Chapter 500: Your Majesty, please stop the loss
Princess Xuan'an did not make any roundabout preparations, and she did not even "request the emperor's decision." Instead, she directly proposed the execution of Li Xian.
This is the confidence her identity gives her, and also her determination that Li Xian deserves to die.
Perhaps because the words were too sudden and sharp, the originally noisy hall suddenly became silent.
The Emperor of the Holy Ce looked at Princess Xuan'an with silence in his eyes - she knew that Li Rong's trip to the capital was definitely not to worship his ancestors.
Xuan'an Li Rong, who has always ignored disputes, will now stand in front of people for a matter and even put direct pressure on her, the emperor... The current situation in the world is indeed very different from before.
Sensing the emperor's gaze, Princess Xuan'an did not move, her expression solemn and resolute.
After a moment, an old and majestic voice sounded in the palace, asking Grand Princess Xuan'an: "Tanzhou is in the midst of a war, but the Grand Princess bluntly asked the Saint to execute the commander-in-chief. I wonder what the reason is?"
Princess Xuan'an turned her head slightly and looked at the person who was speaking, and met a pair of eyes that were old but not cloudy.
The Grand Tutor had aged a lot and was thinner now, but when he stood there, he made people feel like a pine tree with still the same character as he did in the past.
If someone else said this, Princess Xuan'an might think it was a question, but it was different for the Grand Tutor. He had the prestige and qualifications to question her, but his intention at this time was not like that.
The emperor remained silent and looked around, and the tutor's words gave her the opportunity to continue speaking naturally.
Princess Xuan'an looked at the Grand Tutor with respect in her eyes. She turned her head slightly and replied solemnly, "Li Rong is not familiar with military affairs, but he also knows that changing commanders in the middle of a battle is inappropriate. However, Duke Han Li Xian created a plague in the western part of Jiangnan and slaughtered the people without an imperial decree. He is not a good general who can take on important tasks!"
The eldest princess' voice was sonorous and powerful. As she spoke, she raised her head and looked at the emperor: "I'm afraid even Your Majesty has been deceived by it!"
Whether there was any "deception" in this matter, everyone can tell for themselves, but since the king denied that the plague was man-made in the first place, he could only be "deceived".
As their eyes met, the Emperor looked down at Grand Princess Xuan'an and spoke with a voice that was difficult to tell whether he was happy or angry: "This matter is very serious. Xuan'an, do you have any evidence?"
The eldest princess lowered her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Censor of the Imperial Censorate, Lord Song Xiansong, has also returned to the capital with Li Rong this time, and is now waiting outside the palace to be summoned—"
Song Xian...
The Holy Ce Emperor raised his eyes and looked outside the wide-open palace door: "Announce Song Xian to enter the palace."
"Announce—Censor Song Xian to enter the palace to see you!"
The sound of the eunuchs' singing could be heard outside the hall. Song Xian, who had been waiting for a long time, slightly straightened his official robe and stepped into the hall without hesitation.
The moment he walked into the hall, Song Xian noticed that almost everyone's eyes were on him.
The last time he received so much attention was when he entered the court as the top scholar and stepped into the public eye.
At that time, he was a promising new scholar in the eyes of everyone. He was a rising star from a humble family who would be given an exceptional position against the backdrop of the struggle between the emperor and the aristocracy, and there were countless people who wanted to win him over.
And at this moment, if the eyes looking at him were to put aside their obscure disguise, most of them would be filled with confusion, regret, or even ridicule and even mockery of his ignorant behavior.
And all these gazes combined are still no match for the watchful gaze of the saint at the top.
The Holy Ceremonial Emperor looked at the approaching figure of the young official.
This was the number one scholar she had handpicked, and the candidate for minister she was quite optimistic about. Therefore, she gave this group of young people the most opportunities to hone their skills so that they could be promoted quickly, and placed them in important positions as an exception... When she went to Yuezhou this time, facing Song Xian's self-recommendation, she nodded without hesitation.
Anyone could see that as long as this Imperial Censor could return safely, she would certainly not hesitate to promote him again.
However, when the imperial envoy team first arrived in Yuezhou, Fang Ting, the Minister of Rites, secretly sent back a message saying that something had happened in Yuezhou, and the person who had ignored the advice and taken the lead in causing this incident was Song Xian, whom she had agreed to go.
After that day, there was no news of Song Xian. Among those who knew the situation, some speculated that he had never returned, while others speculated that he had died of plague... But in fact, he appeared in this hall with Princess Xuan'an, standing in opposition to her, the king.
Wasn't she giving enough? She was not a foolish monarch who didn't value talent, but these young people with wavering minds failed her training and promotion for various reasons.
The Emperor of the Holy Ceremonial System rarely felt angry. This anger came from the fact that her trust and favor had been betrayed, and also from the fact that the imperial power she represented had been despised or even abandoned to some extent.
Under the emperor's gaze, Song Xian knelt down and pleaded guilty: "I, your humble servant, Song Xian, was ordered by the emperor to go to Yuezhou. Now I have returned without his order. This can be regarded as an act of disobeying the emperor's order. According to the law, I should be severely punished-"
After he finished speaking, he knocked his head heavily on the ground, and his voice became even louder: "But I dare to ask Your Majesty to allow me to tell you what I have heard and seen before punishing you!"
The Emperor of the Holy Ce looked at the young man who still did not know how to hide his desperate spirit, and said slowly: "Song Qing, just tell me."
Song Xian's voice was unhesitating: "Your Majesty ordered us to go to Yuezhou to treat the people suffering from the epidemic. However, on the day we arrived, we saw that Yan Chenglu, the deputy general under the Duke of Han, ordered the burning and killing of tens of thousands of people suffering from the epidemic-"
"The saint ordered us to go to save the lives of thousands of people. I dare not forget the saint's order. I cannot dissuade him. I can only try to lead the people to escape from the resettlement area. However, even so, Yan Chenglu, the deputy general under the Duke of Han, still led his troops to hunt and kill them. He did not take the imperial decree into consideration at all. His means were so cruel that it was really frightening!"
"I and tens of thousands of civilians were nearly shot to death on the banks of the Han River... Fortunately, in the panic, we mistakenly entered the border of Mianzhou and were rescued by the Huainan Dao Chang Jieshi. I was lucky enough to escape death!"
"Every word I said is true. Tens of thousands of people in Yuezhou can testify to this. I have also found out that Duke Han ordered the shooting of thousands of people suffering from the epidemic, which is also true!"
Song Xian bowed again: "Duke Han created the plague first, and then massacred the people who were infected. Now the people inside and outside Jiangnan West Road are already boiling with resentment. I dare to ask Your Majesty to uphold justice for the people who died in vain, severely punish the culprit, so as to put an end to this unhealthy trend and calm this overwhelming public anger!"
As Song Xian's words fell in one smooth voice, the atmosphere in the hall was like ripples on the surface of a lake, with unexpected sounds ringing in the ears.
This unexpected rumor was a mixture of truth and falsehood. There were some who knew the truth among them, but there were also officials who did not have the opportunity to know the details of the matter.
Amid the discussion, an official looked at Song Xian and said tactfully, "Yang Zhi, what you saw was done by the deputy general under the command of Duke Han. His actions may have been inappropriate, but the full picture is not yet clear. Now that the people are rioting, it is possible that there was a riot among the people at that time, and it is not known whether it was just an act of suppression..."
Song Xian turned his head and saw that the official who called him by his courtesy name to show his closeness was none other than his superior, the Imperial Censor Wu Shunqing.
He was also the one who reminded him before leaving: "When you arrive in Yuezhou, you must be extra careful in your actions."
Song Xian understood that the other party's words at this time were also a reminder. Such a reminder might be out of kindness and protection. However, such good intentions, coming from the current imperial censor... only made him feel sad and miserable.
The purpose of the Censor is to maintain order in the court, rectify official conduct, and speak out against injustice, not to cover up the truth, guess the emperor's intentions, and protect themselves!
It was a hot summer day, but Song Xianyu felt in a trance that it was a hundred times colder than when he traveled to Dongluo in December last year.
The Imperial Censor looked at him with mixed emotions in his eyes: "The Imperial Censor has the right to report matters based on hearsay, but convicting the Duke of Korea of causing the plague is a matter of great importance, and evidence is needed to convince the public."
Song Xian moved the corners of his pale mouth. He suddenly understood why Envoy Chang did not approve of his return to the capital alone. Even if he could return to the capital alive and stand in this hall to successfully carry out his death-defying remonstration, it would be meaningless... His death would not serve as "evidence that could convince the public."
As Song Xian was about to speak, Princess Xuan'an spoke before him and answered the Imperial Censor: "I have brought the evidence."
Soon, a military general who came with Princess Xuan'an was summoned into the palace.
The general's right arm was broken, and his face was pale as if he had just recovered from a serious injury or illness.
He entered the hall and saluted, first introducing his identity. His name was Luo Zheng, and he was a deputy general in the army that was attacking Bian. The disability on his body was caused by him accompanying Xiao Min to kill tens of thousands of Bian soldiers who were sick with the epidemic outside Yuezhou not long ago.
He was seriously injured and nearly died. Although he survived, he could no longer continue to serve in the army, so he retired from the army.
Xiao Min was well aware of Li Xian's poisoning. Chang Suining found this person through Xiao Min, so he ordered him to go to Beijing to meet the emperor together with Princess Xuan'an.
"The poisoning of the Korean referendum is confirmed, and I can testify to it!" Luo Zheng also knelt down and said, "On the day of the Korean referendum, a hundred soldiers in charge of throwing stones were ordered to use catapults to throw poison into Yuezhou City. Afterwards, in order to cover up the incident, I was forced to execute those hundred soldiers in private!"
On that day, under the pressure of Li Xianzhi, he was ordered to kill the hundred soldiers. From then on, this matter became a knot in his heart.
Later, the plague broke out in Yuezhou, and he finally understood the whole situation...
The bloody battle with tens of thousands of Bian soldiers infected with the epidemic, which was enough to overwhelm his sanity, also became his nightmare.
He was seriously injured and unconscious for many days. After waking up, he wanted to go home, but he learned that his hometown had been hit by a war and his mother, wife and children had all died in the turmoil - that happened nearly half a year ago, but the news finally reached his ears now.
But deep down, he still felt that this seemed like a retribution.
In terms of cause and effect, today's turbulent world seems like a huge retribution... But those who sowed the seeds of this still control the power of life and death, and it is only these humble ants who bear all the suffering.
He was so depressed that he even thought about committing suicide, but then General Xiao found him.
He agreed to go to the capital without any hesitation. Now he was alone and with only his life left, rather than die in misery with a guilty conscience, he might as well take the opportunity to tell the truth and speak a fair word for the soldiers who died in vain at his hands!
The truth is obvious, and there is no need for a mere witness like him, but everyone is pretending to be deaf and dumb. The current scene is really ridiculous.
This made Luo Zheng's voice rise a few notches: "Soon after the Korean referendum was poisoned, the entire army was given preventive medicine! The preventive medicine prescription that appeared in the hands of the Korean referendum earlier is also irrefutable evidence!"
Princess Xuan'an said at the right time: "Your Majesty, we have already found out that the herbs required in the preventive prescription are not commonly used by the army. Duke Hanguo instructed the army to secretly purchase a large amount of them in advance, which shows that he has been planning to create this plague for a long time."
"In addition, there is a Nanzhao woman who has been following Duke Hanguo for many years. According to investigation, this woman is from the Nanzhao Wang tribe. The people of this tribe are best at raising Gu and making poison. The source of this plague is most likely caused by this woman."
Finally, Princess Xuan'an said, "Your Majesty, the truth is in front of us. This man-made disaster, in addition to the casualties of Bian's army, also caused the deaths of tens of thousands of our army and innocent civilians! Duke Han's methods of action and warfare are too hasty to achieve results, ignoring the root cause, and his methods are sinister and unpopular. If he is not severely punished, the chaos of the people and the army cannot be quelled! The current situation is precarious. Even if you are concerned about the long-term war situation, please stop the loss, Your Majesty!"
The word "stop loss" is very important.
The tassels on the emperor's crown obscured his expression.
"Your Majesty, Duke Han is too harsh in his military management, and he punishes people at will. He often seeks revenge for personal grudges and eliminates dissidents in the army. The army is like a taut string... If this continues, there will be a disaster!" Luo Zheng also kowtowed: "Your Majesty, please stop the loss!"
"After suffering such a heavy blow, the Bian army has regained its momentum in Tanzhou in a short period of time. In the final analysis, it is all due to the people's resentment." Song Xian bowed his head and said, "If you keep a vicious dog, it will definitely hurt you. It's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep have been lost! For the sake of the people's hearts, the war situation, and the country - please stop the loss, Your Majesty!"
This sentence undoubtedly made the words more serious, and the hall even fell silent because of it.
Wei Shuyi stood quietly to the side, without saying a word, just looking at the young official kneeling there - even though he was a close minister of the emperor, he had to admit that Song Xianzhi's words were unpleasant but honest advice worth listening to.
This should have been a good direct minister.
But the situation now is different from the past. Under such circumstances, these words are no different from coercion to Your Majesty.
Especially when the Grand Princess Xuan'an was kneeling for a long time and could not get up - the weight of this Grand Princess was no less than that of a prince who held real power. Her kneeling meant that the matter was doomed to be difficult to cover up.
Today, all the evidence and testimony are unimportant; the most important thing is the weight of the person exerting pressure.
The next moment, Wei Shuyi suddenly saw an official beside him step out of the queue, stepped forward, bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, Song Shiyu's words clearly show the pros and cons. In order to prevent a greater disaster from happening, the most urgent task is to eliminate the root cause of the problem in time. I hope Your Majesty will deal with Duke Han and stop the loss in time."
This man was in his early forties and was another attendant in the Menxia Province who was ranked alongside Wei Shuyi, the left prime minister Cui Hao.
Wei Shuyi had become familiar with Cui Hao's personality through the power game in the Ministry of Personnel. The other party's words of agreement at this time might be the most hypocritical and selfish one, but it is undeniable that Cui Hao played an important role in the court.
Sure enough, as Cui Hao stepped out, several officials soon followed.
Some of them followed their party affiliation, while others believed from the bottom of their hearts that this move would be beneficial to the stability of the country, so the latter boldly chose to correct the emperor's views.
Therefore, the Emperor of the Holy Ce soon discovered that among those officials who asked him to [stop losses], there were even some ministers who were supported by him.
Good night, everyone! (A little nonsense: When I was having dinner tonight, I was chatting with a friend in the group. I mentioned that when the family member was just checking WeChat, I donated 100 yuan in Shuidichou (for premature babies to live in incubators). My friend joked that there would be blessings returned and I would definitely be able to earn it back. As a result, just after I finished speaking... I suddenly sucked a big mouthful of cuttlefish ink in a snail (an ordinary barbecue restaurant)... My mouth was full of black! I vomited black water! I didn’t know what it was at the time, and the family member hurriedly called the boss to come. The whole store was in an uproar! Everyone came to see that my mouth was full of black juice and my teeth were also black. I couldn’t rinse my mouth clean... The boss couldn’t help laughing and repeatedly assured me that it was not poisonous... In the end, I gave him a discount, which was 80 yuan cheaper (the blessings really came too quickly... (The merit of the donation was split 20% and 80% between me and the boss)
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