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

The next morning.

Grand court assembly at Taiji Hall.

The officials, who were usually so noisy, were now as timid as quails.

Everyone knows that the Duke of Qi's mansion was raided last night.

The commotion was so loud that these officials couldn't sleep all night.

At this moment, the once arrogant Changsun Wuji was kneeling outside the Taiji Hall with disheveled hair.

That was a request made specifically by Empress Zhangsun.

She wanted to show the entire court what would happen if they dared to touch her son.

Li Shimin's face grew darker and darker as he looked at the memorial presented by Tang Jian.

Upon seeing the final page, Li Shimin threw it away.

"Okay, very good."

Li Shimin pointed outside the palace and roared angrily.

"To fund the military expenses in Liaodong, I have halved the amount of charcoal burning in Ganlu Palace. The concubines in the harem don't even dare to have a new dress made."

But Changsun Wuji is quite something. His family has more gold than the national treasury.

What is he trying to do? Does he want to move my chair to his Duke of Qi's mansion as well?

Tang Jian spoke with a pained expression:

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. When I led the search party last night, what I saw was also shocking."

The extravagance of the Duke of Qi's mansion was simply unheard of.

Tang Jian almost burst out laughing as he spoke.

The national treasury, which had been empty, was filled again overnight.

"deliver an imperial order!"

Wang De quickly stepped forward.

"Changsun Wuji has been corrupt, perverted the course of justice, formed cliques for personal gain, and betrayed the Emperor's favor! Effective immediately, he is stripped of all official positions and titles, demoted to commoner status, and all his property is confiscated! He is banished from Chang'an and will never be employed again!"

The imperial edict shocked the entire court.

That's too ruthless.

That's your brother-in-law! You can just throw him away like that?

Wang De received the imperial decree and jogged out of the main hall.

Not long after, Changsun Wuji's mournful wail came from outside the palace.

"Your Majesty! Spare me..."

Then, the sound abruptly stopped.

He had obviously fainted.

Li Shimin snorted coldly and sat back on the dragon throne.

His gaze began to sweep across the hall.

Ultimately, it fell on Li Chengqian.

My unfilial son has been unusually quiet today.

He hasn't said a single word since he went to court.

Even when I was so angry just now, this unfilial son didn't even offer a word of comfort.

It was as if the person outside was a stranger.

Li Shimin was filled with doubt.

Did this unfilial son take the wrong medicine today?

Are you plotting something again?

At this moment, Cui Mingan gave Wang Gui, who had been granted special permission to attend court that day, a wink.

Wang Gui shook his head slightly, signaling not to act rashly.

He is still serving his sentence.

In addition, he really doesn't dare to touch Li Chengqian now.

This prince is too strange.

"clever."

Li Chengqian stepped out of the queue.

"Your subject is here."

Li Shimin felt a tickle in his teeth looking at his obedient appearance.

"The soldiers fought valiantly and made invaluable contributions to this great victory in Liaodong."

As the commander-in-chief, you know the situation on the front lines best.

What are your plans for rewarding the soldiers? Tell me so that I and all of you Chen Gong may hear them.”

Li Shimin's words were actually a test.

This was a test to see if Li Chengqian wanted to use this opportunity to recruit the generals in the army to the Eastern Palace.

After all, such a large-scale reward is a huge political asset.

The courtiers also pricked up their ears.

It's important to know that almost every family sent someone to the front lines this time.

Cui Mingan sneered inwardly.

If any disciple dared to ask for an exorbitant amount, he would immediately accuse him of forming a clique for personal gain.

This reward has absolutely nothing to do with the Cui family.

In reality, Cui Hao never went to the front lines.

When passing through Youzhou, Li Chengqian disliked that Cui Hao needed to be carried, so he simply abandoned him in Youzhou.

This also meant that although the eldest son of the Cui family was nominally sent to Liaodong.

However, no progress has been made.

This is also the fundamental reason why Cui Mingan kept staring at Li Chengqian and biting him.

Everyone was curious about who Li Chengqian would bestow honors upon.

Li Chengqian raised his head and said respectfully:

"Replying to Father Emperor."

Thunder and rain, all are the emperor's grace.

The soldiers fight on the front lines to protect their homes and country, and to repay their fathers for raising them.

As for how to bestow rewards, that is entirely up to the Emperor's discretion.

"Your subject is young and inexperienced, and would never dare to presume to discuss state affairs."

Upon hearing this, the entire court of officials began to wonder if they had misheard.

This is the same kind of thing that the living Yama who built the Jingguan in Liaodong, tricked his uncle, and demanded to hand over military power in the current dynasty could say.

Li Shimin was completely stunned.

He had prepared a whole host of words, intending to give Li Chengqian a good talking-to when he made excessive demands.

As a result, the other party simply used a Tai Chi push, kicking the ball back intact.

Looking down at his son, who was extremely respectful.

Li Shimin felt a chill run down his spine for no apparent reason.

Has this rebellious son really grown up to this extent?

"Okay, very good."

Since the Crown Prince feels that the decision is entirely up to me, then I will make that decision.

"Wang De, proclaim the imperial decree."

Wang De picked up the imperial edict and began to read it aloud:

"My lord: This great victory in Liaodong has enhanced the prestige of our Great Tang Dynasty. The soldiers of the three armies fought bravely, and their merits are invaluable to the nation..."

The first part consisted of a long string of routine platitudes, which made the courtiers drowsy.

Then Wang De changed the subject and began to read out specific names.

"Cheng Chumo, son of the Duke of Su, is brave in battle and is the most courageous in the army. He is specially appointed as a guerrilla general and awarded one hundred taels of gold and one hundred acres of fertile land."

"Zang Yi'ai, son of the Duke of Liang, was credited with procuring provisions and was the first to breach the city walls. He was specially appointed as the General of Guide and awarded one hundred taels of gold and fifty bolts of Shu brocade."

"Yuchi Baolin, son of the Duke of E..."

As each name was read out, the ranks of military officers were filled with joy.

On the civil service side, the officials from aristocratic families all had ashen faces.

Unfortunately, all those who received rewards this time were the sons of military generals and civil officials.

As for the second generation of aristocratic families?

Except for one of the legitimate sons of the Zheng family of Xingyang who was rewarded, the rest were basically wiped out.

It took Wang De a full incense stick's time to finish reading out the rewards bestowed upon the second-generation elites.

Finally, he glanced at a figure standing in the ranks of civil officials and read aloud,

"Changsun Chong, son of Changsun Wuji, Duke of Qi!"

All eyes turned to Changsun Chong, who was standing at the very back of the civil officials' line.

Last night, the Duke of Qi's mansion was raided, and today Changsun Wuji was demoted to a commoner and banished from Chang'an.

How should the emperor reward this son of a disgraced official?

Wang De continued reading:

"Changsun Chong led the artillery battalion and breached the gates of Pyongyang, making a great contribution. After the war, he also pacified the people and investigated the enemy's treasury, making great contributions."

He was specially granted the title of General Zhongwu, a fourth-rank official, awarded five hundred taels of gold, and bestowed with a residence within Chang'an City.

The assembled officials all gasped in shock.

A fourth-rank official?

This is a truly high-ranking position in the military, far higher than Cheng Chumo and the others.

What's even more shocking is that the emperor not only did not implicate Changsun Chong because of Changsun Wuji's crimes, but also gave him such a generous reward.

What does this tell us?

This shows that the emperor completely separated Changsun Wuji and Changsun Chong.

A father is a father, and a son is a son.

Changsun Chong then stepped out of the queue.

"Your subject, Changsun Chong, kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's grace!"

Li Shimin looked at Changsun Chong below the stage and nodded in satisfaction.

This kid has indeed become much more mature after his trip to Liaodong. He's no longer the spoiled brat who only knew how to hang out in Pingkangfang.

Get up.

Li Shimin raised his hand.

"Serve well in the army from now on, and do not disappoint my expectations, nor your aunt's teachings."

Li Shimin specifically mentioned Empress Zhangsun, making it very clear that Zhangsun Chong's success today was entirely due to his aunt's protection.

Changsun Chong, however, did not get up.

He remained lying on the ground.

The courtiers in the hall all looked at him with suspicion.

Did he faint from happiness?

Li Chengqian turned to look at Changsun Chong kneeling on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly.

His intuition told him that something bad was about to happen.

As expected, Changsun Chong raised his head and looked at Li Shimin with red eyes.

"His Majesty.

"I have a request, and I earnestly hope Your Majesty will grant it!"