After ten years of accompanying me in my studies, the entire court begged me to shut up.

Chapter 126 An eye for an eye

"shut up!"

In a moment of impulsiveness, Jiang Ji was about to rush forward.

He's completely dumbfounded!

Didn't Li Gong say that they had all been withdrawn?

Why are people still being arrested?

Li Chun darted forward, drew his embroidered spring knife, and pressed it against Jiang Ji's neck.

Jiang Ji struggled and shouted, "Your Highness! I'm innocent! I'm truly innocent!"

Zhu Houzhao sat in the main seat, looking at him expressionlessly.

Yang Shen sighed and said, "Assassinating the Crown Prince—the Marquis of Dingxi is plotting a rebellion!"

Jiang Ji panicked and shouted, "I didn't do it! It was Li Gong! It was all Li Gong's idea! He said to send a troop disguised as Mongols to scare the Crown Prince and make him back down! We didn't really intend to assassinate the Crown Prince!"

Yang Shen shook his head: "Now that things have come to this, does the Marquis of Dingxi still want to deny it? We've already arrested him, we have his confession, and you still won't admit it? Do you think Li Gong would arrange for someone to frame you?"

These words were like a bolt from the blue!

Jiang Ji was stunned. Could it be that Li Gong had wronged him?

Thinking back to Li Gong's excited appearance last night, and that indescribable smugness.

He struggled frantically, his eyes bloodshot: "He framed me! He wanted to kill me! Your Highness, I'm innocent! I only wanted to collect a salary without working, I've never resold military supplies, and I never even considered rebelling! My family has received the Emperor's favor for generations; I wouldn't dare rebel even if I had a hundred lives!"

Yang Shen looked at him, shook his head, and sighed, "What a pity."

Jiang Ji was taken aback: "What's a pity? Yang, explain yourself clearly!"

Yang Shen did not speak, but looked at Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao knew it was time for him to take the stage.

He cleared his throat and slowly began to speak: "I have long heard from my father that the first Marquis of Dingxi followed Emperor Taizong and made great contributions. His descendants have been loyal and virtuous for generations, guarding the border without complaint."

Jiang Ji listened, tears welling up in his eyes.

Zhu Houzhao continued, "Father also said that he heard the Marquis of Dingxi has a young daughter, thirteen years old, who is well-educated and sensible, and he wants me to take her as the Crown Princess. My trip to Liaodong, passing through Shanhaiguan, was to discuss this matter with the Marquis of Dingxi."

Jiang Ji's tears finally fell.

Zhu Houzhao looked at him, his tone turning serious: "I never expected this, Marquis of Dingxi, why did you try to assassinate me?"

Jiang Ji's mind was about to explode.

His face flushed red, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Your Highness! I am innocent! I did embezzle some silver, and I have failed Your Majesty's trust! But the assassination was all Li Gong's idea! He was worried about being discovered for falsifying accounts, so he said he would send a troop disguised as Mongols to ambush Your Highness on the way, just to scare you! I was foolish, and I agreed! But I really only wanted to scare you; I never imagined he actually intended to assassinate Your Highness!"

He shouted more and more urgently, his voice even changing tone: "That bastard! He's trying to kill me! I won't let him get away with this!"

'

Zhu Houzhao looked at him and asked, "Did he also create those false accounts?"

Jiang Ji nodded repeatedly: "Li Gong did all the accounting! I admit it, I was involved too, I took a share of his money! But I really didn't know he went so far!"

Yang Shen suddenly spoke up: "What about the smuggling of military equipment? Were you involved too?"

Jiang Ji was stunned and asked, "What military smuggling? Who are you smuggling it to?"

Yang Shen pulled the intelligence report from his sleeve and read aloud: "Over the years, a large number of swords, spears, armor, and firearms have been smuggled from various garrisons in Shanhaiguan to the Uriyangkhai and Jianzhou Jurchens. Last year alone, they smuggled two thousand cotton-padded coats, five hundred iron pots, and three..."

"A hundred of them, and even some firearms."

Jiang Ji was completely dumbfounded after hearing this.

He stood there blankly, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word for a long time.

Then he suddenly raised his head, his eyes blazing with fury: "That Li Gong! I—I thought I was already going too far by embezzling funds without working, but he actually—he actually smuggled military equipment! No wonder the enemy's equipment was noticeably better during the battles last year; it was this bastard who did it!"

He was trembling all over, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

Yang Shen looked at him, then at Zhu Houzhao, and slowly said, "Your Highness, I believe that the Marquis of Dingxi should be unaware of this."

As if seeing a savior, Jiang Ji knelt down with a thud: "Your Highness, please understand! I truly knew nothing! I will go and cut off that bastard Li Gong's head right now!"

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand: "If you cut off his head, things will be even more complicated!"

Jiang Ji knelt and took two steps forward: "Your Highness, I am willing to accept punishment for my mistakes! However, I beg you to give me a chance. I will capture Li Gong and escort him to the capital so that I can personally plead guilty to His Majesty!"

Zhu Houzhao looked at him and suddenly asked, "Marquis of Dingxi, Father Emperor has given you the authority of a general, so why are you being controlled by others?"

Jiang Ji was taken aback, then smiled wryly: "Your Highness, you may not know this, but I also wish to have my own say, however, provisions and military supplies all have to go through..."

The Ministry of War approves. Li Gong has the Ministry of War behind him; he's holding me by the throat. What can I do? If I break ties with him, he'll make things difficult for me, delaying my rations and pay for months, reducing the allocation of military supplies. How am I supposed to defend Shanhaiguan then?

"I am helpless! Over the years, I have only been able to turn a blind eye to his embezzlement of military pay. But I never imagined he would dare to sell weapons to the Mongols! This is a death sentence for me!"

Zhu Houzhao was silent for a moment, then asked, "Aren't you afraid of offending the Ministry of War if you go to arrest them now?"

Jiang Ji raised his head, his eyes filled with determination: "I've thought it through! I will only be loyal to Your Majesty and the Crown Prince! To hell with the Ministry of War! Let them do whatever they want, I'm ready to risk it all!"

Zhu Houzhao looked at Yang Shen.

Yang Shen nodded slightly.

Zhu Houzhao stood up, walked to Jiang Ji, and reached out to help him up: "Marquis of Dingxi, I am very pleased that you think this way."

Jiang Ji was flattered and his eyes reddened: "Your Highness—"

Zhu Houzhao patted him on the shoulder: "It's up to you now!"

Jiang Ji turned to leave, but stopped at the door and turned back, saying, "Your Highness, my daughter—"

Zhu Houzhao forced himself to remain calm: "We'll talk about these things later!"

Jiang Ji nodded vigorously and strode out the door.

Zhu Houzhao and Yang Shen exchanged a smile, about to speak, when they saw Wang Zongli limp up to the Mongol, his eyes wide, cursing, "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you with my own hands today!"

As he spoke, he was about to rush upwards.

Yang Shen quickly stepped forward to stop him: "Imperial Censor Wang, please calm down! Please calm down!"

Wang Zongli struggled, "Don't stop me! Let me kill him! My butt has been hurting all night, I can't even sit up! Do you know what that feels like?"

Yang Shen said, "I know, I know! But Imperial Censor Wang, please don't get agitated—"

Wang Zongli interrupted him: "You know? You know nothing! You weren't even hit by an arrow!"

Helpless, Yang Shen lowered his voice and said, "Imperial Censor Wang, he's one of our men!"

Wang Zongli was stunned.

"What?"

Yang Shenchao nodded to the man.

The man stood up, quickly took off his outer fur robe, and ripped off his fur hat.

Wang Zongli's eyes widened in astonishment.

The man clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Zhao Hu, a junior officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, greets Imperial Censor Wang!"

Wang Zongli opened his mouth, unable to speak for a long time.

He looked at Zhao Hu, then at Yang Shen, then at Zhu Houzhao, and finally back at Zhao Hu.

"You, you, you all—are you imposters?"

Yang Shen nodded and said, "This is called using their own methods against them. If they can impersonate Mongols, why can't we?"

After a long silence, Wang Zongli finally said, "You, Yang Shen, that was an incredibly insidious move!"

Yang Shen cupped his hands and said, "You flatter me, Imperial Censor Wang. I am unworthy of such praise."