Chapter 74 The Dust Settles(1/2)
February of the fourth year of Yonghui.
The "Fang Yiai Rebellion Case" that had been tried for several months was finally settled.
Under the pressure of Changsun Wuji, Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi had no choice but to issue an edict: Xue Wanche, Chai Lingwu, Fang Yize beheaded; Li Yuanjing, Li Ke, and Princess Baling committed suicide; Yuwen Jie and Li Daozong were exiled to Lingnan with no soul;
Li Ke's brother, Li Yan, the king of Shu, was exiled to Bazhou; Fang Yizhi was demoted to the magistrate of Tongling County of Chunzhou; Fang Yiai and Gaoyang were demoted to the commoner of Bazhou.
Xue Wanche's younger brother Xue Wanbei was exiled to Jiaozhou; Fang Xuanling's gifts in the ancestral temple were eliminated from being entrusted with the sacrificial tablets in the Taizong temple as a hero.
This result not only shocked the government and the people, but also greatly exceeded the expectations of Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi.
He never dreamed that this case would be so big that it would destroy a group of heroes and royal relatives into a terrible land in one fell swoop!
Li Zhi was deeply confused. He did not believe that all these people were involved in the rebellion. However, under Changsun Wuji's majestic gaze, Li Zhi could only slowly build the emperor's jade seal on the edict that Changsun Wuji had already drafted.
Before the edict was issued, Li Zhi decided to make his last effort with his weak strength, begging Changsun Wuji to leave the lives of two of them: King Jing Li Yuanjing and King Wu Li Ke.
Facing the group of important ministers headed by Changsun Wuji, the young emperor shed silent tears. He said in a sad and powerless voice: "King Jing, my uncle, King Wu, and my brother, I want to beg for his death, right?"
Beggar means begging.
At this moment, Li Zhiyu took the emperor's majesty and begged Changsun Wuji in a low voice to spare Li Yuanjing and Li Ke's life.
However, the emperor's begging encountered a deadly silence.
Because Changsun Wuji had no expression on his face and did not say a word.
If he didn't speak, the other ministers would not dare to speak.
After a long time, Changsun Wuji gave a wink to Cui Dunli, the Minister of War. Cui Dunli immediately stepped out and responded to the emperor's begging in a voice full of energy.
"No."
At that moment, Li Zhi felt that his face was gone.
Everything is irreversible.
No one in the entire Tang Dynasty could stop what Changsun Wuji wanted to do.
Those who should be beheaded, those who should be killed will be sentenced to death, those who should be demoted will be demoted, and those who should be exiled will be exiled...
No one is forgiven!
...
Xue Wanche stood on the execution ground without fear and shouted at his former colleagues who were sentenced to death: "Xue Wanche, you must be killed by the country, so how can you kill Li Yuanjing?"
Before the execution, Xue Wanche took off his shirt and asked the prison officer to take action quickly.
The executioner was frightened by Xue Wanche's momentum and kept fighting, so he continued to chop Xue Wanche's neck twice. Xue Wanche scolded sternly: "Why don't you use force?"
The executioner mustered up the courage to cut off the third knife, and Xue Wanche's head fell to the ground.
After receiving the edict to give death, King Li Ke of Wu faced the sky and issued a terrible curse: "Changsun Wuji steals authority and harms goodness. The clan has a spirit, and the clan will be destroyed soon!"
Li Ke's heart was filled with resentment.
How could this be?
It was clearly all over it on Fang Yiai and Li Yuanjing.
I never dreamed that the pot would be put on my head in the end.
I still underestimated Changsun Wuji's shamelessness and ruthlessness.
If I had known today, I would have rebelled at that time.
Unfortunately, there is no time to regret everything.
The big sword fell,
The big head soared into the sky.
Until the last moment, Li Ke was thinking about his father, Taizong Li Shimin.
I want to prove myself, but in this life,
No chance.
The world suddenly became dark.
The head rolled to the ground, and blood spurted out.
Countless blood, as if sacrificed, declared that the struggle between the princes for the throne came to an end since the end of Zhenguan.
After that, no one in the Li Tang royal family could shake Li Zhi's throne.
No one can shake Changsun Wuji's authority.
In the distance, Changsun Wuji, who was sitting upright on the high building, was silently injecting all this, stroking his long beards, and light flashed in his slender eyes.
No one knows what he is thinking at the moment.
...
"I didn't expect it to be so tragic."
In the courtyard, Su Dawei sighed.
It has been two months since the last incident. With the relationship between Wu Meiniang and Li Zhi, he has already cleared himself of the charge and continues to be his bad deputy commander.
To the above, this is just a trivial matter of sesame and mung beans.
After a rare day of rest, Su Dawei called the lion Su Qingyue, Yuchi Baolin, Cheng Chusi, Zhou Liang, and Gao Dalong to drink in his own yard.
During the meal, everyone naturally talked about this major case of rebellion, and couldn't help but sigh.
"The life of the royal family is not useful to Changsun. He just chopped it up, tsk." Cheng Chusi poured a big bowl of wine and said with a big tongue.
His face was flushed and his mouth seemed to be a little drunk, and his voice became a little louder.
Yuchi Baolin took a sip in silence, then put the bowl heavily: "Your mother, this is so heartbroken. Xue Wanche, such a big and beautiful athlete, can't fight for the country on the battlefield. Ma Ge wrapped his body, but died in the execution ground. I'm in my heart..."
He pounded his chest and his eyes were a little red.
Su Dawei had heard that Yuchi Baolin admired Xue Wanche a little.
Back then, Xue Wanche followed Taizong to fight. Every time he charged in battle and destroyed the enemy's courage, he was the favorite story that Yuchi Baolin had when he was a child.
He was also surprised that he didn't like to listen to his father's battlefield deeds, but he liked to listen to the powerful general Xue Wanche.
but……
It’s really a pity for people like Xue Wanche.
Su Dawei couldn't help but recall what Mr. Li said to him.
"Everyone underestimated Changsun Wuji."
Indeed, I'm afraid Li Zhi and Mei Niang Sister are also surprised.
That's right, it was indeed renegotiated with Changsun Wuji based on the evidence provided by Su Dawei.
It was indeed guaranteed that Fang Yiai and Gao Yang's lives were saved.
But in the end, the two were demoted to common people and exiled.
As for the others, Xue Wanche, Chai Lingwu, and Fang Yize were beheaded;
Li Yuanjing, Li Ke and Princess Baling were given suicide;
Yuwen Jie, Li Daozong, was exiled to Lingnan by his lack of thought;
King Li Yan of Shu was a commoner and was exiled to Bazhou; he was demoted to Fang Yizhi as the magistrate of Tongling County, Chunzhou;
He demoted Fang Yiai and Gaoyang as commoners and exiled to Bazhou.
Xue Wanche's younger brother Xue Wanbei was exiled to Jiaozhou;
After the suspension of Fang Xuanling's gifts in the ancestral temple.
All of this is too cruel and ruthless.
I really don't know what to say.
Fang Yiai saved his life, but what is the difference in the result?
Everything Changsun Wuji wanted was realized.
Even Li Ke didn't run away.
Su Dawei thought of Li Ke and felt a little headache.
He still has a case in hand, which is related to Li Ke.
It was the half demon Su Wo family I caught last time...
Unfortunately, with Li Ke being beheaded,
Some things may never be able to find out the truth.
Changsun Wuji is such a cruel person.
"You said, your Majesty this time..."
To be continued...