After finding the little rhinoceros, Li Er went mad.

Qian Kun, the Minister of Revenue, was dismissed from his post in the street and imprisoned in the Dali Temple prison.

This news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Chang'an within an hour.

The power of thunder is truly astounding!

Everyone was stunned by Li Shimin's resolute attitude of not being afraid to tear off the mask of civility.

Those who were mocking Wei Zheng for overestimating his abilities yesterday have now shut their mouths and begun to seriously consider where this storm, triggered by the divine decree of the immortals, will ultimately lead.

Within the city of Chang'an, undercurrents were surging.

Countless eyes were fixed on one place.

The Duke of Zhao's Mansion.

Changsun Wuji, the current Minister of Works, the most meritorious official of Lingyan Pavilion, the Emperor's brother-in-law, and the undisputed leader of the Guanlong Group.

Qian Kun was someone he had personally promoted.

Wei Zheng's strike, seemingly aimed at Qian Kun, was actually a test of Changsun Wuji's reaction and a challenge to the bottom line of the entire Guanlong Group.

However, to everyone's surprise, the gates of the Duke of Zhao's mansion remained tightly shut, and there was no movement all day.

Changsun Wuji neither submitted a memorial to plead for leniency nor rallied the officials, as if he knew nothing about the matter.

As night fell, an inconspicuous blue mud sedan chair was quietly carried out from the side gate of the Duke of Zhao's mansion and sped towards the imperial city.

Taiji Palace, Imperial Study.

Li Shimin is reviewing memorials.

He claimed to be reviewing them, but his mind was completely elsewhere.

He was waiting for someone.

He knew that Changsun Wuji would definitely come.

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Zhao requests an audience," a eunuch's voice rang out from outside the door.

"Let him in." Li Shimin put down his vermilion brush and rubbed his temples.

A moment later, Changsun Wuji, dressed in casual clothes, walked in. He had lost the majesty he displayed in the court and looked more like a worried older brother.

"The auxiliary machine is here, have a seat." Li Shimin pointed to the brocade stool next to him.

"Your subject dares not," Changsun Wuji bowed deeply. "Your subject has come to plead guilty."

"Apologize?" Li Shimin raised an eyebrow. "What crime have you committed?"

Changsun Wuji sighed and said in a deep voice, "Qian Kun has failed in his judgment of character and has misused his subordinates, thus betraying Your Majesty's trust. This is my fault. I beg Your Majesty to punish him."

He made no mention of pleading for Qian Kun, instead taking all the blame upon himself. This tactic of feigning retreat to advance was executed with masterful skill.

Li Shimin remained silent.

He looked at his partner and brother-in-law, who had fought alongside him since they were humble beginnings, and felt a mix of emotions.

He understood what Changsun Wuji meant.

"Assistant," Li Shimin slowly began, "do you think I went too far today?"

Changsun Wuji raised his head and looked directly into Li Shimin's eyes, a rare moment of tacit understanding between the two.

"Your Majesty, punishing corruption and rectifying officialdom is the work of a wise ruler, and your subject fully supports it." Changsun Wuji's voice was very sincere. "However, Wei Xuancheng is more fierce than tactful."

His actions today, though momentarily satisfying, have instilled fear in everyone at court. The affairs of state require the concerted efforts of all officials; if they all focus on checking accounts and patching up loopholes, who will implement the "sheep-raising" policy?

"Water that is too clear has no fish; pushing it too hard could lead to chaos!"

These words were well-reasoned, well-founded, and sincere.

It not only demonstrated support for reform, but also pointed out the drawbacks of Wei Zheng's methods, and further implied the political risks of excessive purges.

In the past, Li Shimin might have seriously considered his advice, slowed down, and sought a more moderate balance.

But now, things are different.

Li Shimin did not answer directly, but stood up, walked to the window of the imperial study, and looked up at the unchanging sky.

At this moment, in the sky, Jianghe is playing with a type of building block called Lego with Xiaosizi.

The colorful little blocks were gradually assembled into an exquisite and beautiful house that they had never seen before.

Little Sizi was having a great time, her silvery laughter ringing out from time to time. Her pure joy seemed to transcend time and space, infecting everyone who watched her.

Changsun Wuji followed his gaze and saw this scene.

He was stunned.

"Auxiliary machine, did you see it?" Li Shimin's voice became unusually calm, yet it carried an undeniable power.

"What did you see?"

"I saw auspiciousness, I saw peace."

Li Shimin turned around, staring intently at Changsun Wuji: "I used to think the same way you did. I believed that if the water was too clear, there would be no fish, and that everything should be balanced and checked. I thought that was the way of the emperor."

"But the Immortal Master has enlightened me!" His voice suddenly rose, "The Immortal Master has shown me what a truly clean and prosperous world looks like!"

The children there can play carefree, and auspicious omens are everywhere!

He pointed to the sky and said, word by word, "That is the kind of world I want!"

For the sake of such a world, what is a mere Qian Kun?

Even if it shakes the entire Guanlong Group, what does it matter?!

"Master, this is not just my will, it is the will of Heaven! It is the Celestial Master watching over us from above!"

Changsun Wuji was completely stunned.

Looking at the passionate, even somewhat fanatical, emperor before him, he suddenly understood something.

Your Majesty has changed.

Since the appearance of the celestial canopy and since receiving the divine decree from the immortal master, an unprecedented flame has ignited in his heart.

He was no longer a monarch who was content with merely balancing the various forces; what he wanted to do was to create an unprecedented, divinely ordained, and popularly popular great undertaking that would last for generations!

Faced with such a grand goal, any obstacles, any so-called personal relationships, dignity, or interests will become insignificant.

Changsun Wuji's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

He finally realized how naive he had been to come here tonight.

He still wanted to use the old methods of the game between the emperor and his ministers to persuade him, but little did he know that His Majesty had already stepped out of this chessboard and begun to make moves based on the will of Heaven.

"Your Majesty... understands." Changsun Wuji slowly knelt down, this time with heartfelt reverence and submission. "Your Majesty's heart is as sagacious as the heavens, while your Majesty... is foolish. From this day forward, your Majesty will wholeheartedly assist you, mending what is broken and nurturing what is lacking, even unto death!"

He knew that from this night onward, the fate of the Tang Dynasty was about to change completely.

In the kitchen.

Jiang He finished the two packets of instant noodles with great satisfaction, even drinking the soup completely.

"Done."

He stretched and walked back to the living room, where he saw that Xiao Sizi had fallen asleep next to the Lego bricks, with a sweet smile on her face.

He carefully picked her up, placed her on the sofa, and covered her with a blanket.

After doing all this, he habitually glanced at the sky.

The Duke of Zhao is a man of great principle!

The mutual understanding between Your Majesty and the Duke of Zhao is a blessing to the nation!

[May Heaven bless the Great Tang! After the storm, a bright and clear world will surely emerge!]

"The Duke of Zhao? That sounds like a high-ranking official."

Jiang He muttered to himself, completely unable to understand why this group of ancient people had suddenly become so excited.

"Never mind, I don't want to think about it anymore. Let's take the little one to the park downstairs tomorrow."

He yawned and casually turned off the living room light.

The moonlight outside and the barrage of comments from 1,300 years ago inside intertwine to create a bizarre and fantastical picture, the meaning of which no one can decipher.