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

When Changsun Wuji reached the gate, the smile on his face froze.

Standing outside the door was not Li Chengqian, but Tang Jian, the Minister of Revenue.

Behind Tang Jian were the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and a team of elite cavalry temporarily transferred from the Hundred Cavalry Division.

"Tang Jian! What do you mean by this?"

Changsun Wuji frowned and looked at Tang Jian angrily, asking him a question.

Tang Jian smiled and took out an imperial edict from his sleeve.

"Duke of Qi, receive the imperial decree."

Changsun Wuji instinctively knelt on the ground.

Tang Jian read aloud:

"Her Majesty the Empress decrees: Duke Changsun Wuji of Qi, as an important minister of the court, does not think of serving the country, but instead engages in rampant corruption and plunders the people's wealth."

The lists of gifts he submitted for bribery are irrefutable evidence of corruption.

"Issuing Minister of Revenue Tang Jian to immediately search and confiscate the Qi State Duke's mansion, and recover the embezzled funds to replenish the national treasury!"

Changsun Wuji's mind went blank.

He stared intently at the imperial edict in Tang Jian's hand.

My gift list was clearly meant to please the Crown Prince, so how did it become irrefutable evidence of corruption?

However, Changsun Wuji was still an old fox.

He understood instantly.

That bastard Li Chengqian accepted the gift list in public not to reconcile, but to obtain evidence of his corruption.

Then he handed it over to the Empress, using her to take revenge on him.

"puff!"

Changsun Wuji spat out a mouthful of blood and then fainted.

"master."

Startled, Changsun Fu rushed forward to support Changsun Wuji.

Tang Jian didn't even glance at Changsun Wuji; he shouted sternly:

"Search thoroughly. Dig three feet into the ground, don't miss a single copper coin."

The officers from the Hundred Cavalry Division and the Court of Judicial Review stormed into the Duke of Qi's mansion and began ransacking it.

Changsun Wuji lay on the ground, watching the officials carry out his life's work piece by piece, and he was so heartbroken that he almost fainted again.

Officials from the Ministry of Revenue kept recording the items that were moved out.

Tang Jian strolled around the courtyard with his hands behind his back, a smile never fading from his face.

"Your Excellency! A cellar has been discovered beneath the artificial hill in the backyard."

An official ran over excitedly to report.

Tang Jian's spirits lifted:

"Let's go take a look."

When they arrived at the backyard, the cellar door had already been smashed open by the officials.

When Tang Jian walked down, he was completely stunned.

The cellar was filled with chests of gold bars and silver ingots, piled up like mountains, almost reaching the ceiling.

The area next to it was also filled with various rare antiques, calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and exquisite jade artifacts.

There were even several sets of prohibited and unauthorized luxury items; any one of them could feed an ordinary person for several lifetimes.

"Goodness."

Tang Jian muttered in shock,

"That old fox has more money than the national treasury."

He casually picked up a gold ingot and took a bite.

"Real gold! All real gold."

Tang Jian turned and roared at his subordinates.

"Quickly transfer all the carriages from the Ministry of Revenue. Load them onto the carriages overnight and transport them back to the national treasury."

Tell the guys to be quick and careful not to damage these treasures.

This is all the military pay for the soldiers in Liaodong.

Outside the Duke of Qi's mansion, a long line of carriages stretched out.

The people of Chang'an were all startled by the commotion, and they all peeked through the cracks in the doors.

"What are you doing?"

"I heard that the Duke of Qi's mansion was raided."

"Oh my, that's quite a story. This Duke of Qi seems quite refined, but who would have thought he's such a corrupt official."

The news spread throughout Chang'an in an instant.

Those aristocratic officials who had originally wanted to see the crown prince make a fool of himself were so frightened that they locked their doors and burned all their correspondence with Changsun Wuji overnight, fearing that they would get burned.

Tang Jian clapped his hands in satisfaction as he watched the last carriage fill up.

He walked up to Changsun Wuji and said smugly:

"Duke of Qi, stop pretending to be dead."

This ledger records that you own several estates outside the city; I will personally go to take them over tomorrow.

Changsun Wuji stared intently at Tang Jian, wishing he could strangle the brat to death.

He personally helped himself to the position of Minister of Revenue.

He's such an ingrate.

......

The main camp outside the city.

As Changsun Chong sat in his tent, pondering what kind of reward he would receive this time...

An old servant from the Changsun family rushed in.

"Young Master, something terrible has happened!"

Changsun Chong was startled by the sudden roar and quickly stood up to ask:

"What happened? Who hit you?"

He was furious when he saw the old servant's face covered in blood.

How dare they touch the Changsun family?

The old servant cried out:

"Young Master, our house has been ransacked. Minister of Revenue Tang Jian, along with officials from the Court of Judicial Review and the Hundred Cavalry Division, emptied our Qi State Duke's mansion, and even detained the Master."

Changsun Chong's mind went blank.

"Confiscate their property? How could that be? My father is the emperor's brother-in-law. Who would dare to touch him?"

Old Ding hurriedly said:

"It's true. Young Master, Tang Jian has the Empress's decree, saying that Master has been corrupt and is being thoroughly investigated."

You should go back and check quickly, or it will be too late.

Just then, Fang Yi'ai and Cheng Chumo walked in and were stunned when they heard those words.

"Brother Chong, your house got raided?"

Fang Yi'ai asked in shock.

Changsun Chong then came to his senses, shoved the old servant aside, and ran out like a madman.

"Prepare my horse. I need to go into the city to find His Highness the Crown Prince."

Fang Yi'ai grabbed him.

"Are you crazy? The city gates are already closed. Trying to force your way in now is a capital offense."

"That's my father! I can't just watch him die."

Changsun Chong cried out.

Cheng Chumo walked over and slapped Changsun Chong on the shoulder.

"Alright, stop crying. Your family's business is our business. Come on, we brothers will go with you."

Fang Yi'ai then chimed in:

"Yes! With the Crown Prince's warrant, it shouldn't be a problem to order the city gates opened. Let's go to the Eastern Palace and ask His Highness."

Changsun Chong gave the two of them a grateful look.

Half an hour later, several fast horses, using the Crown Prince's warrant, opened the gates of Chang'an and headed straight for the Eastern Palace.

Upon arriving at the East Palace Gate, Changsun Chong was stopped by the Imperial Guards stationed there.

Xiao Shunzi happened to come out from inside at that moment and hurriedly went to greet Changsun Chong and the others.

"Oh dear, Young Master Changsun, what brings you here at this hour?"

Changsun Chong grabbed Xiaoshunzi and asked:

"Eunuch Shun, where is His Highness? I need to see His Highness."

Xiao Shunzi sighed:

"Young Master Changsun, you've come to the wrong place. His Highness didn't return to the East Palace tonight; he's resting in the Lizheng Hall."

Changsun Chong paused for a moment, then turned to Fang Yi'ai and Cheng Chumo and said:

"Let's go to the Hall of State Administration."