhong probed: "Is Li Yazhou really in Ah Bai's hands?"
"Brother is confused! Let him leave at this time, in case he falls into the hands of Ge Nu." Xue Bai said: "If I hadn't sent someone to hide him, let's see how Ge Nu framed you."
"Yes, yes, how about we ask the concubine to intercede for me? I will contact the eldest sister and the eighth sister, and you contact the third sister, and Chen Xilie, we..."
"Obsessive."
Xue Bai scolded, interrupted Yang Guozhong, and said: "Look what Ge Nu did. It was originally you who planned to deal with Wang Wen, but what happened? Ge Nu asked Hu'er's dead men to help Wang Wen enter the imperial city. And he told the world about the Xingyang Centipede Bag, who was he attacking?"
"I?"
"You forced Wang Wen to rebel, offered poison to the emperor, and turned the saint into a laughing stock in the world. You didn't know it, and you couldn't even tell who the enemy was. You were always on guard against me and framed me? If you want to involve the imperial concubine, it's better to die. That’s it!”
"No, no, you can't ask for a noble concubine without asking for a noble concubine. A'bai sees things clearly. It is indeed Li Linfu who wants to harm me. He knows that both Wang Fei and I threaten his position, so he wants to kill two birds with one stone... What should we do?"
Xue Bai grabbed Yang Guozhong by the collar, lifted him up, and said, "You are in a life-and-death situation, what should I do?"
"Abai, let's work together."
"Okay, you go into the palace and tell the saint the truth. You deliberately brought Ren Haichuan close to Wang Wen, but it turned out that An Lushan and Wang Wen were colluding in the rebellion."
"It won't be useful if I tell you the truth. On the contrary, it will offend Li Linfu to death."
"Whether it's useful or not, I have my own arrangements. Genu wants to trample you to death right now. You choose, kneel in front of him and beg for mercy, or fight alongside me."
"Let me meet Li Xiazhou first."
"no."
Yang Guozhong said: "I must see it first..."
"No." Xue Bai said, "That's it. It's your choice."
Speaking of this, Diao Bing shouted outside again, "The county magistrate is here!"
"Is Mr. Xue here? We have urgent official business in this county."
"My husband is receiving guests, and it is not appropriate for the county magistrate to enter."
Xue Bai then opened the door and welcomed him out.
Jia Jilin was being stopped by the Diao brothers. His face was solemn and slightly unhappy, and he said, "Xue Lang is tired of waiting in this county. There is an order from Jingzhao Mansion, ordering you to take Wang Zhun to the jail in Jingzhao Mansion."
While talking, Yang Guozhong put away the Xingyang Centipede bag and walked out of Wei Xie. When Jia Jilin saw the purple robe, his expression changed. He put away his official authority as a county magistrate and saluted with an apologetic smile.
"I have met my uncle."
Yang Guozhong snorted coldly, ignored Jia Jilin, and said to Xue Bai with an apologetic smile: "A Bai must pay more attention to brotherhood. Brother, I will prepare some specialties from Sichuan and Sichuan to be sent to your house."
"Brother, just take care of yourself."
Jia Jilin had no choice but to bend his waist lower and send Yang Guozhong off respectfully. Then he looked up at Xue Bai, feeling very embarrassed and unable to face such a subordinate.
Instead, Xue Bai abided by official rules, took the document, and said, "I will escort Wang Zhun right away."
"well."
Jia Jilin watched Xue Bai off, tugged at his long beard, sighed and said to himself: "An Neng is able to bend his eyebrows and bend his waist to serve the powerful, which makes me unhappy."
~~
On the day of Wang Wen's rebellion, Wang Zhun was taken to Chang'an County Prison at home.
He was still sleeping soundly when he was taken down, and even after he was imprisoned, he still showed an indifferent attitude because he always believed that nothing would happen to him.
The cell door was opened. He squinted and saw that it was Xue Bai who came. He couldn't help but smile and said: "Okay, he is a smart man. Don't waste my words. My grandfather was wrongly accused and fighting for power." Do you think the saint doesn’t understand the nonsense?”
"Is Wang Welding wronged too?"
Wang Zhun's arrogance faltered, but his smile became even brighter, saying: "But my grandpa doesn't know this. Saints can't live without my grandpa. Now I'll give you a chance to help you in times of need."
Xue Bai did not seize this opportunity and only ordered the officers to escort Wang Zhun out.
Sometimes he was quite envious of him. He spent his whole life working around the world, being rich and powerful, and even when he was dying, he didn't even hide the slightest worry in his heart.
"Let's go, I'll give you a ride."
When the group arrived at Jingzhao Prison, they saw Wang Yao, the consort, standing outside the door with his hands behind his back.
Seeing Xue Bai arriving, Wang Yao stepped forward to meet him with full courtesy and whispered: "Xue Lang helped me take revenge twice. I cannot thank you enough for your kindness. I will remember it in my heart."
"I just enforce the law impartially." Xue Bai said, "If the prince-in-law violates the laws of the Tang Dynasty in the future, I will be unselfish and will never tolerate it."
There was obviously no benefit in getting too close to the princes and consorts of the Tang Dynasty, so he opened the distance between them again with one word.
Wang Yao showed more admiration for him and continued to compliment him.
Afterwards, he walked towards Wang Zhun, got closer and said, "Good deeds and evil deeds are rewarded. I avenged Ah Hui."
"Pooh!"
Wang Zhun was still arrogant, spitting thick phlegm in Wang Yao's face and laughing.
"Trash, coward! When I clear my grievances, I will kill those outside houses you raised..."
"Die!"
Wang Yao, who was originally charming, was finally angered. He grabbed Wang Zhun's hair and dragged him to the prison himself.
Xue Bai clearly saw this scene, but did not stop it. He just stood there and looked up at the sky.
The firelight in the prison was dim, and someone was lying against the wall with a pale face.
"Clear the grievances?" Wang Yao raised his hand and gave Wang Zhun a slap in the face, pressing his head against the fence. "Look clearly, do you still have a chance to clear the grievances?"
"Grandma!"
"Crying? Without your grandpa, you will only cry?"
Wang Yao no longer maintained the demeanor of a well-dressed family, grabbed the rope, hung it around Wang Zhun's neck with his own hands and strangled him hard.
He felt Wang Zhun's struggle and enjoyed the pleasure of revenge.
…
Outside Chang'an City, on the Loess Plateau, Lao Liang and Jiang Hai each lit three incense sticks and worshiped in front of a tomb without a monument.
"Brothers followed the envoy to Chang'an to seek justice. Now that Wang Fei is dead, justice has been achieved."
After Lao Liang finished speaking, he stuck the incense string in the soil and remained silent for a long time.
He had almost forgotten that they, the old soldiers, first entered the capital with Huangfu Weiming because Wang Xian demanded rent from their comrades who died in the battle, forcing countless families to die. They wanted to bear witness.
Who would have thought that less than a year after entering the capital, he and Jiang Hai were the only ones left among the dozens of people. There were giant beasts at night in Chang'an City, eating people faster than on the battlefield.
All he has experienced in the past four years is conspiracy and calculation, and he has almost forgotten what he came to do in the first place.
Wang Fei died, but it was not because of his evil crime of persecuting the common people, but because of the persecution.
The sky has not changed yet.
Lao Liang looked up at the sky and said, "It's getting late, let's go."
"Brother, if I leave, I will take your revenge sooner or later."
Jiang Hai stood up and whistled, and a group of men resting in the woods came on horseback.
They are still unknown people, what they do this time is not difficult, they should be experienced. But they know that they are working for a certain emperor's grandson, and they secretly look forward to the day when their names will be heard by people in their hometown.
They are all common nicknames, such as Hu Laishui, Qiao Erwa, Zhao Yuliang and so on.
If Ma Hoo goes east, they will hibernate in Luhun Villa again.
…
Xue Bai was still looking at the sky. Wang Yao came out and thanked him again: "Thank you, Xue Lang."
"You're welcome. It was the Right Prime Minister who asked me to escort him here. This may cause us some trouble in the future."
Wang Yao was stunned.
Xue Bai said: "Do you mind if I check it?"
He then turned into the prison and saw that Wang Zhun had been hung in a cell, the same scene as Wei Hui's death.
Then he took a torch and looked closely at Wang Fei's body. This powerful minister had been poisoned for most of the day. There was still unwillingness in his eyes, as if he was waiting for the saint to take back his life.
After all, he held more than twenty positions and was so favored by the saints that even the saints wanted to forgive him for his brother's rebellion.
Today's saints miss old feelings the most.
~~
Xingqing Palace, Nanxun Palace.
"saint."
Fan Nu called out softly and lowered her head in shame as her robe was taken off.
She knew how to dress well, and there was a beautiful breast wrap underneath her shawl. Her arms were tightly folded and held in front of her, her body swaying from nervousness.
"You've been with me for so long, why are you still so nervous? Open it and let me smell it."
"I'm sorry, slave."
Compared with other concubines in the palace, Fan Nu was born in a lowly position and was bullied in the church for many years. If Xue Bai hadn't rectified her, she would never have had a chance to get ahead, so she was particularly pitiful.
She is pitiful but also charming. Compared with the cold Jiang Caiping and the jealous Yang Yuhuan, she can better demonstrate the power of the king.
Li Longji buried his face and took a deep breath. Fan Nu trembled, as if a mortal had his soul sucked away by an immortal.
"Saint, I can't do it anymore..."
Li Longji has only hung up the Xingyang Centipede Bag for less than 21 days now. He has no intention of fighting at this time, but is just showing some tenderness. At this time, there were footsteps outside the hall, followed by faint voices.
"What's the matter?"
Gao Lishi entered the palace cautiously and said, "Sage, Wu Huaishi is back."
"Director Li is here? Invite him to the Qinzheng Building."
"Forgive me, saint, something happened."
Gao Lishi didn't know how to explain, so he simply called Wu Huaishi forward and ordered him to tell the story in detail.
After hearing the last four prophecies left by Li Yazhou, Li Longji suddenly became angry and shouted: "That's enough!"
"Saint forgive me."
"Don't you think I can see it?!"
Li Longji is the Yingrui Emperor. He can guess the truth of the matter without any evidence. He said coldly: "Li Xiazhou is really cheating. Seeing that he was exposed, he just found a reason to escape. The world doesn't like the beard. There are many Li Xiazhou used him as an excuse to slander him."
"The saint is wise, but this old slave was coaxed by Li Xiazhou's deception."
There was no one else in the hall, they were all the eunuchs waiting at his side, so Li Longji took off the Xingyang Centipede bag from his crotch and threw it to the ground.
At this moment, he was clear-headed, decisive, and clear about trade-offs, as if he had returned to his youth.
Gao Lishi asked: "Li Xiazhou deceived the emperor so much, should he be arrested?"
"I'm told... no."
Li Longji quickly hesitated.
He has been wise all his life and does not want to become a laughing stock when he grows old. Once Li Yazhou is arrested, everyone will think of Wang Wen's words, know that the saint hung up the Xingyang Centipede Bag, and know that the Xingyang Centipede Bag is useless.
"No."
Instead of arresting Li Xiazhou, the news should be suppressed.
Li Longji suddenly became angry. He had already told Li Linfu when the Wang Welding case occurred, that he must calm down the situation and keep quiet. The results of it? Someone silenced Xing Wei in prison, and there are still waves today.
Obviously, someone is working against the holy will, and must put the crime of rebellion on Anlu Mountain, without hesitation to stir up public opinion.
who?
Li Heng?
He always suspected the prince first, and then he began to think about the whole story. For example, Xue Bai kept biting An Lushan, but he was just an impulsive and outspoken young man with no strength plan.
After thinking about it for a long time, his fear of Li Heng and Wang Zhongsi surfaced again, and he actually regretted not completely giving up Wang Zhongsi's military power...
Gao Lishi glanced over and saw that Li Longji's eyes were uncertain, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
In recent years, even he felt that the Sacred Heart was unpredictable, and he gradually became unable to guess the emperor's thoughts.
"Saint? Saint?"
Li Longji came back to his senses, nodded lightly, and said: "Li Xiazhou, just leave as soon as you leave. How can I, the majestic emperor, pursue this matter with a sorcerer? This matter must not be made public. Everyone, please step aside."
"According to the order."
Li Longji closed his eyes, dispelling the disappointment in his heart, and became increasingly tired of the treacherous government affairs.
He turned around the screen and saw Fan Nu sitting there holding the quilt, looking very well-behaved, but he sat down on the imperial couch slumped.
"Is the saint worried about state affairs again?" Fan asked.
"Yes." Li Longji asked: "Do you think I am old?"
Fan Nu was a little dazed and responded: "I don't know how old the saint is, but he looks much younger than my grandpa."
She was born as a commoner and was really not very good at talking. Li Longji was a little unhappy and said, "How old is your grandpa?"
"If he were still alive, he would be forty years old." Fan Nu told the truth.
Li Longji couldn't help but feel much better, and said with a smile: "It's time for me to reward you with a title."
"The slave family...don't dare to ask for status, the slave family wants to..."
"Whatever you want, just ask for it."
"Then... the slave family is an only daughter, can the saint... give the slave family a child?" Fan asked timidly.
Li Longji was stunned. After a long time, he hugged Fan Nu and had a heart-to-heart talk. He muttered: "I'm sixty and six. Tell me the truth. Do you think I can still give birth?"
"Um."
"..."
At the end of the conversation, Li Longji smiled, patted Fan Nu on the back, and said, "Go and pick up the kit outside for me."
"yes."
Fan Nu walked barefoot on the thick carpet, walked around behind the screen, covered her heart, and leaned over to pick up the kit.
No one could see that the innocence in her eyes faded away, her eyes were full of ambition, and the smile on her lips was cunning and complacent.
~~
"You think this is useful?"
Yang Guozhong threw the Xingyang Centipede bag on the ground and shouted to his wife Pei Rou: "You said it was useful, so I dedicated it to the saint!"
"I didn't lie to you." Pei Rou stepped forward, stroked Yang Guozhong's purple official robe, and said, "Don't you know?"
"That's because I have a lot of money, but the saint is already sixty-six years old."
Yang Guozhong sat down slumped, scratched his scalp, and said: "I'm afraid it's over. If Wang Wen is forced to rebel, Li Yazhou will still fall into Xue Bai's hands, and my life will be held by others."
"What are you afraid of? They can't control you." Pei Ju said: "It's not like the saint doesn't know that you have no talent, and how angry he can be with you. As long as Xue Bai doesn't hand over Li Yazhou, it's fine, otherwise you invite him to your home , let me persuade him for you."
"A woman's perspective."
Yang Guozhong was too lazy to talk to the stupid woman at home and turned back to the lobby.
He had sent someone to inquire about Li Yazhou's whereabouts and was waiting for news to make sure that Xue Bai was not setting him up.
Now he has two choices. If Li Yazhou is in Xue Bai's hands, Xue Bai may kill him, then he can only let Xue Bai control him, criticize An Lushan, and officially fall out with Li Linfu; but if Li Yazhou has already left, he will fly away. , It is safer to be humble to Li Linfu and learn to endure it slowly like Chen Xilie.
After a while, a servant came back and reported: "Alang, I heard about it. Now it is spreading all over Chongye Square. Master Li clearly left on his own and left a poem..."
"You left by yourself?"
Yang Guozhong couldn't help but hesitate, suspecting that Xue Bai was deceiving him, otherwise he could have proved it to him.
"Go, go to the Prime Minister's Mansion... No."
After walking a few steps, Yang Guozhong stopped again, his eyes flickering.
He suddenly remembered that he betrayed Xue Bai once. If this time it was Xue Bai's test and he made the wrong move, he would be doomed.
"Read that crappy poem to me again..."
~~
In a dark room in Fengwei Building, Chongye Square, when Li Yazhou saw someone coming in, he couldn't help stroking his beard and sighed: "The level of Xue Lang's poetry has greatly disappointed Pindao."
"I think it's pretty good among prophecies."
"Prophecy." Li Yazhou murmured, "Is Mr. Xue convinced that An Lushan will rebel, or is he trying to frame him for some reason?"
"What do you think, Taoist Priest?"
Li Xiazhou calculated with his fingers and said slowly: "Yes, An Lushan will definitely rebel within three years of the death of the Right Prime Minister."
"Did the Taoist master calculate it? Or was it just nonsense?"
"Believe it or not, it's up to Xue Lang."
Xue Bai said: "I'm waiting for news. If Yang Guozhong doesn't listen to me, I will destroy him. Will the Taoist priest be willing to testify for me?"
"Why should Xue Lang be persistent?" Li Xiazhou said: "I have just calculated it. Anlu Mountain will definitely rebel. 'Yuyang and drums pass Tongguan, and on this day the king will be lucky to sword mountain.' This prophecy will indeed come true. This is destiny. , destiny cannot be violated."
Xue Bai was actually amused by him.
"The Taoist priest used the poem I wrote and said it was destiny to persuade me to stop?"
"good."
"The Taoist Master is a wonderful man."
Li Xia stroked his beard and said, "An Zhi, isn't it the will of God?"
Xue Bai shook his head, too lazy to get to know this bluffing guy again.
In his previous life, he worked in Tongguan and occasionally came to Xi'an, so he had heard some small stories. For example, there was an explanation in the Hanguang Road area that a Taoist priest in the Tang Dynasty predicted the Anshi Rebellion and wrote a poem on the wall, which seemed to be " "Everyone in Yan City has left, but the horse has not returned" and so on.
Xue Bai didn't believe this. He knew that later generations wrote the poem and applied it to the Taoist priests in the Tianbao period to express Tang Xuanzong's disobedience. Is there any real prophecy?
But this little story gave him an idea, and when he decided to take down Li Xiazhou to control Yang Guozhong, he made a little more arrangements. He forced Li Yazhou to write a poem on the bronze bell, which gave the whole thing a mythical touch. He also had people wear Li Yazhou's clothes, and he also pretended to be a ghost on the eaves to attract attention.
It was all arranged by him, how could he still be deceived by this liar?
Li Yazhou looked at Xue Bai's determined eyes and was still smiling.
"Xue Lang must be thinking, 'Of course the poem I wrote cannot be the prophecy of this stinky old Taoist', but maybe the poem is actually the prophecy of the poor Taoist?"
"I finally understand that the biggest skill in pretending to be a ghost is to be thick-skinned."
"It's hard to violate destiny."
At this time, the news also came back. Xue Bai stopped talking to Li Yazhou, stood up, and left the secret room.
I saw Da Xi Yingying coming in person.
"Alang, Yang Guozhong has entered the palace."
"He made the right choice."
Sure enough, as Xue Bai expected, a new pattern in the court was formed, a new Yang Party that was more like Xue Bai's Party, and a decadent Right Prime Minister's Office.
"We can let the news out to Chen Xuanli. This is an opportunity to avenge his son."
"Here."
"Send Li Xiazhou to Luoyang. He is not needed here for the time being."
Xue Bai ordered so and ignored this false Taoist priest.
He does not believe in destiny, only that everything depends on man...
There is a little easter egg in this chapter. I find it interesting if I find it, but leaving it alone will not affect the plot of the story. Please give me your monthly vote~~~
(End of chapter)
