As we all know, the Western Han Dynasty was the dynasty with the most traditions, and later dynasties also had their own traditions. What emperors ascended the throne abnormally, what emperors were holding flesh and holding sheep, what emperors were easy to blend and water, but compared with tradition, the Western Han Dynasty was really not afraid of any dynasty.
What is the eldest son who is not like a father, the three dukes are eliminated, the princes and kings are orthopedics, the empress dowager holds great power, the emperor cannot sit still, the powerful man is like a leek cut and resurrects, and he throws his pen and gets on his horse and chops people... There are countless traditions, and one of them seems incredible in other dynasties, and the tradition of forgery of edicts.
To be precise, the ministers of the Han Dynasty were the ministers of the Western Han Dynasty who liked to play with edicts. As long as they held the Emperor's Day, few people did not do the edicts.
The Han Dynasty was also relatively tolerant of this matter. If it was a harmless edict, it would generally be pardoned and no matter what the crime was.
However, this edict is not something you can correct if you want. If you want to correct the edict, there is a prerequisite. At least you have to have the token of the emperor.
When he was shot and pressed on the ground, Hou Feng's first thought was to forge an edict.
He raised his head and looked at Liu Zhang angrily.
"You are dead! You actually dare to rebel?! The foreign king rebelled?! The empress dowager will kill your clan!"
Liu Zhang looked at him with a very cold look, with a hint of disdain.
"Are you going to kill my three clans?"
Hou Feng realized the mistake of his tongue and immediately said, "Don't believe in Zhao Ping! That guy Zhao Ping has no emperor's fortune at all! Besides, he has a token of the emperor, and this edict has not been prepared in Shiqu Pavilion, which is also a forgery. If you believe in the edict and come to murder the minister, the empress dowager will not forgive you! The mistake you have made is not big, if you accept it..."
Unfortunately, before Hou Feng finished speaking, Zhang Buyi rode on him, holding the token in his hand and clamored him.
"Nai Gong insists that you take this token today!!!"
Looking at Zhang Buyi, who was persecuting the city gate captain, Liu Zhang just shook his head helplessly.
But he did not persuade him that the Empress Dowager started a massacre this time, and the Hou Feng jumped up and down in it, provoking discord, his hands were covered with blood. So far, more than 4,000 nobles had died in danger, and tens of thousands were imprisoned. How many of these people can actually participate in the rebellion?
The students of the Imperial Academy were arrested and killed by this guy just because they wrote to the Queen Mother and wanted the court guard to investigate thoroughly. Fu Qiubo was so angry that he brought many Confucian scholars to kill him. As a result, Fu Qiubo was also imprisoned and sentenced to beheading.
General Song Chang took people to question because he opposed his arrest of Qin Tong, but the man was unable to rescue him and instead caught himself in.
This also made Liu Zhang very dissatisfied with the eldest mother. He could understand the eldest mother's anger. After all, those people wanted to curse and kill their Zhongfu, Liu Zhang was also very angry, and he felt deeply guilty for not discovering this matter earlier.
However, when the eldest mother got angry, she ignored anything at all. She could only say that crazy women are the most terrifying.
Now the three dukes and nine ministers are left in Xuanshi Hall to discuss matters and are not allowed to go out. If the eldest mother is allowed to kill her, when Zhongfu returns, the ministers and nobles in Chang'an will have to be half less. As for witches, they may never have this profession again.
Liu Zhang and Zhang Buyi joined the Tingwei, but Liu Zhang did not completely relax.
"The emperor's edict is that Chai Wu and Zhidu must have been obeyed, but Wang Tianqi doesn't know... This guy has always been close to the Queen Mother, but he is alone and the palace has been controlled by Zhang Meng... Those who work for the Queen Mother have been arrested..."
As the two of them were talking, the Tingwei was filled with people. Because there were too many people arrested, the Tingwei could no longer hold on. Therefore, Hou Feng specially requisitioned several places to detain these people.
As soon as he walked into this place, Zhang Buyi saw many acquaintances.
From the Nine Ministers to many relatives of the King Che, you can basically see anyone with a little face in Chang'an here. Zhang Buyi even saw Lu Chan here, which is a bit outrageous. Why was this guy arrested???
When the embroidered clothes saw so many big figures, they couldn't help but whisper to chat.
"Are those who are Jiuqing?"
"Yes...the four nine ministers..."
"This Hou Feng is too cruel. That Jiuqing was tortured by him. Look... he is still laughing... how creepy he is..."
"Oh...no, he is normal. He is Liu Gong, the Neishi of the Su Nei."
...........
"Killing innocent people indiscriminately...whether are they innocent?"
"The real innocent people are those trapped at home... They cannot farm and go out because of these villains, and they are innocent because of their livelihoods... If you want to persuade them, why don't they persuade them? Maybe I will be soft-hearted."
Although Liu An was smart, he could not resist his words when facing his eldest mother.
In history, Empress Lu never showed mercy to kill, but she never troubled the people. This is very similar to Liu Chang. Liu Chang was beaten up, and he never heard of him beating the people.
This time, the massacre targeted the powerful and witch doctors class.
Before the Warring States Period, the division of labor between Wu and doctor was still very vague. Wu may also diagnose the pulse. When a doctor encounters incurable treatment, he may also dance a great god dance.
After a long period of development, in the early Han Dynasty, the difference between the two gradually became widespread, but the difference was not too big. It was not until the Han Dynasty was destroyed that the two officially drew the entire line. You are you, I am me, and you can no longer be called in a mixed manner.
Empress Lu's behavior accelerated this progress. When many witches were dragged out from home by soldiers, they shouted: "I am a doctor! I am not a witch! I am a doctor!"
Of course, the doctor also began to distinguish the difference between himself and witches, and kept silent about some treasured treatment methods. The doctor was helpless. Even the imperial physician Ling Xia Wuqi was arrested because he had to hide tortoise shells and sacrificial supplies at home.
In the early Han Dynasty, witches were rampant, and many nobles liked to raise these witches at home. They had to divine and predict before doing things, and sacrifices were regarded as the top priority. The Han Dynasty had complex components, including Chu people, Shu people, Lao Qin people, Zhao people, and everyone had them, and their respective sacrificial cultures were also different. However, after the Zhou Dynasty, many barbaric and cruel methods of sacrificial sacrifice had actually been abolished. Those who do such things would be ridiculed and people in the world would scold him.
This culture of wizard cultivation is said to have been passed down to the end of the Han Dynasty. At the end of the Han Dynasty, a general under the command of a Taishi who was unwilling to be named "Is My Sword Not Good?" was a general. He heard that he liked to let the witch calculate his own calculations in everything he did. Unlike the image of a savage with disheveled hair in some film and television dramas, the main army of the Taishi was a serious good family... Although he was not doing a good family.
Speaking of the Empress Dowager, when she attacked these people, she ignored the civilians at the bottom. Even when she killed Wujiu Village, she specially selected some "elites" to cut, but there were too many. Liu Jing, who was imprisoned in the court lieutenant, happily patted his belly.
"Big Mother, let's forget about the others. You have to keep the people from Shangfang... These people have made great contributions, and their abilities are not much in the world... They can't die."
After Liu An found out that he could not persuade his eldest mother, he decided to give up on others and take out the few people he was most familiar with.
"There is also Duke Fuqiu, this person cannot be killed... He is loyal to his father."
"There is also General Qin Tong, who is in poor health and has made so many military achievements before..."
The other young men nodded and agreed.
After Liu An found out that he could not make sense, he immediately acted in a grievance and began to act coquettishly.
Empress Lu also favored this grandson. Liu An looked at her with a gaze and was so cute that she began to hesitate.
"Let these people stay here for the time being and let your father deal with it."
"Thank you, my mother!!"
If I had known what else I would have said, I should have pretended to be cute from the beginning.
When Liu An and his friends walked out of Changle Palace, Liu Ju breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm scared to death, my eldest mother looks so angry..."
"Look at your body, you can beat someone with a wooden case, why are you so brave?"
"I'm just big, not brave..."
"Then how did you come up with your courage to rebel?"
"I didn't rebel. I took my soldiers to show off my might, pretend to be too pretentious, and broke into Jiaodong Country..."
Liu Qi shook his head, "Anyway, these people have saved their lives for the time being, but I think the eldest mother doesn't seem to want to kill Chen Tao, Qin Tong and other people..."
Liu An nodded and sighed: "Yes, no matter what, General Qin's family can be safeguarded, that's enough."
Hearing Liu An say this, Liu Qi immediately raised his head, looked at Liu An's handsome face, and suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness, and asked hurriedly: "An, you won't treat General Qin's daughter too..."
Liu An looked disdainful, "Fuck, only you unpromising people like that kind of young woman. I'm talking about General Qin's sister, that eldest sister is really beautiful..."
"Um???"
Liu An looked at Liu Xiang again, "Brother, don't worry, you don't have the chance at all. You still have to decide on this kind of marriage, our elders. At that time, I will talk to you a few good words to my brother-in-law..."
When Liu An first arrived at the gate of Houde Hall, he met Zhang Buyi who came here.
“How is the situation?”
"Hou Feng has been subdued... Chai Wu and Wang Tianqi both expressed their obedience to the emperor's edict."
"Then did you let them go?"
"No."
"I dare not let it go."
Zhang Buyi's attitude was very cold, but Liu An liked him the more he looked at him. What kind of virtue is that his father's foolish monarch? He can actually get so many capable ministers to serve him!
He couldn't help asking, "My father beats or scolds you on weekdays... His attitude is very bad. Why do you still treat him like this?"
Zhang Buyi did not answer Liu An, but just bowed his hand casually, turned around and left.
This matter obviously won't end like this. Next, Zhao Ping and the others have to consider how to withstand the anger from the Queen Mother.
They openly challenged the Empress Dowager and even injured the Empress Dowager's important officials.
To be serious, they summoned the army to control the inside and outside of Chang'an, which was already a rebellion.
When Zhang Buyi found Zhao Ping again, Zhao Ping seemed to be in a hurry at all.
"Hahaha, you old dog!"
"Very cunning!"
Zhang Buyi smiled and couldn't help but exclaim, "How did you let the Supreme Emperor issue an edict? Can he have such courage? And Chao Cuo, can you actually direct him to do this? I can't do these things! The Emperor of Heaven uses the Supreme Emperor's filing and the Inner Court... You are the most cunning!"
Zhaoping looked very calm.
"All things outside have been done?"
"Yes, everything is done."
Zhao Ping smiled and then said, "Just do it, I'll leave the matter outside to you. Remember, don't be careless, be cautious. In two days, you can probably lift the martial law and let the people go out at will. This governing the country is to drive a express train, but you can't let the horses be frightened. If the people are frightened, it will have a very bad impact..."
"You don't need to say much about these. I know very well in my heart. But tell me, how did you convince the Supreme Emperor and Chao Cuo?"
"The Supreme Emperor is extremely fond of His Majesty. When he learned about the witch curse, he said he would go to kill Wu Zui with a long sword... Chao Cuo even dared to write a letter to the Empress Dowager, asking that all the Wu Zui people be cooked and killed... and divided their meat... how did you convince them?"
Zhao Ping said calmly: "Although the Supreme Emperor favors His Majesty and is afraid of the Queen Mother, he is kind, so I go to advise him and tell him that tens of thousands of people will die because of this, and there are many innocent people and important officials in the temple. He decided to help me, but he did not forgive Wu Zui and others."
"Where is Chao Cuo?"
"I also convinced him, okay, you can ask about these things in the future... Although Liu Zhang is courageous, he is the outer king after all. If you don't do many of these things, you should be responsible for it yourself and you must not neglect it!"
"No need to give me an order!"
"If I were the prime minister, this would not have happened!! People like Wu Zui would not have lived today at all!"
Zhang Buyi said angrily. He had always been very dissatisfied with Zhao Ping's prestige. Zhou Chang would have nothing to do, but what talent does this old man dare to put himself on his head?
Zhao Ping rarely refuted Zhang Buyi, perhaps because Zhang Buyi had just helped him.
"No doubt... Now it's not before, and we can't just use heavy punishments to govern the world... If you are the prime minister of the country, you can cruelly punish those who make mistakes, but don't involve innocent people. Use cruel criminal laws to make people all over the world feel scared. If you deal with him alone, you don't have much involvement to make people all over the world feel benevolence and righteousness... This is the right way."
Zhang Buyi just snorted coldly. Nowadays, everyone really dares to come and preach to me.
"But today's events are thanks to you."
"I won't receive your thanks... I did this for your Majesty, Chen Tao and Feng Jing, although they have no talent, but Your Majesty still has some use for them. I protect them just so that no one will be available after Your Majesty comes back."
"I know...you have always been the most loyal to His Majesty."
Zhang Buyi was stunned, not knowing what he remembered, and murmured: "When I first came to Chang'an, everyone who saw me would respect me because I was the son of Liu Hou. Even when you saw me, you also asked if I was my younger brother who served as the Shizhong at that young age... Everyone in the world knew them, but they didn't know that there was me..."
"Your Majesty asked me to sit beside him. When Ah Father scolded me, he immediately turned against me, scolded her father and brother, and mocked her father and brother, saying that he was just a miserable person and could not do big things... He treated me not as the son of Liu Hou, nor as the elder brother of others, but as his own servant... At that time, I knew that I had met a king who could make me die..."
“Hahaha~~~”
Zhao Ping laughed loudly, Zhang Buyi glanced at him, turned around and prepared to leave.
"No doubt!"
Zhao Ping stopped him.
Zhang Buyi turned around, "What else is there?"
"No doubt... you and I have been quarreling for more than ten years... You are a disgusting hawk, flattering, blind and reckless, never considering the consequences when doing things, competing for favor and being jealous, excluding new officials, disrespectful to the elderly, extremely stupid, and are really the most slanderous minister in the Han Dynasty!!!"
Zhang Busi was stunned. Just as he cursed and rolled up his sleeves to get on the fight, Zhao Ping said again: "But you are a wise minister."
"I have to release the imperial physician Ling Xia Wuqi now... let him show you!"
Zhang Buyi turned around and left.
The smile on Zhao Ping's face gradually disappeared.
He lowered his head, wiped his scabbard, patted his clothes, tidied his crown, dipped his fingers in a little saliva, gently wiped his beard, and tried his best to clean it. Then he turned around and left Xuanshi Hall resolutely.
After walking out of the palace, Zhang Buyi suddenly felt something was wrong, frowned, and began to think.
.........
"What did you say?!!"
The anger in the queen mother's eyes almost burned through Wang Tianqi who was sitting in front of him.
Wang Tianqi lowered his head, "The emperor ordered me not to refuse to obey, but I dare not not to inform me because of the kindness of the empress dowager."
"Treason! Treason!"
"You pass on my edict!!"
"Empress Dowager, he probably can't pass it on."
Someone interrupted Empress Lu, who was furious, and Empress Lu looked at him, but saw Zhao Ping standing at the door.
Zhao Ping saluted the empress dowager very seriously, and the furious empress dowager calmed down at this moment, just squinted her eyes and looked at the prime minister in front of her.
"Do you want to lock me up here?"
"I dare not. I brought a few soldiers and ordered them to guard the door, lock the door, and not allow anyone to enter and exit..."
“Hahaha….”
Empress Lu smiled. This smile was so terrifying that it was chilling.
Zhao Ping said seriously, "I came here to apologize to the Empress Dowager."
"I bewitched the Emperor on the throne of the Emperor, and injured the Minister of the Secretariat Chao Cuo, tied him up, and asked the Secretary to add the jade seal to commit crimes of bewitching the king, murdering the ministers, and forging the imperial edicts. I also issued an edict to Zhang Buyi, Liu Zhang, Zhou Chang, Chai Wu, Wang Tianqi and others to withdraw their troops. This was a crime of usurpation and rebellion. I brought the armored soldiers to Changle Palace and refused to allow the empress dowager to go out. This was a crime of great disrespect."
"Then how should I deal with you?"
"Should the clan be punished."
Zhao Ping was very calm. He pulled out his sword, and Wang Tianqi was shocked and immediately blocked the empress dowager, but was pushed away by Empress Lu.
Zhao Ping said, "I was originally a sinner from Qin and had no ability. At the time when Xiao Xiang recommended him and his majesty was merciful, he made me a servant. Later, he did not dislike my despicableness. Gao Sheng I became the prime minister. I was always worried that I would not be able to repay Your Majesty's kindness... Now, I am old and becoming more and more useless. I don't know how long I can serve Your Majesty... But the people the Empress Dowager wants to kill this time are different from me."
"Chen Tao created many tools to benefit the world. Xia Wuqi opened a clinic and saved countless people. Feng Jing was diligent and the kings of the Western Regions paid a visit. He handled it properly, which surprised the kings of the outside world. Qin Tong was good at training troops, Song Chang was good at defending, Fu Qiubo's books educated people, and Zhang Shizhi strictly enforced the law..."
"These people are very loyal to His Majesty and will never participate in the rebellion."
"Please don't worry that they have the idea of murdering Your Majesty. You can wait until Your Majesty comes back before dealing with them."
"As for me, a useless person, who committed many crimes, should have been dealt with by the court guard, but he was worried that His Majesty would be merciful and refused to use punishment. I set a precedent for all crimes. Today I will only die. Please do not get angry."
Zhao Ping lowered his head and looked at the sword in his hand.
He chuckled.
"At the time when Xiao Xiang was worried that Your Majesty would cause chaos in the country, he specifically asked me to advise him at all times... He once said that if there is a great chaos in the future, it will be caused by Your Majesty. If it is not Your Majesty, it will be decided by Your Majesty... A useless person can determine the chaos in the world for Your Majesty, and this life is enough."
He immediately picked up the long sword and aimed it at his neck without hesitation.