The cold wind dispersed the smell of blood in the air, but it could not disperse the suppressed murderous aura.
There were constant shouting and fighting sounds coming from the backyard, which made Qin Huaidao a little worried, but he did not dare to leave Cui Renshi and the housekeeper to check the situation, worrying about what might happen.
After waiting for a while, Cheng Chumo and Yuchi Baolin hurried over, and the second guard also arrived. Qin Huaidao quickly warned: "Brother Yuchi, take your people in to check the situation, gather the Cui Mansion people under guard, and clean the battlefield.
If anyone resists, kill them!"
"Ah...what happened?" Cheng Chumo was a little surprised.
"There's no time to explain. Master Cui Ren is suspected of treason. If you have evidence, just do it. Brother Cheng, lead your people to surround the Cui Mansion. Be careful if someone comes in to rescue you." Qin Huaidao reminded.
As soon as the two of them heard that they were planning a rebellion and had evidence in hand, what were they worried about? They agreed and left in a hurry.
With the arrival of the two of them, Qin Huaidao felt a lot less pressure.
After a while, Yuchi Baolin hurried back from the backyard: "The people were all under control, and a large number of men in black were found. I heard from the people below that half of them were shot by us, and the other half were dead before they came. We also found a body
Tall people, someone in Cui Mansion said they are murderers?"
"Bring the man here and his weapons. Also, restrain your own men and don't kill them randomly."
"Understood, go right away. Is it okay to do this? A fourth-rank official in the imperial court is no joke, he will lose his head." Yuchi Baolin asked worriedly.
"Trust me, go ahead."
Yuchi Baolin saw that Qin Huaidao's words were firm and solemn, not like he was messing around, so he felt calm and hurried away.
Not long after, Yuchi Baolin returned, carrying the body of a strong man in one hand and a Mo Dao in the other. He threw the body on the ground and said, "It's actually Mo Dao. Could this guy be a member of the Mo Dao Army? It shouldn't be."
"
"I remember that the control of Modao is very strict. Each one has a mark on it. The identity of the user can be found based on the mark. This is a big matter. You can check it later. However, the top priority is to enter the palace to face the saint. It has been so long.
The Holy One must have known about it, and the reason why he didn't send anyone here is because of his trust in the Supervisory Office. He should go immediately, and you can bring a bunch of people with you." Qin Huaidao said seriously.
Yuchi Baolin's expression changed: "It's night now, are you worried?"
"No city defenders or imperial guards have come so far, don't you think it's strange?" Qin Huaidao reminded.
Yuchi Baolin's expression changed drastically, he nodded solemnly and hurried away.
Not long after, Yuchi Baolin brought a hundred people. Qin Huaidao asked two palace guards to take off their coats and put them on Cui Renshi and the housekeeper to disguise themselves. Then he led the people out. Cheng Chumo came up to greet him and asked in a low voice with a somewhat solemn expression.
Said: "Brother, is it really okay?"
Rushing into the mansion of a fourth-grade official was no joke. Qin Huaidao understood the two people's feelings and took out the letter. Cheng Chumo took it and took a quick glance at it. He was determined and had no worries anymore. He solemnly said: "I'm sorry, I don't
It’s time to question you, what should I do next?”
"Understood, your coming here is already a sign of your trust in me. After all, you have a family and a mouth. If it were me, I would question it. You should also take a look." Qin Huaidao handed the letter to Yuchi Baolin.
Yuchi Baolin was also worried that something had happened. He took it and took a look. His heart dropped. After returning the letter to Qin Huaidao, he patted his chest and said: "It's just a brother's heart. These two bastards are very important, but don't worry, even if they are
Even if I risk my life, I will keep them both safe."
"Guard Cui Mansion." Qin Huaidao warned.
"I understand, I will kill anyone who dares to break in." Cheng Chumo agreed.
"You have to take good care of the inside to prevent any trouble." Qin Huaidao warned and signaled for departure.
Cui Renshi and the housekeeper were carried on their backs, and since it was night again, they were inconspicuous among the crowd. They walked forward quickly and headed straight for the palace. Behind Yuchi Baolin Palace, Qin Huaidao opened the way, and the guards of the palace drew their swords. Everyone was waiting seriously.
Staring around with eager eyes.
Soon, a group of cavalry came from the front, wearing bright silver armor. They were dignified and cold, like a group of killing machines rushing towards them, giving people a strong sense of oppression. Qin Huaidao's expression changed and he shouted: "Stop, defend in a circular formation."
The guards quickly gathered into a circular formation. Unfortunately, they had no shields and limited defense. They could not stop the cavalry attack. However, they had to guard against it. Yuchi Baolin rushed up from behind, stood side by side with Qin Huaidao, and said in a deep voice: "It's like
The army, not the dead soldiers, wouldn't anyone be involved in the rebellion?"
After a while, the cavalry rushed up. Through the light of the street lanterns, the general walking at the front could be vaguely seen. He was covered in chain mail, a bit old, and holding a horse. He was Xu Shiji. Qin Huaidao was a little surprised. What was Xu Shiji doing here?
It is impossible for people to rebel.
Yuchi Baolin also saw the person coming clearly and said in a low voice: "Hey...it's General Xu, why is he here?"
Qin Huaidao also wanted to know the reason. He took a few steps forward and shouted, "But Uncle Xu?"
"Certainly--"
Xu Shiji shouted loudly and pulled his horse to a stop. The troops behind him also stopped one after another and ordered and prohibited them in order. After that, Xu Shiji also shouted: "My dear nephew, it's me. Are you okay?"
"It's okay, why are you here?" Qin Huaidao asked bluntly.
"The Holy One heard that you led troops to rush into the Cui Mansion and had been waiting for a long time. He was worried that something might happen to you, so he asked me to bring troops to come and have a look. It's fine. Where are you going?" Xu Shijie asked quickly.
Qin Huaidao could tell from the other party's tone that it didn't sound like he was lying, but the matter was too big to be believed easily, so he said: "Uncle Xu, it's a very important matter. I want to go to the palace to meet the saint, and I ask Uncle Xu to lead someone to clear the way."
Xu Shiji heard the distrust in Qin Huaidao's words, but he was not angry. Instead, he looked down upon him. A man who fought on the battlefield naturally understood that no one should be easily trusted when the situation was complicated. He stopped talking nonsense and shouted loudly: "Everyone."
Listen to the order, retreat and change the front line, turn around, and escort back to the palace!"
The soldiers pulled the reins one after another, turned the horses' heads and walked forward.
Qin Huaidao breathed a sigh of relief after waiting for the team in front to walk out for a distance. It was better not to have different intentions. He led his own people to follow and kept a certain distance. It was necessary to be on guard against others. Xu Shiji could trust him, but the team brought by Xu Shiji might not be so careful.
Blunder.
While driving fast, Qin Huaidao always felt like there were countless pairs of eyes staring at him in the darkness, like rays of light piercing his back. It was very uncomfortable, but fortunately no one rushed out.
Not long after, everyone arrived at the palace. Qin Huaidao breathed a sigh of relief and saw that Cheng Chumo was guarding the door with a large group of Qianniu guards. He hurriedly greeted him: "Uncle Cheng, why are you here too?"
"The Lord has arranged it, are you... okay?" Cheng Chumo asked, showing deep concern.
Qin Huaidao said knowingly: "Don't worry, I have evidence."
Cheng Chumo breathed a sigh of relief, patted Qin Huaidao on the shoulder with satisfaction and said: "You are a prudent boy. As long as you have evidence, go with peace of mind. If the sky falls, we old guys will be able to bear it."
Qin Huaidao looked around and lowered his voice and said: "Coming from Cui Mansion, I felt that there were people watching secretly all the way. If I hadn't brought more people with me, and General Xu led the troops to escort me, I might not have been able to get here. I guess those who weren't so
Leave quickly?"
"I'll save you the trouble, I'll arrange for someone to come over and take a look."
"There's no rush." Qin Huaidao pulled Cheng Chumo and whispered: "This junior was ambushed on Zhuque Street, about a mile away from the Supervisory Mansion. After a fight, he led his troops into the Cui Mansion. I know that there are no patrolling Qian yet.
With the appearance of Niu Wei, this matter may not be simple."
The Twelve Guards of the Forbidden Army were affiliated with the Nanya Forbidden Army. When they returned to Cheng Yaojin, Cheng Yaojin's face changed and he said, "I will check to see who is on duty."
"Please, after you find out, you will be arrested and detained secretly. Be careful not to be silenced." Qin Huaidao warned, and when he saw Xu Shiji urging him not far away, he hurried over.
The others could only stay at the door. Cui Renshi and the housekeeper had to be brought into the palace. Qin Huaidao and Xu Shiji each carried one, and followed the eunuchs who came out to enter the palace. They hurried all the way, and soon arrived at the Ganlu Hall.
Li Er was sitting in the Ganlu Hall, accompanied by three important ministers: Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji and Li Jing. They all looked at Qin Huaidao who came in and hesitated to speak. It is a serious crime to lead troops to attack the residence of a fourth-rank imperial official. There is no such thing.
No one can protect a reasonable reason.
"Tell me, what's going on?" Li Er's face looked a little ugly.
"You kid, why are you so impulsive?" Li Jing also said, but his words were full of concern.
Qin Huaidao didn't like nonsense, so when he took out the letter, all explanations were without strong evidence.
Wang De came forward, took the letter, turned around and handed it to Li Er.
Li Er glanced at Qin Huaidao in surprise, took it over and opened it, his expression suddenly changed. Li Er could tell at a glance that the words above were written by Cui Renshi himself. The content above made Li Er so angry that he actually dared to rebel.
, thinking of the recent food prices, he handed the letter to Li Jing without any doubt: "Pharmacist, take a look at it too."
Li Jing took it worriedly, thinking that it would be detrimental to Qin Huaidao. After reading the content, he breathed a sigh of relief and let go of his worries. He returned the letter to Li Er and said, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid what you said is not true."
Li Er nodded, gave the letter to Fang Xuanling next to him, and said, "You two dears, take a look at it too."
After speaking, Li Er looked at Qin Huaidao, with a satisfied smile on his face, and said: "Huaidao, tell me, what happened, and where did you get this letter?"
"Back to the Holy Sage, the minister left the palace and was assassinated when he was about to arrive at the Supervisory Mansion. There were at least five people. One person used a crossbow to attack first, but he was avoided by the minister. He almost died on the street. Four people came out after that, one of whom
Holding a horse, one person carrying a Mo knife, and two people on the roof, holding bows, both in black robes and wearing masks. I quickly escaped and found a place to hide and observe. When I saw the murderer went to Cui Mansion, I was furious and killed him.
I led troops to surround Cui Mansion. Cui Mansion refused to call for help and even took action. Hundreds of men in black looked like dead soldiers at first sight. In order to protect myself, I had no choice but to fight back. After that, Mr. Cui led more men in black to rush out.
, it looked like he was going to silence me, so I had to fight back, killed the man in black, and found this letter in the study."
Nine sentences are true, and one sentence is false, which makes it more realistic. Master Cui Ren doesn't know why the killer entered the house anyway.
No one thought too much about the details, as long as there was evidence, it was enough.
After reading it, Fang Xuanling handed the letter to Changsun Wuji, and he breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Your Majesty, assassinating the fifth-rank official of the imperial court is tantamount to rebellion. The murderer found out that the matter could not be done and entered the Cui Mansion. I am afraid that this matter has nothing to do with the Cui Mansion.
It doesn’t matter.”
"What do you think?" Li Er looked at Qin Huaidao.
Qin Huaidao knew very well that Li Er would interrogate Cui Renshi later, and Cui Renshi would definitely defend himself. He could not deceive, otherwise he would be guilty of deceiving the emperor, so he said: "Back to the Holy Emperor, I am not sure whether the murderer was arranged by Master Cui and led the troops in."
When I went to the Cui Mansion, I found that more than thirty men in black were killed. I don’t know if the murderer did it in anger, or if Mr. Cui was worried about being exposed and resorted to murder to clear himself of suspicion."
The words are ambiguous and not certain, but based on the lethality.
Li Er asked in a deep voice: "Why do you think the murderer acted in anger?"
"The murderer failed in the sneak attack, but was killed by me. This shows that they did not know enough about the military force of me, or the information they obtained was wrong. Naturally, they blame the person who provided the information. If it was Master Cui who instigated it, then the information should have been provided by Master Cui. The murderer
Failure will naturally lead to anger.”
Fang Xuanling's eyes lit up and he agreed: "What Huaidao said makes sense. Assuming Master Cui is the instigator behind the scenes, there are only two possibilities for the murderer. One is a dead soldier. Once he fails, he will definitely go back to hiding. Master Cui is planning to kill him.
It is reasonable to kill some people to exonerate oneself; the other is a killer. If the assassination fails, it is reasonable to kill the person who provided the information in a rage. If Lord Cui is not the instigator behind the scenes, the murderer is busy running for his life and cannot enter the house, even if it is a coincidence
If you go in, you won’t kill anyone and expose your whereabouts, so the possibility of Mr. Cui’s instigation is very high.”
Qin Huaidao looked at Fang Xuanling in surprise. There was nothing wrong with this logic!
It's just right, you don't have to waste words to guide yourself.
"I agree that the identity of the murderer is very suspicious, and I suggest a thorough investigation." Li Jing also said.
The matter was of great importance, so Li Er did not express his position immediately. After pondering for a moment, he said: "Bring Mr. Cui in."
Soon, Master Cui Ren was brought in. He had already woken up. He was shocked when he saw the formation. He knelt down with a bang and shouted: "Your Majesty, please make the decision for me. Mr. Qin bullied others and led his troops to forcefully break into Cui Mansion.
Countless people have been killed, but Your Majesty, I will not surrender."
"You still have the nerve to cry out for injustice. I'm here to ask you, what's going on with so many people in black in the house?"
"This..." Master Cui Ren was a little panicked. There was no way to explain this matter, but it would not work without an explanation, so he had to bite the bullet and said: "This... Your Majesty, I am afraid of death and worried that someone will be harmful to the house, so I took more precautions.
Those who protect their homes should be punished by the Holy Spirit."
There are many violations of the imperial laws, but the crime does not lead to death. Cui Renshi knew that he could not escape, so he could only avoid the more serious ones and choose the less serious ones. But Li Er, like a mirror in his heart, threw the letter over and asked: "What about this?"
Cui Renshi picked up the letter and read it. He suddenly felt cold all over. He looked at Qin Huaidao and couldn't understand how such a confidential thing could be found. Could it be that the secret room was exposed? How could this be possible? Thinking of the content in the letter, he trembled all over.
My vision went dark and I fainted.
Seeing this scene, everyone didn't know that what was said in the letter was true. Master Cui Ren felt guilty. Li Er was so angry that his face was livid. He actually dared to rebel. How could he be lenient? He shouted: "Take the housekeeper."
The housekeeper was also woken up and brought in. When he saw Master Cui Ren who had fainted, Li Er who was about to go berserk, and a group of ministers with cold faces and silent words, he suddenly panicked, knelt down with a thud, and shouted in a trembling voice
: "The common people have seen the Holy One. The common people deserve to die. Please be punished by the Holy One."
"Tell me why you deserve to die." Li Er shouted violently.
The housekeeper was trembling all over and did not dare to raise his head, and said: "The common people should not take action against Mr. Qin. The common people are just angry and anxious for a moment and cannot hold back. It is not intentional. Please forgive me!"
"Did he attack you?" Li Er looked at Qin Huaidao.
Qin Huaidao said truthfully: "Back to the Holy Emperor, Wei Chen led people into the mansion to track down the murderer. He led a large group of men in black and rushed out to stop him. Wei Chen persuaded him nicely and asked him to go in and inform Master Cui to come out. He refused and even ordered an attack.
Order, I have to fight back in order to protect myself."
Li Er looked at the steward with blazing eyes. When he saw that the steward did not defend himself, he became furious and shouted: "You actually attacked an official of the imperial court. Who gave you the courage?"
"The ordinary people don't dare. The ordinary people are just impulsive. Please be punished by the Holy Spirit." The steward quickly begged for mercy.
The facts were clear and the parties involved had admitted it. There was nothing to ask any more questions. Li Er shouted: "Come here, put the two of them into the sky prison. No one is allowed to contact them."
"Your Majesty, this is inappropriate!" Qin Huaidao shouted quickly.
"What do you have to say?" Li Er asked.
This opportunity was rare. Qin Huaidao also wanted to use Master Cui Ren to expand his results and found out several others. He quickly said: "Your Majesty, if you are thrown into the heavenly prison, you may die inexplicably."
Li Er understood and came over and said: "Take him down and wait for his release."
Immediately, Qianniu Guards rushed in and took the two people out. Li Er asked: "Can I ensure safety by leaving it to you?"
"There are only three hundred people in the Supervisory Office. I cannot guarantee Master Cui Renshi's safety, but I will do my best. I also want to see who will come in to assassinate and silence him. However, in this case, I will not be able to arrange manpower to track down the identity of the murderer.
, if possible, I kindly request that a team of Yulin Guards be transferred into the Supervisory Mansion to assist in the custody." Qin Huaidao said seriously.
The Yulin Guards are the Beiya Forbidden Army. They usually do not participate in the affairs of Chang'an City. They are relatively clean, loyal and worthy of trust. Li Er understood Qin Huaidao's intentions and said: "I have ordered Yuchi Gong to remove a group of Yulin Guards and come over."
, assist the Supervisory Office in guarding prisoners."
"According to the order!" Wang De made arrangements in a hurry.
"Who is watching in Cui Mansion?" Li Er looked at Qin Huaidao.
Qin Huaidao said quickly: "Cheng Chumo led a team to guard in case of any unexpected events. I was worried about the safety on the way here, so I asked Yuchi Baolin to lead a team to escort him. He should still be waiting outside the palace gate. Can someone send a message and let him come back immediately?
In the Supervisory Mansion, the body of a murderer is still in the Supervisory Mansion, and the ministers are worried that something will happen."
Li Er nodded and shouted loudly: "Instruct Duke Lu to dispatch a team of people to assist the Supervisory Mansion in guarding the Cui Mansion. No one is allowed to enter or exit the Cui Mansion. Inform Captain Yuchi to return to the Supervisory Mansion to guard the Cui Mansion as soon as possible."
"Yes!" a chamberlain agreed and hurried away.
"Has the imperial edict from Hebei Road or Hedong Road been sent out?" Li Er looked at Fang Xuanling.
"Go back to the Holy Spirit and send it out."
"It's okay to send it out, but I actually dare to cooperate inside and outside, try to go south, and ride on my land of the Tang Dynasty. Do you really think that I have lost my temper these years? The pharmacist is right. The Khitan has lived a good life in these years and has lost its sense of awe. I am afraid that behind this There is a shadow of the Taiyuan Wang family, what should we do about this matter?" Li Er said, looking at Li Jing and then at Fang Xuanling.
"Without clear evidence, it would be difficult for the imperial court to directly take action, confirm the facts and cause turmoil, but the Khitan should take action." Fang Xuanling suggested.
"I agree that a Khitan dares to be so arrogant. No matter what the reason behind it, the court should show its attitude. Otherwise, it will not be able to deter neighboring countries, especially Tubo. Tubo will definitely be resentful after refusing to marry. I am worried that the two sides will join forces and attack from both front and rear. The imperial court has become passive." Li Jing, an old man seeking the country, reminded him seriously.
Li Er also thought of this, and his eyes sparkled.
Changsun Wuji looked at the crowd and stood up to express his position: "Your Majesty, the food supply in Chang'an has skyrocketed, the people's sentiments have fluctuated, and the court is tired of coping. Once military supplies are really transferred into Chang'an, I am afraid that the Khitan will really let their horses go south, and it is entirely possible for the Tubo to take advantage of the fire. Fortunately, Master Qin discovered it in time, and the court still had time to make arrangements. The top priority is to control the price of food. As long as the military food is not as good as Chang'an, the Khitan will not dare to go south, and the court will have time to slowly deal with the Khitan."
"I second my opinion. The root cause is still the price of grain. Fortunately, Mr. Qin's plan is feasible. If I step up my efforts, it won't take long to stabilize the price of grain." Fang Xuanling agreed.
"How sure are you?" Li Er asked seriously.
Fang Xuanling solemnly said: "As long as the briquettes are supplied in time, I am 100% sure."
Li Er looked at Qin Huaidao, who quickly expressed his position: "I will go back to Qinjiazhuang early tomorrow morning to ensure that the production of briquettes is increased. As long as the transportation can be solved, there will be no problem."
"Very good, Huai Dao, you have made a great contribution this time, and I will reward you when the food price stabilizes."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have nothing else to say. I will leave first!" Qin Huaidao said quickly, not daring to stay any longer for fear that something would happen to him again.
"Go ahead, be sure to ensure the production of briquettes. As for the murderer, I asked Baiqisi to investigate first, and the Ministry of Justice will get involved. Modao and bed crossbows are strictly controlled military materials. They actually appeared in Chang'an. This matter must not be taken carelessly. , No matter who is involved, we must get to the bottom of it." Li Er said and looked at Li Jing.
"I obey the decree!" Li Jing agreed.
Qin Huaidao said goodbye and left. When he walked out of the hall, he saw Master Cui Ren dejected and thinking about something. He stepped forward and said, "Master Cui, if you do unjust things, you will be killed yourself. God is watching when people do it. You risk the life and death of the people in the world for your own selfishness." Damn it for not caring!"
"I won't let you go even if I die." Master Cui Ren screamed, suddenly rushed forward, and headbutted Qin Huaidao. His momentum was like a mad bull, desperate for anything.
Qin Huaidao was shocked and quickly got out of the way.
"Boom!"
Cui Renshi's head hit the doorpost hard, and he collapsed to the ground. He looked at Qin Huaidao with eyes full of resentment, and then he laughed strangely and lost his life.
Qin Huaidao's face instantly darkened when he saw this scene. Cui Renshi could not escape the crime of rebellion and would definitely die. He actually wanted to drag him to die with him. Although he failed, he died after hitting him. Once word spread, it would have a great impact.
He really won't let himself go even to death, it's so cruel.