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

Chapter 202 Punish this treacherous official to uphold the law!
"Crown Prince,"

Li Shimin's voice came from the throne, cold and imposing.

What is your purpose?

He deliberately emphasized the words "Crown Prince," both to remind Li Chengqian of his identity and as a warning.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and forced himself to meet his father's sharp gaze.

"Father,"

Li Chengqian spoke, his voice echoing clearly throughout the hall.

"Your subject believes that the fifth brother's plot to rebel is well-documented and he should be severely punished according to the law."

"However, considering that he is ultimately of the Emperor's bloodline, and that he was arrogant and rebellious in his youth, and was also subjected to the meanness and coercion of treacherous villains around him, such as Quan Wanji."

"And with the constant instigation and encouragement of people like Zan Junjian and Liang Mengbiao, they went astray and committed a heinous crime."

"There may be aspects of their plight that are worthy of sympathy..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Shimin interrupted him.

"Is it something to be pitied?"

Li Shimin's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable, chilling tone.

"Treason is the most heinous crime! If this trend is set in motion, how many will follow suit in the future!"

"Where will the laws and regulations of the state be placed? Where will my authority be placed?"

He practically uttered those last few words through gritted teeth, his gaze fixed intently on Li Chengqian's face.

The anger and a deeper, almost obsessive vigilance contained within sent a chill down the spines of everyone who heard it.

Everyone could tell that His Majesty's words were not only directed at Li You, but also a warning to the Crown Prince.

A warning to all those who might harbor delusions!
The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became extremely tense.

However, Li Chengqian did not back down. Instead, he faced this overwhelming pressure head-on and spoke even louder than his father.

"Your Majesty! No one should emulate a loser!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room was astonished!

Li Chengqian gave everyone no time to react, speaking at breakneck speed.

"Throughout history, those who have been emulated by others have all been successful! They are those who, even if they do extraordinary things, ultimately manage to establish order and seize power!"

"For example, before Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, he was humble and courteous to scholars, which earned him a good reputation throughout the world. How many powerful ministers in later generations imitated his 'abdication' act?"

"Cao Cao 'held the emperor hostage to command the princes,' laying the foundation for the Cao Wei dynasty. Sima Yi endured and bided his time, eventually usurping the Wei throne and establishing the Jin dynasty. His descendants, and even many powerful ministers during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, all followed his example."

With each example he gave, Li Shimin's face grew darker.

These examples are all exemplary of powerful ministers usurping the throne and subordinates overthrowing their superiors!

Li Chengqian's voice echoed in the main hall.

"Because they succeeded! They stood the last one standing! That's why their methods were emulated by later generations!"

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze meeting Li Shimin's fiery eyes without flinching.

He punctuated each word carefully, breaking through the final layer of paper that held him back.

"And Li You, a prisoner who was defeated and captured, a loser who couldn't even truly control Qizhou, who would emulate him?"

"The path of the loser is never the goal for others to pursue! If anyone is to be imitated, it is someone else's path..."

He paused at just the right moment, refraining from saying what he was going to say next.

But everyone in the entire Taiji Hall, including Li Shimin who sat high on the throne, understood his unspoken meaning—

If we're going to emulate someone, we should emulate you, the one who succeeded by killing his brother and forcing his father to abdicate through the Xuanwu Gate Incident and ultimately ascending to the throne!
No one would emulate a complete idiot like Li You!
"boom--!"

It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in Li Shimin's mind!

He froze, his blood seemed to freeze at that moment, and then rushed to the top of his head with even more violent speed!

His imposing face flushed red instantly, and veins bulged on his forehead.

His pupils contracted violently due to extreme anger and the excruciating pain of having his own son publicly expose his deepest wound!
He stared intently at Li Chengqian, his chest heaving violently, his breathing heavy.

"Good...good...good!" Li Shimin said "good" three times in a row, each time louder and colder than the last.

The sound seemed to be squeezed out from between teeth, carrying a hissing chill.

"You unfilial son! What do you want to say? Speak clearly to me in front of all the officials!!!"

The immense imperial pressure, like a tangible mountain, crashed down on Li Chengqian.

Some cowardly officials were almost paralyzed with fear.

Li Chengqian felt the pressure that was almost crushing him, but he knew that he could not back down at this moment!

Taking a step back is like falling into an abyss!

He took another deep breath, using all his strength to steady his voice, even making his tone more even, with an almost polite rigidity.

"Your Majesty, please address me as your subject—the Crown Prince."

"hiss--!"

Inside the main hall, a collective gasp of shock rippled through the room!
All the officials felt their scalps tingle and the hairs on their bodies stand on end!
What is the prince doing?
He is forcibly drawing a line between ruler and subject!

This is a reminder to His Majesty that this is a court audience, not a private conversation between father and son!

He was using his status as the crown prince to defy his father's wrath!

Is this... is this going to be a father-son showdown?

In the Taiji Hall, in front of all the civil and military officials?

Li Shimin's lips trembled slightly as he looked at Li Chengqian's young face, which was filled with stubbornness and composure.

An unprecedented rage and a stinging sense of being provoked nearly drove him to madness.

He suddenly stood up from his throne, leaned forward, and pointed his finger straight at Li Chengqian.

The voice was distorted and roared with extreme anger.

"You—! You think I wouldn't dare to depose you?"

The thunderous wrath resounded throughout the palace!

The air in the entire Taiji Hall seemed to have been sucked out, and everyone felt a sense of suffocation.

Faced with this almost blatant threat of deposing the heir apparent, Li Chengqian not only did not kneel down to beg for forgiveness, but instead straightened his back even more.

He even slightly raised his chin to meet the gaze that seemed capable of burning him to ashes, his tone almost coldly resolute.

"Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, your words carry the law, and your pronouncements are lawful. If Your Majesty were to depose me,"

He paused, each word perfectly clear.

"If Your Majesty wishes to demote me to a commoner, then please, Your Majesty, address me as a commoner."

Dead silence.

Absolute silence.

The officials held their breath, their faces ashen, their eyes filled with horror.

The Crown Prince... Has the Crown Prince gone mad?

This is no longer just him talking back!

He's pressuring His Majesty!
He was telling His Majesty that he either had to acknowledge him as the Crown Prince or be completely humiliated; there was no middle ground!
Li Shimin stared intently at Li Chengqian, his eyes seeming to want to devour him alive.

His chest heaved violently, his temples throbbed, and the edict of dethronement was practically on his lips.

This unfilial son, this wretched child!
How dare he?
How dare he pressure his sovereign father like this?

At this critical moment, Li Chengqian suddenly changed the subject.

"Your Majesty, I have a question for you. Prince Qi, Li You, as a prince, has received the emperor's favor, yet he has committed this heinous crime, a crime that cannot be forgiven."

"Does Your Majesty believe that this is all his fault alone?"

Li Shimin was at the height of his rage when he heard this, and without thinking, he shouted angrily.

"Even if Quan Wanji's actions were inappropriate, he was instigated and misled by treacherous villains such as Zan Junjian and Liang Mengbiao."

"This is by no means a reason for him to raise an army in rebellion!" "I have already posthumously granted Quan Wanji an official title and bestowed upon him generous compensation! What more does he want?"

He thought Li Chengqian was trying to exonerate those who had been killed or used by Li You.

Or use this as an opportunity to attack his decision to provide compensation to Quan Wanji.

However, Li Chengqian slowly shook his head, a complex and even sorrowful expression on his face.

Instead of answering Li Shimin's question directly, he asked a question in return.

"Does Your Majesty believe that it is solely the fault of these few individuals?"

"Is there...no one else?"

The entire audience was shocked once again!

You can hear the needle drop!

That's a really harsh statement!

That's so cruel!

The Crown Prince was no longer pleading for Li You; he was clearly criticizing His Majesty for failing to properly educate his son!

This implies that the root cause of the prince's grave mistake lies with those in power, with his father, the emperor!
Li Shimin was struck as if by an invisible lightning bolt, and his whole body swayed violently.

The rage on his face froze instantly.

This then transformed into a furious outburst of utter offense.

He recognized it!
He finally understood what Li Chengqian truly meant!

"you……"

Li Shimin gritted his teeth and said.

"Are you saying... it's my fault?"

He could hardly believe his ears!

His son, the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, actually publicly accused him in front of all the civil and military officials in the Taiji Hall of failing to educate his son properly, which led to Li You's rebellion.

This is a hundred times worse than the previous confrontation and coercion!
This completely trampled on his dignity and authority as an emperor and a father!
Li Chengqian spoke again, but his tone was no longer so aggressive.

Instead, it carried a sense of sorrow and reflection.

"Your subject dares not speak ill of the emperor and father. Your subject only recalls that Quan Wanji, the Prefect of Qi, is harsh and cruel in nature."

“They would often submit memorials to impeach the Prince of Qi, verbally abuse him, and even restrict his movements, treating the prince like a prisoner.”

“His actions were not to teach and help, but to press on step by step, accumulating the resentment in the heart of the King of Qi to an extreme degree.”

He was telling the truth he had secretly discovered, and now, as he recounted it in detail, it seemed even more authentic.

"Then Zan Junjian, Liang Mengbiao and their ilk took advantage of the situation, using flattery and instigation as their skills, ultimately pushing the King of Qi into an abyss of no return."

At this point, he changed the subject again, turning the blame to himself.

It also... subtly points to a deeper layer of history.

"However, tracing back to the source, the Prince of Qi left the palace at a young age and was far from the capital. Although he had officials around him, none of them could truly guide him to goodness and resolve his inner conflicts."

"This is not only a tragedy for the King of Qi, but also my fault!"

His voice rose, filled with self-reproach.

“As the eldest brother, I have neglected to care for my younger brothers, failed to notice in time the difficult situation of the King of Qi and the changes in his mind, and failed to fulfill my responsibility as an elder brother to advise and restrain him.”

"If only I could have done it sooner..."

He paused, not saying anything more, but his eyes, which were looking at Li Shimin, were filled with some indescribable, almost soul-piercing hint.

Inside the main hall, some seasoned officials, such as Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, had extremely grim expressions.

The Crown Prince's words, seemingly self-reproachful, were in fact a veiled attack on the heart!
He mentioned his "eldest brother" and said that he "failed to fulfill his responsibility as an elder brother to advise and restrain."

Isn't this an allusion to the fact that Crown Prince Li Jiancheng failed to restrain the King of Qin back then?

He mentioned "neglect" and "failure to detect in time".

Isn't this also an allusion to Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan's failure to oversee the power struggles among his sons, which ultimately led to the Xuanwu Gate Incident?

He was using Li You's case to allude to the old story of Xuanwu Gate!

He was telling His Majesty that the tragedy was repeating itself because the lessons of history had not been learned.

It is because the responsibilities of "father" and "brother" have been neglected once again!

Li Shimin understood completely.

He trembled all over, his internal organs burning with rage!

He looked at Li Chengqian, at this son who had become so unfamiliar, so audacious, and so cunning.

A tremendous sense of absurdity and a violent killing intent intertwined.

It almost overwhelmed his reason.

He opened his mouth, wanting to roar, to scold, to immediately issue an edict to depose this rebellious son!

But he found that, faced with the Crown Prince's words of retreat as a means of advancement, which also put himself on the altar, his rebukes about law and authority seemed somewhat pale and powerless.

The crown prince admitted Li You's crime and also acknowledged his own "dereliction of duty."

What other reason could he possibly have to lash out immediately?

Should he admit in front of all the officials that he has failed in raising his son and that he has failed as a father and emperor?

Li Shimin was speechless; he simply stared intently at Li Chengqian.

That look in his eyes was incredibly complex, containing anger, heartache, murderous intent, and a barely perceptible hint of...

The embarrassment of having one's secret exposed!

It can't go on like this!

Changsun Wuji roared inwardly.

He could see clearly that His Majesty had been cornered by the Crown Prince, and if things continued, His Majesty, in his rage, might say or make an irreversible decision!
That would not be a matter of dealing with a King of Qi, but a disaster that would shake the foundations of the country and trigger a major upheaval in the court!
Just as Li Shimin's chest heaved violently, on the verge of exploding completely, Changsun Wuji suddenly stepped forward.

A loud and urgent voice broke the suffocating deadlock.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness the Crown Prince! The matter of Prince Qi concerns the law of the land, as well as the sentiments of the imperial family; it cannot be decided in a short time!"

"I believe this matter is complex and should be discussed later!"

Almost at the same time he spoke, important officials such as Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, and Cen Wenben immediately reacted.

They stepped forward in unison, bowing and agreeing.

"We second that request! We beg Your Majesty to quell your rage and discuss this matter later!"

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is also a man of benevolence and filial piety, mindful of his brotherly affection. His words may have been harsh, but his heart is clear!"

"I hope your Majesty will understand clearly!"

They must immediately pull the father and son back from the brink of a dangerous confrontation!

We must shift our focus immediately!

Just then, the Minister of Justice suddenly realized that this was a golden opportunity to break the deadlock!
He immediately raised his tablet high, his voice carrying a deliberately feigned indignation, forcefully changing the subject.

"Your Majesty! Your subject has a memorial to report! He Gan Chengji, the former guard of the Eastern Palace, has betrayed his master and is implicated in the rebellion of Prince Qi. In order to save his life, he dares to fabricate lies and frame the current Crown Prince!"

“His actions are despicable, and his intentions are worthy of condemnation! According to the Tang Code, framing the crown prince is a grave crime of disrespect, which cannot be forgiven! Your Majesty, I implore you to issue an edict to severely punish him, to bring Hegan Chengji to justice, and to exterminate his entire clan.”

"To serve as a warning to others, to rectify the court, and to reassure the hearts of all subjects!"

His words were powerful and resounding, instantly drawing everyone's attention away from the Li You case and the dangerous confrontation between father and son, and towards the matter of He Gan Chengji framing the crown prince.

As if it were a pre-arranged signal, more than half of the officials in the hall, whether they genuinely supported the Crown Prince, were opportunists, or simply wanted to end this terrifying court assembly as soon as possible, stepped forward.

They knelt down like a tide, shouting in unison.

"I second the proposal!"

"He Ganchengji has framed the very foundation of the nation; his crimes are heinous and he should be severely punished!"

"Your Majesty, please issue an edict to execute this treacherous official and uphold the law!"

(End of this chapter)