Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 120 The Minister Impeaches Wen He, the Viscount of Gaoyang County

"You all better take care of yourselves!"

After relaying Li Shimin's original words, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies waved his sleeves and turned to leave.

The Japanese people left in the room stood there trembling with fear, at a loss for what to do.

"Ono-kun, why is Tang suddenly treating us like this?" Ono-ma's subordinate asked blankly.

Little Wild Horse shook her head with a serious expression.

"The barbarians to the north are eyeing the Tang Dynasty covetously, and there is also Goguryeo, which once defeated the Sui Dynasty. They cannot send a large army out to sea."

He lowered his voice to comfort himself.

The Japanese people around him also thought what he said made sense and nodded in agreement.

After thinking for a long time, Little Wild Horse suddenly realized something.

"But Tang's attitude this time is really strange. Go ask Soga-kun who he has offended."

Little Wild Horse didn't think the Tang Dynasty would go to war with them, but he had to consider the Tang Dynasty's attitude.

After all, the extravagant emperor of the former Sui Dynasty had been too good to them.

When the envoys returned, they all said that the emperor had paved the road with silk to welcome them.

But when they arrived in the Central Plains, the country had already changed hands and had a different name.

Oh, the Tang Dynasty!
This was a colossal nation, much like the former Sui Dynasty.

But instead of a silk-paved road, they were greeted by imposing soldiers.

Before they even met the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, some members of the delegation had already been beaten by the Tang people.

Moreover, the attitude of the Tang people showed absolutely no intention of apologizing.

"With such a tough stance, their emperor must be a very powerful person. We're afraid the gifts we prepared won't be enough."

Little Wild Horse sighed helplessly.

Even so, the gifts they brought this time have almost emptied the Emperor's treasury.

However, what Xiaoye Mazi didn't know was that although the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial threatened him, he immediately wrote a memorial and submitted it to the Ministry of Rites after returning home.

"Is this Wen He the magistrate of Gaoyang County?" Tang Jian, the Minister of Rites, asked with a frown after reading the contents of the memorial.

"Yes," replied the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.

"Alright, I will submit it for you this time. After all, he is a rising star and someone His Highness the Crown Prince values. You should not interfere."

Although Tang Jian was not from the Prince of Qin's mansion, he was a staunch supporter of Li Shimin's faction.

He had met Wen He at the Prince of Qin's residence before the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

"I understand."

The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was merely fulfilling his duties.

After all, the matter of humiliating an envoy can be a big deal or a small deal.

"Yes, you did a good job. That Japanese country is indeed too bullying. It's a pity that they live overseas, and our Great Tang can't do anything about it now."

Tang Jian didn't care about Japan, but he also didn't care about that damned emperor.

If Japan hadn't been located overseas, it might have been destroyed during the Sui Dynasty.

He dismissed the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial and left his letter behind.

The following day, a court meeting was held.

After the worship ceremony is over.

Those censors who had heard the news couldn't stand the silence any longer.

The court has been quiet for far too long since the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Moreover, they also wanted to take this opportunity to test the new emperor's patience.

They couldn't easily impeach the other people in the Qin Prince's mansion.

But this Wenxian scion was originally from a farming family, and now he has become a founding scion of the nation, which is against the rules.

Although an imperial censor came out as soon as the meeting began.

"Your Highness, I hereby impeach Wen He, the magistrate of Gaoyang County, for assaulting an envoy in the street and showing utter disregard for the law!"

"Your Highness, I also impeach Wen He, the magistrate of Gaoyang County, for abusing his power for personal gain, allowing the Imperial Guards to disrupt the market, and colluding with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Works to profit privately!"

Two imperial censors stepped forward as the vanguard.

Li Shimin, sitting on the imperial steps, remained calm and composed, like a statue.

But his gaze fell on Changsun Wuji.

The latter immediately understood and stepped forward, angrily shouting at the two censors: "Nonsense! The glass and soap sold by Wen He are all for official business. This was decided by His Highness after reporting to the Emperor and discussing with the Secretariat. Are you trying to impeach His Majesty?" "Your subject dares not!"

The censor who impeached Wen He for abusing his power for personal gain quickly bowed.

He didn't expect that Changsun Wuji would actually use Li Yuan as an example to endorse him.

He could only lower his head.

"Get out!"

Li Shimin gave a shout, and the censor hurriedly returned to his post, secretly relieved.

But another continued, "Your Highness, Wen He committed the crime in the street yesterday in full view of everyone. The evidence is conclusive. Such a violation of the laws of our Great Tang Dynasty cannot be lightly forgiven!"

"Has Tang Qing arrived?"

Li Shimin ignored him and instead called for Tang Jian.

Tang Jian, who had originally intended to keep his head down and assess the situation before leaving, had no choice but to leave the class.

"The minister is here."

"I ask you, is it true that the ruler of Japan called himself Emperor?" Li Shimin asked coldly.

Tang Jian swallowed hard and replied, "It is true."

Upon hearing this, the officials in the hall immediately understood Li Shimin's attitude.

The imperial censors couldn't help but panic.

"Since that's the case, what else is there to say?" Li Shimin sneered.

But the imperial censor who stepped forward knew that he had offended the new emperor.

If he cannot justify his actions, his career may come to an end.

"Your Highness, the titles of foreign rulers are determined by them. Our Great Tang is a land of etiquette. How can we take action against their envoys over such a trivial matter? Even Emperor Yang of Sui could tolerate it. Is Your Highness not as lenient as Yang Guang?"

The expressions of the prime ministers and high-ranking officials in front of them all changed.

Yuchi Gong, Cheng Zhijie, and others glared angrily at the censor.

"Snapped!"

A loud crash came from above. Li Shimin slammed his fist on the table, pointed at the censor, and roared, "Are you a subject of my Great Tang Dynasty, or a remnant of the former Sui Dynasty?!"

"Where are the Imperial Guards? Drag him out and give him thirty strokes of the cane!"

The imperial censors inside the hall were dumbfounded.

This Crown Prince has not even ascended the throne yet, and he has already punished the Imperial Censor with caning?

Thirty blows would probably kill that man.

"Your Highness, are you going to become a tyrant like Jie and Zhou, following in the footsteps of Yang Guang?!" The censor shouted indignantly as he was being dragged out.

Li Shimin ignored him and instead scanned the assembled officials in the hall, asking in a calm tone, "Is there anyone else who wants to impeach?"

The hall was eerily silent; no one dared to plead for the censor who had just spoken.

"In that case, let's adjourn the court." Li Shimin stood up and left without looking back.

Everyone saw him off respectfully, and only after he left did they breathe a long sigh of relief.

This new ruler is even more majestic than the current sage.

I'll probably have to be more careful from now on.

Only after the court session ended did anyone go to the execution site.

The censor was already half dead.

Not long after, Gao Yue came and announced the imperial decree.

The censor was dismissed from his post and demoted to Gannan Circuit. Then, he was sent home by a palace attendant who dragged him onto a carriage.

Those from the Censorate couldn't help but gasp in shock.

Because it means they may never see this colleague again in their lives.

And at the same time.

In the main hall of Li.

Li Shimin, who had just returned, saw a young man leaning against a pillar outside the main hall, dozing off.

He squinted and tiptoed slowly over.

When he got behind Wen He, he suddenly raised his foot and kicked the latter in the buttocks.

(End of this chapter)