Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1217: Chapter 187: A Chess Piece, a Blade

Zhao Yao originally planned to go overseas to Mysir, but ever since Prince Wei ascended the throne, he has been worried about the safety of Prince Chu and the Li Family, so he had to temporarily abandon the idea of going overseas.

His worries were not without reason. Although Emperor Yong’an promised to spare Prince Chu and the Li Family, he did not specify the duration of this leniency. If Zhao Yao went overseas, it wasn’t impossible for Emperor Yong’an to take the opportunity to eliminate Prince Chu and the Li Family.

Zhao Yao also didn’t want to think of Emperor Yong’an as so capricious, but the emperor’s distrust towards Prince Chu and the Li Family had always been there. It was also difficult for him to request a decree ensuring the perpetual safety of Prince Chu and the Li Family. If he made such a request, firstly, it would imply that he doubted the emperor’s word and displeased him. Secondly, it would further alienate Emperor Yong’an against Prince Chu and the Li Family.

Initially, he didn’t bring the Li Family to the Swamp Prefecture for fear of displeasing Emperor Yong’an. Sending the Li Family back to their hometown, leaving them under the emperor’s watchful eyes, seemed safer for the entire family, but in hindsight, it was not truly safe either.

Bringing them back to the Swamp Prefecture was also unsafe, and having the Li Family live in seclusion in their hometown was not safe either, alas…

The very thing Zhao Yao feared happened, and something did happen to the Li Family. By the time he received the news, the entire Li Family had been exterminated.

In the study room of Prince Han’s mansion, Zhao Yao finished reading the secret message delivered by the Hidden Guard A, and fell into silence.

Tong Xi noticed Zhao Yao’s gloomy expression and grew worried, promptly asking with concern, “Your Highness, what’s wrong? Did something happen in the capital?”

Zhao Yao burned the secret message, his face stern, and said, “Something happened to the Li Family.”

“What?” Tong Xi exclaimed in horror, “Something happened to the Li Family? Did His Majesty indeed kill the Li Family?”

“Yes, killed them all without leaving anyone,” Zhao Yao said with a heavy heart, “Killed under the charge of treason.”

“Treason? How could the Li Family possibly commit treason?”

“Local officials claimed the Li Family wrote rebellious poems, showed great disrespect to His Majesty and the court, and even said the eighth brother was unfit to be emperor, accusing him of usurping the fourth brother’s throne.” Perhaps the Li Family truly believed the eighth brother usurped the fourth brother’s throne, but they would never dare to show it. They had barely returned from the Gate of Hell and wouldn’t dare write rebellious poems to mock the eighth brother and the court.

“How could that be?” Even Tong Xi found the matter ridiculous.

“When imposing a false charge, what need is there for evidence?” To eradicate the Li Family, the eighth brother truly resorted to any means, even concocting the absurd charge of rebellious poetry.

Writing rebellious poetry wasn’t a significant issue during the previous dynasty. Even during Emperor Xia Ling’s time, when scholars wrote poems and articles scolding the tyrant Emperor Xia Ling, he didn’t order their entire clan’s execution for it.

In the previous dynasty, scholars often wrote poems or articles satirizing the court, officials, or even the emperor, without consequence. Even after the founding of Great Zhou, there were scholars displeased with the court or officials writing poems or articles insulting them, but the Supreme Emperor never punished them for it.

The Supreme Emperor once said during his reign that if the court or officials didn’t do well, it was normal for the people to criticize, and it shouldn’t be taken to heart. Who would have thought that when it came to Emperor Yong’an, he would start punishing rebellious poetry? It truly is absurd.

“The eighth brother, to wipe out the entire Li Family, truly doesn’t care about ruining his reputation.” Unable to find a legitimate charge to exterminate the whole Li Family, he even concocted the laughable rebellious poetry issue. “What the eighth brother is doing will make scholars nationwide afraid to freely write poems or articles, thus damaging the cultural ethos of Great Zhou.”

“Your Highness, about Prince Chu…” Tong Xi asked worriedly, “If Prince Chu finds out, I fear he will be overly grief-stricken.”

Zhao Yao also knew Prince Chu’s health was poor. If he were to learn that the Li Family had been eradicated, it would be a tremendous blow to him, possibly incapacitating him with illness.

“Keep it a secret and don’t tell the fourth brother.” His body can’t withstand such a heavy blow.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Just as Tong Xi finished speaking, he suddenly recalled something, looking puzzled and confused, he asked, “Your Highness, even if the Li Family did write rebellious poems, shouldn’t they have been quickly exterminated without a trial? They should have been brought back to the capital for a tribunal before being sentenced to execution.”

“The eighth brother directly ordered the local officials to execute the Li Family without bringing them back to the capital for questioning.” Zhao Yao sighed deeply, “There was no trial, just a direct conviction and execution on the spot.” It was clear he didn’t want the Li Family to live.

Tong Xi, upon hearing this, was filled with terror and said, “The emperor’s actions are too reckless, isn’t he worried about being questioned by people across the country?”

Zhao Yao raised his hand and hammered the desk fiercely, “I should have brought the Li Family back to the Swamp Prefecture back then.”