When Xue Rengui came to Li Zhi's study under the leadership of the eunuch, he saw that besides him, there was another person in the study. It seemed that the eunuch who was going to be the prisoner was complaining: "Your Majesty, it's not that I haven't done anything, it's... His Highness the Crown Prince. Now... Well, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has drawn up the plans for the renovation of the East Palace. As a result, the original repair costs are no longer enough, which makes me very embarrassed. "
The general is in charge of the royal palace buildings, the production of gold and jade jewelry, emerald agate, etc., as well as the production of silk and satin, as well as the production of various royal special utensils.
With the rapid development of Taiyi City in recent years, the supervisor brought many skilled craftsmen from Taiyi City, and as a result, he owed His Highness the Crown Prince one favor after another.
Now, His Majesty the Emperor only asked him to be responsible for repairing the Qiyun Palace of the Hebi Palace that was bombed in Luoyang Palace, and did not ask him to be responsible for repairing the bombed buildings of the East Palace. However, His Highness the Crown Prince knew about this matter somehow.
On the same day, he sent someone to bring him the drawings for the renovation of the East Palace. After reading the drawings and the specified materials, the supervisor almost fainted on the spot.
This is to repair the East Palace. This is obviously asking him to demolish the East Palace and rebuild it again. The money given by His Majesty is only enough to repair the damaged Qiyun Palace in its original appearance.
After telling His Royal Highness these difficulties, what I didn't expect was His Royal Highness's ridicule: "Don't come here, who doesn't know that your prison guards are all gold, silver, jewelry, and emerald agate. It is said that you entered the warehouse where the prison guards were kept." I have to cover my eyes all the time for fear of being blinded by the jewelry.”
Faced with such unwarranted corrections, it was difficult for the general to defend himself. Even if he had a large amount of jewels and jade, they were not money, and he did not dare to exchange them for money to help him repair the East Palace.
If he dares to help, after today's order, he probably won't be able to wait until tomorrow. It's a bit exaggerated to say that he will be killed, but he will not be able to escape if he is imprisoned in Dali Temple.
Therefore, after thinking hard for several days and his hair turning mostly gray, the general supervisor finally mustered up the courage to ask His Majesty the Emperor to decide on this matter.
As for His Highness the Crown Prince's favors and personal retaliation in the future, alas... We are human subjects. We must retaliate against His Highness the Crown Prince's anger, so just bear with it.
There are two eunuchs in charge of the general, both of whom are from the third grade. The other eunuch is now in Wu Mei's Zhenguan Hall. He has the same expression as the eunuch who reported to Li Zhi, with a grimace as if he was constipated. expression.
Wu Mei felt resentful after hearing this. The unfilial son was cheating on His Majesty. Listening to this, if His Majesty had not set off the Kongming Lantern privately, this matter would not have happened. Since it was His Majesty who ordered the Kongming Lantern to be blown up. If some buildings of the East Palace and the Imperial Palace were destroyed, then the general supervisor responsible for the construction of the Imperial Palace should bear the funds.
Wang Lou, who was sent to find Li Hong, came back alone. There was no figure that Wu Mei was familiar with behind him. Looking at Wang Lou's expression, he knew without asking that someone must have run out of the palace again. Wang Lou pounced. Empty.
In the prison of the Criminal Department, Li Hongshi walked in calmly. In the dark cell, the oil lamp was like a will-o'-the-wisp, but fortunately, the smell here was not a foul smell, although the ventilation conditions were quite poor. , but overall it’s pretty good.
What's more, this is a place specially used to detain high-ranking officials. Dry and smell-free prison cells are the highest-level conditions. No matter who is imprisoned here, there is nothing to say about the environment here.
There are independent wooden cell doors on both sides of the narrow passage, and the walls formed by wooden piles allow a clear view of the scene inside the cell. The jailer in charge of the prison followed diligently behind Li Hong. This is the top leader of the Ministry of Punishments. He is a prince, and he is still a prince. Needless to say, when he came here, he naturally wanted to question Shangguan Yi and Ren Yaxiang.
Speaking of which, the two of them were in their prime and did not want to be implicated because of this incident. I am afraid that their future career would be in vain.
Fortunately, because after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was injured, the Queen did not chop off their heads in a rage, which was already extremely merciful.
While leading the way for Li Hong, the jailer was thinking about the future fate of these two senior officials after they were sent to prison.
Especially Shangguan Yi, what a pity. It is said that his granddaughter Shangguan Wan'er is just seven or eight years old, but she is already well-known in Chang'an City as a smart woman. She can write poetry and draw, but she has always been Shangguan. Yi's pet peeve now seems to be separated from yin and yang.
The jailer quickly walked to the door of Shangguan Yi and Ren Yaxiang's cell, and opened the cell door before Li Hong could speak.
Shangguan Yi and Ren Yaxiang actually lived across from each other. They didn't hear any conversation between them during this walk. At this time, when they heard the cell door being opened, they both slowly opened their eyes. When they saw it, His Royal Highness stood at the door with a smile, and immediately stood up from his sleeping position.
"Your Highness, Shangguan Yi and Ren Yaxiang, have met." They stood up at the same time and saluted Li Hong.
"Are you living a good life? I thought you two would complain and complain in prison, but I didn't expect you two to be very calm and not embarrassed at all." Li Hong looked at the clean and tidy clothes of the two of them. Although they had been imprisoned for many days , but their appearance still looks clean and tidy.
"Your Highness is joking. I brought it upon myself and deserve to be thrown into prison. I don't blame the Queen." Shangguan Yi said with a calm smile.
"What you said is correct, but Ren Yaxiang was implicated by you. He had nothing to do with Ren Yaxiang in the first place. It was just because you gave His Majesty the Kongming Lantern privately that he caused such a big trouble." Li Hong said half-jokingly.
After finishing speaking, he waved to the two of them and motioned them to come out, talking as they walked.
The jailer stood aside and saw that His Highness the Prince was about to release the two men from prison. He was at a loss and wanted to stop them but did not dare, so he had to follow them out.
"What His Highness said is absolutely true. Lord Shangguan has also said these days that after Your Majesty and the Queen show mercy and let us out, he will invite me to go to Luoshui Flower House to drink and apologize." Ren Yaxiang's voice was still loud and powerful. , completely unlike a person who had just been released from prison.
"Actually, I feel very guilty. Your Highness is the one I'm most sorry for what happened that day. If I hadn't acted on my own initiative, I wouldn't have caused your Highness to be so seriously injured. To be honest, all this is my fault. Ah." Shangguan Yi was personable, elegant and gentle, and said with a deep remorseful tone.
"Yes, I and Your Majesty Shangguan have been thinking in this prison these days. If I could have informed Your Majesty in advance that day, perhaps all this would not have happened. I and Your Majesty Shangguan are ashamed of Your Highness. Please punish me and Shangguan." "My lord." Ren Yaxiang and Guan Yi stood at the door of the prison with a smile and saluted.
Li Hong turned around and glanced at the two of them, and said calmly: "What? I came to invite you two personally, but I can't even invite you two? Or do you need your majesty and the queen to personally invite you two out of this cell?"
"Your Highness, you have misunderstood. I and Lord Ren are deeply guilty of causing your Highness to be so seriously injured. When I think about it... ugh... I feel guilty." Shangguan Yi said sincerely, blaming himself.
Li Hong said nonchalantly: "Okay, if you really feel sorry for me, you should take care of the Chongwen Hall for me. This is enough to repay me. As for you, Mr. Ren, the Ministry of War now also Without you, Xue Rengui and Quan Yi came back from Anxi and reported to the Minister of War, but no one could be found. Should they come to find you in prison? "
The two looked at each other and secretly discussed in prison. If His Highness recovers from his injuries, how will he treat them both? Should he be questioned or should he be sentenced to death directly
The two of them thought about it, and although they knew in their hearts that His Highness the Crown Prince seemed to be vengeful on the surface, but was actually always a tolerant person, they did not expect that His Highness the Crown Prince would personally release them from prison without any further investigation.
Hearing Li Hong's words at this time, I was suddenly moved. Because of their own actions, His Highness the Crown Prince was so seriously injured, especially when the powerful Queen was thrown into prison that day. He even thought about passing away soon. Mentally prepared.
Now they were released magnanimously by His Highness the Crown Prince. Even if their hearts were made of stone, the two of them were deeply moved at this time.
"I would like to thank Your Highness for not killing me!" Shangguan Yi and Ren Yaxiang said, bowing their heads and kneeling in salute according to the courtesy of the guilty ministers in the court.
"Get up quickly. There are many more people leaning on the stick in the court. Besides, I can't blame you for what happened that day. If you want to blame..." Li Hong looked at the blue sky and pointed with his finger. Suddenly the three of them A knowing smile.
After walking out of the prison gate of the Criminal Department, a carriage stopped on the side of the road. Bai Chun stood beside the carriage and waited. Just now Li Hong asked her to follow him in. The goblin said that he would not go in and even stood at the door. far away.
Li Hong was very curious, and after asking for a long time, Bai Chun finally told the reason. After being detained by Li Hong for only two days, he became scared and vowed never to go in again.
Li Hong curled his lips and said disdainfully that she was a mysophobic, so stop blaming him.
"You two go back by yourselves, take a nice bath, have dinner with your family, or you two inmates celebrate the rest of your life, it's up to you. The carriage is mine, not for you two. It's up to you. Let's walk back." Li Hong said easily as he watched Ren Yaxiang follow Guan Yi.
"Thank you very much, Your Highness. I send you off respectfully."
"I won't send it." Li Hong looked at the jailer at the gate of the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, and said with a smile: "Go and find the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment to issue a document yourself. If you don't want to go, then go to the Shangshu Province to find me after tomorrow's court. I'll go with you."
"I don't dare, I don't dare. I will go to the Ministry of Punishment immediately. Send me off to you." The jailer looked panicked. He was joking. He asked you to accompany him to issue the release documents. Then the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment knows, You can't just put me in jail.
Watching the carriage go away, and then looking at Shangguan Yi and Ren Yaxiang, who were walking side by side, talking and laughing after saying hello to him, the jailer murmured: "It seems that after being imprisoned, they are not representing The official career is over. Looking at Sir Shangguan and Ren, it feels like their official career has just begun."
(End of chapter)