Xuanzong is neither in the Hundred Gardens nor in the Calyx Xianghui Building, these two places are places where the concubine likes to stay, and most of the time on weekdays Xuanzong accompanies her to soak here, but today it is not the case. Yang Zhao and Wang Yuan walked a long way from the Agarwood Pavilion to the north of the Dragon Pond, and then they were told that His Majesty had summoned the two in the study on the east side of the Nanxun Palace.

Nanxun Hall is a place where Xuanzong rests and is alone on weekdays, but it is rarely used to meet foreign ministers. Entering the courtyard of the east hall, it is also a scene of flowers and spring, but it is very inferior to the hundred gardens.

The two of them entered the study, Xuanzong was leaning over to write something on a grand case, Gao Lishi stood quietly beside him with a whisk in his hand, his face was unwavering, like a shadow.

"Minister Yang Zhao and Wang Yuan knock to see Your Majesty."

The two stepped forward to salute, Xuanzong did not raise his head, concentrated on the pen, and only hummed in his mouth: "Here, let's be flat." ”

The two got up and stood on one side and waited quietly, the study was quiet, the rustling sound of Xuanzong's pen on the paper was heard very clearly, and after a while, Xuanzong gently straightened his waist and gently rested the brush on the pen holder. Gao Lishi handed over a cloth towel from the side, and Xuanzong took it and wiped his hands gently, and then looked at Yang Zhao and Wang Yuan.

"Wang Yuan, when will you return to the capital?"

"Your Majesty, the minister who returned to the capital at noon should have come to see His Majesty immediately, but his body was filthy and full of dust, so he went home to wash and take care of it, took a bath, and slept well."

Xuanzong nodded and said, "I originally wanted to announce that you would enter the palace tomorrow to speak, but I didn't expect you to come now." After being away from home for many days, it is time to reunite with your family. I am a reasonable person, and I will not let my courtiers work too hard. ”

Wang Yuan hurriedly said: "Thank you for Your Majesty's care, the minister doesn't feel tired anymore." ”

Xuanzong smiled: "Sure enough, I am young, I was the same when I was young, I didn't feel tired when I didn't sleep for a few days and nights, I was very tired, and I was alive again after a while." Now it's not possible, and it can't be done if you don't accept the old. ”

Yang Zhao said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty is in the prime of life, and his body is healthier than that of ordinary people in the prime of life, where are you old?" The minister felt that His Majesty had no problem carrying a sword and going on a horse to fight in all directions. ”

Xuanzong smiled and said, "Yang Zhao, although I know that what you said is a lie, I am still happy. Sit and serve tea. ”

The waiter moved a stool, made tea and put it on the side table, Yang Zhao and Wang Yuan thanked him, but they didn't dare to sit down. Xuanzong didn't care, stared at Wang Yuan with his eyes and asked, "Wang Yuan, is this trip to Beihai hard?" ”

Wang Yuan bowed down and said: "It's not hard, this is the duty of the minister." ”

Xuanzong said: "Li Yong is dead? ”

Wang Yuan nodded and said: "The court committed suicide and died, and the minister was on the spot." The incident happened suddenly, and it was not stopped for a while. ”

Xuanzong nodded slightly, seemed to sigh lightly, raised his head and was silent for a moment, and asked, "What do you think of Li Yong?" ”

Wang Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty forgives your ministers. ”

"Say, I want to hear the truth." Xuanzong Dao.

Yang Zhao glanced at Wang Yuan and signaled him to be careful in replying. Wang Yuan said softly: "Your Majesty, Li Yong's crime of embezzlement of public money is unforgivable, but there are no other evil deeds. On the contrary, Li Yong is proficient in poetry, calligraphy and painting, and is a famous man in the Tang Dynasty, and the minister also inquired about some discussions among the people of Beihai County in private. ”

Yang Zhao was taken aback, frowned, and said: "Wang Yuan, don't talk nonsense, Li Yong is bold and arrogant, he is a sinner in the imperial court, how can you whitewash him like this?" ”

Xuanzong said coldly: "Yang Zhao, Mo Duoyan, I want to listen to him." ”

Wang Yuan said softly: "Your Majesty, the minister is not whitewashing for Li Yong, Li Yong certainly deserves it, but the minister feels that everyone has his weaknesses, and Li Yong's weakness is lack of self-discipline." In fact, if someone had been admonishing him from the beginning, he would not have come to this point. It's a pity that I slipped into the abyss step by step, and I was burdened by fame, and I didn't have friends to persuade me, so I couldn't turn back. Although the minister didn't have much contact with him, he felt that Li Yong was actually a capable and talented person. The law of the country is intolerable, and no matter how capable a person is, he can't ignore the laws of the court, just feel sorry for him. ”

Yang Zhao couldn't wait to scold Wang Yuan a few words, he was still speaking for Li Yong at this time, is this Wang Yuan confused? Your Majesty is going to be angry.

Xuanzong's reaction was very calm, his white brows furrowed slightly, but there was no sign of anger. After a while, he said softly: "It seems that you appreciate Li Yong very much, this is the second time I have heard someone say this, the last time the person who spoke like this was named Kong Zhang, he had died of illness in Qiongzhou the year before last." More than ten years ago, Li Yong committed an accident in Chenzhou, and Kong Zhang wrote a letter to plead for him, to the effect that this is the case. You and Kong Zhang are of the same opinion. ”

Yang Zhao hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, don't listen to Wang Yuan's nonsense, Wang Yuan's poems and texts have been read a lot, and he has not been in the office for a long time, so he can't understand many things, Your Majesty, don't blame him for talking nonsense." ”

Xuanzong frowned and said, "Do I mean to blame him?" I approved Kong Zhang's performance and spared Li Yong once, that is, I agreed with his evaluation of Li Yong, and I always thought that Li Yong was a talent. ”

Yang Zhao was stunned and speechless.

"Speaking of poetry, I just recorded a poem, Wang Yuan, you are proficient in poetry, come and see how this poem is written?" Xuanzong smiled.

Hearing this, Gao Lishi stretched out his hand to hold up the piece of paper that Xuanzong had just written, and stepped forward, holding the two corners up, and the ink on it had dried. Wang Yuan looked at it fixedly, and there was a poem written on the paper, the handwriting was delicate and dignified, and it had its own charm.

The Han family is heavy in the east county, like the white horse jin.

Li Shu is both a fertile man, and he is close to the ministers.

Far away from the first road, this trip is in spring.

The class should be the first, and the good pastor should be the beneficiary.

Wang Yuan read this poem carefully, recalling the meaning of the poem. Xuanzong smiled and said, "How is this poem?" ”

Wang Yuan thought for a while and said: "Chen has always believed that good poetry is not in the rhetoric and beauty, but in the meaning of feelings. This poem can only be regarded as a middle work in terms of rhetoric, but it is written with deep meaning and heavy speech, like the earnest teaching of elders, and like the guidance of wise men. There is also a feeling of cherishing ardent anticipation, which can be a masterpiece from a poetic point of view. ”

Xuanzong laughed and said, "Really? Do you think it's a masterpiece? ”

Wang Yuan said: "Although the words of the minister's family cannot convince the public, the minister thinks that this poem is a masterpiece. ”

Xuanzong couldn't hide his joy and asked, "Do you know who wrote this poem?" ”

Wang Yuan shook his head and said, "I don't know. ”

"That's my old work." Xuanzong's words were flat, but he couldn't hide a sense of pride.

Wang Yuan was stunned and said in surprise: "It turned out to be His Majesty's poems, the minister should die, vainly commenting on His Majesty's poems, not measuring himself, Your Majesty forgives your sins." ”

Xuanzong laughed and said, "What is the crime? What I want you to evaluate, it has nothing to do with you. And what you just said is very pertinent. Do you know who I wrote this poem for? ”

Wang Yuan shook his head and said, "Your Majesty made it clear." ”

Xuanzong sighed slightly: "This poem is called "Sending Li Yong to Ren Slippery Platform", which is a poem I sent to Li Yong when he was appointed as the Taishou of Dongjun. ”

Wang Yuan opened his mouth wide in surprise and looked at Xuanzong in a daze.

Xuanzong said softly: "I have valued Li Yong very much for a long time, and you just said that this poem is serious and long-looking, which is exactly the intention of me to write this poem to him." I hope he shepherds Dongjun and doesn't let me down. In fact, Li Yong did not disappoint me. Under his governance, the people's livelihood in Dongjun was stable, and the original place full of bandits became prosperous and wealthy. Later, I transferred him to Chenzhou, and I thought that he would live up to my expectations, but during his tenure in Chenzhou, he was reported for embezzlement of public money. Kong Zhang wrote to intercede for him, willing to die in lieu of death, and I pardoned him. Do you think I was moved by Kong Zhang's words? I actually had hope for him, and I forgave him for his capital crime. ”

The three people in the study were all moved, if this kind of thing was not said by Xuanzong himself, who could know the truth? Kong Zhang was praised by the world as Li Yong's confidant, and he wrote a book to die on behalf of Li Yong, and even was denounced for Qiongzhou's old death because of this incident, which has become a good story. But who knows, in fact, Kong Zhang's plea is not a reason for Xuanzong to forgive Li Yong at all.

"Li Yong has disappointed my expectations again this time, and I will certainly not spare him. But I still think in my heart that Li Yong is a capable person. The counties and states he governed were quite successful. I just asked you to evaluate Li Yong, and what you said is much more honest than some people. Before you came to the meeting, some people also came to the audience, and when it came to Li Yong's death, all I heard was bitter scolding and slander, and I didn't understand why I couldn't give a pertinent comment when he was dead. The conclusion of the coffin must be fair, I have always thought so. If one evil covers the whole body, how can there be good people in the world? I have also made mistakes and done wrong things, and according to this thinking, won't I be all bad comments when I die? ”

Gao Lishi, Yang Zhao, and Wang Yuan changed color, and they didn't dare to say a word, Long Wei was furious, which was not trivial.

Xuanzong sighed, slowly calmed down, and said in a deep voice: "Having said that, Li Yong is indeed to blame, he doesn't love himself, and he lives up to my expectations, he knows better than anyone else. He didn't kill himself, and this time I wanted his life. Wang Yuan, some people say that the death is suspicious, and I want to find out what you did to Li Yong in Beihai. I was a little confused, but after listening to what you just said, I believe that you will not do anything to Li Yong. You can tell me bluntly, which shows that your heart is clean and fair. Wang Yuan, prepare the will for me. ”

Wang Yuan hurriedly came to the bookcase, Gao Lishi took a piece of paper, Wang Yuan thanked him and took it, dipped in ink and spread out the pen and waited.

Xuanzong said slowly: "The evidence in Li Yong's case is conclusive, and all those involved in the case should be punished to show the world." No matter who is involved, they will not be tolerated, and the political affairs hall, the criminal department, and the imperial history platform will work together to investigate and deal with it. But don't overdo it and bring harm to the innocent. Anyone who uses this case to fuel the flames and shake the country's foundation, I will never spare it. Chin this. ”

Wang Yuan walked like a pen and recorded all the words of Xuanzong.