Chapter 65 Section IX

Zhongshu ordered Zhang Shuo to be imprisoned and interrogated, which attracted widespread attention in Chang'an. It is said that he committed a serious crime of genocide, but the reason for his conviction is quite difficult to guess. It is said that anyone who knows the inside story told Zhang that Even Li Linfu, the censor Zhongcheng, who was always friendly and good-tempered, showed a frightened look and never talked about the case he was in charge of. However, others can pretend to be deaf and dumb about what Zhang said, and the Supreme Emperor had to ask. On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Supreme Emperor held a banquet for Yao Chong in Baifu Hall, and stated that he would wear ordinary clothes to go there.Yao Chong knew clearly in his heart that the Supreme Emperor held a banquet and only entertained him alone. This was by no means a normal way of communication, and wearing only ordinary clothes was an expression of being too close.For this reason, before going to the banquet, Yao Chong deliberately found Gao Lishi, the eunuch who was the general of the right prison gate and knew how to serve and save trouble.

"Yao Xianggong." Gao Lishi knelt down and saluted Yao Chong when he saw Yao Chong. "General Gao, don't need to be too polite." At first Yao Chong wanted to chat with Gao Lishi in the way of dealing with people in the market, but he suddenly found that Gao Lishi was definitely not the kind of money-grubbing and rascal eunuch commonly seen in the harem.Although he is only in his twenties, he has extraordinary courage and wit just like the young emperor.What's even more rare is that Gao Lishi's demeanor is solemn but not arrogant, humble but not wretched.This made Yao Chong feel a little love for him.

"The villain has always respected Mr. Yao's character, and also admired your courage." Gao Lishi's face showed no flattery at all. "The villain is young and ignorant. There are many things I don't understand and I want to ask Mr. Yao for advice. I don't know if Mr. Yao is willing to accept the villain as a disciple?" "General Gao, please don't mind. The old man wants to know, are you literate?" This was very rude, but Yao Chong was serious. "The villain can read "Historical Records" intermittently, but he is not good at poetry." No one dared to speak to the emperor's favorite Gao Lishi like this, but Gao Lishi felt a little pleased with Yao Chong's straightforward question.

"Okay. However, you have to understand the emperor about this matter. You know, traffic in the palace is a serious crime. If the emperor agrees, you should formally pay homage to the door." "Thank you Mr. Yao." Gao Lishi was really grateful.You know, with Yao Chong's noble status, accepting eunuchs as private disciples will only become the laughing stock of others. This time, Yao Chong didn't stop Gao Lishi from kneeling down to salute, but when he helped Gao Lishi get up, he stuffed a small piece of paper into his hand, and said softly: "It's urgent, please report to the emperor."

The Baifu Hall where the Supreme Emperor lives is on the west side of the palace city, and it is not the most gorgeous palace in the palace city.Different from other places, this palace with only two dozen buildings has a wide courtyard and is on a higher terrain.What makes the Supreme Emperor linger the most is that the garden here is not planted with all kinds of flowers and trees that are common in the palace, but hundreds of rare medicinal plants. Tonight, the main course of the banquet is steamed fetal sheep with wolfberries grown in the courtyard, and the wine to drink is medicinal wine made by mixing Xiliang wine with astragalus, licorice, cloves, cinnamon and other medicines and spices .In the cold winter, having these two delicious wines and delicacies to eat is indeed a supreme reward.

However, the atmosphere at the banquet was unusually cold, even a little awkward. Finally, the Supreme Emperor put down the wine cup, let out a long mouthful of alcohol, and kept his tone as calm as possible, so as not to bring out the anger in his chest and lose his identity. "I don't know if Yao Qing still remembers how many years Gu and Yao Qing have known each other?" "It's been nearly twenty years since the first year of Empress Dowager Wu's Long Live Tongtian." "In the past twenty years, although the relationship between you and my ministers is not close, it can also be said to be mutual trust. If you were imprisoned tomorrow, what do you think you will do?"

"tomorrow?" "Yes. Even if Gugui is the supreme emperor, he can't know what will happen tomorrow?" The meek emperor rarely speaks so bluntly. It seems that he is really angry. Yao Chong felt that this way of talking in circles was extremely unfavorable to him, so he said, "The Supreme Emperor, my minister is dull, are you saying that tomorrow my minister may be imprisoned for similar reasons as Zhang Xianggong?" The always precious Supreme Emperor suddenly stepped down from his seat and came in front of Yao Chong. "Zhang Shuo and Gu have known each other for ten years. Although he was imprisoned this time due to his indiscretion, have you ever thought that killing Zhang Shuo will hurt many people?"

Yao Chong had already left his seat at this time, stood with his hands crossed, and said in a low voice: "What the Supreme Emperor said is very true, the first one to be hurt is the emperor. Killing Zhang said that it is the emperor's filial piety that will be damaged." These words had a lot of meaning, and it was beyond the Taishang Emperor's expectation.The Supreme Emperor originally thought that Yao Chong would use the reputation of only protecting the Supreme Emperor and King Song as an excuse, and then the Supreme Emperor would teach him how to be a minister.Unexpectedly, Yao Chong broke the matter all at once, and the Supreme Emperor didn't know what to say for a while.

At the moment of embarrassment, a young eunuch quietly walked up to him and knelt down, "The emperor came to pay his respects to the Supreme Emperor." The emperor came just in time.Yao Chong finally felt at ease.The emperor received the news from Gao Lishi, and he didn't show up until halfway through the dinner here, which shows that the emperor agreed with his suggestion in the letter. The emperor is also wearing a regular dress.After entering the gate of the palace, the emperor bowed down to the Supreme Emperor as a family gift, and then Yao Chong solemnly bowed to the emperor.

After the emperor sat down, Yao Chong suddenly knelt down to the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor, paused, and said pitifully, "I apologize to the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor." "What's the matter?" The Supreme Emperor knew that Yao Chong was full of tricks. "For my own selfishness, I squeezed Mr. Zhang out. Please punish the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor." As the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor were both present, Yao Chong used this kind of threat that was almost forced into the palace. If it worked, not only would the matter Zhang said be resolved, but there would also be many unexpected benefits.

After all, although the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor are father and son, they have no chance to talk. The Supreme Emperor and the Emperor looked at each other in blank dismay, startled.However, the Supreme Emperor soon came to his senses, and slowly said: "Let's put aside the matter of pleading guilty, and let the emperor handle this kind of matter by himself. I just want to ask you, in the political affairs hall, is Zhang said really incompetent? " "My minister speaks boldly. If there is nothing wrong in the world in peacetime, Zhang Xianggong is a conservative talent." Yao Chong felt that it was time to solve the matter thoroughly. "However, at this time today, the state affairs are in decline, and there are many political parties. I have the heart and feel that I have the ability to assist the emperor in the whole world, but no one can disagree with the minister in the political affairs hall. Please give the emperor and the emperor a monopoly. Opportunity to do whatever you want." Neither the Supreme Emperor nor the Emperor spoke a word. Yao Chong said again: "For the public, the minister is for the country and the country of the Tang Dynasty; for the private, the minister wants to leave a name in history." After Yao Worship resigned from the palace, after a long time, the emperor said: "Father, Sanlang did not intend to harm my elder brother when he dealt with Zhang Shuo. It's just that Zhang Shuo's behavior is too presumptuous. If he doesn't stop it immediately, the treacherous person may be afraid." I will take advantage of the problem and repeat the change of Xuanwumen." "It's great that you can think like this." His son's words really touched the heart of the Supreme Emperor, and he felt very relieved.There is nothing better in the world than a loving father, filial piety, and brotherly love, especially in the emperor's home. "However, Zhang said that death is not a crime, so he should be exiled from Beijing. Liu Youqiu will definitely not get along with Yao Chong, so it's better to give him a job." Finally, the Supreme Emperor said: "Sanlang, I want you to remember that you should not advance rashly in everything, but take it step by step." "Father taught me the right thing."