My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

"Oh, Mother, don't worry, I have always respected my elder brother very much, and we brothers have a very good relationship."

I remember that time he was sick.

"I even sent him a pair of ginseng roots," Li Tai explained.

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun frowned: "You have done something, but don't keep talking about it all the time."

Did they accept the ginseng you sent them?

No, not at all.

"Isn't that it?"

There are no secrets in this world. If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place. Don't assume that no one knows what you've done.

"Your mother is asking you, do you often go to Fang Xuanling's house?"

Upon hearing this, Li Tai felt a surge of nervousness.

He steadied himself and said, "I would occasionally ask him for advice on academic matters."

When I encountered something I didn't understand while reading, I would ask him for clarification.

"Really? In your Chongwen Academy, aren't all those people highly talented and learned?"

Do you need to consult Fang Xuanling?

The imperial court had regulations prohibiting members of the imperial family from having overly close relationships with ministers.

By doing this, aren't you giving people something to talk about?

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu An, the King of Huainan, came to Chang'an and conspired with Chancellor Tian Fen, saying that if the emperor changed his ways, Liu An could succeed to the throne.

Later, Tian Fen died of illness.

When Emperor Wu of Han learned of this, he said to his ministers, "It's fortunate that Tian Fen is already dead. If he were still alive, his entire clan could be exterminated. Just imagine how terrible that would be!"

From then on, the imperial court established a rule that members of the imperial family should not have overly close relationships with ministers.

You clearly know that the court has this regulation, yet you still frequently visit Fang Xuanling. Doesn't this arouse suspicion?

Although Li Tai was very resentful, Empress Zhangsun's words left him speechless: "Your subject will remember!"

"You must be more careful from now on!"

"promise!"

Li Tai said this, but what he was really thinking was, "Mother, you are so biased. Why don't you say anything about Li Chenggan?"

Weren't Li Chenggan and Wei Zheng also very close?

Empress Zhangsun continued, "Fang Yi'ai and Zhangsun Chong switched the tribute items from the Imperial Clothing Bureau. Did you instruct them to do this?"

Looking at Empress Zhangsun's burning gaze, Li Tai thought to himself, "I can't admit to this. If I do, wouldn't that be the same as saying that Fang Yi'ai, Zhangsun Chong, and I are in cahoots?"

The emperor was extremely annoyed by the princes' forming of cliques and engaging in corrupt practices.

Thinking of this, he quickly said, "Mother, that's not true. It's just that Fang Yi'ai drank too much and played a joke on Su Gui. Actually, he didn't really mean to steal those tributes. If he did, how could he have found them?"

"Fang Yi'ai is the husband of Princess Gaoyang, and Changsun Chong is the husband of Li Lizhi. In addition, Fang Yi'ai is the son of Grand Secretary Fang Xuanling, and Changsun Chong is the son of my elder brother Changsun Wuji. These people have special statuses, so you must be careful in your interactions with them."

From a certain perspective, they are also ministers; they shouldn't associate with each other too closely, as it could easily lead to trouble and misunderstandings.

Perhaps there's nothing between you two, but you're often together. If this gets back to your father, the Emperor, it will sound very different, do you understand?

"Your subject understands."

"It's the Empress Dowager!"

Li Tai didn't even know which leg he had taken to leave the Lizheng Hall. He touched his clothes; they were completely soaked. He realized that his mother was quite formidable.

He was also very afraid.