"Your Majesty, the Yinmeng Guards have arrived in the imperial city. Do you want to receive them?" Wang Zhenliang asked as he bowed in front of the dinner table.
Zhao Yizhi had just finished his lunch, picked up the silk on the side and wiped his mouth: "See you, see you at the gate of the palace."
Seeing Zhao Yizhi's expressionless face, Wang Zhenliang didn't dare to say anything and trotted off to get ready. In fact, many of the emperors of the Qi Dynasty were assassinated by barbarians or thieves. Two emperors even died at the hands of assassins.
Compared with some previous emperors, today's assassination only killed more than ten people, which was really a small incident. There were emperors who were assassinated before leaving the capital, so there was a rule that the emperor was not allowed to leave the capital. It is understandable that the little emperor would be in a bad mood after experiencing this for the first time.
Zhao Yizhi was not angry about anything else, but angry that the assassination was planned by Taishi Li. He was thinking about whether he should spare his life regardless of his identity as an old minister, but Taishi Li actually wanted to strike first. At this moment, Zhao Yizhi had murderous intentions.
At noon, at the gate of the imperial city.
"Your Majesty, long live my emperor!" At this moment, hundreds of Yin Meng Guards lined up at the gate of the palace, shouting "long live the emperor." The Yinmeng Guards were originally selected from the army to be soldiers who were experienced in fighting, and they were all elites in the army from all over the country. Although there were only a hundred people, they were shouting together at this moment, and the momentum was like a thousand troops.
The people around were also very lively and gathered around. They didn't have much fun on weekdays. In the past few days, for some reason, there were new things happening in the palace. After a while, the people surrounded the gate of the palace. However, They only dared to look at it from a distance and did not dare to get close, so the city gate was quite spacious.
In addition to the people who gathered around to watch the excitement, there were also officials, big and small, who were not summoned by Zhao Yizhi. They received the information themselves and rushed over spontaneously. Just like the morning court, the civil and military sides stood in place. After Yinmeng Weishan shouted long live , because when not in court, they only need to bow and salute.
"Ping Shen! All the heavenly guards have worked hard and accomplished a lot. What have you gained from going to Wancheng? Report to me." Zhao Yizhi got down from the sedan chair and gestured to Ping Shen with the armrest.
The commander of Yinmengwei, named Xie Weifeng, went out to fight and clasped his fists and replied: "Your Majesty, we have been ordered to go to Wancheng. Wancheng is indeed seriously flooded. Nine out of ten houses are empty. There are very few survivors in Wancheng, and most of the people have left their homes. "
Zhao Yizhi glanced sideways at Xie Weifeng and said, "What else? All the facts will be reported one by one!"
When Xie Weifeng heard this, he didn't shy away from holding back any words, and said everything as if he were pouring beans out of a bamboo tube: "Li Taishi's gatekeeper Kong Bao led hundreds of people to indiscriminately kill refugees in Wancheng, intercepted and killed the Tianwei, and killed about five hundred people with swords and guns. And six Heavenly Guards. The Wancheng County Magistrate tried hard to offset it, but was killed by Kong Bao on the wall of Wancheng. The Wucheng County Magistrate colluded with Kong Bao to hunt down the Heavenly Guards. Fortunately, thanks to His Majesty's great blessing, Kong Bao was able to capture all his crimes. Down."
This man, who seemed to be a tall and powerful man, said so many words in one breath and in a clear and coherent manner. It seemed that he had done a lot of homework and drafted many times on the way back to Beijing. Zhao Yizhi thought this way, and then asked: "Is there any evidence for such a big event?"
Xie Weifeng replied: "Three people from Wancheng told us how some of the heavenly guards were killed and where their bodies were. After our investigation, the statement was correct. The confessions of the soldiers who stopped us and the Wucheng defenders are also correct."
"Kong Bao still dares to kill an official!? Don't you know this is a serious crime of treason?"
"Kong Bao's soldiers still quibbled that the county magistrate was killed by bandits, and later confronted three teenagers. Kong Bao's deputy general Xu Mo also testified, so it can be confirmed that he was killed by Kong Bao." Xie Weifeng said, With a wave of his hand, Xu Mo was brought over.
"Xu Mo, I ask you, what exactly did you do when you went to Wancheng, including what you did along the way? Tell the truth!" Zhao Yizhi stared at Xu Mo and said.
At this moment, Xu Mo's armor had been completely stripped off, but his face changed from the wretched and cowardly look he had with Kong Bao. He knelt on the ground with his head raised high. He didn't know that he thought he was an enemy prisoner who was captured, and he was ready to die generously. .
Xu Mo did not hide anything, and told everything that happened along the way, even the boatman who was killed by the river was shaken out. Of course, everything was said implicitly or explicitly that it was Kong Bao's order. for. He didn't take it off completely, and he told exactly what he had done.
When Yi Xiaodao and the others heard that the old boatman had been killed, they clenched their fists tighter. Although they met by chance, the old boatman could be considered their first benefactor. They didn't know that the old boatman had been killed until today...
After Zhao Yizhi listened from beginning to end, his hands in his sleeves were tightly clasped together. Although there were occasional floods in later generations, the army and the people worked together to tide over the difficulties. How could there be any victims who were killed? Zhao Yizhi took a breath and looked at the people around him. Most of the people looked blankly on their faces, watching quietly, while a few pointed and smiled. Only a few people were moved to tears. But all the ministers were watching their noses with their eyes, their noses were watching their hearts, and they stood aside honestly.
"Bring Chen Yu, Kong Bao, Li Changwen and others over here!" Zhao Yizhi ordered, then turned around and sat back on the sedan, waiting.
After a while, the three of them were summoned to the city gate. Chen Yu, Kong Bao was guilty and in chains, being held by Xu Shi guards. Taishi Li stood aside leisurely, as if what happened here had nothing to do with him.
Kong Bao's right arm was broken, but it was also locked in shackles. Kong Bao didn't care, since he was unconscious anyway. He couldn't get away with the serious crime of killing Tianwei. At this time, he just wanted to plead guilty and be executed as soon as possible, so as not to harm his family.
"Xu Mo, please tell these three people what you just said again." Zhao Yizhi said.
At this time, the three people were present. Xu Mo felt a little guilty and lowered his head to take a sneak peek. His heart skipped a beat, and he said what he just said again, like pouring beans through a bamboo tube.
"Chen Yu, did you hear clearly what Xu Mo said just now?" Zhao Yizhi walked up to Chen Yu and asked.
"The common people heard clearly, the common people plead guilty." Chen Yu replied numbly.
"Do you still remember our bet? What if you lose?" Zhao Yizhi continued to ask.
Chen Yu was stunned. When he made the bet, he was obsessed with it. He only hoped to be granted an official position and make a wish to shine on his family. After all, the emperor couldn't leave, so what else could he do? If Kong Bao hadn't been caught... so what if the heavenly guards were sent? Can the words of Tianwei be counted as evidence? The Heavenly Guard is not even an official! I only hate Kong Bao... I only hate Taishi Li...
"It was all ordered by Li Changwen and Taishi Li! He said that the emperor was young, so why bother to admit his mistakes and be punished? Even if he had, he could protect me!" Chen Yu shouted crazily. Chen Yu had lost everything by annihilating the three clans. At this time, what he hated most was Grand Master Li who had instigated him. How long would he wait if he didn't bite back?
"What about you? General Kong? What do you have to say?" Zhao Yizhi allowed Chen Yu to go crazy on the sidelines, with Xu Shi guarding him, and he could do nothing.
Zhao Yizhi asked Kong Bao, who knelt on the ground quietly, completely losing his previous arrogance.
"I plead guilty. This matter has nothing to do with Master Li." Kong Bao replied quietly, without biting Li Changwen. After all, if Li Changwen fell, who would protect his family?
Zhao Yizhi nodded and walked towards Grand Master Li.
Zhao Yizhi looked at Li Changwen and said after a while: "Old Master, why are you doing this..."
Li Changwen calmly put his hands behind his back: "I don't quite understand what your majesty means. I did send Kong Bao to Wancheng under my order, but I didn't let him kill the people indiscriminately, let alone intercept and kill the heavenly guards. I only let him I went to Wancheng to investigate the disaster situation first, but he acted recklessly and made his own decisions. It has nothing to do with the old minister, so I ask for your Majesty's warning."
Although Li Changwen said, "Please give me your Majesty's warning," his expression showed no sense of grievance at all, and he still looked upright.
"Master Li is a good person. He never takes credit when he comes to eat at my restaurant. How could he do such a thing?"
"Have you wronged Grand Master Li?"
"Shhh... keep your voice down, do you dare to interfere in the affairs of the court? Be careful that even you are involved!"
The people around him swept away their previous indifference and started talking after Taishi Li made his statement. It seemed that Taishi Li still had a lot of influence in the hearts of the people.
"Old Master, maybe the people below have made a mistake. But there is one more thing. I wanted to take a walk when I left the palace this morning, but an assassin came to assassinate me. Fortunately, the assassin has been captured. . The assassin confessed that it was Taishi Li's housekeeper who ordered it. I don't understand it very well. How about asking Taishi Li to summon the housekeeper and have a confrontation?" After Zhao Yizhi finished speaking, he waved his hand and several corpses were carried out. Wang Zhenliang stared at the corpses that were carried out and found that the bodies of Bi Tiangao, Tang Wan, and Liu Mozi were not among them.
"Your Majesty, please do not listen to the slanderous words of traitors. Although the reputation of the old minister's family is average, the family will definitely not be able to bully others with power." Li Changwen turned his head, obviously very angry about this matter, even more so than the flood in Wancheng. It's like being 'falsely accused' and being wronged.
Yi Xiaodao sneered after hearing Li Changwen's words in the Yinmeng Guards.
Zhao Yizhi nodded: "I also believe that it was not the fault of the old master's family, but the assassin was killed by the housekeeper of the old master's house. What should we do?" Zhao Yizhi looked embarrassed. look.
"Liu San, go and call your father over. Your Majesty wants to confront you, so come and confront him to appease your Majesty."
The young man called "Liu San" obeyed the order and rushed to the Taishi Mansion.
Zhao Yizhi said with a smile: "Then I'll bother you, Master, to wait for a moment... By the way, Master, have you ever heard of the name 'Liu Mouse'? It should be a nickname." Zhao Yizhi said "carelessly" As he spoke, he stared at Li Changwen closely.
As expected, Li Changwen was shocked when he heard the words "Liu Mozi". How could he not know that this "Liu Mouse" was the cousin of his housekeeper? He often did secret errands for the house, and he had met him several times.
Li Changwen quietly took a peek at a pile of corpses not far away. This subtle movement could not escape Zhao Yizhi, who had been practicing God Control and meditating for many days.
Zhao Yizhi laughed loudly and said: "I guess I don't know the old master. That Liu Mouse has a very tough mouth. He bit him to death and said that it was the butler of your house who ordered it. I suspect that there is another mastermind behind the scenes. You are being tortured by the Haixing Guards right now, I believe the truth will come to light soon."
"Do you think you have a tough mouth? You've already confessed all this to me, and the little emperor is still pretending. His behavior is nothing like that of the late emperor. It's really a bit tricky..." Li Changwen looked at Zhao Yi, who was smiling and kind. Perseverance, I thought to myself.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. When Butler Liu from my house comes, we will have a face-to-face confrontation and it will become clear." Li Changwen said unhurriedly.
Zhao Yizhi frowned when he saw Li Changwen's lack of energy, and quietly made a gesture with his hands behind his back.
At this time, a Xushi guard came to report: "Your Majesty, that 'Liu Mouse' was tortured by the Haixing Guards in every possible way, and he was only bitten to death by the housekeeper of Taishi Li's house. In the end, he could not survive the torture and committed suicide."
"Suicide!" Zhao Yizhi and Li Changwen said in unison, "surprised".
