Tang Emperor Li Shimin was also stunned, staring at Zhang Liang for a long time before continuing to ask: "Zhang Liang, you are a waiter of the Criminal Department." You say, how should Hou Junji's crime be sentenced? Zhang Liang replied: "According to the law of the Tang Dynasty, those who set up arson and plunder the people will be sentenced to dismissal from official positions and exile for thousands of miles, and Hou Junji should be sentenced to exile for thousands of miles; However, His Majesty has issued an edict before, and he must love the four Yi as one and strictly enforce military discipline. It was strictly ordered to fight against Zhuyi, and those who violated military discipline and plundered foreign people by arson were sentenced three times. Therefore, Hou Junji should pay for his crime with death. ”

Tang Emperor Li Shimin stared at Zhang Liang and didn't say anything for a long time. After being silent for a long time, Li Shimin said, "Lock Hou Junji up first." ”

Late at night, Chang'an, Taiji Palace.

In the study, Li Shimin, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty in a dragon robe, and Hou Junji, who was dressed in a prison uniform, sat opposite each other.

Li Shimin said to Hou Junji: "I heard that you were wronged in prison and asked to see me, tell me, what are you wronged?" ”

Hou Junji said indignantly: "Your Majesty, those villains who do nothing in the court and only eat the emperor's grain are jealous of the minister's great achievements and slander the minister's three major crimes. Surrender. ”

Li Shimin said angrily: "Are you not convinced? On the night that Du Chuke, the servant of my Datang Ministry of Industry, was wiped out, a squad of your descendants, the Flying Tiger Army, left Chang'an City and went to the outskirts of Chang'an, what did you do? Du Chuke, a waiter of the Ministry of Engineering from the Tang Dynasty, you Hou Junji said to kill, just kill it. Do you think you still have my Datang Law in your eyes? Is there still no emperor of the Tang Dynasty?

Seize the treasury of Gaochang Mansion and loot the army, don't you think that I don't know about these things? That concubine you have in Gaochangna, that's a woman from the Gaochang royal family, right? Now my son is about to be born to you, right? The people of Gaochang complained about the undisciplined and wanton looting of our Tang army. Are these all Xiao Yu's slanders against you? I know these are facts. I have warned you to treat the people of the surrounding countries as you would the people of my Tang Dynasty. Treat them equally, care for them, love them. But you're good, you take my words as a deaf ear, don't you? Don't take my words seriously, do you? Do you know that Gaochang has now become the Xizhou of my Tang Dynasty, it is easy to capture Gaochang, and how difficult it is to win the hearts of the people of Gaochang? After my Tang army plundered Gaochang. How bad is the impact on the entire Western Regions, and how bad is the impact on the entire surrounding countries of the Tang Dynasty? How much time and effort will it take for me and my Tang Dynasty to undo such an impact?

I know a lot of things, but I don't want to say it, I'm thinking about the wounds you have all over your body for me, and the Flying Tiger Army that you formed mainly composed of your sons, nephews, and villagers, and has been martial arts for nine years. The Turkic invasion of my Tang Dynasty is in Yao Valley, for me, for the sake of the Tang Dynasty. Your Flying Tigers have suffered heavy casualties and many deaths. Therefore, after I learned about Gaochang, I kept pretending to be confused. I can't bear to check you. ”

Hou Junji said with a look of shame: "That's the minister who was confused for a while......"

"Confused? I think you are relying on your own hard work, not afraid of heaven and earth, proud and arrogant. Lao Tzu is the first in the world, you say, is there anything you Hou Junji dare not do in this world? Emperor Li Shimin said angrily.

Hou Junji looked aggrieved and very angry, as if Li Shimin had wronged him.

Looking at Hou Junji, Tang Emperor Li Shimin waved his hand helplessly and said, "You go back to the prison first, and reflect on it." ”

The next morning, the prince and his family went all out to rescue Hou Junji, and even Fang Xuanling, who was recuperating at home because of illness, also played a fold to protect Hou Junji.

Emperor Li Shimin hesitated.

And at this moment, the important person of the Wei Dynasty's lineage, the head of the Southern Shi clan and the Zhongshu Shilang Cen Wenwen, stood up and said, "The minister begs His Majesty to pardon Hou Junji. Although Hou Junji is guilty, but now the real situation is not certain, Hou Junji is a veteran hero who has followed His Majesty for many years, and has just pacified Gaochang and made great contributions. The minister implored His Majesty to pardon Hou Junji and treat the veteran meritorious man well. ”

Tang Emperor Li Shimin said with great emotion: "I am not an ungrateful person. Hou Junji was covered with injuries for me, and he trekked in the desert for more than half a year, after more than 7,000 miles, and laid Gaochang for me. Now among the heroes who have followed me for many years, Du Ruhui, Duke of Laiguo, and Qu Tutong, Duke of Jiang, have left, and many old people in the Qin Mansion are recuperating at home and surviving their lives. I tell you that as long as a hero like Hou Junji does not rebel, I will not kill any of them. Even if they commit other great sins, I will not kill them. Killing these heroes, I am unkind and unrighteous and cold by nature! ”

Chang'an, the residence of Li Tai, King of Wei.

In the study, Li Tai, the king of Wei, Cui Gan, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and Lu Chengqing, the secretary of the Ministry of War, sat opposite each other.

Cui Gan said to Li Tai, the king of Wei: "His Royal Highness the King of Wei. What's wrong with this Cen text? What kind of madness is he? Unexpectedly protect Hou Junji? Did he forget that he was the one who supported His Highness? Did he forget that Hou Junji was the one who supported the crown prince and suppressed His Royal Highness King Wei? ”

Li Tai, the king of Wei, pondered for a moment and said, "Lord Cui. In my opinion, Lord Cen Wencen is going to uproot Hou Junji, you push here, he supports there, this push, one support, slowly shakes the root system of Hou Junji's big tree. If the root is broken, the big tree of Hou Junji will definitely die! ”

Cui Gan and Lu Chengqing both looked puzzled.

Li Tai, the king of Wei, then explained: "In fact, my father didn't want to kill Hou Junji, he owed Hou Junji too many favors, Hou Junji suffered too many injuries for his father, and he also suffered too many crimes, and Hou Junji's Flying Tiger Army also made major sacrifices for his father and me. But this favor is getting less and less, and when the time comes, the father's favor for Hou Junji will be over, and the father will not have any psychological burden on Hou Junji.

Whether to kill Hou Junji or not, isn't it just a matter of the father's thoughts? Cen Wenwen Cen Daren protected Hou Junji, but he could see that his father did not want to kill Hou Junji, and he still owed Hou Junji something. At this time, no matter how fierce we are and how tight we press, my father will not kill Hou Junji.

Cen Wenwen Cen saw this, so he asked his father to pardon Hou Junji. ”

Cui Gan and Lu Chengqing suddenly realized.

However, Cui Gan soon asked Li Tai, the king of Wei: "His Royal Highness the King of Wei, you said Hou Junji, will he still make mistakes?" If Hou Junji didn't make a mistake in the future, then this time, didn't Cen Wencen really help him Hou Junji? Did Hou Junji really get out of prison? (To be continued.) )