Yan Zhenqing quickly entered the room with small steps, prostrate on the ground in front of the table where Li Mao was sitting, and kowtowed respectfully to Li Mao.

"Chen Yan Zhenqing knocked to see Your Majesty. The minister should have come to see His Majesty after he ascended the throne, but the situation has been delayed so far, and I hope that His Majesty will forgive him. ”

Yan Zhenqing's voice trembled slightly, and he couldn't tell why he became a little excited, especially when he saw Li Mao sitting expressionlessly in this Spring Pavilion, what he remembered in his heart was the Emperor Taishang who was being forced to travel east at this moment.

"Sure enough, it's you Yan Zhenqing, I didn't expect you to come with me this time. How? Did Wang Yuan ask you to come with you? Is Wei Jiansu here too? Li Mao smiled.

"Your Majesty, Wei Zuoxiang didn't come, only the ministers and dozens of ministers accompanied the saint back to Beijing." Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice.

Li Mao smiled and said, "I don't expect him to come, but it's quite surprising that you came." Say, what's the matter with coming to see me? ”

Yan Zhenqing frowned and said, "Can the minister get up and reply?" ”

Li Mao looked at Yan Zhenqing still kneeling on the ground, hesitated for a moment, frowned, and said, "Get up." Come, give a seat. ”

The chamberlain brought a stool, but Yan Zhenqing did not sit down, and stood aside. Li Mao said: "Say, I heard that if you want to see me, you have to report confidential and important things about Wang Yuan to me, right?" What's confidential? Come on. ”

Yan Zhenqing frowned and said, "If the minister doesn't have confidential information about Wang Yuan, the minister won't be able to see His Majesty this time, right?" ”

Li Mao looked at Yan Zhenqing in surprise, and he found that Yan Zhenqing's tone of voice was very stiff, and something was not right. Yuan Mingyuan, who was standing on the side, hurriedly shouted: "Hey, you Yan Zhenqing, don't be joking." If you hadn't said that you had confidential matters about Wang Yuan that you would like to report to Your Majesty, how could I have taken you into the city and into the palace to meet you? You don't want to hurt me. ”

Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice: "I really don't have any confidential information about Wang Yuan. In fact, you all know Wang Xiangguo's every move in Chengdu, I don't know what you don't know, and you all know what I know, so I don't have the things you want to hear in my mouth. ”

"Hey, how dare you open your eyes and tell nonsense? Aren't you hurting me? Your Majesty, the slave and maid should die, the slave and maid fell for this Yan Zhenqing. I didn't expect him to deceive people, slave ......" Yuan Mingyuan shouted and refuted.

"Shut up." Li Mao broke off, and Yuan Mingyuan's words came to an abrupt end.

"Yan Zhenqing, you are so bold, you are guilty of bullying the king." Li Mao said coldly.

Yan Zhenqing raised his eyes and looked at Li Mao and said, "Your Majesty, the minister is indeed suspected of cheating, and the minister did it on purpose. Because if they do not do this, they will not be able to enter the city to see His Majesty, and they will be turned away from the city gates. Therefore, the minister made this decision as a last resort. ”

Li Mao shouted coldly: "You are so bold, dare to openly deceive me, whose power have you taken advantage of?" ”

"Your Majesty, the minister doesn't have anyone's power, the minister just wants to come to see Your Majesty, and the minister should also come to see Your Majesty." Yan Zhenqing said quietly.

"But what are you doing here? You have nothing to report, so what are you seeing me for? Li Mao sneered.

Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, even if there is nothing to report, the minister, as a political affairs hall, should not be turned away if he wants to see His Majesty." As a minister of the Tang Dynasty, he wants to go to the city to see the driver but wants to make up such a reason, Your Majesty, don't you think this is a ridiculous thing? ”

"Yan Zhenqing, don't be a fool. The imperial court has the rules of the imperial court. You are a flat chapter matter, and I am also a flat chapter matter, and I also want His Majesty's approval when I see Your Majesty, how can I say that I will see it? Could it be that your flat chapter is higher than my own flat chapter? Li Guangbi on the side said lightly.

Yan Zhenqing shook his head and said: "How can Yan's ordinary affairs be compared with you Li Guangbi, I just want to find out what kind of attitude the imperial court has." Why did His Majesty refuse to allow the Emperor Taishang to drive into Beijing? Why keep everyone out of the capital? Those of us who came all the way to the capital, but we were treated like this, what is the court doing? What will the world think? ”

"So you're here for this. Did your father send you to me to ask these words? I forgot, you are the Pingzhang of your father's seal, of course, you are loyal to your father. You deceived Yuan Mingyuan and ran in to interrogate me, did you want to fight grievances? Li Mao nodded slowly and asked in a low voice.

Yan Zhenqing shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, the minister is not unhappy, and the minister has not been assigned by anyone, the minister sincerely wants to ask His Majesty's thoughts." Don't you think it's unreasonable for Your Majesty to do this? Keeping the Emperor Taishang out of the capital will have a bad impact. Besides, the Emperor Taishang has been ill recently, and he urgently needs to enter the city to recuperate steadily, how can His Majesty refuse to enter the city. ”

Li Mao said angrily: "Didn't you hear my words? Didn't Yuan Mingyuan pass on my message? Xingqing Palace is under renovation and cannot be moved in for the time being. What's wrong with arranging for my father, the Emperor, to stay in Lishan Palace temporarily? ”

Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice: "For such a reason, I'm afraid that Your Majesty himself finds it difficult to justify himself." ”

"Bold, what does it mean to justify yourself? Do you think I did it on purpose? Li Mao shouted angrily.

Yan Zhenqing sighed softly, bowed down and said, "Your Majesty, whether this is the case or not, Your Majesty knows in your heart." The minister just doesn't want to see the rumors circulating in the outside world confirmed, which is not a good thing for His Majesty or the court. ”

"Rumors? What rumors? I'd like to hear about it. Li Mao shouted.

Yan Zhenqing was silent. Li Mao said sharply: "Say, you are talking." ”

Li Guangbi on the side coughed and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, there are many people. No one will call him later. ”

Li Mao nodded, waved his hand and waved away the surrounding attendants and palace maids, and slowly walked to Yan Zhenqing's side, and sneered: "You can say it now, what kind of rumors are circulating outside?" ”

Yan Zhenqing took a breath, looked up at Li Mao and said, "Your Majesty wants the minister to say it, so the minister will be blunt." If there is any offense against Your Majesty, please ask Your Majesty to punish him. ”

Say. Whether the crime is punished or not, it is not up to you to arrange it. Li Mao said.

Yan Zhenqing sighed, and said calmly: "The minister has the courage to speak clearly." One of the rumors is that His Majesty was unwilling to take the Emperor back to the capital, and the reason why he sent several groups of people to visit the Emperor was not to persuade the Emperor to return to Beijing, but to prevent the Emperor from returning to Beijing on the orders of His Majesty. said that His Majesty was worried that after the Emperor Taishang returned to the capital, he would ...... It would be detrimental to His Majesty's throne......"

"Shut up, it's nonsense, who made the rumors? I'm going to tear him to pieces. Li Mao scolded angrily.

Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice: "However, what Your Majesty did today just confirmed the rumors. The Emperor Taishang has arrived in the capital, and His Majesty does not allow the Emperor Taishang to enter the capital, doesn't this just prove that the rumors are true? ”

Li Mao was so angry that she scolded and denied it repeatedly. Li Guangbi frowned beside him, and said in a deep voice: "Yan Pingzhang, don't you also believe such rumors?" The legend of the Emperor Taishang is located in His Majesty, His Majesty has a deep respect for the Emperor Taishang, and His Majesty knows the filial piety of the Emperor Taishang, as an important member of the imperial court, you also follow these rumors that are unfavorable to Your Majesty, what should you be guilty of? ”

Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice: "The minister only said what the minister knew, if the minister believed that these were true, how could the minister say it?" But not all the people in the world believe in Your Majesty as much as the ministers, and what Your Majesty has done today is just confirmed by the rumors, and it may be difficult to prove yourself after that. Therefore, the minister persuaded His Majesty not to do this, or to change his course immediately, and welcome the Emperor Taishang back to Beijing, but also to block the mouth of the world and break those ridiculous rumors. ”

Li Guangbi shook his head and said, "That's absolutely impossible, how can Your Majesty be swayed by these ridiculous rumors." These are all remarks thrown out by people with ulterior motives to shake the people's hearts and slander the court, Yan Pingzhang, you should tell us where these rumors come from, stand up and accuse these unruly remarks, instead of adding fuel to the fire. ”

Yan Zhenqing looked at Li Guangbi coldly and said, "Li Pingzhang, what you said is very true. But there is one thing about you, I would like to ask Li Pingzhang to explain. ”

Li Guangbi pointed to his nose and said, "Is it about me?" Let's hear it. ”

Yan Zhenqing said quietly: "Does Li Pingzhang know a person named Pang Long?" ”

Li Guangbi was stunned for a moment, and glanced at Li Mao, and the hearts of the two suddenly brightened: that Pang Long must have confessed to something by mistake.

"I know, he's a general of the Forbidden Army, what's wrong?" Li Guangbi forced himself to calm down and asked with a smile.

"This man named Pang Long intended to poison the Emperor Taishang, and after being captured by Wang Xiangguo and others, during the interrogation, he confessed that you Li Guangbi instructed him to poison the Emperor Taishang. He said, "The words that have come from your lips are that Your Majesty has commanded you to do so." Li Pingzhang, you explain this matter. Yan Zhenqing asked coldly.

Li Maowu was stunned, but Li Guangbi laughed and said: "I said that I haven't seen Pang Long for so many days, this kid left the army without permission and disappeared for a month, and it turned out that he went to Chengdu." Yan Pingzhang, do you believe in this matter? Originally, I did not want to say such things, but since you asked about it, how could I not give you a satisfactory answer. We have been eyeing him for a long time, he is an eyeliner planted by others in the capital, nailed to our forbidden army to report to others. I had all the evidence of him, and when I was about to capture him, I told him to run away. I didn't expect him to run to Chengdu to frame me, and he dared to involve His Majesty, which is obviously someone using his status as a general of the forbidden army to confuse the public and trap His Majesty and me in injustice. The purpose of this is naturally to turn against the Emperor and His Majesty and drag the world into chaos. Li Pingzhang also believes in such a trick? ”

Yan Zhenqing said: "Is it really as you said?" ”

Li Guangbi smiled: "Then is it fake? I have evidence of his identity, correspondence with others, and money and goods funded. I don't think you can guess who is behind him. How could he, a little Pang Long, poison the Emperor? How can he succeed? And it's in the city of Chengdu, which is obviously unreasonable. He was able to succeed not because someone had provided convenience in order to frame and smear His Majesty and me. ”

Yan Zhenqing frowned and thought for a long time, then slowly shook his head and said, "No, it's impossible." I participated in the whole process of interrogating Pang Long, and there was nothing suspicious. I know who the person Li Pingzhang is talking about, but it doesn't do him the slightest benefit. If he hadn't actively rescued him after the incident, the Emperor Taishang would have encountered an accident. If he wants to frame him, why should he save the emperor? A lot of places don't make sense. Moreover, if Wang Xiangguo really wants to harm the emperor, why does he bother to act in a roundabout way? He doesn't have to be that way now. On the contrary, I feel that Li Pingzhang's words seem like fabricated false words. ”

Li Guangbi's lungs were about to explode, and his carefully designed countermeasures were actually punctured by Yan Zhenqing's words, and he was really angry.

"You are really in the same group as Wang Yuan, and Wang Yuan saved your life, so you will only look at him. He has done such a great rebellious thing, and you can defend him. Yan Zhenqing, are you an official of the imperial court, or an official of his Wang Yuan? ”

Yan Zhenqing said quietly: "Li Pingzhang, Wang Yuan did save my life, but so what? You are attacking me with this, but you are biased. As far as I know, Wang Yuan also saved your Li Guangbi's life. When you invaded Tibet, you and Ge Shuhan's Northern Route Alliance Army was defeated, and if it wasn't for Wang Yuan to take you in, you would have been chased and killed by the Tibetans. According to you, do I believe that you have received his life-saving grace and obeyed him? Obviously not, it's not appropriate for you to attack me with this. ”

Li Guangbi was very embarrassed, he didn't expect Yan Zhenqing to speak so sharply, especially when he turned out the events of the year, which made Li Guangbi hate it even more. He was indeed protected by Wang Yuan back then, but this was a past that Li Guangbi did not want to mention.

"In fact, the relationship between me and Wang Xiangguo is very bad. Many of his practices and actions are difficult for me to accept. Because of this, I decided to accompany the Emperor back to the capital. Originally, the emperor returned to Beijing, and it was useless for us to stay in Chengdu, and it was better to return to the court to serve earlier. But what I didn't expect was that His Majesty would really keep the Emperor's car out of the city as the rumors had spread. Let the emperor drift away, but he didn't care. Your Majesty is not chilling to do this. Your Majesty's throne comes from the grace of the Supreme Emperor, how can Your Majesty, as a son of man, do such a thing. is the son of an ordinary family, when his father is sick, he should also go out to greet and serve him. Your Majesty, how can you pity the homes of ordinary people? If Your Majesty is like this, how should the people of the world behave themselves? Are they all as unfilial and unrighteous as Your Majesty? The resentment that Yan Zhenqing had accumulated in his heart suddenly broke out, and his words became heavier and heavier, and he didn't even know what he said.

However, Li Mao heard it clearly. That sentence of unfilial piety and injustice was like a sharp knife inserted into his heart, and Li Mao's face turned pale and trembled.

"What do you say? Do you dare to scold me for being unfilial and unjust? Yan Zhenqing, do you want to die? Li Mao pointed at Yan Zhenqing's face and shouted.

"Bold Yan Zhenqing, you dare to be disrespectful to Your Majesty. This is a capital offense. Li Guangbi also scolded.

Yan Zhenqing's blood surged, from the moment Qichen came to Chang'an, he had the heart of death. When he entered Chang'an City, he didn't plan to get out alive. He thought that as a courtier, he should point out His Majesty's mistakes. If you don't point it out, you are derelict in your duty. Anyway, it had already begun, and he simply began to be unrestrained.

"The minister did scold His Majesty for being unfilial and unjust, but was the minister wrong? From Pang Long's incident to His Majesty's hypocritical words today, anyone with a discerning eye knows what His Majesty thinks in his heart. Your Majesty, how can you be so disgusted with your father? I would rather believe that you are being bewitched, please wake up, Your Majesty. Welcoming back the Emperor Taishang welcomed back the hearts of the subjects of the world, but it was very beneficial to His Majesty. The Emperor Taishang is already old, how can he have the heart to seize the throne again? Your Majesty, think about it. How did His Majesty come to the throne in the first place? If it weren't for the Emperor Taishang's decisive transmission to His Majesty and the issuance of the abdication edict, would Your Majesty's throne still be stable? The Emperor Taishang and his ministers said one thing in private, not long after the edict was issued, Li Heng, Li Pu and other princes jointly went to the Emperor Taishang and asked the Emperor Taishang to write a new edict to prove that His Majesty's accession to the throne was decided privately and was not in line with the ancestral system. The Emperor rejected him sternly. But now, if someone asks the Emperor to write such a thing again, will the Emperor write something or not? With His Majesty's actions to the Emperor today, the Emperor is afraid that he will be cold, how will he write this edict? Therefore, Your Majesty, the minister is here to wake up Your Majesty today, drink water and think of the source, and don't forget the roots. Parents respect and do not tolerate it, how can they tolerate the world? How can we talk about the revival of the Tang Dynasty? ”

"Shut up!" Li Mao's eyes breathed fire, and he couldn't bear it anymore. This Yan Zhenqing takes herself too seriously, and teaches herself as a three-year-old child, and every sentence is stimulating, leaving no emotion at all. Since Li Mao ascended the throne, has he received such words? It's okay to blame any unfilial piety and injustice, and now he has turned out the legitimacy of ascending the throne to speak, which is what Li Mao hates. How can this be openly discussed? This Yan Zhenqing felt that his throne was not right in his heart, otherwise why would he say such a thing?

Poor Yan Zhenqing's painstaking words of persuasion have become distortions and threats in Li Mao's ears, and he is still waiting to talk about it, but he doesn't know that a catastrophe is coming, he doesn't know that Li Mao has already had murderous intentions.

"Yan Zhenqing, I understand, you came to admonish me today on the orders of your father. Do you think that with Wang Yuan and your father giving you courage, you can do whatever you want? You're wrong. I know what you want to do? You group of people who are loyal to your father and emperor have not returned to Chang'an until today, don't you just don't want to see me? Do you think you can restore your father and emperor? Let me go back to the time when my predecessor bullied me? You're wrong. Today's I am gone