The emperor frowned slightly and asked, "What's happening over there in the inner city?"
He asked: "Is there no news about the badge?"
Feng Shangshu said, “The last contact we had was nine days ago, and there has been no news since then.”
The emperor calculated the time and found that nine days ago, it was just a few days after Gao Zhi conquered eight cities. At that time, the Gao Family Court should have received the news that Gao Zhi had surrendered with Anshi City, right?
The emperor pondered for a moment and then summoned Bai Shan, "Draw up a letter of credence and ask the King of Goguryeo to come to see me. If he is unwilling to negotiate, he will return my envoys."
Bai Shan agreed, retreated, and soon he drafted the letter of credence and presented it to the emperor. The emperor read it, nodded slightly, changed a few words, and handed it to Bai Shan, "Write it down immediately, and send it over now."
"
This small town also belongs to the domestic city. It is only the size of a county seat and is not very far from the domestic city. It is more than thirty miles away and the horse will arrive quickly.
Bai Shan copied it and took it to the emperor to read and seal. Then he took the stamped credentials to the Minister of Menxia Province. After they agreed, he copied a copy and handed it over to the minister.
Yin Li, as the commander of the Forbidden Army, sent someone to deliver it to the inner city.
At this time, Zhang Hui was squatting in the Goguryeo prison and sighing. He was arrested seven days ago. Before he was arrested, he wanted to send a message to Feng Shangshu outside the city, but the person he sent out was arrested. The fifth prince
The legendary safe line was also cut off, and everyone who ran it was arrested.
Prince Gaowu lives in the ward next to him and is a little dazed at this time.
Both of them have disheveled hair and unkempt beards, but this is just an appearance, there are still essential differences between them.
After all, Prince Gaowu was the prince of Goguryeo. He was still favored in the past, and his mother's family was still there, so the cell he lived in not only had clean quilts, but also tables, chairs, and benches. Not only did he have hot tea and hot water, but he also had snacks.
There is also a stove in the corner of the prison, which is supposed to be dark and damp.
In comparison, the one next door Zhang Hui lived in was a real prison, and the quilt was a hard, smelly quilt. Not to mention the tables and chairs, he had to use thatch to make the bed so that it would not be too cold.
He was not very lucky. When he was arrested, all the gold, silver and jewelry that he had not given away were confiscated, and the only good things he had on him were also confiscated when he was imprisoned.
So he can only live a hard life.
Zhang Hui was forced, while Prince Gaowu was frightened, unable to eat, sleep, and took the initiative to live a miserable life.
Neither of them knew who was more sad.
Zhang Hui has been trying to appease Prince Gao Wu these days, just to prevent him from rebelling midway.
However, he also heard the content reported by the soldiers at that time. The Jin army had captured Anshi City, and even Prince Gao Er surrendered, and led the vanguard army to conquer eight cities.
The demise of Goguryeo is imminent, and Prince Gaowu's rebellion at this time will not be good in the end. It is better to follow his path to the dark side.
Of course Prince Gaowu knew this, but he was also afraid that his father would kill him before the Jin army invaded the inner city.
So he was terrified these days.
The two of them squatted in the cell and sighed together. Zhang Hui sighed because he was having a hard time, and Prince Gaowu sighed for his own life.
He moved to the foot of a wall and spoke to Zhang Hui through the wall, "Master Zhang, when will your majesty and the others arrive at the inner city?"
Zhang Hui said: "It's snowing outside, and the marching speed will definitely be slow. Prince, don't worry. With the second prince's current siege speed, we should be able to arrive in a few days."
Separated by a wall, Zhang Hui couldn't see Gao You's state, but he could hear the fear in his voice, "Do you think my father will kill me?"
Zhang Hui complained in his heart that if he were to perish, he would definitely commit suicide. It would be okay to take away this cheating and unfilial son before committing suicide.
But he definitely couldn't say this to Gao You, so he said in a soft voice: "No, a tiger's poison will not eat its seeds, not to mention that the King of Goguryeo is not very vicious, and he has always been kind to His Highness, and with the harmony of your mother clan, he is sure
I can’t bear to kill you.”
Then he said: "You are doing this for the good of the king and the royal court."
Zhang Hui persuaded: "Our Majesty has conquered so many cities and is about to conquer Goguryeo. Your Majesty cannot resist to the end."
"Although our Majesty is kind, he is not without a temper. When the matter is over, the fifth prince can use his merits to intercede with His Majesty. This is your filial piety."
Zhang Hui's face was touched, and his voice was full of emotion as he said: "Everyone in the world loves their reputation, but the prince is willing to bear this notoriety for the sake of the king's safety. Isn't this great filial piety?"
The fifth prince was stunned. Yes, he surrendered to the Jin Dynasty not for my own survival, but also for the sake of my father.
When the Emperor of Jin calls, he can intercede with the Emperor of Jin and ask him to spare his father's life. Isn't this filial piety?
The fifth prince himself was moved, so he became more determined. When he was brought to the palace to see the king, he knelt on the ground and cried, saying to his father: "Father, even for you, my sons and ministers will not listen to you."
No one will stand on Goguryeo's side again."
The King of Goguryeo was so angry that he picked up the tea cup and threw it at it, "What kind of ecstasy did they give you to drink that can take away your soul? What do you mean it's for me? You are obviously greedy for life and afraid of death."
The King of Goguryeo didn't have many sons to begin with, and only a few of them were favored. However, two of them defected to the Jin Kingdom. There were already rumors outside that the Gao family's court was harsh and cruel, and even the princes abandoned the secrets and defected to the bright side.
This dark side is naturally the royal court of his Gao family, while the bright side is the Kingdom of Jin.
He was so angry.
The fifth prince had just finished impressing himself in prison and was no longer afraid of the King of Goguryeo. He said: "Father, have you ever thought about what would happen if the inner city couldn't bear it?"
The King of Goguryeo was twitching in shame. The fifth prince did not know that the Jin army had arrived outside the city, but the King of Goguryeo knew it himself. He even received the letter of credence.
So at this time, the sharp sword on the neck has dropped to the neck, close to the flesh, waiting for it to be cut off by accident, and the head will fall to the ground.
The fifth prince said: "Father, I want you to live. I want you to live. If... I can't bear it, and the royal court is destroyed, my son can take all the credit in exchange for his father's survival. The emperor of the Jin Dynasty is quite kind.
If I plead for mercy, maybe it will work."
When the King of Goguryeo heard this reason, he was so angry that he ran over and gave him a kick, "Idiot, why do you need to surrender and perform meritorious service to plead for mercy? You are greedy for life and afraid of death, and you put the reason on my head..."
"Your Majesty..." The chamberlain quickly grabbed the King of Goguryeo.
The King of Goguryeo kicked the fifth prince several times until he vomited blood before he exhaled, pointed at him and cursed: "Drag him down, drag him down."
Originally, he wanted to discuss with him how to deal with Zhang Hui, and it would be best to bribe the envoy to do something, but when he saw that he was so stupid and fooled by Zhang Hui, he immediately lost the desire to continue with him.
That's all, why go through him, just go to the badge directly.
He wanted high-ranking officials, rich salaries, beautiful women, and gold articles. Whatever the Jin Dynasty emperor could give him, he could give them double.