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

Li Chengqian, carrying a horizontal sword in one hand, walked towards Ganlu Hall with a gloomy expression.

Xiao Shunzi and a group of Donggong guards followed behind, not daring to offer any advice.

Everyone could see that the Crown Prince was furious.

Outside the Ganlu Hall.

Wang De was dozing off under the eaves with his hands tucked in his pockets.

Hearing the noise, he slowly opened his eyes.

When he saw the scene before him, Wang De was so frightened that half of his soul almost flew away.

"Oh my goodness!"

Wang De rushed over and grabbed Li Chengqian's leg.

"Your Highness, you mustn't. His Majesty is inside reviewing memorials. If you bring weapons in, that's a capital offense."

"Get out of here."

Li Chengqian didn't even look at him.

"Your Highness, even if you kill me, I will not let you in."

Wang De held on tightly, refusing to let go.

Li Chengqian, too lazy to waste any more words, kicked Wang De away.

The imperial guards nearby were all stunned by this display of power, watching as Li Chengqian walked over with his sword in hand.

A group of people knelt down in front of Li Chengqian, trying to stop him.

But Li Chengqian cleared a path with a kick from the left and a kick from the right.

"Bang!"

Li Chengqian walked to the entrance of Ganlu Hall and kicked the door open.

Inside the main hall, Li Shimin, who had been bowing his head to revise memorials, was startled by the commotion and looked up.

When Li Shimin saw Li Chengqian standing at the door with a knife, his face instantly darkened.

"You unfilial son! Do you want to rebel?"

Li Shimin slammed the vermilion pen in his hand onto the imperial desk and roared at Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian walked in and planted his sword in the ground.

"Your subject dares not."

Li Chengqian stared at Li Shimin and shouted.

"Your Majesty, I have come here tonight only to ask you a question."

Why would you marry Chang Le to that good-for-nothing Gao Lixing?

Li Shimin was so angry that his eyes started to twitch.

He never imagined that Li Chengqian would break into the palace with a knife in the middle of the night just for this matter.

"presumptuous!"

Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table.

"Is this how you speak to me? Chang Le is my daughter. I arranged her marriage. It's not your place to interfere."

"Are you arranging a marriage for her? You're selling your daughter."

Are you really going to push Chang Le into a fire pit just to appease the Guanlong aristocratic families and for your laughable imperial strategies?

Li Shimin was furious.

"You know nothing about the art of rulership."

Li Shimin pointed at Li Chengqian's nose and cursed,

"The Changsun family has suffered a heavy blow this time, and people in the court are in a state of panic."

If I do not show favor, what will those old ministers who followed me to conquer the country think?

Although Gao Lixing was somewhat of a playboy, he was, after all, Gao Shilian's eldest son.

As long as Chang Le marries into the Guanlong aristocratic families, the imperial court will be able to maintain stability.

"I'm telling you, this marriage is inevitable. Even if Gao Lixing is a cripple, Chang Le must marry him. This is her fate as a member of the royal family."

Li Chengqian suddenly laughed.

And the louder the laughter, the better.

"What an inevitability! What a royal destiny!"

Li Chengqian pulled the horizontal sword that was stuck in the ground, the blade pointing directly at Li Shimin.

"Father, you keep talking about the greater good. But your balancing act is nothing but a fig leaf to cover up your cowardice and cold-bloodedness."

"you......"

Li Shimin, trembling with anger, pointed at Li Chengqian.

"You were afraid of the powerful families, the old officials, and they would cause trouble. So you used your own daughter's life to fill that hole."

Li Chengqian looked at him coldly.

"I'm putting my words here today."

Whoever dares to accept the imperial decree of marriage, whoever dares to marry Chang Le, I will lead my troops to confiscate their property.

"At worst, my son and I will settle this in Chang'an and see if your imperial decree or the sword in my hand is more effective."

"Someone come here!"

Li Shimin flew into a rage and roared towards the outside of the palace.

"Take this rebellious son away!"

The imperial guards outside rushed in and surrounded Li Chengqian.

Upon seeing this, the guards of the Eastern Palace also rushed in.

The two sides instantly became tense and on the verge of conflict.

"All of you, step back."

Li Chengqian casually tossed his sword to the ground.

Li Shimin pointed at Li Chengqian and gritted his teeth, saying:

"Take him back to the East Palace. If he dares to step out of the East Palace without my decree, break his legs immediately."

Several imperial guards stepped forward, intending to lift Li Chengqian up, but they dared not.

Li Chengqian chuckled and turned to walk towards the door.

Just as he was at the door, Li Chengqian turned around and glanced back.

His eyes were full of mockery.

Lizheng Hall.

"Mother, my elder brother has been imprisoned by Father. He even wants to break his legs. Please go and save him!"

Chang Le lay in Changsun Wugou's arms, crying her heart out.

Empress Zhangsun gently patted her daughter's back.

She did not rush to Ganlu Palace to plead for mercy as she usually did, nor did she send anyone to inquire about the situation.

"Don't cry."

Empress Changsun took a handkerchief and wiped Chang Le's face.

"Your older brother is tough and won't die. It's getting late, go back to sleep."

"But elder brother..."

"I'm telling you to go back to sleep."

Empress Zhangsun's tone became more forceful.

Chang Le glanced at Changsun Wugou with a wronged expression, then walked out of the Lizheng Hall, looking back every few steps.

After Chang Le left, Empress Zhangsun waved.

Fu Gui immediately bowed and walked in.

"Go and convey my imperial decree. Lift Changsun Wuji's confinement order."

Fu Gui was taken aback for a moment, but didn't dare to ask any more questions and quickly agreed.

"Also, go to the Changsun residence in person and tell him exactly what happened at Ganlu Palace tonight."

Fu Gui immediately understood and withdrew.

The Changsun Mansion.

Changsun Wuji sat in the main room, looking at the wealth and splendor before him.

Fu Gui recounted the conflict that had occurred at Ganlu Hall to Changsun Wuji.

After he finished speaking, Fugui took out a roll of yellow silk from his sleeve.

"Lord Changsun, Her Majesty the Empress has said that your confinement order has been lifted. She advises you to take care of yourself."

After saying that, Fugui left the Changsun residence.

Changsun Wuji sat in the chair, remaining motionless for a long time.

Changsun Chong then came out from inside and looked at his father in a terrified expression, asking:

"Father, the Crown Prince has fallen out with His Majesty? Does that mean our business can still operate?"

"If His Highness is deposed, then our Changsun family will be completely finished."

Changsun Wuji ignored Changsun Chong and instead picked up the scroll of imperial edict on the table and slowly unrolled it.

A glint of light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

"idiot."

Changsun Wuji glanced at Changsun Chong and cursed.

"Your aunt is leaving a way out for our Changsun family."

Changsun Chong asked, looking completely bewildered:

"A way out? The crown prince is under house arrest, what way out could he possibly have?"

Changsun Wuji said helplessly:

"His Majesty wishes to bestow a marriage upon him, but the Crown Prince defies the decree with a sword drawn. On the surface, this is a battle of wits between father and son, but in reality, it is a power struggle within the court."

Changsun Wuji sneered.

"Your aunt told me the news and lifted my confinement."

She didn't want me to watch the show; she wanted me to break the deadlock.

Gao Ming was willing to risk even the position of crown prince for Chang Le. This shows that Gao Ming is a man of deep affection.

Changsun Wuji patted Changsun Chong on the shoulder.

"Go to sleep, Father needs to go to the East Palace."

"Why are you going to the East Palace?"

Changsun Wuji narrowed his eyes and said:

"Go and serve as the Crown Prince's swordsman, and while you're at it, let the whole of Chang'an know that I, Changsun Wuji, have returned."