Ma Yao's abnormal movement and Li Hui's disappearance caused Xiao Zhi to be greatly shocked. In his opinion, these two things are related to the struggle between the three dynasties and the situation on the Western Front, and the other is related to the security of the palace. So when he returned to the capital of Qi, he summoned Xue Bilong, Sima Wei and Guo Zhang that night. I wanted to listen to their countermeasures again, but the three of them turned out to be like cannons in the nest, and they fell out first.

"Your Majesty," Sima Wei said, "I remember that in the ninth year of Xiao Zhen, Guo Zhang was ordered to go to Shanxi, and when he came back, he boasted about how loyal Ma Yao was, and now Ma Yao actually killed the ministers of the court without authorization and raised troops, this matter should be explained by Guo Zhang!" ”

When Xiao Zhi looked at Guo Zhang, he saw that beads of sweat had appeared on his head. But Guo Zhang, who had never been surprised by the change, quickly calmed down, and said with a faint smile: "The king has known about this matter from beginning to end. ”

Xue Bilong said coldly: "The king also doesn't know. ”

"Dongyuan Gong," Guo Zhang sneered, "You are a famous minister of science, do you say such things like a righteous gentleman?" ”

Xue Bilong's face turned red when he was asked. Guo Zhangxiang smiled and said: "Since Xiao Zhi was guilty in nine years, why did I participate in the impeachment today?" In front of the king, you should have understood straightforwardly, why did you hide your head and tail like this? I don't know how you have agreed in private—are you here to deceive me, or are you here to deceive the king? If you deceive me, go to my private residence, Guo Zhang is willing to be deceived; If you deceive the king, then what crime should you be guilty of? ”

"Shut up!" Xiao Zhi digressed from the beginning when he saw it, and his heart was angry. glared at the three of them angrily and said, "It's not like words! I summoned you here to discuss the matter of Ma Yao, Wang Sirui and Xu Jie, and I don't want to hear you attack each other! As he spoke, he slammed the paperweight on the case, and even Xie Lan, who was guarding the door, was startled. After a long time, Xiao Zhi instructed again: "Chuan Ma Jizhen come in!" ”

Sima Wei was not afraid, and hurriedly knelt down and said: "What the slave said is Ma Yao's matter, Guo Zhang accepted Ma Yao's bribes in Shanxi, and came back to deceive the Holy Lord, resulting in the tragic death of my Great Qi Feudal Official, he strongly advocated a war with the Three Dynasties, seeing that my father Sima Ni and others have never returned, such a minister of the troubled country should really throw himself into the jackal tiger and punish him to thank the world!" ”

"Is there such a thing - have you taken a bribe?"

"Nope!" Guo Zhang knelt down and replied in a voice, "Sima Wei wants to borrow a knife to kill people today, but he disagrees with his servants over whether to go to war, so he asks the king to be the master of his subordinates!" ”

There is no way to verify the bribery in front of him, since he dares to accept it, how can he show his feet, Guo Zhang may accept bribes, but at least he is still loyal to himself, and at the moment when he is employing people, he can't be moved yet, Xiao Zhi pondered for a long time, sat back, and suddenly smiled: "It's really unexpected, the three of you first killed your head and cut off your head!" How can we work together? It was my idea to go to war, what does it have to do with Guo Zhang? Even if Guo Zhang doesn't approve of a war with the Three Dynasties, I still have to do it! Are you going to take me as the culprit? ”

The weight of these words was too heavy, and Sima Wei and Xue Bilong hurriedly kowtowed and apologized. But I heard Xiao Zhi say again: "I don't know the difficulty of starting a war with the Three Dynasties, so how can Xu Jie's old plan be easy to deal with?" I'm ready to kill myself, you know? The three ministers shuddered in horror and looked at each other.

"You're surprised, aren't you?" Xiao Zhi smiled indifferently, "The common sense of life and death, I don't shy away from it, but the power of the world cannot be left behind, and it should be unified in one!" I would rather die for the cause of Tang Zong and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, rather than live for the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty! ”

"Yes! Subordinate...... Got it! Xue Bilong hurriedly kowtowed, "The subordinates don't know the general situation, they don't know the overall situation, please punish the Lord!" Sima Wei and Guo Zhang also paused again and again.

"That's right. At present, the great enemy is in front, and the monarchs and ministers of the court should all share the same hatred and go to the front together. The husband is moral, speechless, and meritorious, at this moment! I have reconciled you to you! From now on, no one is allowed to use any more will. What do you say, Master Xue, Sima Laosan? ”

"Yes!"

"What about you?" Xiao Zhi asked Guo Zhang again.

"It's nothing to be a subordinate." Guo Zhang kowtowed and replied, then grinned again, "Thinking about the original intention of the two of them, it is also for the country's social welfare, and the head of the subordinate is really in exchange for peace in the world, shouldn't it be cut off?" ——The two adults rest assured, Guo Zhang doesn't know how to hold grudges! ”

"This is the demeanor of a minister!" The anger in Xiao Zhen's heart subsided, and the three of them calmed down, and then asked again, "What should Ma Jizhen do?" Is it to kill, to release, or to detain? ”

"Kill!" Guo Zhang replied without hesitation. Sima Wei said that he had taken bribes, and in order to confess himself, he had to be ruthless. "Ma Yao has failed the grace of the saint so much, the courtiers outside have long been talking about it, since it is the opposite, I can't show weakness."

Sima Wei also said: "The great crime of rebellion is a heinous crime!" The law has long stipulated: if there is no subordinate, Ling Chi will be executed! ”

Xiao Zhi nodded, and looked at Xue Bilong again. Xue Bilong said: "Now that the government and the opposition are shaken, they all say that Ma Jizhen should be beheaded, and the slave has a foolish opinion, so it is better to detain him, so that Ma Yao is worried about his son and cannot concentrate on using soldiers......"

Xiao Zhi stood up and circled back and forth a few times after hearing this, and said, "I also discussed this matter with Shen Lian yesterday, and he thought it would be better to let it go!" ”

Xue Bilong raised his head in surprise and asked Xiao Zhi with his eyes: This Shen Lian has always paid attention to Shen Han's technique, and his actions are vicious and harsh, why did he have a kind heart?

Xiao Zhi smiled, he couldn't make up his mind for a while, so he decided to meet Ma Jizhen first, and then decide according to the situation. So he asked Xie Lan outside the hall: "Is Ma Jizhen here?" ”

Ma Jizhen had already arrived, and because there was a discussion going on, Luo He stopped him in front of the hanging flower gate outside the Taihe Hall to wait for the order. Hearing the pager inside, Ma Jizhen hurriedly agreed: "The minister is here!" Carefully arranging his sleeves, he hurried in with his waist hunched over, and prostrated himself in the tunnel, "Slave Majizhen respectfully invites St. Ann! ”

There was no answer.

When Ma Jizhen peeked, only Xiao Zhi was pacing back and forth, and there seemed to be a few people next to him, but he didn't dare to look up. The Taihe Hall was extremely quiet, and only the sound of Xiao Zhen's boots and the click of the self-striking bell could be heard.

"Your father is reversed!" Xiao Zhi suddenly asked, "Do you know?" ”

"Ahh Ma Jizhen exclaimed, looked at Xiao Zhi with frightened eyes, his teeth were stacked and he trembled, and replied in a trembling voice: "Slave...... Minion...... The minions don't know about it, but there are some rumors recently...... Seeking ......"

There was another silence, and a few pieces of paper fell in front of Ma Jizhen, he held them with both hands, only read a few sentences, cold sweat broke out on his face, and he held the fold to Guo Zhang next to him in a distracted manner, trembling like a pendulum, eating and eating in his mouth, but he couldn't say a word.

"What do you think?" Xiao Zhen's gaze suddenly became aggressive.