The news of the death of Liu Rong, the king of Linjiang, soon spread throughout Chang'an City. Liu Rong, as the eldest son of the emperor and the prince for several years, can be described as extremely noble, but he was forced to commit suicide, which is really embarrassing.

Empress Dowager Dou was even more furious, although she didn't like Li Ji very much, and she couldn't be favored even if Liu Rong was involved, but she was also her first grandson. In the first few years after Liu Rong was born, Empress Dowager Dou held and teased a lot, even kittens and dogs also had feelings, not to mention the ancestors and grandchildren who were connected by blood.

"Emperor! You tell the mourning family, how did Rong'er die? Did you personally instruct it? Or is it Zhang Tang's own poisonous hand? Empress Dowager Dou's face was full of anger, and she shouted at Emperor Jing, who was standing silently and solemnly in front of her.

Emperor Jing bowed his body and said in fear: "How could I give this advice, and what Rong'er says is also my flesh and blood......"

Empress Dowager Dou stomped on her crutches and trembled: "Don't deceive the mourning family again!" When you first summoned Rong'er to the court to ask for the crime, you swore to the mourning family that at most you would hand him over to Zongzheng Mansion for seclusion, and his surname would not be ruined. Now it seems that you are bullying the mourning family, old and frail, and I can't control you! ”

Emperor Jing looked helpless, and hurriedly comforted: "Don't be angry with the queen mother, I have no intention of doing so, and I don't dare to ignore the teachings of the queen mother." ”

Empress Dowager Dou didn't pay any attention to it, and sat down tremblingly with the support of the chamberlain, staring at Emperor Jing's face with cloudy eyes, and her cold eyes were like sharp blades, trying to pierce his mask of hypocrisy.

Emperor Jing stood in the middle of the hall without moving, posing as if he was concentrating on the hearing.

After a long time, the Empress Dowager Dou, who had calmed down a little, sighed and said: "Tiger poison does not eat children, what the emperor said today really makes the mourning family feel cold." It's still the same for the biological flesh and blood, if it's the younger brother of a mother's sibling, it will be even more ruthless, right? ”

Emperor Jing trembled, was silent for a long time, and then slowly straightened up, raised his head and looked at the Empress Dowager Dou without dodging, and said in a deep voice: "The prince is guilty of the same crime as the common people, and the laws of the ancestral system cannot be violated!" If I abolish the public because of private interests, how can I lead all the people in the world, and how will I face my ancestors and ancestors a hundred years later? ”

"In this way, the emperor wants to be a saint of the ages who does not recognize his six relatives?" Empress Dowager Dou laughed angrily, and said with a joke on her face: "Shun is a saint, right? At the beginning, Shun's younger brother seemed to plan to kill Shun every day, once or twice, but after Shun became the king, he didn't do anything to him, but gave the best place to his younger brother. Isn't it a saint if a benevolent person treats his brother without anger or resentment, only closeness and love? ”

Instead of being annoyed, Emperor Jing showed a hint of a smile and said lightly: "The queen mother said she was laughing." Although I am not talented, I am self-aware, and I have never had the luxury of being the Holy Monarch of Narauszi. I only hope to be able to keep this picturesque country for my ancestors, and if I can leave a prosperous era for future generations, I will die without regrets. ”

Empress Dowager Dou saw that Emperor Jing was soft and hard, and he didn't eat oil and salt, so he had no choice. After all, he moved out the ancestral national law, and his words were even more leaky, which is really irrefutable.

"Although Rong'er is guilty, her sin does not lead to death. Now Lieutenant Zhang Tangsheng forced him to commit suicide, which can be described as strict and tyrannical law enforcement. Empress Dowager Dou's anger in her heart became more and more intense, and she suddenly thought of a reason, and said angrily: "What's more, the Lieutenant's Mansion is in charge of the Northern Army, taking into account the defense of the capital, and should be the responsibility of a military general." This time, he did the things of imperial history and intervened in the punishment, isn't it also a violation of the laws of the ancestral country? ! ”

Emperor Jing was stunned when he heard this, and was speechless. The Queen Mother's question implies a sharp edge, which belongs to the two-end blockade. If Emperor Jing admits that Zhang Tang acted on orders, he was the one who violated the legal system; If Emperor Jing showed that he did not know what Zhang Tang did, then Zhang Tang would have violated the law and abused his power, forcing the prince to death, not only could he not protect his position as a lieutenant, but he would even have to accept extremely cruel sanctions.

Emperor Jing was silent for a long time, and then said slowly: "Rong'er's surname is cowardly, and his invasion of the Taimiao is also a big crime. I will bury Rong'er to comfort the grief of the queen mother......"

Empress Dowager Dou snorted coldly and turned her face away, obviously very disdainful.

Seeing this, Emperor Jing replied: "Liu Wu is my younger brother, and the rebellion of Wu Chu has made great contributions, although he was confused by villains such as Gongsun Wei and Yang Sheng, and committed some national laws, he has no major faults, and the queen mother does not have to worry." I only want to kill the ministers around him and restore social peace. ”

Empress Dowager Dou Huo Di turned her face, and her gloomy old face instantly turned clear: "This is very good, this is what the old man thinks about at night, and ending this matter with brotherly love is also in line with the righteousness of the world." ”

Emperor Jing said helplessly: "It's just that this time I don't want him to feel that he has the support of the queen mother, so I will tolerate him." Otherwise, if there is any leakage, it will be compatible with us, and the law of the land will not be tolerated! ”

Empress Dowager Dou got the promise of her eldest son, and she had achieved her goal today, and hurriedly agreed with her chin: "Yes! You have to teach him well! The mourning family issued an order, let him immediately kill the minister, enter the court to apologize, and think about it behind closed doors! ”

In a few words, Emperor Jing and the Queen Mother reached a tacit understanding. To put it cruelly, the death of the abolished prince Liu Rong is just a bargaining chip for the two to fight each other, and the real focus is only about the disposal of Liu Wu, the king of Liang.

Empress Dowager Dou received a satisfactory reply, and naturally she would no longer criticize Emperor Jing's actions, this was the cold and bloody exchange of interests of the emperor's family.

The next day, Emperor Jing ordered the burial of Liu Rong, the king of Linjiang, in Lantian, and the lieutenant Zhang Tang was too harsh in law enforcement, and he was punished with 30 court rods and fined for three years. As soon as the holy decree was issued, all the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty were shocked. Zhang Tang was not dismissed from office, it is really weird, when did the prince's surname become so worthless?

What's even more strange is that the leaders of the various factions in the court are all silently in the face of this unreasonable holy decree. Even Liu She, the imperial historian who is known for his outspokenness and daring to admonish, has no intention of ** Zhang Tang at all. The old and cunning ministers didn't know that the various factions had secretly reached an agreement to protect Zhang Tang.

A few days later, Liu Wu, the king of Liang, received a report from the secret agent in Chang'an and the edict of the queen mother at the same time. The news of Liu Rong's death and the painless punishment of Zhang Tang shocked him. And the queen mother specially named him to kill Yang Sheng and Gongsun Wei, two ministers, and immediately set off to enter the court to ask for guilt.

Yang Sheng and Gongsun Yi, who were called into the palace, had already heard the news, and they had no more spirit, their faces were full of loneliness, and they silently hung their hands and waited.

"It's come to this, what can I do?" King Liang's face was sad, the Han ruled the world with filial piety, if he said that his edict to the emperor could be disobeyed, but he did not dare to slack off on the queen mother's decree. Otherwise, it is unfilial piety and a loss of righteousness. This may be nothing in later generations, but in the early Han Dynasty, it was a great evil that everyone spurned, which was enough to make him betray his relatives.

Yang Sheng sighed, bowed down and said: "The minister is guilty, and he has affected the king, if you really can't do it......"

King Liang waved his hand, his face showing a ruthless expression: "Don't say such frustrating words, the emperor is really too much to force the widow, don't you think my Liang Guobing is not good?" ”

"The king must never do this again!" Gongsun was shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly dissuaded: "Last night, the secret agent came to report that Liu Bo, the king of Jibei, not only personally killed the envoys sent by the king of Huainan to lobby, but also handed over all the county affairs to the imperial court envoys. Now that the Liang Kingdom is surrounded by Zhou Yafu's sharp minions, it will undoubtedly destroy my Liang Kingdom and ruin your future at this time. ”

King Liang was originally angry, but when he was angry, he shook his head with a wry smile and said, "The future of the widow? The emperor calculated so carefully, advancing step by step, it was clear that he would inevitably lead to the death of the widow and then quickly. Don't talk about the future, even if you are afraid of your surname, you can't save it! ”

Yang Sheng looked at Gongsun Wei gloomily, his eyes gradually became firm, and he couldn't help but nod in tacit understanding.

"The ministers and Gongsun may be unforgivable, but after all, the king is the son of the Queen Mother and the younger brother of His Majesty, no matter how big the trouble is, it is also a family matter." Yang Sheng regained his composure and comforted King Liang: "Your Majesty is now victorious, but he has not sent troops for a long time, which shows that he is still jealous of the king, and the will of the Queen Mother is really important." The key is that someone has to come forward to mediate, and Minister Han Anguo is a person personally appointed by the Queen Mother, and he wants to be able to take on this important responsibility. ”

Gongsun Wei echoed his words: "The king, the ministers also agree with this approach. ”

King Liang pondered for a moment, then nodded helplessly: "Okay, just release Han Anguo and let him mediate." ”

Yang Sheng and Gongsun saw that King Liang had adopted the advice, so they immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed, and retreated. King Liang looked at the lonely backs of the two of them gradually moving away, sighed, and slowly closed his eyes, with an unbearable look on his face.

That night, Han Anguo, the minister of Liang, had just been released from prison, and after a little freshening, he carried the secret letter submitted by King Liang to the Queen Mother, and led many guards to gallop in the direction of Chang'an City.

In the palace, King Liang waved away all the palace people, sat alone in the empty hall, tasting the bright red fruit wine, until there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the palace, only then did he lift his spirit a little, and looked at the attendants who bowed into the palace.

"King Qiyu, Yang Sheng and Gongsun Wei have committed suicide in fear of sin, and the head is here." The chamberlain placed the black box he was holding on the ground and slowly opened it, revealing two large heads.

The look of sorrow in King Liang's eyes was fleeting, he waved his hand, asked the chamberlain to close the box, and ordered in a deep voice: "Immediately pass on the court envoys, the guilty ministers Yang Sheng and Gongsun Wei have already surrendered to the law, and they will send their heads to Chang'an!" ”

The chamberlain hurriedly complied with his promise. Seeing that the palace was empty again, King Liang was relieved, collapsed to the ground, and muttered: "You two are loyal ministers of the widow, but you are traitors to the court. I hope that you will not have grudges under the Nine Springs, and blame the widow for being ......"

Han Anguo, who was in the dust, returned to Liang with the Empress Dowager's decree, and the King of Liang had ordered people to hand over all domestic affairs to the officials appointed by Zhou Yafu, the assassin of Yuzhou.

After carefully reading the Queen Mother's reply, King Liang learned that Emperor Jing had reached an agreement with the Queen Mother that he would not harm his surname, so he let go of the big stone in his heart. Everything had already been dealt with, and King Liang did not give Han Anguo any time to rest, and hurriedly took him to board the chariot, and under the escort of the large group of chariots and horses, he hurried towards Chang'an City. (To be continued.) )