Chapter 84 Liu Wentai’s Sins
There is a reason why Zhang Yu confessed so frankly. He knew his current situation, and he also knew that he could not escape death no matter whether he was recruited or not. There was no way, the late emperor died in his hands, and it was on the 8th. As for the collapse, once Zhu Houzhao wants to investigate it strictly, he will not be able to escape the blame!
What's more, Zhang Yu didn't want to suffer any more physical pain, and he knew that even if he could bear the physical pain, based on his understanding of Liu Wentai, he would still expose his conspiracy to murder the late emperor. Besides, why should he suffer the physical pain? Despite the suffering, there is no need to cover up the guilt for Li Dongyang and others who want to kill him.
In the spirit of wanting everyone to die together, Zhang Yu and Liu Wentai both confessed honestly and confessed Li Dongyang and Xie Qian. At this time, it was naturally the turn to summon Li Dongyang. Xie Qian had resigned and returned home. He couldn't be summoned, but Li Dongyang was enough. Everyone knew that these three cabinet ministers wore a pair of trousers.
Ma Wensheng was so angry that his lips were trembling. He had the deepest relationship with Emperor Hongzhi. In his heart, he even felt that Emperor Hongzhi was undoubtedly wiser and more respected than Emperor Zhengde behind him. But now the Emperor Hongzhi whom he respected the most was actually murdered. His death made the political vision he had placed on Emperor Hongzhi in vain. Naturally, he was furious and slapped the back of his chair: "Bring Li Dongyang here!"
It was the twelfth lunar month of winter and it was a sunny day. Everything was quiet and the view was excellent. All the officials saw Li Dongyang being escorted from a distance.
Some civil servants began to secretly think that they would have to burn the poems they had written for Li Dongyang after returning home.
Some civil servants began to worry that the fact that they had asked Li Dongyang's mother to have a higher rank would be used as a basis for his conviction.
Some civil servants secretly rejoiced that they had little contact with cabinet ministers such as Li Dongyang. They were just joining in the fun today. Although they might have offended Ma Wensheng, they would not be guilty of a capital crime.
In fact, most of the civil servants present did not have much interaction with Li Dongyang and others. The officials who really had interaction with Li Dongyang rushed to beg for mercy last night. It can also be said that they rushed to reincarnate. They have been beaten. Entered the imperial edict.
Even Jiao Fang and Xu Jin were secretly glad at this time. Fortunately, His Majesty persisted in his opinion and threw all the officials from Li Dongyang's faction into prison regardless of their objections. Otherwise, they would not be sure whether the interrogation at this moment could proceed smoothly.
When Li Dongyang came over, all the civil servants present lowered their heads, avoiding being seen by Li Dongyang like a god of plague, fearing that Li Dongyang would accuse him of participating in the regicide case.
Li Dongyang also noticed the expressions of the officials present. Naturally, he was no longer in the mood to thank these officials for interceding for him. He could only sneer, sneering at the fact that these officials were living too hypocritically. They were obviously here to intercede for himself, but now they are asking for mercy. I'm afraid I can't avoid it.
Li Dongyang had never thought that he would be what he is today. He never thought that he would walk into the Forbidden City and Fengtian Gate as a felon. He suddenly remembered the scene when he was a Jinshi hairpin in high school. I also suddenly remembered the scene when I was summoned by Emperor Hongzhi. I suddenly remembered the first day I entered the cabinet. How high-spirited I was at that time!
But at some point, his thoughts returned to the night when he, Liu Jian and Xie Qian had an argument with Emperor Hongzhi, and the way they watched Emperor Hongzhi pointing at him angrily before he died.
The heavy shackles made a harsh clang on the bluestone floor, which also brought Li Dongyang's thoughts back to reality. He looked at Zhu Houzhao sitting behind the curtain of the jade chariot, and also at Ma Wensheng, who was wearing a seven-beam crown. He couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had to admit that he lost, and he lost miserably!
"According to the decree, Li Dongyang is suspected of treason. He will be removed from all official positions immediately and demoted to a commoner. He will be executed according to the imperial edict after deliberation!"
Liu Jin, the eunuch in charge of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, first stood up and read out an edict. According to the procedure, Li Dongyang would have to be dismissed from his official post if he was interrogated. This edict had been drafted when Li Dongyang was sent to prison. Liu Jin would naturally tell him by reading it again now. Yu Baiguan means.
After Liu Jin finished reading the decree, Ma Wensheng gave the order: "Kneel down!" Li Dongyang smiled slightly, but without any hesitation, he immediately knelt down like someone pushing a jade pillar into a golden mountain. This kneeling naturally meant that he, the cabinet The majesty of the chief minister in the court for decades has been lost. This kneeling naturally means that the power of the three former ministers in the cabinet has been eradicated and it has become an irreversible fact!
Ma Wensheng told Li Dongyang the confessions of Zhang Yu and others, and asked Liu Wentai: "Liu Wentai, is the Li Gefu you confessed to Li Dongyang and Li Gefu?"
Liu Wentai nodded and lowered his head.
"Answer me loudly, yes and no!"
Ma Wensheng roared angrily. At this time, he was almost on the verge of emotional outburst, and his heart was already more furious than Zhu Houzhao.
Liu Wentai trembled: "Yes, it's Li Dongyang!"
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but shook his head and looked at Li Dongyang. Although he had expected today's result, he still felt unworthy for Emperor Hongzhi at this moment. Frankly speaking, Emperor Hongzhi's life was unfortunate. His mother was killed. From then on, He had to face the crisis of being assassinated from the moment he was born, but after he became emperor, he did not choose revenge or turn himself into a vicious person. However, he did not escape the end of being murdered in the end.
Ma Wensheng obviously felt the same as Zhu Houzhao, and he couldn't help but gritted his teeth and asked Li Dongyang: "Why did you kill the late emperor?!"
Li Dongyang kept silent!
Ma Wensheng was about to go crazy. He stood up directly and pointed at Li Dongyang without caring about any image: "Answer me!"
Li Dongyang chuckled and said: "Ma Wensheng, don't rush to ask me. You should ask Zhang Yu first why he wanted to harm the late emperor. You should ask Liu Wentai if he was telling the truth and why he didn't tell him when he was being coerced. Since Your Majesty obeyed our mercy, you should ask him how he managed to kill two generations of kings in succession!”
Kill two generations of kings? !
Li Dongyang's words were like a thunderbolt from the blue. All the officials present were horrified. Even Zhu Houzhao himself was extremely shocked. Killing one generation of kings was already shocking enough, but he also killed two generations of kings!
At this moment, Zhu Houzhao suddenly realized how unsafe it was for him to sit in this position.
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but ask in person: "What's going on, Liu Wentai, you should come from the truth!"
"He doesn't know how to recruit. Liu Wentai was obsessed with power and spent a lot of effort to become the judge of the Taiyuan Hospital. However, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong of the previous dynasty, Concubine Wan Guifei was not cured and he was angered by Xianzong. Therefore, he took risks and killed Xianzong. Xianzong was unjust. A foolish king, everyone looks forward to him Of course, if he died early, no one would be held accountable. Now His Majesty intends to change Li Yanwen to Zhangtai Hospital. The real reason is that Li Yanwen understands medical science better, and Liu Wentai is just willing to listen to us to protect his official position and is afraid that we will expose him!"
Li Dongyang said it very naturally, but Liu Wentai became anxious on the spot: "You are talking nonsense!"
Regarding the evaluation of Xianzong, this chapter is Li Dongyang’s evaluation of Xianzong, not the author’s evaluation of Xianzong. I hereby declare! Thank you to book friend Liuli Zhazha for the reward of 100 book coins. Thank you to book friend Liuli Zhazha for the reward of 100 gold book coins.
(End of chapter)