"That's the only way." The emperor nodded solemnly: "Then select ten young heroes with excellent character and morality in our Dahua territory, and report them to Princess Goryeo. She will choose by herself, and I will bestow fame and fortune. What does Master Gu think?!"
This method is appropriate, Gu Shunzhang had no objection, nodded with a smile, and the marriage was decided. After giving up such a good opportunity, all the adults in the palace felt sorry for Lin San. Some of them knew about his relationship with the princess, but secretly praised him for his wisdom. Princess Gaoli and Princess Dahua are more important than others. correct.
Rejecting a woman for no reason, I feel somewhat disappointed, but thinking of the true love between Qingxuan and Xian'er, Lin Wanrong lives a lot better.
When everyone calmed down, the old emperor swept his eyes and said in a trembling and heavy voice, "The reason why I summoned all the ministers for a court meeting today is because a huge incident happened in my court—"
This sound rang out in everyone's ears like thunder, and there was no sound in the courtroom. At this sensitive and restless moment, all the adults looked solemn, and they didn't even dare to cough.
The emperor sighed, his eyes were like lightning, and he shot at Chen Biqing tremblingly: "Chen Aiqing, you are the supervisory censor, and this case is being investigated by you and Lin San. What happened? Come quickly."
Chen Yushi's face was pale, and he vaguely understood why the emperor sent him to investigate the case with Lin San.
"Reporting to the emperor, my lords, I have been dispatched by the emperor to cooperate with Lord Lin Sanlin to investigate the case of the fire in the palace and the disappearance of Prince Cheng." Chen Biqing clasped his fists, his forehead was beaded with sweat, and his voice was trembling: "Master Lin is talented. Clever, when searching the palace, I found an underground secret palace in the lake in the backyard!"
Although it was early spring, Mr. Chen's back was soaked with sweat. This incident involved unprecedented scale. If he was not careful, countless heads would fall to the ground. He weighed his words carefully, not daring to say a single word indiscriminately.
"Secret palace? What kind of secret palace?" The emperor's eyes flashed sharply, and his face was serious: "Chen Aiqing, what's in it? Tell me quickly."
Everyone's eyes were on Chen Yushi, one could imagine the great pressure, Chen Biqing couldn't care less, knelt down hastily, and shouted in fear: "I dare not say anything."
The emperor sneered a few times: "You are the supervisory censor, what else are you afraid to say? Just tell the truth, and I will forgive you for your innocence."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Chen Biqing was sweating coldly, knelt on the ground and did not dare to get up: "This secret palace is buried deep under the lake, and there is an inscription at the entrance, named Dragon Palace. The terrain is similar to my Dahua Palace, and the names of the palaces are mostly the same The interior is paved with gold bricks and emeralds, jasper and emeralds, a fake gold hall, a pure gold forged dragon chair, an emerald screen, a fake imperial study room, and several side halls. According to statistics, in this Dragon Palace, a total of more than 1,200 pearls, more than 2,000 catties of gold leaves, 500,000 taels of silver, and more than 200 boxes of jade ceramics, calligraphy and painting antiques were found—”
"Bold!" The old emperor looked gloomy, and under the fire, he flicked the pen, ink, paper and inkstone in front of the case, and the jade platform on the table fell to the ground with a clatter. The white and crystal-clear jade shattered into pieces in an instant, splashing and shooting around.
"Please appease your majesty!" Chen Biqing kowtowed like garlic, with no blood on his face.
All the ministers hurriedly knelt down on the ground, and shouted in unison in fear: "Your Majesty, stop the fire! Please, Your Majesty, take the country as the most important thing, and take care of the dragon's body!"
Lin Wanrong was disabled, so naturally he didn't need to kneel down. The old man's face was gloomy like a dark cloud in the sky. Even Lin Wanrong couldn't tell whether he was really angry or just acting.
The emperor snorted, and didn't tell everyone to calm down. He said with a gloomy face, "Chen Aiqing, are you telling the truth? These are really found in Brother Wang's mansion?!"
Chen Biqing hurriedly kowtowed: "How dare a humble official deceive the emperor? The Dragon Palace that was dug up is still in the backyard of the palace, and Master Lin can testify."
"So, it's all true?" The emperor shook his head in pain, and sat back on the dragon chair.
If Lin San reported this matter, everyone would more or less hold some reservations, but this time it was the censor Chen Biqing who saw it with his own eyes, and Lin San didn't say a word by the side. Then this matter is a certainty and ran away. Looking at the face of the Holy Majesty who was sometimes flushed and sometimes pale, no one dared to talk anymore.
"Let's get flat!" The emperor was silent for a long time, and waved his hands wearily.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" All the ministers stood up cautiously, with light movements, not daring to make a sound from the corners of their clothes, for fear of disturbing the enraged Holy Majesty.
The old emperor looked slumped, his face seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, and tears appeared in the corners of his eyes: "It has been more than 20 years since my father passed on to me. Since I ascended the throne, I have obeyed God's will, governed the country and prospered the country, fought against the barbarians in the north, and fought against the barbarians in the south. , It can be said that he is exhausted everywhere, and he never sleeps peacefully. He is not considered ancient and wise, but he thinks he is not a fool. Why does someone want to make things difficult for me, and he is my brother—" He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and sighed weakly: "My dear friends, tell me, why is this?!"
The emperor looked around with tears in his eyes, and all the officials hurriedly retracted their necks, no one dared to answer his words.
The emperor Gu Shunzhang got up slowly, clasped his fists and said: "For the sake of the country, please take care of the dragon's body, don't be too sad. Sincere king disobedience, something has happened, it is useless to talk about it, it must be dealt with as soon as possible, to appease the court. Only by keeping the hearts of the people in the middle can the soldiers in the front have no worries, fight to the death with the Turks, and show off my majestic majesty."
"Thank you, Master Gu, for reminding me, this disciple will remember it." When the emperor teacher came forward, the old man hurriedly wiped away his tears, and his anxious expression gradually calmed down. He sighed, and said to Lin Wanrong, "Lin San, where is Brother Cheng Wang?"
"Your Majesty, I got a report tonight that someone was going to cause trouble in the south of the city. At first I thought it was some short-sighted little thieves, but I didn't pay much attention. But later on, I found that the number of these thieves is increasing. There are 5,000 people, and they are well-equipped and well-trained, and they rushed towards the officers and soldiers in groups, and their momentum was very fierce." Master Lin's face was sincere, and what he said was true: "In this case, for the sake of To maintain law and order in the capital, the brothers of the city defense yamen fought back vigorously, not only defeated the invading enemy, but also made an unexpected discovery—"
The emperor snorted, "What unexpected discovery?"
"It's really surprising—I found the figure of Prince Cheng among those people. Suspecting that the prince might be kidnapped by thieves, my city defense officers and soldiers desperately rescued them, sacrificing five hundred brothers. mutants—"
This kid is born to play tricks, a matter that everyone fears and respects at a distance, he is like a storyteller, he insists on making ups and downs, and when it comes to the critical moment, he swallows half of it in his stomach. angry. Gu Shunzhang frowned and said, "Lin San, Your Majesty has a lot to deal with every day, so you pick something important and talk about it, don't play charades."
"Yes, yes, I know I'm wrong." This old man Gu is unfathomable, and Lin Wanrong didn't dare to underestimate him, so he hurriedly laughed and continued: "Seeing that we were about to rescue the prince, Cheng Yaojin suddenly appeared on the way— Suddenly a person sprang out from behind the prince. He was five feet tall, with a waist circumference of one foot, and a black beard and thick eyebrows. He hijacked the prince, and kept saying something we couldn't understand—" At this point, he stopped talking and glanced at the emperor.
The old man lowered his eyelids, and said calmly: "What don't you understand - if you play some charades, I will make you unable to even sit in a wheelchair!"
Lin Wanrong laughed twice: "Then Zhao Wu said—'My lord, you can't. A soldier can be killed, but not humiliated. With your noble blood, how can you surrender on your knees? Zhao Wu is not talented, and I am willing to accompany you to the disaster !Qi Yue, you bastard, why did you want to trap the lord? Lord, everyone can surrender, but you can't!'—Oh, what do these words mean, I really don't understand! "
Everyone looked at each other in dismay, this general was clearly trying to persuade King Cheng not to surrender to the army, how could you not understand? Everyone knew what he was talking about, and everyone knew that he was lying, but at this moment, no one would dare to expose him.
"Then what happened then?!" Gu Shunzhang asked. On this golden palace, apart from the emperor, he is the only one who has the right to speak.
"Because the prince was hijacked, we didn't dare to act rashly. Unexpectedly, the general named Zhao Wu seemed to be insane, and ignited the gunpowder on his body. At the critical moment, it was one of the prince's counselors named Qi Yue who loyally protected the lord." , the lord was spared the catastrophe, it was only his legs—"
"What happened to Brother Wang's leg?!" The emperor stood up in horror and asked anxiously, the concern on his face was clearly visible.
Lin Wanrong shook his head and sighed: "Water and fire are ruthless. When the gunpowder was ignited, the prince's legs were blown up from knee to knee—"
"Brother Wang—" The Holy Majesty let out a sad cry, his body trembled continuously under the excitement, and he was about to fall, but fortunately Gao Ping beside him rushed to protect him: "My Majesty, I mourn you, the dragon's body is the most important thing!"
King Cheng committed such a great crime, yet the emperor still cared about him so much. All the adults in the hall were secretly moved by this benevolence. Lin Wanrong's sharp eyes, the corners of the old man's eyes glistening with tears, quickly wiped away a trace of viciousness and pleasure, although it was gone in the blink of an eye, it was falling into the eyes of a caring person like him.
"Brother Wang—" The old sage, with tears rolling down his face, held Gao Ping's hand and struggled to get up: "Lin San, where is Brother Wang now, I want to see him! The imperial doctor, send the imperial doctor quickly, he must heal Brother Wang's leg-"
The emperor treated King Cheng with the utmost benevolence and righteousness. All the officials felt sorry for him, but Lin Wanrong knew the best. He said lightly: "Your Majesty, the imperial doctor is treating the prince."
"Okay, I'm going to see him right now—" The emperor didn't even care about the ongoing discussion, he didn't even call out to retreat, and went out, but was stopped by Gu Shunzhang with his fists in his arms. The emperor's teacher looked calm: "Your Majesty, according to the facts that Chen Yushi just described, it is not appropriate for you to see King Cheng now."
"Master Gu, why is this? Could it be that I can't even see my own brothers?" Although the emperor lost his posture, he didn't dare to be rude to Master Gu.
Gu Shunzhang nodded slightly: "The emperor is a wise emperor through the ages, and the principle of first monarch and ministers and then brothers must be very clear."
"Master first, brother second?" The emperor muttered to himself, "Master Gu, what do you mean, you want me to punish brother Wang first, and then renew brotherhood with him?"
Master Gu looked serious and meticulous: "Your Majesty, this is not what I mean by my ministers, but my Dahua's king's law. As the saying goes, a prince breaks the law and commits the same crime as the common people. If King Cheng really has evil intentions and conspiracy, let him not be punished." Crime, where is the king's law and justice, and how does the emperor face the people of the world?!"
This is strange, Gu Bingyan and King Cheng are grasshoppers on the same rope, but Mr. Gu encourages the emperor to punish King Cheng for his crimes. Isn't he afraid of cutting off his precious son as well? Lin Wanrong was puzzled.
After the emperor's master gave such a warning, the emperor also calmed down. He closed his eyes, clasped his hands behind his back, and remained silent for a long time. Who would dare to pick up this topic? The adults hurriedly withdrew their heads, fearing that they would be hit by the emperor.
"Xu Wei, tell me!" No one dared to come up with an idea, and the emperor was a little annoyed. He pointed to Xu Wenchang, who was in the first column on the right, and called his name.
With the emperor's teacher present tonight, except for a wink with Lin Wanrong at the beginning, Xu Wei basically didn't make a sound. Seeing that the sage had hit him, Lao Xu stepped out, clasped his fists and said: "Your Majesty, the prince broke the law and committed the same crime as the common people. Just now the words of the emperor's teacher are the foundation of governing the country, and the veterans agree."
If the crime of treason is dealt with in the same way as common people, then the only thing to die is, Xu Wei's words are concise and to the point, but the weight is more than a thousand weights. He has been fighting with King Cheng for many years, and everyone knows the grievances and grievances between them. They are not surprised to see that he advocates strict punishment.
The emperor snorted and said angrily: "Brother Wang is my own brother, just like my hands and feet. How can a person cut off his own hands and feet in this life? Yu Wenzheng, tell me."
The man named Yu Wenzheng was the Wenhua Pavilion scholar who had just recommended Lin San to marry him. His flattering skills were admired by Master Lin very much. Seeing him standing behind Chen Biqing, his status should not be low.
"My minister believes that the emperor has a broad heart, benevolence and kindness, and the wisdom contained in his chest is beyond our courtiers' guess. As long as it is the emperor's idea, it must be wise. We only need to deeply comprehend it and observe it carefully. After studying for a lifetime, it's hard to understand what's going on." Yu Wenzheng looked serious, and his voice was so loud that Lin Wanrong's eardrums buzzed.
The emperor nodded and smiled: "Yu Aiqing, just say what you think, I won't blame you."
"Yes. I believe that the emperor will deal with the crimes committed by the prince. It is righteousness to kill relatives. To set an example for the people of the world, the people will definitely love the emperor more. It is the so-called monarch and ministers who are of the same mind, and great things can be achieved. If you are punished lightly, then It is also the emperor's benevolence and deep love, touching people with virtue, and enlightening the people, which can be called the appearance of the world. The people are grateful for the emperor's kindness, and they must restrain themselves. My great glory is flourishing, and it is just around the corner."
Brother Yu talked about it for a long time, and flattered a lot, but he didn't say anything. There are talented people from generation to generation in the country. Hearing what brother Yu said, Mr. Lin feels ashamed.
The emperor named Chen Biqing again. Seeing that the emperor seemed unwilling to punish King Cheng severely, Chen Yushi thought about it for a while, and then said cautiously: "For the crime of King Cheng, even beheading is not an exaggeration. Only my emperor has a kind heart and treats brothers well." , I don’t want to kill each other, I am grateful, but this serious crime must be punished. I thought about it, and found a workaround. Since the prince’s legs are disabled and he is a useless person, it is better to remove his title. Send him to the frontier, have his words and deeds monitored by sergeants, and make him never return to Beijing, and die in a remote place. This action not only punishes his crimes, but also demonstrates the emperor's benevolent heart, which is admired by all people in the world. Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds. "
"I object!" Xu Wei said anxiously: "Master Chen is appeasing and conniving! King Cheng has treason in his heart and is angry with others. If he is not severely punished, how will he be accountable to all people in the world."
"My lord Xu, killing people is not the punishment. Removing titles and assigning them to the frontier is also a great punishment. Implementing a benevolent government for a disabled person can better reflect my emperor's brilliance, martial arts, and virtue."
The two faced each other tit for tat in the court hall. You came and went, and it seemed that there was going to be a quarrel. The emperor slapped Longting angrily: "Enough! You two don't talk anymore."
Xu Wei and Chen Biqing hastily silenced and dared not speak again. The emperor snorted, and said slowly: "I know the hearts of all you gentlemen, and I know that you are all thinking of me, Dahua. Brother Cheng Wang is my own brother, and the royal line, only me and him are left , how can I do this again? When the late emperor was alive, I swore an oath that in this life, I will never kill my brothers. You can forget it, but I will never forget it. I will never do that kind of brotherhood. What a cruel thing! According to Chen Aiqing's words, the title of brother Wang was stripped, and he was dispatched to the remote areas of northern Sichuan, under the supervision of the garrison on the spot, and he was not allowed to return to Beijing for life."
Xu Wei was still waiting to speak, the emperor gave him an angry look, and old Xu was completely dumbfounded.
What is distribution to the frontier? Isn't this going back to the mountain? Is the old man crazy? ! Lin Wanrong was so anxious that she almost jumped up!
"Master Gu, do you think it's okay for me to deal with you like this?!" The emperor looked eagerly at Gu Shunzhang, obviously seeking his support.
"Very good, very good!" Gu Shunzhang nodded approvingly to the emperor. There was an indescribable mystery in his smile: "The emperor strategizes and handles it appropriately, which is the real emperor's demeanor!"