Long live Emperor Wu!

Several tables, chairs and benches were placed on the roadside. The stoves were covered with straw mats. The stall owner had already gone back to rest.

A group of guards patrolling the imperial city walked over. Seeing a few people here, they immediately gathered around to question them, but were blocked by Yan Wei's people.

Yan Wei showed off his fishing talisman and said a few words. The guards bowed their hands in salute and then went on patrol in formation.

Li Tai is obese. Although it is autumn and the weather is cool, he is still sweating all over. He sits there and shakes the folding fan loudly.

Li Shan stood aside, and Wu Rou took off his shawl, spread it on the stool next to him, and motioned for him to sit down.

Then he walked over slowly, sat down, put his hands on his knees in a polite manner, and stopped moving.

There is actually no difference in height between the two brothers, but because Li Tai is fat, he looks like a dumpling when he sits there, making him look a little shorter.

I don’t know how long it took, but Li Tai suddenly said:

"Since my father demoted me, I have thought a lot...I can't figure it out. It's true that I am unwilling to accept it. But now I have figured it out. I am seven years older than you. I should take care of my younger brother, not follow you. fight.

This time I was wrong and caused such a big mess. Changsun Wuji, I will find a way to solve it for you, so please leave it alone. "

Li Shan looked over in surprise. This time they met, his fourth brother had changed too much. Maybe when he was thirty, he would suddenly have an epiphany in life, and he finally had the appearance of an older brother.

"How do you solve it?" Li Shan asked.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you anyway." Li Tai said angrily.

Li Shan seemed to have guessed what he was going to do, thought for a while and said:

"Don't mess around. At this time, any movement can lead to catastrophe. Don't think it was Changsun Wuji who was wrong. If you do something else, he will be wronged. What do you want me to do then?

Favoring you is unfair, not favoring you is coward, and letting Changsun Wuji run rampant. "

"Then what are you going to do? Just endure it?"

"The duel in the Taiji Hall is that as long as Fang Yiai says what he said today, Changsun Wuji's reputation will be damaged. Whenever someone is framed for murder and wrongly accused of innocence, it will make people wary and disgusted."

Wu Rou asked softly:

"Then what if Fang Yiai regrets it?"

Li Shan raised his head and said:

"Why would he go back on his word? Gao Yang is already dead and his goal has been achieved long ago. Today in prison, he kept claiming that he didn't know about this and that. I don't believe it anyway.

He just wanted to put all the accusations of frame-up on Changsun Wuji. He just wanted to make meritorious service and survive. "

Li Shan lowered his head as he spoke, his voice deep and cold, and said:

"It's hard for people to live, but not easy for people to die?... Changsun Wuji wants him to live, but as long as I don't agree, he won't be able to live. Doesn't he understand this?"

……

……

The next day there was a meeting in the court.

Fang Yiai really said what she said yesterday in front of all the civil and military officials.

But the strange thing is that when Fang Yiai retracted his confession, Changsun Wuji was not surprised at all, and was even very calm, not even looking anxious.

Not only the emperor, but also the ministers were talking about it for a while, not knowing who to believe.

Li Shan looked at Changsun Wuji's confident and fairy-like appearance through the emperor's beautiful jade algae. He couldn't help but frown and felt very uneasy.

"Do you have anything to say in defense, Lieutenant?" Li Shan asked, calmly and without emotion.

Changsun Wuji said:

"I heard that Your Majesty went to the Dali Temple prison yesterday?"

Li Shan hesitated for a moment and asked:

"So what?"

Changsun Wuji bowed and cupped his hands, and said calmly:

"Your Majesty is kind and has always protected Wu Wangke and Li Yuanjing in his heart. In order to survive, Fang Yiai made him retract his confession in court. It's useless. The previous trial and the three-level trial have made the facts very clear. Now that he has retracted his confession, it can only explain that, This rebellious traitor is determined to wrongly accuse loyal ministers and disrupt the court. Please give your Majesty a clear warning."

Li Shan was angry and asked in a gentle voice:

"What the Lieutenant means is that I don't have the ability to distinguish. Anyone who says anything can coax me into spinning, right?"

There was a moment of silence in the court.

Changsun Wuji lowered his head, cupped his hands and said:

"Old minister, I don't dare. It's just that your Majesty is kind and can easily be taken advantage of by traitors. Your Majesty has always felt that King Wu was wronged and did not believe that he would rebel. This gave the thieves an opportunity to take advantage of him."

Li Shan took two deep breaths. His chest in the black imperial uniform rose and fell obviously, and he seemed to be very depressed. Then he faced the ministers and said:

"There is only one life. Since this case is controversial, in order to prevent injustice, I recommend that Fang Yiai, Xue Wanche and Chai Lingwu be exempted from death penalty.

The rest of the people will be spared death and sentenced to exile. What do you think? "

Liu Shi stood up and took the lead in objecting:

"Your Majesty... the case has been heard, and the results of the joint trial of the three departments have been handed over. If you don't admit this, and simply retract the confession, your Majesty will just close the case casually. Wouldn't it be that you are treating the laws of the country as child's play?"

There was another buzz of discussion.

King Wu Li Ke, who was kneeling beside him, had his eyes red with anger. He was covered in wounds and shouted loudly:

"Obviously it is Changsun Wuji who specializes in manipulating power and framed innocent people. I am unjustly accused!"

Li Shan turned his head slightly, not daring to look at him... He blamed himself for not being able to save him. Looking at him one more time would cut his conscience one more time.

But he was really unwilling to do so. Seeing that everyone was silent, he turned to ask Yu Zhining, an old man who didn't go to court often.

He is Zuopushe of Shangshu Province and one of the prime ministers. Among civil officials, his reputation is second only to Changsun Wuji.

"Yu Aiqing, what do you think? Should Wu King Li Ke and Li Yuanjing be spared?

One of them is my uncle Wang, and the other is my second brother. They are not disrespectful at all, and there is no sign of rebellion.

Fang Yiai's reversal of confession proves that there is something fishy in this matter, can't he be given a lighter sentence? "

Yu Zhining's hair was white and he was thin and small. When the emperor called him, he stood up from the queue and glanced tremblingly at Changsun Wuji next to him.

Seeing that Changsun Wuji had a calm face and showed no sign of guilt, he thought for a while and said:

"Your Majesty... I think it is better to judge according to the results of the three-level trial. If your Majesty really can't bear it, it would be a great favor not to involve your descendants.

Never avoid death casually. Otherwise, no one will dare to rebel in the future. "

Li Shan was extremely disappointed and felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart, but he remained silent on his face.

He suddenly realized that after a person's prestige reaches a certain level, even if he does something wrong, there will always be people who find reasonable reasons for him. Unless he is caught committing a crime before his eyes, there will always be people who choose to believe him.

Wu Wang Li Ke and Li Yuanjing both cried softly.

King Wu Li Ke kowtowed to the emperor and said:

"I don't blame Your Majesty, I only blame my incompetence, lax command of my subordinates, and careless behavior, which allowed traitors to take advantage of me."

Li Shan turned his head, stood up from the court, stood for a moment, and went to the harem.

The voice of the chamberlain announcing his retreat sounded from behind.

He walked back silently, his face livid with the feeling of powerlessness, and his whole body was exuding cold air. The honor guards who followed him unconsciously moved further away from him.

But there was still someone who dared to stand in front of him - that was Changsun Wuji.