turmoil

For the first time, Zhang Jingche looked at him unscrupulously, with the arrogance and disdain in the corners of his eyes and brows undisguised. At this moment, Liu Yanzhao finally saw his minions that had been hidden for a long time.

The new emperor gasped: "This...is this your true face?"

"Otherwise?" Zhang Jingche asked with a sneer, looking at him like an idiot, "Do you think everyone is born to be a slave? You think you are a golden Buddha statue in a temple, and anyone will willingly worship you ?”

How can it be!

Liu Yanzhao came back to his senses, his molars were clenched, and his mind was occupied by anger. He forgot the lesson just now, and stretched out his hand to pinch Zhang Jingche's neck: "It's for Concubine Shu, right? Okay, okay The feeling of a fellow countryman... I, I was deceived so hard by you pair of bastards!"

Zhang Jingche was out of shackles, and he didn't allow him to touch him at all. The folding fan hit the acupuncture point firmly and firmly. At this moment, Liu Yanzhao not only went numb, but half of his arm ached like a needle prick.

Liu Yanzhao couldn't help being furious: "You dare to do anything to me!"

Zhang Jingche stared at him intensely, with sharp hatred in his eyes: "Why didn't I dare? If it weren't for you, how could my sister have died twice!"

Liu Yanzhao's anger, which was on the verge of eruption, suddenly froze, and after a while, he said in disbelief, "...Sister?"

His disintegrated rationality gradually came back, and when he thought of a certain possibility, his face suddenly turned pale.

"Jing Su is my younger sister, the younger sister I grew up with," Zhang Jingche repeated coldly, "Your Majesty has thoroughly investigated my life experience. You should know that besides my mother, there is also a younger sister in my family. My younger sister was arrested. The prince of Huainan snatched her away, and everyone in the world said that she had passed away, but they never thought that she was brought into the palace by the empress... no, she should be called the empress dowager now, and became a pawn that was coerced to do things for you. "

Zhang Jingche's face was pale, but his eyes were red, as if all the blood was entangled in the whites of his eyes: "I am an orphan adopted by my mother, and I have no blood relationship with Jing Su, but I have watched her grow up since I was a child, and I wish I could hold her in the The pet in the palm of my hand...but ah, my younger sister who I regard as the treasure in my heart, died in the deep palace, with one body and two lives!"

He took a step forward, and the aloof Emperor Yin felt the panic and fear of Duke Pei Guo before he died, and stepped back half a step under his majesty, only to hear Zhang Jingche ask maliciously: "Your Majesty the Emperor , tell me, what should I do with you!"

Liu Yanzhao no longer had the momentum to ask questions. He saw resentment and murderous intent in Zhang Jingche's eyes. At this moment, he had no doubt that this insignificant man was really murderous.

Liu Yanzhao took a breath, and tried his best to put on the majesty of the emperor: "Even so, it should be handed over to the tribunal for trial. You wanton lynching, ignoring the laws of the country..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Zhang Jingche. The man raised his head and laughed, the corners of his eyes were stained with tears, as if stained red from the rain, and fluttered in the wind: "Treat the law of the country as nothing...haha, who the hell is it? The law of the country is like nothing!"

He stopped laughing, and looked at Liu Yanzhao coldly: "Where were you when Liu An and his son were doing all kinds of evil in the fish and meat village? Where were you when the Zhou family and his son did whatever they wanted and killed my younger sister? , where are you?"

"What country's laws are you talking about... Haha, in the end, it's just a way of being afraid of bullying, but it turns out that it's so easy to push the boat!"

Liu Yanzhao is the son of Zhonggong, who has been known as benevolent and generous since he was a child. Even if King Ping is eyeing him, he has been pampered and grown up, and there is never a shortage of people competing for loyalty around him.He was used to the stars and the moon, and it was the first time he was questioned by someone pointing his nose, so he couldn't help being stunned.

After a while, the new emperor came back to his senses, and reluctantly said: "I... I have not long since ascended the throne, and I feel helpless in many things. You, you have endured it for so long, why can't you continue to endure it? When I take power in my hands, I will naturally Get rid of these rats that have harmed the court one by one!"

Zhang Jingche looked at him indifferently, and Liu Yanzhao got his wish to see the truest side of him, but this true face frightened him, he could not see himself or others in Zhang Jingche's eyes.

"I've endured it for too long," Zhang Jingche said in a low voice, "I've endured it for no other reason than to keep Jingsu safe. Now that she's dead, why should I bear it any longer!"

He has worked as a child for half his life, but he has lost one family after another, and now he can't continue, so why not have a good time?

Liu Yanzhao was dumb for a moment, and asked with some unwillingness: "You, you don't want to live anymore? I'm surrounded by... so much trouble, that you can't stay here for a while?"

Zhang Jingche smiled and said meaningfully: "I could have endured the darkness...if I had never seen the light."

After all, he is not a person of this era. Even if he has lived for more than twenty years, if he is short-lived, half his life has passed, he still cannot adapt.

He is a free eagle, he can soar in the sky, he can fight the wind and waves, but he cannot be locked in a cage, not even a golden cage.

Liu Yanzhao saw Xia Chong's indescribable contempt in his eyes.

He was gasping for breath, clenched his fists because of anger, and couldn't attack because of guilt - Zhang Jingche had no eyes on the king, but one sentence was right, Zhang Jingsu died because of him.

Liu Yanzhao's misunderstanding, indifference and laissez-faire were the accomplices in killing Concubine Shu, and he has no excuse.

"I... didn't know that she was your sister," Liu Yanzhao reluctantly said after a long time, "If I knew, I wouldn't..."

Zhang Jingche sneered and said, "Nothing? Won't marry her, or just leave her alone? Your Majesty, we're all dead. Is there any point in arguing about it?"

Liu Yanzhao was completely speechless.

He stared at Zhang Jingche for a while, and found that he had nothing to say, so he had to turn around, and Zhang Jingche said coldly: "At the beginning, I wanted to take Jing Su away, but was stopped by the Queen Mother. Innocent death... Your Majesty may as well ask the Queen Mother for me, if you see Jing Sulai chasing after her, if you dream back at midnight!"

Liu Yanzhao couldn't help being furious, turned around and shouted in a low voice: "This matter is not the Queen Mother's original intention, don't talk about it... The queen mother, the queen mother just loves her son deeply!"

Zhang Jingche snorted: "What a loving son! Her son, she will go through fire and water on her own, why should my sister pay for it with her life!"

Liu Yanzhao had blue veins on his forehead, and he paused every word: "The queen mother... is the mother of the world, and should be worshiped by the people of the world!"

Zhang Jingche didn't give in: "Who was raised by his parents? How can your Liu family be so superior!"

Liu Yanzhao gasped, he always knew that this person was unruly, but he never imagined that he could say such rebellious words: "You...you are presumptuous!"

Zhang Jingche looked at him mockingly: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it... If Your Majesty thinks that it is a matter of course that all people in the world should serve you, the Emperor Liu, with loyalty and death, then the sage's book is really in the stomach of a dog!"

Liu Yanzhao finally understood that under this man's seemingly respectful skin, he was actually wrapped with a bone of rebellion.He had lived in the deep palace for a long time, and had never fought with others before. Compared to his eloquence, he was definitely not Zhang Jingche's opponent. He was choked to death and speechless. He flicked his sleeves for a long time, gritted his teeth and left.

Looking at his stiff back, Zhang Jingche felt that his depression was bursting out.For that little weakness, he has swallowed his anger for many years, and now he has stretched out all his curled up edges, which is really an unprecedented joy!

"It's a pity that there is no alcohol in the prison." He looked down at his pale palms and murmured, "Otherwise, I should have made a fool of myself!"

Then, Zhang Jingche heard footsteps.

The sound of footsteps was not the soft and procrastinated ones that the nobles in Beijing often heard, but crisp and clear, without muddling, it was really no longer familiar.Zhang Jingche then sighed, restrained his sharpness a moment ago, and said in a low voice: "The imperial prison is filthy, and the body of Lord Marquis is worth a thousand dollars. You really shouldn't set foot in it."

Three steps away from the iron fence, Yang Fan looked at him with a complicated expression, he didn't approach him any more, and he didn't intend to leave in a hurry.

Marquis Dingbian thought he knew Zhang Jingche, but even he didn't expect that this man who had been cut off from retreat would do such a decisive thing.He is in charge of the two major intelligence agencies, Jinyi and Youyun. There are a hundred ways to make Pei Guogong and his son die quietly in the imperial prison.If it is done well, it is not impossible to find another scapegoat.

But he chose to use the most decisive and ruthless means.

Others do not leave him a way out, and he does not leave room for others.

Too bad!

"Why is this..." After a long time, Yang Fan said in a low voice, "Why is this!"

Zhang Jingche suddenly felt the corners of his eyes twitch. He looked up at the small window high up, and a light hit his face, making him look illusory and uncertain.

"I've chosen the path myself, even if it's a thousand cuts, I'll admit it." Zhang Jingche put away his minions, and smiled almost gently, "It's just that the many preparations made by Master Hou were in vain. I'm really sorry."

Yang Fan sighed, with a rare gentle expression: "Is that why you don't want to live?"

The corners of Zhang Jingche's eyes twitched, but he didn't speak.

Yang Fan took a step forward and looked at him directly: "You take this step... How can you make the teacher peaceful under the nine springs? He begged for you in every possible way, and he was sick for you, but you ruined his painstaking effort like this, you Are you sorry for him?"

Zhang Jingche trembled suddenly. He was sharp in his words and refused to give an inch in front of the king of a country, but his face was pale and his lips trembled slightly when he was spoken by Hou Dingbian in a few words.

He was stunned for a while, then suddenly opened the folding fan in his hand, and saw the green pines of thousands of valleys painted on the yellowed paper, next to the inscription: "The green pines are in the East Garden, and the grasses have no shape. The frost casts down the aliens, and the tall branches stand out." , the pen is vigorous, and the strength of character of the person who wrote the inscription is faintly visible.

Zhang Jingche's throat was choked, as if he saw a pair of old and cloudy eyes through a folding fan.He didn't care about being criticized by thousands of people, or being famous in the world, but there was an uncontrollable trembling in these eyes.

"It's me... I'm sorry teacher!" He trembled, "I failed the teacher's expectations!"

"You have indeed failed the teacher, and you have failed me!" Yang Fan said coldly, "But as long as we live, the teacher and I will not blame you!"

Zhang Jingche raised his head abruptly, and looked at Dingbianhou through an iron fence.He saw the unshakable coldness in Yang Fan's eyes, and he stood there like a mountain, cutting off his dead end without any explanation.

Zhang Jingche's brows moved slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Master Hou..."

There were soft footsteps at the end of the corridor, and someone urged Yang Fan to leave. Hou Dingbian took one last look at Zhang Jingche, turned around without hesitation, and walked back and forth.

"It's about time," he didn't know whether it was melancholy or astringently thinking, "He has no worries, it's time to leave."

When Marquis Dingbian made up his mind, Liu Yanzhao in the palace was in a state of desperation, but in just two days, the court cases were piled up like snowflakes, almost burying the new emperor inside.After a rough look, they are all words of impeachment against Zhang Jingche, one sentence is more stern than the other. If he does not kill this person, the civil and military of the whole court will splash blood on Panlongzhu.

Since ancient times, killing people paid for their lives, not to mention that what Zhang Jingche killed was not ordinary people, but the Duke of the current dynasty.Even though Pei Guogong and his son are sent to prison awaiting trial, after all, they are relatives in Beijing, and they cannot be treated like animals by others.

In the eyes of the Jingzhong family, Zhang Jingche's behavior is not only an abuse of lynching and violation of the king's law, but also a naked provocation.If you don't kill this person, how can you serve as an example to others, how can you maintain the authority of the aristocratic family and the balance of the court?

Therefore, Zhang Jingche must die!

The more fierce the family's criticism, the more intriguing Liu Yanzhao's attitude.Of course he knew that this knife was useless, and it was the best policy to fold it according to people's will.After all, he is the emperor now, and most of them are helpless and poor children who are willing to share the worries of the master.

But Liu Yanzhao also knew that Zhang Jingche contributed a lot to his being able to sit on the dragon seat, even if he didn't say it, the people below could see clearly.Now that the world is still uncertain and the constraints are still in place, he hastily dealt with Zhang Jingche, and it will inevitably feel chilling in the eyes of the people below.If things go on like this, it may not be so easy to solicit people's hearts and fight against the aristocratic family.

What's more, there is still that inexplicable throbbing emotion lingering in his heart, which makes Liu Yanzhao's hand holding the pen hesitate, unable to drop the word "Zhun" for a long time.

At this moment, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall, and the eunuch Yuezhao bowed his head and said submissively, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is coming."

Liu Yanzhao paused his wrist, put down his brush, and greeted him personally.The imperial concubine was newly mourned in the palace, and the empress dowager took off the pearl and emerald crown, and only wore a long white jade hairpin and a silver pendant, and slowly moved into the palace.Liu Yanzhao asked Ann, and said: "Because of Concubine Shu and Concubine Xian, Empress Mother is worried all night and can't sleep, why doesn't she rest in the palace? If there is something to do, send someone to call, and my son will come over."

The Empress Dowager sighed: "When something like this happens, the Emperor is certainly worried, but how can the Ai family sleep?"

Liu Yanzhao didn't speak, he helped the queen mother to sit down, and went straight to the imperial case.

The Empress Dowager looked at him carefully, and saw that there was a deep anger between his brows, and she already had a guess in her heart: "The emperor is in a bad mood, and I'm afraid it's not just because of the courtier's favor... Did you go to see that Jing Che today?"

Liu Yanzhao raised his eyelids, his cheeks were as sharp as knives, "I never understood...that Zhang Jingche is very rebellious despite his talent, and he is unwilling to bow his head to be a slave, but he is loyal to me and takes care of everything. I thought... I thought that he was willing to make mistakes because of his extraordinary intentions for me, but now I realize that it wasn't my virtue that made him follow him willingly, but the queen mother's plan to restrain his lifeline early and let him He has to be used by me, right?"

The queen mother was silent for a while, then smiled wryly: "...the emperor really knows."

Liu Yanzhao showed anger, and slowly clenched his fingers: "Why does the queen mother keep hiding it from me!"

The Empress Dowager looked at him gently, it was the way a mother looks at her son, and it is the way a mother of a country looks at King Liu: "The emperor is the Ai family's own child, and the Ai family knows your temper best... you are naturally kind, You only talk about convincing people with virtue, and you don’t like to use means to coerce others. But the emperor, since you are a king, if you want to appease the people and deter the court, the heart of a bodhisattva and thunderbolt methods are indispensable!"

"What you can't bear to do, the Ai family will do it for you. The means you don't want to use, the Ai family will use for you. But you must understand that the road of the emperor is always too cold, and sooner or later you will have to walk alone go up!"

"Such things will become commonplace in the future...Zhang Jingche is the beginning, but it is by no means the end!"