Datang: Starting from a fortune-telling stall, Wu Zetian was suddenly abducted

Chapter 404
Li Chengqian nodded at him, then smiled and said to all the officials below:

"I also ask you all to join hands and work together to subdue this flood and bring peace and prosperity to the people of Bianliang City."

"Everything you have done, I, Li Chengqian, have seen with my eyes and recorded it on paper."

"After the flood is over, I will definitely report it to Your Majesty and reward him based on his merits."

Everyone looked at Li Chengqian's appearance and understood that he and Li Ji were just singing along, one with a red face and the other with a white face.

But no one dared to say anything. They all agreed and left the main hall one after another.

When Zhu Yitan saw this, he turned around and walked out of the hall.

But just as he took a step forward, he heard Li Ji say from the side:
"Hold on, Governor Zhu. There are some things we need to confirm with you here."

After Zhu Yitan heard this, he couldn't help but feel a 'thump' in his heart. Could it be that Li Ji wants to imprison me too?

He reluctantly turned around and said with a stiff smile:

"Everything the British Lord has done is seen by his subordinates, and they deeply feel your sincerity for the people."

"My subordinates are also deeply touched. This reminds me that there are still many things to deal with."

"Why don't you wait for me to arrange things first, and then come here to tell the story?"

Li Ji also said with a smile:

"Don't worry about this. I'll let someone see you first, and then we'll talk about you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhongqing had already led Luo Tianyi out from behind the screen.

When Zhu Yitan saw Luo Tianyi, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his face turned pale, and he stammered:
"Luoluo, aren't you already dead?"

Luo Tian had been standing behind the screen for a long time in the morning. When he saw Zhu Yitan, his eyes turned red instantly, his chest heaved up and down, he gritted his teeth and looked at Zhu Yitan and said:
"Zhu Yitan, have you been expecting me to die?"

"After I die, you can hold the responsibility for digging the embankment on my head; after I die, you can hold the loss of salary on my head."

"It's just that God has eyes. Not only will he not let me die, he will also let me come back to expose your conspiracy."

At this time, sweat was pouring out of Zhu Yitan's forehead and flowing down his face.

While wiping his sweat in a panic, he argued in a panic:

"Tianyi, have you misunderstood?"

"I have reported the matter of digging the levee to the court, and I fully support you in doing this."

"After the salary arrived, I was escorted to the embankment as soon as possible. Only when the embankment burst, the salary was submerged. After all, I am also a victim."

He turned to Li Chengqian and Li Ji and continued to argue:

"Your Highness, the British Duke, you must distinguish right from wrong and make decisions for me."

Li Jipi twitched the corners of his mouth with a smile and said:

"You weren't responsible for the levee breach?"

After Zhu Yitan heard what Li Ji said, he immediately called out Chong Tianqu,

"Mr. British, the levee breach was indeed caused by Luo Tianyi and had nothing to do with me."

Luo Tian stared at Zhu Yitan with blazing eyes and said:

"Zhu Yitan, up to this time, you are still slandering me."

"Let me tell you, the levee was still in good condition when you went there. Many soldiers and civilians on the levee can testify for me."

Zhu Yitan rolled his eyes, and immediately understood that since Luo Tianyi was able to escape from death, the soldiers and civilians obviously also escaped a lot.

Thinking of this, he quickly opened his mouth to argue:

"Even if you didn't dig it up, it has nothing to do with you."

"It must have been your improper preparation that caused the levee to breach in advance." Luo Tianyi didn't expect Zhu Yitan to be so quibbling, and suddenly his face turned red with anger, and he couldn't even speak for a while.

Li Ji glanced at Zhu Yitan calmly and said:

"Since it's difficult to make a decision, let's not mention the breach of the levee for now."

"Zhu Yitan, let me ask you again, where is the salary now?"

Zhu Yitan spread his hands and said:

"The British public's wages have been lost in the floods. We should be able to get some back after the floods recede."

After hearing this, Li Ji smiled slightly and said:

"is it?"

"I have salvaged a box here, why don't you take a look first?"

After hearing this, Zhu Yitan had an ominous premonition in his heart, and when he saw Yuan Shouwei take out the salary box from behind the screen, his expression turned ashen.

His legs could no longer support the weight of his body, and he sat down on the ground with a plop.

After Yuan Shouwei put the box in front of him, Li Ji looked at Zhu Yitan and said:
"Chief Zhu, please open the box with your own hands and tell me what's inside."

Zhu Yitan's body was like sieving chaff, and his arms tremblingly stretched out to the box several times, but they hung down weakly in the middle of the process.

Li Ji just looked at him coldly, and when he looked helpless, he slowly spoke again:

"Zhu Yitan, that's [-] copper coins. It's enough to kill you several times. No one in your family will be spared."

"If you explain the whereabouts of the money, I can guarantee that your family will only be exiled, but the crime will not lead to death."

Zhu Yitan avoided Li Ji's gaze, with an uncertain expression on his face, obviously thinking over and over again.

Li Ji didn't speak, just looked at him with burning eyes. Others were silent, and an invisible pressure slowly spread in the main hall.

Occasionally, there was a 'plop' sound, which was the sound of the dense sweat on Zhu Yitan's forehead falling to the floor.

As the pressure increased, Zhu Yitan finally collapsed. He looked up at Li Ji with a red face and said:
"British Sir, I'm a little thirsty. Can you give me a cup of tea?"

Li Ji signaled to Zhongqing, who immediately picked up a cup of tea on the table and handed it over. Zhu Yitan picked up the cup and drank it in one gulp.

Licking his dry lips with his tongue, he handed the teacup to Zhongqing and said:
"Taoist Priest, give me another drink."

Hearing this, Zhongqing handed him another glass of water. Zhu Yitan drank it all in one gulp, then unbuttoned the top button of his official uniform with his hands, took a deep breath, looked at Zhongqing with a somewhat painful expression and said:

"Taoist Priest, could you please pour me another drink? I'm really uncomfortable with the heat right now."

After hearing this, Zhongqing poured him another cup of tea impatiently and warned him in a stern tone:
"I tell you Zhu Yitan, don't try to delay time by drinking tea."

"Now that there are witnesses and physical evidence, there is no point in delaying the case."

Li Ji continued to watch Zhu Yitan's performance in silence, he was patient enough to wait for Zhu Yitan to speak.

On the other hand, Yuan Shouwei frowned. Looking at Zhu Yitan's appearance, he always felt that this scene seemed familiar, but he really couldn't remember where he saw it.

Zhu Yitan seemed to feel a little better after drinking three cups of tea. He scratched his chest a few times, then looked up at Li Ji and said:

"Mr. British, are you sure you can protect my family, young and old, from death?"

Li Ji said coldly:
"Do you think you have given me the right to negotiate now?"

After Zhu Yitan heard this, he also smiled sadly and said:

"The British prince's intelligence and character are second to none in the Tang Dynasty. I, Zhu Yitan, believe in you."

"I'll tell you now, that salary is mine"

(End of this chapter)