Chapter 481: Fines, Not Death
Li Chen's words, like a resounding slap, a slap that came with a gauntlet of steel spikes.
Li Yinhu not only felt pain, but this kind of pain directly penetrated his body and struck his soul.
He trembled, not sure if it was from anger or fear.
He was lying on the ground, being stepped on by Li Chen. His eyes were fierce and venomous, like a poisonous snake, but the words that came out of his mouth were the weakest possible.
"Your Highness, my younger brother truly doesn't understand what Your Highness means."
The foot was removed from Li Yinhǔ's body. Li Chén crouched down, grabbed Li Yinhǔ's hair and lifted his head so they could make eye contact.
"Don't you understand?"
Li Chen said indifferently: "It's fine if you don't understand, this palace didn't expect you to admit it either. However, many things don't need evidence, do they?"
"Find evidence? That's the job of the Ministry of Justice and Dali Temple. All I need to do is get rid of those I suspect."
This sentence made Li Yinhu's pupils constrict sharply.
His face was covered in blood and grime, and now a deep terror had crept into his eyes.
Since Li Chen took over the regency, Donggong has risen to power, and this prince's hands have been stained with blood.
Li Yinhu is a ruthless person by nature. In order to climb the ranks, he did not hesitate to kill his own younger brother with his own hands.
So he could understand better that Li Chen was absolutely capable of doing such a thing.
Throughout history, how many instances have there been of brothers turning on each other, even fathers and sons clashing over the Dragon Throne?
In his fear, Li Yinhu could only place his only hope on Zhao Qinglan, who had been silent all along.
"Mother, my son truly had no knowledge of this!"
Li Yinhu was grabbed by the hair by Li Chen. His head swayed crazily, and his screams were even more terrifying than before.

"My son only wishes to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. I have absolutely no ill intentions, Heaven and Earth can bear witness to this! If I ever betray my word, may I die a horrible death, without a whole corpse!"
This kind of oath sounded like nothing to Li Chen.
But in feudal times, it was still very marketable.
"The Crown Prince."
Zhao Qinglan was also afraid that Li Chen, in a fit of rage, would directly kill Li Yinhu.
If this is truly the case, regardless of whether Li Yinhǔ's heart is truly deserving of punishment, his death would be absolutely detrimental to the cabinet.
Although the Emperor had many sons, most died young or were too young. The inner cabinet wanted to find a suitable prince to support among them. Besides the previous ninth prince, the current one in front of them was the eighth prince, Li Yinhu.
If Li Yinhu were to die, Zhao Xuanji would have no opportunity, let alone the time, to cultivate a teenage prince to contend with Li Chen.
"Regarding this assassination attempt, Your Majesty, it seems to have nothing to do with Prince Zhao. He was the first to be injured, and if he had truly orchestrated it, there would be no reason to do so brazenly."
Zhao Qinglan endured her disgust and impatience toward Li Yinhu, and continued, "Therefore, the prince should still be lenient."
From a light punishment, it is not that there is no punishment.
Zhao Qinglan knew very well that Li Chen's analysis was sound. This assassination was most likely planned by Li Yinhǔ, and she was unwilling to let him get away with it.
She made it very clear what her bottom line was: she could punish, but not kill.
Li Chen narrowed his eyes, looking down at Li Yinhu at his feet, as if considering how to make him suffer.
Li Yinhu didn't dare to speak. He was tense all over, as if waiting for judgment.
He loathed this feeling intensely, but it was precisely because of this that the hatred he felt for Li Chen and his desire for power grew ever more fervent, fueled by this very disgust.

(Editor in charge：novel gatsby)