Except for Ji Haoran and Ning Que, the two generations of people who had entered the human realm, the back of the mountain of the Academy had never entered the human realm. The soldiers of the Yulin Royal Guards on the other side of the bridge did not know who the man sitting cross-legged in the snow was.
Hearing that this person actually dared to be so disrespectful to General Xu Shi and be so arrogant, the Imperial Guards were instantly enraged to the extreme. Their beards and hairs stood on end as if they wanted to pierce through the armor on their bodies, and they drew their swords and spears with the intention of charging onto the snow bridge and beheading that bastard on the spot.
Xu Shi raised his right arm expressionlessly, and the commotion and killing intent behind him immediately subsided. He looked at the man sitting cross-legged in the snow and became serious. He said, "Is the Academy really going to go back on its words?"
Second Brother looked at him under the bridge and said, "The Academy does not object to Xiahou's retirement, nor does it object to Youngest Brother's challenge. Because there is no way to object."
Xu Shi frowned and said, "You know I'm going to object to this."
Second Brother said, "I object to your objection."
Xu Shi looked at the man on the bridge. After a long silence, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Is this the Headmaster's idea?"
Second Brother said, "No, it's my idea."
Xu Shi squinted and said, "That's why you are standing on the bridge."
Second Brother sat cross-legged in the snow, tall and straight. His robe did not tremble in the wind. He looked like a pine tree in the snow peak, very much like the great figure of the Academy.
He looked at Xu Shi and the cavalry of the Yulin Royal Guards under the bridge and said expressionlessly, "I respect Youngest Brother, so I will not interfere. But I want him to be fair."
…
…
In the imperial study of the palace, angry curses, fierce arguments, idiots, and all kinds of filthy words kept ringing. They were like snowflakes dancing in the sky, spreading everywhere.
Nation Master Li Qingshan left the Academy and entered Chang 'an as fast as he could. He came to the newly renovated small Taoist temple. Because of the heavy snow, the neighborhood celebration had ended hastily. Ye Su smiled after hearing what happened in the imperial city and disappeared in the wind and snow.
Many horse carriages came from the streets outside the imperial city. All the forces who had received the news had sent people to inquire about it, including the envoys of various countries and the representatives of the West-Hill Divine Palace.
In a pavilion far away from the moat, Ye Hongyu, who was dressed in a green Taoist robe, looked in the direction of the palace gate. She looked at the blood flag and the dazzling big black umbrella that were fluttering in the wind and snow. She remained silent.
Chen Pipi brought Tang Xiaotang from the other end of the snowy street. Because of Tang Xiaotang's status, he did not let her follow him to the Imperial Palace. He turned around and knocked on the tightly closed door of a shop on the south street.
He borrowed a chair from that shop and then moved his round body from the snowy street to the foot of the Imperial City. He looked at Ning Que and said, "Before preparing to fight, you have to conserve your strength."
Ning Que replied, "Thank you, Senior Brother."
A personal guard had already brought a table and a chair for Xia Hou, and even a cup of hot tea. In front of the blood flag, amidst the wind and snow, he held the teacup and casually drank, his expression naturally calm.
Seeing Chen Pipi, Xia Hou frowned slightly, but did not pay much attention to him.
Ning Que sat on the chair, and Sangsang held the big black umbrella behind the chair. Chen Pipi wanted to bandage his bleeding left palm, but Ning Que shook his head and refused.
In front of the palace gate, the blood flag and the black umbrella were in the wind and snow. The general was drinking hot tea, and Ning Que was resting. This scene was very strange, even a little absurd, but also very scary.
…
…
Many horse carriages were hidden in the streets in front of the Imperial City, and many people had not arrived at the scene. They were waiting for the final result in their respective mansions.
"Mr. Second's appearance on the snow bridge is equivalent to the Academy's attitude. The Academy agrees that Ning Que will challenge Xia Hou, so the Tang military cannot stop this."
The Third Minister of Offerings from Qinghe County withdrew his gaze from the falling snow in front of the balcony of the Princess Mansion. He looked at the two noble royal siblings and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Your Highness."
Li Yu's expression was very calm, but there was a hidden worry in the depths of her eyes.
Xia Hou was the Empress's most powerful helper. It was a good thing for her and Li Huiyuan that he retired. It was even better for Ning Que to challenge Xia Hou. No matter who won or lost, even if the Academy kept silent about it, they would still hate the Empress's side.
However, she could not be happy, because she, like everyone else in the world, believed that Ning Que could not defeat Xia Hou. In other words, Ning Que would definitely die today.
She looked at He Mingchi, who had been sitting silently on the other side, and slightly frowned. She asked, "What did Mr. Ye Su say about the Nation Master going to the small Taoist temple?"
He Mingchi shook his head and said, "Even if the West-Hill Divine Palace wants to stop this in Chang 'an, it is impossible, because the Academy has already agreed."
The Third Minister of Offerings said lightly, "If Your Highness is still worried, I may have some means to make the West-Hill Divine Palace and the Academy hate each other because of this matter."
Hearing this, Li Yu's expression gradually turned cold. She slightly narrowed her eyes and warned, "Don't try to use any means to provoke the Academy's anger. Neither you nor I can bear it."
The Third Minister of Offerings was usually respected in Qinghe Prefecture, like an ancestor. In front of the Princess of the Tang Empire, he could consider himself inferior. However, after hearing this, he still felt a little embarrassed.
"Your Highness is right. Then I will go and have a look," he said expressionlessly.
He gently flicked his sleeves and walked out of the balcony. Facing the wind and snow, he left the Princess Mansion and walked towards the Yanming Lake.
…
…
The snow kept falling, and it was getting heavier and heavier, falling on Chang 'an.
No matter how light the snow was, it would eventually fall on the ground, or be swept into the gutters, or accumulate until the next year. When the flowers bloomed in spring, it would be melted by the sun, mixed with dust and withered leaves, and disappear without a trace.
This was the truth of Heaven and Earth.
Just as what should be done had to be done, people who should come would come. Many people came to Chang 'an accompanied by the wind and snow, including a monk.
The monk was wearing a worn-out bamboo hat and a tattered kapok kasaya. His face, which was exposed under the shadow of the bamboo hat, was ordinary, but it had a natural sense of determination.
The monk entered the city through the west gate and stood on the snowy long street. It seemed that he did not know where to go. He turned to a porridge shop, took off his bamboo hat and began to ask for directions.
He took off his bamboo hat, revealing a head full of sharp green and black hair. He looked as determined as the monk. However, when he asked for directions, the smile on his face was so kind and gentle.
It was not accurate to use the word "asking for directions". The monk kept his mouth tightly shut, and when he occasionally grinned, only half of his tongue was left. It turned out that he was a mute who could not speak.
…
…
For Ning Que and Xia Hou who were sitting in the wind and snow, the two hours were very long. No matter how cold the wind and snow was, their bodies had already warmed up.
For His Majesty in the palace and Xu Shi on the other side of the snow bridge, the two hours were very short. Because the Academy's attitude made them feel helpless and they had no time to do more.
Just when the two hours were about to end, the imperial court finally found a way. The palace gate suddenly opened. Li Qingshan, the Nation Master of Tang, and Zeng Jing, the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Library, hurried to the field under the escort of dozens of eunuchs and began to read His Majesty's decree.
Prince Li Peiyan walked silently at the back of the crowd.
Zeng Jing, the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Library, ranked last in the Tang Cabinet. However, he was Sangsang's biological father and had a special status. Li Qingshan, the Nation Master of Tang, was a cultivator and usually did not care about the court affairs. However, he and Ning Que were old friends. Since Master Yan Se, Ning Que had to call him Uncle Master.
His Majesty asked them to read the decree, so he naturally wanted to move them with affection.
Sure enough, Ning Que had to stand up and salute them when he saw them.
Zeng Jing coughed twice and reached out to wipe off the snow on the imperial edict. He said, "His Majesty's decree."
Everyone in front of the imperial city held their breath and pondered.
Zeng Jing glanced at Prince Li Peiyan and sighed softly. Then he said bitterly, "Li Peiyan, Prince Yi of the Tang Empire, requests to be stripped of his title due to the incident in the first year of Tianqi era."
Everyone was silent. The people in front of the imperial city could not suppress their shock and looked at His Majesty.
Li Peiyan's noble crown was still in the snow between Ning Que and Xia Hou, and it was about to be buried by the snow. His hair was a little messy and he looked a little embarrassed, but the expression on his face was unusually indifferent.
Zeng Jing ignored the reaction of the crowd. He held the imperial edict with both hands and continued to read in a trembling voice, "The case of the former Xuanwei General Lin Guangyuan's treason is now revoked due to lack of evidence …"
The names on the imperial edict were read one by one through the Grand Secretary's trembling voice. His voice echoed in the wind and snow and hit the red wall.
"Xuanwei General Lin Guangyuan …"
"Mrs. Lin Guangyuan …"
"Deputy General Sha Gang …"
"Captain Cheng Xinzheng …"
"Secretary Lin Hai …"
"Subordinate Hu Hua …"
…
…
Listening to the names that had long disappeared in history, listening to the imperial edicts that restored officials and conferred posthumous titles, there was dead silence in front of the imperial city.
His Majesty's imperial edict did not mention reopening the old case. However, a prince requested to be stripped of his title and all the soldiers involved were rehabilitated. What was the difference between this and reversing the case?
People finally understood the meaning of the imperial palace.
His Majesty had once thought of reversing the case of the Xuanwei General's treason. However, because of the situation in the imperial court and the West-Hill Divine Palace, especially the lack of evidence, he did not succeed.
Today, the Academy tacitly allowed Ning Que to challenge Xia Hou, which set a difficult problem for the imperial court. However, His Majesty could not reverse the case without evidence, so he chose this method.
Even if it was not to reverse the case, it was still to reverse the case.
At least, this could give an explanation to those who died unjustly and Ning Que today.
When the imperial edict was read, Xia Hou stood up from his chair. His Majesty's imperial edict did not involve him, but he gradually frowned and slowly sat back down.
Those names were still floating in the wind and snow.
Xia Hou knew those names and had seen the people that those names represented.
More than a decade ago, he had seen those people die in front of him with his own eyes. He had seen those heads piled up into a hill. Some eyes were closed, some eyes were open, and some eyes were filled with despair, while others were filled with anger.
Those names were heard again after more than a decade. In front of the imperial city, they entered his ears. He became more and more silent, and his face became more and more livid. He held the armrest of the chair more and more tightly.
He did not feel guilty, nor did he blame himself, nor was he sad.
He was just angry.
The armrest was reduced to dust, falling from the gaps between his fingers. With anger, it landed on the snow.
No one noticed General Xia Hou's emotions at this time.
Because His Majesty's imperial edict did not mention him.
According to the law, he was no longer General Xia Hou.
What he needed to do was to accept it calmly and then leave Chang 'an.
Everyone's eyes were on Ning Que.
They knew who His Majesty's imperial edict was for.
If they wanted to stop this duel of life and death, they could only hope that Ning Que would withdraw the challenge invitation.
His Majesty reversed the verdict for Lin Guangyuan, rewarded him generously, and favored him for three generations, just for this.
People in front of the imperial city looked at Ning Que under the black umbrella and thought that this should be the end.
…
…
From the moment he heard the name Lin Guangyuan, Ning Que lowered his head and focused on the thick snow under his feet. He tilted his head and listened to the names on the imperial edict attentively.
He had heard of those names before, so he listened very carefully today. But the expression on his face was very complicated, with some gratification, some disappointment, and some self-mockery.
The names on the imperial edict were finally read.
Grand Secretary Zeng Jing and Nation Master Li Qingshan walked to him and solemnly handed the imperial edict to him.
Ning Que took the imperial edict and remained silent.
Li Qingshan looked solemn and said, "His Majesty said that as long as you admit to the previous murders, he will pardon you. After all, it is pardonable. If you think that the removal of the Prince's title is not enough to compensate, His Majesty and Her Majesty will apologize to you on behalf of General Xia Hou and compensate you."
The Nation Master spoke very softly and was covered by the wind and snow. Except for himself and Ning Que, no one could hear him. But people could guess what he was talking about with Ning Que.
However, Ning Que made an unexpected decision just when everyone thought that this was the end of the matter and gradually relaxed.
Ning Que put the imperial edict on the chair behind him and looked at Li Qingshan, Zeng Jing, and the people in front of the imperial city. He laughed and then raised his hand.
He began to clap.
In the beginning, his movement was very gentle, but then it became more and more forceful, as if he was beating a wall. The wound on his palm burst open again and blood splashed everywhere.
Clap clap!
Clap clap clap!
Clap clap clap clap!
The applause became louder and louder. Blood splashed from his palm and then dripped onto his body, his legs, and finally fell into the snow.
Seeing this scene, the people in front of the imperial city felt a sense of coldness and horror again. Their bodies gradually became cold with the wind and snow.
"His Majesty is very kind. The law of the Tang Empire is indeed useful. It is very good to hear the names on the imperial edict resound in Chang 'an again. I am very comforted. "
Ning Que sighed and said, "It is a pity that some names are still forgotten. I am very sorry."
Zeng Jing asked nervously, "Who else was left out? I will go to the palace to ask His Majesty right away. "
Ning Que smiled and said, "I also left out many names in the General's Mansion, such as the groom, the cook, the gardener, the maid, and … my parents."
Zeng Jing said in confusion, "The first titles were the General and his wife …"
Ning Que looked down at the snow under his feet and the blood spots on it. After a long silence, he said, "The General and his wife are not my parents."
As soon as he said this, the wind and snow suddenly dispersed.
…
…
(I finally wrote this part. I am very happy. There is one more chapter today.) (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
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