Li Jingye once thought that what Li Chen said to him in Buxian Garden that day was because she thought that her brothers were incompetent and wanted to replace them.

The heart of the Queen Mother is known to everyone.

Li Chen said that she could only guarantee that after a hundred years of the Queen Mother, the surname of the country would still be Li.

But the surname Li is Li Xian? Li Dan? Li Xian?

…… Or Li Chen?

Li Jingye couldn't help but ask himself: Now that the matter is now, is it still useful to dwell on these?

Now the affairs of the court are all decided by the Queen Mother. After the year, there was the Queen Mother to worship the sky, thank God for giving Luo Water God Map, all kinds of auspicious clouds emerge in endlessly, and the Queen Mother's ascension to the throne has become an established fact.

He even went to consult Ah Mei's family Weng Cheng Wuting for this matter, Li Xian was abolished that day, Cheng Wuting contributed a lot, even after Pei Yan was executed, the Queen Mother was quite jealous of Cheng Wuting, not as trusting as in the past, but after all, it was still reused while guarding against it.

Li Jingye also asked in private what would happen if the Queen Mother ascended to the throne?

Cheng Wuting was silent for a moment, thinking that the common people didn't care who was in that position, they only cared about whether they had enough food and clothing. And the queen mother and the first emperor and called the two saints for more than ten years, when she was still the queen of heaven, she was quite famous, and now she is the queen mother, even if she ascended the throne, in the eyes of the people of the Tang Dynasty, it is probably like a large family of the people, the old man died, so the old lady was the master of the house, keeping the family business for her sons. But the old lady is not a monster after all, and she will return to the west, and she will still return the family business to her sons at that time. Therefore, the Queen Mother wants to ascend to the throne, even if there is no one before, but it is not so difficult to accept.

The wood is already in the boat, and even if he is dissatisfied, it seems that he can't do anything about it.

If he can't be used by Li Chen, he probably won't be reused in the future, and the best result is to be kicked to the frontier to continue eating sand, and the worse result may be exiled to him, if it's not good...... Li Jingye remembered Li Xian, the king of Luling in Fangzhou, and his uncle Li Siwen who was robbed and killed by bandits on the way to exile in Lingnan...... He didn't feel like he wanted to know what would happen if it wasn't any better.

There are thousands of things and all kinds of tastes, but in fact, in the end, it is inevitable to compromise.

Instead of compromising with the Queen Mother, it is better to compromise with Li Chen.

Li Jingye was silent for a long time, and swallowed the words back when they came to his mouth, and after repeating this several times, he finally said to Li Chen: "Dedication...... May it be used by the princess. ”

When Li Chen heard this, he laughed, "It's great that the general can figure it out." If the general doesn't understand anymore, Yongchang Ke plans to let Master Wuyun come to talk to the general about the scriptures and Buddhism and even the philosophy of life, so that the general won't think too much. ”

Li Jingye: "......"

In fact, in Li Chen's heart, Li Jingye has no way out, how many hands he has in her hands over the years, and how much favor he has received from her. As the saying goes, there is no hope of reciprocation for kindness, but she is not such a noble person, how much effort she spends on Li Jingye, how much she hopes to be able to get in return.

Of course, Li Jingye could rather die than obey, but he is not that kind of person. Li Jingye is a person who is born to know current affairs, but he has not been forced to do his part before, so he has to get by. And she didn't want to touch him for the time being, so she let him go.

But when it was time for him to do something, he still couldn't escape.

A person like Li Jingye, even if he doesn't agree with women in politics in his bones, will not be more important than whether he can achieve his ambition in his career. He didn't explicitly refuse her question in Buxian Garden, and Li Chen knew this in his heart.

Everything is said so bluntly and so calculated, and the scene is inevitably a little unbearable, so Li Chen said to Li Jingye again: "If the general really wants to serve his family and country, he should know how to take advantage of the situation." You are a dignified British duke, and you have good skills, you will be useful wherever you go, but Yongchang hopes that the general can go faster and better. ”

Li Jingye did not pierce the princess's pretense, and said with a smile: "The princess is serious, and she doesn't dare to be dedicated." ”

Li Chen turned around and looked at Li Jingye in front of him with a smile. In fact, there are many things, and it is not suitable to say anything to him now, Li Chen has always thought that whether it is Di Renjie, a good official who is admired by all the people, or a heinous cool official who comes to Junchen, all kinds of officials, Li Chen has never seen a thousand and has encountered eight hundred, she has never seen a person who has the space to exert his strength and will not want to run to make trouble with the emperor, including Pei Yan. Pei Yan was actually just unlucky, he achieved his goal of becoming a great minister, so he got carried away for a while, ignoring Wu Zetian's ambitions, and he would suffer disaster.

When the British princess Li Jingye escorted Yongchang Princess Li Chen to the White Horse Temple to offer incense, the Queen Mother in the Luoyang Imperial City was also receiving Wu Chenghei.

When Wu Chengsi saw the Queen Mother, he first greeted his aunt respectfully and thoughtfully, and after asking for peace, he dedicated a booklet in his arms to the Queen Mother.

Wu Zetian saw that the words on the cover were no different from the booklet that Li Chen gave her last time, and they were written by the same person. She frowned slightly and looked at Wu Chenghe.

Wu Chengsi couldn't help but tremble in his heart.

Wu Chengsi has always been very in awe of Wu Zetian, Wu Zetian is very good-looking, but when she doesn't smile, she has an aura of not being angry and arrogant, if she frowns, as long as you have seen the Queen Mother's methods, you will not be able to stop trembling in your heart.

Wu Chengsi was sincerely afraid in his heart, but at the critical moment, he must not be cowardly. So he gave up his hand, saluted Wu Zetian, and said very respectfully: "The minister wants to impeach Lai Junchen for attempting rebellion." ”

As soon as Wu Zetian heard this, he looked at Wu Chengsi with an expressionless face.

Wu Chengsi secretly took a deep breath, this move can only succeed and not fail, even if the Queen Mother knows in her heart that Lai Junchen has no intention of rebelling, he must be justified. Wu Sansi also probed Shangguan Wan'er's tone for this matter, Shangguan Wan'er meant that Song Jing had also impeached Junchen, and with Song Jing's personality, it was normal to not be used to Junchen. But Song Jing can't get used to Lai Junchen at the same time, but also with Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi's generation-for-tat, if Wu Chengsi also impeached Lai Junchen at this time, even if the Queen Mother still believes that Lai Junchen is loyal to her, but she will also think more about the reuse of Junchen in her heart.

When Wu Sansi and Shangguan Wan'er were grinding their ears and temples, Shangguan Wan'er had already instructed them what to do.

They don't need anything, they just need to impeach Lai Junchen, they don't need to be tough, and they don't necessarily have to insist that Lai Junchen is a rebellion, everyone understands that Lai Junchen will not oppose Wu Zetian. Shangguan Wan'er actually wanted them to confess Wei Suiliang.

When Wu Chengsi heard Wu Sansi say Shangguan Wan'er's idea, he almost didn't fall off the chair.

What is this doing?!

But Wu Sansi patted his chest and said just do what Shangguan Wan'er wants, today, no one will know the Queen Mother better than Shangguan Wan'er, listen to her right!

Wu Chengsi was sweating profusely, while trying to be calm in front of the Queen Mother, and told the Queen Mother that someone came to tell him about the rebellion of Lai Junchen, and this person also told him that the cases that Lai Junchen has handled over the years have always been on the lookout of the mood, and sometimes it is so casual that he throws stones to decide which ministers to frame. The cruelty of Lai Junchen's methods has reached such a point that even the subordinates who follow him can't stand it.

The Queen Mother glanced at Wu Chengsi and smiled, but her smile was immediately put away again, and she said to Wu Chengsi very inscrutablely: "If you are given a high-ranking official Houlu, you should know why you are today." ”

Wu Chengsi hurriedly bent over, "The minister should do his best for the queen mother!" ”

Wu Zetian waved his hand impatiently, "Go down." ”

Wu Chengsi wanted to ask, so how should he deal with Lai Junchen? But as soon as he saw Wu Zetian's face, he held back his words and retreated.

"One or two, all of them have to get along with Junchen?" Wu Zetian's face was displeased, and his tone was very bad.

Lai Junchen is her person, and now everyone is impeaching Lai Junchen, just because they can't get along with her.

Shangguan Wan'er, who had been standing quietly beside her, saw this, stepped forward to beat her shoulders with just the right amount of force for Wu Zetian, and said softly: "Don't think too much about the Queen Mother, doesn't the Queen Mother know about the impeachment of Junchen by Song Jing?" Song Jing has always been like this, in the past few years, he has regarded Zhou Xinglai Junchen and others as black sheep, when did he give up the opportunity to deal with Zhou Xing's generation? Wan'er still remembers that the Queen Mother said that people who pretend to be the people of the world have never been able to pretend to have too many twists and turns in their hearts, they may have wisdom and enough insight into people's hearts, but they disdain to spend their efforts on these things, Zhongshu Ling Di Renjie is like this, and so is Song Jing. ”

Wu Zetian closed his eyes slightly and did not speak.

"If it is said that Junchen rebelled, it must be false. What Wan'er can understand, how can Zhongcheng and Zhou Guogong not understand. ”

Wu Zetian: "They just pretended to be confused and asked me to deal with Junchen." ”

Shangguan Wan'er: "They want to deal with Lai Junchen, but Zhou Guogong and Yushi Zhongcheng have always been incompatible, and now the same front is naturally not agreed." ”

Wu Zetian: "So what? ”

Shangguan Wan'er: "Earlier, Wan'er heard a rumor that the well water in the backyard of Junchen's house was red. ”

Wu Zetian looked at her.

Shangguan Wan'er met the Queen Mother's gaze, and said with a very natural expression: "It is said that it is because there are too many wronged souls killed by mistake in the hands of Lai Junchen, so the vision fell from heaven, and the people feel too happy about it, thinking that they will kill themselves if they do too much injustice, and everyone wishes that Lai Junchen will encounter an accident as soon as possible." ”

In fact, Wu Zetian didn't understand in his heart what kind of goods these people came to Junchen and Zhou Xing?

Since she wants to eliminate dissidents, she naturally has to do whatever it takes, and Junchen Zhou Xing and others are vicious, but they are really loyal to her and have done a lot of things for her.

Now that these people have been disposed of, what will happen next?

She is following an unprecedented path, and if she cannot get the ministers of the DPRK and China to sincerely surrender to her, then it is not a bad idea to use torture to deter even sitting.

Since Shangguan Wan'er is Wu Zetian's confidant, she naturally understands the Queen Mother's thoughts very well, she smiled slightly, and said to Wu Zetian: "Queen Mother, it may be a good thing to deal with Junchen now." ”

Wu Zetian looked at her.

Shangguan Wan'er: "The Queen Mother's sacrifice to the sky is imminent, and when the sacrifice to the heavens, the saint will naturally mention the matter of the Zen position again." The Queen Mother has been rewarded by the heavens, and the people love her, no matter what, it is not too much. Now the ministers of the DPRK and the Central People's Republic of China, when it comes to Junchen, are all silent, dare to be angry and dare not speak, let alone the common people. At this time, the Queen Mother pushed the boat down the river and asked Song Jing in the imperial history to handle the case of Lai Junchen, which must be very sensational. ”

Shangguan Wan'er stopped and did not continue.

In fact, the reason is very simple, Wu Zetian wants to be the emperor, and the reason why she kept these people is to exclude dissidents. But at this time, Lai Junchen was first betrayed by Zhou Xing's confession, and then the concubine Song Jing and Princess Yongchang also came to join in the fun, not only came out of Lai Junchen's "Luo Weaving Sutra", but also pulled the Wu brothers into the water by the way.

It is not so much that they are targeting Lai Junchen, but that they are targeting the cool official group represented by Lai Junchen.

Lai Junchen is too popular and vicious and unscrupulous, and it is not good for her to be the emperor if she wants to cover it up at this time.

Three days later, the Queen Mother ordered Song Jing to thoroughly investigate the case of Lai Junchen.

Come to Junchen, this person is heinous.

In the imperial history, Cheng Song Jing presided over the trial of the case of Lai Junchen, and Lai Junchen confessed to his crimes and had a very good attitude. But a good attitude also means that he can escape the death penalty, Song Jing convicted and sentenced him one by one according to the evidence in his hand, and Lai Junchen was sentenced to death. I heard that on the day of Junchen's execution, the head had just landed, and the people rushed up to divide the body. Lai Junchen did all the evil during his lifetime, and it was very natural that he would not die well, but after he was beheaded, no one collected the body, and the body was already divided, and the people who rushed up were like a group of hungry wolves, gouging out his eyes and ears, frying his skin and bones.

Xue Huaiyi once described to Wu Zetian the tragic situation after Junchen's death-

Lai Junchen's body was lying on the execution ground, and before his head rolled to the ground, someone rushed forward and smashed his eyes, his face was covered with knife wounds, his hair and ears were all cut off, and almost all his internal organs were dug out...... The people all said that Junchen was dead, and they would be able to sleep in the future, and they no longer had to worry about being unlucky and killed by him the next day. ”

Wu Zetian was also shocked, she knew that Lai Junchen and these people would not be likable, but she didn't know that Lai Junchen was so hated.

Later, when she summoned a cool official who she trusted to understand the situation, Ji Ji knelt down and said to her: "Lai Junchen framed Zhongliang, accepted bribes like a mountain, and he has countless souls in his hands, he is a thief of the country, what is the pity?" ”

If these words were said by Song Jing and others, Wu Zetian probably wouldn't have been touched. But this person is a cool official, a cool official whom she trusts very much and is loyal to her, if he thinks so, then probably what Junchen has done is more than what he said.

Wu Zetian, who had always been untouched by Lai Junchen in her heart, finally tasted a little scared at this time, but fortunately she handed over Junchen to Song Jing in time, otherwise she was afraid that she would be burned in the future.

Li Chen entered the palace to ask his mother for peace, and naturally he inevitably had to tell his mother about Junchen. Of course, she didn't say how Junchen came, Li Chen said to his mother: "Lai Junchen, this person has done all kinds of evil, Ah Niang has been deceived by him a lot over the years, and now he is finally disposed of, since the people hate him so much, why didn't Ah Niang order his body to be hung above the city gate." In this way, not only can the people's resentment against him be eliminated, but also let the people know that A-Niang has also been deceived by him in the past few years. ”

Wu Zetian glanced at Li Chen, "It's eventful." But what this little daughter said was right. She always has to find a way to find a suitable reason for her reuse of Junchen and others in the past few years.

Li Chencai doesn't care about many things, if she doesn't have many things, she won't interfere in Junchen's affairs. Since she intervened, of course, she wanted to start and finish well, and she also used this matter to let her mother know that she was not trying to disagree with her mother.

So the princess raised her eyebrows and said to the queen mother: "Yongchang is so troublesome." It's not what it used to be, A-Niang is now ready for everything, and she only owes Dongfeng, how can she let these people ruin their reputation? Luoshui appeared in the god map, Mingtang is about to be built, there are auspicious Rui everywhere in the Tang Dynasty, A-Niang's next thing should have been a matter of course, and now these people have made such a big move, and the people hate them to the bone. ”

Wu Zetian looked sideways at Li Chen.

Li Chen looked at his mother very calmly.

The mother and daughter were silent for a moment, and Wu Zecai smiled, "You think a lot." ”

Li Chen: "Perhaps, Yongchang thinks more than A-Niang thinks." ”

Wu Zetian looked away, and didn't talk to Li Chen about this matter head-on, but asked again: "You asked Li Jingye to escort you to the White Horse Temple to offer incense a few days ago, and now you come to the palace, let's say, what do you want me to arrange for him?" ”

Li Chen pouted, "Could it be that in A-Niang's heart, I came to you just to arrange things for Li Jingye?" ”

Wu Zetian glanced at her with a smile.

Seeing this, Li Chen didn't play tricks, "That's it, I said that Princess Changle and Li Zhen, the king of Yue, secretly conspired to raise troops before A-Niang's Luoyang sacrifice, and to force A-Niang to return to the fourth brother." "She has already gotten the news about this matter, after all, the Mo family's intelligence network and the people under the Lingyin Temple over the years are not idle.

Wu Zetian looked at Li Chen expressionlessly.

Li Chen: "Li Jingye has been guarding the frontier all these years, and he can be regarded as the best among the young generation of generals, why don't you give him a chance, if Princess Changle raises troops, let Li Jingye lead the troops to suppress it?" ”

Wu Zetian said coldly: "How can you understand the affairs of the DPRK and China? ”

Li Chen pursed his lips, half complaining and half coquettish: "I can't understand, but my mother is the current queen mother, and she has the power of the world, I am my mother's daughter, can't my mother fulfill a wish for me?" After a pause, she said again: "Li Jingye has been guarding the frontier for several years, although there are many bandits, but what is the use of fighting bandits, and he can't make military merits!" ”

Wu Zetian was angry and funny, "What do you have to do with him to make military merits?" Aren't you afraid that he will not take you seriously if he has established a high position of military merit and power? ”

Li Chen smiled, and his tone was very arrogant: "With his mother here, how dare he not take me in his eyes?" ”

This said to Wu Zetian's heart, her lifelong pursuit of power is nothing more than to control the fate of everyone, including herself. Standing at the top, the life and death of others are all in her thoughts.

The first emperor died, and the queen mother seemed to want to prove something, and she intensified her pampering of this little daughter, she wanted to travel with her, and she could toss with her as much as she wanted, as long as she didn't poke a leak out of the sky, it seemed that anything could follow her. And the princess also stopped for a while, but since Li Jingye was recalled from the frontier, she went back to Luoyang and met Zhou Xing, and she tossed harder.

How the queen mother tosses the princess is to turn a blind eye, as long as she is happy.

Now seeing her daughter speaking for her little lover, the Queen Mother thought about it, and she didn't feel that there was anything wrong. After all, the Queen Mother has given Xue Huaiyi a lot of power over the years, and even things like rebuilding Mingtang can be handed over to him, and Li Chen is just asking for a chance for Li Jingye to make meritorious contributions.

But the Queen Mother didn't forget who Li Jingye followed in the past, glanced at Li Chen, and then said: "I know this matter in my heart, you don't have to say more." ”

When Li Chen heard this, he smiled. Mother said that she knew it in her heart, but she didn't say no, since it wasn't impossible, it was a drama.

After Li Chen left, Wu Zetian was silent for a long time.

"Wan'er." She suddenly shouted.

Shangguan Wan'er, who had been waiting on the sidelines, immediately stepped forward, "Wan'er is here." ”

Wu Zetian: "You said that Princess Yongchang is now with this Li Jingye, what is the matter?" ”

Shangguan Wan'er: "The princess has been blue-eyed to the British Duke since she was a child, although she was descended to the current colt Song Jing, but the colt and the British duke are completely different people. ”

In Shangguan Wan'er's opinion, Song Jing is very stylish, but he is very straightforward, and he is a master who does not enter oil and salt. But the British Duke Li Jingye is different, although he has been guarding the frontier for several years, he has been a noble since he was a child, and he naturally understands the ups and downs of the children of the family, and it is rare that he is knowledgeable and interesting, but he is also quite self-disciplined, and he has never heard of which girl the British Duke likes except for Princess Yongchang.

Shangguan Wan'er raised her head, smiled at the Queen Mother, and said: "The princess and the British princess have grown up together since childhood, and the Queen Mother often says that the princess is good at everything, but sometimes she attaches too much importance to some things. But the queen mother has always loved the princess very much, isn't it because the princess values the people around her very much? ”

If there is anything about Princess Yongchang that makes the Queen Mother particularly helpless and particularly likes, it is probably Princess Yongchang's short-term protection. As long as it is a person she classifies as close, no matter what mistakes she makes, she seems to be able to tolerate and accept it, and fight for it. The princess did not collide with the Queen Mother once or twice for the sake of several brothers and Princess Taiping, and she had to leave Luoyang to travel that day, but also because she understood in her heart that the Queen Mother deposed Li Xian and set up Li Dan as the new queen, and she didn't want to be caught between her relatives, so she simply ran away.

As a princess, she couldn't put a good brocade dress and jade food, ran outside to travel, and even ran to Huainan Road, which was war-torn at that time, to ask for medicine for the queen mother, thinking that she had suffered some hardships along the way. At that time, Princess Yongchang was caught between family affection, and would rather go outside to endure hardships than the comfortable life of Luoyang and Chang'an, which shows that she is also very sad in her heart.

Shangguan Wan'er has served by Wu Zetian's side for many years, and knows what kind of people Wu Zetian admires and likes.

Wu Zetian respects gentlemen like Di Renjie and Song Jing very much, and he also likes people with the most affection and sex.

Shangguan Wan'er thinks that people's hearts are unpredictable, Princess Yongchang has been very measured over the years, willful or temperamental, all of them are just right, the only thing that is not just right is that the first emperor died, the concubine Li Xian went crazy, the Queen Mother wanted to take him back from Bazhou when she was stubborn, and after the Queen Mother deposed Li Xian, who had been on the throne for less than three months, Li Chen asked to leave Luoyang.

But her performance is not so appropriate, which makes the Queen Mother love her even more. On the contrary, Princess Taiping has advanced and retreated in everything over the years, showing weakness and obedience in a measured manner, never contradicting the Queen Mother, and never saying anything for her brothers, although the Queen Mother still loves Princess Taiping, but she is not as attentive to Princess Yongchang as she is.

Shangguan Wan'er paused for a moment, and then said to Wu Zetian: "Why does the Queen Mother need to understand what the princess is thinking, in this world, only under the protection of the Queen Mother, can she be so carefree." ”

Wu Zetian glanced at Shangguan Wan'er, "You can see it." ”

Shangguan Wan'er bowed her head slightly, her expression respectful.

Wu Zetian thought for a moment before he sighed and said, "But no matter what, she has never lived up to her father's expectations, nor has she ever disappointed her mother." ”

Shangguan Wan'er looked at the Queen Mother, and saw that the Queen Mother, who was usually high up and not angry and arrogant, had an almost gentle look on her face at this moment. But as soon as this gentleness was put away, the Queen Mother immediately returned to her unfathomable joy and anger.