Wei Ting was imprisoned, Dou Dan was deprived of the right to command the forbidden army, Chen Yanshou was ordered to think at home, and even Wen Yanbo, who had a grudge against me, was also degraded from Yushitai and exiled to other places just because he was his father's henchman.

It was the depths of winter, and it was very cold in the prison of the Criminal Department.

Wei Ting sat in the cell, a dim oil lamp in front of him, and when he saw someone coming, he only glanced up slightly, then lowered his head again, and continued to look at the book he was holding in his hand.

I ordered the jailer to open the cell door, walked in and sat down across from him, and asked, "Wei Shangshu, have you not regretted it at all now that you have fallen to such a point?" ”

Wei Ting raised his eyes to look at me, his eyes were still as clear and clear as back then, he smiled lightly, put down the scroll in his hand and said, "Regret? Dare to ask Your Majesty, have you ever had a sincere friendship with someone in your life? If so, it wouldn't be so. ”

I was silent for a long time, and then said: "Now that he is dead, all his plans have failed, doesn't Wei Shangshu feel pity?" ”

Wei Ting said: "It is up to people to plan things, and it is up to heaven to make things happen." If the destiny is like this, and if you have done your best, you will have no regrets, so what is the pity? But Your Majesty, although you have won the supreme position, your hands are stained with the blood of your hands and feet, and the criminal minister has a question, Your Majesty has a lifetime, when you dream back at midnight, I don't know if you will feel ashamed? ”

After saying this, he raised his head and looked at me with burning eyes, and saw that I looked as usual, unmoved by his words, and seemed to be a little surprised.

I said: "Wei Shangshu, your temperament, you have been a secretary for a long time, but I'm afraid of offending a lot of people, right?" ”

Wei Ting said: "Your Majesty has been thinking a lot, but all loyal and upright people are the top priority for the community and people's livelihood, and as for the rest, I am afraid that they will not be as concerned as Your Majesty." ”

I smiled lightly, got up and said: "The secretary of the military department who was just appointed a few days ago, Fang Xuanling's second son Fang Yiai, although he has some experience in the army, he may not know a lot about military affairs, Wei Shangshu also had a lot of experience when he was young, and he is much more familiar with military affairs than him, so you will go to the military department tomorrow to continue to be your scholar." ”

When Wei Ting heard this, he was stunned for a long time before he stood up, as if he didn't know the person standing in front of him, and only after a long time did he arch his hand and said, "Your Majesty." ”

I smiled and ordered someone to send him home, and I went to Dou Dan's Mansion again.

There are still guards in front of the house, the house is quiet, I have been walking through the second gate, Dou Dan slowly came out of the courtyard to see the driver.

When Dou Dan saw me coming, his expression was a little nervous, I knew that he was worried about something, and I didn't care, so I walked up to him and said, "Commander Dou has a very leisurely life in the mansion. ”

When Dou Dan heard this, he only arched his hand, but did not speak.

I took out an edict from my sleeve and handed it to Dou Dan and said, "I have one thing that I want you to do for me, I wonder if Commander Dou has the guts?" ”

Dou Dan hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty sent, Weichen should do his best." As he spoke, he glanced back behind him.

I said, "Take this edict and go to the barracks outside the city, and do what it says." ”

Dou Dan took it and was about to open it, I pressed his hand and said, "When you get out of the city, it's not too late to see." ”

Before Xu Shao saw the edict, everything in Chang'an City was arranged, in fact, it was quite troublesome, the military department had been handed over to Wei Ting, if Dou Dan acted well, the army outside Chang'an City was not a problem, but the most important thing at the moment was Duan Zhixuan, who had already led his troops to the battle.

After the court meeting on the second day, before I sat down in the Wude Palace, there was an urgent report from outside the city, saying that Dou Dan had killed Zhang Gongjin, the head of the army outside the city, and cooperated with the army of Princess Pingyang to control nearly 100,000 soldiers and horses outside Chang'an.

I read the secret report and asked, "Who told me?" ”

The messenger said: "It's Mr. Zhang's personal soldiers, taking advantage of Dou ...... escaped while others were unprepared. ”

I said, "Bring him to me." ”

The chamberlain nodded and went out, and in a short time two people were brought in.

I didn't even look at them, but asked coldly, "What should you be guilty of leaving the barracks without permission?" ”

One of them arched his hand and said, "Your Majesty, Zhang ...... General Zhang was killed, and Commander Dou and Princess Pingyang ...... We ......"

I didn't wait for him to finish and then asked, "Zhang Gongjin was killed?" ”

The man nodded yes.

I said, "I know, I asked Dou Dan to kill him." ”

The man looked at me in horror and trembled, "Why did Your Majesty ......?"

I said, "You're so bold! I came to ask you, did you disobey the edict and fled without permission, and you dare to come here and the wicked people sue first? Is it that Dou Dan does not have a real edict in his hands? Or does he not have a talisman? ”

The man shook his head repeatedly, and the other person kneeling beside him was already slumped on the ground.

I said coldly: "Drag them out, slash!" ”

In the end, only the forbidden army remained.

Since Dou Dan's position as commander of the forbidden army was removed, the military power of the 50,000 forbidden troops in the capital was temporarily taken over by Xiao Yu, I didn't go to him immediately, but I just returned to the Liangyi Palace, transferred ten attendants who usually protect Li Shimin to stand in the palace, and then ordered someone to find Xiao Rui, Taichangqing.

Xiao Rui didn't know why, seeing that the atmosphere in the Liangyi Hall was different from usual, but he was not taken by the battle in the hall, and still saluted me as usual.

I walked up to him and said, "I heard that Ling Zun has been sick and bedridden recently, but I don't know if he is better now?" ”

Xiao Rui arched his hand and said: "Thank you Your Majesty for your concern, my father was just occasionally caught with the cold, just because of his old age, so he couldn't stand it, and he recuperated at home for two days, and it was almost fine." ”

I smiled and said, "Since it's almost good, why didn't he come to today's court meeting?" ”

Xiao Rui was stunned for a moment, not beware of me actually saying this, he didn't respond for a while, and only said after a while: "Your Majesty specially ordered a few days ago that your father should be allowed to recuperate at home, so ......"

I thought about it for a while and said with a smile: "I see, I wonder if Xiao Qing heard about things outside the city when he came?" ”

Xiao Rui said: "Things outside the city ......"

I said, "It's nothing, since General Xiao is sick at home, I should go to visit, so I asked Xiao Qing to lead the way, and I went to visit in person." ”

Xiao Rui arched his hand and said, "How dare you bother Your Majesty?" ”

I waved my hand and said, "It's okay, I still have some things, I want to ask Lingzun." ”

Xiao Yu was really sick, lying on the bed and not asleep, when he saw me coming, he struggled to get up and salute me, I signaled that he didn't have to do this, but I saw Xiao Yu looking at me with a very strange gaze.

I looked at the people in the room and said, "I have something to ask for advice alone, you go out first." ”

When the rest of the people heard this, they all withdrew.

Xiao Yu said: "Your Majesty, Weichen just heard that General Zhang was killed outside the city?" Princess Pingyang and Dou Dan jointly controlled the 100,000 army outside the city? Is this true? ”

I nodded and said, "According to the urgent report, this is true, but it has not been verified."

Xiao Yu said: "If this is the case, Your Majesty should make preparations as soon as possible, in case they have the heart to covet Chang'an, it will be difficult to resist the enemy in a hurry." ”

(End of chapter)