Tibet

Chapter 303 Helpless Compromise
At dawn the next day, Gao Lishi came to Anqingzong's mansion to question his guilt. He was so frightened that Anqingzong knelt on the ground and kowtowed to plead guilty. An Qingzong was so frightened that he was so frightened that he didn't dare to refute, and just kowtowed desperately.

Until Gao Lishi left, An Qingzong finally collapsed on the ground, unable to utter a word, and he also realized that his father had made a mistake in killing Yang Xuangui.

At the same time, a thousand Imperial Forest Army surrounded Wufu, and the official announced the will of the emperor on the spot. Wu Xin and his son assassinated the courtiers, disturbed the court, dismissed the father and son from their official positions and titles, put them into the prison, and were interrogated and convicted by the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple.

This decree was like a bolt from the blue to Wu Xin. He didn't know about it at all. It was his son Wu Gui who cooperated with An Qingzong in planning these two cases. Wu Xin shouted for injustice, but it was useless. He also confessed truthfully that Wu Gui gave him 100 taels of silver, and he betrayed his master's whereabouts. Wu Gui's confidant Luo Tian also confessed that Wu Gui was involved in the case twice, once with Yang Xi and once with Yang Xuangui.

Wu Xin knelt down and wailed loudly, regretting too much, if he had known earlier, he would have let that damned beast be executed together with Yuwen Siwu, and he would not have ended up today.

After the courtiers went to court one after another, the news quickly spread that it was the Wu family who hated the Yang family for being favored and bribed killers to assassinate the Yang family's children, and the old relatives hated the new relatives. This statement was reasonable, and naturally many courtiers believed it.

In the court room, Li Linfu and Gao Lishi sat opposite each other. Li Linfu asked, "I heard that the female assassin was captured?"

Gao Lishi smiled slightly: "Your grandson caught it with his own hands, and you still ask me?"

Li Linfu was stunned, "Ye'er?"

"Besides him, which other grandson of yours has this ability?"

Li Linfu became a little worried. If his grandson was involved in the case, would he involve himself? He hurriedly asked, "Did he catch it alone?"

"You underestimate your grandson too much. How could he make such a mistake? In fact, he gave all the credit to Wannian County. The Wannian county captain led people to arrest him. He was just helping out."

Li Linfu breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, the assassination case has nothing to do with me, and I don't want my descendants to be involved in this case again."

"Then you are wrong. If Li Ye hadn't untied the knot of this case, you would never have gotten out of this case. Li Xiangguo, the Yang family insisted that you sent someone to do it. How could you let the emperor ignore the Yang family?" request?
I think your grandson is more aware of the importance of this case to you, so he will spare no effort to find the female assassin, Li Xiangguo, in fact, you also know it well! "

Li Linfu was silent, how could he not know?If the case is not solved, the emperor will let him take the blame in the end.

"Let's get down to business!"

Gao Lishi straightened his waist, and said slowly: "The noble concubine persuaded the emperor that Xiangguo had served the country for decades and was loyal to the emperor, so he deserved a good death. The emperor also deeply agreed, so the original idea of ​​letting Li Xiangguo bear the responsibility for the assassination was cancelled. Li Xiangguo, please rest assured, it is a normal old age to retire from office, so that Xiangguo can enjoy his old age in peace."

Li Linfu nodded, "Thank you, my lord, for your kindness. In the past two years, my body has been aging very badly. I really don't have the energy to take care of the government anymore. I hope to retire, plant flowers and fish, and enjoy my grandchildren, so that I can spend my last old age in peace .”

"Your Majesty said that you have been prime minister for 19 years, and you have worked hard every day. Now that you are retiring, you can make some reasonable demands. I believe His Majesty will satisfy your final demands."

Li Linfu took out a booklet and handed it to Gao Lishi. Gao Lishi opened it. The first item was that he hoped that the title would be passed on to his eldest son, Li Xiu. Duke of the county, but Li Xiangguo can only be conferred a title after a hundred years."

"I know, it's just a request."

Gao Lishi looked at the second article again, and asked Li Yu, the eldest grandson, to be the magistrate of Heyang County in Tongzhou. Directly serve as the chief official of the local area, at most the county magistrate."

"I can give up the right to recommend Xiangguo!"

Gao Lishi was stunned, he closed the booklet, and said in a low voice: "Li Xiangguo, didn't you say that your heir is Li Ye? You should fight for his rights and interests, why did you fight for the interests of the eldest grandson, and gave up because of him?" Xiangguo’s right to recommend, with all due respect, makes the eldest grandson very mediocre, unable to become a master, and even unable to enter the fifth rank. You and I know this very well. Is it worth making such a big sacrifice for him? You should use the right to recommend for Li Ye was exchanged for the prince, but the emperor has expressed his position, Lingsun is a role model for the children of the royal family."

Li Linfu sighed and said: "Every family has a hard-to-read scripture. If I don't fight for some benefits for my eldest grandson, how can I explain to my clan?"

Gao Lishi looked at Li Linfu for a while, nodded and said: "Your Majesty has not rewarded Li Ye for a long time, but I hope that you will give up the right to recommend the Prime Minister in exchange for the title of the county king. Since you have given this opportunity to the eldest son, I can't say anything." Yes, yes, I can agree for Your Majesty to make your eldest grandson Li Yu the magistrate of Heyang County, but Li Ye's prince should not be considered."

Li Linfu was really in pain, so he nodded, "It's a deal!"

After a pause, Li Linfu asked again: "Based on his own achievements, what reward can he get?"

"The Son of Heaven considers making him Duke of Gaochang. If you are willing to exchange the recommendation right, Duke of Gaochang will become King of Gaochang, but there is no hope now."

"Can't you make another king?"

Gao Lishi shook his head, "The duke and the king of the county are both from the first rank. He is a royal family, so the duke doesn't need it. Next time he will make great contributions, he will be directly promoted from the duke of the county to the king of the county."

"What about rank and position?"

"The official rank is General Yunhui of the third rank, and his position is the governor of Hezhong. The Holy Majesty has decided to build the governor's mansion of Hezhong and deploy 1 troops."

"He earned it himself, and it has nothing to do with me?"

Gao Lishi nodded, "My Majesty originally wanted to give him a chance to be the king of the county, but this chance cannot be given to your eldest grandson and him at the same time. Li Xiangguo, I am also very sorry."

As for other property requirements such as houses and land properties, it was not a big problem, and Gao Lishi readily agreed.

Seeing Gao Lishi signed his booklet, Li Linfu felt an indescribable pain in his heart.

That night, Emperor Li Longji issued a decree to accept Li Linfu's request to retire from office, granting him permission to retire, removing him from all official positions, and only retaining his title of Duke of Jin and making him a Grand Master.

Li Linfu officially retired, which also means the end of an era in Datang.

Yang Guozhong officially became the right minister of the Zhongshu Ling, and he was named the Duke of Wei. He accepted Yang Guozhong's recommendation and appointed the former Jiannan Jiedu envoy Zhang Qiu Jianqiong as the right servant of the Shangshu.

This means that Zhangchou Jianqiong will be in charge of military affairs.

Immediately after Li Longji made another decree, Gao Xianzhi was reassigned as Hexi Jiedu envoy, Cheng Qianli was reassigned as Hedong Jiedu envoy, Anxi Jiedu deputy envoy Wang Zhengjian served as Beiting Jiedu envoy and Anxi deputy governor, and Anxi Jiedu governor Shi Feng Changqing took over as Anxi Jiedu envoy.

This night, Li Longji issued more than a dozen orders, and the last order was to establish the Hezhong Governor's Mansion, with a staff of 1 people. Make Li Ye the first governor of Hezhong.

At the same time, in recognition of Li Ye's outstanding military exploits in Hexi and Anxi, he was promoted to Duke of Gaochang County, named General Yunhui, given a purple gold fish bag, and rewarded a farm in Guanzhong.

(End of this chapter)