Long live Emperor Wu!

Changsun Wuji heard this and snorted coldly and said:

"They are all false accusations. On the contrary, it is Pu Wang Li Tai who has the intention to rebel. Your Majesty should know it best. Besides, wouldn't he dare not come when the court confronts him?"

The emperor ignored him and said loudly;

"Li Yifu, the assistant minister of Zhongshu, will read your interrogation statement to Mr. Taiwei."

Upon hearing this, Li Yifu said "yes" and stood out of the queue.

Chamberlain Xu Huaien found his things from the pile of memorials and files stacked next to the emperor's desk and sent them away.

At this time, Zhongshu ordered Liu Shi to lower his head, feeling scared and uneasy in his heart.

Zhongshu Shilang was Zhongshu Ling's deputy and helped him handle affairs. However, this time, the emperor bypassed him and directly used Zhongshu Shilang Li Yifu. He deliberately excluded him, or in other words, he had been separated from Changsun Wuji. Tied together.

He was tied to Changsun Wuji, because his power and status had no second place in Chang'an City except the emperor.

But now that Changsun Wuji has been arrested, what should he do?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a chill on his neck.

Li Yifu took the file and read it one by one. A maid from Changsun Mansion testified:

"That day when His Royal Highness Prince Pu came down, I only heard a few words outside. I regret it. Your Majesty should not have done so."

Several more ministers testified that it was indeed on a certain day of the month that they saw Changsun Wuji and Pu Wang Li Tai interacting.

Li Tai's bodyguards also testified that on a certain day of the month, Li Tai came out of Changsun's house and told Changsun Wuji that he didn't take His Majesty seriously, what he said and scolded him.

All kinds of people are trying to prove that Li Tai's confession is true and that Changsun Wuji has long been rebellious, and the following is wrong.

Several veterans in the court who had always been close to Changsun Wuji were all sweating for him after hearing this.

If the emperor usually doesn't care, this will at most be some complaints and complaints from the elders to the younger ones.

But if the emperor was concerned, any of these disrespectful words would be enough to punish him.

After hearing this, Changsun Wuji straightened up and said to the emperor:

"Can these ambiguous confessions prove that I am treason? I have done nothing. My eldest son Wuji's loyalty to the Li Tang royal family can be learned from the heavens!"

Li Shan leaned forward slightly, looked at him through Mianqi, and said calmly:

"Taiwei, you said that the crime of rebellion does not need to be proven, it only needs to be discussed by everyone. How was King Wu sentenced for rebellion?"

When Changsun Wuji heard this, he trembled and said angrily:

"Your Majesty! Are you going to falsely accuse a loyal minister to vent your personal anger because of King Wu's affairs?! I wasted all my blood and energy on the stability of Your Majesty's throne, and this is the end result?!"

Li Shan sat back, lowered his eyes, and said calmly:

"The Taiwei is a meritorious veteran of the Tang Dynasty, and he is also my uncle.

Normally, the Taiwei looks down on my decisions and the people I use most, so I just treat myself as a junior student and accept advice with an open mind.

Even if the Taiwei is disrespectful with his words, I will not care about these trivial matters. But the Taiwei turned to support Pu Wang Li Tai to ascend the throne. As an emperor, for the sake of the country and the country of the Tang Dynasty, I must make a decision no matter how unbearable it is. "

He usually spoke in a gentle and gentle manner, with a hint of compassion, but now these words were spoken with a hint of sincerity, sounding extremely regretful and painful.

"No! It's Li Tai who made the false accusation. Your Majesty, he intends to alienate you and me. We can't believe the villain's slander!" Changsun Wuji shouted loudly.

Li Shan stopped looking at him, remained silent for a while, and asked;

"Ministers, do you have any objections to this discussion?"

No one speaks.

In the past, they all followed Changsun Wuji's lead. Now Changsun Wuji has been captured and became a prisoner. He has obviously become the target of the emperor's elimination.

They had always thought that the young emperor was easy to manipulate, but now they saw that he could even let go of his own uncle.

And when he did it, he didn't even say hello and made no sound. Who do they think they are, that they dare to rush to die at this time?

Li Shan glanced at the court, lowered his eyes and was silent for a while. After struggling in his heart for a long time, he said majestically:

"In this case, considering that Changsun Wuji has made outstanding contributions to the Tang Dynasty, he can be exempted from the death penalty. He will be demoted and dismissed from his position, and his sentence will be changed to exile in Qianzhou. The descendants of Changsun's family will be demoted and exiled to Lingnan and will never be hired."

Li Yifu spoke first and said:

"Your Majesty is wise, benevolent and generous."

All the courtiers echoed:

"Your Majesty is wise, benevolent and generous."

Li Shan looked at Changsun Wuji, whose face was ashen, and at the courtiers chanting virtues in unison, and thought sadly in his heart that when he was kind to others, there were always people who didn't take him seriously, and regarded his kindness as weakness and casually Hazing.

Only when he raised the knife and put the blade to their necks did they know to listen to him and respect his opinions.

What an irony.

……

……

After going to court, Li Shan returned to Zhaoqing Hall exhausted.

Wu Rou came up to him and changed his clothes. After all the crowns were removed and all the maids went out, Wu Rou asked with concern:

"Did it go well?"

Li Shan sighed and said:

"Fourth brother didn't come. I don't know if he is really ill or just pretending to be ill. We have already sent the imperial doctor to see him. Fortunately, we were prepared in advance, so it's all smooth sailing."

Wu Rou sat down next to him, looked at his side face, and felt a little distressed when she saw how troubled he was. She reached out and pinched his forearm and said:

"Your Majesty, please think on the bright side. Although Your Majesty cannot bear to say that Changsun Wuji is dead, no one will dare to question Your Majesty's authority from now on. It will also be good for the stability of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Shan hesitated for a moment, without looking at her, and said:

"He's not dead... I didn't let him die, I wanted him to be exiled instead."

Wu Rou was stunned for a moment, and then said in surprise:

"Why?! You had such a chance to establish your authority, why did you show mercy again? After all, he is an old minister with extremely high prestige. If he doesn't die, there will always be people who will remember him in the future.

We are using unfair and small means that cannot withstand the passage of time. If it leaks out one day, he will be framed. At that time, your two compatriots and sisters, as well as the ministers, will advise you to let him come back. .

Can you withstand it?

By then, wouldn’t all the previous efforts have been wasted and a formidable enemy will be established? "

After hearing this, Li Shan raised his head, closed his eyes, and said seriously:

"I can't be so cruel. He watched me grow up and was very kind to me. When my mother was alive, she was afraid that the eldest grandson's family would suffer losses if they had too much power.

I dare not imagine how my mother's spirit in heaven would feel if she knew that my uncle died in my hands and the entire eldest grandson family was destroyed. "

"But..." Wu Rou was about to speak anxiously.

Li Shan raised his hand to stop her and said:

"I know you are right, but he is old. The place of exile is so desolate and remote that few young people can bear it, let alone him.

I hope that even if he dies, he will die in a distant place where I can't see him, rather than in my hands with his body and head in a different place. "

Wu Rou heard this and stopped talking.