Zhao Defang's road to the virtuous king

"Your Majesty is benevolent, but this king has owed the grace of the gods. How dare he accept the grace of the gods again." Defang took off the cloak and handed it to Zhang Wenxi, cupped his hands and said, "Eunuch Zhang, if your majesty does not punish the sin, the king will not be punished for a long time." Kneel here and be punished by heaven."

Zhang Wenxi looked at De Fang, and seemed to understand something, he bent over and asked, "My lord, are you really determined to do this?"

Defang nodded, Zhang Wenxi thought for a while, "I understand, my lord, take care of yourself." Then he returned to the palace.

Zhang Wenxi reported Defang's words to Emperor Taizong. After hearing this, Emperor Taizong put down his chopsticks, stood up and looked outside, "Xiao Xizi, which one is more important for resisting the crime of bullying the emperor or defeating the Liao bandits?"

Zhang Wenxi replied, "Return to Your Majesty, the little one is nothing more than a servant, how dare you talk about military and political affairs."

"I didn't ask you to give me an idea. I just asked. Besides, I might not accept your words. You can say what you think."

Zhang Wenxi swallowed, lowered his head and cupped his hands and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I think both are heavy."

"It's all heavy? Humph." Taizong smiled, "It's the same as not saying."

"Returning to Your Majesty, it is a felony to resist orders and deceive the emperor to damage the holy prestige. If it is light, the court staff will be imprisoned, and if it is serious, you will be dismissed from office and lose your life." Zhang Wenxi secretly looked at Taizong, Taizong still looked outside the door with his back turned to him, so he continued: " Defeating the enemy invaders and overcoming difficulties at the frontier is a remarkable feat. The Liao people stopped their invasion to the south, the country and the country were preserved, and tens of thousands of people were saved from massacres. Therefore, both are important, and the small one is stupid. I really don’t know which is more important.”

"If you deceive the emperor by resisting orders, what punishment should you give?"

Zhang Wenxi turned his mind and said, "Returning to Your Majesty, there are two most severe punishments."

"Oh?" Taizong turned around and looked at Zhang Wenxi, "Which two kinds?"

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, the most serious punishment in the world is to convict you with your mouth."

"The heaviest in the world? Then there is a punishment that is heavier than my crime?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhang Wenxi slightly raised his head and cupped his hands and said, "Under the universe, the sun and the moon, there is nothing more serious than punishment from the sky."

"Heavenly punishment..." Taizong turned his head and looked at the little snow outside the door again, and suddenly smiled, "Yes, heavenly punishment is the heaviest, then I..." Taizong shook his head, "I am tired, rest .”

"Your Majesty" Zhang Wenxi asked, "Then the prince..."

"Let him go back. If he still doesn't go, you can..." Taizong and Zhang Wenxi whispered a few words, Zhang Wenxi nodded, and after serving Taizong to bed, he returned to the palace gate. There was a layer of snow, his hands were clenched into fists because it was too cold, and the guard of the palace gate was helping Defang pat the snow, "My lord, you have been kneeling for two hours, and if you kneel down again, your legs will be hurt, and the snow doesn't know How long will it be down?"

"No problem," Defang said slowly, "compared to the crime of resisting orders and deceiving the emperor, this is nothing."

"Your Majesty, your Majesty's anger will not be dissipated in a short while, or you should get up and sit for a while, anyway, His Majesty will not be able to see it."

Defang smiled, "Your Majesty can't see it, but the sky can see it. This king has already deceived the emperor. If he still wants to deceive the sky, then it will be a great crime that cannot be forgiven."

"My lord, then I will bring you some food and hot tea."

"The general kindly accepts this king's heart, but you still don't care about this king's affairs. If you are gossiped, I'm afraid you will lose your position as a guard."

"The last general is just a palace gate guard with a humble official position, but the last general can distinguish right from wrong. You are a virtuous king. You have done the right thing and protected your family, country and society, but now you have to suffer here. The last general I can't bear it."