Under the supervision of the guards at Youtun, Li Yuangui returned along the original route, crossed the Ba Bridge, and arrived at the Chunming Gate. Only then did he find that the suspension bridge had been raised high, and lanterns were hung on the top of the city swaying in the night wind.
There's a curfew.
Gao Kan glanced at the city gate tower full of people, and encouraged: "Your Majesty, the curfew has just begun, and the soldiers have not started patrolling yet. You are the prince, and this is a major case involving human life. You might as well step forward and ask for the city gate to be opened."
, no one dares to stop you from entering the city."
Li Yuangui glanced sideways at Gao Kan and snorted coldly.
Do you think I'm stupid?
As a prince, he has committed the crime of trespass by leaving his fiefdom and returning to the capital privately. Fortunately, Your Majesty will not pursue the case. Otherwise, he will be escorted to the clan mansion and severely punished. If he asks the city gate to be opened and enters the city again, is it no longer treason?
It’s not a problem, it’s about having ulterior motives and his heart can be punished!
If the investigation is carried out strictly, it is possible that the title will be removed and the person imprisoned for the rest of his life...
"Except for my refusal to cooperate, the curfew in Chang'an has started and it is impossible to enter the city. Moreover, there is a serious snowstorm in Xuzhou. I must rush back immediately to organize disaster relief. I will leave two personal guards behind to cooperate with you to go to Jingzhao tomorrow morning.
Government, no matter what the punishment is, I will accept it. Now, please get out of my way quickly!"
He didn't have the patience to follow a bunch of soldiers from Youtun Guard and talk nonsense here. Since the curfew had started, he definitely couldn't enter the city. Is it possible that he wanted to open the city gate for such a small thing?
It is even more impossible to stay here for one night.
However, Gao Kan did not give in: "Your Majesty, it is better not to suffer the consequences. Not far from here, there is Xinfeng Station. Your Majesty can take a rest for the night. We will open the city tomorrow morning and will accompany you to Jingzhao Mansion."
."
Li Yuangui was furious, raised his whip on his horse, whipped it hard at Gao Kan, and cursed: "You bastard! I am the Prince of the Tang Dynasty, a nobleman of Tianhuang, and you dare to humiliate Gao Kan again and again.
Do I really want to die? I thought that the law of the country cannot be desecrated, so I gave up my dignity as a prince and voluntarily went to the court to give an explanation. Do you think that I am afraid of you? You are like a pig or a dog.
Damn it!"
As he spoke, he kept whipping the riding crop in his hand.
One party is a prince, and the other party is just a school captain. Even if he is beaten, he does not dare to hide!
Gao Kan just stood upright and allowed the riding crop to be whipped down across his head and face. The leather armor on his shoulder blades was whipped with a crackling sound, and he was also hit on the cheek, and the red blood ridges instantly swelled...
The soldiers of Youtun Guard were all filled with anger, but they dared not speak out in anger.
The status gap is too big.
Do you really dare to use the strong bow and crossbow in your hand to shoot His Highness King Huo into a hedgehog?
However, Li Yuangui's personal guards were all proud and proud. They were just a group of big-headed soldiers, but they dared to challenge the prince. Isn't it tiring?
I wish the prince would beat this hateful captain to death...
Li Yuangui was not crazy, so he would not beat Gao Kan to death. He was not justified in talking about this matter, and others were right. If he was beaten to death like this, he could not imagine what the Censor Yanguan would do when he got up early tomorrow morning.
How crazy will he be to impeach him?
After being whipped several times, Li Yuangui shouted angrily: "Get out of my way quickly!"
Gao Kan was also a ruthless man. He cocked his neck and raised his face. Under the dim light of the lanterns on the city wall, blood oozed from his fleshy ribs, but he still had a stubborn look on his face: "The prince was killed by his horse."
Farmer, it is a grave crime that one's life is at stake! The general was ordered to patrol the border of Lishan Mountain at the right time. How dare he disobey the military order and stay out of the matter? If the prince wants to leave today, then please walk over on the general's body!"
The soldiers of Youtun Guard also shouted in unison: "Your Majesty wants to leave, please walk over on our corpses!"
These people shouted loudly and stepped forward together, blocking Li Yuangui and his personal guards by the moat. If Li Yuangui wanted to run away at this moment, he really had to ride over these soldiers!
Li Yuangui's face was livid and his anger was strong. He was about to curse when he suddenly heard a short sound of breaking wind in his ears. He was so frightened that he lowered his head. A white-feathered wolf-tooth arrow shot down from the city gate and hit the crowd not far away.
The arrow cluster sank into the frozen ground, and the white feathers at the tail of the arrow buzzed and trembled.
Everyone was so frightened that they all fell silent and took a step back.
The city gate is an important place. During the curfew, if the guards on the city think that they are suspected of attacking the city gate and shoot down random arrows, it will be really unjust...
"Who is under the city? They are gathered at the gate of the city. Do you want to rebel?"
Li Yuangui hurriedly said loudly: "I am King Huo. I have important matters and I want to return to the city. However, I found that the key to the city gate was locked. I hesitated for a while and did not know whether to advance or retreat. Please be patient and calm!"
He didn't dare not explain, and he didn't dare to move around. After the curfew, Chang'an City was a forbidden area, especially sensitive places such as city gates and palace gates. Let alone him, even if the prince stood here, once
If the guard thought he was trying to breach the gate and was shot on the spot, he would be killed. Not only was he innocent, but he was meritorious.
At any time, the safety of the imperial capital is the top priority!
"Stand there and don't move!"
The guards on the city shouted, and then led the soldiers down from the city, mounted their horses, lowered the drawbridge, the city gate opened a gap, and dozens of knights with helmets and armors filed out, and there were rows of bows on the city wall.
The crossbowmen were ready and if they found something was wrong, they would immediately shoot King Huo and others to death.
When Wei Ye comes to the city gate, if there is no justifiable reason, not only will you not be allowed to enter the city, but you will not be able to leave if you want to. You must control yourself and find out the true situation before you can leave.
Dozens of horses came to Li Yuangui and others. The first man jumped off his horse, stepped forward and saluted: "General Zhao Xiaozu, the gatekeeper of Chunming Gate, comes to see His Highness King Huo. The general's responsibilities are his, and he dare not neglect them. Just now
If there is any offense in my words, I hope you will forgive me."
Li Yuangui quietly breathed a sigh of relief on the horse and said with a pleasant expression: "A soldier should fulfill his duty faithfully. What's wrong with him? Not only is there nothing wrong, I will also give advice to His Majesty to commend Captain Zhao later."
Zhao Xiaozu stood up and said solemnly: "Thank you, Your Majesty... I just want to teach you that Chang'an's access control has its own rules and regulations. If anyone knocks on the door late at night, if there is no urgent matter, he should be detained until the investigation makes it clear that there is no evil intention."
, before leaving. I am afraid that I will wrong Your Highness now, so please stay with me at Xinfeng Station for a night, and wait until the end of tomorrow to report to the Ming Palace and respectfully request the Holy See."
Li Yuangui was unhappy, but how could he dare to leave?
When the prince is away, he must be extra careful in his words and deeds. Otherwise, if he is spotted for being crazy, he will be peeled off even if he is dead. Therefore, after he went to Xuzhou, he changed his original wanton temper in Chang'an and stayed there all day.
In the mansion, you either make friends with scribes for gatherings and chat, or you visit Taoists to cultivate your character, and you are as well-behaved as a little white rabbit...
"Captain Zhao's words are serious, and I know it."
"Then, everyone, please!"
Zhao Xiaozu didn't even ask why this group of people came to the city gate, so he took them directly to Xinfeng Station at the foot of Lishan Mountain, personally led people to guard the door, and waited until dawn to report to the superior officials for further treatment.
By then, nothing will happen to him...
*****
A night of silence.
The next day it was getting dark, the drums rang several times, all the gates in Chang'an City were opened, and the flow of people gradually surged, as if a dormant giant beast had woken up from hibernation, full of endless vitality.
Censor Zhongcheng Liu Ji got up early, washed up, had breakfast under the service of his maid, then changed into his official robe, intending to go to the Censor's Platform.
A servant hurried in outside the door, handed an envelope in his hand to Liu Jie, and said: "Master, I just found a letter at the door. I think someone put it in."
Liu Jie was the censor Zhongcheng. He represented all the officials in the court and was responsible for reporting officials. Therefore, he usually received many anonymous letters. He didn't take it seriously at the moment and took it casually. He looked at the top of the envelope.
There was no writing on it, so I opened it, took out the letter paper, and read it ten lines at a time.
His eyebrows suddenly jumped...
Last night King Huo rode his horse outside the city and killed a farmer on the road?
He thought for a while, and it seemed that King Huo had indeed returned from Xuzhou yesterday. It was rumored that it was to relieve the snow disaster in Xuzhou. He asked Your Majesty and the Ministry of War to write a letter to the Xuzhou garrison, allowing them to follow King Huo's instructions and participate in disaster relief. Then for some reason, he was ordered by the emperor in the palace.
After a while, he left the palace and headed south before the curfew, returning to Xuzhou.
If the farmer was really killed, it probably happened after leaving Chang'an...
As for whether this matter is true or not, there is almost no doubt. Who would make such a joke when they have nothing to do? No matter how stupid he is, Liu Ji will not do any investigation at all and just run away with such a report letter.
To impeach a prince.
Do you have any more ideas?
Looking down, Liu Ji narrowed his eyes...
After reading it, he stuffed the letter back into the letter, sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and meditated, considering the gains and losses.
After a long while, he opened his eyes and ordered someone to call a guest from the mansion, and said: "With my name as assassin, go to Jingzhao Mansion to inquire about the case of King Huo hitting the farmer to death. If it is true, regardless of Jingzhao,
If you want to know what to do with the government, please rush to the Yushitai immediately and let me know."
After the Qing guest left, Liu Jie happily rode a carriage and rushed to the censor's platform, where he gathered all the idle censors and officials... Let's start harvesting a wave of reputation!