The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 201 What is this rebellious son up to now?
Back at the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian's tense nerves finally relaxed.

A wave of fear washed over me.

Just now in the Liangyi Hall, facing his father's all-seeing gaze, he almost used all his willpower to avoid showing any fear.

Every denial, every forceful rebuttal, is like walking on the edge of a cliff.

He knew that if he revealed even the slightest flaw, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He walked behind his desk and sat down, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface.

The image of "game theory" that Li Yichen once taught came to mind.

...Betrayal...Advantageous strategy...An eye for an eye.

He Gan Chengji's betrayal was a blatant betrayal!
He dared to turn against his former master just to save his own life!
If it weren't for my proper handling of the situation, and if my father hadn't been unable to find conclusive evidence for the time being...

A surge of anger rose in his chest.

When he dismissed Hegan Chengji and bestowed upon him gold and silk, he had already done everything he could to save face and give him a way out.

Since the other party has chosen the most vicious way to repay us, then we shouldn't blame them!
Revenge! Revenge is imperative!
Not only should Hegan Chengji pay the price, but this opportunity should also be used to declare to all those who secretly covet the Eastern Palace and harbor treacherous intentions—

What will be the consequences of betraying the crown prince and slandering the foundation of the nation?
This isn't about venting anger; it's about strategic maneuvering!
It is an essential means to establish prestige and consolidate one's own position!

He wanted everyone to see that Crown Prince Li Chengqian was not a weak person who could be manipulated or slandered at will!

"Somebody come!"

Li Chengqian suddenly raised his head, his eyes already burning with fierce fire.

"Issue the order to summon all officials under the Crown Prince, including the Left and Right Attendants, the Chamberlain, the Imperial Tutor, and the Assistant Minister... to the Xiande Hall for a meeting immediately!"

The order was passed on quickly.

Within fifteen minutes, the main officials of the Eastern Palace, led by Du Zhenglun and Dou Jing, hurriedly arrived at Xiande Hall.

When they saw the Crown Prince sitting upright behind his desk with a gloomy expression, they all felt a chill and knew that something big must be about to happen.

The atmosphere inside the hall was solemn.

Li Chengqian didn't beat around the bush; he directly recounted, selectively and with strong personal emotion, the accusations made by Hegan Chengji that occurred in the Liangyi Hall.

He deliberately emphasized the parts about Hegan Chengji being "ungrateful" and "framing others".

It also highlights the emperor's "half-believing, half-doubting" attitude towards the matter and his "unfair scrutiny" of himself.

"...That Hegan Chengji is nothing but a lowly man. In the past, I remembered his insignificant contributions and granted him gold to send him away, which was already an extraordinary act of kindness."

"Who would have thought that this wolf in sheep's clothing would be so ungrateful? Not only is he ungrateful, but because he was involved in the case of the Prince of Qi's rebellion, he dared to lie and slander me for assassinating my brother and harming my ministers in order to save my life!"

Such behavior is outrageous and infuriating!

Li Chengqian's voice trembled slightly with anger.

Upon hearing this, the officials all showed indignation on their faces.

Du Zhenglun stepped forward first. He was upright and had witnessed the Crown Prince's diligence and changes over the past year, and was already convinced of his abilities.

Hearing that the Crown Prince had suffered such a great humiliation, he was even more enraged.

"Your Highness has been wronged! Hegan Chengji betrayed his master for personal gain and framed the Crown Prince; he deserves to die!"

"This trend must not be allowed to continue! Your Majesty, I will immediately submit a memorial to severely punish these treacherous officials and set things right!"

Dou Jing followed closely behind.

"Your Highness! The Crown Prince's dignity cannot be violated! Hegan Chengji and those behind him must be severely punished!"

"We, your humble servants, are willing to jointly submit this memorial, requesting Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the source of the rumors and clear Your Highness's name!"

Other officials echoed this sentiment, and the crowd was filled with indignation.

The Crown Prince has recently been working diligently to govern the country, opening up the Eastern Palace, readily accepting advice, and demonstrating exceptional talent in matters such as bonds. He has already won the sincere support of the officials under the Eastern Palace.

Upon hearing that the Crown Prince had suffered such an unjust injustice, everyone was filled with righteous indignation and expressed their intention to submit a memorial to impeach him, requesting the Emperor to investigate thoroughly.

Looking at the surging crowd of officials below, Li Chengqian's anger subsided slightly.

This is what he wants!
He raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"I appreciate your loyalty, my lords."

Li Chengqian's voice regained its composure.

"It is the duty of you ministers to submit a memorial impeaching me, and I will not stop you."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning sinister.

"However, He Gan Chengji's framing of the Crown Prince is an unforgivable crime! How can we stop at just one person? He has slandered the foundation of the nation and shaken the state; his crimes deserve to be punished along with others!"

He looked sharply at Du Zhenglun and Dou Jing.

"My mind is made up! In the name of the Crown Prince, I will issue a document to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, demanding that they immediately arrest Hegan Chengji's three clans and relatives in accordance with the law!"

"His crime is 'slandering the crown prince and undermining the foundation of the nation'!"

"This matter must not only be dealt with, but also made public! I want the whole world to see what the consequences will be for those who betray me and slander the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty!"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Execute three generations of relatives?

This punishment is undeniably severe.

And it was made publicly in the name of the Crown Prince?

This was almost a direct declaration to the outside world of the Crown Prince's extreme anger and tough stance on the matter.

Du Zhenglun frowned slightly. He instinctively felt that this move was a bit too drastic and might attract unnecessary criticism.

But when he looked up and saw the Crown Prince's resolute eyes, and then thought of Hegan Chengji's heinous act of betrayal, the scales in his heart instantly tipped.

The Crown Prince has been pushed to the limit!

If we don't fight back strongly, won't any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare to try and bite the Crown Prince in the future?
"Your Highness is wise!" Du Zhenglun bowed without further hesitation.

"Hegan Chengji's crimes are heinous, and it is the right time to implicate his entire clan as a warning to others! I second that proposal!"

"I second that!" Dou Jing and the other officials echoed in unison.

The Crown Prince's will is beyond question in the Eastern Palace at this moment.

"Good!" Li Chengqian slammed his hand on the table.

"Minister Du, draft the Crown Prince's decree immediately! Once it's stamped, send it to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review! I want them to arrest the person right away!"

"I obey!"

Du Zhenglun accepted the order and immediately went to the desk next to him, spread out the paper, and began to write furiously.

The Crown Prince's decree was quickly drafted, stamped, and then sent by the Eastern Palace guards on horseback to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review.

When the Minister of Justice and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review received the Crown Prince's strongly worded edict bearing the seal of the Eastern Palace, both were stunned.

The Crown Prince's decree explicitly denounced Hegan Chengji as "ungrateful and treacherous, framing the Crown Prince; his heart is despicable and his actions are contemptible."

He also demanded that the Ministry of Justice and the Grand Councilor "in accordance with the provisions of the Tang Code regarding the implication of serious crimes, immediately arrest Hegan Chengji's three clans and relatives, conduct a thorough interrogation, so as to serve as a warning to others and uphold the law of the country!"
What alarmed them even more was that the Crown Prince's decree was not a secret order.

"What...what is the Crown Prince trying to do?"

The Minister of Justice held the Crown Prince's decree, his hands trembling slightly.

His Majesty had just ordered the case to be suppressed and not to be spread, yet the Crown Prince was making a big fuss about implicating others and even wanted to make it public.

This is clearly a slap in His Majesty's face and an expression of strong dissatisfaction!
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review also looked very unpleasant.

"The Crown Prince is... enraged. It seems that Hegan Chengji's accusations have truly touched a raw nerve."

“But what about His Majesty…” The Minister of Justice hesitated.

"The Crown Prince's decree has been issued, and it is required that all actions be taken in accordance with the law." "Slandering the Crown Prince is a crime of 'great disrespect'."

“The Crown Prince has issued a document in his capacity as heir apparent, and if we ignore it, it would be blatant defiance… Forget it, let’s arrest him first, but we must report to His Majesty immediately.”

According to the list, the yamen runners from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review began to arrest Hegan Chengji's relatives throughout the city.

Yesterday, the secret of "the Crown Prince being accused" was only circulating in a small circle, but today the Crown Prince has made it public in such an extremely tough way and launched a bloody revenge!

Shocking the government and the public!

Countless officials were shocked by the Crown Prince's undisguised ruthlessness.

They realized that the once eccentric and tyrannical crown prince, who later appeared calm and composed, still possessed an inviolable and fierce side deep down!
And this is just the beginning.

Immediately afterwards, more detailed information was released—His Majesty had ordered Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling to secretly investigate the matter.

However, after several days of investigation, apart from Hegan Chengji's one-sided statement, there was no conclusive evidence to prove that the Crown Prince was guilty!
This news was like a bucket of cold water poured into boiling oil, causing a complete uproar.

Officials who originally supported the Crown Prince, or who were inclined to support him because of his recent performance, especially those from relatively humble backgrounds or those who were not on good terms with the powerful families of Shandong, were immediately filled with indignation.

That's it!

It turns out that someone used the pretext of King Qi's rebellion to slander the crown prince with baseless accusations!
However, the Grand Tutor Changsun and the Chancellor Fang, who were in charge of investigating the case, failed to clear the Crown Prince's name in time, and instead allowed the matter to escalate, causing damage to the Crown Prince's reputation!
In an instant, impeachment memorials flew to the Liangyi Hall like snowflakes.

These memorials were no longer limited to censors; many officials from the Secretariat, the Chancellery, and the Six Ministries also joined in.

Their impeachment focused on Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.

"The investigation was unclear, which led to the Crown Prince being wronged and failed to live up to the Emperor's grace!"

"Failure to clarify rumors in a timely manner and stop slander before it spreads is a dereliction of duty!"

"Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling hold high positions and wield great power, yet on this matter of great importance, they were ambiguous in their statements and failed to make impartial and straightforward judgments, which is detrimental to the dignity of a prime minister!"

"I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and hold Changsun and Fang accountable for their negligence in the investigation!"

The pressure instantly fell on Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.

Inside the office of the Ministry of Personnel, Changsun Wuji looked at the contents of several impeachment memorials copied by his subordinates.

His face turned ashen, and he clenched the note tightly, crumpling it into a ball.

"What a brilliant tactic... What a fine prince!"

He almost said this through gritted teeth.

He hadn't expected Li Chengqian's counterattack to be so swift and ruthless!

Not only did they make the case public and overturn the table, but they also directly pinned the blame for the poor handling of the case on him and Fang Xuanling!
This move cleared him of suspicion and, more importantly, used the situation against him, taking advantage of the court officials' natural sympathy for the "humiliation of the crown prince" and their dissatisfaction with the "unfair handling of the case."

This puts him and Fang Xuanling in a very difficult position!

Fang Xuanling sat opposite him, his brows furrowed and his face full of solemnity.

“Fuji, we miscalculated. The Crown Prince’s actions… are no longer simply an act of venting his anger.”

They originally wanted to handle the matter quietly and investigate it slowly, so that they could give an explanation to the emperor without completely offending either the crown prince or the Prince of Wei.

But the Crown Prince's forceful intervention completely shattered this balance.

"He's forcing His Majesty to make a statement, and he's also showing his power against us!"

Changsun Wuji said coldly.

"He is telling everyone that anyone who dares to touch the Crown Prince again should be prepared to be skinned alive!"

Inside the Liangyi Hall, Li Shimin was surrounded by memorials impeaching Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.

And a detailed report on the Crown Prince's order to arrest the Hegan Chengji family.

His face was horribly gloomy.

I'm furious! Utterly furious!
He had just ordered the case to be suppressed and not to be spread, but today the Crown Prince openly defied the order, not only making a huge fuss about the matter, but also using his power as the heir apparent to directly demand that the Ministry of Justice arrest and implicate people!
This is blatantly challenging his authority!
Moreover, the Crown Prince's series of combined moves were swift and ruthless, precisely exploiting the psychology of the court officials and turning the tables on Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.

This also put him, the emperor, in a passive position.

He understood that this was the Crown Prince expressing his strong dissatisfaction with his "distrust".

It's also a display of strength, a warning to all potential enemies.

"You unfilial son...you've really grown up!"

Li Shimin roared in a low voice, his chest heaving violently.

But he forcibly suppressed the urge to act out immediately.

If this happens now, it will play right into the Crown Prince's hands and only make the court situation more chaotic.

He cannot, at this moment, completely negate all the efforts and changes made by the Crown Prince over the past year because of Hegan Chengji or the Crown Prince's strong counterattack.

That would render all previous arrangements meaningless.

He needs to weigh the options and stay calm.

……

The next day, Chang Chao.

The atmosphere inside the Taiji Hall was even more somber and heavy than usual.

The officials stood in a silent line, their gazes drawn, intentionally or unintentionally, toward Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who stood before them.

And Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, whose expressions were not quite natural.

Everyone knows that a storm is coming.

The court meeting proceeded as scheduled. After handling several routine administrative matters, the most sensitive topic finally came up—the final resolution of the rebellion case of Prince Qi, Li You.

The Minister of Justice stepped forward, holding a tablet, and solemnly reported the final verdict on Li You's crimes, including murdering Chief Secretary Quan Wanji, privately raising troops, falsely granting official titles, and rebelling in the city.

With conclusive evidence, according to the Tang Code, treason was the most heinous of the ten crimes, an unforgivable offense punishable by death.

The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone knew that this was just a formality; the fate of the King of Qi was actually sealed the moment he rebelled.

Everyone was waiting for the emperor's final decision.

Li Shimin sat high on his throne, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials below, finally settling on the report. His face was expressionless, displaying only the cold indifference and majesty of an emperor.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it clearly resonated throughout the hall.

"King Li You of Qi is cruel and stubborn. He was misled by treacherous people, murdered court officials, and raised an army to rebel. His crimes are irrefutable and he is an outlaw of Heaven and Earth."

He paused, his tone resolute and unwavering.

"He shall be executed immediately! Considering that he is ultimately of my blood, after his death... he shall be buried with the rites due to a Duke."

Death by imperial decree! A punishment befitting a duke!
This outcome both upheld the dignity of the national law and preserved a semblance of the imperial family's dignity.

In most people's eyes, this was already an extraordinary act of mercy from His Majesty.

After all, the crime of treason usually results in the death of the victim, or even beheading and public display of the head.

Many officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to step forward to receive the imperial edict.

However, at that moment, a figure suddenly stepped out from the front of the officials, his voice resounding throughout the entire hall.

"Your subject has something to report!"

The whole hall was stunned!

All eyes immediately focused on the person who spoke—Crown Prince Li Chengqian!

Li Chengqian's face was solemn, his eyes were sharp, and he stared directly at Li Shimin on the throne without any fear.

Li Shimin's eyes narrowed slightly, and a surge of anger instantly welled up in his heart.

What is this rebellious son up to now?
(End of this chapter)