Luoyang Imperial Palace, the residence of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty.

Hearing Emperor Han Ling's inquiry, Li Zhi didn't dare to slack off: "Today I know when I was drinking at my friend Cao Mengde.

It suddenly occurred to me that the wine I gave to His Majesty must be stored in a special way in order to be more delicious, and I did not dare to slack off, so I hurried to inform Your Majesty. ”

Li Zhi told Emperor Han Ling what he had already prepared.

"I have a heart." Emperor Han Ling paused when he said this: "Can Qing go to the east of the city today?" ”

Li Zhiyan pretended to look at him in surprise when he heard this, and thought to himself: "It's here!" I'd have to be cautious lest he get caught. ”

Then he replied: "Returning to Your Majesty, I will live in Xunfu in the east of the city." ”

Liu Hong's eyes flashed when he heard this: "When Qing came, did you see the chaos east of the palace?" ”

Li Zhiwen shook his head and looked at Liu Hong pretending to be puzzled, "Cao's Mansion is in the west of the city, and I went to Cao's Mansion in the early morning, and I have been drinking and having fun there until I came to the palace

I have never been to the east of the city, nor have I seen the place of chaos that His Majesty speaks of. ”

When Liu Hong heard this, the light in his eyes decreased slightly.

"Well, some time ago, someone reported to me that he wanted to rebel against Qing by stationing troops outside the city, but is there such a thing?"

When Li Zhi heard this, he was "shocked" and bowed to Liu Hong in fear.

"Your Majesty! Knowing that his loyalty to His Majesty can be seen by the sun and the moon, how dare he rebel? Please Your Majesty thoroughly investigate this matter and know your innocence! ”

With that, he arched his hands and stopped getting up.

Liu Hong listened to his request to investigate the matter thoroughly, and the suspicion of him in his heart was reduced by one point.

After all, no one dared to enter the palace after the rebellion, and no one dared to ask for a thorough investigation after the rebellion.

But he still asked a little uneasy: "Then Qing can garrison troops outside the city?" ”

Li Zhiyan replied respectfully: "Your Majesty Mingjian, I know, let a virtuous brother lead dozens of families to practice outside the city.

But this is not a military practice, but my virtuous brother wants to join the army and serve his country.

Knowing that he would only talk on paper, he gave him dozens of family members and let him learn and practice at the same time. ”

Liu Hong frowned when he heard this.

"Where is Brother Qing now?"

"Your Majesty, my virtuous brother is now outside the city, at the foot of Jingmuro Mountain."

Liu Hong nodded, and then asked Li Zhi thoughtfully: "What is the name of your virtuous brother?" How is the martial arts? What kind of blade is good? ”

When Li Zhi heard this, he not only had a look of surprise on his face, but also was surprised in his heart.

"What's wrong with this Liu Hong today? How can you be so smart? Every question is on the point. ”

However, at this time, Liu Hong was waiting for his answer, and he didn't have time to think nonsense, so he replied: "My virtuous brother's surname is Guan Mingyu Yunchang, and he is a disciple of Lu Zhizhi's father, and he is good at using a big knife that is more than nine feet. ”

"Lu Qing?"

Hearing that Guan Yu was Lu Zhizhi's disciple, Liu Hong was quite surprised, but his suspicion of him became less and less.

After all, although Lu Zhi is a person that he hates very much, I have to say that Lu Zhi is extremely loyal to the Han.

Since he is Lu Zhi's apprentice, it is unlikely that he will do such an unrighteous thing.

At this moment, an attendant came over to Liu Hong and said, "Your Majesty, when the slave went to find the king's attendant, the king's attendant had already committed suicide in his room. ”

"Dead? It's hateful! When Liu Hong heard this, he hated it in his heart.

However, there was very little doubt left about Li Zhi, because Li Zhi had no foundation when he first came to Luoyang, and there could be no one of him in the palace, but he still tested Li Zhi.

"Cao Qing, the head of the Ten Standing Attendants, was killed outside the palace today, do you know?"

"Cao Jie... Forehead... Cao Gong was killed, who was so bold as to dare to commit murder outside the palace gate? ”

Li Zhi was slightly surprised, and then looked at Zhang Rang thoughtfully.

"Cao Gong is the head of the ten permanent servants."

Speaking of this, he paused, glanced at Zhang Rang meaningfully, and then said: "If someone wants to kill Cao Gong, he must know his deeds early, otherwise how can he arrange it in advance."

Therefore, the person who killed Cao Gong must be someone who is familiar with Cao Gong, and His Majesty can investigate in this direction. ”

Liu Hong glanced at him when he heard this, and asked him something else: "Qing came today to talk to me about the method of hiding wine, so let's talk about it now." ”

"Well, the method of storing wine is to make water and mud out of the liquor, and use this mud to make a cellar.

After the cellar has dried, the wine is neatly placed inside and sealed, and the longer it is left, the more mellow the wine will be

In addition, there are some craftsmen who make wine in the next house, and His Majesty is afraid that there will be insufficient manpower for the first time to make wine, so after returning to the next house, he will send these craftsmen for His Majesty to send. ”

Liu Hong's face looked better when he heard this, and his suspicions about him were almost completely dispelled.

After all, in Liu Hong's opinion, Li Zhi not only gave him the method of making wine, but also sent the craftsman, and such a loyal person would indeed not do such an unrighteous thing.

"Qing has a heart, I won't treat Yu Qing badly, and retreat."

"Whoa! In the next farewell! ”

Just as Li Zhi said goodbye and went outside the hall, Liu Hong's voice came from behind him.

"Wait!"

Li Zhi stopped, his fist clenched in his sleeve, and his heart was very nervous.

However, at this time, he was not allowed to think too much, so he immediately turned to face Liu Hong: "What else does Your Majesty command?" ”

Liu Hong sat on the soft couch and looked at him thoughtfully, but he still had the last trace of doubt about him, and thought about it for a while.

"I heard that Guan Yu wants to join the army and serve the country, so, come here!"

Liu Hong instructed the attendants on the side: "Write an edict with Guan Yu, read his loyalty, and allow him to enter the Northern Army." ”

"Whoa!"

The waiter on the side answered and was about to draft the edict.

"Don't worry, come here."

Liu Hong said this in the ear of the chamberlain, and asked the chamberlain to follow Li Zhi to issue an edict with Guan Yu outside the city.

After Li Zhi left, Liu Hong looked at his back a little distracted, and then came back to his senses and looked at Zhang Rang sternly.

"Zhang Qing has anything else to say?"

Zhang Rang was sweating profusely at this time, his face was pale, and his body was trembling.

"Your Majesty's atonement, it was the slave who mistakenly believed the words of the traitor, so I thought that Li Zhi had rebelled, please punish Your Majesty!"

Liu Hong snorted coldly.

"You promised yourself at the beginning, if Li Zhi didn't react, he should be rejected, what else do you have to say now?"

Hearing Liu Hong say this, Zhang Rang was even more scared, and he was trying to think about how to get rid of the crime.

In the end, his eyes rolled, but there was a way, only to see him fall to the ground and cry: "What Your Majesty said is very true, it was the slave and maid who mistakenly believed the words of the traitor, so it caused this disaster."

It is also common sense to suffer from back-sitting, and His Majesty will let the slave and maid go with Cao Gong.

When the slave maid first entered the palace, it was also Cao Gong who took the slave maid.

Now that Cao Gong has been victimized by a traitor, the slave and maid will go down to serve Cao Gong, but ......"

Speaking of this, he raised his head and looked at Liu Hong with teary eyes.

"It's just that I can't serve Your Majesty in the future, please forgive Your Majesty, and the slave will go!"

As he spoke, he slammed lightly into the large pillar beside him.

"Stop him!"

Seeing that Zhang Rang was about to commit suicide, Liu Hong was shocked and hurriedly asked the guards on the side to stop Zhang Rang.

In fact, when Zhang Rang talked about Cao Jie just now, Liu Hong's heart softened a little.

Now that he really committed suicide to show his innocence, he has no suspicion of him.

"Why should you be like this, the words of sitting back that day are just my jokes.

Cao Qing has already left me, does Zhang Qing want to abandon me? ”

Speaking of this, Liu Hong was already with tears in his eyes, and when he thought of Cao Jie, he was sad in his heart.

When Zhang Rang heard this, he was sure in his heart until Liu Hong stopped pursuing his crimes.

Looking at Liu Hong's sad expression at this time, he knew that Liu Hong was missing Cao Jie, although he was a little jealous, but he would not worry about a dead man.

"Your Majesty, where is the remains of Duke Cao?

Since the slaves and maids entered the palace, Cao Gong took great care of the slaves and maids, and treated the slaves and maids as if they were parents and children.

Now that Cao Gong has been killed by a traitor, the slave maid wants to see Cao Gong's face one last time, Cao Gong ......! ”

Speaking of Cao Jie, he fell to the ground and cried again, crying silently.