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

"Your Highness is truly talented."

Kong Yingda bowed deeply to Li Chengqian in excitement.

"I have studied the classics for decades, and today, after hearing Your Highness's words, it is as if the clouds have parted and the sun has shone through."

Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction at Kong Yingda's attitude.

"I am very pleased that the Grand Tutor has such awareness."

Li Chengqian reached out and helped Kong Yingda up.

"However, compiling the 'Correct Meaning of the Five Classics' is a very arduous task."

These few new interpretations alone cannot change anything.

"I have several hundred new interpretations here. Would you like to hear them, Grand Tutor?"

"think!"

Kong Yingda answered without even thinking.

"I can listen, but I've been too busy lately. Grand Tutor, you don't know, I've been being relentlessly impeached these past few days."

Li Chengqian sighed, feigning difficulty.

"As you know, being the crown prince isn't easy..."

Kong Yingda immediately put on an indignant expression.

"Your Highness, as long as I remain in the court, I will see who dares to impeach you."

"If Your Highness is wrong, that is my fault as your teacher. What does it have to do with Your Highness?"

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up; he hadn't expected Kong Yingda to be so perceptive.

"Grand Tutor is indeed a model of respecting teachers and valuing the Way, worthy of being the greatest Confucian scholar of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Chengqian's flattery greatly boosted Kong Yingda's vanity.

This was an evaluation from the Crown Prince, which means that Kong Yingda's title as the greatest Confucian scholar had been officially recognized.

Just as the two were having a pleasant conversation and were about to continue their discussion on "slang,"

The study door was kicked open.

Li Shimin stormed in, carrying a feather duster he'd somehow acquired.

"You unfilial son! Get out here now!"

Li Shimin had expected to see Kong Yingda reprimanding Li Chengqian when he entered.

When Li Shimin entered, he was completely dumbfounded.

He saw Kong Yingda, on whom he had placed high hopes, humbly seeking his advice with a fawning expression.

And his bastard son was looking at him with a grin on his face.

"Father? What brings you here?"

Your son is currently giving a lesson to Grand Tutor Kong.

Li Chengqian feigned surprise and stood up.

Li Shimin pointed at Kong Yingda, his eyelids twitching incessantly:

"Kong...Kong Chongyuan! What are you doing? I sent you to instruct the Crown Prince, and this is how you teach him?"

Kong Yingda looked at Li Shimin and said confidently:

"Your Majesty is mistaken! His Highness the Crown Prince is a man of profound learning, and his understanding of Confucian classics far surpasses that of this old minister. This old minister is merely seeking knowledge from His Highness."

Kong Yingda paused, picked up the booklet filled with new interpretations from the table, and excitedly held it up in front of Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, please look. This is the true way of the sage. I think this old minister agrees. From now on, Your Highness and I will learn from each other in the Eastern Palace. If all else fails, I can serve as Your Highness's page."

Li Shimin looked at Kong Yingda's fanatical appearance, and then at the words written in the booklet, "Since they have come, let them be buried."

I felt a tightness in my chest and almost fainted.

I can't live like this anymore.

Looking at his frail father, Li Chengqian considerately leaned closer to him.

"Father, please don't get agitated. By the way, I just discussed this with Grand Tutor Kong, and we think that the security of the Taiji Hall needs to be strengthened."

"Your Majesty, I intend to allocate another 100,000 strings of cash from the money borrowed from those families to upgrade the equipment of the Hundred Cavalry Division. What do you think?"

Li Shimin suddenly widened his eyes and stared intently at Li Chengqian.

Ten thousand strings of cash?

How much money did that little bastard steal?

"Kong Chongyuan, get out of here."

Kong Yingda said with a displeased expression:

"Your Majesty, this old minister is discussing a crucial point with His Highness the Crown Prince..."

"roll!"

Li Shimin glared fiercely at Kong Yingda.

Kong Yingda shrank back and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Chengqian:

"Your Highness, please take care. I will come again tomorrow to seek your guidance."

The moment the study door was closed.

Li Shimin walked up to Li Chengqian with a feather duster in his hand:

"Ten thousand strings of cash? You little brat, you've got some nerve! How much money did you actually rob from those three estates of the Cui, Lu, and Zheng families?"

Li Chengqian blinked innocently:

"Father, what are you saying? I don't understand."

"What Cui or Lu clan? Your Majesty, I slept in the Eastern Palace last night."

"You dare to play dumb with me?"

Li Shimin pointed the feather duster directly at Li Chengqian's nose.

"Li Junxian has already investigated everything. This time, the modus operandi is exactly the same as last time."

"You little brat, you stole so much money, and you only have 30,000 strings of cash to fob me off? Where's the rest? Hand it all over!"

Li Chengqian pursed his lips and silently took two steps back:

"Father, what you're saying is a bit unreasonable."

That money was borrowed by my own ability, why should I give it to you?

Besides, haven't you already taken 30%? One shouldn't be too greedy; contentment is key.

"I know your grandma's legs."

Li Shimin cursed loudly.

"That's hundreds of thousands of strings of cash! What do you, a little brat, need so much money for? To start a rebellion?"

"Hand over the money to the Imperial Treasury immediately, or I'll skin you alive today!"

"I have no money, and I won't give you my life."

Li Chengqian, with his neck stiff, shouted loudly,

"The money is all gone."

"Did you spend it all?"

Li Shimin was so angry he laughed.

"Hundreds of thousands of strings of cash, and you spent it all in one night? Are you really a fool? Are you going to hand it over or not?"

"I won't pay."

"Okay, very good."

Li Shimin went berserk and swung a feather duster at her.

Li Chengqian had anticipated this move. He stepped back to dodge the attack and then ran towards the door.

"You unfilial son! Stand right there for me!"

Li Shimin pursued closely behind.

The eunuchs and maids of the Eastern Palace were dumbfounded.

The emperor was seen chasing the crown prince around the courtyard with a feather duster, beating him.

Is this something they can see?

Li Chengqian sped along without even looking back.

He rushed out of the East Palace and headed straight for the Lizheng Hall.

Inside the Rikjeong Hall at this time.

Empress Zhangsun stood in the center of the main hall, looking at the mountain of boxes in front of her, feeling completely smug.

Since she became empress, the Tang Dynasty's harem has always been in a state of austerity.

When did I ever have so much money?

Everyone thought she had married a good man.

Little did they know that this good man was dirt poor.

Fortunately, she had a capable son who would send her so much money every now and then.

"Your Highness, I have counted the boxes that the Crown Prince sent. There are eight boxes of pure gold ingots alone."

The finest pearls and agates filled three large boxes, and the copper coins, roughly estimated, amounted to no less than two hundred thousand strings of cash.

At this moment, Qiuyue walked to Changsun Wugou's side and reported.

Empress Zhangsun tried her best to calm her wildly beating heart.

"Gao Ming has really grown up; he knows how to care for his mother now."

Empress Zhangsun touched a batch of Shu brocade, her eyes full of smiles.

"With this money, the expenses of the harem will not be so tight, and we can buy more things for each palace."

Just as Empress Zhangsun was feeling relieved, a howl suddenly came from outside the hall.

"Mother, save me! Father is going to kill someone!"