Little Sizi came to my house and became the family's darling, and Li Shimin got anxious.

"Another world?" Fang Xuanling caught the word and murmured it repeatedly.

The little princess peeked her head out from under Li Shimin's arm and said urgently to Wei Zheng, "This is a chicken! You're an idiot!"

The little girl's face turned even redder with anger.

Li Shimin took a deep breath. He had no intention of hiding the news from the court officials that Empress Zhangsun had been taken away by a master for treatment.

From the moment Sizi brought those things back, he had a plan in mind.

This plan requires the support of court officials.

He held the little princess, his gaze sweeping over Changsun Wuji, Wei Zheng, and Fang Xuanling, and said in a deep voice, "The Empress is indeed not in the palace. She is seriously ill, and the Imperial Medical Bureau is helpless. She is currently seeking treatment in a place that Si Zi can reach… in another world. This item…"

He held up his phone. "It's from the other world; we can communicate. You all heard what the Queen said earlier; her condition is improving."

"This matter concerns the Empress's life, and even more so... a secret that our Great Tang has never touched before. What you have heard and seen in this hall today, once you leave this hall, you must not utter a single word of it! Anyone who leaks this information and shakes the foundation of the nation will be executed!"

The plan is not yet perfect; he needs to think it over carefully, and his trusted ministers also need to process it.

Changsun Wuji looked at his sister's improved complexion on his phone screen, then at Li Shimin's serious expression. He opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words and bowed deeply.

Fang Xuanling frowned, digesting the immense information behind the words "other world," and also bowed.

Only Wei Zheng remained defiant, saying, "This object can imprison human shadows and emit human voices; it is clearly an evil spirit! Her Majesty the Empress must have been imprisoned within it by this person's magic! Your Majesty must not be deceived; quickly destroy this object and rescue Her Majesty the Empress!"

Seeing that Li Shimin was about to get angry, Fang Xuanling quickly gave the emperor and his minister a way out, "Your Majesty, Wei Zheng just hasn't figured it out yet. I will definitely talk to him properly when I get back."

Wei Zheng gave a heavy snort, "Your Majesty, I have no choice but to speak."

Li Shimin pressed his brow, his temples throbbing.

He had just calmed down from the excitement of seeing Empress Zhangsun's video when Wei Zheng poured cold water on him.

"Wei Xuancheng, that's enough."

Wei Zheng's voice was firm and resonant: "Your Majesty, I dare to ask, have you personally seen the Empress?"

Li Shimin paused.

Wei Zheng continued, "Neither Your Majesty nor I have seen it with our own eyes. All that everyone saw was an image within this black object, nothing more."

"An object of unknown origin, an image of dubious authenticity, a few unverifiable words—and His Majesty believed them? He's convinced the Empress is safe and sound?"

Changsun Wuji frowned, and Fang Xuanling lowered his head.

They didn't want to admit it, but what Wei Zheng said made some sense.

Li Shimin's fingers tightened slightly.

"Wei Zheng, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Wei Zheng raised both hands high and said, "Your Majesty, I impeach you."

The temperature inside the hall seemed to drop by ten degrees.

Changsun Wuji's expression changed drastically: "Wei Zheng! You..."

"Let him finish speaking." Li Shimin raised his hand to stop Changsun Wuji, his voice as cold as ice.

Wei Zheng's voice echoed in the main hall.

"Firstly, Your Majesty is easily swayed by superstitious beliefs."

"The so-called master has no record or trace. Your Majesty believed in such a person based solely on the words of a three-year-old child."

"Secondly, Your Majesty, as the sovereign of the nation, has entrusted the mother of the country to an unworthy person."

"Her Majesty the Empress is ill, and instead of entrusting herself to the imperial physicians, the imperial kitchen, or any other trustworthy person in the court, she has entrusted herself to a so-called master of dubious origin. Has Your Majesty considered that if this person harbors ulterior motives, the Tang Dynasty could collapse at any moment?"

Thirdly, His Majesty is stubborn and refuses to heed advice, covering up his mistakes.

"We, Your Majesty, have come to inquire about the Empress's whereabouts, but Your Majesty has refused to tell us the truth, instead using the pretext of matters concerning the harem to evade the question. Now, to present a demonic creature as evidence is utterly absurd. How is Your Majesty's action any different from burying your head in the sand?"

Inside the Ganlu Hall, you could hear a pin drop.

The other ministers dared not utter a sound.

Changsun Wuji's fists were clenched so tightly they were cracking, and he wished he could rush up and stuff his shoes and socks into the man's mouth.

Even his own elder brother didn't question it, yet Wei Zheng was being so aggressive.

Wei Zheng continued.

"Your Majesty, I know you do not wish to hear these words. But if I do not speak, I will be failing the trust Emperor Taizong placed in me, and I will be unworthy of this robe of an advisor."

"What I am arguing about is not to deny Your Majesty's decision. What I am arguing about is that when Your Majesty made this decision, there was no one to corroborate it, no one to safeguard it for Your Majesty. Your Majesty took a desperate gamble, but there was not a single person by your side who could help Your Majesty see the truth."

Li Shimin was actually quite pleased. Someone was not afraid of imperial power and risked their life to offer advice, which proved that he, as the emperor, was still very wise.

At this moment, Si Zi tugged at Li Shimin's sleeve.

"Father, my sister isn't a bad person."

Everyone looked at her.

The little princess looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, her little mouth tightly pursed. Although she didn't quite understand what the adults were saying, she sensed it.

Nobody likes Fairy Sister.

She was unhappy.

"My sister gave me sweets to eat and also treated my mother's illness."

She sniffed, her voice soft and childlike, yet unusually earnest.

"Grandpa Wei, Nibu is going to talk bad about Fairy Sister. He'll be really angry."

Wei Zheng looked at the little boy and was speechless for a moment.

He could refute every official in the court, but he didn't know how to speak to a three-year-old child.

Li Shimin looked down at the ox, a bitter smile appearing in his eyes.

If it weren't for Sizi, Guanyinbi would really not have much time left.

"Wei Xuancheng, I will not punish you today."

Wei Zheng was taken aback.

"But I'm telling you, I'm not wrong."

After dismissing the ministers, Li Shimin squatted down and tentatively asked, "Sizi, would it be alright if you brought Father along too?"

The little princess tilted her head and said very seriously, "I have to ask my sister first. Only if my sister agrees can I take Father to the border."

Li Shimin was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

Yes, we should ask first.

After all, that's their territory. It's already impolite of me to go there uninvited, let alone to trouble them by sending Guanyinbi over.

Back at the Lizheng Hall, Li Shimin put down the little princess and urged, "Alright, Sizi, go and ask quickly, your father wants to see your mother."

"Okay, okay~"

……

Li Yinxun had been keeping an eye on the activity in the living room, and she saw the little princess as soon as she appeared.

I wasn't scared this time.

"Sizi? Why are you back so soon? Did you explain things to your father?"

The little princess ran over, hugged her leg, and looked up at her, asking, "Sister, can Woko bring Father over?"

"Huh?" Li Yinxun was surprised.

See Li Erfeng?

Now?

She wasn't ready for this yet.

"You...your father is coming?" Li Yinxun was excited but also a little nervous.

The little princess blinked and pouted, "Bukoi?"

Seeing that her eyes were about to redden, Li Yinxun panicked even more.