Chapter 282 What a selfish and harmful act!
"What a selfish act that harms others."
In the study, Li Yi held a long scroll in his hand, without raising his head.
The thick volume contained the names of those imprisoned on New Year's Eve, as well as items confiscated from various mansions.
The most eye-catching item was the fragments of armor that were dug out from under the floorboards in Xu Weiyou's study.
And inside the hidden door of the artificial hill in Zhao Wencheng's back garden, there were two carts full of gold and silver jewelry, including tributes that he had kept.
Seeing that Li Jin remained silent, Li Yi slowly raised his head, looked at him deep in thought, and after a long while, chuckled softly: "Did you get three smart people, or three incorrigible idiots?"
Upon hearing this, Li Jincai snapped out of his thoughts, looked at Li Yi, and spread his hands helplessly: "If we hadn't been unable to find an idiot, we wouldn't have given it to three smart people."
Those he sent to the coroner's office had all met Jin Shu at some point.
At the time, she was disguised as a man, and no one could have imagined that this skinny little girl would one day become a world-renowned coroner.
"Hmm..." Li Yi looked at him, his eyes lowered, and pondered for a moment, "After the commotion on New Year's Eve, there were indeed far fewer sycophants in the official reports submitted at the beginning of this year."
He paused, a look of inquiry flashing in his eyes, and tentatively said, "But... there are many more voices calling for the removal of the crown prince."
There was a long silence between the two.
Seeing that Li Jin did not respond, Li Yi took another step forward: "If the Crown Prince is deposed, there will be a lot of memorials calling for the establishment of a new heir. There may even be actors like the Prince of Pingyang who will kneel outside with tears streaming down their faces and put on a show of establishing a Crown Prince as soon as possible to bring peace to the country."
Li Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Li Jin's calm demeanor, and asked directly, "What is Prince Jing's opinion on this matter?"
The question was asked, but the response was not as expected.
Li Jin, on the other hand, looked at him with a puzzled expression, blinked, and asked, "What does this have to do with me?"
This question left Li Yi completely bewildered.
The way he smacked his lips in his words suggested a hint of disbelief.
Then she raised her hand and pointed at Li Jin: "Hey, you little brat! You're the one who wanted to overturn the case, and you're the one who dragged him down. Now, in the three provinces and six ministries, we're missing two ministers. Without the prime minister and the crown prince to lend a hand, look at my study..."
He complained and lamented, pointing to the memorials scattered all over the table and floor: "I can't even celebrate the New Year!"
Li Jinshen agreed and cupped his hands in greeting: "Father, you are very busy with state affairs. You must be tired."
You've had a tough time? That's all?
Looking at his expression, Li Yi stared blankly for a long time, his mouth slightly agape and his eyebrows raised and lowered. He said in great surprise, "You're not going to tell me that you've achieved your goal and are planning to just pack up and go back to your Three Judicial Office to continue being a leisurely prince?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Li Jin neither nodded nor shook his head. But the fact that he clearly avoided Li Yi's gaze still left Li Yi incredulous.
That's amazing!
Throughout history, which prince who dragged down the crown prince wasn't doing so in order to seize the throne?
I guess I'm getting old and out of touch with the times. I can't keep up with the ideas of this generation of young people.
Seeing Li Jin's indifferent attitude, he pursed his lips, glared at him, and said with "appreciation," "You're really something! You little rascal!"
Li Yi let out a long breath, glanced at the memorial on the table, frowned, and lightly tapped his fingers.
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and changed his tone with a smile: "Ah, that's true, Father is too impatient. Since you're not interested in this, I won't force you."
Across from him at the desk, Li Jin paused, instinctively sensing a hint of scheming.
If there's one outstanding quality that has endured through the ages for the Li family, it's truly only their cunning and ruthlessness, passed down through their bloodline since the founding emperor.
As expected, Li Yi, while expressing his regret, put on an understanding look: "It's good to go back and be a leisurely prince. Managing the Six Doors is also a pillar of the state."
"It's a pity..." Li Yi clicked his tongue, rubbing his wrist, and picked up a secret letter from the table, "It's a pity about your mother's sister, that widow, General Xiao's granddaughter..."
Li Jin suddenly looked up. This was a new identity that Consort Xiao had given to Jin Shu, one that matched his status.
Li Yi smiled and shook the secret letter in his hand: "With such a noble status, and at the age to discuss marriage, I have thought it over and over again, and if we were to arrange a marriage, only the current Crown Prince is worthy of her."
As Li Yi spoke, he glanced at Li Jin's face out of the corner of his eye, shook his head, and sighed, "In these six years, I have truly wronged the Xiao family too much. The position of the most honored woman in the future of the Great Wei can only be left to the Xiao family."
He paused deliberately, admiring Li Jin's twitching eyes, and smiled considerately: "Since you don't want to be the Crown Prince, then only Li Shang from Consort De's palace is left. Very well, a woman three years older than her husband is like holding a gold brick..."
“Your Majesty, I never said that my ambitions lay elsewhere.” Li Jin frowned, exhaled through his nasal cavity, and said coldly, “It is just that this matter is of utmost importance and involves many aspects, and it is not something that Your Majesty can decide.”
Hearing this, Li Yi nodded with satisfaction and sat up straight. "Anyway, the imperial edict of marriage will be delivered on the same day the new crown prince is established." As he spoke, he leaned forward, mimicking Li Jin's earlier gesture, and smiled slightly. "As for the rest, that's none of my business!"
This was clearly a message to Li Jin: whether he became crown prince or not was none of his business.
Anyway, Jin Shu, whom he orchestrated to become the adopted daughter of a collateral branch of the Xiao family, must become the Crown Princess.
As for whether he cares or not, or whether he competes, Li Yi doesn't care. At worst, Li Shang will take over, and given their relationship, it won't be a big problem.
When Li Jin came out of the study with the imperial edict, Song Zhen, who had been standing at the door for a long time, suddenly burst out laughing.
It's true that everything has its counter; a son can't beat his father, and a daughter-in-law can't beat her husband.
Seeing his shoulders shaking with laughter, Li Jin rolled his eyes at him and then said irritably, "I have obtained the imperial edict that Young Master Song requested."
Li Jin raised one hand, his gaze passing through the golden imperial edict embroidered with cranes and landing on Song Zhen's face: "Young Master Song, have you thought this through? If you accept this, after your death, you will be reduced to ashes and die without a burial place."
Seeing Li Jin's solemn expression, Song Zhen chuckled, raised her hands, and took the imperial edict from Li Jin's hands: "Song Zhen has no other choice." After saying that, she held the imperial edict tightly in her arms.
Glancing at the calm smile on his face, Li Jin lowered her eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, then gently patted his shoulder without saying anything.
Legend has it that if someone dies without a complete corpse a hundred years later, they will not be able to reincarnate.
However, none of these things mattered to Song Zhen at this moment.
He saved He Lin's life, that's good.
"There's something else." Li Jin took a few steps forward: "I remember, Young Master Song is a master of poisons?"
He stood backlit, hands behind his back, looking back at Song Zhen.
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