Li Yunzhou listened with his eyes narrowed, the coldness in his eyes not concealed at all.
In fact, he knew everything Li Yunhuai said. He had deliberately rescued the bandit leader, and it took a lot of trouble. As for the lieutenant general Liu Dahai, he had specially captured him from the Northern Frontier Army.
The confessions of these two people were enough to take Li Yunhuai's life.
Shen Zhixiu's interrogation was just right and he did not put the blame on Princess Yongjia.
Today they were targeting Li Yunhuai. Involving Princess Yongjia would only complicate matters. Better to act decisively and withdraw while the going gets tough.
After they had all been questioned, Shen Zhixiu solemnly instructed Wen Zhu, "Have them sign and seal their names."
Li Chaoyun didn't care about anything else and quickly spoke up to stop him, "Lord Shen, this is a confession forced upon you, it doesn't count."
"I'm going to ask my uncle, the emperor, that even if there is a sentence, it should be heard by three judges."
Shen Zhixiu didn't even glance at Li Chaoyun, and said in a cold voice: "The princess has no right to speak on matters of the court."
Wen Zhu naturally ignored Li Chaoyun's words and took the confession to Li Yunhuai to sign it.
Just as the handprint was about to be pressed, a loud shout suddenly came from outside the crowd, "Stop! Who gave you permission to interrogate here?"
Princess Yongjia and Prince Shan Li Jingchuan approached with gloomy faces, but it was too late. Li Yunhuai's handprint had already been pressed.
Li Chaoyun walked closer to the two of them and told them the important things first.
Seeing the two of them coming, Li Yunhuai seemed to have found a backbone, "Mother, save me."
Princess Yongjia was furious and was about to attack Li Yunzhou when she saw Li Yunzhou walk up to them, then threw away his robe and knelt on his knees.
"Greetings to my father, the king, and to my mother. I have lived up to everyone's expectations and have returned safely to the capital."
Princess Yongjia was a little at a loss for a moment. On one side was her biological son asking for help, and on the other side was her adopted son who had come back to life and was bowing respectfully.
The anger she wanted to vent towards Li Yunzhou was stuck here.
If it weren't for Li Yunhuai's incident, she would probably have been hugging Li Yunzhou and crying bitterly.
But at this moment, Princess Yongjia only wanted to protect her only remaining son, so she thought for a moment and said in a deep voice, "Yunzhou, you stand up first. I've heard about your third brother's situation. Let's go back to the mansion first, and mother will make the decision for you."
He then raised his voice and ordered the people around him, "The third young master is injured, take him back to the mansion for treatment first."
Princess Yongjia quickly turned this into a family matter. As long as it was a family matter, it would be easy to resolve later. At worst, she could cry, make a scene, or even hang herself to beg the emperor for mercy.
Li Yunzhou stood up and stepped aside, his hands hanging down, and said nothing. He looked like a bastard who was suppressed by his stepmother and dared not speak out.
Everyone present heard clearly what Li Yunhuai did. Privately, they all felt that he deserved to die, but Princess Yongjia's obvious favoritism also made everyone think of something.
No matter how much Princess Yongjia said she treated her stepson as her own, he was not her own son after all.
If Princess Yongning were still alive, would she allow her son to be bullied?
This thought flashed through the minds of many people, but they were reluctant to say it out loud.
After receiving the order, Princess Yongjia's men were about to take Li Yunhuai away, but were stopped by Wenzhu.
Shen Zhixiu said coldly, "Princess, please forgive me. Minister Yang and I are already investigating this case. It is no longer a family matter."
Zhang Pan, standing nearby, also spoke in a cold tone, "Family affairs? This duke was shot in the back by an arrow and nearly died. Luckily, I survived, but I only lost an arm."
"Now Princess Shanjun says it's a family matter, and I won't agree to it."
"General Li is a bastard of the Li family, so he naturally wouldn't dare disobey the princess. But on this matter, the Li family must give me an explanation."
Zhang Pan is not afraid of confronting the Li family. He and his grandmother are the only ones left in the Xuanwu Marquis Mansion. He, who is barefoot, is not afraid of those who wear shoes.
There are some things that Li Yunzhou is not good at saying, so he is the right person to say them.
Princess Yongjia glared at Zhang Pan with gritted teeth, "Isn't Marquis Xuanwu still alive? Do you still want my son to pay with his life?"
Zhang Pan raised his lips in a wicked smile. "I didn't die because General Li saved me. This is a favor I owe General Li, but it's not a reason for me to spare Li Yunhuai."
"Master Shen, in your opinion, is the evidence of Li Yunhuai's guilt irrefutable?"
Shen Zhixiu nodded. Li Yunhuai had admitted it himself and said in the Ganyang Palace that this was also solid evidence.
Zhang Pan nodded with satisfaction. "Then please ask Lord Shen to submit a memorial to the Emperor. I will also draft a memorial. Please ask the Emperor to make a decision for the soldiers who died in the battle and not to disappoint the loyal ministers and generals."
"I will stay outside the city today. When Li Yunhuai is beheaded, I will enter the city."
Princess Yongjia pointed at Zhang Pan and shouted angrily, "Marquis Xuanwu, you are threatening the emperor."
Zhang Pan shook his head. "I dare not. I only know that the Zhang family is full of loyal and brave men who died protecting the Great Zhou. I have no complaints, and neither do the Zhang family."
"But if I am the only one who died as a result of a conspiracy, then I would not be able to face the ancestors of the Zhang family."
"If the Emperor also feels this is a threat, I will accept any punishment he may give me."
Princess Yongjia didn't expect Zhang Pan to be so difficult to deal with, and he seemed determined to kill Li Yunhuai.
If Zhang Pan and Li Yunzhou both mean this, even if the matter is brought to the imperial court, it will probably be difficult to resolve.
Princess Yongjia looked around at everyone and knew that she had to start with Li Yunzhou.
If Li Yunzhou was willing to let Li Yunhuai go, this matter could be put to rest.
She made up her mind and knelt down in front of Li Yunzhou.
"Yunzhou, your third brother has done such a treasonous act, and mother is responsible."
"Mother is atoning for your third brother's sins and kneeling before you. Can you spare his life? I promise that this won't happen again."
Li Chaoyun and Li Jingchuan rushed to help him upon seeing this. Li Jingchuan shouted at Li Yunzhou, "You unfilial son, why don't you agree to your mother's request?"
Song Hongshen frowned, "Are you trying to force Yunzhou? If he doesn't agree, will he be accused of being unfilial?"
Zhang Pan sneered, "The son of the Li family is his son, so we are all worthless and deserve to be killed, right?"
Princess Yongjia didn't care what others thought, she just wanted to force Li Yunzhou to agree to this matter. As long as Li Yunzhou agreed, it would be equivalent to saving half of Li Yunhuai's life.
Just at this moment, a sharp announcement came from outside the crowd, "The Emperor has arrived."
When Princess Yongjia heard that the emperor was coming, she cried even harder. She was thinking about what she could say to move the emperor and let Li Yunhuai go.
But to Princess Yongjia's surprise, Li Yunzhou also knelt down in front of her.
These words made her heart hang in the air.
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