Under the bright moon, a cold wind blows on my face.
The fire in Dugu Zhong's heart did not weaken at all. He suppressed his excitement and seriously raised his hands to Li Xuan and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your advice."
At this time, Li Xuan suddenly sighed, shook his head and said, "If your father were here, he would definitely not be so happy."
"Why?" Dugu Zhong was slightly stunned, a little confused.
"In this case, I have read the official documents of the Ministry of War. There is a lot written in it, but basically there is not much to criticize. Although there are many strange things that can be seen, there is very little evidence that can be obtained. Even if Whatever I want to do is not easy." Li Xuan gave Dugu Zhong a deep look.
Dugu Zhong was immediately horrified. Li Xuan's words showed that he had really thought about impeaching the Dugu family.
"My father's methods are so clever that it makes it difficult for others to do anything they want to do."
After a slight pause, Li Xuan looked at Dugu Zhong with a solemn expression, and said in a deep voice: "Brother Dugu, think about it, even I, the king, can't catch the flaw for a while, let alone a supervisory censor, the one who impeached him is still Being the governor of a state, even if there is a prince behind him, I'm afraid it will still be difficult."
Dugu Zhong's breathing became heavy.
"In this matter, it would be difficult for people who don't know enough about the actual situation in Dunhuang to find out the flaws... Ordinary people might not even take a second look at this kind of thing. They are far away in the desert and want to explore. How easy." Li Xuan couldn't help but shake her head.
He looked at Dugu Zhong and said softly: "Although I don't know how many tricks your father has done secretly, I think it will take quite a while for me and the prince to figure out the truth. So, How did the prince investigate, and who helped him investigate, so that he could find out the truth in a short period of time, and what changed in the meantime."
"It's the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has returned to Beijing." Dugu Zhong still didn't understand the problem.
"Either the Prime Minister has someone from the Crown Prince, or someone deliberately leaked the news to the Crown Prince." Li Xuan gently patted Dugu Zhong on the shoulder and said softly: "It's unfortunate that the Dugu family has become the one being exploited. chess piece."
"Who?" Dugu Zhong immediately gritted his teeth tightly.
"Who is the most unhappy when the Dugu family hooks up with the Prime Minister?" Li Xuan asked so directly that it was a bit savage.
"The Dou family." Dugu Zhong gave the answer decisively.
"The Dou family is more generous than Brother Shi thought." Li Xuan retreated slightly and said: "Although the emperor's grandmother passed away early, the emperor's grandfather was a romantic man, and there were not only one or two women around him. This kind of thing was not possible at that time. It's not a big deal, and it's even less of a big deal now that I'm at the prince's residence.
Although the Dou family is dissatisfied, they will not take action, and they may not be willing to take action now. "
Just after Li Dan got married, the internal problems of the Dunhuang army were exposed. Even if Li Dan had nothing to do with the matter, he would inevitably be blamed by the emperor.
The Dou family would not be so rash.
"Who is it?" Lonely Zhong was a little confused.
"There shouldn't be many people like him who can control the situation with confidence, who knows more about this matter than anyone else, and who wants to take advantage of the opportunity to attack the prince." Li Xuan raised her head and looked at Dugu Zhong.
"Ming Chongyan!" Dugu Zhong's voice was very low. Li Xuan said it so clearly, how could he still not understand it.
Using Chen Jiazi's incident as a pretext and the Dugu family as bait to lure the prince into a trap and attack the disobedient Dugu family, only Ming Chongyan could control everything in the end.
The key is that Ming Chongyan is the person who knows the second most inside information about this matter besides the Dugu family.
"Abandon Dunhuang. Only by returning to the capital can the power of the Dugu family be brought into full play." Li Xuan sighed softly, raised her head, looked at the night sky across Chang'an City, and murmured: "It's too easy in the border areas. Forgotten by the people of Chang'an."
Dugu Zhong looked solemn. Regarding Li Xuan's proposal, this time he said hesitantly: "I still need to ask my family for advice on this matter."
Li Xuan nodded calmly, and then said: "There is another thing. The king of Qinghai, Murong Nuohebo, is currently trying to contact Dayanmang, hoping to ensure that the caravan can go from Qinghai Lake to the Western Regions smoothly.
"Southern Silk Road." Dugu Zhong instantly guessed what Li Xuan was talking about.
Qinghai was originally the passage of the Southern Silk Road, but due to years of war, the Southern Silk Road has been cut off.
If the western Tuyuhun can be reopened, then the Southern Silk Road can be opened.
Once the Southern Silk Road is opened, the Northern Silk Road will naturally be affected.
"These things, I just heard some rumors, may not necessarily be true." After a short pause, Li Xuan said: "However, the location of the Qingxi Basin is lower than the southeast, and the impact of plateau miasma is minimal, plus the Qinghai salt Mines and the mining of jade mines in Kunlun Mountains will definitely flourish there. As long as Tubo is defeated next year, people from the Western Regions will also come..."
"The Southern Silk Road will be open." Dugu Zhong immediately understood that what Li Xuan said about the Southern Silk Road was absolutely true.
Once the Tang Dynasty defeated Tubo, Dayan Mangjiebo would never dare to refuse Murong Nuohebo's request.
In fact, it is not so much Murong Nuohebo who is asking, but it is the imperial court and the Queen who are really asking.
"Being outside has its benefits. At least you don't have to worry about the power struggle in the central government. Once you return to Chang'an, you should know what will be the most important thing."
A struggle for power, even a fight for the right to inherit the throne.
"The Dugu family will definitely come back, we have already placed our bets." Dugu Zhong looked solemn.
Li Xuan nodded slightly, but felt a little solemn in her heart.
Li Xian's motive for seizing the throne was not obvious. After all, although Li Xian had some conflicts with Empress Wu, his health was much better than that of Li Hong, who was filial to the emperor.
Even the most pessimistic person would never have imagined that Li Xian would be deposed in two or three years.
Li Xian came to power too hastily, and the time the emperor gave him was too short. He didn't have much time to cultivate his confidants.
All he can use are the people Li Zhi left for him, and among these people there are too many people from Empress Wu.
Therefore, Li Dan and Li Xian must fight first, so that Li Xian will wake up.
…
The cold wind began to get stronger gradually, but fortunately, everything was well prepared in the Prime Minister's Mansion.
After Li Xuan and Dugu Zhong finished talking, the two of them went to the front yard together.
"If you really want to go back to Chang'an, then many things must be done in advance. After I go back, I will first toast Dou Weng with a glass of wine, and then Doulu Changshi, Shiyin Zhenren." Li Xuan stopped here. After a moment, he looked at Dugu Zhong and said softly: "I don't need to teach you these things... Hey, what does this smell like?"
Li Xuan's face was stunned, and her nose twitched subconsciously.
Lonely Zhong also reacted immediately and looked around subconsciously.
This is between the main hall of the Prime Minister's Mansion and the back garden. In front is the courtyard gate, and there are several side halls on both sides.
The corridors were covered with red silk and satin, and there were more than a dozen guards guarding the place.
You can vaguely hear the sound of changing glasses and changing glasses from the front yard.
Li Xuan looked at the guards in the pavilion in the distance and asked directly: "Do you smell anything strange?"
Hearing what Li Xuan said, the guards in the courtyard couldn't help but be startled, and then shook their heads, but suddenly, a guard at the door of a side hall on the right suddenly said: "There is a smell, it seems to be burnt, there is a fire somewhere." ?"
Li Xuan and Dugu Zhong reacted immediately, and they immediately rushed to the door of the side hall where the guards were.
After sniffing hard twice, both of them were shocked at the same time: "There's a fire inside!"
Li Xuan immediately turned around and asked directly: "What is in here?"
"It's a gift from the guest." The guard's expression immediately changed, and he quickly took out the key and opened the door.
With a "squeak" sound, the door was quickly opened, and in the deepest place inside, a flame as high as a person was already burning.
Almost immediately, the flames would spread to the entire side hall.
"Send someone to get water to put out the fire immediately, hurry up." Li Xuan ordered, and the next moment, he pressed his hand on his waist, and a sharp and soft sword was instantly unsheathed.
Quickly reaching the depths of the side hall, Li Xuan swept away the gifts with her long sword, and the gifts that were not burned were swept further back in an instant.
As for those things that were already burning, the long sword immediately chopped them into pieces, and then rolled them deep into the side hall.
A fire zone immediately appeared in the middle.
The flame was burning, and at this moment, the first bucket of water arrived, and soon, the second bucket of water...
Two quarters of an hour later, the flames finally went out.
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.
If the Prime Minister gets married and a fire breaks out in the palace, I don’t know how many people will be affected.
Once a stampede occurs, the consequences will be even more disastrous.
Without Li Xuan's instructions at all, someone had already gone to find Doulu Qinwang.
Fortunately, Doulu Qinwang is the chief steward of the palace, and there are usually many people looking for him. Who knows which dignitary is drunk and misbehaving.
However, Doulu Qinwang was also shocked when he learned that there was a fire in the back hall.
But when I learned that the fire was under control, I was relieved.
Quietly appeasing the guards in the mansion, Doulu Qinwang gave Ming Chongyan a wink, and then went to the backyard himself.
By the time they arrived at the side hall, Li Xuan had already led everyone out of the side hall.
"Your Highness, what is going on?" Doulu Qinwang looked at Li Xuan in a hurried tone.
Li Xuan said with an ugly face: "I don't know, Xiao Wang, but I also asked Duke Doulu to immediately call people from Dali Temple to investigate. Whoever did this must be found out immediately. Is there any other place in the mansion?" Similar things, Mr. Doulu, need to be investigated immediately. The guests and women in the mansion..."
"Your Highness, you can't move." Doulu Qinwang pressed Li Xuan's arm with one hand. Li Xuan was slightly startled, and then her face darkened.
Today is Li Dan's wedding. If there is a big mess in the palace, none of them will be able to get through it easily.
Li Xuan closed her eyes slightly, then opened them, and said directly: "Half of the people should investigate immediately, and half of the people should scoop up water. At the same time, send people to the door. If the fire becomes uncontrollable, immediately contact Chang'an County and Jinwu Guard."
"Here!" Doulu Qinwang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly waved his hand to help him settle down.
Turning around, Doulu Qinwang looked at Dugu Zhong and said seriously: "Dugu Changshi, please go to the front yard to rest first."
"This..." Dugu Zhong looked at Li Xuan subconsciously.
Li Xuan nodded and said: "Please help Brother Dugu to look after the kings and princesses first. If anything happens, ask them to leave immediately. Don't hesitate and tell them the truth."
"Yes!" Dugu Zhong suddenly shuddered.
Nowadays, the Prime Minister's Mansion is full of princes and nobles. If anything goes wrong, there will be a storm immediately.
Not to mention him, even people with higher positions of power can't stand it.
After Dugu Zhong left, Doulu Qinwang asked, "How did the prince discover the fire?"
"I just came from the backyard. When I walked here, I suddenly smelled a burning smell. Then the guard also noticed something was wrong, and then quickly locked in here." Li Xuan turned around and looked at the whole yard to search. The guard said with fear on his face: "Who did this? The method is too cruel."
"Your Majesty, do you think it's man-made?" Ming Chongyan rushed over from the front at this time. Hearing what Li Xuan said, his expression was awe-inspiring.
"It must be man-made." Li Xuan turned sideways, looked at the side hall at the back, and said coldly: "The surrounding candles and lanterns have special fire prevention arrangements. How can they easily catch fire? The most important thing is that the fire started The timing was perfect.”
(End of chapter)
