In the early morning of the next day, Li Shimin reluctantly left the queen's palace. After a night of hard work, Li Shimin was full of energy and felt relieved.
When he arrived near the pond last night, Li Shimin saw Huang Hao directing several eunuchs to dress yesterday's assassin.
"This assassin has a tough life, and he actually took it until now to confess."
Li Shimin muttered to himself while walking towards the assassin.
"Your Majesty, you are here."
Huang Hao felt happy when he saw Li Shimin striding towards him with a red face.
"Huang Hao, has this traitor been recruited?"
Li Shimin was in a good mood. He looked at the dying assassin who was frozen and asked Huang Hao.
Huang Hao looked back and said: "Your Majesty is wise! The soaking method your Majesty used yesterday really worked, and all the thieves were recruited."
Huang Hao took out a confession about the assassin's painting, cleared his throat and explained to Li Shimin:
"This person is a native of Yizhou, his surname is Zhang, and he is a palace servant. He did not leave the palace on time yesterday and lurked in the imperial garden. At nightfall, he took advantage of the darkness to follow His Majesty to the harem pond to assassinate His Majesty.
According to this person's confession, someone in the court paid for him to assassinate His Majesty. If he died as a result, his wife would have someone to support her. However, the person behind the scenes did not come forward in person. Yesterday, someone placed a bag of gold and silver and a letter at his residence, instructing him to commit such unscrupulous acts. "
Li Shimin hardly had to think that the "people in the court" were most likely Yizhou nobles. It's just that the assassin's employer has never seen him. With only a bag of property and a secret letter, he can assassinate him so quickly and resolutely. Isn't this too exaggerated?
Li Shimin looked at the assassin with sharp eyes.
"Let me ask you, why is a handyman so skilled? Why is he literate? And why is he so easily instigated to assassinate me?"
This series of questions made the dying assassin wake up in an instant. The assassin's eyes were full of fear, and it seemed that there was something left unsaid.
"Your Majesty asked you something! You answered me!"
Huang Hao felt that he had neglected his duty. He failed to notice many doubtful points in his confession, so he became violent, kicking and beating the assassin and questioning him.
At this time, the assassin smiled sadly and said with all his strength: "Your Majesty is so wise today, how can he be that murderous tyrant... Alas, I made a mistake..."
Before he finished speaking, the assassin tilted his head and died.
"This... this slave is stupid! This slave deserves to die! Your Majesty, please convict me!"
Huang Hao watched the assassin die and knew that the assassination had become an unsolved case, and he should bear the first responsibility for the failure of the interrogation. What's more, this incident failed to eradicate the scourge, and no one can guarantee whether this kind of thing will happen again in the future.
Thinking of this, Huang Hao hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, not daring to stop until blood started to pour from his forehead.
"That's all. They are just dead soldiers raised by a few clowns. They are not enough to scare me. You should also get up. I will forgive you for your innocence."
Li Shimin was naturally someone who had seen big storms, and in his opinion, an assassin was just mediocre. But this incident reminded him:
The imperial guard system in the palace should be strengthened and rectified. Can't all assassins rely on their own "Tiance Admiral" experience to deal with them, right?
Thinking of this, Li Shimin thought of Zhang Yan again. It seemed that Zhang Yan should have inherited his father's bravery. Since it is difficult to have a concubine during the period of mourning, it would not be a bad idea to take Zhang Yan with you as a personal bodyguard.
After making up his mind, Li Shimin asked Huang Hao to arrange for Zhang Yan to see him after the meeting.
Huang Hao saw that his majesty not only did not punish him, but also trusted him so much, he quickly thanked him:
"I would like to thank Your Majesty for your kindness. I am willing to work hard for Your Majesty, even through fire and water!"
Li Shimin knew that the reason why these power-wielding eunuchs named in history were able to monopolize power was because their masters themselves were idiots and overly favored and delegated power.
In fact, the eunuch's rights were completely dependent on the imperial power. As long as the emperor had the ability, the eunuch was basically a slave.
"I see that you are indeed loyal and smart, so I can't bear to hold you accountable. You must always remember every word of loyalty you say. If in the future I find out that you have different aspirations..."
"That slave will die without a burial place!"
"very good!"
The two of them walked towards Qinzheng Hall while talking. Li Shimin also specially ordered several young eunuchs to transport the assassin's body and confession to Qinzheng Hall.
In the Qinzheng Palace, looking at the corpse of the assassin temporarily placed in a secret place, Li Shimin said angrily: "Today I want to see how the Yizhou nobles can still quibble!"
After the process of going to court was completed, Li Shimin carefully observed the princes in the court, trying to find clues about the assassin from their behavior.
However, to his disappointment, no one showed even the slightest bit of strangeness.
"Looks like I have to beat them."
While thinking about it, he gave Huang Hao a wink.
Huang Hao understood and ordered the young eunuchs to carry the assassin's body to the main hall, and took out the assassin's confession.
"Wow!"
After seeing the body, there was an uproar in the hall.
Li Shimin was not in a hurry to speak, and just quietly observed the reactions of the ministers on the dragon couch.
A sharp-eyed courtier recognized the identity of the corpse and wondered: "Isn't this a palace servant? I saw him when the palace gate was being repaired a few days ago."
"Since he is a handyman and must leave the Forbidden Palace before sunset, why does the body appear in the main hall?"
Although the ministers were confused, generally speaking, no one behaved too strangely.
When Li Shimin saw this scene, he also muttered in his heart:
"Could it be that the assassin's confession was a lie from the beginning? If not, then why is the assassin's so-called 'person in the court' so calm that I can't see any clues?"
Just when Li Shimin was undecided, an "urgent report" came from outside the hall.
Including Li Shimin, everyone in the hall was shocked.
I am reporting urgently at this time. Could it be that the Wei State invaded the country? But in history, the Wei Kingdom would not take action until the first year of Yanxi four years later at the earliest. Did my arrival bring this matter forward?
Questions came one after another in Li Shimin's mind. Although he was confused, he still sent the messenger into the palace to report.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, Guan Tong, has received a battle report. The counter-rebellion officers and soldiers are afraid of the Yueyong barbarians and have been passive and lazy in fighting. They have not yet left Anshang County. Guan Tong please make your decision as appropriate."
After Li Shimin heard this, there was a buzzing sound in his head, and his vision went dark and he almost fainted.
I just issued the decree yesterday morning. In just one day, such embarrassing news came from the nearest Yueyong County...
Li Shimin steadied his body, barely remained calm, and waved gently.
"I understand. You go back and tell Guan Tong and ask him to stay in the county and be on standby. I will make my own decision."
The herald took the order and left.
The princes in the court also began to whisper among themselves. Originally, everyone was surprised that a corpse was brought out of the court, but they did not expect that the counter-insurgency pioneer newly appointed by His Majesty surprised everyone even more.
Li Shimin was already in a state of confusion at this time, and had no intention of caring about the assassins, but he could not easily give up this opportunity to shake the Yizhou nobles, so he could only bite the bullet and continue.
"Huang Hao, first read the confession to all the gentlemen."
Huang Hao took the order and read the confession out loud, word for word.
During this period, Li Shimin's thoughts had already gone to the sky, and he didn't pay attention to the reactions of everyone in the hall. He just said in a deep voice after Huang Hao finished reading:
"This man is a native of Yizhou, and his confession also mentioned people in the court. I don't want to kill people in the court hall. You'd better give me an explanation. As long as it makes sense, I won't do anything. pursue.
If you guys can't give me a satisfactory answer, then I don't care about being a murderous tyrant! "
At this time, Wu Yi came out and said: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
When Li Shimin saw Wu Yi coming out, he felt a little reassured that these Dongzhou nobles still had some conscience. Knowing that his mind was in confusion at this time, he wanted to step forward to share his worries.
"Wu Aiqing, what do you want me to do?"
"Your Majesty, I think that since this person's confession mentioned someone from the court, and he is a native of Yizhou, he must be inseparable from the Yizhou family. It is better for your majesty to send someone to the court. We will launch an investigation among the Yizhou nobles, and I believe we will be able to find some clues."
"Wu Ziyuan! Don't talk nonsense! Can't you from Dongzhou instigate my people from Yizhou to assassinate His Majesty?"
As soon as Wu Yi finished speaking, a man came out of the civil service train and pointed at Wu Yi's nose and scolded him.
Huang Hao was also arrogant and everyone in the hall started to quarrel, but he still quietly introduced the information about the person who scolded Wu Yi beside Li Shimin as if no one else was around.
When Li Shimin heard that this person's name was Li Dan and that he was Li Miao's nephew, he couldn't help but feel a little angry.
Seeing that His Majesty did not express his position, Wu Yi knew that the time had come for him to express his position. He pointed at Li Dan and said, "Well, you Li Qinzong! Li Miao was just beheaded by Your Majesty yesterday for slandering the Prime Minister, and you jumped out again! Are you going to Do you want to take the opportunity to avenge Li Miao? Or do you have a guilty conscience and are afraid that Your Majesty will go and investigate?"
The two argued in front of the palace, their faces red and their ears red, and all the princes in the court were sweating for them. In the past, Yang Yi and Li Miao were both punished for disobeying His Majesty and speaking rudely. If these two people were so noisy in front of the palace, they would be questioned by His Majesty again.
When the two were arguing, Jiang Wan came out and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
When the two saw Jiang Wan coming out, they subconsciously stopped arguing. They both wanted to hear what Jiang Wan had to say.
