The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 27 Times have changed!

Li Chengqian suddenly thought of a practical problem and frowned.

"Yichen, if the palace gates really open and officials of all kinds flood in, how should I deal with it? I can't just act like a bodhisattva in a temple, talking to everyone who comes, can I? I don't have that much energy. Besides, what if someone is deliberately causing trouble, or asks some tricky or strange questions..."

"Your Highness's concerns are precisely the key to our next plan."

Li Yichen's face showed an expression that said, "I've been waiting for you to ask this."

"When the palace gates open, the first to arrive will not be the respected senior officials, as they are cautious and will observe. The first to arrive will inevitably be the young and ambitious censors eager to make a name for themselves, especially those of medium rank who need to embellish their reputation with achievements."

Li Chengqian's face instantly darkened; he deeply resented the people of the Censorate.

"They dare to come and bother me?"

"They dare not only?" Li Yichen sneered.

"They'll be scrambling to come! For these young censors, being able to directly advise or even correct the Crown Prince's words and actions is a tremendous achievement, a shortcut to making their names in history! Climbing up by stepping on the Crown Prince's shoulders is the lowest-cost and fastest way to get promoted!"

"They want to make a name for themselves by stepping on me?" Li Chengqian's anger was reignited, and he felt extremely insulted.

“That’s what they’ll think.” Li Yichen’s tone was frighteningly calm, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

"But this is precisely your opportunity, Your Highness. They want to use you, so why can't you use them in return?"

"How can we utilize it?" Li Chengqian suppressed his anger and pressed for an answer.

“First of all, Your Highness needs to adjust your mindset,” Li Yichen said sharply.

"Don't treat them as unpleasant guests who come looking for trouble, but rather as... props delivered to your door, living props for you to perform virtue and accept advice."

"Props?"

“Yes!” Li Yichen began to break down this ruthless strategy in detail.

"When these censors come, Your Highness must maintain an excellent initial attitude, no matter what they say. Be respectful, humble, and even show gratitude for their criticism. If they criticize your past words and deeds, reflect deeply on them; if they point out any mistakes you may have made, accept them sincerely and promise to correct them."

Li Chengqian frowned as he listened.

"Make me bow down to them?"

"This isn't bowing down, Your Highness, it's just putting on a show!" Li Yichen emphasized.

"It's for the other court officials who will inevitably pay attention to this matter, especially for His Majesty's benefit! You need to let everyone see that the Crown Prince has truly been transformed after this setback! He has become humble and open to advice! This will greatly help to salvage your image! When His Majesty sees how well you've been honed by the censors, won't his displeasure and doubts caused by your recent criticism of your character be greatly reduced? He might even feel a little guilty, wondering if he had pushed you too far before?"

Li Chengqian nodded slowly, seemingly lost in thought.

"To make Father feel...that he has wronged me?"

“That’s exactly right!” Li Yichen affirmed.

“Even emperors, with their cunning and ambition, are not immune to emotional cracks, especially between father and son. The more submissive, humble, and eager to learn you appear, the more it will highlight the excesses of His Majesty's previous surveillance and coercion. This sense of guilt might serve as your shield at certain crucial moments.” “However,” Li Yichen’s tone suddenly shifted, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"This humble attitude of accepting advice must have its limits! Not all censors are just looking to make a name for themselves; there are bound to be some who want to help the Prince of Wei, or simply who dislike you and want to completely ruin your reputation. Your Highness must not be weak towards these people, towards their excessive questions, or even their veiled accusations!"

"What should we do then?" Li Chengqian's spirits lifted; he preferred the counterattack.

"Your Highness, we must show them that times have changed!"

Li Yichen's voice was incredibly seductive.

"They want to step on you? Fine! We'll give them that chance! But this time, whether their feet will be covered in nails or they'll break their legs is not up to them!"

A fierce look surged in Li Chengqian's eyes.

"Keep talking!"

Li Yichen spoke rapidly and clearly outlined his points.

"Your Highness, all you need to do is have the scribe record these outrageous words, one by one, clearly. Afterwards, you don't need to appear in person. Just seal this record and send it to the Court of Judicial Review or the Ministry of Justice under the pretext of seeking clarification or explanation, so that they can handle it according to the Tang Code. For example, the articles on the 'Official System Law' regarding the 'Guardian Commissioner' and those who disobey the rites of a subject, or the articles on false accusations and inappropriate speech in the 'Litigation Law,' or even the 'Ten Abominations' in the 'General Principles Law'! It's all in black and white, the evidence is irrefutable! You don't have to comment on a single word yourself, just ask the relevant authorities to make a judgment according to the law."

A cruel sense of pleasure appeared on Li Yichen's face.

"Guess what those old foxes from the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice will do when they see the case file that His Highness the Crown Prince personally sent, requesting that it be handled according to the law, which records how a certain censor made inappropriate remarks and attacked the Crown Prince? What will His Majesty think when he sees this? Will he protect those fools who are desperate for fame, or will he uphold the dignity of the Tang Dynasty's laws? Will he think you have been wronged, or will he think you have been ruthless?"

"Father will only be caught in a dilemma!"

Li Chengqian suddenly chimed in, his face flushed with excitement. He had finally caught up with Li Yichen's train of thought and was completely absorbed in it.

"Father will feel sorry for me! Because Father has caused these fools to harass me! If Father punishes them severely according to the law, the people will say that I have been wronged but still abided by the law! If Father lets them off without any real consequences, then he is condoning his subjects to bully the crown prince, chilling my heart, and slapping the face of the Tang Dynasty's laws! He will be in a difficult position no matter what he chooses! Haha, hahaha!"

Li Chengqian couldn't help but chuckle, his laughter filled with the pleasure of revenge and the madness of someone who was scheming for the first time in the throes of power.

"Exactly!" Li Yichen clapped his hands heavily.

“Your Highness, think about it. If you directly berate or scold the censor, it is a breach of your moral character. But if the Court of Judicial Review or the Ministry of Justice receives the complaint, investigates it according to the law, and finds that the censor has indeed violated the law, then it is the law of the land and His Majesty who will punish him! The nature of the matter changes completely!”

"This will not only teach that arrogant censor a lesson, making an example of him to let others know that the Eastern Palace is not a place where one can run wild, but more importantly, it will demonstrate to His Majesty and the people of the world what? It will show that Your Highness abides by the law, and even when insulted, chooses to resolve the issue through legal channels instead of abusing personal violence! How upright and mature this is! And that censor will become a clown who violated the law and brought shame upon himself!"

"It also makes those behind you even more wary of you."

Li Chengqian's anger had long since dissipated, replaced by an eagerness and ruthlessness.

"Good! Good! Yichen, we'll do as you say! I'll give the order now! Open the palace gates!"

He abruptly stopped, his eyes flashing with a terrifying light. "I want to see who's fearless enough to be the first to run into me!"

(End of this chapter)