Wang Jian, as the secretary of the Criminal Department, said nothing more than copying the golden rules, but he was not careful enough to speak. Since ancient times, the royal people who have committed the most rebellions, and it is common to exterminate several clans, but the royal clan's extermination is different from officials and commoners, and these clans and clans are counted from below the culprit, which the emperor is not ignorant of, it can only be said that Wang Jian did not grasp the old emperor's mind.

What the old emperor was thinking, Liu Yu carefully calculated it in his heart.

The old emperor didn't want to kill his son, and there was a precedent for Su Dian to do this, Su Bi's crime would only be lighter than Su Dian's, that is, the heaviest was exile. As for the reason that he is not soft-hearted towards Xu Han, it is clear that Xu Han has colluded with King Huai, and he also killed his "loyal ministers", and with the character of the old emperor, he will definitely kill his entire clan.

But there is a difference between the two sins. Su Bi's sin old emperor wants to make a big thing small, avoid the important and light, someone has to come out to plead, he wants to be a strict monarch and a loving father, and it is a little difficult for others to figure out his meaning and then say it, to be precise, it is "both to obey the code and not to punish severely". As for Xu Han's crime, it is easier to convict, as long as it is according to the law, but it is necessary to avoid mentioning that this case is related to the emperor's failure to investigate, to put it bluntly, Li Zhongchun was killed by the old emperor, Xu Han is just an initiator, otherwise without the emperor's approval, how could the left prime minister and his party be wiped out?

It's easy to reason, but it's hard to say. This emperor is still suspicious, and if he is not careful, he may be angered.

The emperor continued to ask questions one by one, and after asking the important ministers of the court, he turned to ask the prince and the princess what they meant. In fact, everyone has roughly the same meaning, and there is only one word: "Chop!" "Since it's hard to say, let's put it simply, follow the crowd, it is common sense that the law does not blame the public, and no one wants to be cannon fodder.

In the end, even the fourth prince Su Ren said mercilessly: "Chop!" In fact, he also made a stand, although he and the third child are the same mother, but the rebellion of the third child has nothing to do with him.

Only the words of the fourth princess were a little new, and Su Bi said: "Father, how do you deal with the third emperor brother and Xu Xiang, that is your business, and we should obey it as courtiers." The father said to behead, the son can help you take the knife to cut, the father said to spare, the son can personally go to untie the rope for them. ”

If someone else said this, they would be reprimanded as "great disrespect", but the fourth princess is special, everyone knows that her mouth is unforgiving, after saying this, the old emperor just nodded slightly, still noncommittal.

When it was Su Yi's turn, even Liu Yu wanted to hear what this fifth prince who liked to buy people's hearts and acted in a scene had to say. If he follows the crowd, it will be contrary to his benevolent style, and will be seen as inconsistent, but if he really opens his mouth to intercede, is it not against his will? He wished that the third child would be finished soon, but now it was too late to clap his hands and celebrate when his wish was achieved. Moreover, today's situation really can't help but make people unhappy, and it's hard to say words of intercession.

"Erchen...... There is no objection. ”

Su Yi's rhetoric surprised Liu Yue, a good "no objection", is there no objection to it, or no objection to it, or no objection to it? What you say is what you say. didn't even say a word, how could he make the old emperor look down on him? Liu Yuxin said that this Su Yi is still living in the shadow of his mother Li Guifei, if he is really allowed to ascend the throne as the emperor, it is difficult to guarantee that Li Guifei will not become another Empress Lu.

Finally it was the turn of the Seventh Emperor Su Zhe, the old emperor glanced at him and asked, "Zhe'er, if you are convicted, how will you convict?" ”

"Back to my father." Su Zhe stood up and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "The Xu thief colluded with the Turks to frame our Chao Zhongliang, and the crime is not forgiven, and his henchmen should also be dealt with severely according to the law." It's just the third brother...... For a while, he was instigated by traitors and villains, but he was actually used by those rebellious ministers and thieves, and asked his father to forgive him This time, the son is willing to guarantee with his life, and the third brother will definitely keep to himself in the future with this lesson, and will not commit such unfaithful and unfilial mistakes again. ”

Su Zhe is a low-key person, he doesn't form gangs, and his mother Mrs. Lu has no relatives to assist her when she is powerful, and she doesn't even talk much on weekdays. At this time, he pleaded for the three princes, which sounded abrupt, but what he said was reasonable, saying that the three princes had the intention to commit crimes or were taken advantage of, anyway, those rebellious ministers were dead, so you can say whatever you want. It is equivalent to finding an excuse for the old emperor to excuse his son.

Although the old emperor only nodded slightly, his attitude was not different from that of listening to other people's opinions, but Liu Yu knew that the emperor admired this son very much, and just when the old emperor wanted to finalize the case, he suddenly found that there was still a Su Yan sitting next to him today. Then he said, "Yan'er, what do you think?" ”

Su Yan already felt that it was a great honor to be able to sit next to the emperor, which meant that his father had forgiven him. At this time, he was asked his opinion in public, and he was enthusiastic. Liu Yu looked at him with a blushing face, and said that it was not good.

Sure enough, Su Yan stood up tremblingly and said respectfully: "Back to my father's words...... Child...... The child thinks that although Xu Xiang and the three emperor brothers are guilty...... but none of them sinned unto death. ”

Previously, Su Yi's exoneration of the three princes was forgivable for blood and family affection, and the ministers did not expect that this Nine Emperor Prince, who had never expressed his opinion in public, would say something for a criminal minister who should not be exonerated in the first sentence. Liu Yu gave Su Yan a look, but Su Yan at this time didn't care about Liu Yu's existence at all.

The old emperor's face was not wavering, and he was slightly stunned and said: "Then Yan'er, can you tell me, why don't your third emperor brother and Xu Xiang commit crimes to death?" ”

"Back to my father." was questioned by the emperor and Yan Yuese, Su Yan also had confidence, "Yesterday, the third emperor brother brought people into the palace, and the son was in front of the palace...... In fact, the third emperor brother brought people into the palace, just to ask his father for an explanation, and he didn't mean to offend......"

Liu Yu really wanted to find a piece of tofu and kill him. Su Bidu is forcing the palace with soldiers, or do you want an explanation? was also persuaded by him to have remorse, since they all regretted it, how to explain the subsequent meeting of swords and soldiers? Liu Yu scolded in his heart, this kid can't talk but a brain!

Even the ministers below were also discussing, obviously thinking that Su Yan's statement was untenable.

The old emperor coughed twice, calmed down a little, and Su Yan said again: "As for Xu Xiang, back then, he was just confused by ghosts, and the two factions were fighting, so he wanted to borrow external forces to suppress dissidents. Speaking of which...... Father, you are also responsible, if it were not for your father's acquiescence, Li Xiang and his subordinates would not have suffered miserably, in the final analysis...... My father had a great deal to do with this case......"

There was an uproar. Which pot is not opened, seeing that the old emperor was out of breath for a while and coughed violently, Liu Yu closed his eyes, and really wanted to announce in public that he had nothing to do with this kid. Yesterday, the old emperor just praised him for his filial piety, and today this filial piety is like a donkey's liver and lungs. This truth, even if everyone knows it, they must pretend to be confused, and they must protect the emperor's face when they die, which is the way of being a minister. With such a disobedient remark, how could the old emperor make him king?

The old emperor coughed for a long time, and finally straightened out his breath with the help of Su Zhe and Ling's father-in-law, and the old emperor sighed and said: "Speaking of which, Li Zhongchun's case, I have indeed failed to investigate. ”

Since the emperor said so, Liu Yue breathed a sigh of relief, at least it meant that the emperor would not embarrass Su Yan in public.

"But Xu Han formed a party for personal gain, the party fought against differences, colluded with foreign countries, and his unsubservient heart was clearly exposed, and his crime was unforgivable. , ordered the Criminal Department to work with the Metropolitan Procuratorate to investigate the crimes of Xu Han and his henchmen, and issued an edict to the world to punish him for his crimes. ”

"As for me...... was supposed to be subdued, but when he was deceived and used by others for a while, he was punished to stay in the prince's palace forever and not be allowed to participate in court politics for life! ”

The emperor broke the capital crime of Xu Han and his party, but only imprisoned Su Bi. There is a stark contrast between a heavy sentence and a light sentence. However, if the emperor can admit in public that he "does not investigate", Su Yan can be regarded as capable.

The ministers stood up to receive the order, and then the ceremony of worshipping the heavens began. Because the old emperor was unwell, the original complicated ritual of worshiping the sky was simplified, and in the sound of drums, the old emperor burned incense to the sky and toasted, killed chickens and sheep, told the heavens and the earth, and read the proclamation of the heavens. The ceremony, which might not have ended in two or three hours, was only about to end in just over half an hour.

Just when everyone thought that today's ceremony and judgment meeting had finally come to an end, the emperor ordered the eunuch to read the holy decree in public and confer the title of king.

The old emperor has succeeded for more than 20 years, and it is the first time that he has divided his son into a prince, and the responsibility of the vassal king is to defend the territory and the land, which is a major event of a dynasty.

The fourth prince Su Ren was named the king of Jin, the fifth prince Su was also named the king of Yi, and the seventh prince Su Zhe was named the king of Chu.

Originally, several princes who thought that they would have a chance to take advantage of the fall of the third prince were disappointed, but at this time, Su Yan was obviously a little excited, and the whole person was crying and laughing, and his expression was extremely weird.

Immediately, there was a second holy decree, announcing that the princes and princesses would stay in Chang'an temporarily, and when they would go to the fiefdom to issue another edict. To put it bluntly, it is a knight, not a vassal.

The sacrificial ceremony dispersed, the old emperor returned to the palace, and the ministers also went home. Liu Yu and Xu Xuanzhu walked together, and on the way, they were also considering the intention of the old emperor's two holy decrees.

The other three princes were expected to be crowned kings a long time ago, and there was no fuss, and Su Yan's title was obviously added by the emperor because of his "good performance" last night, and I believe that even the fief of "King Yu" was not ready. As for the second decree, it is a manifestation of the old emperor's insecurity. The current emperor's delay in appointing the crown prince shows that the time is not yet ripe. Why is this happening? If the old emperor is the heir of the fourth prince or the fifth prince, it is easy to say, it is directly canonized, Su Ren and Su also have their own henchmen, which is enough to establish the foundation of the prince and stabilize the court, and the failure to canonize the prince just proves that the old emperor wants to pass on the throne to Su Zhe, the seventh prince who has no foundation. Ordering the prince and princess to become knights and not to be vassals is also to make Su Zheke stay with the emperor and continue to cultivate.

Su Zhe is a person who Liu Yu can't even see, he is very scheming, and he knows how to behave in the world, which always makes Liu Yu feel dangerous.

Just thinking about it, Su Yan chased after him with an excited face, and said excitedly: "Master, master, I was canonized as a king, is it because my father asked me what I said well today, so my father named me king?" Seeing that Xu Xuanzhu was still on the side, Su Yan saluted respectfully and said, "Say hello to the master." ”

Xu Xuanzhu smiled slightly and said, "Why is Lord Yu so polite? ”

Liu Yu glanced at Su Yan, feeling that he couldn't use his strength, he always felt that he had taught him a lot, and this kid always didn't grow at all.

"If it weren't for your meritorious escort yesterday, the emperor would have given you the title of king? I don't know if what I said before is not the right time, fortunately the emperor is in a good mood, otherwise those words will kill you kid! ”