Li Longji stared at Jing Zhong, his expression changed and changed.

After Jing Zhong finished speaking, he raised his eyes and looked straight at Li Longji, his eyes were deep, and he didn't dodge.

For a moment, the only sound of the wind blowing through the treetops could be heard in the courtyard. Whether it was King Ning, Princess Yuzhen, or Han Si, after seeing Lu Yunniang's body, they all set their eyes on Li Longji.

After being silent for a long time, Li Longji finally spoke: "I see...... I didn't expect Lu Yunniang to be this kind of person, and I have mistakenly believed her for many years. ”

His voice was slightly hoarse, but his tone remained calm, allowing no questioning.

Even the sound of the branches in the courtyard was silenced.

King Ning's eyes flickered and he didn't speak, while Princess Yuzhen's eyes widened:

"Third brother, do you believe this kind of thing? What kind of person is Yun Niang, don't you know? This is just his side of the story, there are no witnesses, no evidence, how can it be sure that it is true? ”

The purple-red mark on Lu Yunniang's snow-white neck, in broad daylight, stabbed Princess Yuzhen's eyes sore and painful. Seeing that Li Longji was unmoved, she was extremely unwilling, but when she was about to say something, her wrist was tightly held by King Ning.

"Big brother! Why don't you ......" She turned her head to look, only to see King Ning shaking his head.

Li Longji continued: "Since it was manslaughter, and Lu Yunniang is ...... If you should be killed, I will spare you the death penalty. But Datang has a law, and you can't escape the crime, so you ......"

Just when Li Longji was about to make a final decision, he suddenly heard a slight sentence from behind him:

"Wait."

Li Longji suddenly pursed his thin lips and couldn't say any more.

As if he had known Li Longji's decision for a long time, Jing Zhong had always been not afraid or disliked, and it was only then that he unexpectedly raised his eyebrows and lips: "Master, are you awake?" ”

Everyone in the courtyard turned their heads one after another, and saw that Xiao Jiangyuan had gotten up at some point, and was standing by the door. She wore her long hair, her face was bloodless, and she wore only obscene clothes and trousers, and she looked thinner than a fallen leaf in the autumn wind.

Her forehead was covered with sweat, but she didn't need to put on clothes, but she had been lying down for many days, which was really untenable. Fortunately, Princess Yuzhen took a mat for her and helped her sit down, so that she could finish speaking: "Jingzhong, although I have been asleep, I can hear every word you say on my side." ”

She also heard Lu Yunniang's voice and sensed that Lu Yunniang might be in danger, so she strongly touched her mind and finally woke up.

Jing Zhongben still looked at Xiao Jiangyuan worriedly, his face turned blue when he heard this, and the joy in his heart was instantly replaced by a complex emotion, which included uneasiness, ridicule, anger, and unbelievable pain.

Those present are all smart people, who know the meaning of the song when they hear it, and even if they understand the merits of it.

Princess Yuzhen didn't have the calmness and calmness of outsiders at all, if she didn't have to take care of Xiao Jiangyuan, she was afraid that she would have rushed up and stabbed Jing Zhong: "I knew that it was you eunuch who was a stubborn slave, and it wasn't enough to kill Yun Niang, but you still wanted to slander and insult her?" Now that Ah Yuan is a witness, what else do you have to say? ”

Jing Zhong ignored others, and only stared at Xiao Jiangyuan with a burning gaze: "Master...... You don't want me anymore? ”

But seeing that the master didn't look at him again, but bowed directly to Li Longji and said:

"The ministers and disciples are not strict, so that one day, he will commit the two major crimes of bullying the king and murder, and I hope that everyone will condemn the ministers and other masters and apprentices together."

Ever since Xiao Jiangyuan arrived at the door, Li Longji has been looking at her. He knew that she saw his eyes, and he clearly sensed his humility and despair, but she still chose to refuse, and even destroyed his last hope with her own hands.

He was still unwilling: "You don't have anything else to say to me?" ”

I heard Xiao Jiangyuan's voice as firm as a rock: "What should be said, the minister has already finished speaking." Now, the minister has nothing to say. ”

“…… Do you have to hurt me so far? ”

“…… The sin deserves death. ”

The little light in Li Longji's eyes was completely dim and discouraged: "Bring the fire." ”

Han Si was the only one present, and although he didn't know why, he immediately found a brazier and put it at Li Longji's feet.

Li Longji took out a pair of entangled ink-colored hats from the placket of his clothes. He tried to tear them apart, but found that the harder he pushed, the tighter the knots became. He tugged at the corners of his mouth with some self-deprecation, and finally raised his hand and threw the pair into the brazier without hesitation.

When the flames were strong and waned, and the ink color turned into gray and black embers, he chuckled and sighed: "As you wish—from now on, you and I...... It's just a monarch. ”

Xiao Jiangyuan was silent for a moment: "Minister, thank you Lord Longen." ”

Seeing that Li Longji was about to leave after speaking, Princess Yuzhen hurriedly said: "Third brother, what about today ......?"

"General Xiao, a fine of one year; Jing Zhong ...... Remove all official positions, a hundred rods, and fight in this courtyard, no matter whether you live or die after the fight, I don't want to see him in Xingqing Palace again. Li Longji just took two steps and said, "Brother Lao is overwhelmed." ”

King Ning wanted to keep up with Li Longji, but when he heard him say this, he handed him over: "The minister's decree." ”

Lu Yunniang's funeral was arranged in an orderly manner in the hands of Princess Yuzhen - she refused to let the weak Xiao Jiangyuan interfere, and forced Xiao Jiangyuan to lie back on the couch to rest, and she was not even allowed to watch the execution.

Seeing that Jingzhong was still silent, she was surprised: "I really can't imagine that this is still a tough guy." ”

King Ning and Princess Yuzhen were standing under the eaves outside the bedroom, and when they heard their sister say this, he didn't deny it.

The door to the bedroom had been closed when Princess Yuzhen came out. Although Xiao Jiangyuan closed her eyes, she did not fall asleep, she could still hear the dull sound of hitting the flesh and bone outside the house, and she could also hear Princess Yuzhen taunting:

"He is a bully and a murderer, and he didn't let the third brother die directly, but fortunately, a hundred rods can kill people - give me a heavy beating!"

King Ning sighed heavily: "It's better to be lighter." ”

Princess Yuzhen looked puzzled: "Why?" ”

King Ning looked fixedly at Jing Zhong's stubborn appearance of gritting his teeth and enduring, and did not reply until the end of the hundred rods.

Hearing that Jing Zhong was just fainting, but he still had a breath, Princess Yuzhen said angrily: "It's a big life...... What's next? ”

"Let General Xiao deal with it himself." King Ning said and looked at Han Si, "Doctor Han, heal from your work." ”

"What? Big brother, you don't let him fend for himself, but also let Doctor Han treat him? Seeing that Han Si didn't refuse, Princess Yuzhen was even more surprised, "He killed Yun Niang, you still want to save him?" ”

Although Han Si also had some hesitation and embarrassment in his eyes, he still said firmly in the end: "The grass people are doctors, and there is no cure for them. ”

"You ......"

King Ning pressed his sister's shoulder comfortably, and only the two brothers and sisters were left in the courtyard before he whispered, "San Lang intends to spare this person's life." ”

"Why?"

"Do you think that only you can hear that what Jingzhong said is not the truth?"

"Is it possible...... The third brother knew that Jingzhong was lying, but he still wanted to ...... Does the third brother have a grudge against Yun Niang? How can Jing Zhong let the third brother maintain it so far? ”

"What Saburo is defending is not Jingzhong, but Jingzhong's confession."

“…… Can you tell me what the hell is going on? ”

Princess Yuzhen had already seen and heard so much, and there was no need to hide it, so King Ning briefly told her about the entanglement between Xiao Jiangyuan and Li Longji over the years. After understanding the cause and effect, Princess Yuzhen didn't know what else to say for a while.

She faded away from her anger and felt helpless and sad.

Jing Zhong said that on purpose, he gambled, and he gambled that Saburo hoped that what he said was true, and he won the bet. In this way, San Lang can blame everything on Yun Niang, and at the same time lie to himself, Ah Yuan was confused for a while because of the persuasion of people close to him, Ah Yuan may have been with him, and all this was destroyed by Yun Niang - this is the last chance he gave himself and Ah Yuan, but unfortunately fortunately, Ah Yuan may cherish it, but he did not accept it. After a pause, King Ning said again, "As for Jingzhong's life, it's just that San Lang doesn't want to owe him anything." ”

"I didn't expect that the third brother could also be trapped by love, and he was very affectionate." Princess Yuzhen sighed, "I can't imagine that Ah Yuan turned out to be such a person. ”

King Ning asked, "Do you think Ah Yuan did something wrong?" ”

Princess Yuzhen shook her head: "There is nothing wrong with what she has done. Who says a woman has to keep a child? Could it be that you men are the only ones who have lost their children, and she is not sad at all? And who forced her to do this? Although the third brother is pitiful, he can be regarded as self-inflicted. Why do you have to marry her, just to give the child a name? He just deceived Ah Yuan and himself, I don't believe it. ”

Seeing that the eldest brother looked thoughtful, Princess Yuzhen also found that her statement was too unusual, and she was afraid that it would not be understood by the world, so she said: "As a woman, I can't understand this matter from the perspective of your men, and you men are the same." So it's normal for you and my brother and sister to have different opinions, you don't have to find a way to convince me, and I don't plan to convince you, just seek common ground while reserving differences. ”

King Ning shook his head, and his tone was extremely gentle: "I understand her, and I understand you." ”

As if encouraged, Princess Yuzhen poured out her mind: "But the third brother doesn't understand, so although he treats Ah Yuan specially, he still thinks that Ah Yuan should be like other women in this world, and he will always embark on the road of getting married and having children in this life, but who stipulates that a woman must marry and have children in this life?" It's good for me to be a female Taoist, why can't she be a eunuch? What's more, although the third brother and Ah Yuan love each other, in my opinion, they are not so suitable to be together...... If you are too reluctant and end up as a resentful couple, wouldn't it be even more irreparable? How good is the righteousness of the monarch and the minister, with Ayuan's stubbornness and stubbornness, he will never change his mind for the rest of his life. ”

As soon as she finished speaking, Princess Yuzhen noticed that King Ning's face was a little pale, and hurriedly stepped forward to support him: "Big brother, what's wrong with you?" ”

"It's okay, I've been feeling dizzy lately."

Princess Yuzhen hurriedly kicked the door open, helped King Ning into the room, and let him sit down peacefully: "Big brother is old, it is time to take good care of himself." ”

Seeing that King Ning came to his senses after resting for a while, Princess Yuzhen was a little relieved: "Big brother, how do you say they can live in the future, will Ah Yuan not even be able to keep his career because of this?" ”

The swan song of the Tang Dynasty