Sensing the displeasure on the emperor's face acutely, the empress dowager also wore a sorrowful look. She placed her hand on the emperor's outstretched arm and sighed helplessly.
"Your Majesty, this is the Hall of Imperial Peace. Originally, it's not a place for this old woman. But I came here out of desperation."
"I was afraid that if I came any later, a great disaster would occur!"
Hearing this, the emperor frowned slightly. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the empress dowager suddenly turn cold - faced and shout sternly towards the outside of the hall.
"Bring the person in quickly!"
As soon as the empress dowager's voice fell, two palace servants immediately carried in a dying and blood - stained person from outside the hall and placed him on the open space in the middle of the main hall.
When Li Haichang saw the person on the wooden board clearly, his face changed instantly. He quickly stepped forward a few steps, knelt down in front of the person and asked anxiously.
"Third brother, how could you be so seriously injured? Who was so cruel?!"
As Li Haichang spoke, his eyes were already fixed on Qi Rong. Looking at the head of Qiu Daoji in the bag on the ground, it seemed that in the entire capital, only Qi Rong could be so arrogant and reckless!
However, the truth of the matter was quite different from what Li Haichang thought!
"It was this old woman who ordered him to be beaten!"
As soon as the empress dowager said this, Li Haichang, who had been glaring at Qi Rong just now, suddenly turned to the empress dowager.
"Aunt, why did you do this?!"
In his anxiety, Li Haichang even forgot to pay attention to his address to the empress dowager. Looking at his third brother, Li Jian, in such a state, seriously beaten and with bloodstains on the hem of his clothes, it was shocking. One could even guess that his legs were injured!
Hearing Li Haichang's words, the empress dowager glared angrily and said in a cold tone.
"Before you feel sorry for his injuries, ask this wretch what he has done first!"
"He was used by the traitor Qiu Daoji. Because of his personal feud with the prime minister before, he acted rashly out of impulse and framed the prime minister for treason. He even bribed a martial - arts sect to intercept and kill the prime minister, but they almost accidentally injured the crown prince!"
According to the empress dowager, Li Jian, the third son of the Duke of Li's family, had an old grudge with Yun Sheng. So he was instigated by Qiu Daoji, framed Yun Sheng, and almost accidentally killed the crown prince!
But when he heard the news of Qiu Daoji's death this morning, Li Jian couldn't help but think of his own actions. He immediately felt remorse and even fear.
So, in order to avoid the emperor's punishment, he entered the palace early in the morning to confess his crimes to the empress dowager, hoping to get the empress dowager's protection.
However, upon hearing this, the empress dowager was extremely angry. She not only refused Li Jian's request but also ordered someone to beat him severely.
She also crippled his legs so that he could never stand or walk again as a punishment!
Finally, in order to let the emperor decide Li Jian's crime personally, she ordered someone to carry Li Jian to the Hall of Imperial Peace!
"The Li family has been loyal for generations, devoting themselves to the royal family and the common people. But he has shamed our ancestors! As the current empress dowager and a descendant of the Li family, how can I just sit back and do nothing?!"
The empress dowager was angry and sad. She looked heart - broken as she spoke!
Qi Rong couldn't help but smile, always wearing a sarcastic look on his face. The old hag was really more skillful!
In such a short period of time, she had cut off her own arm. She found a scapegoat with a decent status from the Li family. Coupled with a reasonable explanation, even if the emperor was reluctant, he couldn't take action against the Li family anymore.
However, Qi Rong was not surprised or disappointed by this outcome.
Because from the very beginning, he knew that the Li family was deeply rooted and powerful. It wasn't something he could easily uproot overnight. Especially since there was such a highly - skilled backer behind the Li family!
Sure enough, after hearing the empress dowager's words, the emperor was shocked. He didn't say a word, but there was a faint dark color in his eyes.
Li Haichang also immediately reacted. He didn't even care about his younger brother's injuries. Following the empress dowager's words, he pretended to be extremely shocked and said miserably.
"Could it be that what the King of Xian said before was true?!"
"Although I've known for a long time that my third brother had a feud with Yun Sheng, I never thought that he would still hold a grudge until now. He even did such a reckless and stupid thing!"
Li Haichang was really good at acting. With the empress dowager's help, he smoothly shifted all the accusations Qi Rong had made against the Li family onto Li Jian alone.
Looking at this dramatic scene in front of them, all the ministers were a bit confused for a moment.
Although they were skeptical about the truth of the matter, no one dared to question the empress dowager's words.
How to handle the matter ultimately depended on the emperor's decision!
Meeting the empress dowager's expectant gaze, the emperor was silent for a long time. Then he said with a smile on his face.
"Mother, I've roughly understood the whole thing. You've just recovered from your illness. Don't worry about this matter. Go back to the palace and rest early."
Then, Qi Hong paused for a moment and said seriously with a solemn look in his eyes.
"I'll handle this matter."
He had believed the rumor and imprisoned Yun Sheng in the imperial prison. Originally, he wanted to force Yun Sheng to hand over the military amulet by accusing him of colluding with the enemy and treason.
But in the end, he got nothing!
Now that Qiu Daoji was dead, there was no way to verify the truth. Even though he had many doubts in his heart and already believed that what Qi Rong said was true. He truly felt that the Li family had overstepped their boundaries and even had designs on him!
If it were someone else, he would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one go. He would mercilessly eliminate the threat completely!
However, the Li family was not an ordinary family. On the one hand, the empress dowager was clearly protecting them. On the other hand, their power was deeply rooted and huge. He still needed their support for the time being and couldn't move against them for the moment.
So, he had to maintain the surface peace and plan slowly!
Meeting the emperor's determined gaze, the empress dowager was slightly shocked in her heart.
Was the emperor going to exclude her from power?
Even though the empress dowager understood this in her heart, her face showed a gentle smile. She said righteously.
"Son, you can handle this matter impartially. Don't care about anyone's feelings!"
Although this sentence of the empress dowager sounded like she was being just and fair, the emperor heard a hint of coercion. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes coldly, and then nodded and said.
"I know what to do."
After getting the emperor's answer, the empress dowager admonished Li Haichang. She told him to remember the family precepts, be loyal to the royal family, and restrain the descendants of the Li family.
Li Haichang respectfully agreed. Then the empress dowager slowly left. Before leaving, she couldn't help but glance at Li Jian, who was lying on the ground barely breathing and hadn't received any treatment yet. There was a hint of pity in her eyes, but it was quickly suppressed.
Because she knew that now the emperor already had a rift with the Li family. Only by sacrificing one person could the Li family be temporarily spared from disaster!
After the empress dowager left, the emperor glanced at Li Jian on the ground indifferently. He said coldly to the guards with a stern expression.
"The person is already dead. Drag him out of the palace and bury him in a mass grave."
This meant that even if Li Jian was dead, he wouldn't be taken back by the Li family and buried with the proper rites of the Li family!
"Your Majesty!"
Li Haichang exclaimed in a voice full of grief. Seeing that his younger brother still had a breath but was about to be buried alive by the emperor, his heart was filled with pain.
Seeing Li Haichang's unbearable pain, holding his younger brother's body in his arms and refusing to let the guards take him away, the emperor, Qi Hong, sneered.
"Does Lord Li have doubts about my decision? Or, do you want to take your brother's place?"
Hearing the second half of the sentence, Li Haichang's hands holding his younger brother immediately retracted. He slumped down on the ground.
Watching his younger brother being carried out without even a straw mat and knowing that he might be devoured by wild beasts, Li Haichang's eyes were filled with tears and an incomparable hatred!
One day, he would avenge his younger brother! He would not let his brother's sacrifice for the family be in vain!