698 Kind Lies
"Take wine as a song, how much life is, like morning dew, the past is full of suffering"
Li Mu recited Cao Cao's "Short Songs" and raised his head to drink a sip of wine. He looked at the person opposite him, looked up and down, and said, "Are you a Silla?"
"yes."
"You said my second wife is the only daughter of your King Zhenping? She is still an illegitimate child?"
"right!"
"King Shinpei wants him, his only daughter, to inherit the throne of Silla?"
"It's not done according to the rules, but since the king said it, it should be possible. The news I learned is like this, but I can't guarantee it."
Li Mu took another sip of wine, picked up a bowl in front of him, threw it to Jin Chunqiu, poured him a glass of wine, and said, "What are the benefits of King Zhenping promised you?"
"The wise man will not say secret words, the king will grant me the position of prime minister."
"Do you have the ability to be a prime minister?"
"Silla is not as good as the Tang Dynasty, and there are fewer things to deal with. I am proud of this kind of talent."
Li Mu pondered for a while, looked up at Jin Chunqiu and said, "Can you return to Silla smoothly?"
Jin Chunqiu was silent and said, "If the king has not died and enters Silla, he should be safe."
Li Mu chuckled and said, "In other words, you can't guarantee it? Then what are you going to do with me?"
"I think the Marquis wants your second wife to live."
Li Mu looked at Jin Chunqiu for a long time and nodded, "I really have no choice, you guessed it right. OK, please write a letter to Your Majesty. But don't say that she was asking her to go back to inherit the throne, just say that King Zhenping was seriously ill and out of filial piety, he asked her to go back to meet her, and then replied. Only if you say this, she would go back with you."
"Mr. Xie County."
Jin Chunqiu stood up to salute, Li Mu waved his hand, and Jin Chunqiu left.
...
The next day, Jin Chunqiu's memorial was placed on Li Shimin's desk by the Ministry of Rites. Li Shimin also learned the whole story from Yuan Tiangang's investigation. Li Zhien's identity was just a concubine of Li Mu, and she was not pregnant yet. For Li Shimin, it was an optional character.
Since meeting Li Mu, Li Shimin felt full of guilt. He knew that Jin Chunqiu had met Li Mu, so this memorial must have been approved by Li Mu. He also knew very well why Li Mu agreed. Li Mu believed that he was dying and did not want to implicate his woman. He put this matter out, but Li Shimin could not disagree.
"Transfer this memorial to the Queen. After reading it, the Queen will know what to do."
Eunuch Gao reached out to take it, turned around and left.
...
In Lizheng Palace, Li Zhien met Jin Chunqiu, who was granted entry into the palace. Empress Changsun arranged a separate meeting for the two. Jin Chunqiu described the original words of King Zhenping in detail. After Li Zhien heard this, tears couldn't stop falling. But after crying for a while, she chose to refuse to go back.
"The king's days are not too long, maybe he can't survive this autumn. Princess, do you really have the heart to not meet him?"
"Although he is my father, he has never taken care of my mother and me. After I arrived in Silla, he did not dare to recognize me, which caused me to be sold to the Tang Dynasty by human traffickers. If I had not met my husband, I would have become a humble maid and a slave to be called, and my life and death were unknown. My husband favored me and loved me, and my wife protected me and loved me. Only in this family did I feel a little warmth. Now that my husband is in a big trouble, how could I leave him? You don't need to say anything more, I will never leave."
"Your Highness Princess!" Jin Chunqiu knelt on the ground and cried, "You and the county duke are still very young and have a lot of time to spend together. But the king has not much time left! People say that filial piety is the first priority. Even if the king makes thousands of mistakes, you can't forgive him when he is dead. Go back to meet him and come back to the Tang Dynasty. Isn't that okay?"
"But my husband..."
"Your Highness Princess!" Jin Chunqiu said anxiously: "I dare not deceive Your Highness Princess. I have met the county duke before I came. The county duke told me that although Your Majesty imprisoned him and suspected him, there was no evidence to investigate. Your Majesty is a wise monarch, and the county duke is a wise minister. If there is no evidence to investigate, which wise monarch would kill a wise minister? Moreover, the relationship between Your Majesty and the county duke is well known, and the county duke himself said that Your Majesty will not kill him."
Although Li Zhien was smart, she knew too little information and naturally could not judge. She frowned and thought. If Li Shimin did not kill Li Mu, it would be fine if she went back to see King Zhenping and then came back. Although Li Mu suffered in prison, what could she do now under house arrest in the palace? Instead of enjoying the rich clothes and food every day, it would be better to go back and perform her filial piety.
When I thought about it this way, my heart was a little shaken: "Have you really met your husband? Is this what your husband really said?"
"It's true!" Jin Chunqiu swore with confidence and raised his hand and swore: "If there is a falsehood, I will die. If the princess doesn't believe it, I can report to His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and ask him to allow you to meet with the county magistrate and let him tell you in person."
"This..." Li Zhien hesitated for a moment and said, "Let me discuss with my wife first."
"I'm waiting."
Li Zhien returned to Bai Qiaoqiao's residence. Bai Qiaoqiao had already learned the whole story from the queen, and also knew what Li Mu meant, and had a conspiracy in her heart. Seeing that Li Zhien came over, she pretended not to know, flipped through the book in her hand, waiting for her to say.
"Madam, I, I have something I want to tell you."
"Hmm?" Bai Qiaoqiao put down the book, looked at Li Zhien, and showed a look of confusion.
When Li Zhien saw Bai Qiaoqiao's gaze, he felt very ashamed and didn't want to say anything. Seeing her appearance, Bai Qiaoqiao guessed what she was thinking, walked over and took her hand and said, "Zhien, we are a family, do you still need to hide it?"
"No, but this matter..." Lee Ji-en lowered his head, his voice getting smaller and smaller, and said, "I don't know what to say."
Bai Qiaoqiao joked: "Why, I like someone else and don't want my husband anymore?"
"No, no, how is that possible!" Li Zhien explained in a hurry, saw the teasing on Bai Qiaoqiao's face, and stomped his feet in anger and said, "Madam, make fun of me."
Bai Qiaoqiao's face turned aside and said, "Okay, hurry up and say, what's going on that that makes you so embarrassed?"
Li Zhien hesitated and said things. Bai Qiaoqiao heard it and said naturally: "It's time to go back, my husband did the right thing."
"Huh?" Li Zhien looked up at Bai Qiaoqiao and said, "Madam, do you think so too? Don't you think I'm not with my husband to share the hardships..."
"Oh, fool." Bai Qiaoqiao touched Li Zhien's hair and said, "Isn't this okay, husband? But your father is already seriously ill. Isn't this an obvious thing? Besides, even if you stay, what can you help? Can't I help you? When will we help with your husband? You are back to visit your father now, maybe when you come back, your husband will come out of the prison."
"But……"
"Didn't that man say that he has seen his husband? If the husband doesn't agree, he would have said he would have disagreed, and he must have agreed. And don't forget that your husband is a filial son, and you are his wife. If you are unfilial, wouldn't it ruin his reputation?"
The ancients regarded fame as more important than life. Li Zhien remembered that there was once a censor who was chased by Li Mu to the Dali Temple prison and chopped off because he talked about Sun's family, and finally nodded.
"I still have to tell me by my husband that I will go."
"Okay." Bai Qiaoqiao looked at Li Zhien, hugged her, and said, "Didn't that person say that he would ask His Majesty to allow you to meet? Before leaving, it would be better to meet, after all." Bai Qiaoqiao thought to herself, maybe it was the last time, but when she spoke, it turned into: "After all, it took half a year to get in and out of Silla, and she couldn't see you for half a year, and she didn't want to die?"
Li Zhien blushed and said angrily: "Madam is making fun of me again."
Jin Chunqiu's request was quickly replied, and Eunuch Gao led him and Li Zhien to the Dali Temple Prison to meet Li Mu. Li Mu learned in advance that he had finished washing and returned to his usual appearance. Seeing that he was in normal condition, Li Zhien felt relieved a lot of his heart.
After finishing the matter cryingly, Li Mu smiled and said, "What do I think is this? That's it?"
"Well, will you blame me?"
"I will blame you if you don't go." Li Mu looked at Li Zhien's eyes and said, "How can people be unfilial? Don't say I won't die, I will die." Li Zhien hurriedly covered Li Mu's mouth and said, "I won't. Everyone says that Your Majesty is reluctant to kill his husband."
"Of course, my husband, I am so handsome and extremely talented, and even a foolish lord can't bear to leave me. Your Majesty is a wise lord, how can I bear to be? I'm just a metaphor." Li Mu continued, very seriously: "Even if I die, you should go to see your father. This is filial piety. What I value most is filial piety. If you are an unfilial person, you are not worthy of being my wife of Li Mu."
"Husband..."
"You can only be a little maid!"
Li Zhien burst into tears and laughed, and slapped Li Mu a little pink fist. He held his hands. Li Mu looked at Li Zhien carefully: "When you come back to Silla, you must miss me. Haven't I painted my self-portrait for you? You carry it with you, and take a look when you miss me. After you arrive in Silla, you will be a princess. If your father finds you a princess, do you know how to do it?"
"I will tell my father that I already have a husband."
"Be good." Li Mu hugged Li Zhien and said in her ear: "The road is long and I don't know what will happen on the road. Be careful in everything. If Your Majesty let me go early, I will pick you up. If you come back early, remember to bring some local delicious food back, which is something that Chang'an can't buy."
Li Zhien heard the reluctance in Li Mu's tone, and hugged him tightly and said, "I know my husband, I will definitely come back as soon as possible."
"Yes." Li Mu let go of her, still reluctant to leave her eyes, but he still said, "Okay, go, go early and come back soon."
Li Zhien bit his lip and said, "No need to worry about this day, husband, can I stay for the night today..."
"This is not possible!" Eunuch Gao's ears were sharp. He hurriedly said, "Li Mu, this is a prison. You must not break the rules. Your Majesty will be angry if you know." After saying that, he looked at Li Zhien and said, "You can't mess around. If Your Majesty knows that you are angry, what if you are punished aggravate?"
Li Mu understood what Eunuch Gao meant and said as he said, "Okay, Your Majesty is angry, so don't annoy him. Let's go, if the relationship lasts for a long time, how can you stay day and night? When you come back, your husband will love you day and night."
"Yes," Li Zhien pinched Li Mu's cuffs, glanced at him, and said shyly: "I'm sure."
"It's settled."
Li Zhien left reluctantly. Li Mu watched her figure disappear, the smile on his face gradually disappeared, and he fell down the wall. He held his head and tears couldn't stop falling. He never thought that one day would send his woman away in such a deceptive way.
"Brother." Li Chongyi's voice suddenly came from the door. Li Mu looked up and saw him and said, "Why are you here?"
When the Imperial Guard came to take over the Dali Temple prison that day, Li Chongyi had been released. Even if he asked to accompany Li Mu, he was rejected.
"General Cheng told me that his Majesty had an order and allowed me to see you." As he said that, Li Chongyi was about to enter the prison. Li Mu was stunned for a moment, and instantly understood what Li Shimin meant. He reached out to hold Li Chongyi and said, "Big guy, please ask you something. Can you sacrifice your life? I will help you do it!"
"Brother, tell me!" Li Chongyi's eyes were about to turn red again, and he said vigorously: "Are we going to kill out? Don't worry, even if I don't have an axe in my hand, I can still fight for a bloody path. I can grab weapons!"
"What are you thinking in your head!" Li Mu jumped up and patted Li Chongyi's forehead, and said, "There are 100,000 imperial guards in the city, how many can you kill alone? Besides, it's not that. Didn't your Majesty kill me?"
"What's the big brother saying?"
Li Mu told the matter and said, "You can help your elder brother send Zhien to Silla to protect her safety all the way."
"She?" Although Li Chongyi was bought by Li Mu with Li Ji-eun, his relationship with Li Ji-eun has never been dealt with. Both of them don't usually talk much: "Brother, I, I don't want to go to Silla, I want to stay with you."
"I can't die!" Li Mu was furious: "If my woman dies, I will live worse than death. Are you my brother? If you are my brother, go. If you are not my brother, don't go. If you are not my brother, think about whether you will go or not!"
Li Chongyi had never seen Li Mu so angry before, so he quickly said, "Brother, don't be angry, I'll go. I'll listen to you in everything, but after I come back this time, you can't drive me away."
"I understand." Li Mu grabbed Li Chongyi's big hand and said, "Good brother, I will never live in vain if I have a brother like you in my life."
Chapter completed!