Chapter 130 The snow has subsided a little...
The snow has lessened a little.
In a remote house, Chen Qing held an umbrella and walked down step by step on the snow, passing through the deep corridor and came to the dark prison.
No one has been here for a long time. I closed my umbrella and shook off the snow.
The servant held the lamp for her as she surveyed the two dark cells with a gloomy gaze. She first came to the maid who had pushed Zhang Miaoyin into the water.
She huddled in her blankets, shivering. When she vaguely sensed the light, she suddenly stood up and stared at the person who came in warily.
Chen Qing looked at her indifferently, and the first thing he said was: "Do you think that my father killed the Crown Prince's grandfather, and now sits in this position, and is unworthy of the position?"
"You think the Master family is completely innocent, while my father is guilty of a heinous crime."
She said nothing, but her eyes were filled with anger and extreme injustice.
"Li Zhibai is truly a loyal minister's dog." Chen Qing said, "The prince has rebelled."
A light suddenly flashed in her eyes.
Chen Qing smiled softly, "But he was beaten utterly by King Cang, and now I don't know where he's hiding, barely surviving."
"Oh, right. My father holds the position and enjoys the virtues of his father. Unlike your prince, he killed his father to seize the throne, and the Shi family assisted him in his atrocities. Although I don't know why my father killed the prince's grandfather, it is ultimately the Shi family's fault."
Her skin trembled. "You can't keep me locked up here forever. The Crown Prince will come looking for me."
Chen Qing whispered, "Oh, I really am planning to lock you up for life. So what? Do you think the prince who murdered his father and brother would start a war over a mere abandoned child?"
"Stop dreaming." Her voice was as thin as smoke and dissipated with a breeze.
Chen Qing has always been protective of his people. Since he dared to hurt Zhang Miaoyin, he must be prepared to endure retaliation.
She said no more and went to another dark cell.
There was a loud "bang" behind her. The girl knew that there was no hope of escape, or perhaps she had given up on someone, so she simply chose to end her life.
Without blinking, Shen Qing said, “Cleaned up.”
The game was coming to an end, and Shen Qing walked up to Shen Ling.
Shen Ling was now in a state of disgrace, with unkempt hair and ragged clothes. She was extremely cold, but there was only one quilt in the cell that was not very warm, so she could only curl up in a corner and keep warm by breathing out her breath.
When she first saw Shen Qing, who was extremely exquisite from her hair to her clothes, appear in this filthy place, Shen Ling was in a trance.
It shouldn't be like this.
In her memory, she should be living a life of luxury in Xuanji Pavilion, while Chen Qing should be suffering torture in this dark prison. How could this happen now?
Shen Ling rushed to the entrance of the dark cell with a ferocious look on his face, and the chains around him hummed.
"It's you! It should have been you! You must have been reborn, right? I knew there was something wrong with that strange formation you created. I was accidentally caught in it and was able to be reborn. How could you, as the host who initiated the formation, have no memory?"
"It's all you!"
Chen Qing looked at her hysterical appearance coldly.
Her eyes were so cold that the anger in Shen Ling's heart was soaked away inch by inch.
Shen Ling finally realized that her life was in her hands at the moment.
She cried miserably, tears streaming down her face. "I was wrong, I was wrong, Chen Qing, please let me go! This was all instigated by the Crown Prince. He was the one who told me to get close to you and put the curse on you. It had nothing to do with me! I was forced!"
"He said if I didn't obey, he would kill my mother. I had no choice!"
Chen Qing said, "But in your previous life, you were the one who sent your mother to her doom. Now that you've been reborn, you've made the same choice."
“No one forced you, Shen Ling.”
Shen Ling was stunned, and she was speechless for a moment.
Chen Qing sighed, slowly squatted down, looked at her at eye level, with pity in his eyes, "I know you were also forced by the prince."
She stuffed the hot water bottle in her arms into Shen Ling's arms. It was warm and filled with Shen Qing's body fragrance.
Shen Ling was momentarily dazzled by the tenderness and compassion in her eyes, and her lips moved for a while.
Chen Qing spoke, her voice soft but with a hint of temptation: "When Li Daoxuan killed me, you were there, right?"
Shen Ling nodded.
Chen Qing said: "Why did he kill me? Because I used Liuli Heart, so he was very angry. That's why he ignored our past friendship and wanted to kill me, right?"
Shen Ling blinked and said, “Yes…”
After Chen Qing got the result, his face turned cold and he turned and left. The servant hurriedly chased after him with an umbrella.
The only light source left, and Shen Ling's eyes suddenly became dark. She blinked and covered her face.
Didn't Chen Qing love her Li A'man the most? Why did she ask this? Didn't she remember it in the last life? Did she forget it again?
Regardless, she had said "yes," and Chen Qing must have believed her. Given her vindictive nature, she would definitely seek revenge. It would be best if Chen Qing and King Cang turned against each other, with both sides suffering. Chen Ling thought happily.
But what next? What should she do? Shen Ling suddenly panicked.
She knew Chen Qing's vengeful nature, and she would never be able to get out in this lifetime!
What should she do? Like the guy next door, hit her head and die?
No--
Chen Qing knows Chen Ling very well. He is afraid of death and greedy.
How could Shen Ling bear to die? Since she couldn't bear it, she had no choice but to be locked up in this ghost place for the rest of her life, until she could no longer bear the endless darkness and loneliness.
This is more satisfying than killing Shen Ling directly.
Without the hot water bottle, a chill rose in his arms. He wrapped himself in his goose-yellow cloak and said, "Prepare the carriage and go find Li Daoxuan."
As soon as he finished speaking, thick smoke suddenly rose from the palace. The smoke was so thick that it even covered the white snow.
I'm afraid the entire Taiji Hall will be set on fire...
Chen Qing didn't care about the royal family's affairs, she cared about how Li Zhibai was doing.
Xiaoli dealt with all the people sent by Li Zhibai without exception. Chen Qing no longer had any worries and went straight to the palace to find Li Daoxuan.
But when the carriage was halfway there, the attendants reined in their horses.
"Madam, a servant reports that Prince Cang...seems to have gone to Dongshan Temple."
Chen Qing didn't even blink, "Let's go to Dongshan Temple."
"yes."
The carriage drove away, leaving two long wheel marks stretching far into the distance. Heavy snow quickly covered the marks.
.
Inside the main hall, a huge golden Buddha statue sits cross-legged on the table, with its eyes drooping compassionately, looking down at the monks who are chanting scriptures and reciting Buddhist scriptures in the hall.
"Bang--"
Li Zhibai stumbled through the temple door, his clothes tattered, as if he had just crawled out of a quagmire of tangled branches. He grabbed a monk and asked, "Where is You Daozi?"
Realizing his tone was too harsh, he changed into a disguise, "I request to see Mr. You Daozi! The Fourth Prince, Prince Cang, is plotting a rebellion and wants to usurp the throne. He has forced me here, and I request to see Mr. You Daozi and ask him to take care of his apprentice!"
The monks in the temple were not concerned with worldly affairs and naturally did not know about the chaos in Chang'an. Seeing him say this, they hesitated and said, "Sir, you have just returned from your travels and are resting up. If I disturb you rashly, I'm afraid..."
"What happened?"
The night was as dark as water. A slender black shadow came over with a lantern in hand. As the distance got closer, it became clear that it was a thin middle-aged man.
The man's face was not particularly outstanding, but it was gentle and calm. His eyes swept across lightly, as if they could calm all restlessness.
"Sir, someone wants to see you, saying that my junior brother is plotting a rebellion..."
You Daozi calmly put down the corner lamp and straightened his sleeves.
"You are..." He thought for a moment, "Oh, you are the newly enthroned emperor, and you said that my little disciple is plotting a rebellion?"
Li Zhibai nodded fiercely and grabbed the corner of his clothes, "Yes! Li Daoxuan coveted the throne and took advantage of my newly ascended throne and unstable foundation to rebel!"
You Daozi rubbed his head and asked, "Will that guy rebel?"
Li Zhibai nodded with hope in his eyes.
You Daozi pondered for a moment and said, "Please spare me a moment to talk."
.
The night grew darker, and Li Daoxuan led a group of people following the clues straight to Dongshan Temple.
As soon as he entered the temple, a monk said, "Junior Brother."
Li Daoxuan raised his hand to stop him from speaking, "Where is the person?"
"this--"
"Who are you looking for, little brat?" A voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Li Daoxuan turned around, looked at the person who came, and asked, "Old man, where is Li Zhibai?"
You Daozi: "First, tell me where you took your uncle-master."
Li Daoxuan said casually: "He wasted his internal energy and threw it into the river."
You Daozi's eyebrows twitched, "Huh?"
Li Daoxuan: "He used forbidden techniques to raise a powerful demon, indirectly changing the fortunes of the Li Dynasty and causing constant natural disasters. Countless people have died indirectly because of him. Now he has rashly interfered in our royal affairs and helped the Crown Prince murder countless loyal officials. Just throwing them into the river is a good thing for him."
If we follow the court rules, nothing less than being cut into pieces would be enough to appease the public anger.
You Daozi seemed to have nothing to say. After a while, he sighed and said, "Then it's up to you."
Li Daoxuan snorted, "Where is the person?"
You Daozi: "I won't interfere in the affairs of the court, you go find it yourself." He only cares about eliminating demons. As long as his apprentice does not do anything harmful to the world, other things are not a problem.
Li Daoxuan knew You Daozi's personality well, so he turned around and went to the guest room.
Soon, a piercing scream pierced the night.
"Li Daoxuan, you will not die well!"
.
Li Zhibai's dream of becoming emperor ended in just half a month, and the farce came to an end.
In the main hall, Li Zhibai was forced to kneel. He was disheveled and kept shouting "Bold" and "I", making everyone laugh.
Li Daoxuan said, "Li Zhibai, you murdered the saint, slaughtered your brothers and sisters, rebelled, and joined forces with the abbot of Dongshan Temple to raise a powerful demon. This has caused the Li Dynasty to suffer constant natural and man-made disasters. Your crimes are unforgivable. Do you admit your guilt?"
"I don't recognize you! I am the emperor, you are rebelling!" Li Zhibai said.
Li Daoxuan stood on the steps, his bright red robe making his expression even more gloomy. Upon hearing this, he simply raised his eyes slightly and glanced at the disheveled figure below.
It really is a pile of mud that cannot be propped up against the wall.
"Emperor?" He sneered. His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard throughout the empty hall. "Are you still dreaming?"
He pointed sideways outside the palace, "Look outside the palace—those monsters you've kept in captivity are no longer a threat. The troops you sent to suppress the various states have either defected or been blocked outside the city walls by the people, unable to even enter the city gates."
"The natural disasters and man-made calamities in the Li Dynasty were all caused by you." Even if I don't say it, do you think the people in the city can just swallow their anger?
Li Daoxuan's voice suddenly turned harsh. "Do you think you can do whatever you want by relying on the Red and White Demons? Do you think you can rest easy just by killing the emperor and imprisoning the royal family? You don't even understand the meaning of 'people's hearts'. How can you be called 'I'?"
Li Zhibai was trembling all over at his words, but he still stiffened his neck and roared, "So what! I am the late queen's legitimate son, and I should have inherited the throne! It was you traitors who stole my kingdom!"
"Legitimate son?"
Li Daoxuan opened his lips and sarcastically said, "A legitimate son who transformed his own brother into a great demon?"
Li Zhibai's face turned pale when his unbearable past was suddenly exposed. "It was the host who seduced me, not my own will—"
"Besides, my father has always wanted to kill my eldest brother. I am just following the trend and making my eldest brother live a different life!"
"To put it bluntly, you feel that your eldest brother is clinging to the position of Crown Prince, and with the Shi family now in decline, you're afraid the position will fall to someone else, so you're taking action in advance, right?"
The emperor's mind is unpredictable. While the Shi family has not yet completely lost its power, Li Zhibai decisively chooses to use Shi Ranran to lure Li Zhibai and make him willing to transform into a demon.
At that time, there was a rumor widely circulated among the people - the former crown prince was not the emperor's biological son, but the child of his younger brother.
The death of the former crown prince was so strange, no different from being torn apart by five horses, that even if it wasn't Emperor Jingren's doing, it would likely be attributed to him. Therefore, Emperor Jingren chose to suppress the matter, accusing him of "murdering his own mother," and also removing the empress.
Emperor Jingren was extremely concerned about his reputation.
Wasn’t that the same thing with the Sneaky Hill incident?
Li Daoxuan was so thirsty from talking that he didn't want to waste any more words, so he took out two gilded silver boxes.
Li Zhibai stared with his eyes wide open.
"You went through so much trouble just to find this thing." Li Daoxuan shook the box. "Does it contain the things that showed our family's betrayal?"
"Because my mother was in great favor, your Shi family feared that my Gao family would dominate. When the barbarians invaded, your grandfather, under the guise of providing support, colluded with the enemy, burned the army's supplies, and joined forces with the enemy. He first secretly plotted to murder General Gao, then deceived the emperor into trusting him by accusing him of treason, causing him to order the execution of the entire Gao family."
Shen Congzhi, now the Duke of Han, was just an unknown man at the time. He found something wrong. After some investigation, he discovered the secret that the Jiedushi of Jiannan Road was collaborating with the enemy and treason. So he cut off his head, rushed thousands of miles to Chang'an, and handed the news to Emperor Jingren.
At this moment, the imperial decree to execute the entire Gao family had been issued. Emperor Jingren's men rode to Yangzhou at full speed, but only two people were left alive.
At the same time, news came that 30,000 generals were buried in Guisuipo.
Without any baggage or warm clothes, how could people survive in this icy and snowy environment for a whole half month?
The answer is no.
In order to prevent the souls of 30,000 soldiers from lingering and breeding resentment and monsters, Emperor Jingren sent people to seal Guisou Hill, along with the ghost town that was harmed by Xiang Yao.
Perhaps there is also an intention to cover up the truth...
After all, Emperor Jingren could not bear the infamy of wrongly killing a loyal and good family.
As for the Shi family that remained, perhaps it was because the Shi family had lost its prince and queen and could no longer achieve anything significant.
The Gao family is gone, and if the Shi family is gone too, I'm afraid the situation will be even more chaotic.
No one knew what Emperor Jingren was thinking, not even Li Daoxuan.
It doesn't matter anymore. Li Daoxuan said to someone, "You take the things yourself."
He threw the gilded silver box high up, and the two boxes were caught by the eunuchs swiftly. Then the eunuchs bent down, held the boxes and walked respectfully behind a man.
Li Zhibai's face turned pale when he saw the man coming out of the side hall.
His facial features couldn't stop moving around, and his eyelids were twitching. "You're not, already—"
Emperor Jingren had just recovered from a serious illness, his lips still pale, and he sat on the dragon throne with the help of palace servants step by step.
No wonder Li Daoxuan never looked at the dragon throne from beginning to end, and no wonder he was not afraid of being condemned by the world for "rebellion". If Emperor Jingren was still alive, wouldn't he be the one who rebelled?
So it is clear who Li Daoxuan is talking about when he says "cleans the court".
Emperor Jingren was still alive. Wouldn't everything he did become a joke? Li Zhibai finally lost his temper and collapsed on the ground, muttering, "Impossible... How could I lose..."
Li Daoxuan no longer looked at him and said to the person on the dragon throne, "Don't forget what you promised me." He turned around and walked out of the hall, his figure gradually blending into the falling snow.
Emperor Jingren looked at his son, the expression in his old eyes difficult to discern, "I am very disappointed in you."
Li Zhibai knew that his defense was useless, so he said dejectedly, "I lost, I lost. You can kill me or punish me as you please."
Seeing that he was so unrepentant, Emperor Jingren was completely disappointed, and his disappointment was mixed with anger.
"I know what you are thinking. Twenty thousand Shijia troops are heading towards Chang'an."
Li Zhibai raised his eyes.
"Come here and accept the surrender." Emperor Jingren said, "Do you think that if you kill your cousin, the Shi family will still sincerely help you?"
Li Zhibai's eyes suddenly widened. "Impossible! How did they know I killed Shi Qinglan? Tell me, how did they know?"
No repentance.
Emperor Jingren closed his eyes and waved his hand.
The guards responded and stepped forward, carrying the distraught Li Zhibai and dragging him out. He cried and cursed all the way, but his voice grew increasingly distant until he was finally blocked by the palace gate.
The eunuch personally handed the gilded silver box to Emperor Jingren. Emperor Jingren looked at the box and slowly opened it.
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