Chapter 402: Avenging a Friend

Chapter 402: Avenging a Friend

No one knew how the assassin got into the palace. He pretended to be a eunuch, held a tray in both hands, and put a box covered with brocade on it. He walked in a hurry, as if he was in a hurry, and trotted all the way to Qiu Xin, where the queen lived. palace.

Had it not been lost, the Assassin might have reached his destination.

He hesitated at a fork in the road, which made a group of guards who had already noticed him puzzled, so he stepped forward to ask. The assassin hesitated, suddenly shouted angrily, threw away the tray, showed the short knife hidden below, and rushed up Even stab the two, turn around and jump.

The guards were vigilant and quick enough to react, but one person was still stabbed. The assassin didn't have any special moves, but the speed was too fast to avoid it.

When Wang Helai informed the emperor about the incident, the entire palace was still searching for assassins.

Han Ruzi was furious. If the palace couldn't even catch an assassin, killing the Yunmengze bandits would be a joke.

He wanted to go back to the palace to urge the arrest in person. Wang He knelt down and urged His Majesty to be cautious. As the head of the guards, he could not hide the news from the emperor, but he must not watch the emperor take risks.

In the end, Meng E persuaded the emperor, "The assassin's visit to Qiuxin Palace may just be a bluff, the purpose is to lure His Majesty back to the palace, and His Majesty should not be fooled."

Han Ruzi's anger did not subside, "Before dawn, the assassin must be caught, regardless of life or death."

Wang He went out to deliver the decree, and not long after, more envoys from the palace arrived. Both the queen mother and the queen said there was no danger and told the emperor not to move without authorization.

This is another sleepless night. The palace is tracking down the whereabouts of the assassins, and a large-scale search has also begun in the city. To prevent accidents, all the messengers can only enter the first gate of the Marquis Mansion to inform Cai Xinghai, Wang He and Jin Chunzhong. Then Jin Chunzhong informed the emperor in time.

Although the danger is not yet close to the emperor, but with the heavy responsibility of escorting, these three feel that no matter how cautious they are.

Lian Danchen has been preparing for the judicial army for many days. Once the action progresses the fastest, he will interrogate the assassin on the spot after catching the assassin. Regardless of whether there is a confession or not, he will first arrest the businessman who is familiar with the assassin.

The number of arrests increased rapidly, far exceeding the initial seven, and after four shifts, news came that the number of those arrested had reached 100.

The assassin was finally found in the palace, as well as a palace gate Sima who colluded with him, and five soldiers.

"Assassins have been surrounded and are about to be arrested."

"Five of the assassin's accomplices were killed, and only two of them are still stubbornly resisting."

"A guard and two soldiers of the old guard died in the line of duty, and many were injured. Those two... are still fighting stubbornly in the corner."

The news that Jin Chunzhong conveyed to the emperor turned from excitement and confidence at the beginning to confusion and confusion. He didn't understand how capable the assassin was, and he could endure for so long under the siege of hundreds of people.

"Sima Gongmen has been captured alive, and there is only one assassin left..."

"Still resisting?" Han Ruzi asked.

Jin Chunzhong nodded embarrassedly, although this was not his responsibility, he still felt ashamed, "Deputy Commander Wang has rushed back to the palace to supervise the battle in person."

Han Ruzi turned his head and asked Meng E, "Is this a master?"

Meng E nodded, "If he really persists in the siege for so long, he can still kill people. It is indeed a rare master."

"How about you two brothers and sisters?"

"Instead of the two of us, we will be killed within a quarter of an hour."

Han Ruzi suddenly had the heart to cherish talent, but the assassin was an assassin, and he had already killed in the palace, and the crime was unforgivable. He couldn't say anything else, not to mention the fact that the Marquis of Juan Mansion and the palace were separated by a certain distance, even if he sent the order, it was probably too late. past.

"Maybe this is Luan Banxiong's adopted son, the man named Luan Kai? Have you heard of this person?" Han Ruzi asked again.

Meng E thought for a while, "No, although Yoshidao and Yunmengze have been in contact for a long time, I have never heard of the name Luan Kai. He should be a teacher soon."

Jin Chunzhong hurried from outside again, "The assassin in the palace has been arrested."

"Dead or alive?"

"The assassin and the collaborating Gongmen Sima should have been captured alive."

"Bring it here."

Jin Chunzhong was stunned for a moment, but did not answer.

"Immediately." Han Ruzi added.

Jin Chunzhong hurriedly responded, turned to go out, and Han Ruzi called the eunuch again and ordered him to return to the palace immediately to greet the queen mother and the queen.

The sky was slightly bright, and the palace was still investigating whether the assassins had leftovers. The two survivors were escorted to the Marquis Mansion. The emperor could not interrogate the prisoners in person, but Han Ruzi insisted on listening in, so Jin Chunzhong made arrangements, in a room. During the interrogation, the emperor listened in the adjoining room. Several holes were punched in the wall, so that the voice could pass through clearly.

Jin Chunzhong understood the emperor's mind. The first person to be tried was the palace gate Sima. This man was named Sun Mingming. He was in his forties. He had been in the Suwei Army for nearly ten years and guarded the palace gate for three years. His betrayal was the most surprising.

Sun Mingming was seriously injured, but he refused to surrender, "If you want to kill it, kill it, I have nothing to say."

Jin Chunzhong did not make any false words to intimidate, and calmly asked his name, official position, and who else in his family. Sun Mingming answered them one by one, and finally said: "There is an old lady in the family who died of illness three months ago. My wife was divorced by me, and my daughter has been married for many years. There are no other relatives, if the emperor insists on getting involved, I can't help it."

"Has the imperial court treated you badly?"

Sun Mingming said: "You don't need to beat around the bush, don't you just want to know why I help the assassin?"

"Well, your choice is indeed very puzzling."

"Hey, you're just a servant by the emperor's side. You didn't even know who I was before today. Of course it's puzzling." After a pause, he asked, "Do you recognize Zhao Mengli?"

"I have a slight impression, and it is also a person in the palace?"

Jin Chunzhong did not recognize Zhao Mengli, but the emperor in the next room remembered and immediately sent someone to inform Jin Chunzhong.

"It turned out to be the former General Zuo of the Southern Army. I remembered that he was a famous general."

Sun Mingming saw someone whispering to the interrogator, "Who told you? Someone outside? Is it the emperor?"

Jin Chunzhong didn't answer, and continued to ask, "Are you and Zhao Mengli friends?"

After a while, Sun Mingming raised his voice, "Your Majesty, Zhao Mengli and I are life-and-death acquaintances. When we were in the Southern Army, he sacrificed his life to save me. This kindness is not repaid, and Sun is ashamed to be a man!"

Sun Mingming was also a soldier of the Southern Army in the past, and he had a very good relationship with Zhao Mengli. Later, one was transferred to the Suwei Army, and the other was promoted to the left general of the Southern Army. The contacts gradually decreased, but the friendship did not become weak because of it, but in the eyes of outsiders, their relationship was not as good as before. close.

In Yingfengzhai, Zhao Mengli was killed by the envoy Ji Ji of the Houjuan at that time.

"Zhao Mengli did not obey the decree, so he obeyed the law, and you want to avenge your majesty?" Jin Chunzhong asked.

Han Ruzi was not the emperor when he killed Zhao Mengli, saying that Zhao Mengli's "resistance" was not correct, Sun Ming did not refute, and said loudly: "The king wants the subject to die, the subject has to die, I will not avenge your majesty, I will avenge the Cui family. !"

Zhao Mengli used to be Cui Hong's most loyal general, more trusted than his own brothers, but after Zhao Mengli's death, Cui Hong did not express any special expression, neither showed hatred nor regret, and even ignored Zhao Mengli's family. , seems to have completely forgotten about this fierce general.

Zhao Mengli resisted Hou Juan because he obeyed Cui Hong's orders. Cui Hong's indifference made some of Zhao Mengli's friends extremely indignant. Sun Mingming was one of them. Unlike others, in addition to his indignation, he also dared to act.

He didn't hide it, and told the whole thing again. He had met "Yun Xiong" two months ago, and after understanding the other party's intention, he did not accept it immediately, nor did he inform him.

Yunxiong struck while the iron was hot and visited the door three times in a row. He noticed that Sun Mingming hated the general Cui Hong even more. He took advantage of the situation and changed the assassination target. "Just killing Cui Hong is not enough. The Cui family has two foundations of power. I, the second is the queen, kill one and keep the other, the Cui family is still strong, and we have to get rid of both at the same time to completely destroy the Cui family."

Sun Mingming was persuaded. He had five close associates who were willing to die with him, and was also drawn in. The original plan was relatively simple, they just put the assassin in the palace, and the assassin was responsible for the rest.

The assassin was unable to enter the Qiuxin Palace and ran around in the palace. Sun Mingming knew that the matter was tracked down, and he would be exposed sooner or later.

The temporary plan was even less likely to succeed. They were intercepted not long after they walked out. They couldn't come up with anyone's will.

Sun Mingming has no regrets, "Sun Mou died without regrets, I just want to let the world know that Cui Hong is ashamed of General Zhao!"

Zhao Mengli was an obstacle that Han Ruzi had to remove on his way to take the throne. Given the circumstances at the time, there was always one person who would die. Han Ruzi had nothing to regret, but he still admired the man of Sun Ming, and sent eunuchs to inform Jin Chunzhong that Sun Ming did not need to be tried again. It can be dealt with according to the law.

It is impossible for the emperor to pardon the betrayal Sima, but he does not want him to suffer too much.

Jin Chunzhong had Sun Mingming be taken away and replaced by an assassin.

"My name is Luan Kai, the adopted son of the divine general Luan Banxiong." The assassin was also seriously injured, but his tone was extremely relaxed, without fear, and even a little curious, "It's all my fault, I've read the map several times, but it's still wrong. Who I can think of it, it looks quite small on the map, but when you walk in, the palace is so big! It's bigger than my stockade! Well, I cut Cui Hong, and the people around him were killed by me. I entered the palace. I want to kill the queen. That's all, I won't say anything else to kill you. You don't pay attention, so many people beat me, if you have the ability to fight alone, if I lose, I will do anything. If I win, you let me go. Walk."

"I'll go." Meng E whispered in the next room.

"You are not his opponent." Han Ruzi blurted out, but this was indeed what Meng E said.

"He's hurt and I can handle it."

Han Ruzi nodded reluctantly, "Don't use weapons."

Meng E nodded and went to the interrogation room. Her voice was soft, and Han Ruzi couldn't hear it clearly, only Luan Kai laughed, "A palace maid? Haha, I only use one arm, let's win or lose."

After waiting for a while, the sound of fighting came from the next door, not very loud or frequent, and it seemed that the fighting was weak.

A full quarter of an hour later, Meng E returned, nodded to the emperor, her face was slightly blue, and it was obvious that it took a lot of effort to defeat the injured assassin.

When the assassin spoke again, his voice was much lower, and Han Ruzi still couldn't hear it clearly. Not long after, Jin Chunzhong himself came over and said sternly: "The assassin has recruited Han Chou, and the Holy Army division is also in the Han residence."

"It's time to arrest people." Han Ruzi said.

Jin Chunzhong ended the interrogation and took people to the Han House.

Hearing that the assassin in the palace was arrested, Han Chou immediately understood that something was wrong, that stupid assassin couldn't keep his secret, and he had to find other ways to save himself.

Fortunately, he has paved a way for himself, and now he can use it.