In the early morning of that day, as always, some ministers stood up to persuade Tang Yin to move forward. They were moved with emotion and reason, and their words were very straightforward. However, no matter how eloquent the ministers were, Tang Yin's attitude was very firm and he would not allow it.
After the dispersion of the dynasty, Shangguan Yuanji did not leave immediately, but made a special trip to find Tang Yin. The latter met him in the study. When he saw Shangguan Yuanji walking in, Tang Yin asked with a smile: "Yuanji, are you okay?"
"We think that the king should set rules in the court in the future. Anyone who dares to persuade the king to do treason and evil will be severely punished!" Shangguan Yuanji bowed and saluted, and said sternly.
Tang Yin was happy and said: "Don't worry Yuanji, I have no intention of usurping the throne. Even if all the ministers persuade me to join, I will not change my decision. As for setting rules to seal people's mouths, that's not necessary. As the saying goes
Well, it’s better to guard against someone’s mouth than against the river. Let everyone say what they want to say. If you keep it in your stomach, it’s more likely to cause trouble. Besides, I also want to know what everyone is thinking.”
Shangguan Yuanji frowned and said: "To openly encourage us to advance is to despise the emperor, and our disobedience is clearly revealed. If the king continues to appease us, it will only increase the ambitions of those rebellious officials and traitors!"
Tang Yin felt quite unhappy when he heard this. Firstly, he didn't like others telling him how to do things. Secondly, although he had no intention of usurping the throne, it did not mean that he agreed with Yin Zhun, the emperor. Shangguan Yuanji repeatedly asked Yin
What he said and what he did was really out of line.
He took a deep breath, lowered his head, picked up a memorial, and said absently: "I understand what you mean. If there is nothing else, you can go back first!"
"Your Majesty..." After not getting a satisfactory answer, Shangguan Yuanji didn't want to leave, but when he saw Tang Yin showing boredom, he sighed secretly, and finally said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will leave."
"Yes." Tang Yin didn't even raise his head and just responded lightly.
Shangguan Yuanji exited the study. Although he did not achieve his goal this time, he would not give up and decided to continue to persuade the king tomorrow. No matter what, he would also prohibit the ministers who live in the court from entering.
Your Majesty has no intention of usurping the throne now, but you can't help but these sycophants keep talking in your ears. What if one day your Majesty is really bewitched by them and becomes happy?
As soon as he walked out of the palace, he heard someone say: "Why did the Prime Minister Shangguan come out just now? You can let the lower official wait easily!"
Shangguan Yuanji turned around and saw Zhang Xin walking over with a smile on his face. "Oh? Mr. Zhang, are you here to wait for the truth?"
"Exactly." "I wonder what Mr. Zhang is doing?" Shangguan Yuanji felt quite puzzled. He didn't have much contact with Zhang Xin on weekdays, and they had little contact with each other. He didn't know why Zhang Xin suddenly came to him today.
Zhang Xin pulled Shangguan Yuanji to the side pretending to be mysterious and asked in a low voice: "Prime Minister Shangguan just went to see the king just to persuade you to come in?"
Shangguan Yuanji's mind wandered, and he did not answer directly. He asked calmly: "I wonder what Mr. Zhang has to say about this matter?"
"Haha, I can't speak highly of you, but the lower official's thoughts are the same as those of the prime minister Shangguan."
"Oh?" Zhang Xin's words surprised Shangguan Yuanji. He thought that all the ministers in the court wanted the king to usurp the throne, and he was the only one who was guarding the imperial court. He didn't expect that Zhang Xin would stand on his side.
.
Zhang Xin said sternly: "Regicide and usurping the throne has been a treasonous and unethical act since ancient times. Even if it succeeds by chance, it will leave an eternal infamy. However, the king has achieved martial virtue, ended the wars among the countries, and unified the world. It can be said to have created an unparalleled feat."
, how can we let the king's whole life of wisdom be ruined by this? Therefore, I think that the king can never usurp the throne. Those who persuade him to join are just for their own selfish interests, but they want to destroy the king's reputation. It is really abominable!"
None of what he said was to preserve the imperial court and support Yin Zhun. To put it bluntly, it was to take into account Tang Yin's reputation. Of course, no matter what his reasons were, in short, he opposed Tang Yin's usurpation of the throne, which was consistent with Shangguan Yuanji's principles.
Shangguan Yuanji was secretly happy. With Zhang Xin on his side, he would be more capable of persuading the king.
Seeing the light of joy flashing subconsciously in his eyes, Zhang Xin hurriedly said: "Prime Minister Shangguan, it's almost noon now, why don't we find a quiet and elegant place to eat and talk."
This was what Shangguan Yuanji wanted. He nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, does Mr. Zhang have a suitable place to go?"
Zhang Xin pretended to think about it, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he said: "A new restaurant has opened in the east of the city. Although the corner is a little remote, the environment is indeed elegant and quiet. Why don't we go there and sit there?
!”
Shangguan Yuanji didn't even think about it, he nodded and said, "Okay! Just follow Mr. Zhang's opinion!"
Zhang Xin smiled happily, waved his hand and said: "Please, Prime Minister Shangguan!" "Please, Mr. Zhang!"
Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin each took a carriage to the newly opened restaurant in the east of the city. As a result, it was in this restaurant that Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin were attacked by assassins.
The assassin seemed to have known where Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin would go, so he set up an ambush nearby, and it was not just one ambush, but several ambush. There were ambushes inside and outside the restaurant, and they also set up ambush on the road leading to the outside world.
Ambush.
If the assassins in the restaurant failed to succeed and scared Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin away, then they would be ambushed by a second wave, a third wave or even more assassins on their way out.
It can be said that the assassin's plan for this assassination was seamless, just like setting up a dragnet to kill the two of them.
However, fate is not as good as fate. Just when the assassins were killing Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin in the restaurant and fighting with their guards, Lei Zhen from the Duwei camp happened to pass nearby.
Hearing the sound of fighting in the restaurant, Lei Zhen led people to the scene immediately. They saw assassins assassinating Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin. Lei Zhen was so frightened that he and his men tried their best to rescue them.
Fortunately, Lei Zhen arrived in time and pulled Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin, whose lives were hanging by a thread, back from the gate of hell. However, both of them were injured. Zhang Xin's injuries were minor and only injured his arms, shoulders, legs, etc.
Insignificant place.
Shangguan Yuanji's injuries were much more serious. A large gash was cut in his back that was as deep as the bone. The most serious injury was the sword that penetrated his left chest. If the sword had been deflected even half an inch, it would have penetrated his chest.
Heart, it can be seen that the assassin really killed him.
Soon after Lei Zhen arrived, people from the Duwei Camp heard the news and came over. The soldiers in the Duwei Camp were all carefully selected outstanding soldiers. Most of them were born in the Feng Kingdom Lingwu Academy, and all of them were highly skilled in Lingwu.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the assassins did not dare to fight and immediately dispersed and fled.
On the one hand, Lei Zhen directed his men to chase the assassin and notified the Lieutenant's Mansion and the soldiers guarding the city. On the other hand, he sent people to escort the seriously injured Shangguan Yuanji back to the Prime Minister's Mansion for first aid.
Right Prime Minister Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin, the governor of Suzhou, were assassinated together, and both were injured. This was not a trivial matter. After receiving the news, the soldiers guarding the city immediately closed the city gates of Shangjing and blocked the entry and exit of the entire city.
The Lieutenant's Mansion also dispatched all its officers and soldiers to assist the Imperial Guard Battalion in tracking down the assassins. For a time, the whole capital city was in a panic and the situation was tense. Groups of soldiers could be seen running past in the streets and alleys.
Of course, Tang Yin also heard about such a big incident. He was about to leave the palace and go to the Prime Minister's Palace to visit Shangguan Yuanji, who was seriously injured. At this time, Zhang Xin came. Zhang Xin was helped by a servant, with his arms and legs still wrapped
He was wearing a bandage, his face was pale, and his lips were blue.
Seeing Zhang Xin's appearance, Tang Yin couldn't help but frown. He walked forward quickly and asked with concern: "Zhang Xin, how are you injured? Why didn't you rest in the palace instead of resting in the palace?
What?"
"Wei Chen...Wei Chen is here to plead guilty to the king..." Zhang Xin said weakly.
"What are you guilty of?" Tang Yin looked at him puzzled.
"If... if Wei Chen hadn't invited You Xiang... to a restaurant for dinner... then... he wouldn't have met the assassin... If... if Right Prime Minister had had a problem because of this... Wei Chen... so what about Wei Chen
I am worthy of the right Prime Minister..."
Speaking of this, Zhang Xin burst into tears and cried so hard that he didn't want to live.
Alas! Tang Yin sighed secretly and said: "Zhang Xin, you should go back and recuperate first. Ji people have their own destiny. I think Yuan Ji will be fine!"
"Your Majesty..." "Go back!" Tang Yin nodded towards Zhang Xin, and then said to Ah Si behind him: "Ah Si, you take someone to escort Mr. Zhang back to his home. No matter what, you can't let me have another accident.
Understand?"
"Yes! Your Majesty!" Ah Si agreed, and then called the guards to protect Zhang Xin as he returned to Zhang Mansion.
Tang Yin himself hurried to the Prime Minister's Mansion to visit Shangguan Yuanji, and also brought all his imperial doctors with him. On the way, Tang Yin asked Lei Zhen what was going on.
Shangguan Yuanji and Zhang Xin, one is a first-class official and the other is a minor, are both top officials and ministers in the imperial court. They are surrounded by many guards, including some outstanding first-class masters. How could they be injured by assassins?
Lei Zhen frowned and said: "Your Majesty, the assassins who assassinated the Prime Minister and Mr. Zhang this time were not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also numerous in number. The total number of casualties among the men of the Right Prime Minister and Mr. Zhang totaled more than 30. In addition, the assassin training
You have speed, so you are obviously good at this."
"Did anyone get caught alive?"
"My subordinates captured three people, but..."
"They all committed suicide by taking poison?" Tang Yin asked with a deep look.
"Exactly! The assassins sealed the poison with wax and kept it in their mouths beforehand. Once captured, they bit the wax skin and died on the spot. There is no cure."
Lei Zhen sighed: "The assassins who assassinated the Right Prime Minister and Mr. Zhang this time were all dead soldiers. One more thing..." At this point, he suddenly stopped.
Tang Yin asked: "What else?"
"This... I don't dare to make a hasty conclusion, we have to conduct further investigation." Lei Zhen swallowed back what he was saying.
Tang Yin rolled his eyes at him and said in a deep voice: "If you have anything to say, just say it. Don't just say half of it to whet my appetite!"