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

"Your Excellency, I have been wronged!"

Zhou Keji trembled all over, terrified, but he could only utter a single word: "I'm innocent."

Chen Huai'an glanced at him indifferently: "Innocent?"

"I don't think you're being wronged!"

"Right and wrong must be thoroughly investigated."

"Normally, even if I were involved in this matter, I might not have the authority to investigate a case involving a fifth-rank official like you. So I chose to beat you up."

"Tell me, if I make a big fuss about this, make it known to everyone, make it so that no one can suppress it or get involved."

"At that time, could you still claim you were innocent?"

Zhou Keji's lips moved slightly, but he didn't say anything.

He knew that the other party had probably planned everything before coming here, and he had no chance of struggling anymore.

Next, we'll see how they fight it out.

His fate will also be in the hands of these people.

"Zhou Keji... Zhou Keji." Chen Huai'an's lips curled into a sneer. "You certainly have a good name, but have you really been self-disciplined?"

Zhou Keji remained silent, neither crying out in pain nor pleading his innocence.

Just as Chen Huai'an was about to say something, Zhang Anan led his men and barged in, his gaze towards Chen Huai'an filled with resentment.

Upon seeing the other party, Chen Huai'an coughed lightly: "Envoy Zhang, what's going on here...?"

"By order of His Majesty, summon the Crown Prince back to the palace!" Zhang Anan sighed inwardly. He had already seen the situation when he entered.

In short, they were beaten badly.

These are things he shouldn't be meddling in.

His only responsibility was to bring the crown prince back to the palace.

Li Chengqian stepped forward and said, "Sir, I'll go back first. Don't worry, I started this, so I'll take responsibility."

After saying that, he turned and left, and Zhang Anan silently followed.

Chen Huai'an raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself that Li Chengqian did know a thing or two.

If people found out that it was Chen Huai'an who led the Crown Prince into the county government office to beat people, he would probably be subjected to a barrage of criticism. Of course, he didn't care.

But this matter is ultimately a troublesome one.

If Li Chengqian admits that he was the one who started it, then the nature of the incident will be completely different.

At most, it's a matter of mismanagement, which can be easily resolved by downplaying the issue.

"Sir, what should we do next?" Tang Heshang asked.

"What should we do?" Chen Huai'an shouted. "Someone, bring Zhao Aniu here to me."

"I want to ask him myself if he has received the one hundred acres of land!"

"..."

Inside the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian slowly stepped into the Xiande Hall.

Li Shimin sat at the head of the table, his expression cold and aloof, while Empress Zhangsun sat to his side, her face filled with worry.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty!"

"Kneel down!" Li Shimin shouted.

"Yes, Father!" Li Chengqian knelt down without saying much.

Putting aside the distinction between ruler and subject, kneeling before one's parents is a matter of course, and there's nothing wrong with it.

"I heard that Chen Huai'an took you to the Wannian County government office to beat people up. From the fifth-rank county magistrate down to the lowest officials, everyone in the county office was publicly assaulted and slapped by you," Li Shimin said angrily.

"Even the dog got slapped three times, and the evergreen tree in front of the door was cut down. Is that true?"

"Yes." Li Chengqian nodded. "But it wasn't you who led me to fight, it was me who led you. He couldn't persuade me otherwise."

"He can't argue with you?!" Li Shimin laughed in exasperation. "As Grand Tutor, he can't argue with you?"

"Yes," Li Chengqian answered directly, insisting that he was the one who led Chen Huai'an to make the call.

Li Shimin gave him a deep look: "According to your plan, as the crown prince, you would lead your teacher into the county government office and beat up an official of the court in front of many people."

"What do you want to do?"

Li Chengqian replied neither servilely nor arrogantly, "May I ask Your Majesty, since I am the Crown Prince, do I have the responsibility to oversee the country and govern the state?"

"Yes." Li Shimin said expressionlessly, "The Crown Prince is responsible for the following: upholding the monarchy, establishing kinship, seeking virtuous officials, reviewing official appointments, accepting advice, eliminating slander, admonishing arrogance, promoting frugality, administering rewards and punishments, promoting agriculture, reviewing military affairs, and promoting literature."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Your Majesty, I would like to say," Li Chengqian raised his head, "As the Crown Prince, I have the responsibility to oversee the country and govern. If I discover that officials are deceiving their superiors and embezzling funds, what is wrong with me punishing them?"

"Is this how you punish someone?" Li Shimin questioned. "Did you go through the Ministry of Justice? Did you go through the Court of Judicial Review?"

"Have you issued the arrest warrant?"

Do you have any evidence?

"On what grounds do you punish him?"

"Based on your personal emotions? Do you think you're above the law?"

The five questions were increasingly serious.

Li Chengqian remained calm and said earnestly, "The law is the foundation of governing a country, and no one can be above the law, including your son."

"Then tell me, why did you do this!" Li Shimin coldly swept his gaze across him. "Chengqian, I'm giving you a chance to explain!"

Li Chengqian and Li Shimin looked at each other. Even though he was kneeling, his small body gave people a feeling of being as upright as a pine tree.

"I am now the Crown Prince, and I discuss important state affairs with Your Majesty in the Xiande Hall, therefore..."

"Please address Your Majesty as Crown Prince!!"

Li Shimin: "..."

Empress Zhangsun: "..."

The couple were both stunned by these words. Empress Zhangsun was initially taken aback, but then felt a surge of relief.

The child has grown up.

Looking at his son, who was neither humble nor arrogant in front of him, Li Shimin vaguely felt that the other party already had a bit of the demeanor of a monarch.

His lips twitched slightly: "...Fine, Crown Prince, tell me, why did you do this?"

"Because they are digging up the very foundation of our Great Tang!" Li Chengqian roared. "They are jeopardizing the fate of our Great Tang!"

"If they are simply embezzling, even if I discover it, I will not interfere too much."

"But their biggest mistake was touching the equal-field system, especially in Chang'an, right under the emperor's nose!"

"If I cannot give the people an explanation, and cannot deter others, what will become of those remote and inaccessible regions?!"

Li Chengqian was clever enough to know how to speak in a way that would be more advantageous to him.

Attributing a momentary impulse to giving the people an explanation and deterring others fundamentally shifts the focus away from the root cause of the problem.

Li Shimin's gaze suddenly sharpened: "Equal-field system? Explain it in detail!"

Li Chengqian recounted everything he had heard in Xiaoxi Village, including Chen Huai'an's simple guesses in the county government office and Zhou Keji's silence, leaving no detail out.

"Bang!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was far more furious than Li Chengqian had imagined. He grabbed his beloved inkstone and slammed it to the ground, yelling, "You bastard!"

"You bastard!!"

"Zhang Anan!!!"

"Go! Get to the county government office and give them a good beating!!"

"..."