People in the Tang Dynasty, Jian'an style

This was Li Yuan's rule, and he had no way of refutation, so he could only nod his head: "There is indeed such a decree, but what does it have to do with cursing the fate of our Tang Dynasty?"

"Your Majesty, it doesn't matter to ordinary people, but he is a Taoist priest..."

"What happened to the Taoist priest?"

"The state religion of the Tang Dynasty is Taoism, and Your Majesty has always treated Taoists with kindness. This evil Taoist should be grateful, but he is secretly catching carp. Isn't this repaying kindness with enmity?"

"What's more, this evil Taoist usually spreads evil words to confuse the people. He must have ulterior motives in his heart and is just using this to curse the fate of our Tang Dynasty."

"This……"

Li Yuan thought about it and felt that what Li Wenbin said did make sense.

I am usually so nice to you, I almost treat you like a idol, and you still do this?

"Come here, beat this demon to death."

"Your Majesty, please spare me, Your Majesty, please spare me!" Juejuezi shouted in despair as he was dragged away, but no one paid any attention to him.

Everyone's attention was focused on Li Yuanji.

They all wanted to see whether His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi would really abide by the agreement and give his princely title to Li Wenbin.

Li Yuan looked at Li Wenbin, then at Li Shimin, and then at Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.

He suddenly felt a toothache.

All the civil and military officials including Li Shimin, Zhangsun Wugou and Li Jiancheng were licking their lips as if they had a toothache, looking at the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, whose words were golden and whose voice was the law of heaven, to see whether he would actually do as he had just said.

Li Yuan also felt like he had a toothache. He grinned and turned to Li Wenbin with a half-smile on his face. Before he could say anything, Li Wenbin jumped out in one step.

Li Wenbin fell to the ground in excitement and shouted: "I am terrified, I dare not. I am stubborn and crude, unworthy of great service, but Your Majesty thinks highly of me. I am grateful to you. However, the title of prince is a prestigious position of the court. I really don't dare to accept it, I don't dare to accept it..."

Li Shimin also came out: "Father, Wenbin is still a child. This bet is just a joke. You must not take it seriously."

Li Yuan and Li Yuanji were so angry that they wanted to kick the two men out.

If Li Shimin and Li Wenbin had not run away, Li Yuan would still have thought of getting away with it.

But after they said this, Li Yuan could no longer pretend that he didn't understand.

Chapter 93: Colorful Clothes to Entertain Parents

Li Yuan's eyelids twitched a few times, and he gritted his teeth and smiled at Li Wenbin: "Since you won the bet with the King of Qi, and I was a witness, how can you just let it go like this?"

"Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate..."

Just then, a voice sounded.

Everyone's heart was in their throat at this moment, and they just wanted to see whether the emperor cared more about the title of Prince of Qi or his own words.

Unexpectedly, at this time, someone jumped out and sang a different tune.

Everyone turned their heads and saw Wei Zheng, the East Palace Groom.

When they saw him, Li Yuan and his father felt like they had seen a savior.

"Lord Wei, please tell me why it is inappropriate."

"Your Majesty, I believe that whether it is the title of prince or other titles, they are all prestigious titles of the court and represent the dignity of the court. How can they be privately given away just because of a bet?"

Li Yuanji was extremely happy. This Lord Wei was simply his mouthpiece. He could speak out what was in his heart.

"Father, I think what Lord Wei said couldn't be more correct."

"Alas--"

As soon as Li Yuanji said this, the Taiji Palace was filled with sarcastic voices, especially from the wives and daughters of the ministers.

Now that you remember that the imperial titles cannot be transferred privately, what did you do before?

You are such a grown man, and a prince at that, but your words sound like farts?

"It stinks, it stinks so much, it's simply unbearable!" Cheng Yaojin pinched his nose and shouted loudly, causing a burst of laughter, and also making Li Yuanji glare at him.

Cheng Yaojin didn't care - why not farm just because he heard the crickets chirping?

Li Yuan glared at Cheng Yaojin, then said to Wei Zheng with a pleasant expression: "My dear minister, what you said makes sense. Continue."

Wei Zheng said righteously: "So I think that the King of Qi and the eldest son of the King of Qin, Li Wenbin, used the title of king as a bet, which is really disrespectful and should be severely punished! The King of Qi should be demoted to a commoner and exiled for 3,000 miles to serve as a warning to others. As for Li Wenbin..."

He glanced at Li Wenbin hesitantly and said, "He is not yet an adult, so punishment should be used as a supplement and education as the main approach. This will show your majesty's magnanimity."

Li Yuan: "..."

Li Yuanji: “…”

Demoted to a commoner?

Exile three thousand miles?

You might as well just kill me, that would be quicker and won’t make me suffer so much!

Old man, what grudge do I have against you that makes you treat me like this?

For a moment, Li Yuanji pointed at Wei Zheng with mixed feelings.

Did I steal your wife, or did I jump into the well with your child in my arms? Why do you treat me like this?

Not only Li Yuanji, but even Li Yuan's old face drooped and he was silent for a while.

If it were an ordinary minister, he would probably have given up due to the difficulty.

But the person he met this time was Wei Zheng. If he had retreated so easily, he would never have been called the greatest minister of remonstration in history.

He ignored the desperate glances that Crown Prince Li Jiancheng was giving him, and continued loudly, "Your Majesty, according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, this is the correct verdict. Please don't be afraid of a fall."

Wei Zheng's meaning is very clear. It is not worth it to abolish the law you have personally promulgated for the sake of your own son. Please don't be ungrateful, Your Majesty!

"Your Majesty, I second the proposal."

"Your Majesty, I second the proposal."

"Your Majesty, I second the proposal."

Several ministers jumped out one after another, either officials from the Ministry of Justice or the Dali Temple.

What they rely on is the Tang Dynasty Law. If the Tang Dynasty Law loses its prestige, then there will be no meaning for their existence.

More than a dozen ministers knelt in front of Li Yuan and shouted loudly together, forcing him and Li Yuanji into a desperate situation.

Li Yuan was in a dilemma - if he listened to these ministers, he would have to demote his son to a commoner and exile him three thousand miles away.

Either go to Hainan Island or go to Vietnam to see big hippos or crocodiles baring their teeth.

But if he doesn't listen to them, where will the emperor's dignity be?

Who will believe what I say in the future?

Even the most powerful words in the mouth will become empty talk.

How would the prince see me?

What would the King of Qin think of me?

How would the ministers see themselves?

And what about those dogs in the palace? How should they view me?

There is no way. No matter how important my son is, he is not as important as the country.

It seems that I can only execute Ma Su with tears this time.

Li Yuan took a deep breath, pointed at Li Yuanji and shouted, "Li Yuanji, do you admit your guilt?"

Li Yuanji fell to his knees with a thud, he knew he was doomed.

He was a little confused. What was going on?

I was fine when I came here in the morning, so how come I have become a sinner all of a sudden?

"Father, I know my sins." Li Yuanji burst into tears. "Father, please forgive me. Father, please forgive me."

Seeing his son crying so sadly, Li Yuan felt uncomfortable, but things had come to this point and it was no longer something he could control.

"Father, I am willing to transfer the title of King of Qi to Li Wenbin. As long as he is not demoted to a commoner and exiled to Lingnan, I will be satisfied."

Li Yuanji was extremely regretful now. If he had known that Li Wenbin was eyeing his prince title, wouldn't he have just given it to him?

If you give it directly, not only can you get a favor, but you can also save yourself a lot of trouble.

But now, it's too late to say anything.

Just then, Li Wenbin suddenly spoke.

"Grandfather, do you like the show performed by your grandson and His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi?"

Ok?

Li Yuan was stunned - what does this mean?

Not only him, but everyone in Taiji Palace, including Li Shimin, was stunned.

Only Changsun Wugou held her forehead with her hand - she guessed what Li Wenbin wanted to do.

As expected, Li Wenbin smiled and said, "Grandfather, I have discussed this with His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi. I am deliberately performing a show to make you happy. I wonder if you are satisfied with this show?"

As he said this, he looked at Li Yuanji and said, "Your Highness Prince Qi, is this true?"

"Ah?" Li Yuanji hadn't reacted yet, but when he saw Li Wenbin glaring at him, he nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes, my nephew and I wanted to give Father a surprise, so we deliberately performed this show. Haha, the previous ones were all acting, acting!"

Li Yuan's eyes went dark and he almost fell off the dragon throne.

acting?

It has come to this, and you still say this is acting?

Do you think I am a fool, or do you think all the civil and military officials are fools?

Wei Zheng frowned, looked at Li Wenbin, and said in a deep voice: "Even if it is acting, it is disrespectful. There is no difference. You should not make excuses for the King of Qi."

"Sir Wei, one of the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars is called "Entertaining Parents with Colorful Clothes". His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi and I are also entertaining our parents with colorful clothes. I think that our Tang Dynasty governs the world with filial piety. Since it is to make our royal grandfather happy, what's wrong with that?"

Chapter 94: The Newly-Emerged King of Qi

Li Wenbin has good reasons.

Law is nothing but human nature.

Like now, it is just for the purpose of entertaining parents with colorful clothes, which "slightly" violates the laws of the Tang Dynasty.

Unless Wei Zheng and his people could deny that the fundamental policy of the Tang Dynasty was to rule the world with filial piety, they would have no way to deal with Li Wenbin.

"It's just a child's play! It's just a child's play!" Wei Zheng was so angry that his face turned blue.

Li Wenbin smiled and said, "Sir Wei, there is no need to be so serious. I just want to make His Majesty happy. Why do you have to make it so serious? After all, filial piety comes first among all virtues!"

There is another sentence before this one, which is "Lust is the root of all evil", but even if Li Wenbin was beaten to death, he would not mention this sentence.

"Humph, you can't associate with him!"

Wei Zheng snorted, flicked his sleeves and sat down.

Li Wenbin insisted that he was just entertaining his parents with colorful clothes, and he couldn't say anything else.

But it’s better this way, as this way Li Yuanji won’t be demoted to a commoner and exiled three thousand miles away.

Compared to this, just the transfer of title is more acceptable to him.

Li Yuanji no longer had the arrogance he had before, and hurriedly said, "Father, I wish to transfer the title of King of Qi to Wen Bin. Please issue an order."

"Yuanji, you..."

"Father..." Before Li Yuan could finish, Li Yuanji knocked his head heavily to the ground, "I really want to transfer the title of king to Wen Bin, so please fulfill my wish."

Li Yuan nodded and said, "Okay, just give it to him. It's much better than sending him to a wild place like Lingnan to see giant hippos and crocodiles baring their teeth."

"Well, since you insist so much... Li Wenbin will obey your orders."

"The minister is here."

Li Wenbin knelt in front of the imperial steps.

"I will make you the King of Qi."