When Left Premier Gong looked up and saw Li Qiao, the hatred in his eyes immediately surged.
“Things becoming like this—it’s all thanks to your Li family.”
He was filled with hatred!
Li Qiao naturally understood his feelings. “No matter what, Shilin did after all kill someone!”
Ha ha.
Left Premier Gong rose from the ground, straightened his back, and his face showed disdain. “Originally, as long as Li Cheng had kept quiet and suppressed this matter, I would have definitely thought of a way to resolve it, and it wouldn’t have come to this. But ultimately, it still comes back to that saying—your Li family are generations of loyal ministers. For the sake of so-called justice, to establish merit before the King, you didn’t hesitate to push my Gong family into dire straits. In vain have I worked alongside your father in court for many years, breathing through the same nostril. Now when trouble comes, you sacrifice the rook to save the king. This move is truly vicious!”
He spoke through clenched teeth.
Li Qiao was very calm and said, “My father and I also tried to persuade Acheng. We truly didn’t expect he would lead troops to your residence to arrest someone. But since it has already happened and Shilin has admitted to killing, the only thing we can do now is do our best to preserve Shilin’s life.”
“We don’t need your Li family’s crocodile tears!”
“Left Premier Gong, I know…”
“No need to say more. Right now, I only want to see the King.” Left Premier Gong interrupted him.
Li Qiao said helplessly, “You should know what the King is thinking. At this time, it’s impossible for him to see you. You should return first. When I find an opportunity, I will speak to the King.”
“No need! Since the King is unwilling to see me now, then I’ll wait until he’s willing to see me.”
Li Qiao had nothing more to say.
In the end, he could only go inside.
Inside the hall, King Huyi sat behind the imperial desk, his brows tightly furrowed.
“Well? Is he willing to leave?”
“This subject has already tried to persuade him, but Left Premier Gong insists on seeing the King.”
King Huyi snorted, a trace of disappointment flashing across his face. “Back then, it was I who saw that Gong Shilin had talent and recruited him into the Hanlin Academy to be a civil official. Yet I never expected he would actually commit murder!”
Li Qiao didn’t know what to say either.
And Left Premier Gong, waiting outside the door, waited the entire night.
The next day, as soon as King Huyi arose, he glanced in the direction outside the hall doors.
He then asked Li Qiao, who had been attending him all night, “Is he still not gone?”
Li Qiao bowed and replied, “He’s still there.”
“Ai, the people of the Gong family are truly more stubborn than one another!”
“Your Majesty, perhaps… you should see him.”
Hmm?
King Huyi looked at him.
Li Qiao said, “He is after all a premier.”
With this said, King Huyi’s eyes darkened.
He weighed things in his heart for a while.
After a long moment—
“Summon him in then.”
He was finally willing to see him.
Li Qiao immediately had the eunuch from the inner hall go out to relay the message.
Having waited outside the hall doors all night, when Left Premier Gong heard that the King was willing to see him, he quickly went inside.
King Huyi, supported by Li Qiao, came out from the inner hall and sat behind that imperial desk.
Left Premier Gong immediately knelt down.
Prostrating on the ground.
His hands pressed against the floor. “Your Majesty, it is this subject’s failure in education that allowed Shilin to commit such a grave crime. I beg Your Majesty, in consideration of this old subject’s years of devoted service to the court, to spare Shilin’s life.”
His pleading voice echoed throughout the great hall.
He didn’t want to beat around the bush.
He went straight to the main point.
King Huyi’s complexion was actually somewhat better than usual. He looked at Left Premier Gong kneeling on the ground and said, “Rise first and speak.”
“If Your Majesty does not agree, this old subject will kneel and not rise.”
“You need not say such things. You cannot threaten me.”
“I only beg Your Majesty to show mercy.”
King Huyi was furious. “You clearly know he committed a capital crime, yet you still come to beg me?”
Left Premier Gong said, “Shilin has been obedient and sensible since childhood. Normally, he wouldn’t even kill a chicken. I believe that this time, he must have had reasons and difficulties. I beg Your Majesty to show leniency so that in the future when this subject passes away, there will be someone to see me off.”
He kowtowed!
Having no one to see one off in death was truly pitiable.
Li Qiao watching from the side also sighed repeatedly.
King Huyi composed himself and after coughing twice, said, “Very well then. You tell me—what was his reason for killing? What difficulties did he have?”
“This…”
He couldn’t speak.
Because Gong Shilin would rather die than reveal the reason.
“Since you cannot say, how can I help? I am the King of Huyi. Countless eyes throughout the realm are watching me! As the saying goes, a life for a life. If I issue an edict to spare Shilin from death, where is the law and order? Where is the legal system? How will the common people of the realm view me?”
Question after question!
It was truly difficult!
Left Premier Gong wasn’t unreasonable, but in the current situation, he couldn’t afford to consider so much.
He cried out, “Your Majesty, I have only this one son. If you want me to trade my life for his, that’s also acceptable!”
“Enough.” King Huyi shouted in rebuke. “You are after all an important court minister. You know clearly how the law works! In any case, what should be done will be done.”
“No… Your Majesty…” Left Premier Gong’s face suddenly turned pale, unable to catch his breath. One hand gripped tightly at the bundle of clothing at his chest.
“Come, take the Premier out.”
Two eunuchs stepped forward and dragged Left Premier Gong up from the ground.
He struggled a few times and suddenly vomited blood.
The eunuchs were terrified. “Premier?”
But Left Premier Gong had already fainted.
King Huyi immediately stood up and had Li Qiao summon the imperial physician.
After examination, there was nothing seriously wrong.
They sent Left Premier Gong back to his residence.
And after this incident, King Huyi’s body was also exhausted.
Li Qiao had just left the inner hall when a eunuch hurried over.
He leaned close to his ear and said, “A message came from the Ministry of Justice saying that Third Prince led people to the prison last night, preparing to take Gong Shilin away.”
Huh!
That was serious!
This was a prison break.
He asked, “And then?”
“Later, for some unknown reason, he withdrew his people.”
“That’s good then.”
“But should this matter be reported to the King?”
He immediately stopped him. “No! Absolutely cannot let the King know.”
If he knew, that would be disastrous!
The eunuch nodded in acknowledgment.
Li Qiao instructed, “Take good care of the King. I need to leave the palace.”
“Yes!”
Li Qiao hurriedly left the palace.
Rushing home.
At this time, Marquis Pingyang was sitting in the great hall, his expression grave.
His hands gripped the chair’s armrests tightly.
His gaze looked outside.
Until Li Qiao returned to the residence.
He entered the hall, his expression anxious. “Father.”
“How did it go?” Marquis Pingyang stood up and asked him.
“His Majesty saw Left Premier Gong.”
“And the result?”
Li Qiao informed him of everything.
Marquis Pingyang then fell into deep thought.
He didn’t speak for a long time.
Li Qiao was also anxious. “Father, what do we do now?”
Marquis Pingyang’s expression was grave. He slowly walked a few steps, his back to Li Qiao, and said, “Sometimes… one truly must sacrifice the rook to save the king.”
Sacrifice the rook to save the king!
This phrase again.
Li Qiao seemed to understand something.
He just didn’t dare confirm it.
He asked cautiously, “You mean…”
Marquis Pingyang sighed deeply, his brows slightly pressed, and said, “Now even the King is unwilling to relent. If we try our utmost to help, we will naturally invite trouble.”
“So… we’re not getting involved either?”