The Empress looked at Cen Lijiang in surprise, then suppressed her emotions again, and said solemnly, "Do the Ninth Prince and the Yuan Xiang have an edict from the first emperor?"
Yuan Xiang said with an embarrassed look on his face: "This... the first emperor's oral edict to his ministers on his deathbed, there is no edict."
When the queen asked this, it was because she was confident, and when she heard the words, a malicious smile appeared on her face. Cen Lijiang hurriedly answered: "Yuan Xiang helped Lao Jiu to wrong me like this, isn't it because he is not a minister!"
The important ministers looked at each other in dismay, this was unheard of, even if Yuan Zhi had a high position, and rashly said that he wanted to depose the second prince, without a proper reason, it was always unconvincing.
Empress Shi Shiran took a step forward, deftly skipped Cen Lijiang's side, reached out to stop him what he was going to say next, and just asked lightly, "Even if this palace believes that the original prime minister will not lie, but if there is no valid reason for such a big event, It is really hard to believe that the late emperor would make such a decision."
"Yes, what the Empress said is very true."
Several ministers followed the Queen's words. I don't know if they were originally with the Queen, but they really felt that this statement was reasonable.
When Yuanzhi was asked this, he was at a loss, and he couldn't make up a reason, so he could only hesitate and said, "I... I don't know the reason."
"That's it, maybe it was during the funeral of the late emperor that he was confused and said something that made Yuan Xiang misunderstand. I don't know." The queen said.
As soon as the queen's voice fell, she began to talk about the matter in a low-key manner. Cen Lixuan looked around, but finally his eyes fell on Xue Ziqin. There was a hint in those eyes—it was time for Xue Ziqin to speak, and the testimony of him and Qin Mu was also the most favorable evidence.
Xue Ziqin nodded knowingly, stood up from the queue, and said confidently, "If the second prince killed his brother, wouldn't it be a matter of course?"
These words were like a fireworks exploded in the crowd, and the ministers were in an uproar.
"What did you say?" The Queen's eyes pierced directly at Xue Ziqin, "General Xue has to protect his eyes and talk nonsense!"
"Whether the minister is talking nonsense, the second prince must know very well." He said, and took a few steps forward, completely disregarding the identity of the queen, and looked straight at Cen Lijiang, "The second prince ordered someone to follow him. The eldest prince came to my northern army to kill his brother, and he blamed his father, this matter... General Qin also knows." He said, turning around and looking at Qin Mu.
Qin Mu was originally at the border, but they didn't see each other very much. But Xue Ziqin was sure that Qin Mu would only tell the truth in the current scene. If you want to say which side Qin Mu is on, everyone knows that General Qin has been loyal to the emperor for generations, and he will only be loyal to the emperor alone.
Now that the throne is in the balance, the emperor has no edicts. If you want to say who he helps, there is only Cen Lixuan, who is already in-laws with him.
In addition, this matter is true, Qin Mu has no reason to help the queen with blank vernacular.
"That's true." Qin Mu didn't look at Xue Ziqin, and told the truth to himself, "It was because of the interrogation of the second prince's confidants that day that the first emperor became seriously ill due to anger."
"I've heard for a long time that General Qin is upright, but today he helped Lao Jiu to frame me!" Cen Lijiang stretched out his hand in anger, but he didn't care whether it was good or not, he pointed at Qin Mu and yelled, "General Qin's daughter only told Lao Jiu yesterday. After getting married, naturally I want to help Lao Jiu seize the throne! You guys are making trouble!"
"Brother Huang, is this embarrassed into anger?" Cen Lixuan said with a slight smile.
His equanimity was in stark contrast to Cen Lijiang's eagerness. Seeing that the Second Prince's situation was extremely unfavorable, Wei Yuanting stood up and said, "If there is no conclusive evidence for this matter, it is really hard to believe."
The current situation is a mess, and Cen Lijin has never spoken. Until then, he stood up with a serious expression and said, "But if it's the truth, it's hard to forgive the second emperor's murder."
At this moment, Wei Yuanting and Cen Lijin looked at each other, and when it was hard to tell the difference, Wei Lin suddenly stood up and said in a frivolous tone: "If you want evidence, are you still in the prison?"
After he said this, Cen Lijiang's expression became terrifyingly distorted, and his lips were shaking slightly. Wei Lin seemed to be unaware, and continued: "Do I need a minister to invite witnesses? Oh, yes, there are also confessions, which should be in the Anshang Hall."
"Wei Lin! What are you talking about?!" Wei Yuanting scolded angrily.
But Wei Lin didn't care, and didn't even look back to see Wei Yuanting's expression. He didn't want to be the Wei family from the beginning, so now he's against the water, and there's nothing he can't fight. He said lightly, "Father, forgive me, I just like to tell the truth."
Before Wei Lin could finish his words, Cen Lijiang obviously couldn't stand the excitement, so he took out a long knife from the guard standing beside him, pointed at Wei Lin and was about to slash it. When the incident happened suddenly, the guard who had the sword stolen didn't know what was going on, and looked blankly at the second prince coming straight towards Wei Lin.
"I'll kill you, you bastard!" He said, the knife was already in front of Wei Lin.
None of the people in the hall could have predicted that Cen Lijiang would kill him in front of the emperor's spiritual throne. Wei Lin's reaction was also extremely fast. He didn't even draw the knife, but just held the scabbard and took Cen Lijiang's attack.
The matter has come to this point, if these insiders cannot be killed, Cen Lijiang knows that he is doomed. As a result, it was even more irrational, and one knife was followed, and another knife followed.
Compared with a sergeant like Wei Lin, who was trained as a general since he was a child, and who was displaced when he grew up, and finally fought at the border, Cen Lijiang's kung fu is really not enough. Wei Lin didn't mess up at all, he took all Cen Lijiang's attacks from left to right, even with a rogue smile on his face.
While blocking him, he said jokingly, "The second prince's conspiracy and tricks are good, but his skills are a little weak."
The two went back and forth for a few moves, and the people next to them were stunned and at a loss. It was Cen Lijin who reacted first, drew his sword and pointed to the sky, shouting loudly, "Cen Lijiang murdered his brother and committed chaos! Trying to take away the throne! Everyone gets it and kills him!"
This statement is like igniting the lead, and the contradiction is ignited in an instant.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xue Ziqin seemed to have already discussed with Cen Li recently, a loud whistle sounded from his mouth, and the same whistle sounded all over the palace, one after another, echoing each other.
Wei Yuanting's eyes narrowed vigilantly, and he immediately understood that Xue Ziqin had already arranged his own troops all over the palace. He shouted loudly: "Forbidden army! Forbidden army! Protect the prince!!!"
Hundreds of guards heard the shouting and rushed to the hall with their swords drawn. How could Cen Lijiang be alone here, knowing that something was wrong with him. In the side hall of the main hall, many personal guards were arranged with the assistance of the queen. Now the scene is chaotic, and the men and horses he hid in the side hall immediately rushed out, and immediately ganged up with the imperial guards.
"Stop fighting! Stop fighting! What do you guys look like!" The queen shouted loudly on the high platform.
It's a pity that people from all walks of life are red-eyed, and they can't hear her words at all. Wen Chen was even more frightened, and his shit rushed out of the hall.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Cen Lijin fled to Xue Ziqin's side while dodging the sword, and said softly, "General Xue was prepared early in the morning?"
"That's natural." Xue Ziqin said calmly without even drawing his sword. It took only a moment for him to finish his sentence, and the civil servants outside retreated into the door again. Their faces were ashen, and they were shaking like chaff. Several people couldn't stand the terrible situation and fell to the ground, still crawling back. .
Immediately afterwards, following the ministers into the hall, there were also the bright tip of the knife, and the soldiers in the Xue family uniform.
Cen Lijin smiled smugly and followed Xue Ziqin closely to seek his protection. He said softly: "Cen Lijiang is over, and the throne is already in the bag."
"Just as the third prince said." Xue Ziqin said, his voice suddenly raised, and he said with vigour: "Give me this brother-killing dog thing!"
"Yes!"
After Wei Lin and Cen Lijiang tried several tricks, they were really annoyed. Cen Lijiang slashed at him with a knife, but he missed, and he wanted to continue, but the Xue family troops pouring in in the hall pointed their spear at him, and he couldn't stand the defeat. Wei Lin was free because of this, and he shouted at the imperial guard: "You guys, listen to General Wei for the time being!" After he finished speaking, he took advantage of the chaos and went straight out of the side hall.
As long as it is a fight, there is no possibility that no one will die, but within the time of a stick of incense, the hall is already stained with blood. Cen Lixuan hid behind a certain pillar, watching the people fighting in front of him, and his heart became more and more happy.
Soon the battle ended with Cen Lijiang being captured.
Two soldiers of the Xue family detained him, and the long knife in Cen Lijiang's hand fell to the ground, and he was forced to kneel on the main hall.
The queen was so startled by this scene that she couldn't hold back her tears, and she fell down on the steps with no image at all.
Seeing that Xue Ziqin's people took down Cen Lijiang, Wei Yuanting finally couldn't care less and asked loudly, "Is General Xue just a blatant rebellion!"
"General Wei is the one who wants to cover up this brother-killing prince who was deposed by the previous emperor?" Xue Ziqin replied without hesitation. After he finished speaking, he took out the original confession from his arms, took a few steps forward, and handed it to Yuanzhi: "Why don't you ask the ministers to take a look, all the contents of this confession have been verified."
Yuanzhi frowned, and after reading it quickly, he handed it to other courtiers for circulation.
Xue Ziqin then looked down at Cen Lijiang, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, "Does the second prince still have an argument?"
"You! You framed me!" he exclaimed.
The confession was finally handed to the queen. She wiped away her tears and looked carefully at every word. The more she looked at her, the worse her face became, until after reading the last sentence, she threw the confession on Cen Lijiang's face: "Rebel! Rebel!"
"Queen Mother! Queen Mother, you believe me! I was wronged!" Cen Lijiang still wanted to resist.
The seventh prince, Cen Lizhong, who had been shivering in the corner early in the morning, came out at this time, lifted up the crumbling queen, and said tremblingly, "Brother Huang, the situation is over..."
Like a life-saving straw, the queen grabbed Cen Lizhong's shoulders with her backhand, shaking and asking, "Zhong'er! Do you know that right?! Do you know that right? You told the queen, did he really kill him? It's you Shang'er!"
Cen Lizhong nodded weakly, the matter had come to this point, there was no need for him to hide it for Cen Lijiang.
From childhood to adulthood, as the seventh child, he had no hope for the throne. The eldest brother treats him lightly, he can only rely on the second child, and can follow the second child to eat and drink spicy food.
But the matter of killing his brother really made Cen Lizhong incomprehensible, and he was constantly in fear of being killed. If Cen Lijiang could murder his brother for the sake of the throne, then after he ascended the throne, in order to secure the throne, even if he killed all his siblings, it was not impossible.
Yuanzhi only said at this time, "According to the emperor's order, the second prince, Cen Lijiang, murdered his siblings and framed the minister, and his crimes should be punished. Thinking of being the blood of the royal family, he will be demoted to a commoner, and he will never return to the capital."
Cen Lijiang looked at the empress' dejected face, and then looked at the faces of the surrounding ministers, which were full of sarcasm. After all, he lowered his head and said tremblingly: "My son, thank the father for not killing..."
Xue Ziqin then ordered: "Take it."