My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound suddenly echoed in the solemn and quiet Imperial Study.

A pink token, exquisitely carved with cat paw prints, was slammed heavily onto the golden nanmu imperial desk, a symbol of the highest power in the Tang Dynasty, by a chubby little hand.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

One second he was still passionately proclaiming, "Looking back at the rise and fall of past dynasties, success comes from diligence and frugality, while ruin comes from extravagance," Wei Zheng, the number one critic of the Tang Dynasty.

At this moment, he was like a duck whose neck had been suddenly grabbed, its mouth wide open, but unable to make a sound.

In those usually sharp old eyes, an undisguised look of terror suddenly appeared.

Minister of Revenue Fang Xuanling shuddered and instinctively took half a step back, hiding himself in the shadow of the pillar.

"The rhinoceros doesn't care!"

"Sizi also wants a huge headquarters! Bigger than the Eastern Palace! More impressive than the two major academies!"

"If Father doesn't give it to me, I won't eat today!"

Princess Li Mingda of the Tang Dynasty, with her hands on her slender waist.

Her rosy cheeks puffed up like a ripe peach as she angrily issued her final ultimatum.

On the dragon throne.

Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty stared at the pink token before him, his eyes twitching wildly.

He glanced at Li Chen, who was standing beside him gloating, and then at his precious daughter in his arms, whose eyes were red with tears.

The emperor's majesty collapsed completely at this moment.

"My dear daughter, don't get agitated."

Li Shimin quickly reached out and gently patted Sizi's back, his tone so gentle it seemed to melt water.

"Establishing this headquarters is no small matter."

"Look, every inch of land in Chang'an is now incredibly valuable, and construction for cultivation is happening everywhere."

"Where would be a suitable place to build the headquarters of this cult? We can't very well build it in the imperial palace, can we?"

Li Shimin tried to reason with this four- or five-year-old child.

"I don't care! I want it built in the busiest spot outside!"

Sizi sniffed and loudly retorted with conviction.

"My sixteenth brother told me a bedtime story a few days ago and gave me a book called 'Tang Dynasty, Prince's Path to Immortality'!"

"That book clearly states that even the most obscure, low-ranking sects that cultivate immortality still have towering mountain gates and enormous plazas!"

Sizi became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, pointing her little finger at the token on the imperial desk.

"Our Holy Flame Meow Meow Cult is the only officially designated religion in the Great Tang Dynasty!"

"Father, you are the Vice Leader, Sixteenth Brother is the Holy Son, and Uncle Cheng and the others are all Elder Protectors!"

"With such an invincible lineup, if they didn't even have a courtyard for their offices, wouldn't it make the whole world laugh at our Tang Dynasty royal family for being stingy!"

These words left Li Shimin speechless for a moment.

Yes.

It's truly embarrassing that a religious sect led by the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, who was also its vice-leader, didn't even have a simple hut to stay in.

But just as Li Shimin's resolve wavered and he was preparing to compromise...

Wei Zheng, who was standing to the side, finally recovered from his initial shock.

No!

Absolutely not!

As the head of the censors in the Tang Dynasty, he served as a mirror for the emperor.

Wei Zheng felt he had to stand up and defend the dignity of the Tang Dynasty's national treasury!

Even if it were the emperor's most beloved princess, he would still have to remonstrate to the death!

"Your Majesty! You mustn't!"

Wei Zheng took a sudden step forward, his whole body burning with righteous energy like a raging fire.

He was righteous and awe-inspiring, his voice booming, even carrying a tragic air of "the wind howls and the Yi River is cold."

"Your Highness is young and ignorant; how can Your Majesty indulge in such nonsense!"

"Every precious stone and every inch of land in the national treasury is stained with the blood of the Tang soldiers and the sweat of the people! It was meant to expand our territory and enlighten the world!"

"How can it be used to build... a playground for cats and children!"

Wei Zheng became more and more excited as he spoke, and even raised the tablet in his hand.

"This old minister would rather die than allow such extravagant and absurd behavior to occur in Chang'an!"

"If Your Majesty insists on this course of action, this old minister will gladly smash his head against the dragon-carved pillar in the Imperial Study today!"

Unyielding spirit!

A resounding statement!

Fang Xuanling watched with great enthusiasm, secretly giving Old Wei a thumbs up in his heart.

As expected of the most unyielding person in the Tang Dynasty, he dared to stand up to even the unreasonable demands of the little princess!

Li Shimin was also embarrassed by Wei Zheng's words and coughed twice.

"Minister Wei, you flatter me. I never said it was absolutely necessary to build it..."

however.

Li Shimin hadn't finished speaking.

Sizi, who was sitting on his lap, suddenly stopped acting cute.

The little girl turned her head, her big, dark eyes looking calmly at Wei Zheng, who was about to smash his head against the pillar.

then.

Sizi stretched out her delicate white hand and picked up the pink cat paw token on the imperial desk.

She jumped off the dragon throne and, with her short legs, walked step by step to Wei Zheng.

He raised the token high.

The pink light cast an eerie shadow on Wei Zheng's wrinkled old face.

"Uncle Wei Zheng"

Sizi tilted her little head, and her childish voice carried a terrifying pressure that sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

"You just said you were going to run into a pillar?"

Wei Zheng, neck stiff with unwavering resolve, declared, "Indeed! For the sake of the Tang Dynasty, this old minister is willing to die!"

"Oh, okay then."

Si Zi nodded, then brought the cat paw token directly to Wei Zheng's nose.

The little girl took a deep breath, her clear, childlike voice echoing in the imperial study.

"But before you hit the pillar."

"As the transmission elder of my Holy Flame Meow Meow Sect, have you forgotten the rules of our sect?"

"To see this cult leader's token is to see an unparalleled deity!"

Sizi's eyes narrowed slightly, like a kitten on a hunt.

"Elder Wei, do you want to do this now, in front of Father and Sixteenth Brother?"

"Recite our religion's sacred mantra aloud a hundred times!"

"Ready, go!—The sacred flame shines brightly..."

boom!!!

The moment I heard those four words.

The string of "reason" and "integrity" in Wei Zheng's mind snapped completely.

That evening, in front of the Western Buddhist delegation.

He, the dignified Duke of Zheng of the Tang Dynasty, had a terrifying memory of being forced to wear cat ears, raise his hands in front of his chest, and shout "meow meow meow meow".

Like a category 12 tsunami, it instantly drowned all his pride and dignity!

That was the most terrifying social death he had ever experienced in his life!

"Gulp."

Wei Zheng swallowed hard.

He looked at the pink token in front of him, then at Sizi, whose face was full of innocence.

All that righteous spirit vanished without a trace at that moment.

Instead, there was deep fear and humiliation.

If I were to meow a hundred times more in this imperial study today...

How could Wei Zheng ever have the face to teach at the Confucian and Taoist academies again? He might as well just die now!

"This...this..."

Under Li Chen's gaze, who was trying so hard not to laugh that his stomach hurt.

Under the astonished gaze of the Tang emperor.

Wei Zheng, the most unyielding man in the Tang Dynasty, underwent an epic transformation in an instant, his old face turning bright red.

"What the Master says is absolutely right!"

Wei Zheng suddenly bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle and shouted in a loud voice.

"This old minister suddenly remembered that the Tang Dynasty, besides needing strict education, also needs vibrant and lively faith to nourish the hearts of its people!"

"Building the headquarters of the Holy Fire Meow Meow Cult is a benevolent act that aligns with the will of Heaven and appeases the hearts of the people!"

"Not only should we build it, but we should build it on a grand scale! We should build it magnificently!"

Fang Xuanling's jaw nearly dropped to the ground as he stood behind him.

He stared wide-eyed at Wei Zheng, as if looking at a stranger who had been possessed.

Old Wei, where's your backbone?! Weren't you just about to bang your head against the pillar?!

Wei Zheng dared not look into his colleagues' eyes. He clutched his stomach and bent over in pain.

"Oh dear, this old minister is suddenly suffering from gastrointestinal discomfort and unbearable abdominal pain."

"This matter is entirely up to Your Majesty and the Master to decide. This old minister shall take his leave now!"

Done.

This number one troll of the Tang Dynasty was acting like a startled rabbit.

He scrambled out of the imperial study, disappearing faster than anyone else.