Back to the prosperous Tang Dynasty to be the emperor

Chapter 254 The Contest in the Courtroom (2)

Gaozong was weak since he was a child, and he never liked to get up early, unless it was a big dynasty that he couldn't escape. Otherwise, he would have to sleep until the sun rose three poles. They have all been promoted to Lao Gao, but Emperor Gaozong still lay on his back on the large wooden couch, sleeping comfortably, but Empress Wu got up earlier, and was sitting in front of the bronze mirror at this moment, being served by several palace maids. Dressed and dressed, although his face is calm as usual, the depths of his eyes are full of worry.

"My lady, there is news."

Just when all the court ladies were busy, Sun Quanfu, who was sweating profusely, turned out from the screen at the entrance of the bedroom, walked quickly behind Empress Wu, and reported in a low voice, his tone full of anxiety .

"Go back!"

Empress Wu didn't turn her head back, but her body trembled obviously. After a moment of silence, she didn't rush to ask about the news Sun Quanfu had brought, and gave an order in a calm voice.

"Yes, slaves obey."

After Empress Wu opened her mouth, a group of court ladies who were busy with their work didn't dare to neglect in the slightest, they hurriedly responded, and each bowed and left the room.

"Your Majesty, the thing is like this, last night..."

Sun Quanfu knew that the matter was of great importance, and he dared not delay at all. After the ladies in the court retreated, he hurriedly rushed to Empress Wu's side, almost close to Empress Wu's ear, and judged Li Xian after the failed assassination last night and even Li Xian this morning. The news of the case was reported one by one.

"Oh?"

After listening to Sun Quanfu's report, Empress Wu was not in a hurry to make a decision, but let out a soft sigh, turned around and looked at Gaozong, who was still sleeping soundly, then pondered for a while, and stood up gracefully, wrinkling slightly. Frowning, he glanced at Sun Quanfu, and immediately moved towards the outer hall, not caring how indecent the disheveled image was.

"Your Majesty, the person who came here is not kind. This servant thinks that the case can no longer be tried like this."

Sun Quanfu followed Empress Wu silently, and came to the empty outer hall. After waiting for a long time, seeing that Empress Wu had never said a word, he couldn't bear it any longer, and reminded him in a low voice.

"Ah."

Empress Wu has a wealth of experience in fighting in court, how could she not know that the current situation is dangerous, and why does she need Sun Quanfu to remind her, but it is not easy to make up her mind. , and I am deeply afraid of it. From Empress Wu's point of view, it is difficult to get out of fear this time. What needs to be considered is how to stop the loss. It is not that simple to stop the loss. The king will stop at the end. If it really collapses, the business of the first half of his life will be completely wiped out. Under this situation, it is the first time that Empress Wu feels powerless. Under the irritability, Since he was too lazy to gossip with Sun Quanfu, after making a noncommittal speech, he hurriedly paced back and forth in the hall on his own.

"Your Majesty, why don't the servants go to preach the decree first, suspend the trial, and then discuss the follow-up?"

Seeing that Wu hadn't made a decision for a long time, Sun Quanfu knew that this matter might not be resolved, so he gritted his teeth and spoke again.

"Forget it, just go ahead and say it's my palace's will. This case is serious, so we need to find out the facts and try again!" Empress Wu pondered for a long time, but still couldn't find a way to get the best of both worlds. Agreed to Sun Quanfu's proposal.

"Yes, servant girl, let's go!"

Sun Quanfu didn't dare to be negligent, so he hurriedly agreed, left the main hall in a hurry, and led several young eunuchs to the Dali Temple... In the Dechang Palace of the East Palace, the crown prince Li Hong, who was dressed in formal court clothes, had an anxious expression on his face. He was walking back and forth on the front wall with a look of deep thoughts. His Highness stood on the left and right of Yan Liben, Le Yanwei and other dozens of courtiers from the prince's party. Everyone looked anxious and turned their eyes to the palace from time to time. Outside, it seems that there is something to look forward to.

"Your Highness, the snake has been dispatched and is rushing towards Dali Temple!"

Just as the crowd waited anxiously, they saw Wang Dequan rushing into the hall, not even paying attention to saluting, and rushed to report.

"Oh?" Li Hong was taken aback when he heard the words, his eyes rolled, but he didn't make a decision right away, as if he was still hesitating.

"Your Highness, it's time to start!"

When Yan Liben saw the hesitant look on Li Hong's face, he immediately became a little anxious, stood up hastily, and urged him.

"Okay, let's start then, pass on the order of Gu, and drive Dali Temple!"

The matter was too serious, and Li Hong was not free to be careless. However, under the temptation of victory in the First World War, Li Hong did not hesitate for too long, so he gritted his teeth, made up his mind, and led a group of courtiers straight out. After leaving the East Palace, they drove to the Yamen of Dali Temple in a mighty car... In the court hall of Dali Temple, the old god Li Xian closed his eyes on the ground, ignoring the two deputy subordinates and the people watching outside the hall. The voice of discussion, and he never took a look at He Lanmin who was kneeling in the hall, looking like he was resting. However, when Lin Chengbin led a group of palace guards to the hall, Li Xian closed his eyes tightly. But it opened suddenly, and Yiyi's eyes flickered with murderous intent.

"Reporting to Your Highness, the general will be fortunate enough to live up to his mission, and have brought the account book here, please have a look at it, Your Highness!"

Lin Chengbin strode to the hall, holding a thick account book in his hand, bowed to Li Xian, and reported loudly.

"Hand it up!"

Li Xianhan ordered in a low voice, Lin Chengbin didn't dare to be negligent in the slightest, he hurriedly stepped forward and handed the account book in front of Li Xian.

"On the second day of the first month of the third year of Xianqing, Zhenghou Shanye of Dali Temple gave a bottle of golden Buddha, worth three hundred guan; For four years, Hou Shanye gave three hundred guan..." Li Xian took the ledger in Lin Chengbin's hand, flipped through it quickly, and without counting, he found the column about the gift from Hou Shanye. With a stern look, he glanced coldly at Hou Shanye, and then proceeded to repeat the scriptures in a flat tone. Finally, he closed the account book, looked at Hou Shanye icily, and asked murderously: "Master Hou, do you have any explanation for this? Ok?"

"Your Highness, this is a false accusation. The lower officials, the lower officials will never offer bribes. These are all Wu Min's one-sided words, and there are countless things!"

Hou Shanye has been hanging out in the Yamen of Dali Temple since he entered the official career. It can be said that he has been adjudicating cases for half his life, so how can he not know the lethality of this account book? road.

"Oh? Is that so? Wu Minzhi, Mr. Hou said that you are framing me. Do you have anything to say?"

Li Xian was not in a hurry to refute Hou Shanye's defense, but let out a soft sigh, looked at Wu Minzhi who was complacent, and asked indifferently.

"Your Highness, it is clear that someone is about to die, so what is the benefit of framing Mr. Hou? Besides, if this account book is true or false, find a forger to identify it, and you will know the authenticity. Hey, why bother?" It's a waste of time." He Lanminzhi made a grimace nonchalantly, and replied with a smile.

"Well, come here, pass on the Luoyang Mansion's eunuch to the court!"

Li Xian ignored He Lanminzhi's presumptuousness, slapped the gavel and ordered loudly.

"Your Highness, wait a minute."

As soon as Li Xian finished speaking, Liu Yizhi couldn't sit still anymore, and hurriedly interrupted.

"What? Does Lord Liu have any objections to this king's order?" Li Xian cast a glance at Liu Yi, and reprimanded him unceremoniously.

"How dare, how dare, the lower official just thinks that this matter is very important, and it is time to be involved in the presiding trial, and there must be a sacred order in the end. The lower official thinks that if we don't suspend the trial, we can make a decision after we report to His Majesty?" Seeing Li Xian's gloomy face, Liu Yizhi couldn't help trembling, but he refused to give up the last hope of saving Empress Wu's party, so he explained it with a smile.

"Since Gu has been ordered to investigate the case, he should have the right to make a decision. Could it be that Mr. Liu wants to overstep and replace him?"

Li Xian didn't spare Liu Yizhi any face, and asked in a cold voice.

"I don't dare to dare, but the court has its own rules. It seems that matters involving the presiding judge must be affirmed. Your Highness, please think twice!" Liu Yizhi is gone now. On the way back, even though Li Xian's murderous aura made his feet tremble, but he still gave Li Xian a strong word in his mouth.

"Master Liu is deceiving me that I don't understand the "Laws of the Tang Dynasty". Hey, what a court law, dare to ask Master Liu, is this case the presiding judge alone, Mr. Liu, or Mr. Hou? Interrogation, huh?" Li Xian has not spent these years in vain. In order to deal with the extremely ruthless Empress Wu, he has studied the law a lot. A book of "Laws of the Tang Dynasty" is not only fluent, but at least he is familiar with it. At this time, when he heard that Liu Yizhi opened his mouth and shut his mouth, it was the law of the court, he was just playing with an ax at the door of the class, and he immediately became furious, so he sneered and asked without accommodating.

"This, this, this..."

Although Liu Yizhi himself was familiar with "Laws of the Tang Dynasty", in terms of familiarity, he was far inferior to Li Xian. When he heard Li Xian's words, he immediately panicked and stuttered. Can't answer.

"Get out of the way, everyone out of the way, the queen empress has spoken, you will not back down!"

Just when Liu Yizhi was stunned and didn't know how to respond to Li Xian's shout, there was a sudden commotion at the entrance of the hall, and a shrill voice kept roaring.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty has an order, do you see if you have received the order before the trial?"

Liu Yizhi was in a state of panic, when he suddenly heard the very familiar voice at the entrance of the hall, he felt at ease immediately, so he hurriedly made a suggestion.

It's coming so fast, I'll be damned, the prince's fellow cooks something to eat, it's not here yet!Li Xian's hearing is very good, and he could tell that the person was Sun Quanfu just by listening, his heart sank involuntarily...

(End of this chapter)