In the bright nave, Li Xuan walked in slowly, with a long sword hanging on his waist and a solemn expression.
Zhou Qian followed Li Xuan, holding a black box in his hand. The box contained the head of the demon monk Wu'an.
Xue Zhongzhang, who was reporting on one side, looked at the box, a trace of jealousy flashed deep in his eyes, and then he raised his hand to Dou Xuande.
Dou Xuande waved his hand, and Xue Zhongzhang had already retreated from the side door.
Not only Xue Zhongzhang, but everyone present also bowed and left after Zhou Qian put the box on the table.
Li Xuan stood in front of the hall, watching Zhou Qian leave, and then solemnly raised his hands to Dou Xuande and said, "I would like to inform you, Dou Weng, that the traitor Wu Hui has been executed. Here is his head. Please inspect it."
Dou Xuande glanced at the black box, nodded with satisfaction, and then praised: "The good nephew is really quick to act. The other generation just showed a slight flaw, and it was already broken by the good nephew. With a thunder blow, the traitor accepted it." , very heroic."
"I don't dare to praise Dou Weng like this. It was the joint efforts of the Qianniu Guards and Jinwu Guards, and the full cooperation of the Xinlin Mansion and the Yangzhou Governor's Mansion that led to today's achievements." Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up at Dou Xuande and said : "Dou Weng is in charge, and all parties are fully cooperating, which is the main reason."
Dou Xuande smiled, nodded, stretched his hand to one side and said, "My dear nephew, please sit down."
"Thank you Dou Weng." Li Xuan cupped his hands and sat down aside.
Dou Xuande said with a solemn expression: "This time the demon monk was killed, all the rebel accomplices were wiped out, and the connection between the King of East China Sea and Silla was completely cut off. The nephew has completed most of his mission, and only the remaining Silla and Japanese countries..."
"Don't worry, Dou Weng. My nephew has made arrangements and everything is going on." Li Xuan explained a few words, then looked at Dou Xuande and asked solemnly: "Dou Weng, it's nothing wrong with him, it's just that the Prince of Linhai County How should the matter be settled? Before my nephew leaves the capital, there is no order from the palace."
Jin Renwen, Prince of Linhai County, was the younger brother of King Wenwu of Silla.
Previously, Jin Renwen had requested to go to Silla with him.
Li Xuan delayed the process on the grounds that the central government's purpose was unclear, but now, as the day for the army's departure is getting closer and closer, if Jin Ren is not given an explanation, those around him will also become uneasy.
Dou Xuande pondered: "It is fundamental for the imperial army to retreat. Under this situation, it would be meaningless for Prince Linhai to go to Silla. Moreover, without the will of the saint, we cannot let him go on an empty trip. What if he is in Silla?" Neither you nor I can afford any accidents."
"What Dou Weng said makes sense." Li Xuan nodded seriously. He agreed with Dou Xuande's statement. Although Jin Renwen was loyal during the Tang Dynasty, it is hard to say what will happen after he returns to his hometown. Times have changed, let alone People's hearts.
"Without the imperial edict, we really can't let him go to Silla, but a trip to the sea is fine." Dou Xuande raised his head and looked at Li Xuan, the taste in his eyes was very strong.
Li Xuan was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head slightly, and then said thoughtfully: "Dou Weng, when my nephew was in Wuzhou, there was a connection between the Zhoushan pirates and the Tianyin Sect. If after the army set off, the Zhoushan pirates attacked Hangzhou, Dou Weng I ordered the Hangzhou navy to turn back. If the Prince of Linhai County was on my nephew's boat at that time, it would be natural for him to be taken back by my nephew."
"What about his subordinates?" Dou Xuande looked at Li Xuan seriously.
"Those people...it's hard to predict how sincere those people are. If they are allowed to follow back, Yangzhou's reality and reality will be hard to avoid. But if they are allowed to follow the army to Silla, the situation in Silla may be different. Luo is suspected of leaking, and instead of making things difficult for both sides, why not order him to leave Yangzhou and return to Chang'an before we set off."
In fact, the best way to target these people is to kill them all, but with Jin Renwen in the way, it is really difficult to do so.
Instead of doing this, we might as well let them return to Chang'an. Once they return to Chang'an, it will be difficult for them to associate with Silla again.
At that time, if those Silla people really noticed something was wrong and wanted to pass on the news, they could only contact the King of Donghai...
Li Xuan's eyes flashed with calculation, Dou Xuande
He smiled with satisfaction and said, "Since my nephew has an idea in his heart, let's do what he wants."
"Thank you Dou Weng." Li Xuan immediately handed over his hand and the look in his eyes dropped.
After a slight pause, Li Xuan followed up and said: "Dou Weng, the connection between King Donghai and Silla has been severed, but the connection between Tubo and Silla may still exist. My nephew wants to start an inventory of all the Hu merchants in Yangzhou."
"Yes!" Dou Xuande nodded without any hesitation: "But my nephew only has one day tomorrow, and he will leave for Hangzhou the day after."
"Don't worry, Mr. Dou, my nephew is well aware of it." After saying that, Li Xuan stood up, cupped his hands slightly and said, "Weng Dou, if there is nothing else to do, my nephew will go down and make arrangements."
"Why, the wise nephew doesn't want to ask more about Duke Shi'an?" Dou Xuande looked at Li Xuan in a funny way.
Li Xuan smiled bitterly and sighed, "Because my nephew knows that that is definitely not Dou Weng's intention."
"Yes, Li Chongguang has moved to Yangzhou for many years. In addition to his useless nephew, there are also a group of our old friends who are also in Yangzhou. They take care of each other, which is also a comfort. It's just a pity." Dou Xuande shook his head subconsciously.
Li Xizhi, courtesy name Chongguang, was the Duke of Shi'an County. His father was Li Jingyou, the former governor of Taizhou in the Sui Dynasty and the Duke of Ankang County. His grandfather was Li Qianzhe, the general manager of Xinzhou in the Northern Zhou Dynasty and the Duke of Ankang County. He was a direct descendant of the Li family in Longxi and was listed in the clan. register.
The Dou family and the Li family are both large families in Guanzhong. They have been intermarried with each other for many years and have long become one entity.
How could Dou Xuande not know what kind of person Li Xizhi was.
Of course, I understand that it is impossible for Li Xinzhi to be involved with Li Jiancheng's descendants.
Although his younger brother Li Xiyu, Duke of Ankang County, was dismissed and exiled for his crime that year, this did not affect Li Xinzhi's importance in the emperor's heart at all, otherwise he would not have been allowed to serve as Guanglu doctor and Fenzhi a few years ago. The governor of the state became an official.
You must know that it is Fenzhou, one of the most important Shangzhou in the entire Tang Dynasty, except for Yongzhou, Bingzhou, Luozhou, Yangzhou and Yizhou.
"My nephew understands the power of this. Secretary Xue has been ordered by the secretary to be a prisoner. I'm afraid he may have the Queen's intentions. My nephew can understand Dou Weng's difficulties." Li Xuan stood up and bowed slightly sincerely.
Xue Zhongzhang was Wu Chengsi's son, and Wu Chengsi was Empress Wu's nephew. It would be inevitable if there were any additional instructions.
"No, my nephew is wrong." Dou Xuande waved his hand directly and said with a sneer: "What Secretary Xue has in his hands is not the order from the Secretary's Prison, nor is it the order from the Queen of Heaven. What he got is the order from the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment."
"Who?" Li Xuan couldn't help being stunned, but then he reacted and asked quickly: "Dou Weng, why is this?"
Dou Xuande's mouth showed a hint of disgust: "Because he is Pei Zilong's nephew."
"Secretary Xue is the nephew of Pei Yan, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment?" Li Xuan frowned and asked with great confusion: "Dou Weng, my nephew has carefully checked on the group of people who accompanied my nephew south. If Secretary Lang Xue is really the nephew of Qiuguan Shangshu, my nephew should not be able to find out!"
"My nephew is indeed cautious." Dou Xuande looked at Li Xuan with a look of satisfaction on his face. He stretched out his hand to signal: "My nephew, please sit down."
"Here!" Li Xuan sat down again, and Dou Xuande continued with a solemn expression: "What my nephew doesn't know is that Pei Zilong's wife was the daughter of the Wang family in Taiyuan in his early years. Later, when the Wang family died of illness, he made his side wife his main wife. . However, although his side brother was born in the Xue family in Hedong, his status is humble, he is just quite handsome, and his relationship with the Xue family is not close."
There is no closeness here. I am afraid that in addition to the lack of closeness, there is also a lot of hatred.
The Xue family in Hedong has a large number of people in the court. Although the Xue Wanche brothers died, their descendants are still there, as well as Pingyang County Duke Xue Rengui, Zhengjian doctor Xue Yuancao and others, all of whom are outstanding Xue families in Hedong.
If the relationship between everyone is harmonious, then the Xue family's influence on the affairs in the court will be shocking.
"As far as my nephew knows, Mr. Liu, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, married the cousin of Mr. Pei, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishments." Li Xuan looked at Dou Xuande cautiously.
Liu Shenli, the Minister of Industry, was the cousin-in-law of Pei Yan, the Minister of Punishment, and Liu Shenli was also the brother-in-law of Yanzhuang.
When Li Xuan found this clue while in Chang'an, he immediately understood why Yan Zhuang, who was the family commander of Prince Li Hong, fell to Empress Wu so quickly. This was the reason.
"They just happen to be cousins. The relationship between Liu Shenli and Pei Yan is also very ordinary." Dou Xuande waved his hand nonchalantly.
It's just an official from a poor family in the court. The children of aristocratic families, who are not in-laws, have numerous interactions with each other.
Not to mention anything else, among the two people in the hall, Dou Xuande is the nephew of Empress Taimu, the wife of the great ancestor Li Yuan. In terms of title, Dou Xuande is also Li Zhi's cousin.
Li Zhi and Li Xuan were of the same generation, but Li Xuan's grandmother was from the Longmen Wang family and had no blood relationship with Dou Xuande.
But strictly speaking according to etiquette, Dou Xuande is also Li Xuan's cousin.
The so-called in-law relationship is just the icing on the cake. What really connects all parties is the interests.
It is also a benefit, which can make all brothers fall out, let alone in-laws.
Li Xuan retracted her thoughts, then cupped her hands and said, "Secretary Xue took the warrant from the Minister of Punishment. If so, then what he took was not the will of the Queen of Heaven?"
Dou Xuande nodded and said, "Yes, although Pei Zilong is a close confidant of the Queen, he has an ordinary relationship with Wu Chengsi. If the Queen really wants to have a will, Qianniu Guards and Jinwu Guards can handle it properly, and Secretary Xue is not needed at all. Everything is under Pei Zilong's personal instruction; however, Pei Zilong is the Minister of Punishment."
A minister of the Ministry of Justice blocked all Li Xuan's remarks.
Investigating counter-cases is the right of the Ministry of Punishment. Even after Jinwu Guard and Qianniu Guard arrest people, they must be handed over to the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple for review and sentencing before they can be dealt with.
Now the Ministry of Punishment directly sends people to arrest people, and the procedure is legal.
Even if Xue Zhongzhang is not from the Ministry of Punishment, he only needs to check any official position in the Ministry of Punishment at will.
Looking at Li Xuan, Dou Xuande asked seriously: "At this time, what is the nephew planning to do? Li Chongguang is a member of the clan after all?"
"Dou Weng, Secretary Xue is holding an order from the Minister of Punishment, and later borrowed the manpower of the Governor's Mansion. Even if my nephew has all the ideas in his heart, it is difficult to do anything. In the current situation, the only way is to put everything aside Go to Chen Zhongshu, and the decision will be made by the central committee.”
Li Xuan turned sideways and looked at the box containing the head of the demon monk Wu Hui, and said softly: "Dou Weng, if we add this head to the memorials between you and me, it will be enough to expedite five hundred miles."
Dou Xuande's eyes lit up and he immediately nodded and said, "Yes, no matter how fast the horse from the Criminal Department is, it can't compare to the five-hundred-mile horse from the Ministry of War."
"The matter of Li Xiang has been properly dealt with. Although there is currently no evidence to prove that the matter is related to the Duke of Shi'an County, it is a fact that the Duke of Shi'an County did not teach his nephew strictly. We will just ask him to handle it. After all, once the Duke of Shi'an County, It's not something you and I can handle casually." Li Xuan raised her head and looked at Dou Xuande.
"My nephew is indeed well versed in the three flavors of officialdom!" Dou Xuande stroked the beard under his chin with a satisfied smile on his face.
