On the Imperial City Street, two figures wearing crimson official robes walked slowly.
A group of Jinwu guards patrolled by. Lu Yuanfang glanced back, then turned to look at Li Xuan, and asked in surprise: "Why don't you see the prince riding a horse recently?"
Li Xuan clasped her hands in her sleeves, and then explained with a chuckle: "Earlier, my nephew had the duties of Qianniu Guard and Jinwu Guard, so he could be more arrogant, but now that he has returned to his duties, if he continues to mess around, he will inevitably Impeached by the censor, Uncle Shi, there is nothing about my nephew on the censor’s desk now, right?"
Lu Yuanfang shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Your Majesty has a high regard for Xiaguan. Although Xiaguan is the imperial censor, the imperial censors are not subordinate to each other. Even the Yu Zhongcheng cannot control everyone's affairs."
Yushitai has a high degree of freedom, especially since most of them are low-ranking and powerful people. Sometimes even their own bosses will be impeached, let alone others.
After a slight pause, Lu Yuanfang said truly: "But the prince acts steadily and cautiously. Even if others want to take advantage of the prince, they may not be able to do so."
Li Xuan nodded slightly, Lu Yuanfang's words were clear.
Turning around, Li Xuan said softly: "Uncle Shi knows about Ji Zhen's virtuous brother."
"I know." Lu Yuanfang shook his head and said helplessly: "The scriptures and poems are at the top, but the policy is too radical. Although I don't know the result yet, I think it is inevitable that I will be deposed."
Standing at the intersection, Li Xuan stopped, looked at Lu Yuanfang and said: "Although he may not be able to win the championship due to his radical strategy, Ji Zhenxian's talent is known to the world after all. When he comes next time, the number one scholar will definitely be in his bag. Far away." It’s better than being a confused official, isn’t it?”
"What the prince said is absolutely true." Lu Yuanfang nodded. He Zhizhang was stuck and couldn't win the Jinshi this time.
Not only him, but also many people who were slightly involved with Prince Yin were not included in this imperial list.
Unless someone clearly guarantees it and is willing to take the risk.
But no one would do such a thing.
Nowadays, the imperial examination is held once a year. If you fail this year, you will have to come back next year.
If Prince Yin is involved, not only himself, but also the entire family will be implicated.
Therefore, even Lu Yuanfang and Li Xuan did not vouch for He Zhizhang.
It's not that they can't, it's that they are too sensitive at this time. I don't know how many people in the government are watching their mistakes and preparing to frame them.
When the time comes, not only will they have problems, but even He Zhizhang will be in trouble.
It is better not to do these things.
Therefore, He Zhizhang tried his best in the first two subjects of classics and poetry, but he tended to be radical in his policies.
However, although it is a bit more radical, it is still reasonable and well-founded.
He Zhizhang even used all his talents, making him unforgettable at first glance.
But it was precisely because of this that He Zhizhang was kicked out for being too conspicuous.
This is actually a good thing, it is better than if he won the imperial examination and did not take up the post.
In fact, not everyone, like Li Xuan and Lu Yuanfang, believed that He Zhizhang was the top scholar.
"By the way, I wonder if the prince has seen the prince in the past few days?" Lu Yuanfang was ready to say goodbye to Li Xuan, but he suddenly remembered Li Xian's incident and asked.
Li Xuan stopped, turned around, nodded slightly and said, "His Royal Highness has been focusing on the compilation and interpretation of the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty" recently. I probably won't be able to see him for a while."
Writing books has always been the best way for a prince to stabilize his position. Emperor Taizong, later Li Chengqian, Li Tai, Li Hong, and even Empress Wu all did this.
Now it's Li Xian's turn again.
"I see." Lu Yuanfang nodded suddenly, then smiled, cupped his hands towards Li Xuan and said, "Your Majesty, I will take my leave."
"Uncle Shi, please!" Li Xuan immediately handed over his hands sincerely and returned the gift.
Seeing Lu Yuanfang walk into the Yushitai, Li Xuan turned around and walked to Honglu Temple not far away.
…
As soon as he entered the courtyard, the host and guest Prime Minister Ma Wei immediately came up to him and saluted Li Xuan: "Your Majesty, everything has been arranged. The envoys of Silla, Japan, and Tubo have all been arranged. Waiting for the prince’s summons.”
Li Xuan nodded lightly, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Laoma will go over first. I will go over immediately after seeing Da Honglu."
"Here!" Ma Wei handed over and walked away.
To resolve the matter of the alliance between Japan and Silla today, Li Xuan must first communicate with Liu Boying, the minister of Honglu Temple.
Li Xuan quickly walked into Liu Boying's official residence, and happened to see Honglu Shaoqing Yang Shan there. The two were sitting very close to each other and seemed to be whispering something.
Seeing Li Xuan come in, Liu Boying waved directly to Li Xuan.
Li Xuan raised his hands in surprise: "Da Honglu, what happened?"
Liu Boying took a deep breath, looked at Li Xuan, and asked slightly worriedly: "Does the prince know King Luo Bin?"
King Luo Bin?
Li Xuan was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "We've met a few times, what's the matter?"
"King Luo Bin is missing?" Liu Boying said with a serious face: "The Wugong County Magistrate reported yesterday that King Luo Bin had not reported to Wugong County Office for several days. Their people went to Chang'an City to search for King Luo Bin at his residence, but when they arrived, they found out that King Luo Bin had already been there. I haven’t gone back for several days, and they always thought that King Luo Bin was in Wugong County.”
People in Wugong County thought King Luo Bin was at home, and people in King Luo Bin's family thought he was in Wugong County.
Liu Boying looked at Li Xuan and said: "The people from Dali Temple have been responsible for the investigation. Duke Duan of Dali Temple just said hello and wants to ask the prince."
Li Xuan frowned, cupped his hands and said, "To be honest with Da Honglu, I once sent someone to monitor King Luo Bin. Not only King Luo Bin, but Song Zhiwen, Yang Jiong, and even the Secretary Supervisor were all under surveillance. But these are all under surveillance." It was a matter of the time when my subordinate Jinwu Wei Zhonglang inspected the school, and it has been a long time now."
Upon hearing that Li Xuan and even Wu Chengsi had been under surveillance, Liu Boying immediately understood that it must be related to the matter of King of East China Sea.
In the recent past, this was the only thing that allowed the Jinwu Guards to monitor Wu Chengsi without being criticized by the Queen.
"Forget it, if you want to investigate this matter in Dali Temple, it doesn't matter." Li Xuan looked at Liu Boying and Yang Shan and said softly: "To focus on this, it is better to focus on how King Luo Bin disappeared. He is a martial arts master. Even if he has some literary reputation, it is not worthy of others taking action against him. Could it be that he and the King of East China Sea..."
"Your Majesty." Liu Boying interrupted Li Xuan directly. There were some words he didn't want to hear.
"Da Honglu!" Li Xuan quickly handed over his hands and obeyed the order.
"Since the matter has nothing to do with Honglu Temple, then the prince can handle it carefully. The key now is to pay tribute to the covenant with Silla?" Liu Boying looked at Li Xuan with a solemn face.
The weather is getting warmer, and Datang's garrison south of the Datong River in the East Island has very few troops left.
If Tang Dynasty and Tubo went to war at this time, and Silla got involved again, the consequences would be disastrous.
Li Xuan immediately raised his hand seriously and said: "Don't worry, Da Honglu, I have made all preparations. Within three to five days, we can sign an alliance with the Silla-Japanese Kingdom."
"Oh?" Liu Boying looked slightly surprised when Li Xuan was so sure, and then nodded and said, "Then it depends on the prince's methods."
"In this case, I'll take my leave first." Li Xuan immediately handed over his hand again, and when Liu Boying nodded, he turned around and left.
Watching Li Xuan leave, Liu Boying looked at Yang Shan and said: "More than ten days ago, His Majesty had passed the head of King Donghai to the envoys of Silla and Tubo. The King of Nanchang did not strike while the iron was hot and finalized the alliance with Silla at that time. The matter of tribute.
Now more than ten days have passed, and he looks confident again. My dear nephew, Sirou, why do you think this is? "
"The lower official heard that although at that time, the King of Nanchang personally beheaded the King of Donghai, and the Internal Security Bureau inspected it, and the envoys of Silla and Tubo also confirmed it, the King of Nanchang and Shiyin still had doubts. There should have been special arrangements for these ten days. Now that we are here, everything should be over in the future." Yang Shan couldn't help but shook his head slightly, lowered his head and smiled bitterly, and said: "Have you forgotten, Dali Temple, after King Luo Bin disappeared? Come to see the King of Nanchang?"
"Huh?" Liu Boying looked at Yang Shan in disbelief: "Xian Nephew Zirou, you mean, King Luo Bin..."
"It may not necessarily be King Luo Bin, but King Luo Bin, what do you know? Uncle Shi, have you forgotten? The King of Nanchang just gave me several names." After Yang Shan finished speaking, he slightly arched his hands to Liu Boying, then turned and left.
Seeing Yang Shan disappear from sight, the surprise on Liu Boying's face disappeared without a trace in an instant.
He sat back down with a calm expression and began to pick up the official documents and review them.
King Luo Bin, Song Zhiwen, Yang Jiong, and Wu Chengsi.
The King of Nanchang, who had served as the commander of the Jinwu Guard, was asked by Dali Temple how Wu Chengsi, who had been so close to King Luo Bin, could get rid of him.
Now it seems that people from Dali Temple are investigating, but in secret, people from Jinwu Guard, Qianniu Guard, and even Secret Guard and Neiwei have begun to investigate.
Wu Chengsi is Empress Wu's nephew. Although everyone knows that he cannot be the King of East China Sea, if the King of East China Sea is beside him and he does not notice it at all, Wu Chengsi's public impression among the government and the public will immediately change. It will be extremely bad.
A label of incompetence will be placed directly on his head.
Between the government and the public, those who could clearly see all this were not just Yang Shan or Liu Boying, but many more people were watching secretly.
Will Wu Chengsi be the second He Lan Minzhi?
…
"Brother Huaiying, please sit down." Li Xuan gently asked Di Renjie and several Dali Temple officials behind him to sit down.
Those who came to find him today were not Dali Temple Qing Duan Baoxuan, nor Dali Temple Young Ministers Huang Rensu and Xu Yu. Even Dali Temple Zhenghe, whom Li Xuan was most familiar with, did not come. Only Di Renjie came.
The intentions of Dali Temple are already clear.
But Di Renjie is enough to show that Dali Temple attaches great importance to this matter.
Di Renjie saluted Li Xuan respectfully, and then said seriously: "Your Majesty, I am busy with official duties, so I will ask you directly."
"Brother Huaiying please!"
"May I ask, Your Majesty, when was the last time you saw the martial arts master?" Di Renjie raised his head and stared at Li Xuan.
Li Xuan frowned, and then said: "Brother Huaiying asked this, which makes me a little confused about how to answer."
After thinking for a while, Li Xuan said: "On the ninth day of February, when I was sending off the children of the foreign countries for the imperial examination, I met Mr. Guangguang under Chengxian's sect and had a few chats; then on February 12th and 15th, I The king never met King Luo Bin when he was under Chengxian's sect, but if he went to send Yang Jiong to participate in the examination, he should have appeared at the same time, but he should not have seen or said hello to him. After that day, the king has never seen him again. King Luo Bin."
Di Renjie looked at Li Xuan, recalling in his mind every word he just said and every change in his expression when he spoke.
Finally, Di Renjie continued to speak and asked: "I heard that the prince once sent someone to monitor the martial arts master's book. I wonder if there is anything abnormal?"
Li Xuan frowned and asked, "Brother Huaiying, have you been to the palace or Jinwu Guard?"
Di Renjie said calmly: "I have met Zhang Weng before."
Zhang Wenguan, a servant of the family, former minister of Dali Temple.
(End of chapter)
