The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

What Cui Shanwei can understand, others can naturally understand as well.

What appears to be a simple show of hands is actually an attempt to forcibly divide the country into two sides.

This is not an ordinary struggle over differing political views. At other times, it's fine if people disagree and split into two or even three sides.

Now, the only options are to stand with Li Shimin or with the aristocratic families.

Zheng Yuanzhu's expression changed slightly, and he thought to himself that Chen Huai'an's move was truly vicious.

Li Shimin chuckled and raised his eyes slightly: "Very well, since Minister Chen has made this suggestion, let's have a vote today. Those who agree to set things right should raise their hands, and those who disagree should not raise their hands."

"Let's begin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Shigu and the others raised their hands in unison, and Yu Shao, Chang Gui, and Ouyang Shu immediately followed suit.

In the blink of an eye, the officials in the court split into two factions.

Chen Huai'an glanced back indifferently and noticed that out of the five fifth-rank officials in the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works under his supervision, five had not raised their hands.

However, he didn't say anything, silently keeping these five people in his heart.

Li Shimin observed not only the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue, but also the attitudes of all officials.

Despite being mentally prepared, Li Shimin still felt a surge of anger when he saw that there were two more people who didn't raise their hands than those who did!

Lu Yanqing counted the number of people on both sides, looked at Chen Huai'an, and said with a mocking look in his eyes: "Duke Anguo, there are two more people who don't raise their hands than those who do."

"This proves that there are more people who don't agree with your high-sounding reasons."

"Now, is there anything else you want to say?"

"How is this possible?" Wei Zheng found it hard to believe. How could officials of the fifth rank and above be outnumbered by powerful families?

Yan Shigu's face was extremely ugly.

As I just said, the fewer people should submit to the more people. Judging from the numbers today, they will most likely be blocked by the aristocratic families.

If they are stopped this time, they may not be able to succeed next time either.

When will the unification of scriptural interpretations be finally achieved?

"Why doesn't the Duke of Anguo speak?" Lu Yanqing asked with a confident smile.

"Oh, I'm counting people." Chen Huai'an raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you counted them all? Wei Zheng said you're a hypocrite, and I don't quite believe you, so I have to count them myself."

Lu Yanqing's face darkened. He knew Chen Huai'an was good with words, so he didn't argue with him: "Since you're not giving up, then you can count properly."

"I'd like to see what flowers you can count..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Yanqing suddenly stopped, his eyes slowly shifting from a smug look to one of utter terror and disbelief.

The rest of the people in the court all wore expressions of disbelief.

Even Li Shimin, who was in first place, was somewhat surprised.

Cui Xuan, Cui Gan, and Cui Dunli, three members of the Boling Cui clan, slowly raised their hands amidst the bewildered gazes of the crowd.

Cui Xuan smiled and nodded to Lu Yanqing, seemingly a little shy.

Lu Yanqing: "..."

Chen Huai'an grinned: "Little Lu, it seems like we have one more vote than you guys now!"

"Does that prove that I'm right and you're wrong, and that we're truly getting to the bottom of things?"

"Impossible!" Cui Shanwei glared at Cui Xuan. "What are you doing? Do you know what you're doing?"

"You are aiding and abetting evil; you will be cursed to death by the world and by countless future generations!"

Cui Xuan said indifferently, "I obviously know what I'm doing, but whether I'll be cursed by the world and by future generations is none of your concern."

"Even if I get scolded, it's me who gets scolded, what does it have to do with you?"

"You..." Cui Shanwei was so angry that he couldn't speak, feeling that the world was so absurd.

The Cui clan of Boling, one of the five prominent clans and seven noble families, was actually won over by Chen Huai'an.

Why is it the Cui clan of Boling, and not their own Cui clan of Qinghe?

Zheng Yuanzhu's first thought was the same as Cui Shanwei's.

On what grounds?

Why is it the Cui family of Boling?

The Cui family of Boling had clearly sent people to kill Chen Huai'an before!

They are clearly mortal enemies!

He had only given Chen Huai'an a slight hint and threat, but Chen Huai'an preferred to lead everyone into a new full-scale struggle against the aristocratic families rather than cooperate with the Zheng family.

Why is it that the Cui family of Boling, which sent assassins to kill Chen Huai'an, is allowed to do so?

"You..." Lu Yanqing suddenly stood up, utterly unable to accept this outcome. Pointing at Chen Huai'an and Cui Xuan, his finger trembling, "You acted against us...you really fooled us?!"

"You were all acting the whole time?!"

Cui Xuan coughed lightly: "What are you talking about acting? I don't understand. I did have some different ideas from them before, but haven't I seen the error of my ways now?"

"How can this be considered acting?"

Lu Yanqing paused for a moment, then smiled.

I was just so angry.

"Hahaha...hahahaha, good, good, good, good, good Chen Huai'an, good Boling Cui family, a den of snakes and rats, I should have thought of it, I should have thought of it!"

They were almost going to win, but unexpectedly, the Cui family betrayed them at this crucial moment!

But thinking about it, it makes sense. If they weren't absolutely certain, why would they propose a show of hands vote?

He naively thought that Chen Huai'an just wanted to see who the enemy was so that he could deal with them later.

Unexpectedly, Chen Huai'an was far more ruthless than they thought; he not only considered who the enemy was, but also wanted to win.

Let them lose in the most humiliating way possible!

Choi Seon-wi's expression was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.

No one expected that the Cui family of Boling would betray them.

At the beginning, Cui Xuan kept arguing with Yan Shigu and the others.

"What?" Chen Huai'an said with a half-smile, "When you thought you were about to win, you were all smug and arrogant, practically sticking your noses out. Now that you've lost, you've all gone crazy?"

"Can't accept reality? Or are you afraid to admit you're wrong?"

"Bullshit!" Lu Yanqing roared, pointing at him and cursing, "You think you've won just like that? You think that by bringing the Cui family along, you've got everything under control?"

"The eyes of the world are discerning; everyone has their own judgment on who is right and who is wrong!"

"That..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Huai'an raised the tablet in his hand, and Lu Yanqing immediately fell silent, not daring to say anything more.

He's still in pain all over his body and face.

"You idiot!"

Chen Huai'an gave him a cold glance.

"alright."

Li Shimin finally spoke, his voice not loud, but instantly silencing all the noise in the hall: "Since the rule of raising hands to vote was something you all agreed to, now that the result is in, there is no need to say anything more."

"..."