Li Zhu stopped in his tracks because of this name, and looked at the speaker with murderous intent in his eyes!
"You're saying you're Shi Jingtang?"
"How dare you speak to the Pillar of the Stone like that! He is a brother who fought alongside our father to conquer the world, and now he is one of the Eight Pillars of the Stone, guarding Youzhou. He is the true pillar of our New Tang Dynasty. How can you be so insolent!"
Seeing Li Zhu's disrespectful treatment of meritorious officials, the Third Prince reciprocated by standing up and criticizing Li Zhu. His words also made Shi Jingtang unconsciously straighten his back and show an extremely proud expression on his face!
"Have you reached an agreement with the Liao people?"
Ignoring the Third Prince's incompetent rage, he coldly asked the pretentious Shi Jingtang!
"Kid, I don't understand what you're saying!"
Shi Jingtang was shocked, but he replied calmly that he didn't know how Li Zhu knew about his contact with the Liao Kingdom. This matter was carried out in secret, and no more than five people knew about it, but each of them was his confidant and would never betray him!
Little did he know that Li Zhu was lying to him. History was different now than in his previous life, but Shi Jingtang was too famous. He was practically the greatest disgrace to China, and no one wanted to mention him!
To fawn over a foreigner younger than himself and even acknowledge him as his father is utterly shameless. If he could kill such a person, he would not hesitate at all. With his death, the stain of a puppet emperor would be eliminated from Chinese history!
"Don't you understand? Could it be that the letter the Liao emperor received was fake? You were willing to cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun as a condition, allowing you to launch a direct attack on the Central Plains without any worries. Don't you understand even this, Shi Jingtang…"
Li Zhu roared out the last three words. Shi Jingtang, already in shock and fear, was stunned by this roar and momentarily lost his composure, asking in a panic.
How do you know all this?
When he asked that question, he knew he was in trouble. It was tantamount to admitting that Li Zhu's words were true. If he refused to admit it, even if Li Zhu had evidence to prove that he had rebellious intentions, he could not do anything to him. After all, he was one of the Eight Pillars of the New Tang Dynasty, and his achievements overshadowed the emperor. Even the emperor would not dare to really do anything to him!
The entire court fell silent at that moment; you could hear the leaves falling.
They only just found out that one of the Pillar of State had already betrayed them. If the other side really led troops to attack, the consequences would be unbearable!
But what shocked them even more was how Li Zhu knew about this news?
He had no background or power whatsoever. Any one of the people in the court had more channels for obtaining information than Li Zhu!
This scene naturally reached the Imperial Study. He wasn't too shocked by his brother's betrayal; like everyone else, he was shocked at how Li Zhu knew such information!
"Your Majesty, are you...?"
The eunuch Tang, standing nearby, hesitated, as if to say something, implying that as the emperor, he should perhaps handle the situation.
"Since the Crown Prince was able to learn of this information and expose it to his face, let him handle it..."
After thinking for a moment, the emperor decided not to personally meet with his old brother who had betrayed him, thus preserving the latter's final dignity and leaving the problem to Li Zhu!
His biggest concern now was how Li Zhu had known about this news before him. Did Li Zhu possess some mysterious power? Was his apparent incompetence and bloodthirstiness all an act? Countless chaotic thoughts left the emperor somewhat uncertain and suspicious. Whatever the situation, it was not what he wanted to see…
Li Zhu in the imperial court never expected that his mere trickery would frighten the other party into revealing his true feelings. This inadvertently earned him a great achievement and made everyone wary of him!
This made him realize that even if history changes, some people's trajectories will not change much. It seems that he should pay attention to a person named Zhao Kuangyin in the future, as he is definitely the biggest obstacle to his throne!
"Hmph! Even if you are a pillar of the state, you will still pay the price for your betrayal. You're not leaving today!"
Li Zhu did not answer the other party's question, but instead pretended to be indifferent and said!
"Boy, I am one of the Eight Pillars of State. What can you do to me? Even if I rebelled, your father might not kill me, let alone the fact that I haven't done anything..."
After the initial shock, Shi Jingtang calmed down and didn't take the matter to heart. Even if he had rebellious intentions, as long as he didn't put them into practice, there was still room for maneuver. At worst, he could go back to being a local tyrant, and no one could do anything to him anyway!
"Since ancient times, treason has been a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Do you still think you can escape unscathed?"
Li Zhu looked at Shi Jingtang with a dangerous gaze, and at that moment the guards rushed in and blocked the gate!
"Li Zhu, you're nothing but a piece of trash. I advise you not to act recklessly. I'm your father's brother. Even if someone is to convict me, it should be your father. You're not worthy. Besides, my 100,000 troops in Youzhou are ready to fight at any time. If I can't get back, they will definitely avenge me. If you know what's good for you, prepare some provisions for me and let me return to Youzhou safely!"
Shi Jingtang said with great confidence, displaying his decisive and ruthless character as a military general at this moment!
"As expected of a pillar of the state, how about I prepare 300,000 dan of grain for you?"
Are you kidding me?
Shi Jingtang looked at Li Zhu uncertainly. Was there really such a good thing? He had only been hoping to swindle as much as possible, but he never expected that there would actually be 300,000 dan of grain!
"Didn't you start the joke?"
Li Zhu looked at Shi Jingtang with an attitude that seemed to infuriate him to death!
"You...you're playing me..."
Shi Jingtang, his whole body radiating murderous intent, pointed at Li Zhu and said through gritted teeth!
The others were also shocked as they looked at Li Zhu, not understanding when the Crown Prince had become so assertive. In the past, he would never dare to lose his temper with anyone except when bullying servants and commoners. This was why he was criticized after killing the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict!
"Playing you for fools? I'm going to kill you! Guards, throw him into the dungeon..."
Following Li Zhu's order, the guards immediately rushed forward to arrest Shi Jingtang!
"Who dares! I am one of the Eight Pillars of State..."
Shi Jingtang roared, startling the guards who immediately stopped, unsure of what to do!
"You still remember you're a Pillar of State, but that title belongs to the New Tang Dynasty. Now that you're betraying the New Tang, your position is useless. Seize him..."
After Li Zhu finished speaking, he continued to give orders!
"Li Zhu, he is a pillar of the state. Have you considered Father's wishes when you humiliate him like this?"
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