Shanheji 206. The old minister died for his advice, and Xu left the capital

Mo Jingqi looked at the obviously angry Mo Jingli with a gloomy expression. Although he had to reconcile with his brother for many reasons, it did not mean that Mo Jingqi had really forgotten Mo Jingli's rebellious behavior. To this day, his good brother still had a large area of ​​land south of the Yunlan River. If he didn't want to pay attention to Mo Jingli, Mo Jingqi could only

His eyes were fixed on the Empress Dowager who had just walked out of the palace gate, and Princess Fuxi and Princess Zhaoyang who had just gotten off the carriage and were walking towards the palace gate. He said calmly, "Why are you here, mother and queen?"

Before the Queen Mother could say anything, the Queen came up to her, knelt on the ground with her skirt raised slightly, and said in a deep voice: "The Yunzhou Xu family is loyal to the Great Chu and has made contributions to the country for thousands of years. Please think twice." There were several concubines beside the Queen. Although they were not favored, they were also virtuous women from scholarly families. They knelt down and said in unison: "Please think twice."

Mo Jingqi's face darkened. Before he could say anything, Princess Fuxi and Princess Zhaoyang had already walked up to him. The Princess pushed aside the maid who was supporting her, knelt down beside the Empress and said, "What crime has the Xu family committed that the Emperor wants to confiscate the Xu family? Please give your instructions, Your Majesty!" Princess Zhaoyang didn't say anything, but knelt down beside the Princess, her meaning was very clear.

, the Grand Princess said what she wanted to say.

"You...you..." Mo Jingqi was so angry that he almost trembled, but Princess Fuxi was too high in status to allow her to kneel at the palace gate. He quickly asked the maid beside him to help her up, saying, "Grandma, let's go back to the palace and talk about it. Why...did you come back to Beijing?" The princess didn't appreciate it and said indifferently, "I'm old.

It is useless, and I dare not expect the emperor to listen to the advice of us old men. But the Xu family has done immeasurable good deeds for the Great Chu. Not to mention that they have not made any mistakes, even if they have made any mistakes, the emperor should be lenient with them. Although I am old and incompetent, I still want to ask the emperor to look into the affairs of the Xu family. "The eldest princess's words made Mo Jingqi so angry that he almost turned his back.

He remained speechless even after he was angry. Looking at the increasing number of scholars, officials and even ordinary people gathering in front of the palace gate, Mo Jingqi felt that his eyes were darkening. He was afraid that today's incident would not end well.

Mo Jingli, who was standing next to him, was in a surprisingly good mood. He had taken a risk to start a rebellion, and although he only temporarily occupied most of Jiangnan, it was much better than before. It was said that Mo Jingli was the younger brother of the current emperor and was loved and honored, but with his brother's character, how could he really give up power to him? In the capital, he was just a little more powerful than other princes.

Now, he occupies the rich land of Jiangnan, and his brother can't do anything to him even if he is furious. In fact, it was Mo Xiuyao who helped him a lot. If Mo Xiuyao hadn't occupied the northwest and made his brother extremely jealous, he wouldn't be able to return to the capital so openly.

His face turned dark, but Mo Jingli didn't show it on his face. In his heart, he was very happy.

"Royal Aunt, Aunt Zhaoyang, Royal Sister-in-law, what are you doing? You'd better get up quickly. The emperor is wise and will definitely give justice to the Xu family." Mo Jingli stepped forward and advised respectfully.

It would have been better if he hadn't advised her. This advice undoubtedly reminded Mo Jingqi that now not only the scholars and common people in the capital, but also his aunt, aunt, and the queen were against him. Thinking of this, a surge of blood rushed to his head, and Mo Jingqi shouted: "Xu is guilty of treason and should be executed! Pass on my order, the entire Xu family will be confiscated and beheaded!" Upon hearing this, the palace gates suddenly burst into

There was a burst of cries. Mo Jingli, who was standing on the side, quietly raised a cold smile. The people who were kneeling and begging wanted to say more, but Mo Jingqi was already furious and said first: "Anyone who dares to beg for mercy will be guilty of the same crime as Xu!"

Everyone was stunned. Suddenly, an old man in the crowd stood up and said loudly, "Your Majesty, Xu is innocent. Please investigate!"

Mo Jingqi narrowed his eyes slightly, emitting a cold light. He naturally knew this old man, he was the former Doctor Yushi who had retired and stayed at home. In the past, when he was in the court, Mo Jingqi hated this old man who always told him that this was not right and that was not right, so before Mo Jingqi ascended the throne, he was Doctor Yushi, and he had never been promoted until he retired three years ago. "You are so old..."

"You have no courage, have you ignored my order?" The old man said with tears in his eyes, "I dare not, I am willing to sacrifice my life to ask the emperor to take back his order!" After saying that, he ran headfirst into the palace wall beside him. The foundation of the palace gate was made of the best marble. When the old man ran headfirst into it, he saw that the white marble was instantly stained with bright red.

The old man fell down at the palace wall and apparently had no sound. This old minister who had long since retired actually threatened to die in order to ask the emperor to revoke his decision.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to take back your order." The queen stood up and looked deeply at the furious man in front of her. Since he ascended the throne, he has been very jealous of the merits of the old ministers of the previous dynasty. Naturally, he is also very wary of her, who comes from a family of meritorious service. No matter what she said, he always doubted her intentions and never listened to her seriously.

At first, she just remembered the instructions of her father and the late emperor and wanted to be a virtuous and virtuous queen who could advise the emperor, but her heart gradually cooled. But today's matter required her to persuade him no matter how cold her heart was. If the emperor really raided the Xu family, I'm afraid that the Great Chu would really be in chaos.

Mo Jingqi was stunned, and then a light bulb suddenly lit up in his mind and he shouted, "Stop the queen!" Everyone was stunned, but saw that the queen did not make any move, but just stood there and looked at the emperor helplessly. The queen sighed faintly in her heart. Did the emperor think she would also die to persuade him? As the queen and the emperor's wife, how could she let the emperor bear the responsibility of forcing his wife and the queen to death?

Crime? Mo Jingqi stared at the queen in a daze, his face turning pale. The eldest princess was not so polite and said coldly: "Since the emperor said so, please lock up an old woman like me. I am willing to share the same crime with Xu!"

With the eldest princess taking the lead, the people behind her also shouted, "We wish to share the same crime as Xu!"

In the attic not far from the palace gate, the half-closed window can just see the scene of the palace gate in the distance, but the people inside cannot be seen from the outside. The noise outside the palace gate naturally also came into the attic. By the window, Leng Haoyu was leaning against the window with a glass of wine, drinking lazily. The man sitting opposite him was handsome and elegant in white clothes, with his eyebrows slightly raised, just blooming.

Who else could it be but Xu Qingchen, who is so pure and elegant like a fairy? When Xu Qingchen first knew that Ye Li had returned safely and was pregnant, he knew that there must be an accident in the future, and the Xu family must not get out of this easily. So he quickly dealt with things in the south and rushed to Yunzhou. After returning to Yunzhou, he had a deep talk with his grandfather and father and then hurried to

Going to the capital, I just happened to catch such a good show.

Leng Haoyu looked at Master Qingchen, with a little more admiration in his eyes. In Leng Haoyu's opinion, of the five masters of the Xu family, only Master Qingchen was the most similar to the princess. He was usually friendly and kind to others, but when it came time to take action, he would be ruthless and never show mercy.

"In this situation, Master Qingchen, what do you think Mo Jingqi will do?" Leng Haoyu was a martial artist with extraordinary eyesight. He could see Mo Jingqi's expression and facial features clearly outside the palace gate. Xu Qingchen, who was standing opposite him, was only holding a cup of tea. He looked leisurely and peaceful, and smiled faintly, "Mo Jingqi is a ruthless man but lacks courage. No matter who set up this game today, he can't solve it. If he had killed a few people with an iron fist at the beginning, the people behind him would naturally stop. If he hadn't been hesitant about Mo Jingli at the beginning, King Li wouldn't be in such a position today. Let's talk about it further. If he had killed King Ding at all costs ten years ago, how could he have gotten rid of today? With such a mentality, he can't be called a king who maintains the status quo even in a peaceful and prosperous era, not to mention that now that he is watching the chaotic world coming, he can only be played around by others."

Leng Haoyu felt a chill in his heart, and looked at the handsome man in front of him with awe. Young Master Qingchen was well-known for his talent and was also famous for his extraordinary and otherworldly qualities, but he did not expect that he would say such ironic and sharp words. Nodding, agreeing with Xu Qingchen's point of view, Leng Haoyu turned his gaze to the city gate, his eyes lit up and he smiled, "The fun is about to begin!"

The stalemate at the palace gate was just beginning. A clear and steady voice was heard not far away, "Your Highness, Xu Hongyan has seen the Emperor."

Everyone turned around at the same time, only to see Xu Hongyan not wearing his official uniform, but walking towards them in a white cloth. Following two steps behind him was Xu Qingbai, who was also dressed in cloth. Seeing him, many people shouted that Master Xu was here. Although Xu Hongyan's reputation was not as good as his father and brother, he was also a famous talent in Da Chu. However, he was trapped in the capital when he was young, and as a mediocre and powerless official, he was naturally not as good as his father and brother in Yunzhou in teaching students and making their students famous all over the world. Xu Hongyan walked to the palace gate, bowed respectfully to Mo Jingqi and others, and said: "Your humble servant Xu Hongyan has met the emperor and the empress dowager." Xu Qingbai followed behind him and paid his respects.

Princess Zhaoyang frowned and asked, "Lord Xu, why are you here?"

Xu Hongyan smiled faintly and said, "Princess, the Xu family's affairs have caused a stir in the city. How could this humble minister not know about it? Princess Lao and others have pleaded for the Xu family. I have written about it here. And... Mr. Li..." Looking at the corpse of the old man at the foot of the palace wall, Xu Hongyan sighed and his eyes turned red. He bowed deeply to the corpse of the old man and said, "The Xu family has been deeply grateful to Mr. Li. We are truly unable to repay him."

After finishing all this, Xu Hongyan turned around and said to the people kneeling on the ground behind him: "Thank you for pleading for the Xu family, but... this is the Xu family's family affair, and you should not be implicated because of the Xu family's fault. Everyone, please go back. Xu Hongyan is here, and I will respectfully accept your majesty's order." Xu Qingbai, who was kneeling beside him, also said: "Xu Qingbai, the fourth son of the Xu family, is here."

Mo Jingqi sneered, stared at the two of them and said, "So, you two plead guilty?"

Xu Qingbai smiled faintly and said, "If the emperor wants his subjects to die, they must die. The emperor wants to confiscate the Xu family and execute all of them. How dare the Xu family disrespect him? I just don't know what crime the emperor wants us to confess to?"

Xu Qingbai and Xu Hongyan's behavior made the people present more favorable to them, and at the same time, their dissatisfaction with the emperor became more intense. Mo Jingqi clearly noticed the dissatisfaction of the ministers and clansmen kneeling on the ground. If he continued to be so stubborn, who knows what would happen today. He closed his eyes, suppressed his anger, and said, "Send Xu Hongyan and Xu Qingbai back to the Yushi Mansion. No one is allowed to meet them without my order!" After that, he no longer cared about the reactions of the people and turned around and walked into the palace gate. Mo Jingqi seemed to leave in anger, but in fact, he had suffered a lot in the past few days. In addition, he was very angry today. If he didn't leave, he might not be able to hold on.

Prime Minister Liu, who was standing aside, waved his hand and had Xu Hongyan and Xu Qingbai escorted back to the palace. Although the Xu family was not raided today, the breakup between the Xu family and the court was inevitable, and the Liu family would soon become the first family in Da Chu.

Xu Hongyan and Xu Qingbai thanked the people who were kneeling and begging for mercy again before they were taken away. The people in front of the palace gate also dispersed one after another. Seeing this, Mo Jingli smiled thoughtfully and followed the empress dowager into the palace. Princess Zhaoyang looked at the palace gate that was gradually becoming quiet and sighed helplessly. She looked at the eldest princess beside her and said, "Imperial aunt..." The eldest princess shook her head, and her haggard face looked a little more tired. She took Princess Zhaoyang's hand and said, "Your Majesty is confused... Forget it, Zhaoyang, go and stay with an old woman like me for two days." Princess Zhaoyang smiled and said, "There are not many people in the Zhaoyang Mansion. I'm glad that the imperial aunt doesn't mind Zhaoyang." She helped the eldest princess get on the carriage, and the two carriages went out of the city one after the other.

Leng Haoyu, who had watched the show upstairs, laughed and said, "Mr. Qingchen is smart. It's much better for Lord Xu to leave like this than to leave directly before." Not only did it hit Mo Jingqi, but it also didn't damage the reputation of the Xu family. Now it's the royal family that is sorry for the Xu family, not the Xu family that is sorry for the royal family. Xu Qingchen stood up, glanced at the empty palace gate, and smiled faintly, "Just one more show, and you can leave Beijing."

Leng Haoyu asked, "How does Master Qingchen know that Mo Jingqi will take action? What if he doesn't make a move? Do we have to put on a show ourselves?" Xu Qingchen lowered his head to drink tea and smiled, "No need. Even if Mo Jingqi doesn't make a move, someone will help him."

However, when Mo Jingqi returned to the palace, he was naturally furious again. In front of everyone in the palace, he mercilessly scolded several concubines who followed the queen to beg for mercy. Just as he was about to send them to the cold palace, he heard the queen stepped forward and said, "Today's incident was caused by me. If the emperor wants to punish me, punish me as well." Mo Jingqi was furious. He had always been on guard against this queen and did not dote on her, but she was the legitimate wife given to him by his father, and they had supported each other for a period of time before he ascended the throne. So he always gave her enough respect. Seeing the queen say this, Mo Jingqi sneered, "Do you still know that you are my queen? You embarrass me in front of all the people in the capital?" The queen lowered her eyes and said calmly, "The Xu family is not like other families. It is closely related to the country of Chu. If the Xu family really has the intention of rebellion, I dare not object to any decision made by the emperor. But your majesty, does the Xu family have any intention of rebellion?"

Mo Jingqi was choked up, and he could not say anything when he met the calm and bright eyes of the queen. After a long time, he waved his hand in anger and said, "Everyone else, get out! As for the queen, stay in your palace and don't come out! The affairs of the harem will be handled by Concubine Liu." The queen did not object, and stood up and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave. My sisters, please go with me." The concubines naturally wanted it. Today, they followed the queen to plead for the Xu family. It was their own will. The queen just saved them, and they were even more grateful to the queen. Originally, they were not favored in the palace, so naturally they had no expectations of the emperor.

Watching the empress and her people leave, Mo Jingqi waved his hand and smashed an antique porcelain on the table. But outside the door came the eunuch's report, "Your Majesty, Prince Li wants to see you."

"Get him out!" Mo Jingqi roared. Concubine Liu stood beside him, looking at him coldly as he went crazy with anger, a hint of disdain flashing across her eyes.

Three days after the incident in front of the palace gate, the Yu Shi Mansion suddenly caught fire late at night, and then there were sounds of fighting and killing. When the guards of the Jingli Yamen and the people in the inner city who had good relations with the Xu family arrived, the entire Yu Shi Mansion was already in ruins. When people rushed into the Yu Shi Mansion, they only found one or two servants who had survived the disaster. The rest of the people turned into charred corpses burned by the fire, and it was impossible to tell which ones were from the Xu family and which ones were assassins. It was just that someone at the scene accidentally stepped on half of a burnt palace guard token. Although the Yu Shi Mansion was soon taken over by people sent from the palace, and all the idle people were driven out, some news still spread secretly in the dark. The entire capital city was plunged into an even more bizarre and solemn atmosphere.

Twenty miles outside the capital, on a quiet and deserted path, Leng Haoyu bowed and said with a smile, "Master Xu, Master Qingchen and the Fourth Master, take care on your journey."

Two plain and inconspicuous carriages stopped by the roadside. Xu Qingchen sat in the carriage and smiled at Leng Haoyu: "Thank you for your trouble this time, Master Leng. Take care." Leng Haoyu smiled and said: "It is our duty to work for the prince, why worry? You will be protected by secret guards and Qilin all the way, so don't worry about your safety. As for the servants of the Yushi Mansion, I will also make arrangements for them, so please rest assured, Master Xu."

Xu Hongyan nodded and said, "Thank you, Master Leng. I'll take my leave now."

"Take care on your journey, everyone." Leng Haoyu nodded with a smile and gave way. The carriages moved forward slowly. In the back carriage sat Madam Xu, but the one sitting beside Madam Xu was not her usual personal maid, but Qin Zheng, the daughter of the Qin family. Qin Zheng, like Madam Xu, was only wearing ordinary cloth clothes, but she was already beautiful. But she held the corner of Madam Xu's clothes with one hand, and it was obvious that she was a little uneasy about leaving home for the first time. Madam Xu patted her hand lovingly and said with a smile: "Zheng'er, you have been wronged. In the future, your aunt will make Ze'er give you a grand wedding." Qin Zheng's pretty face was slightly red, and she whispered: "Zheng'er is engaged to the second young master, how can she be wronged?" Madam Xu saw this and felt more and more sympathetic. She smiled lovingly and said: "Good child, if Qingze dares to bully you, mother will definitely take care of you!"

"aunt……"

In early September, the Yu Shi Mansion was attacked by assassins and the entire mansion was reduced to a sea of ​​fire.

Ten days later, Qin Zheng, the young lady of the Qin family who was engaged to the second son of the Xu family since childhood, fell ill and died in less than half a month.