Seeing Empress Wu, Gaozong nodded slightly, he looked at him like Helan Minyue, and then told Li Hong and Empress Wu that he was a little tired and wanted to go to Linde to rest, so he left in a hurry. As soon as Gaozong left, Helan Minyue also left. How could Li Hong and Empress Wu not know why Gaozong left in such a hurry? Isn't it just to linger with Helan Minyue? Li Hong didn't have any idea about this, and Empress Wu's face was a little ugly when she saw this scene. However, she now has to discuss with Li Hong how to deal with Helan Minzhi's affairs, and she has no time to deal with Gaozong and Helan Minyue.

Yang saw that Gaozong and Helan Minyue had left, and it was obvious that Empress Wu wanted to discuss with Li Hong alone, and she was not stupid, so she also took her leave and left.

At this time, there were only two people left in the Zichen Palace, Empress Wu and Li Hong.

I still remember the first time I saw Empress Wu here, Li Hong was cautious, and after being reprimanded by Empress Wu's soft and hard, he walked out of the Zichen Hall and found that his back was soaked with sweat.

Now it is still Zichen Palace, and there are still only two people, him and Empress Wu, but at this time, his mentality is very calm and calm.

Empress Wu also felt this way, since Li Hong recovered from a serious illness, she found that every time she saw Li Hong, he had changed a lot, and he had slowly become mature and stable, becoming more like an opponent than a son.

"Prince, what have you been doing these days?" Empress Wu thought for a moment and asked. She spoke in a tepid tone, but her expression was serious.

"After returning to my mother, my son didn't do anything, just read books, practice calligraphy, and then walk around." Li Hong said casually. He knew that eighty percent of what he did in the East Palace couldn't escape Empress Wu's eyes, so Empress Wu asked himself this way, she was trying to create an atmosphere of speaking, that is, to hold the initiative of speaking in her own hands.

"In the next few days, the Tibetan mission is about to arrive in Chang'an, and you are responsible for receiving the Tibetan mission, must you do your best to know about this matter?" Empress Wu began to teach Li Hongdao.

"The queen mother can rest assured, with Le Yanwei, Liu Xiangdao, and Zhao Renji assisting the sons, there will be no mistakes in the sons and daughters in this matter." Li Hong replied respectfully. Seeing that Li Hongneng was not hurrying to keep up with his rhythm, the atmosphere he deliberately created did not work, and the Empress Wu did not beat around the bush, but said bluntly, "What do you think of Helan Minzhi's case?" ”

"At present, the treasury is empty, and Helan Minzhi dares to embezzle tax silver, which is a big crime and should be punished. Having too close contact with the thief and joining forces to assassinate the ministers is a great rebellion and should be punished. The number of dead soldiers in captivity reached 300, and they should be punished for their misdeeds. abusing power for personal gain, defrauding the people, and looting the people's fat and ointment, should be punished..."Li Hong was not polite, and said what he had already thought in his heart in one breath.

Empress Wu didn't speak immediately after hearing this, but moved her gaze to Li Hong's face and looked at him.

Empress Wu stared at it for a long time, and when she saw that Li Hong didn't show any cowardice, she sighed and said, "Prince, you're still too young!" In fact, we have to take the overall situation into account when we do anything! ”

Li Hong sneered in his heart, but he pretended to be very respectful and asked, "What does the queen mother mean?" ”

Empress Wu showed a motherly look, and Chunchun induced Li Hong to say, "The Tubo mission is going to Chang'an City in the past two days, they came to Chang'an City to meet them, what is the idea in their hearts, you must also know very well, right?" Therefore, the meaning of this palace is that we should focus our minds on them at the moment, not on our own people, what does the prince think? ”

"Queen Mother, Helan Minzhi has committed such a big crime, not killing it is not enough for the people to be angry!" Li Hong said bitterly, he didn't take Empress Wu's words to heart at all, if he was persuaded by Empress Wu so easily, then how could he bargain with Empress Wu?

Seeing the anger on Empress Wu's face, Li Hong continued, "Queen Mother, you also know about the assassination of Xu Jingzong and Li Jicha Erchen, it has been several days, and they still have no progress in their lives, how is this possible?" So a large group of assassins assassinated Erchen in Chang'an City, but after failing to do so, they disappeared in the blink of an eye? Is it possible that they searched for so many days and found nothing? And Helan Minzhi is the one who fornicated with the assassins, we can get clues about the assassins from him, and he is also the murderer of Erchen, how can you indulge Helan Min's criminal acts regardless of the safety of your son's life? ”

Speaking of this, Li Hong burst into tears.

Empress Wu was a little surprised, when did the prince be so eloquent and so sensational?

However, Li Hong's words are very damning, saying that you don't care about your son's life or death, you have to take care of your nephew's safety, you don't look like a mother like this!

Li Hong's Empress Wu understood, and she had no way to refute it, so she could only comfort, "Hong'er, your mother knows, but this matter also needs to be carefully considered, after all, the evidence for many of the charges against Helan Minzhi you said is insufficient, and we can't easily sentence him to death." ”

Seeing that Li Hong didn't answer, Empress Wu continued, "That's it, this matter will be investigated again, and the queen mother will let Zhang Ying assist you, and when the investigation is clear, the queen mother will definitely punish you severely." ”

Helan Minzhi's crime has been established, and there are all human and material evidence, and no one can hide it. And Li Hong also knew that he couldn't force the Empress Wu too quickly, so he could only sigh and say, "Thank you Empress Mother-"

However, he immediately added, "Queen Mother, Erchen has lived in the East Palace for many years, but I haven't seen Li Shaobao for a long time!" ”

Li Shaobao in Li Hong's mouth is the prince Shaobao Li Ji.

He was very dissatisfied with Li Ji, who was the crown prince of the East Palace, not only did not support him, but also dared to stand on the opposite side of him. Therefore, Li Hong wanted to kick him out for a long time, but he never had a chance, and today he mentioned it to Empress Wu, he believed that Empress Wu would definitely guess the meaning of his words. And this time, with Helan Minzhi's case in front, as long as Empress Wu wants to compromise with herself, she will definitely express something in this regard.

Sure enough, when Empress Wu heard Li Hong say this, her face changed.

The crown prince Shaobao is a fictitious title and has no real power, but it represents a kind of identity and honor.

Now Li Hong is dissatisfied with Li Ji, that is, she wants to remove Li Ji's title of Shaobao, which is equivalent to taking Li Ji's honor. Just ask the martial queen who just stood on the same front as Li Ji, can she do this?

But she also knows very well that this is the bargaining chip that Li Hong proposed to compromise with her in Helan Min's case. Therefore, she can't rashly refuse Li Hong. He pondered for a while and said, "This matter will be carefully considered by the palace, so you don't have to worry about it!" ”

Empress Wu is not stupid, she knows that if she takes a young insurance, she has to add a young insurance. took Li Ji, a person who did not have Li Hong and was also-for-tat with Li Hong. Then Donggong must add a young guarantee, this person is also a bargaining chip for Li Hong to compromise with him this time, if she doesn't agree, Li Hong won't compromise, she has to agree, Li Hong will be around him plus the people who finally him, it will be very unfavorable for her to suppress Li Hong in the future.

This is a dilemma for the Empress Wu.

"Then the minister will take his leave, and come back tomorrow to listen to the queen mother's reply." Li Hong said, and withdrew from the Zichen Palace.

He is a pun, he has to reply tomorrow, what he wants is a reply about Li Ji, and what he also wants is Helan Minzhi's reply, now it depends on how Empress Wu chooses.

Seeing Li Hong leave the Zichen Palace, Empress Wu was silent for a moment before she shouted in a low voice, "Zhang Ying." ”

"The old slave is here." Zhang Ying replied. The person had unconsciously walked in front of the martial queen.

"Do you know where Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi are?" Empress Wu asked.

"It's in the prison of Chang'an County." Zhang Ying replied.

Empress Wu asked, "Is the Chang'an County Yada Prison tightly guarded?" ”

Zhang Ying understood what Empress Wu meant, so he replied in a low voice, "In the past, there were few guards, but this time the key criminals were imprisoned, and it is estimated that the prince will also send someone to guard them." ”

"O Prince! After all, his strength is still a little weaker-" Empress Wu said, "This palace wants the death of Mr. Zhao and Wu You." ”

"The old slave understands!" Zhang Ying replied expressionlessly. He didn't know how many times he had done something like this.

"Go down, you have to be fast!" Empress Wu said lightly.

"No!" Zhang Ying received the order and bowed down and withdrew from the Zichen Palace.

Li Hong left the Zichen Hall and returned to the East Palace, where he immediately summoned Chen Gong to the study. He knows the character of the Empress Wu very well, and he will do whatever it takes for the sake of the end. Therefore, Empress Wu wanted to delay time in Helan Minzhi's case, and he knew that Empress Wu's purpose in doing this was to destroy the evidence.

And the only people who can really threaten the life and death of Helan Min are Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi, so he knows that if Empress Wu wants to destroy the evidence, the people he needs to kill are Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi. Tonight is the best time to kill Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi, after tonight, as soon as the interrogation results appear tomorrow, it is useless to kill Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi.

So what he has to do now is to increase the guard force of the Chang'an County Ya to ensure the safety of Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi.

Chen Gong walked into the study and asked, "Your Highness, are you looking for Chen Gong?" ”

"Yes, I want to ask, how are the guards in the Yada Prison in Chang'an County?" Li Hong said to Chen Gong.

Chen Gong pondered for a moment, and then replied, "The guards of the prison are rare, and there are very few jailers. ”

After listening to Chen Gong's answer, Li Hong knew how lax the guards of the Chang'an County Prison were, and he muttered and ordered, "You send forty guards to the Chang'an Prison now, and you must ensure the safety of Mr. Zhao and Wu Youzhi." ”

"No!" Chen Gong didn't ask anything, but replied very simply.

"Does Your Highness have any other orders?" Chen Gong asked.

"No, you go down!" Li Hong said. Chen Gong received the order and bowed down and exited the study.

As soon as Chen Gong left, Yan Zhuang hurriedly walked in and reported to Li Hongyu, "Your Highness, the British Duke Li Ji is here and is waiting for you in the Chongjiao Palace. ”

Li Ji?

Li Hong was also stunned for a moment when he heard Yan Zhuang's words, he had just sued the maid in front of the Empress Wu, why did this old thing hold a grudge so much, and come to the East Palace so soon to find trouble for himself.

"Let him wait!" Li Hong said angrily.

Yan Zhuang didn't know the conversation between Li Hong and Empress Wu in the Zichen Palace, so he naturally didn't know the reason, and when he saw the prince say this, he didn't dare to say more, but took the order to withdraw from the study.