amaotonovel Chapter 338: Kill first and tell later
Chapter 338: Kill first and tell later
Those in the mourning hall exclaimed in surprise, "Second Master—"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi recognized the person in front of him and was startled, looking as if he had seen a ghost: "You...you..."
Zhao Yi kept walking, step by step.
Lin Yi retreated step by step until his back bumped into the guards who surrounded him, and then he stopped.
Zhao Yi stopped and asked gently, "Lord Lin, why are you running? Is it because the manor has not been hospitable enough?"
Lin Yi's face turned bright red from holding it in.
His guards were captured, turned against him, and confessed to everything he had done. He was unable to defend himself and was completely isolated and helpless.
As long as he escapes from the Prince of Guangling's mansion and doesn't fall into the hands of the Imperial Tutor, he will have a way to turn the tables.
After all, Zhao Yi is dead, so he might be able to use this as a breakthrough to find another way to survive.
Who would have thought... who would have thought that the person who was supposed to be dead would actually come back to life.
"You're not dead... I've been framed..." Lin Yi's thoughts raced, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope. He suddenly looked at the Second Minister, "Lord Liu, my guards were captured by Prefect Jiang, who accused me of sending them to intercept and kill the Prince of Guangling. But the Prince of Guangling is still alive, which is enough to prove that Prefect Jiang tortured them into confessing and forced them to frame me."
"Please speak up for me! It's too hasty to convict me based on their one-sided testimony!" Lin Yi was very agitated. "The Imperial Tutor just said that if no evidence can be produced, it's a frame-up."
The second minister found Lin Yi's words to be somewhat reasonable. Before he could speak, Lin Yi continued, "They framed me for burning down civilians. They're trying to force me to my death by pinning such a serious charge on me."
He was extremely aggrieved: "I have received the Emperor's grace and have worked diligently for the country and its people, all to live up to this grace and dare not overstep my bounds. Who would have thought that after devoting most of my life to this cause, I would be framed like this? Is there no justice in this world?"
"If I hadn't been saved by the ferryman, I probably would have perished in the cold river long ago." Zhao Yi took out several letters from his sleeve, slowly opened one of them, held the letter between his fingers, and handed it to Lin Yi: "Is this piece of evidence enough?"
Lin Yi's pupils contracted. This letter was written by him to Magistrate Xu, ordering Magistrate Xu to arrange for Zhao Yi to live in a house with an epidemic.
He vehemently refused to admit it, stubbornly arguing, "This...this is clearly a forged letter."
Zhao Yi lifted her eyelids and looked at Lin Yi: "This piece of evidence isn't enough, how about adding another one?"
Looking at Zhao Yi's calm and composed demeanor, Lin Yi suddenly felt a pang of panic.
Zhao Yi clapped his hands.
Jiang Mu and Jiang Chao brought in two people who were tied up.
These two men were none other than Magistrate Xu and the Censor.
Their mouths were gagged, and they could only plead for help from Lin Yi with their eyes.
Lin Yi was shocked. Zhao Yi actually dared to arrest an official appointed by the imperial court without authorization.
Who gave this prince, who has no real power, the audacity?
Zhao Yi spoke up: "Lord Lin, I don't need to go into details about how the plagues in Yuncheng and Panshicheng came about, do I?"
Lin Yi was terrified. The plagues in Yuncheng and Panshicheng were orchestrated by Magistrate Xu and the Censor.
Zhao Yi said gently, "If you feel you have been wronged, then go to the underworld to seek justice."
Upon hearing Zhao Yi's words, Lin Yi felt a great sense of panic.
As expected, Zhao Yi said, word by word: "Lin Shaozhanshi, Xu Zhixian, and the Censor spread the plague, harmed the people, and plotted to harm me. The evidence is conclusive, and their crimes are unforgivable."
He said coldly, "Prefect Jiang, drag them away and execute them."
Prefect Jiang immediately signaled to the yamen runners to drag Lin Yi away and behead him.
The guards tried to protect Lin Yi, but were trapped by the elite troops brought by Qiu Zhentian.
Lin Yi was stunned, never expecting Zhao Yi to be so bold as to act first and report later.
This is insane! Absolutely insane!
Lin Yi, filled with resentment, his eyes blazing with fury, declared: "I am a fourth-rank official of the imperial court, and the elder brother of Consort Shu. You have no right to punish me!"
"Yuncheng is my fiefdom." Zhao Yi glanced at Lin Yi. "I have the right to deal with you."
He naturally knew that only officials below the fifth rank could execute first and report later.
But Zhao Yi was not afraid of Lin Yi.
Firstly, Lin Yi plotted to kill him first.
Secondly, he was punishing a criminal who harmed the people, and with the Great Zhou as his backing, even if he acted first and reported later, the Northern Qi emperor would at most give him a verbal warning, and would never go to great lengths to punish such a criminal.
Thirdly, the Northern Qi emperor cherished his reputation. Once the public opinion about Lin Yi burning the people fermented, he would only want to suppress Lin Yi's incident as soon as possible. How could he seek justice for Lin Yi?
Zhao Yi waved his hand: "Take him away."
The constables gagged Lin Yi and forcefully dragged him away.
Everyone was stunned by Zhao Yi's ruthless methods, and watched helplessly as Lin Yi was taken away, their hearts filled with turmoil.
Lin Yi was Consort Shu's brother, and Zhao Yi arrested him without hesitation and beheaded him without any scruples.
They were initially swayed by Lin Yi's words. The political arena was rife with intrigue, deception, and framing, and they did indeed suspect that the Imperial Tutor had conspired with Zhao Yi to set a trap for Lin Yi.
When they saw Zhao Yi take out several letters and bring in Magistrate Xu and the Censor, and Lin Yi looking like he was being choked and had no way to defend himself, they knew the answer in their hearts.
Even if Lin Yi committed heinous crimes, the decision should be made by the Emperor of Northern Qi.
The way everyone looked at Zhao Yi was filled with apprehension.
Zhao Yi took in everyone's expressions. Lin Yi's identity was special, and if he were brought back to the capital for the Northern Qi Emperor's decree to decide his fate, it might cause unexpected complications.
He decisively cut through the mess, intimidating the court officials and thus securing his foothold in Northern Qi.
After all, he was a fourth-rank official and the brother of a favored concubine. Even if the emperor of Northern Qi did not dare to punish him after he was beheaded, others would know better.
The Imperial Tutor glanced at Zhao Yi, and his actions impressed him greatly.
After this incident, Zhao Yi established his authority in Northern Qi.
Zhao Yi handed the letter to Jiang Mu, then looked at everyone with clear eyes: "You have all come a long way to visit the Guangling Prince's Mansion. I was dealing with official business just now and disturbed your peace. Why don't you move to the side hall and have some simple tea?"
At this point, Zhao Yi coughed a few times.
Everyone looked at Zhao Yi's delicate and beautiful face, which was as pale as paper and her lips were pale, making her look weak and sickly.
This seemingly weak and harmless person, however, managed to kill several officials with just a few words.
Their gazes toward Zhao Yi held a newfound wariness and awe, and they quickly said, "Your Highness, we have important matters to attend to. We will visit you another day."
After saying this, everyone was eager to leave without lingering for a moment longer.
In an instant, only the Imperial Tutor, the Second Grand Secretary, and Qiu Zhentian and others remained in the mansion.
The Second Grand Secretary sighed inwardly. Zhao Yi had killed Lin Yi, thus making an enemy of Consort Shu.