Ten years later

Li Yuan woke up much earlier than the imperial physician estimated.

He found himself in a palace with exquisite furnishings, the armor had been replaced with casual clothes, and the wound had been bandaged with medicine.Before he had time to take a closer look, a man in a red official uniform entered the inner room, saluted Li Yuan and said, "Your official, Zhao Nuo, takes the post of Zhongshu Sheren, and I have seen the Duke."

Li Yuan was conferred the title of Cheng Guogong in the previous dynasty, and the title of the current dynasty is actually derived from this.At that time, people called Li Yuan "Guo Gong".However, facing a person whose identity has not yet been determined, Li Lian wants him to follow the old address for Li Yuan, and even doesn't mind using the title of the country before his title. three points

Zhao Nuo?But Li Yuan began to wonder, when did there be such a Zhongshu Sheren in the court?He was sure that he didn't have any information about this person in his memory, so when did this little-known Zhao Sheren get the favor of the emperor?

Although there were many knots in his heart, Li Yuan still nodded his head in greeting: "Zhao Sheren."

Even the voice is the same.Li Lian, who was hiding outside the screen and eavesdropping, held his breath subconsciously. This man's tone was the same as his brother's, and he couldn't help but not believe it.

Zhao Nuo handed him a cup of tea and asked, "How does the Duke feel now, can you answer?"

Li Yuan took it with his hand, but he didn't drink it, he just said: "It's okay, if you don't mind asking."

After saying this, Li Yuan took a sip of the tea in his cup.After all, trespassing into the Forbidden Palace without authorization is a real crime. Now the emperor only asks the Zhongshu Sheren around him instead of the Dali Temple Minister to inquire, which is enough to show that the emperor does not want to touch him for the time being.It's just that the person in front of him has stopped talking all the time, which makes him feel a little more uneasy after he has just calmed down.

In fact, Zhao Nuo just didn't know how to ask.Li Lian said it simply before, and let himself find the loopholes in his words.However, it is difficult for a clever woman to cook without rice. Zhao Nuo has never been in contact with Li Yuan, and he has no preparations in advance, so where can he find the loopholes.

He had no choice but to think of where to ask: "After the Lord heard about this, he immediately sent his officials to inquire. If the words were disrespectful, please ask the Duke Haihan. Ask on behalf of the emperor, why is the Duke in the ban?"

"I don't know," Li Yuan replied decisively. Seeing that the standing man raised his eyebrows, he obviously didn't believe it. He continued to explain in a sincere tone, "I'm like this, don't talk about sneaking in secretly." , I’m afraid I’ll be discovered before I can take two steps.”

"There is no trace of blood along the road." Zhao Nuo directly cut to the point, "Could it be that you fell from the sky? Or to put it more likely, did the Duke get this injury in the palace?"

"I really don't know. I fought against Dianfu, and I was seriously injured and unconscious. After waking up, I was confined in the palace." Li Yuan paused, and then asked, "Although there is no blood, no weapons have been found, right? What's more, the minister A person can't pierce such a wound."

"When and where is the duke fighting against Dianfu?"

Li Yuan frowned: "In the third year of Changde, since February Wang, I fought with him in the Western Realm, and it has been more than [-] days since I fell into a coma."

It was actually Xijieyuan, fifty miles northeast of Qijiang River!

The only defeat in the life of Duke Cheng of the first dynasty was ten years ago in Xijieyuan. After that battle, the court of the previous Zhou Dynasty was defeated, and Li Yuan, who was the coach, died.

At the same time, Zhao Nuo suppressed the shock, put on a calm face, and said to Li Yuan with a disdainful expression, "This kind of nonsense, even if the official believes it, the Duke thinks His Majesty will believe it?" ...Although His Majesty may have really believed it.Even he himself was somewhat convinced. "What's more, what's the crime of dereliction of duty when the duke left the battlefield without authorization?"

"The crime of dereliction of duty for delaying the military aircraft and even defeating the battle is naturally the subject of the crime." Li Yuan smiled wryly, "But the subject will never dare to leave the station without permission, let alone commit the crime of causing chaos."

No, Li Lian, who was standing outside, clenched his hands into fists. The battle in the Western Territory was definitely not his brother's fault.At that time, an imperial decree from the court of the previous Zhou Dynasty prohibited the surrounding reinforcements from fighting, and they were not allowed to provide food and grass without permission.So the agreed reinforcements failed to arrive, and Li Yuan, who wanted to besiege the enemy, was surrounded and wiped out by the enemy instead.

In the end, Li Yuan died in battle, and there were no soldiers in the northern border that could withstand Dian Furen's iron hooves, so that compared with Li Yuan before that time, the current border retreated more than [-] miles to the south abruptly. Even the West Realm is still in the territory of Dian Furen.

Li Yuan looked at Zhao Nuo again with earnest eyes, and said, "I'm afraid there are traitors involved in this. I hope the Lord will see clearly. Your loyalty to Da Zhou can be learned from the sun and the moon."

Zhao Nuo was stunned. After all, under the new dynasty, the words "loyalty to the Great Zhou" have not been mentioned for a long time.

Of course, it is not without those who dare to say so.On the day Li Lian led his troops into Chang'an, a female official from the old dynasty rushed into the palace and angrily denounced Li Lian as a "rebellious official and traitor". Palace, but this is for insignificant people after all.If anyone in the court dares to say that, he will be dismissed immediately - you yourself said that the emperor's position is wrong, why bother to serve the new emperor?

But obviously the person in front of him didn't know the fact that the dynasty had changed, and the above sentence almost blurted out.

...What's more, this sincere expression is almost the same as that of someone standing outside.

Is it true that Li Yuan disappeared for ten years? Zhao Nuo thought to himself, the people of Lanke at least knew that he was watching chess in the mountains, but Li Yuan didn't know what he had done, so ten years later.Fortunately, it happened to be in the Forbidden Palace.

Zhao Nuo suddenly turned around and asked, "The Duke has said so much, do you have any evidence to prove your identity?"

"Doesn't the fish talisman count?" Li Yuan was taken aback, as if he never thought about being suspected of his identity, "I don't know how many people have met the minister, whether it's the court, or my Li family, just find someone to deal with it. What's more, if someone pretends to be a minister and does something, can't he be charged for dereliction of duty?"

But... There are not many people who are acquainted with you in the court, and the Li family in the capital has long been destroyed.

Zhao Nuo smiled and said slowly: "The next official is to believe in the Duke. However, there is one thing I have to tell you clearly. Now it is the fourth year of Jiaping, and it has been ten years since the third year of Changde. Please don’t say anything about ‘loyalty to the Great Zhou’ anymore, the Duke of Zhou has already exhausted his fate, my lord was ordered by the heavens to establish the country by the Zen of Zhou.”

He spoke these words calmly, as if he was saying that today is a sunny day.But the two people who heard it inside and outside the palace were all frightened by this bold statement.

Li Lian: I wasn't even a little bit prepared...you just said it all.

Li Yuan was struck by lightning even more, no matter how much he knew, he didn't know how to deal with it for a while.He naturally knew that no one dared to make fun of such a thing, but it was beyond his cognition—not to mention that he woke up ten years later, and the fact that his homeland was no longer a thing was really incredible.If someone had told him a month ago that Da Zhou's Guozuo was less than ten years away, he would have thought that person was crazy.

But now...

Li Yuan took a deep breath, pretending to be calm and said: "Li Yuan does not matter to the two masters."

If it is true what Zhao Nuo said, there are only two ways for a former important minister like himself to go - either to surrender, or to be wiped out.However, he was greatly favored by the Great Zhou, so it was absolutely impossible for him to betray the imperial court and become the new master.It's a pity that this trip when I woke up, I only got the news that my homeland is no longer.

Zhao Nuo smiled indifferently and said: "Don't talk too much first. The Duke should take good care of your wounds. My lord cherishes your talent. It took a lot of effort to save you. After you recover from your injuries, go down The officer will come to visit again."

After Zhao Nuo finished speaking, he bowed respectfully and left.

Li Yuan watched him bow and retreat to the door before turning around, doing all the courtesy.He sighed, and said to Zhao Nuo who had disappeared: "Li Yuan is a minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and he should die when the country dies. You don't have to waste your thoughts in vain."