Hypocrites

Half an hour later, the horses outside the Emperor Wu's Mausoleum galloped back to the royal city following the pace of the moon setting in the western sky.In less than an hour, the rising sun is about to reveal its light, and the calendar official will end the old day and come to Wuyou Day.

On the eve of this day, Liang Heng was sleeping soundly in the foster room, the surrounding was empty, and his body temperature had already cooled down.He curled himself up in his sleep, as if he had a premonition of the fate of disorder in the near future.

Wang Jianzhi came to Fengyang Avenue and arrived at the place agreed with his subordinates. Hundreds of Shocking Sand Tribes masked their faces in black and hid themselves under the night.The general waved his finger together and led the crowd to sneak.

In Xiangguo Mansion, the lights are dark and the fire is dark, and Duan Yanling is wearing a complete set of armor, walking from the end of the corridor with a sword in hand, someone is waiting for him.

"Where are you going?"

Duan Yanyou sat leaning on the sill, lowered his head and wiped his sword.The moonlight was behind him, so the expression on his face could not be seen.

Duan Yanling stopped and said: "The time has come, enter the palace to change defense."

The cold light of the sword flashed between Duan Yanyou's eyebrows: "After tonight, the palace does not need guards. Go back to the room."

After a long confrontation, Duan Yanling turned around, and the Junzi sword was unsheathed half an inch behind Duan Yanyou's invisible back.At this time, Yanling saw another person he didn't want to see——Duan Boyu standing far away on the porch, even though the twilight was deep, he also knew that his father was watching him.

So the unsheathed sword was retracted again.

The Southern Army marched under the palace wall, and two open flames lit the road.A cloud passing overhead, or a few night crows, did not arouse alarm.

The scouts from the Shocking Sand Department were amazing, as light as a flying bird stepping on the snow, flying over the eaves and climbing the wall into the back road, Wang Jianzhi silently made a few gestures, and they all went to different dark hills separately.

Wang Jianzhi led several people to Yangshi Hall, still guarding His Majesty the Emperor.The complex road connects the Jinluan Hall and the double towers in front of the hall. The Phoenix Tower is brightly lit. A procession is slowly walking on the Chengming Gate Square. The crowns converge, and the red gauze lanterns are like a sea of ​​blood.

The group of people went to Fengque Terrace, and one of the subordinates said with eagle eyes: "It's the servant, Qiu Zhiyuan, what are you doing at Fengque Terrace at this time?"

Seeing that the general didn't issue an order, his subordinates said: "It's better to assassinate him here, which saves a lot of trouble."

Wang Jianzhi stopped him and said, "Don't pretend to be smart, and do everything according to plan."

Several people left the golden palace, behind them there was faint music on the high platform of Fengque, and the melodious sound of bells and drums, depicting this flashy and glamorous hometown of the southern country, its fighting spirit has been corrupted by human beetles, and the dynasty's vitality is inevitably approaching a turning point.

While Liang Heng was still in a dream, Dongtian was foaming, Siji came in to wake him up, and brought him the attire for the court meeting.A crown with jewels and inlaid treasures, and a dragon gun in prosperity and peace.

"Your Majesty, please ascend to the palace."

Liang Heng asked: "Where is Zuo Duhou?"

Siji replied: "He hasn't come yet, but someone has been sent to invite him."

"...Where is You Duhou?"

Siji said in his heart, you don't even know how I would know, and replied: "I left in the middle of the night, maybe I went back to my residence. Do you want to be summoned by Your Majesty?"

Liang Heng sat up, nothing was right about him. "No need." He spread his arms and let Siji put on the king's clothes for him.Siji paused, his eyes fixed on the half of his shoulder that leaked from the neckline, a slightly red fingerprint was embedded in the hollow of the shoulder.

Liang Heng also saw it, and pulled up the neckline.

On the way from the Hall of Yangshi to the Golden Hall, you can see the square in front of Shuangque, where all the ministers arrive. On the left is a row of civil servants with purple robes and gold belts, green robes and green belts, and on the right is a row of generals in red and black robes with brocade belts.

Those who wore vermilion clothes, headed by Qiu Zhiyuan, Tong Fang and Niu Shida, were surrounded by generals, boys and girls held stoves to keep them warm.The purple-clothed person on the left is headed by Duan Boyu, who is completely different from the three eunuchs. As long as he stands there alone, Liang Heng feels at ease.

The bell rang three times, and Xuan Baiguan entered the hall.Immediately afterwards, however, dozens of Southern Army soldiers boarded Longwei Road and stood silently outside the main hall, facing the king and civil and military officials.

This... what does this mean?

The ministers didn't understand, so they thought it was His Majesty's arrangement, but the emperor on the throne also asked, "What's the meaning?"

Qiu Zhiyuan, the cavalry general of the southern army, replied: "Pei Hui and Chen Bing are under the city. Everyone in the royal city is in danger. I am worried about your majesty's safety. I have sent the southern army to guard the inside and outside of the palace."

For a moment, everyone was silent and exchanged glances with each other, all of them had an ominous premonition.The scene in front of me is impressively the scene of two years ago, when the late emperor joined forces with the eunuchs to massacre dissidents and wash the court with blood.

Liang Heng asked a question, but didn't say anything more, so that the officials had something to say.The first young man under Duan Boyu to come out was Xiangguo Fushi Shi: "It is near the end of the year, and the ministers distribute the salary according to the law. There is one item in the accounts that is not correct. I will ask Lord Qiu, Lord Tong and Lord Niu for advice. Why did you receive a rank salary of two thousand shi?

The Minister of the Shaofu also came out and said: "The minister inspected the treasury revenue and expenditure, reconciled the accounts at the end of the year, and found that the Penglai Garden fortifications had long been suspended, but the expenditure was not small, and there was still a lot of consumption. After the first garden was enshrined for a thousand miles, it was Tong Changshilang who was in charge. This matter. Please take it to court to find out where the funds are going.”

The two each carried out a basket of bamboo slips, full of questionable accounts, and placed them in front of the hall with a clang.All the ministers were shocked, wondering how the wind direction has changed today?Colleagues who used to be timid, seem not to be afraid of death overnight.Seeing the Southern Army's real swords and guns lined up in the audience, they actually openly attacked the three generals in Langzhong.This was because he was afraid that the guillotine would not fall on his head, so he stretched his neck forward.

Liang Heng sat upright with cold eyes, and heard a sound behind the screen.The Southern Army in front of the hall is only a small part, and there are swordsmen ambushing outside the back hall and the left and right windows.It seemed that someone was about to go up to the hall, but was stopped by the southern army. Behind the screen came the sound of soldiers confiscating weapons, and then that person stepped into the golden hall and stood beside Liang Heng.

It was Shen Yu.

Liang Heng clenched his hands into fists, his body burst into cold sweat, and noticed that Shen Yu's saber was indeed gone.

Everyone in the hall was like a bereaved dog, bowed their heads and said nothing, it seemed that Qiu Zhiyuan and the three had a very calm posture.At this time, Ting Wei Huo Liang hahad twice, and actually took two volumes of accounts with his hands, shook them casually, glanced at them and said: "Although the lines are separated like mountains, even I can understand this obvious loophole. The three of you My lord, what can you explain? Your Majesty, I have something to report."

Qiu Zhiyuan's eyes flew over, and everyone lamented: Why did Lord Ting Wei join in the fun?Today is dangerous!

No better than the prime minister, Shi and Si Zhi, the two of them went to the sky to investigate corruption, but Huo Liang was in charge of the prison, and there were fifty or if not a hundred criminals who died in his hands.

Huo Liang took out a roll of kraft paper from his sleeve: "I have an old case in my hands. After nearly two years of investigation, I finally found a witness, recorded a statement, and presented it to Your Majesty."

Siji took the paper and handed it to Liang Heng. Liang Heng read it and circulated it to the officials.A page as thin as a cicada's wing fanned the flames everywhere, arousing a lot of discussion, and everyone changed their colors.

Huo Liangdao: "Two years ago, the big case in Ruyang, Lie Gong must have never forgotten. At that time, the imperial court executed Shen Gong's whole family on the grounds of resisting the edict and not complying with it. When the crime was judged, the official of Shangshutai who announced the edict disappeared without a trace. The minister found this person a few days ago because of the cause and effect before and after the Qing Dynasty, and the time of Shan Guangyi's abdication of crimes was before the edict was announced, and there is no such thing as Shen Gong resisting the edict."

The confession was handed over to Qiu Zhiyuan and the other three, Qiu Zhiyuan sneered, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, Niu Shida tore the paper to pieces.

Huo Liang said: "Huh? Master Niu, what are you doing? Could it be that you didn't find out that the confession was not even signed? Weird, speaking of it, it was you Niu Changshi and Qiu who were actively convicting Shen Gong at that time. Chang Shi. It's a pity that what you tore up is just a backup that I copied down, and the real thing is in the place of Master Wei Yang, Sili's school."

Yang Xi stood up slowly, and spread out the paper in his hand, with bright red handprints at the end.

The ministers: "..."

Liang Heng finally spoke: "Qiu Qing, do you have something to say?"

Qiu Zhiyuan didn't argue, nor did he panic.Now it's Duan Boyu's turn to smile, and sometimes Liang Heng has the illusion that Duan Boyu has a certain quality similar to Qiu Zhiyuan, when he smiles but doesn't speak, Liang Heng always feels that there is a sharper weapon hidden.

Liang Heng said: "Since no one in the hall has something to say, let the people outside the hall come in."

The southern army moved out of the way, and the eunuch Xinzhou led the old medical officer from the imperial medical office to step forward.

"To prepare for the Pepper Wine Ceremony next month, I heard something, and I'm sharing it with you all. Mr. Mai."

The medical officer is old, and has always been working behind the scenes. He was stared at by Qi Guo's civil and military ministers, his legs trembled, and he had to be supported by Xinzhou.Liang Heng expected Qiu Zhiyuan to react, but he was still very calm, his eyes seemed to have fallen asleep with his eyes narrowed, and there were only a few wrinkles between his brows.

"Old minister, he is a disease doctor of the Imperial Medical Office. He is also in charge of the medicine storehouse, that is, the cashier of medicinal materials. There are good medicines for saving people and curing diseases, and poisons for punishment and execution..."

The medical officer will tell Liang Heng truthfully in the Golden Palace.As he narrated, the air became more and more solemn, and no one could forget that last winter, the late emperor sat at the pepper and wine ceremony, and the eunuch was the last person to offer the wine.

Duan Boyu didn't smile anymore, he was thoughtful, as if he was remembering something.

Tong Fang hurriedly stood up: "Old man talking nonsense! You and I can bear the crime of murdering the emperor?! You lost the pepper wine at the imperial medical office, but slandered and framed me! How unreasonable! Come!"

Liang Heng sneered secretly, the three wolves were dressed in sheep's clothing, and they acted very well.The soldiers came forward with sticks and wanted to strike the medical officer's neck.Qiu Zhiyuan suddenly said: "Wait a minute."

"It seems that today is very exciting," Qiu Zhiyuan said, "don't worry, Master Tong, please take a seat. The medical officer of the Imperial Medical Office suspects that you and I poisoned the late emperor, but I want to say that even if someone really did it, the crime will be judged. It was not the emperor who killed him!"

As fate would have it, this moment has finally arrived.

Everyone had somehow sensed the strange atmosphere, and the thunder exploded one after another, each more earth-shattering than the last.Embezzling money, framing Zhongliang, and murdering the late emperor, what's next?

The southern army brought up two sedan chairs, and sat two white-haired old men. Qiu Zhiyuan didn't ask Liang Heng, and he seemed to understand the overall situation, and said, "Master Huo accused me of not explaining the evidence. Why did this matter happen? I also have people Evidence. Can Your Majesty recognize these two elders?"

The two old men were almost old age, their bones were curled up, and they were hunched over in the sedan chair, and Nanjun raised their faces.As soon as Liang Heng let go, he found his teeth shaking, and said for a moment, "I don't know."

Qiu Zhiyuan said: "Of course I don't know each other. The two elders have always been in Zhangshan County and never went north to visit the capital in their whole life. However, there must be some inspiration between blood relatives?"

There was a dead silence.

The whole hall was silent.

Even Duan Boyu, Yang Xi, Xu Zhuan and others did not expect this to happen.Although Yang Xi didn't understand what this meant, but today he was going to put the three eunuchs to death, he was already mentally prepared to refute everything, and immediately said: "What is Qiu Changshi talking about? When it comes to genealogy, Your Majesty is the grand master. , Zhangshan Prince’s Mansion is Xiaozong. In terms of genealogy, Zhangshan King and Princess are indeed His Majesty’s grandparents.”

"Master Yang, what I'm talking about isn't the two people from the Zhangshan Palace. It's this commoner couple in front of you who sold themselves as slaves in the palace more than 40 years ago."