Chapter 6 The fifth round of impeachment by corrupt officials

Li Longji was dismissed from his foreign post and returned to Wei Shaoqing for playing a wonderful game. His other four brothers also followed suit, and they all dismissed their foreign posts and returned to Beijing to serve.When the news came, Xiang Wang and his family were very happy. They believed that the court's move showed that the emperor's suspicion of Xiang Wang had weakened a lot. Since the five brothers of Li Longji all opened houses and built houses in Xingqingfang, every five days, the five brothers gathered together and went to the prime minister's mansion to pay homage to their father.At this day and hour, the five brothers, led by the elder brother Li Chengqi, went to the mansion to pay their respects.Li Chengqi is currently a member of Zongzheng's Waiqing, and he is the king of Shouchun County.He inherited the indifferent style of his father Li Dan, he is upright and reticent, friendly and loving to his brothers, and is highly respected by the four brothers.At the beginning, Li Xian had just become the emperor. In order to reward Li Dan, the prime minister, he wanted to make Li Chengqi the king of Cai, and seal 700 households. Li Chengqi didn't know whether he got the words of his father, or because of his own personality, so he successively made excuses. , thus winning the same reputation as "benevolent" like his father.

The five brothers visited Li Dan one by one, and Li Dan sat in the chair with a blank expression.In fact, he was not happy when his sons returned to Beijing after resigning from foreign posts. As a vassal king who has survived the ups and downs to this day, Li Dan knows that "avoiding disaster" is the first thing to worry about.Thinking about it, Li Dan was calm and cautious all his life, never liked to make friends with others, and hid in the house every day reciting poems and playing the piano.Even so, the catastrophe will take the initiative to come to the door. I think back when my two concubines disappeared in the palace, I didn't dare to ask my mother what happened, and I wanted to appease the two children Li Chengqi and Li Longji not to cry and find their mothers; Junchen moved the instruments of torture into the palace. Seeing the imminent catastrophe, Li Dan had no choice but to give way to the world. However, after the prince Chongjun's defeat, he did not participate in it, and his brother and sister-in-law still doubted him.Li Dan has experienced these turbulent waves and knows that he is a member of the royal family, and it will never be possible to leave the center of the vortex. The only way to avoid disaster is to stay away.It would be best for the five sons to be outsiders, but now that they have returned to Beijing, the danger has suddenly increased.

Li Dan nodded, and said: "Sit down, alas, you must be careful in Beijing in the future, and don't cause trouble." The fourth son, Li Longfan, was overjoyed and said: "Father, the sons are all resigned from their foreign positions. From then on, I can often come to ask my father, how good it is." Li Dan felt a little displeased, but he has always been calm and seldom speaks harshly.Li Chengqi understood his father's intentions and said, "Fourth brother, you must understand the deep meaning of your father. Of course you can see your father more when you return to Beijing, but you should not be complacent or even forget yourself." Respect, as soon as his words came out, Li Longfan was speechless.

Li Dan glanced around, then fixed his eyes on Li Longji, and said: "Sanlang, you can't go out too much in the future, but you can stay at home with Dalang. You are at home, why are you going to play?" From now on, you must not act insolently again." It is rare for Li Dan to speak so harshly at ordinary times, but his harsh words today are because he is really worried about his third son.Thinking about it, the four sons are all restrained in words and deeds, but this son spends all day calling and calling friends, doing all kinds of tricks, and is extremely busy, so he needs to beat him more.

Li Dan said to Li Chengqi again: "You live very close to San Lang. As the elder brother, you should pay more attention to San Lang's words and deeds, so as not to cause trouble again. You two lost your mother when you were young, and you lack control. Fortunately, you are upright and cautious. Brother's wind, Saburo is up to you to pay more attention." Li Chengqi glanced at Li Longji, stood up and bowed and said, "My son will follow the instruction of the father." Li Longji thought to himself that although he called friends all day long, there was nothing out of the ordinary, so he didn't need to defend himself.In fact, Li Longji has restrained himself a lot in front of his father, Li Dan, and speaks less than before. There are two elder brothers above him, and it is not his turn to speak, which is absolutely in line with the norms of filial piety.However, the father only reprimanded himself today, and he needed to express his opinion, so he stood up and bowed: "The father's instruction, the son must keep it in mind, and the son will follow the elder brother from now on, and dare not be troublesome."

Li Dan nodded.However, Li Dan is well aware of the nature of this son, and the other sons can live at home like him, but this son absolutely cannot.The reason why I admonish him is to let him restrain himself. As for the blessing and misfortune, it can only depend on God's will. After the court was set down that day, Zong Chuke signaled Ji Chune to come to his side, and said softly: "After you leave the palace, follow me to Zhongshu Province first, I have something to say." They arrived at Zong Chuke's yamen, Zong Chuke backed away from the left and right, lowered his voice and said to Ji Chuna: "Brother Ji, something bad happened."

Ji Chuna was careless, and asked nonchalantly: "Cough, what can be the big deal? Look up the world, who can do anything to us?" "What happened in the Western Regions broke out. Last night Zhou Yiti sent people to the mansion to tell me that Na Suoge had sent people to Beijing and wanted to meet the emperor to explain the truth." "Suo Ge has sent letters many times, didn't you withhold them all? So what if he sends people to Beijing now? You and I just need to speak, and forgive them for making it difficult for them to even enter the Vermilion Bird Gate."

Zong Chuke pondered: "I've thought about this. However, Guo Yuanzhen stayed in the West, and he made friends with Wei Anshi, an old thief. If Guo Yuanzhen instructed Suoge to follow Wei Anshi's path, how would you and I suppress it? Also, what about Xiao Zhizhong's appearance? He is loyal and extremely cunning, who knows what he is planning? Well, we have to guard against it." Ji Chuna nodded in agreement, and said, "That's right, we need to be careful. You and I need to communicate with the queen in advance, so that we can avoid future troubles forever."

Zong Chuke knew that the current emperor was like a puppet, willing to listen to the queen's command.As long as the queen is willing to protect herself, everything will be in danger. Zong Chuke and Ji Chuna tried every means to block news from the Western Regions, but it was really a waste of effort.Ever since the two of Zongji got the benefit of the Que Chuo Zhong Festival and said that Emperor Tong had started a war with Suoge, wars broke out in the Western Regions again, and there was no peace.The people in the capital know a lot about the war in the Western Regions through various news channels.

However, it is said that Niu Shi rewarded Guo Yuanzhen with the post of deputy governor of Anxi to lead the soldiers of Ganliang.Suoge's cavalry was the strongest in the Western Regions. When Guo Yuanzhen was guarding the four towns, he understood the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, so he built a city wall to fight against them. , Suo Ge did not dare to act rashly.Now Niu and Zhouren don't know the situation of the two sides, abandon the fortified city barrier, and go out to fight in the field outside the city.The Tubo soldiers came here as a gesture, determined to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, which did not help the Tang soldiers much.

As a result, one can imagine that when Tang Bing encountered the Turkic tiger and wolf soldiers with sharp horses and sharp knives, they were immediately defeated and all the main generals were killed.Niu Shizhi died in a fierce battle in Huoshaocheng. Zhou Yiti led his troops to encounter Turkic soldiers in a secluded city and was defeated.Poor Zhou Yiti's words made Zongji and Zongji a lot of money, but he lost his life, and made countless Tang soldiers become innocent ghosts. Suoge thus occupied the four towns of Anxi, and the road to the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty was cut off.Although Suo Ge won a great victory, he knew that he was not the opponent of Tang Dynasty.At this time, he already knew the process of Que Chuzhong's gift to Jin and Zongji, so he wrote a letter and sent it to Guo Yuanzhen. Sip your loyalty, save your money, and then rein in your troops to attack me. Please act on your behalf, Your Majesty, I am fighting out of fear of death, and I did not take the initiative to provoke. If Your Majesty can decapitate Zong Chuke, I am willing to withdraw my troops and return them to the four towns. Clothes." After Guo Yuanzhen read the book, he wrote a memorial and sent it to Chang'an with the book of Suo Ge. It goes without saying that this memorial will definitely fall into the hands of Zong Chuke.After reading it, he was furious, and on the one hand, he sent Lu Shousu as the guardian of Anxi, and then went to Guo Yuanzhen to return to Beijing. Guo Yuanzhen understood Zong Chuke's plan, and he would definitely suffer disaster after returning to Beijing. Zong Chuke would definitely hold the responsibility for the defeat of the Western Regions on himself, because after all, he was the guardian envoy of Anxi at that time; otherwise, not returning to Beijing would also violate the imperial court Order, that is also the crime of beheading.Guo Yuanzhen thought about it, and then quietly sent his son back to Beijing. His son found Wei Anshi and Xiao Zhizhong, and asked the two to talk to the emperor on the grounds that the war in the Western Regions was inseparable.Li Xian went in without knowing it, but after all he understood the importance of Guo Yuanzhen in the Western Regions, so he agreed that Guo Yuanzhen did not have to return to Beijing.Seeing that his plot could not succeed, Zong Chuke could only grit his teeth secretly. When Lu Shousu arrived in the Western Regions, he followed Zong Chuke's words, consolidated his troops and horses to fight Suoge again, and was defeated again. When this news spread to the capital, the public opinion immediately went into an uproar. Let's say that since Dou Huaizhen entered Yushitai as the doctor of the censor, at first he felt that his official rank had been promoted, and he was more relaxed than when he was the governor of the past, and he felt very comfortable.After working in Yushitai for more than a month, he discovered that there is a lot of right and wrong here, and there are so many clues that it is difficult to tell the truth, and it is also extremely dangerous. According to the canon of the Tang Dynasty, Yushitai is responsible for the government decrees of the state's criminal constitution and regulations, and serves as the supervisory agency of the imperial court to rectify the imperial court.There are three courtyards under it, the Taiyuan is responsible for the appointment of hundreds of officials and entering the cabinet to accept the edict; Officials, down to the prefectures and counties, can supervise. Because of this responsibility, Yushitai can speak out about anything in the world and can impeach any official.The Tang system stipulates that if an official is impeached, as long as the censor proposes a confrontation in court, the impeached official must "bow down and walk out", stand on the side of the court hall and listen to the censor's statement, and then listen to the emperor's words. Gradually, Dou Huaizhen did not dare to underestimate the servant censors and supervisory censors. In terms of official rank, the servant censors were of the sixth rank, and the supervisory censors were of the eighth rank. But it's official.Dou Huaizhen first entered Yushitai, but she still didn't know the origin of this group of Yushi's masters, and didn't know where they wanted to go, so she didn't dare to speak falsely. Now, Dou Huaizhen encountered a difficult matter, and there were two memorials side by side on the several cases in front of her.The reason why he felt troubled was because the people impeached by these two memorials were extraordinary people. They were all very popular in the court, and they were all prime ministers. Their names were Zong Chuke, Ji Chuna, and Cui Shi. Cui Wan, the supervisory censor, impeached Zong Chuke and Ji Chuna, saying that they secretly communicated with Rong Di Que Chuo Zhongjie and accepted a large amount of bribes from Que Chuo Zhongjie, which caused border troubles to recur and the four towns of Anxi to fall.After the memorial, there is also a letter from Suoge. Li Shangyin, the supervisory censor, singled out Cui Shi, saying that he was obsessed with power, corrupted by corruption, and the election method was severely damaged. Dou Huaizhen understands that Cui Wan and Li Shangyin's reports are all facts, and the public opinion in Beijing and China has caused an uproar recently, all thanks to these three people.However, Dou Huaizhen is well aware that the people behind these three people must not be offended, especially Zong Chuke and Ji Chuna, they are definitely the direct descendants of Empress Wei, and she has just been granted the title of Royal Doctor for marrying the empress nanny. However, if there is no obstruction, it is obviously meaningless to allow his subordinates to provoke the people of the empress's direct line. Dou Huaizhen thought again, these three people are at the top of the court, and the two little censors must not know that they dare to hit the stone with an egg like this, could it be that they have eaten the heart of a bear?If you think about it, since Empress Zetian was in her later years, at first the Zhang brothers were in power, and then Empress Wei and Wu Sansi were in charge. Such remarks, could it be instigated by others? Dou Huaizhen is thinking here and there, her face is cloudy and cloudy, and she has no idea in her heart.But after all, I am the doctor of the censor and the chief official of the censors, so it is okay to dissuade him.Thinking of this, he called someone to send Cui Wan and Li Shangyin into the hall to speak. Cui Wan and Li Shangyin came as promised, and Dou Huaizhen asked them to sit down on one side, then raised their memorials and said, "I have read your memorials. I would like to ask, what is in it?" Say, have you checked it again?" Seeing that their memorial had been pressed here for two days, the two felt a little annoyed. Li Shangyin said: "Doctor Dou, what I said is true. You have been in Beijing for a long time, have you never heard of it?" "Hey, seeing is believing, hearing is believing, and rumors are not true. I believe that these memorials will be presented to the emperor, and there must be no omissions in every sentence." "Doctor Dou said that the lower officials don't take it seriously. I am an official for more than a day, and I must uphold the state's regulations and pick up the mistakes of all officials. The words written have been verified in advance. This is the basic skill of the censor. Then Cui Shi is notorious, recently there was a joke in Beijing, did Doctor Dou not hear about it?" "The official has already said that it is not true to talk about it in the streets." "This joke is not a pretense. A businessman named Zhang Wu gave money to Cui Shi's father, but Cui Shi didn't know about it. Zhang Wu had no choice but to curse in private, and went to the side of Qujiang to block Cui Shi. It's ridiculous that Cui Shi Shi resolutely denied it, and wanted to kill the money-collecting family. Zhang Wu said that it would take Ding You three years for him to do so. Two days later, Zhang Wu was indeed awarded Zuo Shiyi. If Doctor Dou doesn't believe it, you can go to the Ministry of Officials and ask. What Li Shangyin said was true, Zhang Wu was very proud of being appointed as an official, and he boasted about his own process of being awarded an official everywhere, and gradually spread it, so that everyone knew about it. Cui Wan interjected: "That's right, the wars in the Western Regions have been defeated repeatedly, Guo Duhu was dismissed from office, and he stayed in the Western Regions and did not dare to return to Beijing. There is also a letter from Suoge here, which fully proves that Zong Chuke and Ji Chune were bribed. chaos." Dou Huaizhen was silent, he was silent for a moment and then smiled again: "Yes, I also know that there is something wrong with it. However, these three people are all ministers, and there are many important things in the world that require them to be busy. Such a memorial will definitely disturb It is detrimental to the country's major affairs. You think this is good, I see these three people convey your ideas, let them make corrections, and the rest don't have to go to war." Li Shangyin sneered and said: "Dr. Dou has become a peacemaker in this way! They rank as prime ministers, and they should be a model for officials in the world. However, they are greedy for ink and sell their officials, and lose their prestige. Is this a trivial matter?" Dou Huaizhen saw that the hearts of these two people were as hard as iron, so she sighed and said: "You must also understand the difficulty of this officer. I have not been in this position for a long time, and they are all my superiors. ? I advise you, this time, just for the sake of this official, let's suspend the complaint for a while, how about it?" Cui Wan said: "Doctor Dou came to Yushitai for the first time, and he didn't know much about our Taiwan system. I can pass the memorial to Doctor Dou. If Doctor Dou finds it difficult, I can skip Doctor Dou and go directly to the emperor. , and can fight against the second-rank officials in the palace with the body of the eighth rank." The censor can fight against the officials in the palace. This is the system of the court for many years. Dou Huaizhen has been in office for many years, how could he not know?Up to this point, Dou Huaizhen understood that it would be useless to block the two people's way of speaking with a gentle strategy, so she sighed and said: "Forget it, let's play according to your wishes. Say, review it again, when the Holy Majesty asks, there must be no omissions. This matter is very important, if there are omissions, even the official will not be able to bear the blame, do you understand?" The two agreed repeatedly, since they were very confident in the words they played.They understood that it was false for Dou Huaizhen to let the facts be reviewed today, and it was true to obstruct the petition. Now that he has agreed to play, there is no need to talk nonsense, so they bowed and left. Dou Huaizhen looked at the backs of the two, knowing that she could no longer hold back.He was in a daze for a long time before several cases, and then called someone to accompany him to the palace gate.There are many benefits for Dou Huaizhen to marry the queen's nanny.He has established the connection with the palace, he went to the gate of the palace to report his name, and then asked to meet the empress, if Empress Wei had nothing to do, she could summon Dou Huaizhen, which shows that Empress Wei now regarded Dou Huaizhen as a My relatives are more intimate than ordinary people. Today's appointment was quite smooth, not long after, the official from the Huangmen hurried to the gate from the palace and informed Dou Huaizhen that he could enter the palace to see the queen. Li Xian usually lives in the Taiji Hall, and Empress Wei lives in the Xiande Hall.Dou Huaizhen hurriedly walked to the front of Xiande Hall, because the officials from Huangmen didn't need to inform, so he went directly into the hall.After paying homage to Empress Wei, he discovered that Cui Riyong, the servant of the Ministry of War, was also in the hall. When the Cui family of Boling arrived in Li Xian's reign, besides Cui Shi, the most prominent official was Cui Riyong.In addition to serving in the Ministry of War, Cui Riyong also studied as a Bachelor of Literature, which shows the origin of his family education.He grew up in Huazhou. He was a Jinshi as a young man, and was later awarded the title of Ruicheng Captain. Zong Chuke was the governor of Shanzhou at this time, and Ruicheng belonged to the county under the jurisdiction of Shanzhou.The reason why Zong Chuke noticed Cui Riyong was that in the first year of Dazu, Empress Zetian went from Luoyang to Chang'an and passed through Shanzhou. Cui Riyong was transferred to be in charge of supporting the offerings. He made good supplies and handled the matter very well. Appropriate, more widely seeking treasures, and then presenting them to the accompanying officials in the name of Zong Chuke, Zong Chuke greatly appreciated them, and afterwards praised Cui Riyong for being very good at handling things.Since then, Cui Riyong's official rank was closely connected with Zong Chuke's experience, and he was finally promoted to such a high position. All officials in the capital know that Cui Riyong is definitely Zong Chuke's close friend, and Cui Riyong has close contacts with the Wu family in private, so he can definitely be included in the direct line of Empress Wei. Empress Wei summoned Cui Riyong today, mainly to inquire about the defense of the capital.It is said that the Ministry of War does not directly govern the specific matters of the defense of Gyeonggi, but Empress Wei knew that Cui Riyong was thoughtful and careful, and he knew the defense system and key points in detail, so she called for inquiries several times, today is the third time. Cui Riyong saw Dou Huaizhen enter, so he put the map of the capital in his hand in front of Empress Wei, bowed and said: "What I said just now, it is more clear to look at this map. Please read it carefully, and I will leave." Empress Wei said: "You just said clearly, and I can still understand. If I let me look at the picture by myself, I'm afraid I will still be confused. Forget it, you step back first, and when I don't understand, I will send someone to call you." Cui Riyong bowed back and nodded to Dou Huaizhen as a greeting. Empress Wei asked: "Qing Dou, you are in a hurry to see me, is there something urgent?" "Reporting to the queen, I really have something urgent to do here. There are two memorials here, please read them by the queen." Empress Wei took the memorial and looked at it quickly. She first saw the bullet against Cui Shi, she didn't think so, she glanced at the number and threw it aside; When it came to several cases, she scolded: "Instead, this Cui Wan has eaten the bear's heart and leopard's guts!" She turned her anger on Dou Huaizhen, "Why don't you suppress this chapter for this Shangguan surnamed Cui, and pay it back? Entering the palace to bother me?" Dou Huaizhen looked aggrieved, and complained: "Queen, this officer is really helpless. This officer intends to suppress her, but the two of them are pressing very hard, and even threatened to bypass the officer and directly face the emperor." "A little official like a sesame seed, will he see you when he says he will see the Holy Majesty?" "Queen, according to the regulations of our dynasty, if the censor asks to confront the official he is in court with, the Holy Majesty cannot refuse, and he will be punished in the palace." "Well, is there someone behind these two people?" "The lower officials don't know. The lower officials also inquired about the origins of these two people, trying to find the person behind them, but there was no result. It seems that there is no one who ordered them." Empress Wei responded casually, thinking silently there.In fact, Queen Wei is not a thoughtful person. When she became a queen, she used to ask Wu Sansi for advice whenever she encountered major issues. thinking.She was silent for a long time, and said: "Forget it, just put these two memorials here, there is no need to report to the Holy Majesty." Dou Huaizhen saw that she came up with such an idea after deliberation, she felt a little anxious, and said: "The empress can't do it, if you suppress this memorial, the two of them will definitely start arguing, and it would be unsightly if things get big." "Then what do you say?" Dou Huaizhen thought about it for a while, and then said: "I think that if you want to settle the case, you must ask the queen to speak to the emperor. Since ancient times, the emperor has kept his word. As long as the emperor doesn't want to pursue it, Cui Wan has nothing to say. It is Cui Wan who is behind the scenes." Those who have instigated it will also die down." Zong Chuke and Ji Chuna are actually Empress Wei's right-hand men. They have just been promoted to the phase, if they are demoted because of this matter, Empress Wei's hard work will be in vain.Now that Dou Huaizhen had expressed her idea, Empress Wei naturally obeyed, she got up immediately and said: "It's not too late, Dou Qing, you follow me to see the Holy Majesty, and I will do as you say." Dou Huaizhen raised her arms and stopped, saying: "Queen, wait a minute. If you talk to the sage, you must figure everything out. Cui Wan's performance was due to repeated defeats in the Western Regions. I have also heard that hundreds of officials have concerns about this." Complaints. If Zongji and Zongji are to be acquitted now, the affairs of the Western Regions must be explained, so that the mouths of all officials can be silenced." "How to block it?" "I think that after all, Guo Yuanzhen is the most familiar with the Western Regions. The defeat in the Western Regions this time is due to the change of commanders. The Niu Shijue and Zhou Yiti did not understand the geography of the Western Regions. They took the initiative to fight the enemy, but they were defeated and died; the new guard Lu Shousu did not After learning the lesson, if you don’t rely on fortifying the city, you will still be defeated. If the queen talks to the emperor, she can say that Lu Shousu was incompetent and should be punished for defeat, and then all the officials will be calmed down.” Empress Wei understood that Dou Huaizhen meant that if she wanted to get rid of Zong Chuke's crime, she must find a scapegoat.After Lu Shousu's new defeat, it was a ready-made advantage.Empress Wei nodded and said: "Okay, Dou Qing is still thoughtful, I really didn't misunderstand you at the beginning. But if Guo Yuanzhen is allowed to be the guardian of the capital again, I know that he has a deep grudge with Zong Chuke. It doesn't look good." "Queen, don't stick to small details when planning big things. It is true that Guo Yuanzhen and Zong Chuke have a deep grudge, but everyone in the civil and military courts knows Guo Yuanzhen's ability. guest, let him not be obstructed." "Okay, Zong Chuke will listen to me." "Queen, what about Cui Shi?" "He, it's up to the Holy Majesty to decide. Let's go, let's go see the Holy Majesty." Empress Wei didn't like Cui Shi. Cui Shi was worshiped as a chancellor since she was next to Shangguan Wan'er, and Empress Wei also contributed to it.However, this guy Cui Shi puts all his body and mind on Wan'er, and doesn't get close to Queen Wei at all. Recently, Queen Wei has been a little angry. Li Xian first heard Dou Huaizhen read the two memorials in the Tai Chi Hall, and then heard Empress Wei explain the solution, and said: "Okay, we will do as the Empress says." He turned his head and said to the Huangmen official: "You Go, Zhuanzong Chuke, Ji Chuna, and Yushitai Cui Wan enter the palace to have an audience." Huangmen officials hurried out of the palace to announce. Li Xian smiled and said to Empress Wei: "It's very good to do things like this. It not only takes care of the face of all parties, but also stabilizes the affairs of the Western Regions. Then Guo Yuanzhen still has some skills. His mother is still in Japan, and she often praises him. Thanks to you I came up with this great idea and helped me solve a huge problem.” Empress Wei said angrily: "This is a last resort. Your Majesty, Dou Qing is not an outsider, so I just said it straight. Zongji and Ji have not been in office for a long time, and they have been working there loyally. Why do people talk about it? Let me tell you Ah, there must be someone behind Cui Wan who deliberately made Zongji and Ji feel embarrassed." "The empress is a little overwhelmed. Cui Wan is the censor, and it is his duty to supervise the officials. The speaker is not guilty. Dou Qing, what do you think?" Dou Huaizhen couldn't answer the emperor's questions for a while, he understood the straight and wrong of the matter, but the empress is powerful, so she must not be offended.He had no choice but to think carefully and said: "Your Majesty, Cui Wan has always been a straightforward person, and sometimes he loves to talk nonsense without thinking about things. My minister reprimanded him many times, but with little effect. Today, I will relay your majesty's decree to him. , making him change his mind." Li Xian was very satisfied, and praised: "Queen, it seems that your vision is not bad. When Dou Aiqing was the governor, she handled Bao'er's marriage very well, and now you are nominated by you to be the chief censor. Very fitting." Empress Wei smiled and said, "Qing Dou, Your Majesty is praising you. As long as you do your job well, His Majesty will use you a lot. You still don't thank me." Dou Huaizhen immediately fell to her knees when she heard the words, kowtowed and said: "I would like to thank Your Majesty for your kindness, and then I would like to thank the Queen for her kindness. From now on, I will be as utterly ashamed as possible, and will work faithfully in order to thank Your Majesty and Queen for your kindness." Empress Wei saw that Dou Huaizhen was very knowledgeable, she was very satisfied, and said: "Okay, get up, you are very conscientious, I heard from your wife when she entered the palace, that you and the people in the house are very considerate to her, okay, so I will One less thing to worry about." Dou Huaizhen kowtowed again, then got up. At this time, the Huangmen official shouted from outside the door: "Zong Chuke, Ji Chune, and Cui Wan are here to see you." Empress Wei said, "Come in." After the three of them entered the palace, they kowtowed to the emperor and queen, and Li Xian ordered them to die.Zong Chuke stood up and asked, "Your Majesty hastily summoned us, is there something important?" Li Xian smiled and said: "The emperor summoned the prime minister, can there be a small matter? Zongqing, here is Cui Yushi's memorial to impeach you and Ji Qing, can you take a look for yourself?" Zong Chuke squinted at Cui Wan, then cast a suspicious glance at Empress Wei and Dou Huaizhen, stepped forward to take the memorial with both hands, read it quickly, his face suddenly became angry, he stretched out his hand and handed the memorial to Ji Chune, who was beside him, kowtowed again: "Your Majesty, this Cui Wan spouted blood, and all the things he said were false, please Your Majesty make the decision for this humble minister." "I declare that you are here to fight in court. Zongqing, I have read Cui Yushi's words, you can also tell your reasons, and I will judge." "Your Majesty, I have a salary from the imperial court, and I have received many rewards from Your Majesty. Now that the official has reached the Zhongshuling, all my thoughts and thoughts are the affairs of the state. How can I be greedy for small profits and forget your Majesty's grace? I dare to guarantee it with my head. Absolutely not a single piece of gold from the Que Chuo loyalty festival." "How do you prove it? Then Suo Ge was originally a vassal to our country, why did he suddenly become a disaster for the Western Regions?" "Your Majesty, that Suoge wolf is ambitious and has never been loyal to Tang. He is the chief evil in the affairs of the Western Regions. If the Western Regions are to be stabilized, the only way to be sure is to wipe out Suoge in one fell swoop or drive them west. Guo Yuanzhen Yihu Cheng trouble, on the one hand build the city as a turtle, and on the other hand hook up with Suo Ge, creating the illusion of stability in the Western Regions. Since Weichen came to the Central Committee, he has a high-minded goal, and wants to stabilize the Western Regions in one fell swoop, so Que Chuozhong is not allowed After entering Beijing, I left her in the Western Regions to keep Suoge at bay. This is what I intended, but Cui Wan's heart is so dirty that he falsely accepts Qu Chuo's bribes, I hope His Majesty will see clearly." Li Xian turned to Cui Wan, "That's right, Cui Yushi, you have no evidence, how can you say that Zongqing accepted bribes?" Cui Wan saw that Zong Chuke was talking nonsense and making random sophistry here, and his heart was burning with anger, but he was always sensible and knew that the emperor had no intentions, and this Zongji and Ji were part of Empress Wei's party, so today's court debate must not be reckless. Then he stabilized his mind and said: "Your Majesty, what I played was not a guess. Later, the book of Suo Ge accused Zong Ling of accepting bribes, and Zhou Yiti was appointed as the envoy of Anxi Jinglu. He was supposed to be in charge of the Western Regions, but suddenly When he returned to Beijing, he brought a team of Hu people with a large number of boxes and cages, and then went in and out of Zongling and Ji Shilang's mansion. From this comparison, you should know that what Suoge said was not groundless. Moreover, Zongling just belittled Guo Yuanzhen, and the minister thought Guo Yuanzhen He has made great contributions to the Western Regions in these years. Since Guo Yuanzhen arrived in the Western Regions, he has stabilized the four towns, smoothed the road for business travel, and got along very well with the people of Xirong. The Queen of Heaven praised Guo Yuanzhen many times that day. The cause of this incident was all It originated from Zongji's acceptance of bribes. According to Guo Yuanzhen's plan, Que Chuzhong was allowed to enter Beijing as an official, and his tribe stayed in Guazhou to live in Guazhou. The two were greedy for small profits and neglected the righteousness of the country, causing the flames of the Western Regions to revive, the four towns were lost, and the business trip was cut off. Zongji and Zongji were really the chief culprits. Not only did Wei Chen think so, the world was full of rage. Your Majesty, please kill Zongji and Zongji. Head, to thank the world." Ji Chuna saw the empress standing beside him, knowing that the empress had communicated with the emperor about this matter in advance, he had a solid foundation in his heart, he heard the words and said angrily: "A little censor, I don't know whose envoy, but came here False accusation against high officials in the court. Since your majesty, empress, ministers and Zongling were promoted, they have worked diligently to serve the country. This has offended many people who look at this position. They think day and night to frame ministers and others! Your majesty, please You are discerning." Zong Chuke saw that Ji Chuna brought the topic up to the power struggle, and thought to himself that this move was very clever. It was too late to say it, but soon, two lines of clear tears dripped from his eyes, his tender heart was gentle and sincere. : "Your Majesty, I am not saddened by this slander, but I am sad that if this continues, I will no longer be able to serve Your Majesty. Your Majesty, I would like to go to the position of Zhongshuling. As long as I can make Your Majesty less listen to the noisy words of the villains, I will Going to be a commoner, as long as you can do your best for His Majesty, your heart is enough." Ji Chuna also shed tears when he heard the words, and begged: "Your Majesty, as long as you can reduce your sorrow, I am willing to follow the Zongling to leave the official position and serve the people." Cui Wan refused to let go, and said: "Your Majesty, such a serious crime requires the beheading of Fang and the people's anger. How can you easily demote your job for the people?" Empress Wei couldn't see it, she said grimly: "Doctor Dou, it seems that your subordinates are all sharp-tongued people. This Cui Yushi is also very good. He has no real reason for him, so he wants to kill them all! " Dou Huaizhen was startled, and hastily kowtowed on the ground: "Queen, calm down, the villain is not strict, he really deserves to die." Zong Chuke interjected: "That's right, Your Majesty just promoted Master Dou to the Yushitai, and Master Dou took us to test the sword. You really have lived up to the responsibility of the country. Such a meritorious service is not small!" Dou Huaizhen knew that when she was in front of the empress, she was definitely not as favored as Zongji and Ji, so she absolutely did not dare to offend these two, so she bowed and said: "Zongling's words are serious, Huaizhen dare not make trouble." Seeing them quarreling here, Li Xian was very annoyed, so he shouted: "Forget it, don't quarrel anymore!" After all, Li Xian is the emperor, and they sometimes look down on Li Xian in their hearts, but when the emperor is angry, no one can bear it, so they all Keep silent.Li Xian went on to say: "Well, I have discussed it with the queen. The affairs of the Western Regions are all due to the ineffectiveness of the coach of the Niu Shiju, Zhou Yiti and Lu Shousu. The Niu Shiju and Zhou Yiti have already died in battle and there is no need for further punishment. Lu Shousu led his division to a new defeat. You need to question the crime. Zongqing, after you go down, you will draw up an order. Guo Yuanzhen will reinstate Lu Shousu as the guardian envoy of Anxi, and exile Lu Shousu to Baizhou. In addition, Suoge will be pardoned for the crime of provoking this time and named Khan. From now on, Guo Yuanzhen will act cheaply in the Western Regions .” Zong Chuke bowed to accept the order, the emperor made such a decision, it seems that he still recognized Cui Wan's words, but still let himself draw up an order, the emperor would definitely not punish himself, he couldn't help but secretly happy. Li Xian's next decision was even more novel. He circled his fingers and said, "You are all my good ministers. Zong Qing and Ji Qing are loyal to the country, so there is no mistake; Dou Qing and Cui Yu Shi Ke fulfilled his duties, and also fulfilled his duties as a courtier. This is very good. Well, this matter is over, you," he pointed at Zong Chuke, Ji Chuna and Cui Wan, and said, "In order to work together harmoniously in the future, the three of you Today, people have become brothers in front of me and the queen, and no more quarrels are allowed in the future." This was the emperor's will, although the three of them couldn't laugh or cry in their hearts, they had no choice but to worship each other in the hall. Cui Wan was the youngest, so naturally they called Zongji and Zongji brothers. Li Xian laughed loudly and said, "Queen, let this matter be like this." Empress Wei would never allow Zongji and Zongji to be convicted. it is good." Li Xian said to Dou Huaizhen again: "Qing Dou, this impeachment of Cui Shi is still reasonable. You can ask the Ministry of Punishments to send Cui Shi to prison. Let this Li Shangyin go and interrogate him." Dou Huaizhen bowed and agreed. After all, the news that the three of them became brothers was spread. On the one hand, people felt that Li Xian was extremely stupid, so they shook their heads; on the other hand, they thought it was ridiculous. Li Xian's poems have truly become "the ancients are not seen before, and the comers are not seen in the future". Since then, Li Xian has another nickname, "Peaceful Son of Heaven". After that day's events, Empress Wei summoned Zong Chuke and Ji Chuna into the Hall of Xiande, and the three of them had another secret talk. Empress Wei laughed and said, "It's very good that this matter has ended like this. You can't blame Dou Huaizhen any more. If he hadn't sued me first this time and prepared me, the Holy One doesn't know how to deal with it." Empress Wei said here , suddenly got a little impatient with Li Xian being in the way.Think about it too, the imperial court regulates, and everything must be decided by the emperor.Although Li Xian didn't take much care of things, he listened to the Queen's advice on everything, but he had to report to Li Xian, Empress Wei felt uncomfortable. Zong Chuke said angrily: "That Cui Wan is just a low-grade little censor. The Holy Majesty let us become brothers with him, which is really humiliating to us. If it is not for the Holy Majesty, I will definitely kill this person today." thief!" Ji Chu said: "Queen, we can't take it lightly. Cui Wan is nothing to worry about. Who is the mastermind behind it?" Empress Wei said: "That's right, there is indeed something strange about this matter. The so-called no wind, no waves, there must be someone behind it." Zong Chuke said: "Queen, in fact, the person who is the envoy is clear at a glance. Who is the one who benefits from the final decision of the Holy One? The course of the incident is complicated and confusing, but there is only one result, that is, the person who benefits is the person who is the envoy." "The one who benefits? If the Holy Majesty does this, the one who benefits will appear to be Guo Yuanzhen." Empress Wei said. Zong Chuke shook his head and said: "Guo Yuanzhen is far away in the Western Regions, and he is in constant panic. How can he have such a heart? Queen, Guo Yuanzhen has always had the best friendship with the old thief Wei Anshi, and the minister has recently taken Wei Anshi's post.心中定有积愤。臣以为，其主使之人定是韦安石，此行一箭双雕，既让郭元振复职，又报了上次一箭之仇。” 纪处讷道：“对呀，这名老贼实在碍眼。皇后，不如借此势头，让圣上将老贼贬为外任最好。” 韦皇后摇摇头，说道：“现在时宜不合。圣上素服则天皇后之能，对则天皇后倚重之人多所眷顾，韦安石与郭元振皆为老臣，官声不差，估计在圣上那里一时扳不倒他们。” 纪处讷眼观韦皇后的神色，说道：“圣上向来不爱管事，当今天下实由皇后总政。皇后，您须想一个法子，不让圣上在那里碍手碍脚才好，如此才能见皇后的本事。” 韦皇后并不直接回答，转问宗楚客道：“年后朝野之中，对图样和歌诀有何说法？” 宗楚客道：“禀皇后，朝野近日议论纷纷，皆曰天命所归，皇后应与圣上一起执'二圣'之位。”当初则天皇后趁高宗皇帝有病不视事之际，大肆总揽朝政，天下人将之与皇帝并列，名曰“二圣”。 韦皇后脸上顿现笑容，不过她虽有掌权之心，终究无则天皇后那样有谋位之能，也就只好顺其自然了。 上官婉儿得知崔湜被执囚在刑部大牢，顿时大惊。她疾步赶到显德殿找韦皇后说情，韦皇后不咸不淡地说道：“此为圣上定下的事儿，我实在不好说话呀。你为圣上的昭容，又有宫中内相的称号，不如直接找圣上求情最好。” 韦皇后现在对婉儿也有些不满，当初婉儿把武三思介绍给自己快活，那时候她觉得婉儿挺知趣。现在婉儿得了自己的帮忙搬出宫外居住，其在外面百般快活，竟然把自己丢在九霄云外，让她实在不爽。她知道，崔湜现在为婉儿的榻上之伴，李显也定有耳闻，婉儿毕竟为昭容之身，此为皇帝的法定嫔妃。丢开皇帝自己另找男伴，现在再让皇帝搭救自己的可人儿，谅婉儿也难以张口。 婉儿毕竟为冰雪聪明之人，她只好选择黯然离开。 婉儿知道，李显之所以重用自己，缘于自己的才名以及在则天皇后执政时积累的为政经验，韦皇后当初与自己亲密，也缘于其初入宫廷两眼一抹黑，所以倚重自己。现在韦皇后已逐渐有了自己的班底，那么婉儿的作用就减色不少。人之相亲多因利益关系使然，韦皇后愿意开脱宗楚客与纪处讷，那是因为此二人日后能帮韦皇后的忙，而崔湜终归与韦皇后隔了一层，所以韦皇后可以漠不关心。按说崔湜犯事小事一桩，若韦皇后愿意帮忙，她到李显那里美言一声，则可惠而不费解决问题。可是呀，如今时过境迁，婉儿现在若提往日的交情，韦皇后肯定会更加恼火：怎么，往日的交情只是昔日的交换，岂能当今日的筹码？ 婉儿决定另辟蹊径相救崔湜，她决定先找监察御史李尚隐求情。李尚隐主审崔湜，他若手下留情，则可减轻不少罪过。 是夜，婉儿拣取一些珍宝之物，令随从捧着前往李尚隐之宅。 李尚隐看到上官昭容屈尊入宅，又携带许多珍宝之物，他早就听说过婉儿与崔湜的风流之事，顿时明白了婉儿的来意。 婉儿其实也不想过多请求，若李尚隐收下礼物，她相信定会大功告成。她环视李尚隐宅中陈设甚为简单，知道一名八品官员俸禄无多，现在有如此一大注财物从天而降，他定会喜出望外。 孰料李尚隐根本不吃这套，他将礼物提起放入婉儿随从怀中，然后将其推出门外，转对婉儿说道：“上官昭容，您的来意下官很明白。您为昭容之身，不可在外宅久留，恐惹物议，如此请回吧。” 婉儿不明白李尚隐的真实态度，说道：“崔侍郎由你主审，我怜其诗才特来为其求情。李御史，若你手下留情，回头我让崔侍郎重重谢你。” 李尚隐脸色严峻，说道：“今日上官昭容入敝宅，下官本可将此情禀告圣上，如此会对崔侍郎更加不利。下官不愿意落井下石再添崔侍郎罪责，请昭容速回。昭容放心，下官不敢胡来，定会公正审理崔侍郎的事儿，至于如何定罪，自由圣上裁断。” 婉儿心中明白，此人是个油盐不进的主儿。想想也该崔湜倒霉，如今官场贪墨成风，为何这里还有一个异类？ 婉儿不敢再留，就又说了数句好话，然后转身离去。一位当朝皇帝的二品嫔妃，专程到一位八品官员宅中为别人求情，古往今来，估计也仅有婉儿一人有此机会。 后数日，李尚隐审讯崔湜案子终结，其卷宗到了李显那里，李显依其案状决定将崔湜贬为江州司马。 第二日，朝廷诏命下，崔湜却被任为襄州刺史。江州司马为从五品，襄州刺史却为从三品。且江州那里人烟稀少，远没有襄州繁华。崔湜由于有了这一改一任，实在是占了大便宜。 崔湜之所以能有这样的结果，缘于婉儿走了安乐公主的路子。 那日婉儿在李尚隐家里遭拒，明白此路不通。此时脑中忽然灵光一现，急令车儿向金城坊方向行走，她决定找安乐公主一试。在婉儿的引荐下，安乐公主与崔湜也曾有过枕席之欢，料想此忙其必定会帮。 安乐公主看到婉儿携来许多珍宝之物，不禁感到诧异，问道：“昭容此举何意？想是你居中财货太多，知道我近来营造不少，因而来帮我忙？昭容其实不必，你应该知道，近来营造定昆池，父皇已同意从国库拨付。” 婉儿回答说：“想是公主不知，崔湜刚刚被捕入狱。这些珍宝，由其家人凑来，还请公主帮忙周旋一下。” 安乐公主大为惊奇，问道：“崔湜？他犯了什么事儿？以致被捕下狱？” 婉儿道：“御史台一位姓李的监察御史出面告他，说崔湜赃贿狼藉，使选法大坏。说到底，崔湜近一段时间收了一些钱帮人办事，被人抓住了把柄。” 安乐公主哈哈笑道：“多大的事儿呀？我还以为崔湜将天捅破了一个窟窿呢！昭容，我们这些年帮别人办了多少事儿，那些御史为何不告我们？说到底，他们不敢！崔湜不过一个软柿子，其新官上任，别人定是不服，以致寻些过错，把崔湜赶下台而已。” 婉儿想不到安乐公主看事情还挺透彻，竟然能看出事件背后有人主使捣鬼，看来此女近来还是长了一些见识，就接口道：“谁说不是呀？崔湜现在宰臣之中，年龄最轻，定有人瞧着不顺眼，就想寻些事由将他扳倒。然圣上已然下旨拘审崔湜，现在只有想个法子替其脱罪。” “你为父皇的昭容，你直接找父皇说一说，事儿不就结了吗？” 婉儿在安乐公主面前也不转弯抹角，说道：“公主知道，外面人风言风语说我与崔湜如何，这些话儿定刮入圣上耳中。你说，我如何找圣上张嘴求情？” “哈哈，岂是风言风语？你与崔湜良宵苦短，实在风光妙极啊。昭容，那崔湜一下狱，你顿成热锅上的蚂蚁，你实话告诉我，是不是一日都离不开他了？” “公主最受圣上与皇后宠爱，我心想，若由公主求情，定能马到成功。” 安乐公主收起了笑容，眼光又瞅了瞅那堆珍宝，撇了撇嘴说道：“哼，崔家的人实在太抠门了。就这点财物，妄想解救崔湜？昭容，你知道现在的行情。若我为人求一闲官儿，多少人争着送来几十万钱，崔家的这点钱能干什么？你须让崔家的人明白，人到了这个时候只有花钱才能免祸，何必还要吝啬那些黄白之物呢？崔湜的事儿，说大可大，说小可小。若按朝廷制度，将崔湜绑至刑场杀头亦可，若事儿办得妥帖，无非降一降官秩即可。” 婉儿见安乐公主伸手要钱，心里顿时一喜。只要此女愿意帮忙，事情就有了转圜之机。 安乐公主接着说：“崔湜现在一要免罪，二要保住官秩，此为两桩事儿。他的家人拿来这点东西来求我，实在污了我眼睛。” 婉儿赔笑道：“崔家人不明事理，公主勿恼。想是崔家人匆促之间难以备齐，就以此物为进见之礼，当为本意。公主放心，我回去定召崔家人好好斥责一番，并嘱他们再备财物。” 安乐公主又复一笑，说道：“看来昭容实为重情义之人啊。你与崔湜无非逢场作戏一番，缘何如此上心？我听延秀说，那崔湜自恃貌美有才，最擅拈花惹草，其最近与昭容打得火热，无非瞧中你有宫中依靠，以此想有晋升之路。你莫非真为之动了真情吗？我知道，男儿最喜年轻美貌少女，你现在风韵犹存，年龄毕竟大了些，你对崔湜又献颜色又赔财物，以后世事难料，只怕你竹篮打水一场空啊。” 安乐公主向来口无遮拦，擅触人心最柔软处。她这一席话说得婉儿脸色赤白，心中薄怒，然绝对不敢还以颜色。婉儿思索了一会儿，笑道：“公主所言极是，不过民谚有言'一日夫妻百日恩'，我与崔湜虽露水相识一场，那也是前世的缘分。崔湜现在遭难，我岂能不帮？”婉儿话中的深层意思，实指你安乐公主也与崔湜有过肌肤之亲，岂能如路人一般？ 安乐公主却不理会这些，她当初和崔湜有过枕席之欢，其认为毕竟是一场游戏，没有必要铭刻不忘。 安乐公主最终在婉儿的央求下，答应帮忙说项。然直到崔湜一案审理结束，安乐公主未有任何动作。是时，婉儿已将崔家所送礼物奉入公主府。这日，婉儿得知李显已阅批了崔湜的案卷，欲贬崔湜为江州司马。婉儿得此消息，知道明日吏部即要发文，心中就有些着急，遂趁着黄昏再入安乐公主府。 安乐公主瞧见婉儿有些着急，笑道：“多大的事儿？明日移文？我们现在入宫，让父皇改任一下不就成了吗？昭容，只要事儿到了我们手中，何愁不定？你说，天下到底有何难事？”安乐公主说此话的时候，早忘了自己一家在房州困顿惶恐的日子，大约人处顺境时往往会遗忘许多往事。 她们于是前往宫城，婉儿先到自己的殿内等候，安乐公主直接到太极殿去找李显。过了一会儿，安乐公主即离开太极殿找到婉儿，说道：“昭容，我早就说过不是什么难事儿，你瞧，父皇很痛快就答应了，事情成了。” 婉儿又惊又喜，问道：“太好了，公主，那崔湜改授何处呀？” “你说过让他任刺史即可，就随便把他任在襄州。父皇说，那里还算热闹，比江州要好上许多，且离京城也不算远。” 婉儿施礼谢道：“我代崔湜万分感谢公主大恩，救人一命，胜造七级浮屠。公主此举，实在积了大德。” 安乐公主嘴一撇道：“昭容此谢，又算什么？你须转告崔湜，让他来当面谢我。今日见了父皇一提起崔湜，他连连摇手不许我管，我此后百般央求，父皇方才允准。这件事儿除了我出面来办，若换作他人，肯定劳而无功，昭容，崔湜这一次欠我们的情分，实在太大了，你说是吗？” “我定转述公主之功，让他入府致谢。公主所言不差，我为圣上昭容尚不敢找圣上求情，只好婉转请出公主。换作他人，一点门儿都没有。这还是崔湜造化大，谁让他事先得识公主呢？” 安乐公主顿时笑了，心里甚为得意。 第二日，崔湜果然被授为襄州刺史。其出狱后，自然先找婉儿，再找安乐公主，至于彼此之间如何缠绵缱绻，这里按下不表。 太平公主密切注意此事件的走向，她得知皇帝成为“和事天子”，又知崔湜被授为襄州刺史，一个人就在堂上呆坐了许久。眼见太阳西斜，遂唤人叫来大儿子薛崇简，吩咐道：“你去，唤三郎过来一起用晚膳。” 薛崇简领命而去。