The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 492 Get rid of him

Jibei State.

"Your Majesty, this is impossible! This is impossible!"

Several officials stood in front of Cao Zhi. Cao Zhi was very tall and had strong arms. He was pressed against by three officials but kept moving forward.

An old man was sitting in front of him at this moment, looking at Cao Zhi with disdain.

He didn't even try to hide his feelings.

Even if the person standing in front of him is a member of the royal family of Wei.

"King of Jibei! You've just taken office, and you've already disregarded the laws of the court, seizing the people's farmland and plundering them. How can you be worthy of your ancestors? How can you be worthy of His Majesty in Luoyang?!"

"Your Majesty, did you come here from Hebei just to let you do such a wicked thing?!"

"You've only been in office for half a year, and the local people's resentment towards you is already unstoppable!"

"You indulged your own servants, beat the people, and seized fertile land. Your actions are extremely presumptuous!"

"I think you're clearly going to get yourself into trouble!"

Hearing these words, Cao Zhi's face turned red and he roared and was about to pounce on him.

However, the officials stood between them, all hugging Cao Zhi, but no one tried to make the old man shut up.

Cao Zhi was extremely angry at this moment.

In the past, I was bullied by the Sima family and kept in captivity in their mansion, not allowed to go out. After several years, I finally returned to my fiefdom, only to be bullied by these same people again?!

But no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get to the old man.

He finally gave up, took a few steps back, and looked angrily at the officials in front of him.

"Are you the ministers of Jibei or the servants of the Liu family?!"

The man standing in front of him was surnamed Liu and was a descendant of Liu Zhang, King Jing of Chengyang. His family was also a giant in Ye County and had very deep roots. Although they could not compare with the top families, they did not need the top families to step in to deal with the mere princes.

Hearing Cao Zhi's question, the officials immediately put away the smiles on their faces.

"King Jibei, we are trying to persuade you with kind words, why are you insulting us so lightly?"

"This matter is clearly the king's fault. We consider that the king and Your Majesty are relatives, and we do not want Your Majesty to be saddened by your affairs, so we have come to dissuade him. If the king insists on doing so, we can only speak frankly and report it to the emperor."

Cao Zhi wanted to spit in their faces.

These bastards actually have the nerve to say it's their fault?!
He immediately shouted angrily to the soldiers around him: "Come here, send these people out to me!"

Hearing his order, dozens of elderly soldiers slowly surrounded the people in front of him.

Seeing these people, the old man almost laughed out loud.

He suppressed his smile and looked at the Prime Minister of Jibei, who was called Gong Shahong.

The Gongsha clan was also one of the big families in Qingzhou. During the Later Han Dynasty, they were known as "the Five Dragons of Gongsha, unparalleled in the world." Gongsha Hong was the descendant of Gongsha Fan, the last of the Five Dragons.

The local big families collude with each other and marry each other, so it is almost impossible to expect them to make fair judgments.

Gong Shahong looked at the old soldiers and said sternly, "Everyone, retreat!"

The old soldiers lowered their heads and quickly made way.

This made Cao Zhi even more angry.

But there was nothing he could do. Not to mention the prime minister, even a county magistrate was more powerful than Cao Zhi.

What's more, even according to the system of the Later Han Dynasty, the power of the prime minister was far greater than that of a prince like him.

Cao Zhi gritted his teeth and looked at them angrily.

But neither the officials nor the big families took his anger seriously.

After Cao Pi founded the country, no one took these princes seriously. In order to make trouble for these younger brothers, Cao Pi tried every possible means. During Cao Pi's time, whenever the princes had conflicts with others, Cao Pi would never favor his own family members and would always help outsiders to deal with his own people.

Cao Rui was better than his father, but he regarded the princes who often clashed with officials as dangerous factors of instability. He then traveled to various places to change countries and died on the road.

With several generations of experience, officials have also learned how to get along with the princes.

Gong Shahong then spoke up, "Your Majesty, we have jointly reported this matter to the Ministry of Justice, and Your Majesty will soon be informed. For the time being, please do not leave the palace."

"Come here, arrest these old soldiers and don't let anyone get close to the king."

"Lest anyone plot to murder the king."

Cao Zhi was imprisoned by them in an instant. Cao Zhi sneered and looked at these people calmly, as if he wanted to memorize their faces.

These people turned around and left.

After leaving the place, the old man trembled and said, "Prime Minister Gongsha, this time we are so grateful to you. Otherwise, I really don't know how this great king would bully the people."

"Mr. Liu, please don't say such things. This is what I should do."

"Zhongxiong wrote to me and told me to take good care of you. Zhongxiong and I are close friends. How could I allow you to be humiliated?"

"Besides, you are an old man who assisted Emperor Taizu in the past. How dare this boy act so presumptuously in front of you?"

Liu Ji chuckled and slowly stroked his beard.

Liu Ji didn't take Cao Zhi seriously at all, not because of his family lineage, nor because his son was a minister in the Ministry of Rites, but because of his age and seniority. He was over eighty years old and had worked as an official for Emperor Taizu in his youth!

With this level of experience, Cao Zhi still wants to act so presumptuous in front of me?!
The two men walked out of the place, talking and laughing, accompanied by a group of officials.

"The king is cruel and is definitely not a wise king. Your Majesty can know this."

Cao Zhi sat alone in the study. There were two armored soldiers at the door. They were both people left by Gong Shahong. They were responsible for guarding Cao Zhi. This imprisonment was even more excessive than that of the Sima family. They just sent someone to keep an eye on him.

What he didn't know was that when the two men returned to the mansion and dismissed the rest of the people, their faces immediately became gloomy.

Gong Shahong and Liu Ji sat alone in the study, both of them frowning and looking unhappy.

"This guy wasn't scared by us at all. If the Ministry of Justice sends someone here, he will definitely tell us the truth."

"Let him commit suicide out of unbearable humiliation, or die of anxiety and fear."

Gong Shahong came up with a powerful attack right from the start, but Old Man Liu just chuckled and shook his head.

"No, no."

"Your Majesty has just brought them out of Hebei, and Cao Zhi's status is special. If he dies here, the matter will become even more serious. Who knows, the officials who come here may not be officials from the Ministry of Justice, but the Minister of the Court holding the Imperial Seal. Don't be so reckless."

Gong Shahong gave him an unpleasant look: Of course you are not in a hurry!
Liu Ji said calmly, "Let's wait for the people from the imperial court to arrive before we make any plans."

"Mr. Liu, our two families have been very close these days. Why do you have to be like this?"

Gong Shahong no longer had the respect and kindness he had just shown, and his face was full of viciousness.

He gritted his teeth and said, "If we wait for the Ministry of Justice to come, none of us will gain any benefit!"

Liu Ji's expression also turned cold. "Then you can't just put all the blame on our family."

Gong Shahong took a deep breath, suppressing his inner uneasiness. He said, "Mr. Liu, we all prosper and suffer together. You must find a way. Even if you have to cut off his tongue and hands, you can't let him utter a single word!"

"Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to endure it any longer."

Liu Ji fell into deep thought, and Gong Shahong did not dare to disturb him.

The study fell into a strange silence. When Gong Shahong couldn't help himself, Liu Ji finally spoke.

"rebellion."

Gong Shahong suddenly jumped up, "Are you crazy?! You want the three tribes to perish with you??"

Liu Ji then looked at him and said, "It's not us who are rebelling, it's the King of Jibei who is rebelling."

Gong Shahong laughed, his eyes full of disdain.

"Then let him commit suicide. A prince wants to rebel?!"

Liu Ji smiled and said, "Sometimes, plotting rebellion doesn't necessarily mean raising an army to rebel. It can also be expressed through words or letters. As long as there is such an intention, it's fine."

"That will still cause a great disturbance, and then the ministers will come."

"No, a traitor, especially one like the King of Jibei, will never have another chance to speak. Even if Your Majesty is magnanimous, you will never forgive him."

Gong Shahong was furious and sat down helplessly.

"Okay, let's do as you say!"

"His previous retainers ran away, and I really don't want that to happen again."

"Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I will do."

Gong Shahong said through gritted teeth.

Liu Ji said seriously, "Please rest assured, I will definitely keep you safe."

Soon, Liu Ji left Gong Shahong's mansion, and the moment he left, Gong Shahong sneered.

Old bastard, do you really think I'm easy to fool?
If we follow your plan, things will escalate even further. Will Your Majesty still rush to execute him? Even if he were to be executed, this place would become the focus of the world's attention. How could these things be hidden?
You are not panicking, but you want me to die.

I must make you bear the blame together.

Gong Shahong immediately sent one of his confidants out to find someone.

Soon, a young man appeared in front of Gong Shahong.

The man was wearing official uniform. He bowed to Gong Shahong and then sat aside.

"Mr. Liu"

Gong Shahong sighed deeply, "This time, your family has been robbed. The King of Jibei is determined to oppose your family. I think you have seen it."

"I've already helped a lot. Your clan's great-grandfather just left, and he still wants me to help him with something, just like before."

"The imperial court has learned of what's happening here. His Majesty has sent the Minister of Internal Affairs to investigate thoroughly. If the King of Jibei says something bad about your family, I'm afraid your family will be in big trouble!"

The young man was horrified. "Gongshagong, what should we do?"

"Nowadays, there is only one way left."

"Get rid of Cao Zhi."

(End of this chapter)