Chapter 338: Execute First and Report Later
When the people in the mourning hall saw it, they exclaimed: "Second Master——"
Hearing this, Lin Yi recognized the identity of the person in front of him and was startled. He looked as if he had seen a ghost: "You...you..."
Zhao Yi walked forward step by step without stopping.
Lin Yi retreated step by step until his back hit the guards who surrounded him, and then he stopped.
Zhao Yi stopped and asked gently, "Master Lin, why are you running away? Is it because the hospitality here is not good enough?"
Lin Yi's face flushed red.
His guards were captured, turned against him, and confessed everything he had done. He was left speechless and isolated.
As long as he escapes from the Prince of Guangling's Mansion and doesn't fall into the hands of the Imperial Preceptor, he will be able to make a comeback.
After all, Zhao Yi is dead, and he might be able to use this as a breakthrough point to find another way to survive.
Who would have thought... who would have thought that the person who was originally dead would actually come back to life.
"You're not dead... I was wrongly accused..." Lin Yi's thoughts raced, as if he saw a glimmer of hope. He suddenly looked at the Deputy Minister, "Lord Liu, my guards were captured by Prefect Jiang, and they accused me of sending them to kill Prince Guangling. But Prince Guangling is still alive, which is enough to prove that Prefect Jiang tortured them into confessing and forcing them to frame me."
"Please speak a fair word for me. It's too rash to try to convict me based on their one-sided account." Lin Yi was very emotional. "The Imperial Master just said that if there is no evidence, it would be a false accusation."
After hearing what Lin Yi said, the deputy assistant minister felt that it made some sense. Before he could speak, he heard Lin Yi continue, "They framed me for burning the civilians. They are accusing me of such a serious crime, hoping to force me to death."
He felt extremely aggrieved. "I have received the Emperor's grace and have worked diligently for the country and the people, just to be worthy of this favor. I dare not exceed it in the slightest. Who would have thought that after devoting most of my life to managing things, I would be framed like this? Is there any justice in the world?"
"If I hadn't been saved by the ferryman, I would have perished in the cold river." Zhao Yi pulled several letters from his sleeves and slowly opened one. He held the piece of paper between his fingers and handed it to Lin Yi. "Is this enough evidence?"
Lin Yi's pupils shrank. This letter was written to County Magistrate Xu, instructing him to arrange for Zhao Yi to live in a house with an epidemic.
He refused to admit it and argued forcefully, "This... this is clearly a forged letter by you."
Zhao Yi lifted his eyelids and looked at Lin Yi: "This piece of evidence is not enough, how about adding another one?"
Lin Yi looked at Zhao Yi's calm and composed appearance, and suddenly felt nervous.
Zhao Yi clapped his hands.
Jiang Mu and Jiang Chao came in carrying two people who were tied up.
These two people were none other than County Magistrate Xu and the Censor.
Their mouths were blocked, so they could only look at Lin Yi for help.
Lin Yi was horrified. Zhao Yi actually dared to arrest an imperial official without authorization.
Who gave a prince who has no real power the courage?
Zhao Yi said, "Lord Lin, I don't need to elaborate on how the plague in Cloud City and Rock City came about, do I?"
Lin Yi was terrified. The plague in Yuncheng and Panshi City was caused by him, who asked County Magistrate Xu and the Censor to do so.
Zhao Yi said gently, "If you feel you have been wronged, then go to the underworld and seek justice."
When Lin Yi heard what Zhao Yi said, he felt a great panic in his heart.
As expected, Zhao Yi said word for word, "Young Master Lin, County Magistrate Xu, and Supervisory Censor spread the plague, brought disaster to the people, and plotted to murder this king. The evidence is irrefutable, and their crimes are unforgivable."
He said in a cold voice: "Prefect Jiang, drag them away and behead them."
Magistrate Jiang quickly signaled the bailiffs to drag Lin Yi away and behead him.
The guards wanted to protect Lin Yi, but were trapped by the elite troops brought by Qiu Zhentian.
Lin Yi was stunned. He never expected that Zhao Yi would be so bold as to act first and report later.
Crazy! Absolutely crazy!
Lin Yi was filled with hatred, his eyes bloodshot. "I am a fourth-rank official of the imperial court and the brother of Concubine Shu. You have no right to punish me!"
"Yuncheng is my fiefdom." Zhao Yi glanced at Lin Yi and said, "I have the right to deal with you."
He naturally knew that officials below the fifth rank could be executed first and reported later.
But Zhao Yi was not afraid of Lin Yi.
First, Lin Yimou murdered him first.
Secondly, he was punishing a criminal who murdered the people, and he had the support of the Great Zhou. Even if he executed the criminal first and reported to the emperor later, the Emperor of Northern Qi would at most give him a verbal warning and would never go to war against him for such a criminal.
Third, the Northern Qi Emperor cherished his reputation. As public opinion about Lin Yi burning the people fermented, he would only want to suppress the incident of Lin Yi as soon as possible. How could he seek justice for Lin Yi?
Zhao Yi waved his hand and said, "Take it away."
The bailiff blocked Lin Yi's mouth and dragged him away forcefully.
Everyone was shocked by Zhao Yi's iron-blooded tactics. They watched Lin Yi being taken away with mixed emotions.
Lin Yi was Concubine Shu's brother, so Zhao Yi could arrest him or behead him without any scruples.
Originally, they were shaken by Lin Yi's words. With the ups and downs of officialdom, intrigues and frame-ups, they did suspect that the imperial tutor had teamed up with Zhao Yi to set up a trap for Lin Yi.
When they saw Zhao Yi take out several letters, tie up County Magistrate Xu and the Censor, and see Lin Yi looking like he was being strangled and had no way to defend himself, they knew the answer in their hearts.
Even if Lin Yi committed a heinous crime, the decision should be made by the Emperor of Northern Qi.
Everyone looked at Zhao Yi with fear in their eyes.
Zhao Yi took in everyone's expressions. Lin Yi had a special identity. If he was brought back to the capital to be decided by the Emperor of Northern Qi, it might cause complications.
He cut the Gordian knot and shocked the ministers, thereby gaining a firm foothold in Northern Qi.
After all, he was a fourth-rank minister and the brother of the favorite concubine. Even the Emperor of Northern Qi did not dare to punish him if he chopped off his head. Others would have weighed the matter in their hearts.
The imperial teacher glanced at Zhao Yi and was impressed by his actions.
After this incident, Zhao Yi established deterrent power in Northern Qi.
Zhao Yi handed the letter to Jiang Mu and looked at everyone with clear eyes: "You all have come a long way to visit the Guangling Palace. I have just been handling official business and disturbed your peace and quiet. Why don't you move to the side hall and have some simple tea."
Having said that, Zhao Yi coughed a few times.
Everyone looked at Zhao Yiqing's beautiful face, which was as pale as paper, with pale lips, and he looked sick and weak.
Such a weak and harmless person, just opened his mouth and executed several officials.
They looked at Zhao Yi with a bit more wariness and awe, and said quickly: "Your Highness, we have important matters to attend to. We will visit you another day."
After saying this, everyone left in a hurry without wanting to stay any longer.
In an instant, only the imperial teacher, the deputy minister, Qiu Zhentian and others were left in the palace.
The second assistant sighed in his heart. If Zhao Yi killed Lin Yi, he would become an enemy of Concubine Shu.
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