Three days later, Chang'an, Dongshi.

Pei Yan, a generation of powerful ministers, was publicly punished here today - beheaded!

Most of Pei Yan's relatives were punished, and they were either executed together or exiled with their families.

This is a major event that shocked the world, almost all the people of Chang'an crowded to visit, from Suzaku Avenue to Dongshi Manjie, crowds of people. The imperial court had to ask Xue Shao to move the right guard field army into the city to maintain today's law and order.

Noon, three quarters.

Xue Shao sat upstairs in a restaurant not far from the execution ground in Dongshi, quietly looking at the execution table downstairs.

The prisoner beheaded people is the taste of the imperial historian. It is rumored that he is the most likely candidate to succeed Pei Yankong for the position of Zhongshu Ling. Some people also say that Liu Yizhi is more likely, because in the battle to bring down Pei Yan, Liu Yuanzhi played a very important role. And he was originally a Zhongshu squire, and he was the deputy of Zhongshu Ling.

Xue Shao didn't care about these at all. Because he knows that from now on, no matter who becomes the Zhongshu Commander and who is the servant, it will be impossible to dominate the government and cover the sky like Pei Yan. The authority of the Tang Dynasty has been firmly grasped by Wu Zetian. Whoever is more loyal to her among these high-ranking officials in the current dynasty is more likely to stand in the political hall.

This is a precursor to dictatorship.

A generation of empresses is about to come out.

"The hour has come—"

With a shout downstairs, the executioner walked towards Pei Yan with a big knife.

The crowd let out a loud uproar.

Pei Yan was wearing a white prison uniform, standing tall and looking at the surging crowd, and suddenly let out a hysterical shout - "Pei Yan is not guilty!" ”

"Slash!! ——”

At the same time as this shout, Xue Shao closed the window.

Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong beside him were stunned at the same time.

"Killing, there's nothing to see." Xue Shao said lightly, "Let's drink tea!" ”

Song Jing took the initiative to pick up the teapot and pour tea for the two, and now he can occasionally show a little bit of the attitude that his subordinates should have.

Wei Yuanzhong said: "Don't you bear to look at it?" ”

"Sort of." Xue Shao did not deny it, and said: "Speaking from the heart, Pei Yan is not a very bad person. If he didn't have an official residence, maybe he would have become a great Confucian who would have left a name in history, or a respected parent Qing official. ”

"Agreed." Wei Yuanzhong said, "Pei Yan has always been very good before he became the prime minister. ”

Song Jing asked, "What is it that made him fall into such a situation today?" ”

Xue Shao pondered for a moment and said: "His talent can't support his nihilistic ideals, and his mind can't tolerate the dark side of reality. He was a perfectionist with a penchant for cleanliness and a radical idealist at the same time. ”

Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong both fell silent, and Xue Shao didn't know whether they understood or not, and the lines he said were full of realistic flavor. But it doesn't matter, it's not so much that these words are for the two of them, it's better to say that Xue Shao is saying it to himself.

Compared with the famous traitors in history, Yang Guozhong and Qin Hui, Pei Yan is like a saint. His strengths and weaknesses are equally stark. But history is often about heroes by success or failure, Pei Yan's biggest mistake may be that he chose to ally with Wu Zetian first, and then oppose Wu Zetian.

In other words, Wu Zetian had already used up Pei Yan, and now he didn't need him.

As for whether Pei Yan really participated in Li Jingye's rebellion?

Actually, it doesn't matter.

Thinking of this, Xue Shao couldn't help but smile slightly. Even he couldn't figure out what his smile meant.

Is it to make a conclusion on Pei Yan's coffin, or is the rabbit dead fox sadly thinking of his future fate?

……

The three of them didn't stay long in the Dongshi wine shop, Li Xiaoyi arrived in Chang'an, and someone came to the palace to rumor that Xue Shao and others went into the palace to meet together.

The three of them walked together, and when they walked in front of the Xuanzheng Hall of Daming Palace, they were stunned to see a person with blood on his body, and the dejected Zhenglong walked down from the tail road.

Xue Shao exclaimed, "Brother Cheng?!" ”

Cheng Qizhi!

Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong were also surprised, how could Cheng Qizhi come out of the Xuanzheng Hall covered in blood?!

The three of them were about to stride forward to ask questions, when Cheng Qizhi suddenly raised his head to the sky and shouted, and rolled directly from the dragon tail road and fell down.

Xue Shao rushed forward to catch him in a few arrows, but fortunately Cheng Qizhi was not injured. And this body of blood doesn't seem to be his, but contaminated from elsewhere.

"Brother Cheng, where did this blood come from?" Xue Shao held him to a stand, and asked in surprise.

Cheng Qizhi seemed to be a ghost, his eyes were dull and depressed. He slowly stretched out his hands, which were covered in blood.

Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong also caught up, quite surprised.

This is the Imperial Palace, who would have their blood stained here?

Looking at those palace guards, they all turned a blind eye.

"I ...... I...... Hehe! Cheng Qizhi muttered to himself, like crying and laughing.

"You're talking!" Xue Shao let out a loud sigh.

"I ...... I'm not human, I'm not human! - Hahaha! Cheng Qizhi suddenly laughed out loud and ran away.

As he ran, he shouted—

"I'm not human!"

"I'm not human!!"

Xue Shao's heart sank suddenly, as if he had thought of something.

"He should have killed his wife...... Cheng Pei's! Song Jing said in one word.

Wei Yuanzhong was startled, spun to his senses, and immediately sighed heavily.

The three of them fell silent together, looking at Cheng Qizhi who was running away in a daze, until his figure disappeared into the distance.

"What would I do if it were me?" Song Jing muttered to himself.

Wei Yuanzhong sighed and said in a low voice: "Several of Pei Yan's brothers of the same clan have never received the slightest favor from Pei Yan, and this time they were also degraded and exiled. Cheng Qizhi is Pei Yan's son-in-law, and this layer of in-law relationship is fatal, and even harms the Cheng family...... If it were me, I wouldn't know what to do! ”

"What about you, colt?" Song Jing asked in a daze if he didn't open any pot and which pot he didn't mention.

Wei Yuanzhong immediately glared at Song Jing angrily, and his expression seemed to be scolding-stupid!

Xue Shao smiled disappreciatively and said, "I don't know what I'll do." But I know that I will die before my wife! ”

Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong were stunned at the same time and didn't ask anymore.

"Let's go, enter the palace!"

The three of them walked into the Xuanzheng Hall and happened to see a eunuch come out in a panic with a box.

Xue Shao knew the eunuch, so he asked casually, "What did you take?" ”

"People, heads!" The eunuch whispered in shock, "Cheng Pei's, people, heads!" ”

Xue Shao immediately waved his sleeves, "Let's go!" ”

The three of them were stunned for a long time at the door of this hall, and then packed up their mood before entering the hall.

Wu Zetian was talking to Li Xiaoyi, and when he saw Xue Shaolai, he immediately smiled and said affectionately: "Xue Lang is here—hurry, give me a seat!" ”

"Thank you!"

The little eunuch brought the sitting pu, and Xue Shao sat down. Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong were both standing, and the difference in identity was clear at a glance.

Li Xiaoyi smiled and bowed his hand to Xue Shao, "Xue Yuma, I haven't seen you for a long time, and you have always been fine?" ”

"Thanks to Li Lianggong, I'm fine." Xue Shao returned the salute with a smile and said, "The soldiers and horses outside the city are ready. As long as Li Lianggong gave an order, it could be sent to Luoyang to join most of the main force. ”

Wu Zetian laughed, "Xue Lang is resolute and resolute. The old friend didn't have time to greet each other, and he made the business clear in a few words. Li Lianggong, you have traveled thousands of miles to and fro, and it is up to you to decide when the army will be mobilized. ”

Li Xiaoyi immediately stood up and said to Wu Zetian: "The thief is like fire, and there is no room for delay." The minister immediately went to the Weishui camp and waved his army to Luoyang! ”

"In such a hurry?" Wu Zetian said with a smile, "It's okay to rest for a day or two." ”

"State affairs are important, and the old minister will not rest!" Li Xiaoyi insisted, "Xue Yuma, please send someone to take me into the camp for an introduction." ”

Xue Shao smiled slightly, "I'll go personally." ”

"Thank you, thank you!" Li Xiaoyi gave up his hand again and again, making a gesture of gratitude.

Xue Shao also stood up, "Queen Mother, how about the minister take Li Lianggong to the military camp now?" ”

Wu Zetian paused slightly, "You let Song Jing and Wei Yuanzhong take Li Lianggong to take the first step, there are still some small things in this palace, and I want to discuss them with you." ”

"Yes."

Li Xiaoyi and the other three left.

Wu Zetian got up and walked to Xue Shao and said, "When you entered the palace just now, you should have met Cheng Qizhi, right?" ”

Xue Shao nodded.

Wu Zetian sighed lightly, "Why is he suffering?" This palace has no intention of asking the Cheng family at all! ”

Xue Shao didn't know what to say, so he only said: "The matter has come to this, and it is useless to sigh." ”

"Hmm." Wu Zetian sighed lightly, and then said, "Cheng Wuting, will there be any movement?" ”

Xue Shao's heart flicked slightly, and said, "No." ”

"Are you sure?" Wu Zetian's voice was very low.

Xue Shao took a deep breath and said one word categorically, "Yes!" ”

"That's good." Wu Zetian smiled, as if he was relieved, and said, "Cheng Qizhi is obviously frightened. Since he killed his wife wisely, this palace cannot treat him badly. You see, how about this palace choose a county lord or county lord in the clan to renew the strings for him? ”

Xue Shao's heart tightened again, and when you officially changed the dynasty, the royal family would become the object of your revolution. Wouldn't Cheng Qizhi be wise to kill his wife again?

"In the opinion of the minister, it is better to find a daughter of a martial artist and renew Cheng Qizhi!" Xue Shao said.

When Wu Zetian heard this, he immediately smiled, and said three words in a row, "Good, good, good!" ”

"-Then according to your high opinion, this palace will choose a good woman with both character and appearance in the martial arts family and marry Cheng Qizhi!"

Xue Shao arched his hand with a smile, his expression was calm, but his heart was surging-Wu Zetian was so happy, and even a little proud? Could it be that my opinion made her feel that the daughter of the Wu family was now more valuable and safer than the daughter of the Li family?

Well, the Cheng family should be saved! …… Political struggles are like wars, and sacrifices are always inevitable.

No matter what, I finally left Cheng Wuting such a solid backbone for the country of Datang!