Li Mu looked at Li Shimin, suddenly smiled, did not respond, did not refute, but asked rhetorically: "Is Your Majesty worthy of me?" ”

Li Shimin's lips trembled, but he didn't say anything.

"Your Majesty just asked me if I feel guilty about your majesty. I know what Your Majesty is referring to, and I can answer Your Majesty, morally, no. Wang Ou is the daughter-in-law of the Cui family, not His Majesty's concubine. But emotionally, I feel sorry for Your Majesty, and I do feel guilty in my heart. ”

"I understand that paper cannot contain fire, and one day, Your Majesty will know the truth. When His Majesty knows the truth, he will surely be furious. So I thought, what would I do if that time really comes? ”

"After thinking about it, I realized that there were only two ways in front of me. Either before Your Majesty notices, I will go to seclusion in a place where Your Majesty cannot find me, or I will make a great enough contribution for Your Majesty to spare my life for the sake of this merit. ”

"I like life in Chang'an, and I have to say goodbye, so I chose the latter. So, I racked my brains to find a way to help His Majesty solve the problems encountered, and His Majesty could think of everything he couldn't think of, and the ministers took it all up. The establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to divide power from the three provinces and six provinces, and then centralize the imperial power, which can help Your Majesty do what Your Majesty wants to do more quickly. I foolishly thought that if I had done enough credit, Your Majesty would have forgiven me with regard to the merits and affection when dealing with me. ”

"Your Majesty, I have done so many things for Your Majesty for the sake of an apology that is not moral, but just a personal feeling. In order to do these things, I did not hesitate to make enemies of everyone, risking my life, and the sewage and infamy were all mine, without any complaints, and I secretly thought that it was enough to offset it. But what did Your Majesty do to me? ”

"I could never have imagined that Your Majesty, whom I revere in my heart, would completely ignore my merits, ignore any feelings, and even frame me, and even put me to death on trumped-up charges without even verifying the evidence——"

Li Mu had tears in his eyes: "Your Majesty's majestic figure collapsed in my heart. I finally understood that I was not a nephew to His Majesty, but just a chess piece. The king is fishing, the minister is the fish, the fish is the fish, the fish is slaughtered! ”

"My heart is cold, and now I only hope that Your Majesty can let me live when I am dead, let me take my wife and children, old and young, to find a secluded place in the barren mountains and mountains. Now, he just wants to live, and in this life, he has no ambition at all. ”

Li Shimin listened to Li Mu's words and didn't know what to say. Just as he guessed, Li Mu was indeed cold about his approach, and he was also as Empress Changsun said, in essence, there was nothing that could find fault with Li Mu, and speculation could only be speculation, and there was no evidence.

Li Shimin didn't know how to explain, and at this time, Empress Changsun came over. Li Mu didn't notice that Empress Eldest Sun was also there, and when he saw her, he was slightly stunned and bowed.

"Li Mu, don't blame Your Majesty, it's better for me, in fact, this is a ploy I came up with for Your Majesty."

"What do you mean?" Li Mu knew in his heart that Empress Eldest Sun was, and this was just a step for Empress Eldest Sun to give him and Li Shimin. At that moment just now, Li Mu had a trace of hesitation in his mind, whether to take this step or not, almost at the same time, he made a decision, to take it, and the end of not giving his face was likely to tear the dough.

"Look over there." Empress Changsun stretched out her hand and pointed, Li Mu saw several large boxes full of notes for his impeachment, Empress Changsun walked over, took a copy and handed it to Li Mu, and said: "These are all impeachment of you, do you see this posture?" It's really unprecedented. ”

Li Mu opened it, it was Wang Jingze's book, he didn't have to read it, he knew what Wang Jingze wrote, because these words were all instructed by him.

Li Mu angrily threw the fold on the ground, stepped on it a few times, and was anxious: "These people hate me for not dying!" ”

"yes." Empress Changsun took over and said, "Your Majesty just wants to take advantage of this matter to see who is the one who wants you to die." ”

Li Mu showed a suspicious expression and said, "Your Majesty is afraid that you will not be so kind!" ”

Li Shimin already understood what Empress Changsun meant, and said with a tiger face: "What did you kid say, I told you a long time ago, I didn't want to kill you, I gave you a hint, it was you who were stupid and didn't hear it!" ”

Empress Eldest Sun also said: "If you want to say that it is to find out your opponent, it's not. You also said just now that everything you do is for Your Majesty and for the sake of Datang's country. Then, the people who want you to die must be the opposite group of people. Among these people, there are some His Majesty who knows, but there are also some that His Majesty does not know, and through this incident, they are all exposed. At the same time, Your Majesty also wants to see who and which people are of the same mind as Your Majesty. ”

"Really?" Li Mu seemed to accept this result a little, and his face softened a lot, but suddenly, he frowned again and said, "But if it's fake, why do you want the Tang family's death-free card?" ”

"Tang Jian doesn't know the details, in order to save you, he made this decision in a hurry. It's just that he has already taken out the death-free card, how can he take it back again? But this is fine, but it provides His Majesty with a reasonable excuse. ”

"Is that the case...... Li Mu was still suspicious, looked at Li Shimin, Li Shimin coughed, and said: "The queen said in detail, let me say it, I can't say it so clearly." All in all, as I said, I didn't want to kill you. ”

"Why did Your Majesty deprive me of my title?"

"That's because, because-" Li Shimin looked at Empress Changsun for help, and Empress Changsun took over and said: "Do it for those envoys, no matter what you say, you have done something analogous to the slaughter of the city, this example cannot be opened, if there is no explanation, people will be panicked." Li Mu, the title, the official position, you are not in a hurry, although Your Majesty has stripped you of your title today, you can make a little merit in the future, and then seal it, are you still worried about this? “

"It's also ......" Li Mu showed a rather conceited look again, as if he was agreeing with Empress Changsun's words, but soon, he was annoyed again: "Even if the title makes sense, why did you let me go to Luoyang to be the county magistrate?" The third grade has been reduced to the seventh grade, the phoenix has become a black chicken, how many people have to laugh at me! No, no! I still don't want to be an official! ”

This time, Empress Eldest Sun didn't know what to say. She can help Li Shimin explain, but she can't make decisions for Li Shimin, if she does, she is doing politics, and the meaning is different.

Li Shimin had a plan in his heart about this matter, and said: "I asked you to go to Luoyang to do an order, but not a county order, Xu is senior cadre did not make it clear." ”

"What's the difference between one word?"

"The difference is big." Li Shimin said loudly: "Luoyang is the capital of accompaniment, and its status is extraordinary. In the past, the emperor had already thought about moving the capital to Luoyang. Because of its convenient transportation, it is also easy to defend and difficult to attack. In order to defend against the Turks, I was unable to make the trip at that time. Now that the Turkic plague has been eliminated, I also have the idea of moving the capital to Luoyang when the time is ripe. ”

Li Mu nodded, although the reasons Li Shimin said were far-fetched, they were also reasonable and reasonable.

"Now Chang'an City has basically taken shape, but Luoyang is still the same as it was, so we need to have a trustworthy and capable person to pick up a mess in Luoyang City. I asked you to go to Luoyang, but it was not as simple as being a county order, I wanted you to open a mansion and build a government, just like my Tiance Mansion back then. The affairs of Luoyang, big and small, are all out of your house, and the amount of money and food is up to you! ”

Li Shimin said it cheerfully, but the eldest grandson queen frequently looked sideways. It was very different from what she had just heard. If Li Shimin arranged it like this, wouldn't it be equivalent to dividing Luoyang to Li Mu, and this kind of treatment would be a few points higher than that of the prince and grandson.

Li Mu didn't seem to notice anything strange, rolled his eyes, and asked, "Then how many officials is this Luoyang Order?" ”

"There has been no precedent before, and I really haven't thought about giving a few products." Li Shimin looked indifferent and said, "How many products do you think are appropriate?" ”

"Yipin!"

"Go to your dreams!" Li Shimin said angrily: "Above the court, except for the special entry and the knight, how can there be an official with a grade?" When I was a Shangshu order, it was only a second-grade official, where can I find a first-grade official for you? Keep your three products unchanged, ugly words are ahead, and there is no money for you. ”

"Your Majesty, you're a bit of a scoundrel, aren't you?" Li Mu hurriedly said: "It's just that I am not allowed to resign from the official position, why don't you even give me money?" It's not a matter of more money and less money, it's a matter of course, if you don't give it to Yulu, don't say it's me, no one can do it, no, you have to give it. ”

"I can't give it." Li Shimin stiffened his face and said: "Not only can't you give it, but I can't give it to Luoyang officials and people in the future." ”

"Then who gives?"

Li Shimin pointed to Li Mu's chest and said, "You give!" ”

"Why should I give it!" Li Mu hurriedly said: "This world is not mine, why should I give it?" ”

"Because I have already made you the Luoyang Order. I also told you very clearly, big and small affairs are out of your house, and you will decide the use of money and food alone. Don't get it? Be self-sufficient! ”

"......" Li Mu understood that Li Shimin was going to 'draw the ground as a prison' at this time and confined him in Luoyang. If the expectation is good, it should be difficult for him to leave Luoyang in the future. Li Shimin cut off Luoyang's supply again, so that Li Mu would be forced to find a way. Luoyang and Chang'an have both been capitals, and they have a lot in common and can learn from each other. What Li Shimin wanted was to rehearse the problems encountered in Chang'an in Luoyang, so that Li Mu could come up with a way to move back to Chang'an and even Datang to use it.

In the same way, Luoyang has become Chang'an's 'internal testing site'.

You really can't underestimate the ancients, this calculation!

Now that Li Shimin has made up his mind, if Li Mu refuses, it will definitely lead to more trouble. He had no choice but to agree first.

"Okay, the minister has an order, but there is a request!"

"Say."

"The minister should choose some competent people to take with him."

"You're talking about someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs?" Li Shimin frowned and said, "You took the Internal Affairs Office away, what should I do here?" You can't take away important people, and the Internal Affairs Office can't help but operate, at most let you pick a few people, you draw up a list, and I'll see if I can let people go. ”

"I understand." Li Shimin's reaction confirmed what Li Mu thought in his heart, and it was useless to say anything else. Li Mu retired, and Li Shimin did not keep him. Through the window, seeing Li Mu walking away, Li Shimin looked at the eldest grandson queen and said, "Does the queen think that the words just now have deceived Li Mu?" ”

Empress Eldest Sun smiled: "Li Mu is smart, how can you deceive." He could see that I was going down the stairs, and he was just going down the stairs. Empress Changsun asked again: "Your Majesty, why did you change your mind temporarily?" ”

"I also thought of it suddenly." Li Shimin was silent for a while, without explaining too much, he believed that Empress Changsun could guess his intentions: "I hope that my temporary intention can have the effect I hoped." ”

Li Shimin sighed, somewhat depressed. The relationship with Li Mu has come to this point, and it is too different from what he thinks. He originally thought that the relationship between him and Li Mu would be like the good stories of monarchs and ministers recorded in the history books, but now that there is a mistake, even the most basic trust may no longer exist.

After Li Shimin came to the table, he took up a pen and wrote a holy decree and used a seal. This kind of holy decree directly stamped by the emperor is called 'Zhongzhi', and the Zhongshu has no right to intervene, and it is usually used to directly reflect the emperor's will.

"Someone!" Li Shimin shouted, a little eunuch entered the house, Li Shimin handed over the holy decree to him, and said: "You don't have to go through Zhongshu Province, send it directly to Tang Jian's mansion, let him see it alone, if he asks, he doesn't have to explain anything, he will know how to do it." ”

The little eunuch took the decree and left, and Li Shimin began to write the decree again, this time to Gonggong Gao.

After writing more than a dozen decrees in a row, Li Shimin put down the pen, and Li Shimin asked Gonggong Gao to send these holy decrees to Zhongshu Province to draft the decree, and then followed the Empress Changsun to the Lizheng Palace, announcing that he was ill and no longer saw his ministers.

……

Ju Guo Mansion.

After sending off the eunuch who delivered the decree, Tang Guan and Sun hurriedly gathered around Tang Jian, wanting to know the content of the decree. Tang Jian didn't hide it either, and showed them the holy decree. Sun now knows how to read, and after reading it, his face suddenly changed. Although she is a lady who later married into the Tang family, she also knows a little about the Tang family. The foundation of the Tang family is in Bingzhou, Jinyang, and Tang Jian are officials in the court, so there are some near Chang'an.

Although Li Shimin rejected Tang Jian's Zhishi this time, he did not keep him, but made him a governor of Shuzhou.

Shuzhou, the place where the three seedlings gather, is not very peaceful now. Li Shimin asked Tang Jian to go there to be the governor, even if he didn't say it clearly, it was the same as a distribution.