Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

"impossible."

Wang Gui shouted, his eyes bloodshot.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus! This is a fake."

The news sent back from the front clearly showed that Qin Qiong's true appearance had been seen. Qin Huaidao was just a playboy who frequented Pingkangfang; how could he possibly have conquered Baekje? This is clearly the Crown Prince trying to cover up the truth and find someone to take the blame.

Wang Gui still wanted to make a last-ditch effort; he was truly unwilling to let their carefully planned killing scheme be lost just like that.

"right."

Cui Min also chimed in, saying that...

"Your Majesty, who in Chang'an doesn't know Qin Huaidao's true worth? Does he think he can intimidate an entire nation just by wearing the armor of the Duke of Yi? This is utterly ridiculous. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this thoroughly."

Looking at the two aristocratic leaders below, who were acting like mad dogs, Li Shimin could no longer suppress his anger.

He grabbed the scroll from the imperial desk and threw it directly at Wang Gui's forehead.

"A thorough investigation? Open your eyes and take a good look for yourself."

Li Shimin pointed at Wang Gui and angrily cursed,

"That was a letter of surrender written by King Buyeo Jang of Baekje himself."

Wang Gui quickly picked up the files.

When he unrolled the scroll, what came into view was the seal of the King of Baekje.

At this moment, Wang De snatched the surrender document from Wang Gui's hand and began to read it aloud:

"The guilty subject, King Buyeo Jang of Baekje, kowtows: Qin Huaidao, son of the God of War of the Great Tang, wearing the armor of the Duke of Yi, is like a god descending to earth, his might shaking the city of Sabi."

The disgraced official gazed upon the young lord's divine might from the city wall, his heart breaking with rage, knowing he was no match for the divine soldiers of the Celestial Empire.

"I am willing to offer up the nation's wealth, land, and people, and to serve as its subjects for generations, with no disloyalty whatsoever..."

After Wang De finished reading, he deliberately shoved the surrender document in front of Wang Gui's face and said with a smile:

"Lord Wang, please look carefully. This seal of the King of Baekje cannot be faked."

Young Master, this is truly a feat of destroying a kingdom.

Wang Gui stared at the writing on the scroll, his lips trembling as he couldn't utter a single word.

Cui Mingan leaned over and took a look.

After just one glance, Cui Mingan felt dizzy and disoriented.

It’s over.

Their carefully laid plan has been foiled once again.

Qin Huaidao impersonating his father was even endorsed by the King of Baekje.

This letter of surrender is a national document that will be recorded in history; who dares to say it's fake?

Even if it was true or false, it's now considered an undeniable fact.

At this moment, Kong Yingda pointed at Wang Gui's nose and laughed loudly:

"Lord Wang, weren't you just holding up the Great Tang Code and threatening to execute nine generations of your family? Why are you mute now?"

"What law did Qin Huaidao's father break? Recite it to me!"

Li Gang also added insult to injury with a sarcastic remark:

"Oh dear, this King Baekje is so naive, he's been scared out of his wits by a mere boy."

However, this caused great distress to our Lord Wang, as all the impeachment memorials he wrote overnight became worthless.

That was a really loud slap in the face.

Wang Gui was mocked by the two men and, unable to bear it any longer, fainted on the spot.

Changsun Wuji lowered his head, wishing he hadn't come to court today.

Now look what happened! Not only did he fail to bring down the crown prince, but he also completely offended his own sister.

Moreover, it became a laughing stock in the imperial court.

Just then, Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Shimin and sneered:

"Your Majesty, didn't you just ask Li Junxian to draft an imperial edict? Didn't you want to send the Hundred Cavalry to Liaodong to arrest Gao Ming?"

Li Shimin opened his mouth, then awkwardly rubbed the hem of his dragon robe.

Empress Zhangsun pointed to the surrender document in Wang De's hand and continued:

"Isn't the goal to punish him for deceiving the emperor and plotting rebellion, which is punishable by death?"

Now that Baekje has fallen, the charge of deceiving the king is completely fabricated.

"I'd like to ask, will His Majesty still issue this decree?"

All eyes in the Taiji Hall turned to Li Shimin.

Pei Ji and the other senior officials covered their mouths and chuckled.

Li Yuan, on the other hand, crossed his arms, looking like he was watching a good show.

Looking at his wife, Li Shimin suddenly felt ashamed.

He suddenly felt that the dragon throne he had pursued his whole life was becoming unsustainable.

"Cough cough..."

Li Shimin, shameless as ever, coughed twice.

"Guanyinbi, what are you saying? I just... I just didn't finish my sentence, which caused you to misunderstand."

Empress Zhangsun stared at him coldly, without saying a word.

Li Shimin had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue making things up:

"My intention is that Gao Ming has made great contributions in the war. I would like to send Li Junxian to Liaodong to reward the Crown Prince and also to verify the military situation at the front."

Yes, it's just a gesture of appreciation! There was absolutely no intention to arrest anyone, absolutely not!

Even Wang De, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand the fabrication.

Wang De shook his head slightly to the side.

"Oh? To reward the Crown Prince?"

Empress Zhangsun raised an eyebrow and asked.

"That's right, that's right."

Li Shimin nodded repeatedly.

Empress Zhangsun was too lazy to pay any more attention to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty had better be consistent in word and deed."

She turned around, her gaze sweeping over the civil and military officials in the hall.

"My son is risking his life for his future outside. If anyone dares to stab him in the back and cause him to lose a single hair, I will never let it go."

After saying that, Empress Zhangsun walked out of the hall.

"Return to the palace."

When passing by Li Yuan, Empress Zhangsun gave a deep bow.

Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Empress Zhangsun's departing figure.

But just then, Li Yuan suddenly walked towards him.

Li Yuan slapped Li Shimin on the shoulder.

"Erlang."

"You're really regressing in your imperial ways as you get older."

Li Yuan looked at his son with a mocking expression.

"Father is right."

Li Shimin replied with his face flushed and his head bowed.

Li Yuan, however, had no intention of giving him any face today, pointing his finger at him and angrily cursing:

"You're too easily swayed. Who's risking their life outside to build the Tang Dynasty's empire? Who's sucking the blood off the Tang Dynasty from behind? Can't you tell the difference?"

You see things less clearly than a decrepit old man like me, with one foot in the grave.

Li Shimin gritted his teeth and remained silent.

The anger he had just vented flared up again.

This anger wasn't directed at Li Yuan, but at the powerful officials who had framed him and caused his death.

If it weren't for those bastards trying to force him to abdicate with fake news, he wouldn't have been scolded by his wife and then by his own father in the Taiji Hall.

"Gao Ming is the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty, appointed by me."

Li Yuan walked up to Changsun Wuji with his hands behind his back.

"He's risking his life for the Li family on the front lines. If anyone dares to stab him in the back again, they'll make an example of him..."

Li Yuan looked at Changsun Wuji and continued in a chilling tone,

"I skinned him alive and hung his entire family on the city wall."

"The Emperor Emeritus is wise and sagacious."

Pei Ji took the lead, and more than a dozen founding veterans shouted in unison.

Meanwhile, the civil officials of the Zhenguan era all bowed their heads and acted like quails.

Even Fang Xuanling dared not plead for mercy at this moment.

"snort!"

Li Yuan was too lazy to look at these things. He snorted coldly and strolled out with his old ministers.

As soon as Li Yuan left, Li Shimin immediately became arrogant.

"Are they all mute?"

Li Shimin grabbed the inkstone and smashed it down.

"Weren't you all quite eloquent when you were forcing me to issue an order to arrest them?"

Wang Gui had just woken up from his coma when he heard this, and was so frightened that he tried to lie down and continue pretending to be dead.

"Wang Gui!"

Li Shimin immediately began calling out names.

Wang Gui had no choice but to grit his teeth and get up.

"This old minister is here..."

"As an advisor, instead of offering advice on state affairs, he fabricated rumors and framed the crown prince."

Li Shimin gritted his teeth and said

"You're fined a year's salary and confined to your quarters for three months! Go back and reflect on your actions behind closed doors. Don't come out until you've figured it out."

Wang Gui slumped to the ground:

"This old minister... obeys the decree."

"Cui Mingan."

Cui Mingan trembled and immediately knelt down:

"Your subject acknowledges his guilt."

"You admit your guilt? I haven't even settled accounts with you yet for sending sand to the front lines by your Cui family."

Li Shimin sneered.

"Reduce the number of hereditary officials from the Cui family of Qinghe by half next year."

"If you dare to cause trouble again, I will uproot your entire family from your positions in the court."

Cui Minqian's vision went black, and he almost fainted as well.

The number of hereditary officials was the lifeblood of powerful families to maintain their influence in the court. Reducing it by half would literally bring the Cui family's influence to rock bottom.

After dealing with those two people, Li Shimin's gaze fell on Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji lay prostrate on the ground, awaiting Li Shimin's thunderous wrath.

As long as His Majesty still punishes him, whether it's demoting him or reducing his salary, it at least shows that His Majesty still cares about him as the emperor's brother-in-law.

However, Li Shimin said nothing.

His gaze toward Changsun Wuji was filled with indifference.

Changsun Wuji's heart clenched suddenly.

He could tell that His Majesty was completely disappointed in him.

No punishment is the most severe punishment.

From this day forward, in Li Shimin's heart, the Duke of Qi was no longer a close friend he could entrust his life to, but a politician who could be discarded at any time.

"Dismiss the court."

Li Shimin stood up and walked directly towards the rear hall.

"Best farewell to Your Majesty."

The courtiers all knelt down and shouted.

As Changsun Wuji watched Li Shimin's departing figure, his vision blurred.

This time, the Changsun family is probably really finished.

Without the double protection of the emperor and empress, what is Changsun Wuji?