Placid Chang'an

The legs of all the ministers in the court went limp, their eyes darkened, and they almost fainted.From Liu Xiang, to the first emperor, to the descendants of Chongde, and now to involve Prince Ning who overshadows the sky, does Su Cen really think that one life is not enough? !

Only Li Sheng looked at the straight figure in front of him with a weird smile in his mouth.

The little emperor's face was already pale, and he asked tremblingly: "Su, Su Cen, didn't you say before that the matter of surrendering the city was manipulated by someone, so shouldn't the uncle be the victim? Why did he become the murderer?"

Su Cen quietly raised her head to look at those bottomless eyes, her insides were still calm, as if she knew everything about it already.

Su Cen said in a straight voice in the court: "The prince really didn't know about Tian Pingzhi's death, but one of his decisions finally contributed to this tragedy."

"According to Liu Xiang, there was a period of time before Tian Pingzhi's scientific examination that he said 'No Bai~ Wan Xiao!', and this time happened to be the first time when the first emperor's servant Xiaoliu went to Liu Xiang to kill Tian Pingzhi. So I speculate that Tian Pingzhi should have recognized the first emperor. He is so smart, he has already deduced the general idea in just a few words. , that's why he decided not to study or take the exam. He didn't know that his actions actually saved his life. A person who skipped the exam and was drunk every day was no threat to them. The late emperor was not Bloodthirsty person, at this time, he should have wavered in the idea of ​​killing Tian Pingzhi, so Liu Xiang didn't see that servant again after that, so he didn't take it as a joke."

Su Cen paused for a while, then continued: "If this continues, Tian Pingzhi may not die, but at this moment a piece of news spreads to the capital - the prince resolutely resisted the decree and stayed in the surrendered city, advancing and retreating with the border people. Yes For others, hearing this news may just be praising the prince for loving the people like a son, but Tian Pingzhi knows what the prince has given up by staying here. He is happy, happy that there are still people who are sober in the court, and happy that this trip was not in vain , he finally found a wise master worthy of serving, so he regained his poetry and books and continued to prepare for the scientific examination."

"I have seen Tian Pingzhi's unfinished test questions in the scientific examination back then. They are very different from his usual style. They discuss how to solve the problems of separatism in the feudal towns and the self-respect of the border generals. This is exactly what the prince has been guarding the border for many years. Among other people’s articles discussing policy and praising the cleanliness of officials, it is obvious that his article chooses the master.”

"But he couldn't wait for the prince to come back after all."

Su Cen lowered his eyes lightly, "That's why I said that the prince is the fifth murderer who killed Tian Pingzhi. It is precisely because of his noble character that he yearns for him. He sacrificed his life for righteousness, and sacrificed himself for justice. I believe that Tian Pingzhi will not regret it."

Su Cen finally finished speaking, he was slightly relieved, and waited quietly for everyone to digest.

Li Shi rubbed his finger lightly with one hand. Back then, he resolutely retreated to the surrendered city and protected the people behind him, but he didn't know that someone died for him in the city of Chang'an.He is not wronged as a "murderer". If Tian Pingzhi can live to this day, he should also be a peerless talent who can stabilize the country.

The big man didn't speak, and no one dared to say anything. The court fell silent for a while, and the atmosphere was strangely scary.

Suddenly the door of the main hall was pushed open from the outside, and everyone turned their heads to look over, only to see one person wearing a gorgeous costume and a phoenix crown, followed by a group of guards holding swords, and after a large number of people rushed in, they tied the door tightly Death, besieging this group of people in the hall.

Li Shi frowned slightly, and saw the Empress Dowager Chu stepping forward, standing in front of the hall, and waving her sleeves, "Bold Su Cen, dare to confuse people here and slander the late emperor with the intention of destabilizing the foundation of the country. punish!"

All the ministers in the court were stunned for a moment, then looked at the situation around them, and suddenly had an epiphany.

What happened in this temple today, no one can bring it out alive.

First, one person knelt down and said: "Su Cen is arranging the old affairs of the royal family above the court, and fooling the emperor, with sinister intentions. Such villains should be beheaded to show the public. Please issue an order to appease the public's anger!"

Seeing one person taking the lead, the courtiers all knelt down and kowtowed, and said in unison: "Please behead Su Cen, Your Majesty, to appease the anger of the public!"

The officials put pressure on him, and the little emperor looked at Li Shi with some embarrassment, only to see that his eyes were slightly squinted, and his eyes were frighteningly cold.

The Empress Dowager Chu was quite satisfied with this scene, but she couldn't help but gritted her teeth in resentment when she saw Li Sheng. This man took advantage of her husband and wife relationship with the late emperor to get close to her, but only cared about his own convenience, not at all to help her stabilize throne.I silently wrote down the account in my heart, then turned to look at Su Cen: "Su Cen, can you plead guilty?"

Su Cen stood tall among a group of ministers who were kneeling and bowing their heads, like standing out from the crowd, magnanimous and proud.

Looking around, in this hall, besides the Empress Dowager Chu and Li Sheng, only Zheng Yang and Zhang Jun were still standing. After Cui Hao struggled several times, the guards also stood up. Li Shi looked at him quietly, the little emperor was in a dilemma, Somewhat hesitant to speak.

These people are his close friends, the bosses who take care of everything for him, the monarchs he swore to be loyal to the death, and the people he wholeheartedly pays for.

It is no regret to have these people standing for him.

In fact, he had guessed today's result long ago. This speech may not be able to spread. It is too bloody and alarmist. It is related to the stability of the court and the prosperity of the Great Zhou. Should we make all this public or give it to the public? He was charged with deceitful words and deceiving the world, and people can know which is more important after weighing it.

Killing one person will determine the country. From the overall situation, the Empress Dowager Chu is right, and these ministers are also right, but he still wants to fight, not for himself but to give Liu Yu and Tian Pingzhi an explanation.

A loud voice sounded from above the main hall: "I don't know what crime I committed?"

The Empress Dowager Chu snorted coldly: "With so many people kneeling here to ask for an order, how could they be wronging you?"

Su Cen replied in a straight voice: "As a lawyer in Dali Temple, it is my duty to find out the truth. Doing what I do is called loyalty, and what I do is called forgiveness. I don't think I am wrong. But when it comes to pleading guilty, I am I would like to ask, what is Tian Pingzhi's crime? What is Liu Zhen's crime? Why should they become victims of the imperial power? The face of the royal family is important, but the lives of ordinary people are not important?"

"Bold Su Cen, how dare you speak nonsense in the hall!" A grey-haired veteran straightened up and shouted angrily, and then bowed down, "If your Majesty does not deal with this person, I will not be able to kneel here forever!"

The ministers bowed again and repeated: "The ministers can't afford to kneel!"

The Empress Dowager Chu looked back at the little emperor in the hall: "What are you waiting for, Your Majesty? Why haven't you issued an order yet?"

The little emperor wrinkled his face tightly, and said in a low voice, "But I also think Su Cen is right."

The Empress Dowager Chu gritted her teeth in resentment, and sure enough, her son could not be raised by others. If she didn't realize it for a while, she was already disobedient.

Looking at the troubled little emperor, the Empress Dowager Chu's eyes softened a little, and she said persuasively, "It's not a question of who is right and who is wrong, but Su Cen's immortality, it's hard to appease the anger of the people, and it's hard to calm the hearts of the people in the world. You Is it unclear whether you want Jiangshan or Su Cen?"

"When will my Great Zhou, Jiangshan, rely on killing and silence to stabilize?" A voice came from the side of the case, thick and thick, like the sound of lingering beams, and it lasted for a long time.

Prince Ning, who had been silent all this time, suddenly made a sound, and the hall was silent for a moment. All the ministers looked at each other and shouted in unison: "My lord, please put the overall situation first, and kill Su Cen to reassure the people!"

Li Shi came down from the hall with his hands behind his back, glanced at the ministers kneeling all over the floor, and sneered, "Are there so many people? You don't have to force each other to die here, your lives are not worth a few money."

The coolness of autumn was deep, the bluestone slabs in the main hall were icy cold, and there was a faint chill coming from the ground, and several elderly and frail figures were already staggering a bit.Li Shi, on the other hand, seemed to be intentionally leaving them alone, looking down calmly, but without saying a word, the people who watched were like a light on their backs, and they broke out in a cold sweat.

The Empress Dowager Chu couldn't bear it anymore, and asked sternly: "Are you really going to ruin the Great Zhou Dynasty because of such a little thing?!"

Li Shi shook his head lightly, "It's not his fault, it's Da Zhou who made a mistake. He shouldn't be responsible for the mistakes of a dynasty."

As soon as the words came out, everyone stood there dumbfounded.Since ancient times, those in power have not pursued great achievements and immortalized their names, and who dare to say "wrong" in public. After all, no one wants to be recorded in the annals of history and be cast aside by future generations.Even the majestic and powerful Emperor Taizong used iron and blood methods to slaughter half of the court to block Youyou's mouth. The road to the emperor was originally full of dead bones and blood flowing like rivers, but Li Shi said frankly the phrase "Daddy!" Wrong week"?

Even Su Cen was stunned. He had been calm for a whole day, and at this moment his eyes suddenly became sore.

Li Shi had said this to him before, but he never thought that Li Shi could say that in front of the little emperor, the Empress Dowager Chu, and his courtiers.

He thought that Li Shi was just coaxing and comforting him, but he forgot that Li Shi never broke his promise to him.

Su Cen suddenly felt relieved, he had tried his best, he was exhausted, and he deserved to die without regret to anyone.

But in the end, he wanted to do something for Li Shi again.

Those knees that would rather not bend finally knelt down, "I plead guilty."

"Because I left my post without authorization, neglected my duties, and neglected to observe, causing traitors to break into the prison, Xiang Liu died of injustice. This is the first crime; spying on the palace, arbitrarily disclosing royal secrets to the public, disrespectful and true, this is the second crime; The courtiers are not sympathetic to the king's kindness. One of them made the monarch and his ministers divorced and the country was unstable. This is three crimes. I admit to all three major crimes, but I am not making up stories. Tian Pingzhi is not a sudden death, and Liu Xiang is not a traitor. These two are innocent, Su Cen is willing to apologize with death."