All the officials looked sideways.

Li Zhi held his forehead with one hand, looking a little impatient, and said in a deep voice:

"Lin Aiqing, what do you want to do?"

"The old minister wants to sue Li Yifu, the man from Zhongshushe, for buying a murderer to kill the imperial official!" the Minister of Rites said with a serious look on his face.

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked. All the officials in the hall were in an uproar and couldn't believe it.

"Lin Aiqing, do you know what it is to frame a high official in the DPRK?"

"I understand, but what I said is absolutely true!"

"After hearing that the wedding banquet was over last night, Mr. Zhao encountered an ambush on his way back. A thief tried to attack and kill Mr. Zhao. The veteran arrived with his troops and intercepted the thief."

After hearing this, everyone looked at Zhao Wujiang, who also continued:

"At that time, Wei Chen returned to the palace with a lantern. Unexpectedly, someone attempted to assassinate him. Fortunately, Master Shangshu rushed to the rescue, and Wei Chen survived."

"The thief was intercepted by Lord Shangshu. Knowing that the situation was too close to escape, he bit himself with poison and committed suicide. This thief was none other than a servant who attended the wedding banquet with Lord Li of Zhongshu House, Li Yifu!"

Li Zhi was sitting high on the dragon's throne. When he heard that Zhao Wujiang was attacked and killed, his expression became even colder.

With Li Zhi's authorization, a cold body covered with white cloth was carried to the court.

The white cloth was pulled back, and a body wearing night clothes, with a stiff face and a bloodless body was exposed to everyone.

After a while, the autopsy clerk completed the verification and said respectfully:

"Your Majesty, this person did commit suicide by biting the poison. The poison was hidden in his mouth, and the poison erupted from within. He died in less than one breath."

"Does anyone know this person?"

Zhongshu ordered Laiji to come out in a panic, and Li Yifu was his subordinate.

He took a few steps forward and looked at the body lying on the ground, feeling horrified in his heart.

This person was a servant of Li Yifu, and he had met him several times.

"...I would like to inform your Majesty that this person is indeed a servant of Li Yifu."

After receiving Zhongshu Ling Laiji's affirmative reply, the ministers were in an uproar again.

"Where is Li Yifu?"

Li Zhi asked again.

Seeing Gaozong Li Zhi getting furious, all the officials in the court kept silent knowingly.

Zhongshu ordered Laiji to bite the bullet and said, "Li Yifu today informed the sick...old minister...old minister..."

"Then send someone to bring him to me!"

The petty officials carried the order and rushed to Li Yi's mansion in Chang'an City.

The ministers whispered that it was not a trivial matter to murder an official of the imperial court.

Zhongshu Ling Laiji looked bitter and let out a long sigh. Li Yifu was his subordinate, and he would inevitably be punished this time.

The Minister of Rites was a little happy. As long as Li Yifu was found guilty of murdering a court official, the imperial examination fraud would be found out during the interrogation process, and then the Suiliang masters would be able to be cleared.

Something was wrong, Li Yifu couldn't possibly have no backup plan... Zhao Wujiang looked at the people with different expressions without moving his expression, and kept thinking in his heart. Ever since he didn't see Li Yifu's figure outside the palace, there was always something ominous.

A premonition enveloped him.

...

The time for two cups of tea passed quietly.

The eunuch in front of the palace came in and announced that Li Yifu had been taken and was waiting outside the palace.

Everyone cheered up and waited for the show to begin.

Li Yifu, a member of the Zhongshu House, was supported by someone. He walked into the hall step by step with frivolous steps.

He was not wearing an official uniform, but a white gown. On his abdomen, a patch of blood could be seen through the white gown.

Li Yifu's face was pale without a trace of blood, and he looked as if he was seriously ill. He knelt down tremblingly, his voice full of weakness:

"Old minister, I bow to the emperor! Long live my emperor!"

Li Zhi frowned, and his original anger turned into questions, why is Li Yifu so weak?

All the ministers were also frightened. At first, they thought that Li Yifu was just pretending to be sick, but they didn't expect that it turned out to be true now.

"Li Yifu! Do you know the man next to you?" the Minister of Rites said in a deep voice.

Li Yifu looked at the corpse lying aside, and his whole body trembled.

He knelt on the ground and said in a sad and aggrieved voice, "Your Majesty, you also have to make the decision for me!"

The Minister of Rites was astonished, while Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi frowned even deeper.

"Last night, after attending the wedding banquet, I was attacked by a traitor on my way back home. If my servants hadn't fought hard to protect me, I would never have seen you again, Your Majesty."

Li Yifu was extremely sad and even more furious: "The old minister later discovered that the traitor who committed the assassination actually colluded with the servants in the old minister's mansion. This... This is so frightening. Your Majesty, you have to make the decision for me!"

"Li Qing, did you say that you were assassinated last night?" Li Zhi looked solemn.

Hearing this, Li Yifu looked in disbelief. He was extremely shocked: "Could it be that someone else was assassinated as well?"

"Master Li, please open your eyes and take a closer look. Who is lying here? This is your personal servant!

Huh! He led people to ambush Mr. Zhao last night. If my officer hadn't arrived in time, Mr. Zhao might have been in danger.

He is just a small domestic servant, how could he dare to assassinate an official of the imperial court without your instructions?" The Minister of Rites also sensed something was wrong and spoke quickly.

Li Yifu breathed quickly and said in a trembling voice: "You are wronged, Your Majesty."

He turned to look at the Minister of Rites, "If I really wanted to murder Mr. Zhao, how could I be so stupid as to send my own servant?"

The Minister of Rites was stunned and didn't know how to refute.

The other ministers nodded one after another, feeling that what Li Yifu said made sense.

Zhao Wujiang smiled inwardly and felt the difficulty of Li Yifu. It seemed that this person was extremely cunning and intelligent.

"Wait a minute!" Li Yifu said with a look of sudden realization, "Your Majesty, I understand!"

"There was someone in the court who was so ambitious that he planted chess pieces in the old minister's house. Many of his servants were bribed, so even the one closest to him was eventually bribed.

We heard about the wedding banquet last night and all the officials gathered in the city. It was a good time to take action.

This person sent a chess piece to assassinate Mr. Zhao. If he succeeded, a person as talented and capable as Mr. Zhao would die!

If it fails, we can also take the opportunity to drive a wedge between the old minister and Mr. Zhao, and make the two of us enemies!"

Everyone was shocked when they heard this, and the whole hall was in an uproar.

Li Yifu was salivating and excited: "He must have seen Mr. Zhao's good fortune, so he sent someone to assassinate the old minister. If successful, the old minister will have to bear the reputation of committing suicide in fear of crime..."

"That is, the loyal servants of the old minister fought to the death to protect each other, and the old minister survived..."

Speaking of this, Li Yifu looked sad and ready to cry.

The Minister of Rites was already frozen on the spot, at a loss for words. Li Yifu's words sounded reasonable, and he was shocked mentally.

All the officials in the court kept talking, and they felt a little uneasy in their hearts.
Chapter completed!