Talking about popularity is of course a joke.
No matter how popular Ren Li was, it was impossible for so many people to complain at the same time to kill him.
With so many distinguished people speaking out at the same time, there must be a motive behind it that drives them to do so!
But, what is the reason that makes so many nobles so unanimously want to kill Ren Li, even disregarding the court's custom of always being lenient to meritorious ministers?
And this time, even the few ministers who were at the forefront of the Ren Li case could not help but frown.
Of course they knew that behind the interception of the mission, there was a deeper and absolutely unaccountable inside story.
In order to cover up this truth, it is reasonable to say that Zhu Yi and other members of the Supreme Imperial Party want to execute Ren Li as soon as possible to avoid future troubles.
But the problem is that it is not just Zhu Yi who has come forward now, but almost all the noble families in the palace.
Putting aside the two families of Fengguo Gongfu and Changping Houfu who always stood on the same side as the emperor, the attitudes of many other Jingnan nobles are also very thought-provoking.
You must know that the appeal of the two princes is indeed not weak, but you must know that among the many nobles in the capital, none of them have made great contributions to the country and have hereditary iron certificates in their families.
It's one thing for them to look for favors and help, but it would be a bit too naive to expect them to follow the lead and fight wherever they are directed.
The relationship between honorable men and nobles is intricate and all they care about is favor and interests.
Essentially speaking, whether it is the Duke of Chengguo or the Duke of England, the reason why they have great influence among the nobles is because they can speak out in court on behalf of the nobles and fight for their interests.
Take the last restoration of the Duke of Chengguo for example. It seemed that all the nobles gave up their properties on the border willingly. However, a little investigation revealed that in order to persuade these nobles, the two princes worked together to give up their property.
How many favors were given and how much compensation was promised.
It is no exaggeration to say that although the current Duke Chengguo has regained his title, most of his family property has been lost.
This is the price!
Even so, Duke Chengguo still owes each government a huge favor, and the most difficult thing in the world to repay is a debt of favor.
So at this time, it is not actually what the Duke of Chengguo can ask the nobles to do, but where the interests of the nobles are, and where Zhu Yi stands.
In other words, the nobles' actions were not entrusted by the two princes. In fact, the inside story of Ren Li's case could not be revealed to so many nobles.
But if they were not entrusted by the two princes, then what kind of interests would make them, nobles, want to kill Renli at this time?
All the ministers frowned and thought, but they couldn't figure it out.
In fact, at this time, no one is paying attention to Ren Li's life or death, but the process still has to go through.
Seeing that the civil and military officials below were "in a great mood" and insisted on beheading and appointing Li immediately. This momentum was no less than that of wanting to kill Wang Zhen at that time. Naturally, the emperor was not able to resist, so he pondered for a moment and said.
"The crime committed by Ren Li is indeed a heinous one. There is no rule of the court. Although he has a title, he cannot be forgiven. It is natural to deprive him of his title, take back the hereditary iron certificate, confiscate the family property, and behead him in public. However, God has the virtue of good life.
After all, he has served the court well and his family can forgive him."
"There is still an old mother in the Renli Mansion, so she is allowed to leave one son to serve the old man in Beijing, and the rest of her relatives will be assigned to Tieling to guard the border."
"Your Majesty, Holy Ming!"
As the emperor's words fell, a sound of mountain shouting sounded from below.
After the palace calmed down a bit, the emperor hesitated a little, looked at Asu aside and said.
"General Asu, I know that you are angry in your heart. What Ren Li did is really heinous. Since you asked to personally wield the sword, I will graciously allow you to deal with Ren Li with your own hands!"
"My lord, thank you for your grace!"
Hearing this, Asu's eyes trembled, and he kowtowed heavily to the ground with a heavy muffled sound. When he raised his head again, his forehead was already blue and purple.
Thus, this court meeting came to an end, and the fate of the Marquis was sealed!
Beizhen Fusi, imperial edict.
The dazzling sunlight shines through a small window, no more than two inches square, into the dirty cell. On the damp hay bed, the old man is dressed in prison uniform, with his white hair barely tied up with a wooden hairpin.
Scattered, with a gloomy complexion.
He was wearing heavy chains on his hands and feet, and he was sitting against the wall, as motionless as a sculpture.
With such a miserable look, no one would have thought that such a haggard old man was actually the majestic Marquis Ningyuan who once dominated the battlefield.
The cell where Ren Li was imprisoned was located at the deepest part of the imperial prison. The surrounding cells were basically empty. Except for two jailers who came to deliver meals every day, the surroundings were quiet. Even if there was no punishment, just this kind of cell.
The silence of loneliness is enough to drive people crazy.
"Sir, please be slow and watch your step. We are almost there. He is locked in the innermost cell."
There was a sound not far away, Ren Li's slightly closed eyes opened, someone was coming...
The cell door was opened, and the person wearing a black cloak covered his whole body tightly. The hood attached to the robe was very wide, covering most of his face in shadow.
Behind this man was a boy, carrying an exquisite multi-layered food box in his hand. The jailer who led the way, however, hesitated for a moment in front of the cell door, and still had the courage to speak.
"He is right here, sir. This is a repeat offender. He is registered with His Majesty. You can only stay here for a stick of incense at most."
"I understand, put your things down and go out."
A voice from under the black robe sounded, and it sounded very young. Upon hearing this voice, Ren Li suddenly raised his head, and his back that was originally bent against the wall straightened up suddenly.
Accompanied by the clattering of chains, seeing Ren Li's appearance, the person who came raised his hand and took off the hood on his head, revealing a resolute and handsome face.
"Marquis Ren, long time no see!"
"Young Master..."
Although he had already guessed the identity of the visitor, when he actually saw Zhu Yi standing in front of him, Ren Li still felt as if he was in another world.
After muttering, he suddenly came to his senses and said with a somewhat complicated expression.
"No, it's time to call the Duke of the Kingdom. I haven't congratulated the Duke of the Kingdom for finally taking back the title of the Duke of Chengguo!"
Zhu Yi's face was calm and her tone was not wavering as she said.
"When Marquis Ren is in prison, he is well informed!"
"Well-informed...hehe..."
Ren Li tugged on the chain in his hand, sat down cross-legged against the hay bed, looked up at Zhu Yi in front of him, his tone became calmer, and he asked.
"The Duke of the country came to the prison to see me off?"
Seeing the other party's calm look, Zhu Yi was a little surprised. He looked Ren Li up and down, raised his eyebrows and asked.
"Haven't Marquis Ren ever thought that Zhu came to rescue Marquis Ren?"
"Hahaha...rescue?"
As if he heard something funny, Ren Li couldn't help but tremble, and the chains clattered.
It wasn't until a long while later that he slowly calmed down and asked.
"Master Guo, what are you using to rescue me? Are you using the dirty plans you and Mr. Zhang made secretly?"
The power of the tiger is still there, and Ren Li is a fierce general on the battlefield. Although he is blinded by fame, wealth and status, at this moment, he knows that the dead end is difficult to break, and his free and easy aura permeates the air.
Under the setting sun, although he was wearing prison clothes and sitting cross-legged, his old and sharp eyes made him look like he was in a large tent of the Chinese army.
However, Zhu Yi was not frightened. Although he had never actually been on the battlefield, he was born in a general family and grew up in the capital camp. He had seen a lot about the bravery of generals.
On the contrary, seeing that Ren Li had broken through the last layer of window paper, Zhu Yi showed a smile on his face, nodded to the boy beside him, and shouted.
"Qingfeng..."
"Yes, Master."
The boy put down the food box in his hand, then brought in a small table from outside and placed it between the two of them. He also took out a mat and placed it on the ground.
Zhu Yi lifted up her robe and sat down cross-legged. The waiter opened the food box and brought out a few exquisite side dishes. Then he took out a small jar of wine, patted it open, poured a glass for each and placed it in front of the two of them.
"Thirty years of Songling wine has filled the Duke's mansion, but there is no second jar left."
Holding the wine glass in her hand and raising it from a distance, Zhu Yi spoke leisurely.
"Marquis Ren, would you like to have a drink?"
Ren Li held the wine cup in front of him, but his eyes fell on Zhu Yi opposite him. The aroma of wine in front of him was fragrant, and a heroic smile suddenly appeared on his face. He picked up the wine glass and drank it down in one gulp.
"Good wine! It is indeed the treasure of Duke Chengguo's house!"
"Marquis Ren has a good eye!"
Zhu Yi put down the wine glass in her hand, and a hint of darkness suddenly appeared in her eyes.
"Of course wine is good wine, but Ren Hou is not afraid, is there poison in this wine?"
It was obviously under the sun, but the atmosphere in the cell dropped to freezing point with these words.
Ren Li didn't speak, he just smacked his lips, as if he was reminiscing about something. After a moment, he reached out and picked up the wine jar on the table, poured himself another glass, looked up at Zhu Yi, and asked
.
"Do you know?"
Zhu Yi's face was calm and she didn't speak, but her eyes stayed on the wine glass in Ren Li's hand without moving.
Seeing this situation, Ren Li shook his head and drank the wine in his hand again. Then, he gently smashed the cup on the table and sneered.
"You do not dare!"
Zhu Yi's face was a little cold, but he still didn't touch the glass of wine in front of him and just asked lightly.
"Oh, why?"
The sound of clattering chains sounded, and Ren Li seemed a little amused and asked.
"Why?"
"My lord, please don't forget where this place is..."
"Jin Yiwei's Prison!"
"Oh, by the way, the last time Zhang Fu was arrested, he was also imprisoned in this cell."
"But do you know that that time, because Zhang Xi entered the Jinyi Guards, how many people died in the Jinyi Guards?"
As he spoke, Ren Li looked through the cold wall in the direction of Miyagi with a complicated tone.
"The current emperor may seem kind and generous, but in fact, his emperor's heart is so cold and ruthless that no one can compare to it..."
Zhu Yi just listened quietly without saying a word.
Immediately, Ren Li turned his head, looked at Zhu Yi, and continued.
"Since you can come to this prison, it means that my case has been settled."
"Is it hanging? Or beheading?"
"Probably, there will be house confiscation, but killing the clan is unlikely, and exile is certainly inevitable..."
The tone of these words was extremely calm, as if the protagonist in the words was not himself, but an insignificant stranger.
A look of surprise flashed in Zhu Yi's eyes, but she still opened her mouth.
"Ren Hou is quite aware of this."
"Yes, the imperial edict has been issued, and the execution will be executed at a later date, with General Asu personally holding the sword."
"The property of the Marquis of Ningyuan was confiscated and his relatives were exiled. However, Your Majesty is kind and considerate that Marquis Ren still has a high position, and allowed him to leave a son to serve in the capital. He also allowed Marquis Ren to collect his bones and bury them in peace."
"hehe……"
A trace of sadness flashed across Ren Li's face, but soon it turned into a relieved smile. He poured another glass of wine, drank it down, shook his head and said.
"Then I have to thank God very much."
His eyes were slightly closed, and Ren Li's expression was a little bitter.
"Asu, Asu..."
"That's good, it settles an old grudge."
Zhu Yi watched Ren Li's actions silently, and after a long while, he spoke.
"Ren Hou, you know why I came here..."
This sentence is not a question, but a statement.
As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Li's slightly drunken eyes suddenly became clear, and a light flashed in his eyes, and he said coldly.
"Now, my family is ruined and my life is in danger?"
"Why should I help you?"
The last words in Ren Li's tone were full of hatred, and his eyes were like a tiger descending from the mountain, choosing people to devour, as if the next moment, he was going to rush forward and kill the person in front of him.
People tear it apart.
However, the moment Ren Li leaned slightly, before he could even make a sound, Qingfeng's eyes flashed and he silently moved a step to the right, blocking Zhu Yi's eyes.
in front of me.
Facing Ren Li's murderous intent, Zhu Yi remained calm and said.
"Ren Hou knows in his heart that we are the same kind of people, right?"
"You are helping me and you are helping yourself."
Zhu Yi's eyes were unblinking, she stared at Ren Li seriously and said.
"Through this journey, Ren Hou seems to have unlimited success, but in fact he has no choice at all and is just a puppet."
"Although I am in jail now and my life is not guaranteed, isn't it enough reason to be able to make a choice for myself before I die?"
The two of them sat facing each other, Ren Li's murderous intent became more and more intense, while Qingfeng's body became more and more tense.
As time passed by, Zhu Yi just stared at Ren Li without saying a word.
Finally, Ren Li lowered his head, picked up the wine jar, raised his head and poured a few big sips into his mouth. The sound of clattering chains was heard, accompanied by the crisp sound of the wine jar being smashed against the wall.
"What the young master wants is in the mezzanine of the black cabinet in the east wing. If the young master wants it, just go and get it yourself!"
A smile appeared on Zhu Yi's face. Looking at Ren Li who struggled to get up and stood facing the wall with his hands behind his back, he stood up, cupped his hands and said.
"Thank you so much, Marquis Ren!"
After saying that, Zhu Yi turned around and wanted to leave.
However, after hesitating for a moment, he still spoke.
"Don't worry, Marquis Ren. Although the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion is not here, since Your Majesty is so merciful, he will not kill everyone. Marquis Ren will help me once today. After a few days, I will go to the palace to see the Holy Mother and ask for grace. At least Ren will be saved."
The old lady of my family has no worries about food and clothing, and will enjoy her long life."
After the words fell, Zhu Yi looked at Ren Li, but saw that the other party had no reaction at all.
Shaking his head, he stopped lingering and turned around and walked out of the cell door.
However, the moment he stepped out of the cell door, there was another voice behind him. It was different from the anger just now, but it was extremely calm, even a little nagging.
"Next month's fifteenth is my mother's birthday. She doesn't like extravagance, but she likes to eat a bowl of longevity noodles. I can't make any more for her, so I will ask Shou'er to cook for his grandmother for me."
"In addition, I would like to ask the Duke to tell Shou'er that I am no longer here and ask him to take good care of the old lady. My old lady has accumulated so many treasures in her life. I used to have servants to look after me, but now that there is no one in the house, he
You have to guard it yourself, don't let me go down there and feel uneasy."
However, just these nagging words made Zhu Yi turn around again and stare at Ren Li, who was still standing with his hands behind his back.
After a moment, he cupped his hands again and said seriously.
"Don't worry, Marquis Ren, I will bring these words to you word for word!"
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