Zhang Liang pretended to be sympathetic and said to Hou Junji: "I also feel wronged for you about your affairs." Alas, we, the former ministers of the Qin Palace, are having a hard time! With the old brothers who followed His Majesty to fight the world, we walked and walked, and we were sick, and there were only a few of us left in the court, and we couldn't do it, those officials who were newly promoted after the emperor ascended the throne, this is to put us to death? ”

Hou Junji was furious and said: "If you go on like this, you can't live anymore." Zhang Liang, can you rebel? If I could, I would rebel with you. ”

Late at night, Tai Chi Palace.

Tang Emperor Li Shimin sat on the dragon chair.

Zhang Liang, the governor of Luoyang, hurriedly walked into the Taiji Palace, bowed and saluted, and reported to the Tang Emperor Li Shiminyu: "Your Majesty, the official Shangshu Hou Junji intends to rebel, please arrest him." ”

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and questioned: "Oh, there is such a thing? ”

Zhang Liang reported to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, this matter is absolutely true. Today, Hou Jun gathered at the minister's house to drink, he was full of resentment towards His Majesty and the court, he said that he wanted to rebel, and he wanted the minister to be with him, how could the minister betray His Majesty and betray the court? Hou Junji wants to rebel, this is what the minister heard with his own ears, and Hou Junji told the minister personally, please Your Majesty must severely punish Hou Junji, a chaotic minister and thief. ”

After pondering for a while, Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty said to Zhang Liang: "You and Hou Junji are both heroes of my Tang Dynasty. Hou Junji only told you these words, and when the time comes, he will not admit it, or say that he is drunk and talking nonsense, and you can't do anything about him. Rather than that, it's better not to mention this matter again, I didn't hear what you said tonight, and you should think you didn't hear Hou Junji say this. ”

Zhang Liang was stunned for a moment, and after a short silence, he bowed sullenly to Emperor Li Shimin and said goodbye.

When Zhang Liang was about to walk out of the gate of Taiji Palace, Tang Emperor Li Shimin suddenly asked: "Zhang Liang, when did you take refuge in Li Tai, King of Wei?" ”

Zhang Liang looked helpless. After turning around and bowing again, he replied truthfully: "Back to Your Majesty, the minister has five hundred righteous sons, and many of the righteous sons have received the courtesy and gifts of His Royal Highness the King of Wei before being accepted as the righteous son by the minister, and they are deeply favored by the King of Wei. After being subordinate to Zhenguan for five years, after accepting those righteous sons, he had contact with the King of Wei and had a relationship. ”

Tang Emperor Li Shimin said: "Then you should know now why I removed you from the post of squire of the Criminal Department. I sent you to Luoyang, right? ”

Zhang Liang replied with a frustrated expression: "The minister understands. ”

Li Shimin said slowly: "This Hou Junji's case was planned by you for Li Tai, the king of Wei, from the beginning, right?" Li Tai, the king of Wei, didn't care about the Criminal Department, but he knew what happened in the Criminal Department, and he even knew about the centurion and a cart of jewelry. Above the court, Li Tai, the king of Wei, and Xiao Yu, the secretary and supervisor, still swore an oath and said it well. If there were no people in the Criminal Department, I wouldn't believe it.

And you, the person who was trusted by Hou Junji, sentenced Hou Junji. Not only did he not fall lightly, but he also directly wanted to put Hou Junji to death, Hou Junji is a reckless man, he doesn't know your true face. Do you think that I and my Tang Dynasty are both blind? Don't know what you're doing?

You are my confidant, and you actually control the criminal department of the six, but you have misbehaved. Insidious and vicious, clinging to the vassal king, hooking up with Li Tai, the king of Wei, and acting as a traitor, how can I allow you to act recklessly and opportunistically in this Chang'an City?

Go to Luoyang, I don't want to see you villain again. The relationship between you and Li Tai, the king of Wei, don't hide anymore, make it public to the world, and let everyone in the world see what kind of face Li Tai, the king of Wei, and you are?

Hou Junji's conduct and temper, I know. Hou Junji is arrogant, strong personality, can't hide words in his heart, and can't stand a trace of grievances in his heart, he was designed by you and Li Tai, the king of Wei, and went to prison, and he was in prison, and he complained in his heart, which is also certain, as for the rebellion, according to his temperament, he can also say it. But he is a frank man, an iron-clad Tang general, and he is by no means like you, who only knows the calculations behind his back and secretly plots to kill.

To tell you the truth, I trust Hou Junji. Even if Hou Junji said something rebellious, I still trusted him, and I could at least know what he Hou Junji was thinking. And you, the villain, are loyal to me on the surface, but in fact, what you want in your heart is that I wish I would announce my abdication and hand over the throne to Li Tai, the king of Wei. Don't think I don't know what Li Tai, the king of Wei, and you think? I know that in my heart. I will never let Li Tai, the king of Wei, and your plan succeed. ”

Li Shimin's words made Zhang Liang's face red-faced, and after bowing to the Tang Emperor Li Shimin in a shy manner, he fled from the Taiji Palace in a gloomy manner.

And the Tang Emperor Li Shimin looked at the outside of the Taiji Palace, angry and angry.

Wang Fugui, the chief eunuch, hurriedly brought Li Shimin a cup of tea and said, "Your Majesty, drink saliva and dissipate your anger." For a villain like Zhang Liang, it is not worth His Majesty's anger. ”

Li Shimin took the tea, took a sip and said: "Hou Junji has followed me for many years, and many battle wounds all over his body were suffered for me. I am not a mean and unkind person, when I ascended the throne, I secretly swore that I would never kill heroes. Put an end to the phenomenon that in history, the emperor must kill the founding hero. But this time, Li Tai and Zhang Liang, the kings of Wei, are trying to force Hou Junji to death, and they want to get rid of Hou Junji and then hurry up.

Now, Li Tai, the king of Wei, is not the prince of my Tang Dynasty, I am still on the emperor's throne, and Li Tai, the king of Wei, and his subordinates dare to do this. In the future, once Li Tai, the king of Wei, ascends to the throne, those old ministers who followed me, Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, and the eldest grandson Wuji who supported the crown prince Chengqian, were not slaughtered by him?

Under any circumstances, I can't let Li Tai, the king of Wei, a talented and virtuous person, ascend to the position of the prince of the Tang Dynasty, nor can I hand over the Tang Sheji and the people of the Tang Dynasty into the hands of such a person. If it is handed over to Li Tai, the king of Wei, it will be a disaster for the entire Datang Society and the people of Datang.

Li Zhi, the king of Jin, should be cultivated as soon as possible and make him a qualified prince of the Tang Dynasty as soon as possible. Only by cultivating Li Zhi, the king of Jin, can I simultaneously drive the crown prince Chengqian and Li Tai, the king of Wei, out of Chang'an City, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, and the core of my Tang political power, and solemnly introduce Li Zhi, the king of Jin, as my prince of the Tang Dynasty. (To be continued.) )