Fang Dunru straightened up and raised his head, and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, you can't stop changing the law, if you stop, you will fall short." ”

Guo Chong shouted coldly: "You don't have to worry about it, you don't need to care about this matter anymore, you can care about yourself." ”

Fang Dunru stood in a daze, suddenly looking up to the sky and laughing, looking extremely crazy. The laughter stopped, and he turned to Yan Zhengsu, who was standing dumbfounded, and bowed his hand to speak.

"Brother Zhengsu, your and my efforts have been ruined like this, hahaha. In the eyes of the emperor, the change was like child's play. Brother Zhengsu, I can't stand you, it's me who has burdened you. We are worthy of anyone, and the only thing we are ashamed of is you. ”

Yan Zhengsu's eyes moistened, and he said in a deep voice: "Brother Dunru, you are not sorry for me, you and I are worthy of anyone." We're just being calculated. They are intent on making us die, and they are secretly looking for opportunities like tigers and wolves, so that even if there is no such thing as today, there will be other disasters in the future. Brother Dunru, if you want to open some, you and I have already prepared for today, haven't we? ”

Fang Dunru nodded and said, "Yes, we have already made today's preparations. ”

Guo Chong frowned and shouted: "Yan Zhengsu, you are different from Fang Dunru, you don't have any big rebellious words, but you must also reflect and accept the review, from now on, you will be suspended and closed, and accept the review." Don't be led astray by Fang Dunru. ”

solemnly bowed and said: "Thank you for the emperor's love, the minister knows that this is the emperor's grace." But the minister and Lord Fang are one, and the minister said that Lord Fang's remarks are the remarks of the minister, and the remarks of the minister are also the meaning of Lord Fang. The emperor doesn't have to be sympathetic to his ministers, and he doesn't have to think about the old feelings. How to deal with the crimes of the ministers, the ministers will not shirk any responsibility. But there is one point, please think twice. The change of law cannot be stopped, is the emperor really going to fall short of the efforts of countless people in the past two years? ”

Guo Chong frowned and said nothing.

Lu Zhongtian said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, don't listen to their demagogic words. These two people are in great rebellion, can they listen to their words? Don't forget that the rebellion of the Qingjiao is entirely their responsibility. The emperor has done his best to treat them, can he still tolerate them? If we do not punish and purge them strictly, and if we do not clean up the righteousness, the consequences will be unimaginable. What the emperor should be thinking about is this. ”

When Guo Chong heard this, his heart was hardened. He said in a deep voice: "Yan Zhengsu, I do think a little about you and me back then. But in this matter, I cannot be appeased. You said that Fang Dunru's remarks are also your remarks, and the two of you are one, so I can't forgive you. The decree was passed on, and Yan Zhengsu was dismissed from all positions and sent to prison. The offences to be verified by the pending trial office will be punished together. ”

Yan Zhengsu sighed and knelt on the ground and saluted. Fang Dunru sighed lightly: "Why do you want to do this? ”

Yan Zhengsu smiled bitterly: "Why do you have to do this? ”

Fang Dunru laughed and said, "Yes, why should the two of us be like this? Helpless, this is probably our fate. Brother Zhengsu, since ancient times, there has been no bloodless change, if there is, it will start with you and me. I hope that the blood of you and me can wake up the world, and make me understand that to change the law, we must have the will to break my wrist and the heart of bloodshed and sacrifice. Then there will be no regrets. ”

……

Who would have thought that in a warm and peaceful atmosphere approaching the New Year, such a huge change would take place in the imperial court. It was tantamount to a spring thunder that came in advance, which shocked the government and the opposition in the market.

After the imperial court's decree was issued, the two main figures of the Reform faction, Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru, were detained, and the main backbone officials in the Ordinance Department were also taken into custody for interrogation. Next, the soldiers and horses were dispatched and quickly blocked the yamen of the regulations department. Wu Chunlai personally led the team and led people to seal up the public houses of the Regulations Department and grabbed all the files and documents in his hands. All the officials and petty officials in the Department of Regulations were detained in public apartments pending examination and questioning.

After nearly two years of vigorous development, the changes that caused countless controversies and disturbances suddenly died down and came to an abrupt end. It's like a galloping carriage that crashes into a wall, overturns, and is covered with chicken feathers.

After the early dynasty, Lin Jue rushed back to the house as soon as possible. Above the court, in that situation, Lin Jue couldn't say half a word for Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru, and he couldn't argue. Those three inadequate remarks are really a kind of remarks that break Guo Chong's bottom line, and when Mr. Fang said such words, he actually committed a big taboo.

Even a traveler like Lin Jue understands that one of the most basic criteria in these years is to respect the heavens and ancestors, and respect Confucianism and Taoism. This was the code of conduct and moral foundation of the entire feudal imperial society. In fact, going back even further, reverence for the Heavenly Ancestor was also a common law followed by all rulers and common people. For the monarch, the self-proclaimed son of heaven gains legitimacy to rule over the peoples. The Son of Heaven holds the mandate of Heaven to command all the people, and the monarch is granted by God, and all the people respect God, so they respect the Son of Heaven and submit to the rule of the Son of Heaven, which is a simple logic of the legitimacy of the whole set of regimes. Breaking this logic touches the most basic bottom line.

In order to consolidate these logics, everyone who has attained the throne of emperor will go to great lengths to whitewash their identity. Some emperors in the world will be accompanied by some visions when they are born, and the rumor is to try to exaggerate the difference of the Son of Heaven. For example, it is rumored that the mother of Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, was possessed by a dragon, and then his mother was pregnant and born, and his father Liu Taigong witnessed the process of hybridization between his wife and the dragon, and Liu Bang, who was born later, won the world. For example, Emperor Wen of Sui Yang Jian was born in the Panruo Temple, and when he was born, he was full of purple qi and rushed straight to Xiaohan. This is not counting, it is also said that Yang Jian was born with dragon scales and horns on his forehead. The fundamental purpose of these is to let the world understand that these people are all people appointed by God, who come to command the people, and the people must obey their rule. To put it bluntly, it is to prove the legitimacy of the regime.

And Fang Dunru's three inadequate words obviously touched this red line that cannot be crossed. Originally, Guo Chong's determination to change the law was not so resolute. Especially under the constant attack, there were things like the Qingjiao Rebellion, and Guo Chong issued another edict against himself. After this series of tosses, Guo Chong already had remorse in his heart. At this moment, Fang Dunru came out like this again, how could Guo Chong tolerate it?

Lin Jue knew that with Fang Dunru's wisdom, he was not actually attacking the legitimacy of Guo Chong's regime. He can see through the cats here, and he can clearly see the truth that the operation of heaven and earth has nothing to do with people. But he should keep it in his heart, and he should understand that these things cannot be said. Maybe it was to inspire the confidence of the reformers, or maybe he didn't realize the seriousness of the problem at all. Or maybe he didn't expect someone to tell him about his remarks and cause such an uproar. In short, from the moment Fang Dunru said these words, everything that followed seemed to be inevitable.

But no matter what, things have happened, and Lin Jue can't sit idly by. Even though he knew he might not be able to turn things around, he did something. At least Fang Dunru and Yan Zhengsu can't be worried about their lives. On the way home, Lin Juezai thought about the whole thing carefully, and he felt that Guo Chong should not want the lives of Fang Dunru and Yan Zhengsu, so there was still something to be done. But first, he went back to inform Mrs. Fang and Fang Huanqiu of the matter, and then sought how to resolve the matter.

In the back house of the Lin family, when Lin Jue told Fang Huanqiu what happened in the court today, Fang Huanqiu was stupid. Her face was pale, her body was shaky, and she almost fainted. The little county lord and the others hurriedly supported her to comfort her, and after a long time, Fang Huanqiu burst into tears. After crying, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sister of the Fang family, don't be sad, there will be a way to save people. Ling Zun's prestige is high, and the emperor will not do anything to him. Don't worry, what you have to do now is to hurry up and figure it out. The little county lord comforted her softly.

Fang Huanqiu bit her lower lip, looked at Lin Jue with teary eyes, and said, "Senior brother, will you rescue Daddy?" Do you have a solution? ”

Lin Jue frowned and said softly, "Huanqiu, I will do my best to rescue you." I will go and ask the emperor to be lenient. I think my husband's life is safe. But you know, this time it's actually serious. Mr.'s remarks were denounced, and the emperor was also furious, plus Lu Zhongtian and Yang Jun They will definitely bite and not let go, so there will be variables at any time. What worries me the most is not these, but the temperament of Lord Yan and Mr. Yan, who actually have a chance to exonerate in the hall today, but they are unwilling to give in. That's what I'm worried about. Their temper is too strong, and if they don't admit their mistakes at this time, I am afraid it will backfire. ”

Fang Huanqiu shouted, "Then what should I do? So what to do? Is there any good way to do it? ”

Lin Jue said: "Originally, I could go directly to ask the emperor, but I don't think it may be effective to go at this moment." First, the emperor is angry, and he may not be willing to listen to people. Second, I think we should get the consent of you and your wife first. Once I went to see the emperor, there was only one way to dissipate the emperor's anger, and that was to persuade Mr. to admit his mistake. If Mr. does not admit his mistake for a day, it will arouse the emperor's anger even more, and it will also make Lu Zhongtian and Yang Jun have more fanning words. It may not be useful for me to go to my husband to persuade me, so I hope to inform you and my wife first, and then you will come with me to see him, and perhaps your pleas will be more useful than what I say. ”

Fang Huanqiu nodded and said, "Senior Brother is right, so I will listen to Senior Brother's arrangement." Let's go to Yulin Lane to see my mother, I have to live with my mother after such a thing, my mother must be very scared, I have to accompany her. ”

Lin Jue said: "I'll send someone to bring my wife to live here." ”

Fang Huanqiu shook his head and said: "No, no, Yulin Lane is my home, my mother and I are gone, if my father goes home, won't there be no one left at home?" It's better to live in Yulin Lane, maybe the emperor has calmed down, and my father is already waiting for us at home. ”

Lin Jue sighed lightly and said in his heart: If it is really so simple to pass the test, then what else is there to say? Huanqiu, even I am a little helpless this time. There must be very few people who dare to intercede for Mr. in this matter, after all, this matter is too serious. I just hope that those people will not fall into the well.