At this point, Li Zhu naturally wouldn't hold back. Since you all dared to make such an outrageous request as searching the Eastern Palace, he wouldn't mind joining you in being shameless...
So, after a pause, he continued...
"However, I will also send people to search each of your residences because I suspect that each of you is forming cliques and embezzling funds. I need to go to each of your homes to collect evidence. Is that reasonable?"
Upon hearing Li Zhu's words, everyone's expression changed drastically. Everyone who was standing here had gone to great lengths and used every means to get to where they were now.
No one can escape unscathed or without problems in this situation. If someone were to actually search, they could uncover a great deal of issues…
"How can this be allowed? We are important officials in the court; how can we be allowed to search our homes so easily?"
"Exactly, this suggestion is definitely not going to work..."
"Wishful thinking! This is an insult to us!"
There was a lot of discussion, but almost everyone was against the search of their homes. After all, there were too many secrets in their homes, and if they were found, it would be a capital offense!
“I am the Crown Prince Regent. You all stand on the moral high ground to criticize me and want to go to my house to collect evidence to impeach me. Don’t I have any dignity?”
Do you think it doesn't matter as long as it's not your own face that's lost? Is royal dignity worthless in your hearts? I've already taken the lead and am willing to cooperate with the search of the Crown Prince's Palace, why are you unwilling? Is it because you yourselves have something to hide?
Upon hearing Li Zhu's words, everyone lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze. These words were truly too hurtful. After all, the search of the Eastern Palace was intended to suppress Li Zhu, and it wouldn't be worth risking their lives for it...
"Hmph! The royal family has completely disgraced you, so what face do you have left? Do you think your own face is more important than the royal family's?"
When Li Zhu asked this question, everyone fell silent, because anything said at this moment would be wrong!
"Didn't you want to search my Eastern Palace? I'm risking the dignity of the royal family to gamble with your dignity. No matter how you look at it, I'm at a loss. What else are you dissatisfied with?"
Li Zhu coldly observed everyone; these people were like crows perched on a coal pile, able to see the darkness in others but not in themselves…
"His Highness the Crown Prince is an upright man, we admire him..."
At this moment, someone immediately stood up and said, fearing that Li Zhu would send people to search the house!
"His Highness the Crown Prince has always been a kind and virtuous person; such rumors are not to be believed..."
"I have absolute faith in the Crown Prince's character; he would never do something so unethical..."
"Yes, Your Highness is very kind..."
Everyone was praising Li Zhu, creating quite a lively scene. They described Li Zhu as an exceptionally kind and unparalleled person, almost like a rare gem in the world...
Although everyone knew it wasn't the truth, Li Zhu believed it because he felt that he was that kind of person—an upright and pure person…
bass!
Pfft!
Glug glug!
The knife was drawn, the sharp weapon pierced the body, and the head rolled away...
Li Zhu's entire movement was fluid and seamless, leaving everyone stunned. How could he kill someone so easily...?
Yang Sixu's head rolled to the ground. This man was inherently cruel; keeping him alive would only bring more harm than good...
Moreover, the other party must be a member of the Yang family. Killing him would attract the Yang family's hatred towards him. As long as the Yang family makes a move, he would have an excuse to wipe out the Yang family...
"Arrogant..."
The Third Prince angrily rebuked him!
“You all praise me for being kind, which proves that Yang Sixu was just slandering me. You should know that slandering the Crown Prince is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one’s family. Considering that the Yang family has made contributions to the founding of the country, I will only kill him!
You all should understand that I'm doing this for Yang Sixu's own good. If he were to enter the Dali Temple, it would be a capital offense punishable by slow slicing. I'm helping him escape this torment in advance..."
Hearing Li Zhu's words, the officials couldn't help but curse inwardly, "You're truly kind-hearted! You've killed someone, and you still expect them to thank you? If Yang Sixu could stand up, he would definitely thank you and your family for three generations..."
However, no one dared to speak up at this point, otherwise, if a search were to take place, it would undoubtedly result in a bloodbath that was unimaginable in Luoyang...
He killed the man, but Yang Guifei in the harem was furious; this was his own brother…
This Yang Guifei is certainly not the Yang Guifei from Emperor Xuanzong's time; that one is already in her coffin...
However, this Yang Guifei was also a great beauty with a full figure, luxurious clothes, and graceful demeanor...
Upon hearing the news of his younger brother's murder, he rushed to the imperial study, buried his face in the emperor's arms, and burst into tears. His tears were like raindrops on his face, and the emperor felt extremely distressed at the sight.
"My beloved concubine, what's wrong with you?"
The emperor was a cunning old fox; although he knew what had happened, he still asked the question knowing the answer!
"Your Majesty, you must stand up for me..."
After crying until she was exhausted, Consort Yang raised her head and looked at the Emperor with extreme grievance, saying:
"My beloved consort, please tell me if you have any grievances, and I will certainly stand up for you..."
The Emperor spoke without the slightest hesitation!
"Your Majesty, Li Zhu is nothing but a useless crown prince, someone who will soon be sent to Xiliang as a hostage. Yet he dared to openly kill someone in the court. This is the third day he has killed someone. Such a person is far too cruel..."
My poor brother, he was brutally murdered today, he... he beheaded him... You must do justice for me! He was my only brother, he had finally become the Vice Minister of War, and had such a bright future ahead of him, and now he's dead, sob sob sob…”
Upon hearing Yang Guifei's words, the Emperor immediately slammed his fist on the table and roared angrily.
"What? Li Zhu is so audacious? This is utterly reckless and willful! I will issue an order to punish him immediately..."
“That’s right, Your Majesty, issue the decree to execute him immediately…”
Consort Yang immediately nodded in agreement!
"My dear consort, the women of the inner palace are not allowed to interfere in politics. How to deal with Li Zhu is naturally determined by the law. I will send people to investigate now, and issue an edict after clarifying the matter. My dear consort only needs to return to her palace and wait for news..."
The Emperor first reprimanded Consort Yang, then gently coaxed her to go back, since she had been making a scene for so long and it was really annoying to watch…
“Your Majesty, what is there left to investigate? Li Zhu has been massacring ministers for three consecutive days, and today he even killed my brother. The evidence is conclusive, and all the officials in the court are witnesses. All we need to do is issue an edict to execute him…”
Consort Yang, oblivious to the Emperor's implied meaning, assumed he intended to protect Li Zhu and immediately became anxious…
"My beloved concubine, I have already said that the harem must not interfere in politics. This is a matter for the court, and it takes time. If I were to make all the decisions by myself, wouldn't the new Tang Dynasty be in chaos?"
The Emperor's tone was extremely serious, leaving Consort Yang momentarily speechless, as she was unfamiliar with court affairs...
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