Chen Ping picked up the tea in front of him, took a sip, and ate it gently. Tea in this era was dense and needed to be chewed.
Feng Jing sat aside and looked curiously at the infamous Prime Minister in front of him.
It seems that no matter what happens in the world, everyone will suspect that Chen Hou did it. Should we say that Chen Hou is unparalleled in his wisdom or that there is something wrong with Chen Hou's character? Many times, it is not because of his bad reputation that people doubt him.
It's because he has this ability. In terms of conspiracy, Chen Ping is at the ancestor level.
Chen Ping didn't seem to take Liu Chang's instructions seriously at all. He chewed his food carefully and showed no signs of rushing to clear his name.
"Xiang Chen? When will we get up?"
"You can get up at any time."
"What about you?"
"I haven't finished eating yet."
"You don't look anxious at all?"
"Why should I be in a hurry?"
"Aren't you afraid that this matter will involve you?"
Just now, Feng Jing also learned about the assassination of the king from Chen Ping. Feng Jing was shocked and frightened, but Chen Ping's expression seemed to look down on the assassination. Chen Ping said calmly
: "This is not what I did."
"The person who did this is stupid."
"If I were to come... I would not take action in Chang'an, send people to the Tang State, bribe a few barbarians, poison the wine, blame the Huns for everything, let the Tang State and the Xiongnu go to war again, and weaken the
The strength of Tang and the Xiongnu... wouldn't this be better? What kind of fool would take action in Chang'an?"
Feng Jing's face changed drastically and he stood up angrily, "What do you mean? How dare you harbor ill intentions towards the king?!"
Chen Ping pursed his lips and said nothing, completely ignoring the angry Tang Chen in front of him.
"Let's go."
Chen Ping stood up, asked someone to prepare the carriage, and left the mansion with Feng Jing. Their destination was not the Tingwei, but the restaurant where the king was assassinated. When they arrived here, the soldiers
They were still stationed around and no one was allowed to approach. Chen Ping was ordered to investigate, so there was a natural exception.
Chen Ping looked around and ordered: "Call the people who came with the king... and the Tingwei."
While the soldiers went to call for help, Chen Ping started walking around in the restaurant, sometimes sitting down, sometimes stroking the eucalyptus, and sometimes looking at the ground. His behavior was very strange. Feng Jing looked confused and followed Chen Ping.
Behind Ping's back, I don't know what he is checking.
Soon, the soldiers who came with the Tang Dynasty, as well as the Wang instructor and Tingwei all returned here.
Tingwei Wang Tianqi respected Chen Ping very much and immediately bowed to him. Chen Ping smiled and nodded, "I want to see the dagger used in the assassination."
Soon, Chen Ping saw the murder weapon. He played with it for a while, walked to the eucalyptus tablet where Liu Chang was sitting, waved the dagger in his hand, and stabbed in front of him.
"No... Chen Hou, it's not a straight thrust, it's a pick from bottom to top..." Coach Wang reminded seriously.
"oh."
Chen Ping nodded and handed the dagger to Wang Tianqi, "Then you go back, it's time for me to leave."
Chen Ping turned around and was about to leave. Feng Jing hurriedly followed him, "Chen Hou? Where are you going next?"
"Go to the palace."
"Ah? There are many people who have seen it, why don't you go and ask?"
"No need."
Chen Ping said very little. When he got on the carriage and set off towards the palace, Feng Jing was confused. What on earth was Chen Hou doing?
........
"Mom...come, sit down."
Liu Chang helped Empress Lu sit down with a smile. Liu Ying, Liu Chang, Queen Cao, and the Queen Mother were the only ones left in the palace. Xiang had been taken away. Empress Lu's eyes were very cold, even if
The arrival of Liu Chang did not make her expression much lighter.
"Mom, why did brother make you angry again?"
Queen Lu did not answer Liu Chang's question, but asked: "Do you want to be like your elder brother and protect those who want to kill you?"
"Mom, I am a direct descendant of the Confucian scholar Xunzi, and I will never do anything stupid like repaying evil with kindness!"
"Then don't stop me...go back."
"However, it's hard to say who is going to murder me."
Liu Ying asked sadly and angrily: "Mom! What are you talking about? How could the queen murder her eldest brother? Do you have to kill everyone you don't like?! Why don't you kill me first?
?!"
"Today... Chang was assassinated in a restaurant in the city. A traitor wanted to poison him... Cao Shen's traces were found on the assassin... Do you still want to protect the queen?!"
Queen Lu asked angrily.
At that moment, Liu Ying was completely stunned.
He looked at Liu Chang suddenly, and then looked at the queen in disbelief. Looking at Liu Ying, who was getting more and more excited and trembling all over, Liu Chang stepped forward, grabbed his arm, and stared at his
With both eyes, he said, "Brother, don't worry, how come the people who come to assassinate are carrying the integrity of the Cao family?!"
"I don't think this is what the eldest sister did."
Liu Ying, who was almost collapsed, didn't know if she heard Liu Chang's words. Tears were dripping from the corners of his eyes. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything, "Brother, it's okay... I'm fine... This traitor, I
I'll definitely catch him...it's okay, you don't have to worry!"
Liu Chang stretched out his hand, wiped away Liu Ying's tears, and comforted her again and again.
Seeing her son's appearance, Empress Lu's face became even more ugly. Empress Lu hated this kind of people the most. People with a strong heart like her despised people who couldn't bear things. No matter what, Empress Lu
No matter what she goes through, she will never let others see her pain, because she feels that only the weak will show their weakness to others in order to seek their mercy.
Liu Chang was different. He looked at his brother in front of him, but he just felt distressed.
Liu Ying happily returned to Ganquan Palace from Xuanshi Palace, and saw the queen kneeling on the ground, Liu Xiang crying, looking at the queen's mother coldly, and the wine cup in the hand of the attendant. At that moment, Liu Ying
Ying naturally understood. He rushed forward in a hurry and knocked over the wine. He didn't understand why his mother was like this, why her mother always wanted to hurt those people who were important to him.
With him in the way, neither the soldiers nor the attendants dared to take action.
Although Liu Ying did not have much prestige, he was very kind to others. These soldiers and servants had all received his kindness. Even though the Queen Mother repeatedly forced them, they just lowered their heads and did not dare to take action.
In this cold and sinister palace, there is a person like Liu Ying. Who has the heart to hurt the only good person here who treats himself as a human being and treats everyone with kindness?
Liu Chang comforted Liu Ying, and then looked at Queen Cao aside. Queen Cao was obviously frightened at this moment, her face was blank, and her eyes were lifeless.
"Sister? Did you do it?"
Liu Chang asked.
Queen Cao was stunned for a moment, then looked at Liu Chang again.
"Did you arrange it?"
At this time, Queen Cao came to her senses and shook her head hurriedly, "It's not me...it's not me...I spend the whole day taking care of the children in the palace..." Queen Cao started to cry and looked at Queen Lu
, "Mom, I never leave the palace, I am here all day long, you know... I have treated you as my mother since I entered the palace... I have never done a bad thing...
.”
Queen Lu was not moved by tears.
Just when Empress Lu was about to give the order, the attendant suddenly reported outside the door.
"Queen Mother! Chen Hou comes to pay homage!!"
"not see!"
"Mom! I asked Chen Ping to investigate this matter. If he comes now, he must have gained something... Just listen to what he says!"
Queen Lu hesitated slightly, "Let him come in."
Liu Chang then called his attendants and asked them to take Liu Ying and the Queen to his Houde Hall first.
Empress Lu did not dissuade her at this moment. Soon, Chen Ping walked into the palace and respectfully paid homage to the Empress Dowager and the King of Tang.
Liu Chang glanced at him and said, "I just came out of Chenhou's mansion. Did you find out the truth so quickly? Or are you ready to surrender and apologize?"
Chen Ping's eyes were always on Empress Lu.
"The Queen Mother...The King of Tang ordered me to investigate this matter thoroughly, and I came here specifically to report it to the Queen Mother."
"Are you here to tell me that I want to investigate the traitor strictly, or are you here to tell me who the traitor is?"
Queen Lu asked.
Chen Ping seemed to have heard something from Empress Lu's inquiry, and said: "Of course I am here to report the serious investigation of the traitor. I have not yet found out the identity of the traitor."
"I didn't find out what you were doing in the palace?!"
Liu Chang was furious, "Are you kidding me? Come on, drag this guy down and cook him for me!"
"presumptuous!"
Empress Lu glared at Liu Chang, "Don't be rude to Chen Hou!"
Liu Chang narrowed his eyes at this moment, "Mom...what do you know?"
"Chen Ping also knows...doesn't he dare to say it?"
"Could it be someone from my mother's sect? That's not right... I went to see Coach Wang on the spur of the moment, and no one knew about it... Including eating, it was all done on the spur of the moment... I'm so filial, my mother couldn't bear to kill me...
.Then why did my mother suddenly warn Chen Ping and not let him speak?"
Liu Chang quickly analyzed it, and Queen Lu's eyes twitched, why aren't you usually so clever?
Chen Ping just lowered his head and said nothing.
Liu Chang stared at Chen Ping, "You came here just to see my mother's attitude, right?"
"If my mother is anxious to ask who the traitor is, you will tell me... If my mother asks about other things, you will pretend that you don't know anything... Then who are you protecting? No.
Let me find out...are you from the Lu family?"
"Nonsense."
Empress Lu interrupted him, "People from the Lu family, why should they kill you?!"
"It looks like...they are the people of the Lu family...Oh, I just ate their sheep, and they want to kill me. Okay, I will go and show them what the wrath of the princes is."
...." Liu Chang turned around and left with a dark face.
"Oh, are you threatening me with the Lu family?"
"Okay, go ahead and kill all your uncles and aunts... If you don't finish them, don't come back to see me."
Liu Chang, who was walking out angrily, heard this, but stopped again, looked at his mother, and said with a silly smile: "I thought wrong, maybe it wasn't them either."
"This is what Empress Cao did."
Queen Lu directly concluded, "She can be executed for such a crime."
"Isn't my mother protecting the real culprit? Is she trying to use this incident to get rid of the queen?"
"Why do you want to get rid of the queen?"
Liu Chang squinted his eyes again, "If my mother thinks I can't control a woman, why would she want me to inherit the throne?"
Queen Lu did not answer.
"Have you ever thought about... what will happen to your brother if you use this to kill the queen... Can he withstand such a blow? What should Xiang do?" Liu Chang's face became very solemn, "I
I will not let anyone hurt my brother... Chen Hou, I know you cherish your life."
"Let me tell you this...you are afraid of my mother and don't dare to speak."
"But aren't you afraid of me?"
Liu Chang slowly pulled out his long sword, walked to Chen Ping, lowered his head, and laughed, "You may not feel better if you offend my mother... But if you don't tell the truth now, you will
If you die here, at this distance, no one can protect you..."
When Liu Chang's sword was pointed at Chen Ping, Chen Ping still did not speak.
Liu Chang swung his sword fiercely.
"stop!!"
Empress Lu is so big.
Queen Lu's face was already quite ugly at this moment. Liu Chang turned to look at her and said, "Mom, I'm not the eldest brother."
"I've grown up...you can't baby me!"
"I hate cheating, and I won't tolerate being bullied... I'm not a good boy like my elder brother... Even you can't do something I don't want to see... I've never been a good person...
I know what patience is, but I won’t bear it. It’s either life or death! Man, what should I be afraid of?!”
"I said Queen Cao must live, then she must live! No one can kill her unless they kill me first!"
Queen Lu stared at him angrily, "Are you going to go against me for a woman?"
"I'm doing it for my brother."
"Are you going to go against me for something unnecessary?!"
"Someone is coming!!"
Empress Lu gave the order, and immediately some soldiers rushed into the palace, waiting for Empress Lu's order.
Since the death of Emperor Gao, no one has ever dared to contradict Empress Lu, let alone question herself in this tone. No one can make Empress Lu bow her head, not even Liu Chang, who looks on proudly
The eyes of the soldiers around him were full of disdain.
When my son grew up, he no longer obeyed his elders unconditionally and began to do things according to his own ideas. He even began to contradict and blame them.
This would be a very ordinary thing in the homes of ordinary people, but in the palace, it would be a huge conflict.
Just when the tension was tense, someone spoke up.
"If you want to poison the king, you must know where the king is and where he plays on weekdays. When the king goes out on weekdays, he always likes to use the name Lu Lu. However, the only one who knows the king's alias and goes out with him is your majesty."
"Therefore, the thief can learn about the king from His Majesty's mouth and know where the king likes to go most on weekdays."
The person who spoke was Chen Ping. He said calmly: "Therefore, I conclude that the traitor must be in the palace and is someone close to His Majesty."
"The Festival belongs to the Queen, and this person can still contact the Queen."
"The reason why I dare to say that the queen is not the real murderer is because when the king goes out, he is always accompanied by samurai, soldiers, or friends. The wine is very poisonous. The king died after drinking. It is not easy for them to escape.
Things, not to mention, there is no need to carry things like this at all times. This is someone who wants to frame the queen and get rid of the king."
"If the king is really poisoned, who will be the biggest beneficiary?"
"If the king is poisoned, the queen will be executed first, and then Gongzi Xiang will be implicated. At the same time, the Queen of Tang will be implicated, and even Prince An will be implicated because of his mother... The Cao family will be hit.
, His Majesty cannot accept such bad news."
"Therefore, I believe that the murderer is your Majesty's concubine, and she is a concubine who has a son and has a certain influence in Chang'an."
"This concubine wants to get rid of the king, frame the Cao family, and has the idea of replacing the queen and letting her son take the throne."
"However, this person is really stupid..."
"Presumably, the eighth lady is already dead at this moment, right?"
Chen Ping raised his head and asked calmly.
Liu Chang was stunned, "The eighth lady?"
Liu Chang knew about this person. She was one of Liu Ying's concubines. Liu Chang knew that she had given birth to a son named Liu Buyi for his eldest brother because of her unique surname, and he had even seen him.
Queen Lu kept a straight face and said nothing.
"How do you know it's her?"
"Your Majesty, you don't know. This lady is the granddaughter of Tian Ying, the brother of the former King of Qi. Emperor Gao moved nobles from all over the country to Chang'an... Their family has a large number of people and is very powerful. They raise the dead," said Wang Jiaotou.
The stabbing method used by people is the sword method used by Qi people...it is just used with daggers."
"But, what can happen in Chang'an City that can escape the eyes and ears of the Queen Mother? Such behavior can only lead to the destruction of one's own clan."
Chen Ping suddenly interrupted and successfully diverted the topic. Liu Chang suddenly understood, nodded, and looked at Chen Ping in front of him, "You are so awesome. You know everything in such a short period of time...
.Sure enough, compared to people like you, I am still too simple!"
"Mom! The real murderer has been found! Let's forget about this!"
Liu Chang said with a smile, but Queen Lu suddenly stood up and led everyone away, ignoring Liu Chang. Liu Chang didn't care about this and came to Queen Lu's side with a smile, "Mom, don't be angry.
, you want me to be the emperor, isn’t it because I’m not afraid of trouble? If I were as submissive as my elder brother, you would be so disappointed!”
Liu Chang stood on the left side of Queen Lu, and Queen Lu looked to the right.
When Liu Chang jumped to her right, she looked to the left again.
Anyway, just ignore this idiot.
"Mom~~I know I was wrong!"
"Mom~~"
All the way back to Jiaofang Hall, Empress Lu was sitting while Liu Chang carefully squeezed her shoulders with a flattering look on his face.
"Mom, I know you are doing it all for me."
"But, I really don't need it."
"I can do everything well. I don't need you to worry about it. Just take care of An with peace of mind and don't let him develop bad habits like studying... You have done enough, so you can rest assured."
Just rest and leave the rest to me...I can really handle everything!"
Liu Chang begged hard.
"What on earth do you need me to do so that you will know that I have grown up? I can kill all the Huns, I can force people like Chen Ping to tell the truth, I can make all the ministers
You feel scared when you hear my name... But why don't you want to believe me? The same goes for my eldest brother... No matter what we do, in your eyes, we are all children who don't understand anything... You said
You were doing it for our own good, but what you did made us all very unhappy."
When Liu Chang sat in front of Empress Lu, helplessly telling his troubles, Empress Lu just looked at him.
In Empress Lu's eyes, the person sitting in front of her was not a tough man with a strong back and a strong back, tearing apart tigers and leopards with his hands.
It was just a doll about the same height as the ground, with a runny nose, dirty sleeves, and a face full of dissatisfaction.
"Don't worry, when I die... you will grow up."
ps: The big reason why Liu Ying has such a character is probably that he has a strong mother who, in the name of doing good for him, constantly does things that Liu Ying is not willing to do, which leads to Liu Ying's death in depression.