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

Li Chengqian stood up, walked to Li Yuan, and knelt down.

Now that he's been seen through, there's no point in him continuing to pretend.

"Grandfather, you are wise. Your grandson does not intend to rebel; he simply wants to live."

Li Yuan looked at Li Chengqian kneeling on the ground and remained silent for a long time.

He then sighed and reached out to help Li Chengqian up.

"I know your father's temper best."

What he was most proud of in his life was his military achievements.

"The achievements you've made in Liaodong are almost equal to his back then. No wonder he's unhappy about it."

Li Yuan shook his head helplessly.

"These past few days you've been running around in Chang'an, handing over military power and dealing with Changsun Wuji."

Actually, you're testing your father's limits, aren't you? You're scared, aren't you?

Li Chengqian nodded.

"It's good to be afraid."

Li Yuan sneered.

"In this royal family, the least valuable thing is family ties. Your father killed his brothers and forced me to abdicate."

Now that you've achieved so much that you're overshadowing your master, it's perfectly normal for him to be wary of you.

Throughout history, only those with a guilty conscience have ever been wary of the things they have done.

Li Chengqian trembled upon hearing Li Yuan's words.

I only say this in private.

Only the old man dared to speak of the Tang Dynasty in public.

"However, you're much better than your good-for-nothing uncle."

Li Yuan patted Li Chengqian on the shoulder.

"If Jiancheng had been as ruthless and cunning as you back then, your father wouldn't have had the chance to rule the country."

Upon hearing this assessment, Li Chengqian didn't know whether he should be happy or afraid.

"Alright, stop playing the victim for me."

"I am old and don't have many years left to live. This Tang Dynasty will eventually belong to you young people. There's nothing I can do to help you anymore."

Li Yuan clapped his hands.

Four middle-aged men emerged from behind the artificial hill.

These four people are of average appearance; they are the kind of people you would never notice in a crowd.

However, the four people made almost no sound when they walked.

This startled Li Chengqian.

These four people are definitely much more skilled than his Shadow Guards.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The four of them knelt down on one knee in unison.

Li Yuan pointed to these four people and said to Li Chengqian:

"This is the Listening Wind Pavilion that I personally built when I was a cavalryman."

These four people are the four masters of Tingfeng Pavilion, each in charge of one of the four departments: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow.

Tingfeng Pavilion's spies are spread throughout every prefecture and county of the Tang Dynasty, and even in the Turkic and Western Regions.

"The Listening Wind Pavilion can find out exactly what each of the court officials ate last night, and which concubine each of them slept with."

Li Chengqian gasped in shock.

He had always believed that the most powerful intelligence agency in the Tang Dynasty was the Hundred Cavalry Division under Li Shimin's command.

Unexpectedly, my imperial grandfather was holding such a trump card.

"When I abdicated, I handed over the reins of government and military power to your father. But I kept Tingfeng Pavilion."

Li Yuan looked at Li Chengqian, his gaze turning somewhat sharp.

"Your father has been trying to uncover Tingfeng Pavilion all these years, but he doesn't even know which way the door of Tingfeng Pavilion faces."

"In the entire Tang Dynasty, only I know about Tingfeng Pavilion."

Li Chengqian now understood that his grandfather had left him a backup plan.

No wonder my uncle lost so quickly during the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Li Yuan then pointed at Li Chengqian and said to the four pavilion masters:

"From today onwards, he is the new master of Tingfeng Pavilion. From now on, you will only obey his orders."

He tells you who to kill, and you kill that person. Do you understand?

"Yes, ma'am."

The four responded in unison.

Li Yuan turned to look at Li Chengqian:

"Boy, I'm entrusting you with my last trump card. You mustn't let me down."

If you still can't beat your father, you'll end up like your uncle, dying a violent death.

Even if I die then, I will still remove you from the family register.

Li Chengqian felt his palms starting to sweat.

This gift is too heavy.

But these are exactly what he needs most right now.

After all these years of operation, the Shadow Guard has only covered most of the mansions in Chang'an.

Now that Tingfeng Pavilion is in place, Li Chengqian is even more confident in accomplishing what he wants to do next.

Li Chengqian nodded solemnly, knelt down and kowtowed three times to Li Yuan.

"Grandpa, rest assured, your grandson will definitely not let you down."

Li Yuan waved his hand:

"Alright, get out of here. Don't get in my way."

Remember this: the four of them will only tell you the contact information and location of Tingfeng Pavilion, so don't let your father find out.

Also, if you ever have anything to do to your father, remember to inform me in advance.

"Grandson takes his leave."

Li Chengqian left Da'an Palace with Xiao Shunzi.

As soon as he stepped out of the palace gate, Li Chengqian turned his head and looked at Da'an Palace with a sigh.

This trip was definitely worthwhile.

"Your Highness, where are we going now?"

Xiao Shunzi asked from the side.

Li Chengqian said with a smile:

"Return to the East Palace."

......

The first quarter of Hai hour.

Just as the drumbeat of the Eastern Palace sounded, Changsun Chong appeared outside the study door.

"General Changsun, His Highness is waiting for you inside."

Xiao Shunzi pushed open the study door and whispered a reminder.

Changsun Wuji nodded and silently walked in.

Li Chengqian did not sit in the chair, but instead stood with his back to the door, his hands behind his back, looking up at the map of the Tang Dynasty's territory hanging on the wall.

"Your subject, Changsun Chong, pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Changsun Chong performed a proper and respectful bow.

There was no response.

Li Chengqian didn't even turn his head; he just stood there quietly.

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed.

Li Chengqian then turned around and sat down at his desk.

"Cousin. Changsun Wuji is already crippled, and the Qi State Duke's Mansion is a thing of the past."

The Changsun family is a complete mess right now. What are you planning to do about it?

Changsun Chong was startled.

This issue has essentially torn away the last fig leaf from the Changsun family.

Changsun Chong gritted his teeth, and the pride and stubbornness of a noble family scion inexplicably surfaced at this moment.

He answered with a forced smile:

"Although my father has been convicted, the Changsun family's reputation has endured for over a century. As the eldest son of the Changsun family, I must not betray my family. I will certainly make meritorious contributions in the army and uphold the honor of the Changsun family during the Chongzhen era."

"To revive the family fortune?"

Li Chengqian sneered.

"What a wonderful move to revive the family's reputation."

Li Chengqian picked up a stack of account books from the table and threw them in front of Changsun Chong.

Changsun Chong's gaze swept over the open account books on the ground.

He was stunned after just one glance.

It clearly records:

On a certain day of a certain month, in the inner treasury of the Pyongyang Royal Palace, 10,000 taels of pure gold were confiscated, but the actual amount reported was 8,000 taels.

On a certain day of a certain month, at the residence of the powerful Park clan of Goguryeo, two bushels of top-quality pearls were confiscated, but were not deposited into the accounts...

Changsun Chong's heart pounded in shock.

This is his ledger of embezzlement in Liaodong.

He and Fang Yi'ai both followed Cheng Yaojin's example and secretly transported their valuables back to Chang'an.

He thought he had done this perfectly, so how come the Crown Prince had the account book?

It's not really Changsun Chong's fault.

Cheng Yaojin instructed his men to send the valuables back to Chang'an in front of them.

But they had given Li Chengqian prior notice.

Changsun Chong and others only learned the superficial aspects.

"Cousin, is this all you're going to use to restore the Changsun family's reputation?"

Changsun Chong opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"While 100,000 troops are fighting valiantly at the front, you're plundering and enriching yourself in the rear. Embezzling military funds and lined up your own pockets!"

Li Chengqian slammed his hand on the table and abruptly stood up.

"According to the military law of the Tang Dynasty, what crime is this? I don't need to teach you, do I?"

Changsun Chong knelt down with a thud:

"Your Highness, spare my life! I was confused for a moment, I deserve to die."

"You deserve to die."

Li Chengqian walked up to Changsun Chong.

"Father is currently worried about not finding an excuse to completely purge the remnants of the Changsun family."

"As long as I deliver this account book to Ganlu Palace, before we even wait until noon tomorrow, all several hundred members of your Changsun family will be lined up neatly at the execution ground to be beheaded."

The words "execution of the entire family" shattered the last vestige of pride that Changsun Chong held in his heart.

What family traditions or heritage? In the face of absolute power, they are nothing but a fart.

"Your Highness! All the mistakes are my fault alone."

"I am willing to surrender all the embezzled funds, and I am willing to die. I only beg Your Highness to spare the Changsun family out of our past relationship."

Li Chengqian coldly watched as Changsun Chong kowtowed and begged for mercy.

He stared at it for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea before finally letting out a sigh.

He bent down and helped Changsun Chong up.

"Cousin, what are you doing? Get up!"

Changsun Chong stared blankly at Li Chengqian, completely unaware of what the Crown Prince was planning to do.

"Do you think I really want to kill you?"

Li Chengqian patted Changsun Chong on the shoulder and said earnestly,

"These account books have been with me for a long time. If I wanted to do something to you, I would have just thrown them in front of the Emperor when you were pleading for your father in court."

Changsun Chong shuddered upon hearing this.

Yes, if the Crown Prince had taken out the account books back then, his father would have been killed without a doubt, and he himself would have been buried with him.