Chapter 206: The Witch's Disaster

Last night, Gao Lishi happened to feel sick and was not with Li Longji. He was almost seventy years old. After winter, he fell ill from time to time. It was not until dawn that he got the news that something happened to the East Palace. Gao Lishi didn't care about his heavy body and rushed to Xingqing Palace. As soon as he entered Datong Palace, he happened to meet Li Longji and fainted on the ground.

Gao Lishi was panicked and the emperor fainted. This was something he had never done before. He ordered the eunuchs to find the imperial physician. He and several eunuchs carried Li Longji into the bed in the inner room, asked him to lie flat, and covered him with a quilt.

After a moment, several imperial doctors rushed over to rescue Li Longji. Gao Lishi retreated outside the house and his eyes fell on the small paper man on the imperial desk. When he saw it clearly, he was so scared that he was sweating all over, and felt an extreme fear in his heart. Could it be that something happened to the East Palace?

"Mr. Gao, Your Majesty is awake, please come over."

Gao Lishi hurriedly hid the little paper man and walked into the inner room quickly. On the bed, Li Longji was awake. He stared at the roof blankly, wondering what he was thinking?

"Your Majesty, I'm here!" Gao Lishi whispered.

Li Longji did not answer, and still stared at the roof in a daze, "Your Majesty!" Gao Lishi reminded again.

"Everyone else retreated!"

Li Longji's voice was low and hoarse, revealing a deep sadness.

The imperial physician and the officials who were waiting for him retreated one after another, leaving only Gao Lishi and Li Longji in the room.

"Your Majesty, take care of the dragon body!" Gao Lishi whispered.

Li Longji sighed and said, "Mr. Gao, how could I give birth to so many unfilial sons?"

"Your Majesty!" Gao Lishi was very confused and didn't know how to persuade him.

Li Longji asked again: "Have you put away the things on the imperial desk outside?"

"Yes, the old slave has taken it away."

"This matter must be strictly blocked. I have already told Wang Chengye that he will not be allowed to reveal any news. The same is true for you."

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will never disclose it to anyone."

A glimmer of hope arose in Gao Lishi's heart. If the news is blocked, does it mean that the prince can escape this disaster?

Li Longji sighed again and said tiredly: "General, I am old and can no longer stand the trouble. After all, he is my son. I just thought of the sorrow of Emperor Wu of Han in his later years, and my heart was so painful, so I don't want to depose the crown prince."

Gao Lishi was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty's clarity!"

"But he did too much, I will punish him severely."

"Your Majesty, this is what you should do, and you must let him remember this lesson."

Gao Lishi's heart suddenly relaxed. As long as he did not depose the prince, all punishments would be accepted.

At this time, the eunuch Yu Chaoen came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, is waiting to see you outside the hall."

"I don't want to see him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Longji said again: "Wait a minute!"

Li Longji pondered for a moment and said, "Tell him that from now on, he will not be allowed to meet any ministers, and he will be faced with the wall in the East Palace for a year, and he will not be allowed to leave the palace for a step."

Although the punishment is very severe, compared to the deposed prince, it is another world. Gao Lishi's heart hanging in the air finally landed.

"Your Majesty, I'll talk about him."

"Go! Let's go to the Guangping Palace by the way and tell the Guangping King that my concubine pleaded for him. I will spare Concubine Shen once. Also, I will order her to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddha for a year to show punishment."

Gao Lishi didn't know what happened to the Guangping Palace again, so he didn't dare to ask more, so he hurriedly stepped back, and Li Longji was the only one left in the study. At this time, a murderous intent flashed in Li Longji's eyes. He turned over and got up, quickly walked to the outer room, sat on the imperial throne and pulled a thin rope hidden in the imperial throne.

With a 'Huh!', a black-clad guard jumped in from the window. This was the personal guard who protected him. He knelt on one knee and said, "Please give me the order!"

Li Longji said coldly: "You go to Jiujiang immediately and get rid of Wang Zhongsi!"

It was already dawn and all the officials had already attended court. Although the palace was strictly blocking the news, Li Linfu still got a little news from the guards he placed in the palace. Last night, something happened to the Guangping Palace and the East Palace. A large group of Yulin Army searched the Palace and the East Palace, but he didn't know what happened.

But based on his keen sense of political smell, Li Linfu immediately realized that something must have happened last night, and he had no intention of dealing with the court affairs anymore. He immediately ordered his confidant to inquire about the news. What happened last night?

Soon, his people found the records from Jingzhao Mansion. In the middle of the night last night, Jingzhao Yin Yang Guozhong personally led the yamen runners to arrest a witch named Wen Bobo and entered the palace with Shao Yin Li Yan.

Li Linfu immediately summoned Li Yan. Not long after, Li Yan hurried over. Although Li Yan was from a royal family, he was an upright and fair person, deeply loved by the people of Chang'an. He was loyal and loyal, and never did anything more power and polite.

However, he felt a little uncomfortable last night. Yang Guozhongqiang pulled him into the palace to meet the saint, which violated the functional rules of the court. They could not directly meet the saint, but should report to the prime minister. Then the prime minister went to meet the saint. At most, they could only go to the palace with the prime minister as a slander.

He was uneasy, and suddenly Li Linfu told him that something was wrong. With Li Linfu's shrewdness, it was difficult for them to hide it from this matter.

"Are you in the prime minister in a humble position!"

Li Linfu glanced at him and said coldly: "Li Shaoyin, why did you go over your true form last night and go directly to meet the saint?"

"Reporting to the prime minister, Bei Zhi didn't want to meet the saints more than he did, but Shangshu Yang must take me to witness, Bei Zhi had to go with him."

"Hmph! You will blame the responsibility."

"I dare not be a humble position, it is indeed the case."

"Then I asked you, what happened when you caught a witch?"

"Reported to the Prime Minister, this witch was instructed by Prince Shen of Guangping to witchcraft on her concubine Cui, which made her crazy. We found out last night that it was the witch who did it, and she confessed."

"Oh? Then where is this witch now?"

Li Yan sighed and said regretfully: "At dawn this morning, she committed suicide in fear of guilt."

Li Linfu was stunned and committed suicide, how could he be? He asked again: "Since the Guangping Palace, what does it have to do with the Eastern Palace?"

Li Yan was in a dilemma. He also received a ban order about the East Palace. He could not say it, but he couldn't help but he hesitated for a long time. Finally, he said vaguely: "When we interrogated this witch, we learned that there was a shop in the East City that also bought the same villain witchcraft as the Guangping Palace. We arrested the shopkeeper of the shop, but unexpectedly found that he was Ma Yingjun, the eunuch in the past, the prince's personal eunuch."

"Wait!" Li Linfu suddenly understood, "Are you saying that the East Palace also bought this kind of witchcraft?"

Li Yan smiled bitterly and said, "This is what the Prime Minister himself guessed. Bei Zhi didn't know anything and said nothing."

Li Linfu nodded slowly and smiled and said, "Li Shaoyin, thank you for your help, go!"

Li Yan left, but Li Linfu walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. He already understood that it must be the prince who bought villain witchcraft, which caused the search of the Eastern Palace. Who should the prince target for doing villain witchcraft? Is Yang Guozhong? It is impossible to take this risk for Yang Guozhong, he can only be alone.

Li Linfu was extremely nervous. He already felt that a political storm of the Tang Dynasty was coming. He knew Li Longji very well. In order to occupy the throne for a long time, this person took the method of changing the prince. He changed it once every ten years, so that the prince would always live tremblingly under his wings.

In order to save his throne, he did not hesitate to kill his biological son. In the 25th year of Kaiyuan, he used the false accusation of Concubine Wu Hui and forced the prince Li Ying, King E Li Yao and King Guang Li Ju to commit suicide. Today, Li Heng actually wanted to use witchcraft to gain the throne. How could Li Longji spare him?

What should I do? How should I stand in this upcoming storm of the court? Li Linfu frowned and thought about his position. At this moment, the Wenshulang reported at the door: "Prime Minister, someone from the palace comes."

"Come in now!"

After a moment, the eunuch Yu Chaoen came in and saluted and said, "Prime Minister, Your Majesty ordered you to go to the imperial study room to meet immediately."

After a moment, Li Linfu rushed to Xingqing Palace and waited outside the imperial study room for a while. An eunuch came out and said, "Supreme Li, Your Majesty ordered you to go in!"

Li Linfu walked into the imperial study and saw Li Longji sitting behind the imperial case to review the memorials. He couldn't help but be stunned. The emperor had not approved the memorials for nearly half a year, so why did he change his nature today?

"My minister Li Linfu will meet your Majesty!"

"The Prime Minister is here."

Li Longji put down his pen and smiled, "I came to you because I want to discuss with you about the expansion of the county."

Li Linfu was thinking about the East Palace all the way. Now the emperor wanted to talk to him about the expansion of the prefecture. He didn't react for a moment. He was stunned for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, please tell me."

"I have considered it repeatedly in the past few days. Now there are six people in the prime minister. I plan to expand to nine people, that is, three more people. I originally wanted to consider An Lushan, but only he could suppress the Khitans and Xi people, so I don't want to transfer him. An Sishun mentioned by the prime minister, I plan to transfer him to the governor of Shuofang, and I can't become prime minister. I consider choosing one from the aristocratic family, one from the royal relatives, and one from the local prefect. I don't know what the prime minister thinks?"

Li Linfu's mind turned aside and chose one from the aristocratic family. He guessed that it was Cui Qiao, and the local prefects chose one, which might be Lu Huan, the princelings. As for the royal family, he didn't expect who it would be?

He smiled bitterly and said, "Please make it clear to you."

Li Longji pondered for a moment and said, "Cui Qiao was diligent and capable. Since he was appointed as the Minister of Revenue, he has sorted out the Ministry of Revenue in an orderly manner. He is also the son-in-law of King Xian. Although he lacks qualifications, I still want to promote him and promote him to the Minister of the Sect. Secondly, Lu Huan, the prefect of Yangzhou, has rich experience in governing the local area and sufficient qualifications. The government affairs hall does lack local experience, so I consider transferring him to the Prince's Secretary; Another thing is that I consider selecting one of the royal relatives, either the Changsun family or the lonely one. However, the Changsun family lacks a little qualifications. Changsun Quanxu is just a general of the Jinwu Guard. He has no local experience, but Dugu Haoran is good. He first became the Chief Secretary of Yangzhou and the Transportation Envoy of the Jianghuai Capital. When Pei Yaoqing was the Transportation Envoy of the Jianghuai Capital, he became Prime Minister. I considered promoting him to the Secretary of the Shangshu Zuo Pushe and promoted him to the Prime Minister. I don't know if the Prime Minister agrees with my plan."

Li Linfu was extremely shocked. Two of the three prime ministers were crown princes. In addition, Pei Kuan, three princes were prime ministers. Something had just happened to the East Palace, but the emperor made such arrangements, which were contradictory and confusing.

Seeing that he didn't say anything for a long time, Li Longji smiled and said, "Why, the Prime Minister disagrees?"

Li Linfu sighed inwardly. This was decided. What's the use of disagreeing with him? He could only bow and say, "Your Majesty can convene a meeting in the Political Affairs Hall and ask the six prime ministers to discuss together."

"I know, but my dear minister is the right prime minister and the leader of all officials. I naturally have to discuss with you first. If you have no objection, it will be decided."

Li Linfu was confused and nodded and said, "I have no objection."

When Li Linfu exited the imperial study, the matter of the East Palace suddenly became confusing. What happened? If the prince used witchcraft, Li Longji would never promote the princelings. If nothing happened, what would the Yulin Army do to search the East Palace? It is very likely that there was no evidence to be found, and this was used to appease the prince, but it seemed to be a bit of a big deal.

He was puzzled and walked quickly outside the hall. At this time, Dugu Haoran came towards him. When he saw Li Linfu, he quickly bowed and said, "I am not good at ease to meet the prime minister!"

Li Linfu smiled and replied, "I want to congratulate Brother Lonely."

Dugu Haoran was summoned by the emperor, but he didn't know what happened and was worried. Li Linfu actually congratulated him, which was really confusing.

"Master, where does the joy come from?"

"You will know when you go. I want you to treat you!" Li Linfu patted his shoulder and laughed and left.

Dugu Haoran was even more confused. He followed the eunuch into the imperial study room. Li Longji was looking at him with a smile. He jumped in his heart and hurried forward and bowed, "See Your Majesty!"

"Your dear is exempted from tribute and will be given a seat!"

A eunuch brought a soft pier, Dugu Haoran sat down while rubbing the side, waiting uneasyly.

Li Longji looked through his qualifications and smiled and said, "Have Dugu's Aiqing has been an official for twenty-two years?"

"Yes, it has been twenty-two years since the fifteenth year of Kaiyuan that the East Palace Liuzhufu joined the army."

"Well! My dear is the commander-in-chief of the Right Qianniu Guard, the chief clerk of Xianyang County, the magistrate of Ye County, the magistrate of Jiangdu County, and the chief clerk of Yangzhou. The evaluation is also very good, it's rare!"

Dugu Haoran had already vaguely guessed what was going to happen, but he couldn't believe it. At this time, Li Longji put together the document book and said with a smile: "Pei Yaoqing transferred from Jianghuai to prime minister, and has always been praised as a beautiful talk, so I decided to promote you to the Minister of Shangshu Zuo Pushe and work with the Secretary of the Central Committee to Pingzhang."
To be continued...