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

The following day at noon, Longmen County was bustling with activity.

The gongs and drums are loud, and the firecrackers are all fired.

A procession of eight sedan chair bearers, escorted by yamen runners, set off from the Longmen Inn, attracting the attention of the common people along the way.

"Have you heard? Magistrate Wang is welcoming a wealthy man from Chang'an."

"That's right. It's said that young master Li is very generous and gave away over a hundred strings of cash in one night."

"This pomp and circumstance is almost as grand as welcoming an imperial envoy."

Inside the sedan chair, Li Chengqian closed his eyes to rest, ignoring the discussions outside.

At the entrance of the county government office, Wang Renzhe had already led a group of subordinate officials, including the county magistrate, the registrar, and the clerk, to wait in a line.

"Young Master Li! You've finally arrived. I've been waiting for you for quite some time."

With the sedan curtain lifted, Li Chengqian slowly stepped down.

He glanced around the county government office; there was a guard every three steps and a sentry every five.

"Lord Wang, have you returned from suppressing bandits? Why such a grand display?"

Li Chengqian asked lazily.

"No, no."

Wang Ren then quickly smiled obsequiously.

"This is all for the safety of Young Master Li. You are of noble birth, and we cannot afford to let anything happen to you on my territory. Please come in, the banquet is ready."

Li Chengqian nodded and then walked inside.

After everyone was seated.

"Come, come, Young Master Li, let me offer you a toast."

Wang Renzhe raised his wine glass and said...

"If it weren't for your generous donation, Longmen County's finances would truly be in dire straits. This cup is on behalf of the people of Longmen County to express our gratitude for your great kindness and virtue."

Li Chengqian picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

"Of course, of course."

Next, the county magistrate, the registrar, and a group of local gentry and landlords took turns offering toasts.

His words were full of flowery praise.

Li Chengqian emptied his cup, as if he were drinking water, not wine.

He not only drank it himself, but also persuaded Wang Renzhe to drink it.

"Lord Wang, your alcohol tolerance isn't very good. We businessmen believe that we can only have a proper conversation after we've had a good drink."

"You haven't even finished your drink, how can you talk to me about a multi-million dollar deal?"

"Come on, fill it up, fill it up."

After several rounds, Wang Renzhe's face was so swollen that he could barely walk, while Li Chengbei's eyes remained clear.

Seeing this, Wang Renzhe thought to himself that things were not good, and if he continued drinking like this, he would definitely collapse first.

He secretly gave the clerk behind him a wink.

The clerk immediately pulled out a pre-prepared contract from his robes and loudly proclaimed:

"To promote the prosperity of Longmen and to repay Young Master Li's kindness, my magistrate wishes to jointly develop the Hedong mining industry with Young Master Li, sharing both the good fortune and the profits. This cooperation agreement is hereby drafted for Young Master Li's review."

After saying that, he respectfully presented the contract.

The terms of the contract were all traps.

Once Li Chengqian signs this document, all the funds he has invested will be swallowed up by Wang Renzhe and the Wang family of Taiyuan under various pretexts.

"Young Master Li, look at this is my sincere heart. As long as you sign this contract, from now on you will be my brother, Wang Renzhe's own brother, and the entire mine in Hedong will be our treasure trove."

All eyes were on Li Chengqian, waiting for him to sign the contract of servitude.

However, Li Chengqian didn't even glance at the contract.

"Lord Wang, we've had enough wine. It's no fun just drinking."

How about we play a game to liven things up?

Wang Ren was taken aback.

At this crucial juncture, what's the point of playing games?

But then he thought again that the other party was already trapped, and no matter what tricks he played, he could not escape his grasp.

So, he went along with it and laughed:

"Oh? I wonder what game Young Master Li would like to play? This humble official will certainly accompany you to the end."

Li Chengqian slowly began to speak:

"Let's play a riddle game. I'll ask the questions, and you answer them."

First question: Underneath the abandoned granary in the backyard of your county government office, in that cellar, is the pure gold Buddha statue weighing 100 jin (approximately 50 kg) or 120 jin (approximately 60 kg)?

Wang Renzhe's smile froze instantly.

He looked at Li Chengqian in disbelief.

The secret of the cellar was known only to him and two trusted confidants; even his wife was unaware of it.

How did Li Ming know this?

"You.......you......"

Wang Ren pointed at Li Chengqian, and the indenture in his hand fell to the ground.

Li Chengqian picked up the wine cup in front of him and drank it all in one gulp.

Then, he raised the glass and smashed it on the ground.

Li Chengqian slowly stood up and sneered:

"It seems you can't answer that."

Let's play the second game.

We... risked our lives.

Wang Ren was so terrified by Li Chengqian's words that he screamed in panic:

"Guards! There's an assassin!"

"Seize them immediately!"

The banquet hall door was kicked open from the outside.

However, the response from outside the door was not the familiar voice of the guards.

Instead, it was a deafening roar of battle cries.

"What's going on? Are all the people outside dead?"

Wang Ren screamed in terror.

"Protect the adults!"

Inside the banquet hall, Wang Renzhe's dozen or so personal guards drew their swords and, ignoring the enemies outside, rushed straight at Li Chengqian.

To catch the thief, first catch the king!

If we can take down this madman, there's still a chance for things to turn around.

However, they are fast, but someone is faster than them.

Xue Rengui was the first to move.

He forcefully overturned the huge banquet table in front of him, which was made from a single piece of mahogany.

The heavy banquet table slammed down on the dozen or so guards who rushed at them.

The dozen or so guards didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly rendered incapacitated by the blow.

The entire hall was completely silent.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw.

Xue Rengui casually snatched a long spear from a guard who had been knocked unconscious.

Holding a long spear, he charged into the crowd of guards.

In a single engagement, not a single general survived.

"A ghost...a ghost!"

Wang Renzhe looked at Xue Rengui, who seemed like a demon god descended to earth, and hurriedly ran towards the back door of the banquet hall.

He can survive if he escapes.

He stumbled to the back door, opened it, and was about to rush out.

Outside the door, Fang Yi'ai was leaning against the door frame, playing with a dagger in his hand, and grinning at him.

"Lord Wang, are you in such a hurry to leave? The banquet isn't over yet."

When Wang Renze tried to turn and run away, Fang Yi'ai kicked him back.

The outcome is decided.

Li Chengqian walked to Wang Renzhe's side, took out Wang Gui's secret letter from his pocket, and began to read:

"My nephew Renze, I am delighted to have read your letter. The Li Ming you mentioned is a godsend bestowed upon our Wang family; we must not neglect him..."

Wang Ren looked at the letter in Li Chengqian's hand in disbelief.

That was the head of the family's reply? How could that be...?

Li Chengqian ignored his shock and continued reading:

"Such people are brave but reckless, greedy for pleasure, and easy to control."

You should cater to his desires, satisfy all his extravagant and licentious demands, and squeeze every last penny out of him.

When their wealth is exhausted, find a pretext to deal with them along with their guards. Make sure to do it cleanly and leave no future trouble...

Wang Renzhe's face grew paler and paler as Li Chengqian spoke.

"No...it's impossible..."

He couldn't believe it was true.

"Now, I'll show you something else."

Li Chengqian's voice rang out again.

Xiao Shunzi respectfully presented a long, narrow sandalwood sword case.

Li Chengqian opened the sword box and slowly drew out a gilded sword with a lifelike five-clawed golden dragon carved on the hilt.

"Clang!"

A clear, resonant dragon's roar echoed throughout the hall.

Li Chengqian, holding his sword, shouted:

"I am Li Chengqian, the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty!"

The Crown Prince's Decree of the Tang Dynasty.

You, Wang Renzhe, have oppressed the people, formed cliques for personal gain, and committed embezzlement and perverted the law; your crimes are unforgivable!

Your Royal Highness?

Everyone present knelt down and roared excitedly to the sky:

"Long live His Highness the Crown Prince! Long live His Highness! Long live His Highness!"

Wang Renzhe was completely dumbfounded the moment he saw the Emperor's Sword drawn.

Li Chengqian, too lazy to even glance at the thing again, raised the Emperor's Sword high and loudly gave the order:

"Open the county government's granary to provide relief to the people of the entire city."

The treasury of the criminals was opened, all property was registered, and distributed to the victimized villagers.

The news spread like wildfire from the county government office to every corner of Longmen County.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."

"That corrupt official Wang Renzhe has been arrested."

"His Highness has opened the granaries and distributed grain."

The entire Longmen County was in an uproar.

Countless starving people poured out of their dilapidated houses into the streets, crying and laughing, and knelt down in the direction of the county government office.

"Long live Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"May the Tang Dynasty last ten thousand years!"

Li Chengqian looked at the people outside the county government office without showing the slightest excitement.

Because this is just the starting point.

The real challenges are yet to come.