Chang'an is good

Chapter 638 The True Form of the Evil Ghost
Yu Zeng's identity did not need to be explained to everyone present.

Most people still remember the cause of his death.

It seemed like it was three years ago. He was ordered by the empress to supervise the army in Jiangdu. On his way back to Beijing, he was killed in a riot... Some said it was a military riot, some said it was a bandit riot.

In the past three years, the situation has been completely changed, and the capital has changed hands many times. At this moment, the head of the Palace Office suddenly appeared in front of everyone, and what he said was enough to turn the situation and people's hearts upside down again...

"Three years ago, I was assassinated in Tangzhou, and the person who wanted to silence me was none other than His Royal Highness Prince Rong."

As Yu Zeng spoke frankly, he looked steadily at Li Yin - the man whom he once regarded as his benefactor, and who, after tearing off the cloak of benefactor, dominated him for many years.

Li Yin looked into those eyes quietly.

Back then, Li Yin suspected that Yu Zeng might not be really dead, but there was no clue to prove his suspicion. As time went by, everything was peaceful, and he couldn't help but feel that he was too suspicious...but he didn't expect that the other party would appear in such a scene today.

So, who was the person who saved Yu Zeng back then?

Chang Kuo? — Or Li Suining?

Yu Zeng's answer to this was: "Fortunately, I was blessed by the spirits of my ancestors and narrowly escaped death. Today, I have the opportunity to confess my sins and tell the truth that should have been revealed long ago."

"Most of you must know that I served the late Crown Prince when I was young. Just as the Grand Tutor said, the late Crown Prince was originally a woman!"

Yu Zengqing's voice was powerful: "The Grand Tutor knows about this, and so do our personal servants. The wife of Duke Zheng knows about it, and General Chang Kuo and others in Xuan Ce's army know about it. The Emperor knows about it, and His Royal Highness Prince Rong also knows about it!"

The situation became increasingly restless.

Yu Zeng never stopped talking. He looked directly at Li Yin and raised his voice again, speaking clearly and emphatically, "Seventeen years ago, Beidi and Dasheng were about to go to war. In order to prevent the former Crown Prince from returning to Dasheng, Li Yin, the Prince of Rong, instructed me to secretly write a letter to Yu Xie, the maidservant who married the Crown Prince... and poison him!"

There was finally a slight tremor in the ending of these calm and clear words, as if they were stained with old blood.

"Right! That's right!" Ma Wan, who was kneeling on the ground, replied in a trembling voice. She looked up and said to everyone, "That's what's written in the testimony left by Princess Rong! It was Prince Rong Li Yin who threatened Yu Changshi with her real mother!"

Ma Wanyan understood the reason why Yu Zeng was driven by Li Yin.

Whether in description or words, this Crown Prince's Consort looked a bit crazy. If it was just her testimony, no one would dare to believe it. But precisely because she looked insane, and no one could control the words and actions of a madman so accurately... this premise made her words at this time become quite strong evidence.

And there is another "madwoman" like her.

Li Yin had anticipated the appearance of this "madman" from the moment he saw Yu Zeng.

Before Ma Wan finished her words, a chaotic sound came from behind the altar.

Immediately afterwards, a panicked figure appeared in front of the crowd.

Her clothes and hair were still neat, but her mind was clearly confused. She grabbed a trembling eunuch beside the altar and said urgently, "...I am Yuxie, a maid in Princess Chongyue's mansion! Send me back quickly, I want to go back to the Princess's mansion!"

The jade dust was brought in after he fell unconscious.

The utensils used in the sacrificial ceremony were complicated, ranging from cups, incense burners to tables and giant tripods. Due to the tight schedule, many skilled craftsmen from outside the palace were needed to cast them, including those sent by Meng Lie.

Meng Lie came to Beijing with Yu Zeng and had been secretly preparing for everything.

The people who transported the objects were very good at making arrangements. Today, before dawn, several furnace tripods that had been cast were sent to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The leader gave a large sum of money to the palace servants who were responsible for checking them, saying that the deadline was too tight and there were inevitably some defects. They were already familiar with each other. Seeing another palace servant coming from the back, the palace servant did not have time to think too much. He hurriedly checked and did not see any major mistakes, so he let them go.

After waking up, Yu Xie was able to appear accurately at the altar, and naturally there were people arranged to give "guidance" secretly.

Soon, she saw a familiar figure.

After a start, she suddenly pulled herself up and rushed forward: "...Yu Zeng!"

"Yu Zeng! I finally found you!" Yu Xie's eyes suddenly turned red. She raised her hands and tore Yu Zeng's robes, her voice full of hatred: "...It's you! It's all because of you! You believed and deceived me, and made me kill His Highness!"

"Your Highness even arranged a way out for a damned person like me, and Your Highness even saved me... Do you know how much I hate you!"

Tears flowed from Yu Xie's eyes, which seemed to be about to burst, and then fear emerged again: "Your Highness is here to seek revenge on me..."

She had been mentally disturbed for many years and could not distinguish between reality and illusion. She thought she had seen the wronged spirit of His Highness on that rainy night. That night she had asked: "I know I was wrong. Can Your Highness forgive me?"

She got two words: [No.]

Because of this "can't", she suffered day and night, and was frightened. She repeatedly tried to commit suicide to atone her sins, but was stopped every time.

This time, her hands and feet were not tied, and no one stopped her.

Seeking death was the only way she could think of to atone for her sins.

"Come with me and apologize to His Highness! Apologize to His Highness!"

The jade shavings scratched Yu Zeng's neck and face. The attention of the crowd made her even more panicked. Then she saw Master Chu, the teacher of the prince...

Guilt, fear, hesitation...

Under the impact of all these emotions, she let out a scream and suddenly crashed into the stone steps of the altar.

She appeared suddenly, and her suicide move was also extremely sudden. The blood quickly spread, the palace servants and eunuchs screamed, and the crowd was in an uproar.

Yu Zeng looked at Yu Xie's slightly twitching body, feeling no sympathy, only a sense of relief.

Yu Xie had already revealed her identity, and her death further confirmed Yu Zeng's words.

Yu Zeng lifted his robe, knelt down in front of the altar, and said loudly: "Heaven and Earth, the ancestors of the Li family are above - the guilty slave Yu Zeng participated in the poisoning of the late Crown Prince Li Shang seventeen years ago! This crime cannot be pardoned!"

"In addition to this, during the past seventeen years, the criminal slave has been in charge of the Sigongtai and served as the eyes, ears and teeth of Li Yin, the Prince of Rong, and has committed countless evil deeds!"

"General Cui Jing was repeatedly assassinated during his secret marches. It was I who leaked his secrets. This was because Prince Rong Li Yin wanted to get rid of Cui Jing and seize the military power of Xuan Ce's army."

"He ordered his son Li Lu to marry the Crown Princess, who was still a daughter of the Chang family at that time, in order to use Chang Kuo to gather the Xuan Ce Army."

"When Xu Zhengye started his rebellion, the imperial court's grain and grass were intercepted by Xu's army. It was also leaked by slaves. This was because Li Yin, the Prince of Rong, wanted to encourage Xu Zhengye's rebellion in order to reap the benefits."

"At the beginning of Xu Zhengye's rebellion, Huainan King Li Tong died of illness. In fact, he was poisoned by Fan Ou, a servant sent by Rong King Li Yin to celebrate his birthday." "Li Yin had been harboring ambitions for a long time. To achieve this, he used all means, poisoned the crown prince, murdered his relatives, secretly helped the rebels, and instigated Li Yi to start a rebellion..."

Every time Yu Zeng spoke up, the chaos around him grew worse.

Finally, Yu Zeng presented a series of secret letters with both hands: "This is the evidence of the correspondence between the Rongwang Mansion of Yizhou and the criminal slaves over the years. Please take a look at it."

At the side, an official with graying temples took it with trembling hands.

These letters were kept by Yu Zeng over the years and he hid them all in a dark room in his residence in the capital. Except for him, no one knew about the existence of the dark room.

He had been waiting for this day, the day to make everything public.

Naturally, the letters would not be written by Li Yin himself, nor would they be stamped with the seal of the Prince Rong's Mansion, but most of the letters selected by Yu Zeng have directions. Through the events described in them and the dates signed on the letters, it is not difficult for those who are interested to identify their origins.

Some members of the royal family, with changing expressions, stepped forward to check the letters with the intention of identifying them.

At this time, Master Chu's voice sounded again.

"Li Yin did everything he could to ascend the throne! He pretended to be a benevolent man, but acted like an evil ghost - he made Duan Shiang of Fanyang start a war and attack Luoyang, which was just his usual trick!"

"It's not surprising that someone who only wants to create chaos in the world would collude with Tubo!"

There was a sudden silence all around, and Li Yin suddenly raised his eyes.

The eyes of Master Chu were like knives, and he said word by word: "In order to prevent the Crown Princess from returning home, to force the Emperor to return south, and to kill the king - the one who did not hesitate to collude with foreign countries to cause chaos, the criminal Li Yin is it!"

As the old man's voice fell to the ground, the surrounding area erupted with a vibration a hundred times greater than before, like a mountain collapsing or an ocean rushing back.

Regicide or not... Everyone has already made up their mind about this matter, but most people choose to remain silent. An old empress who has almost lost her country is no longer able to control the overall situation. The country needs a new wise leader...

Poisoning the crown prince, who was actually a woman... This matter shocked them greatly. Regardless of whether it was true or not, it was a thing of the past many years and the dead were gone. The dead could not save the Great Sheng Empire. Whether to hold the new emperor accountable for this and whether to respond immediately were still matters that needed to be considered by most of them.

However, colluding with Tubo to cause chaos... this is an unimaginable serious crime!

All internal chaos can be explained as ruthless tactics of fighting for power...but treason and collaborating with the enemy will never be tolerated!
What Dasheng needs is a monarch who can save the country. How can a monarch betray the country? How can a traitor be a monarch?! This is simply too absurd to be further exaggerated!

Although the art of ruling can never be pure as paper, if all these things are true, it can be said that he has no humanity at all. And such a person is so good at disguising himself... It's really chilling!

If the country is handed over to such people, what will be the fate of the country, and what will be their fate? !
"Grandmaster has concluded that Prince Rong is colluding with the enemy. Do you have any evidence?"

"All the charges are here, and the evidence is here... Your Highness, please defend yourself!"

The questioning sounds were deafening all around, with countless people angry and feeling insecure.

Blood flowed along the stone steps, and the palace servants and eunuchs were kneeling on the ground. No one dared to rashly collect Yu Xie's body.

Countless horrified and angry gazes fell on Li Yin. Now, Li Lu could finally see his father.

Most of the officials who had originally gathered around my father dispersed, some because of fear, some because of doubt, some because of disgust, and some because of fear.

At this point, almost everyone could predict the end of the Taifu, and because of this, those words about his impending death became even more credible.

Taifu Chu had an honest reputation throughout his life and served in several dynasties. He might have made extreme remarks in the court, but he had never told a lie. As a scholar in his twilight years, nothing was more important to him than his reputation. They could not imagine who or what could make this old man bow down to him and sacrifice his reputation and life just to slander a new emperor who could give him the highest respect.

In addition, Li Yin's disguise was not always flawless. Duan Shiang's existence and the rumor were a thorn in the hearts of those present. At this moment, this thorn was pulled out, but unlike what everyone imagined, which was just a broken skin, it lifted the flesh and penetrated the tendons and bones, leaving a bloody mess and endangering his life.

No one can continue to act as if nothing has happened and turn a deaf ear to the truth by using the four words "imperial skills".

Perhaps he was too weak to stand for long, Li Lu was in a trance, as if he saw the gorgeous and majestic robes on his father being slowly burned under countless gazes, breaking into pieces and floating into ashes.

How could the robe of benevolence that my father had put on with so much effort be burned on such an important day?

The gorgeous clothes were burned, but the fire of judgment became more and more intense.

The iron barrel of Gyeonggi has turned into a furnace. The molten iron is boiling, melting away the bones and skin of the saint, revealing the true form of an evil ghost.

An elderly member of the Li family came forward and proposed to thoroughly investigate all the crimes in order to find out the truth and to make sure that the new emperor was not wronged.

After hearing this, Li Yin finally responded.

He ignored it and just laughed silently, as if he had heard a very funny joke.

Investigate him thoroughly?
Thoroughly investigate the emperor?

Can an emperor who needs to be thoroughly investigated still be an emperor?
The moment Chu Hui opened his mouth, the moment all the officials cast questioning glances at him, he was destined not to escape unscathed today.

Chu Hui must have other plans if he dared to take such a gamble... It was useless and meaningless to argue. At this time, if he wanted that coat again, it would only foolishly trip himself up.

He was indeed stupid, he was stupid because he was too greedy.

Over the years, he has tasted too many benefits of playing the role of a benevolent person, from A Shang, from his subordinates and servants, from everyone he comes into contact with, and then to the civil officials and generals, and the common people... There are so many benefits to playing the role of a benevolent person.

He has been immersed in it for too long and has become obsessed with it.

He wanted to gain more reputation for his benevolence. He remembered that Emperor Taizong had also reused the official who was formerly under the command of his brother whom he had killed... He felt that he could follow suit.

He needed to gain the recognition and submission of those people, so he invited Chu Hui back with all kinds of courtesy. He thought he could control the other party. He thought he had considered everything, whether it was human desires or their interests and safety.

But he was deceived and plotted against.

The high moral character and prestige of Chu Hui, whom he valued and wanted to use for his own benefit, and the support of hundreds of people... now became the blade stabbing him.

Too much perfection brings harm. He pursued perfection too much and suffered the backlash.

The backlash was so severe that he had to face the world with a different face.

He originally wanted to be a benevolent king, but now it seems that he can only be a competent tyrant.

I spent the whole day today sorting it out and finally got it sorted out. I will update tomorrow!