"The ministers are about to go to court." Cai Yan said in a trembling voice, "The fire can't be contained in the paper, as I said, there will always be death."
"Don't you want to let it go?" Lang Junxia raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at Cai Yan's expression, and said seriously, "These days, you have been thinking about letting go, and this is the time to let go."
Cai Yan took a deep breath and was a little hesitant. Lang Junxia said, "Han Bin has been looking for you, what did he agree with you?"
Cai Yan didn't know what kind of agreement Lang Junxia and Duan Ling reached, but now Feng Duo is detained, Donggong is under house arrest, Li Yanqiu is dead, Xie You must have stood on Duan Ling's side, besides believing in Lang Junxia, he has already No choice.
"He asked me to identify him, and the shepherd instructed me to pretend to be the prince." Cai Yan said, "When Duan Ling came back, he asked me to identify the original prince, Duan Ling. He told me privately that he was not Li Jianhong's son. A child you brought back to pretend to be."
Lang Junxia laughed, this was the first time Cai Yan saw him smile, and he said with a smile in his eyes, "I'll teach you a word, as long as you do it, Duan Ling will promise to let you go. Life, let you go back to the north."
At the darkest moment before dawn, before dawn came, outside the Meridian Gate, carriages arrived one after another, and in the dark night of late autumn, a layer of frost formed on the walls outside the Wenying Hall.
This is the place where the former ministers rested and waited. During the second watch, the Northern Army went to the residences of officials in the inner city, informing them that they must come to the court in the morning.
Han Bin controlled the inner city for several days. Jiangzhou was full of wind and rain, and the arrow was on the line, and many officials speculated whether Han Bin wanted to take the opportunity to force the palace and let the prince abdicate. The Empress Dowager approached the court, and the general regent.
But after Xie You retreated to the outer city, he did not move. If he wanted to attack, the officials would become hostages. Now he can only pray to the spirit of the emperors of the past dynasties to bless this stormy court.
Han Bin took all the officials in Jiangzhou, including the children of the gentry, that is, took the lifeline of Da Chen. These days, the civil servants are like chickens with their heads stretched out to be slaughtered, crowded and restless waiting in their cages, scrambling to inquire about the situation around them, daring not to take it lightly.
Even if Mu Kuangda wanted to kill someone, he had to make up charges and take every step; the consequences of a military general's rebellion were very terrifying. Throughout the dynasties, every military attache holding a heavy army once became the emperor. In the city, there will be massacres.
"You said this General Han, shouldn't you..." The Minister of the Ministry of Commerce whispered.
"Shh." Someone immediately interrupted him and said, "The wall has ears, Mr. Lu, it's better to say less."
The civil servants entered the hall one after another, and the situation was the same as before.
"Let's talk when Mr. Su arrives." Someone whispered, "How many people are there? Han Bin would never dare to mess around, even if he doesn't care about this country, he can't care about the name behind him!"
"Hey, everything has been done, why do you care about the name behind you?"
"From my point of view!" One person was extremely angry, "Crazy ministers, thieves, chaos in the court! Civil and military officials, those who fled and those who avoided, couldn't say a word! Fighting for this life?!"
The person who spoke was Zeng Yongnuo, who was Jinshi in the same year as Duan Ling, and the seventh in the temple pilot. Zeng Yongnuo was released for a year and held the post of the imperial envoy of Yangzhou, and then returned to Jiangzhou and entered the imperial citadel. But three days ago, Han Bin entered the imperial city. Zeng Yongnuo's teacher, the former censor, was dragged out of the palace and blamed for 60 years because he angrily accused Han Bin of trying to usurp the throne. After returning home, he died that night.
Now whoever takes the post of censor will be beheaded. Zeng Yongnuo, instead of fleeing, put on his official uniform and started burning incense and bathing in the middle of the night. At this time, he opened his mouth in anger, and the civil servants were reprimanded with shame.
"As long as the green hills are there, I'm not afraid that there will be no firewood to burn." Su Clan's voice came in, and everyone got up and saluted.
"Master Censor." Su Clan said to the young man earlier, "There is no major issue in life except death. You are happy to speak up. Once you die, you will be famous for all ages. What will you do with the rest? Someone will always take care of it."
"Clean up?" Zeng Yongnuo said, "I've been cleaning up since the first day I came to Jiangzhou. What have I cleaned up now? Let's take a look, it's not as good as Zhao Kui's entry into Xichuan in the past! "
"Master Zeng, please calm down."
A voice sounded, and everyone was silent, looking out of the hall.
Duan Ling took off his cloak and said, "You can rest assured that Han Bin won't come to move you in the early morning later."
"Wang Shan!"
When Duan Ling appeared, everyone had expressions of caution on their faces.
"It's embarrassing!" Zeng Yongnuo said, "As a swan in the current dynasty, I actually have..."
Before he finished speaking, Duan Ling raised his hand to stop Zeng Yongnuo, looked around, and said, "Where's Huang Jian?"
"He's in the palace." Qin Xuguang said, "Wang Shan, why are you here? Any news?"
When Duan Ling saw Qin Xuguang, he smiled at him, remembering that the night before he left Beijing to take office, the four of them had talked about the situation in the world at the first booth in the world.
"This is a piece of evidence I brought." Duan Ling took out the test paper that had been solemnly hidden in Wu Du's saber and handed it to Zeng Yongnuo, saying, "This evidence is related to a lot of anger, and I hand it over to you. I might be able to use it later in the morning."
"What is this?" Zeng Yongnuo took the two exam papers, and the ministers gathered around him.
Behind Duan Ling followed Wu Du, who was always on guard, fearing that there would be another burning scroll, he put one hand on the hilt of the sword and kept an eye on every move of the ministers.
"This is the word of the prince." Su Clan replied, "This is..."
"The exam papers that went to Beijing back then." Duan Ling said, "I got two papers from Yuan Ren, one of which was written by the prince today. Look at the seal below, it's called 'Cai Yan'."
The hall was deadly quiet, and Zeng Yongnuo's hand trembled while holding the letter.
"The other copy is the word 'Duan Ling'." Duan Ling said, "Everyone must know what the name Duan Ling means."
When Cai Yan returned back then, he did inform the courtiers that his name in the Duan family was called 'Duanling'. But the words on the test paper did not come from the same person. In other words, from the handwriting, the reigning prince is not 'Duan Ling', the real Duan Ling is someone else.
"This evidence..." Su Clan trembled.
"Now everyone knows it." Duan Ling sat down and said earnestly, "Han Bin will mention this later when he opens the court. How the adults will express their opinions at that time must have a conclusion."
"This..." Zeng Yongnuo's voice trembled. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there were only a few guests in Mu Kuangda, and the news had not yet reached Baiguan's ears. Duan Ling's two test papers really wiped out the courtiers. their hope.
"Da Chen is in danger!" Su Clan burst into tears, his lips trembling. After Duan Ling's observation, he knew that he might still hold the last ray of hope and want to support Cai Yan to resist Han Bin.
But since Cai Yan is fake, everything is over. In the end, Han Bin must be the regent and the empress dowager will come to court.
"What should I do?" Zeng Yongnuo said.
All the ministers were very tired, and the Su Clan said: "If the queen mother gave birth to a prince, Da Chen would not have no successor."
"Even if it's a princess, what does it matter?" Duan Ling said. "The key lies in whether the child in the queen mother's womb came from your majesty. But what if the blood of the Li family can help you become the empress?"
"Take ten thousand steps back." Duan Ling smiled and continued, "The first emperor and His Majesty have paid so much for this country. Now that the Fifth Princess is still there, if you invite her back and govern the country, you may not necessarily defeat the ancestors. Legacy passed down."
Right now, in the distance, the bell rang three times.
"Everyone, you can weigh the pros and cons." Duan Ling took a half step back and said, "It's time to go to court, please."
The Zhengbei Army came in, signaling that the civilians should go out to court.
Duan Ling and Wu Du stood at the end and looked at each other.
"I..." Wu Du hesitated.
"Go." Duan Ling whispered, "Remember to come back, I'll be fine."
Wu Du and Duan Ling looked at each other, and after a long time, he lowered his head, kissed Duan Ling on the head, and turned over from the window at the back of the palace.
The sky was white with fish belly, and the North Army troops stepped forward, escorted Baiguan through the square in front of the hall, climbed the stairs, and entered the main hall to discuss matters.
Duan Ling followed at the end of the team. The North Army only checked whether the people were carrying weapons, but did not check their identities. After all, there were too many officials in the DPRK and China, and the soldiers who moved from the northwest didn’t even know who they were. Duan Ling gave a name casually. , then fooled in the past.
The eunuch banged the gong, cleared his throat, and said loudly: "His Royal Highness is here—the queen mother is here—the general Han is here—the minister is here—"
The ministers looked at each other, the whole hall was silent, but Mu Jin did not come before. A moment later, accompanied by Lang Junxia, Cai Yan walked into the Golden Palace, and when he went up the steps from behind the screen, he stumbled and almost became unsteady. Lang Junxia stretched out his arm in time and firmly supported him.
Han Bin walked into the hall, followed by Mu Kuangda, who was supported by the guards of the North Army, and behind him were Huang Jian and Fei Hongde, and everyone sat down.
"I'm calling you all adults today." Han Bin said, "There is one thing that needs to be announced to the world."
The hall was very quiet. Han Bin glanced at the ministers, and everyone had a clear look, as if they had guessed what Han Bin wanted to say.
"This prince is fake." Han Bin said word by word, loud and clear, "You are all deceived."
As soon as that sentence came out, I thought that the courtiers would talk in a low voice, but no one was moved, but looked up at the prince beside the emperor. Cai Yan took a deep breath, his whole body trembled, he finally waited for this day.
Han Bin said: "In that year, when Okuotai captured Shangjing, the late emperor led an army to help, and the night the city was destroyed, the former 'Duanling' was separated from the one in front of the Imperial Prince's Throne. Under Luohou Mu's arrangement, I changed my face, returned to Xichuan, and pretended to be the crown prince!"
"Don't believe it? Let him speak for himself!" Han Bin gestured to Lang Junxia and Cai Yan in front of the throne.
Although I don't know why Lang Junxia came here, Han Bin has already secured the victory.
For a while, all eyes in the hall were on Cai Yan.
He was still sitting in that position, looking at the ministers, and everyone's eyes were on him.
"I... No." Cai Yan whispered, "I didn't... I didn't!"
"I'm Li Rong!" Cai Yan was furious, and suddenly said, "Han Bin! This is nothing! You are spit! You killed my father! Now, while my fourth uncle is dead, you want to usurp me again. Li Family Emperor!"
Han Bin: "You..."
Han Bin never expected Cai Yan's sudden confession, and was at a loss for a while.
"I am Duan Ling!" Cai Yan said, "All officials in the imperial court have already confirmed this matter, and Minister Mu and General Xie have also confirmed that I am right! Han Bin! What are your intentions? Bring out personal and physical evidence. Come!"
Han Bin sneered and said, "Wuluohou Mu first assassinated the prime minister, and then killed Qian Qi, the only one who could prove your identity, and now he is dead without any evidence. Cai Yan, you confessed last night, but now you have turned your confession, do you think I can't help you? Come here! Call the envoys of the Liao, Yuan, Xiliang and Tuyuhun tribes into the hall!"