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

Chapter 21 This is absolutely shameless!
The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became tense.

Many courtiers, though bowing their heads and holding their breath, secretly exchanged glances countless times out of the corner of their eyes.

What's meant to happen will eventually happen.

"Speak." On the throne, Li Shimin's voice was calm and even, revealing no emotion whatsoever, as if he were merely handling a routine matter of state.

However, when his deep gaze inadvertently swept over the crown prince standing below with his hands at his sides, it carried a hint of scrutiny and coldness that was extremely difficult to detect.

"I have heard that the Crown Prince, when he met Your Majesty at the Liangyi Hall the other day, actually... actually questioned Your Majesty about past events using the words of the Sage! His words were full of disobedience and greatly unbecoming of a Crown Prince. I... I am horrified to hear this! I implore Your Majesty to strictly discipline the Crown Prince in order to rectify the court and serve as a warning to others!"

It's finally here!
Li Chengqian's heart clenched suddenly, and then a strange heat replaced the initial tension, quickly spreading throughout his body.

It's here! Just as Yi Chen predicted! He thought with almost excitement.

He suppressed the sneer that was about to escape his lips, trying his best to maintain a calm and composed expression, even deliberately revealing a just-right amount of confusion and innocence, as if he really didn't understand why his request for church membership would lead to such serious accusations.

But his heart was pounding in his chest, not from fear, but from a thrilling anticipation of a comeback.

He subconsciously straightened his back, which was already struggling to stand due to his foot ailment, and felt the gazes cast upon him from all directions, both overt and covert.

Several ministers who knew the situation exchanged meaningful glances, tacitly understanding each other.

Many other officials looked surprised and uncertain, clearly stunned by the sudden impeachment. They glanced at the Crown Prince's reaction before quickly lowering their heads, afraid of being caught in the raging storm.

Li Shimin's gaze, almost tangible, swept over the Crown Prince's seemingly calm, even somewhat bewildered face once more. He could clearly see that beneath that composure lay a deep innocence.

What particularly startled him was that, in the instant those lowered eyes lifted to meet Wei Cong's gaze, he caught a fleeting, almost imperceptible...smugness.
That was not the look a son should have when he was being unjustly accused and filled with fear and anxiety!
That's more like a hunter who has prepared a trap and is waiting for the prey to jump in!

Li Shimin sneered inwardly, but showed no sign of it on his face. He was only more curious about what kind of show his "good son" would put on today.

Another censor—Zhang Xingcheng, the Palace Attendant Censor—stepped forward to second the motion, his voice carrying the distinctive force and stubbornness of a civil official.

"Your Majesty! As the Crown Prince, His Highness is a role model for all subjects, and filial piety is of paramount importance. How dare he compare the past events of the imperial family to the persecution of Emperor Shun by his father? This is extremely disrespectful and unbecoming of a son! I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly and admonish the Crown Prince to uphold the fundamental principles of filial piety!"

Li Chengqian listened quietly, but inwardly he was screaming: Curse! Keep cursing! All you can do is cling to those big labels like "filial piety" and "social order"!
Following Li Yichen's repeated instructions, he suppressed the urge to immediately refute and deliberately waited for a moment, as if he needed time to digest the severe accusation, or as if he was waiting to see if more people would jump out.

Sure enough, no one spoke in the hall for a moment.

Those who might have originally wanted to kick him while he was down hesitated when they saw how calm the Crown Prince was.

The time has come!

Li Chengqian took a deep breath. Once he took this step, there was no turning back, but he felt no fear, only a surge of exhilarating pleasure about to be released. He stepped out of the ranks steadily, his movements slightly slowed by his quick feet, which only added to the illusion of composure.

He first bowed respectfully to Li Shimin on the throne, and then turned to the censors Wei Cong, Zhang Xingcheng and others.

"What the censors just said... I really don't quite understand."

He frowned slightly, revealing genuine confusion in a perfectly timed manner, and his gaze slowly swept over the several censors who had raised the issue.

"I did indeed consult Your Majesty at the Liangyi Hall a few days ago regarding some difficult points in the Book of Documents and the Analects. The story of Emperor Shun, the ultimate expression of filial piety, the distinction between loyalty and righteousness, what constitutes 'concealment,' what constitutes 'filial piety,' what constitutes 'expediency,' and what constitutes 'the great way of the world'? These are all teachings left by the sages. As the crown prince, I will one day rule the world, bearing the weight of the nation. How can I not diligently study and deeply contemplate the profound meanings of the sages' words? If I have any doubts, what is wrong with seeking guidance from my sovereign?"

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over Wei Cong, Zhang Xingcheng, and the others again. Deep within his eyes lay a hint of playful mockery, like a cat catching a mouse, yet his tone became increasingly sincere: "Could it be... that you all believe the Way of the Sage is no longer worth learning or asking about? Or perhaps you feel... that I should not ask His Majesty for guidance on the way to govern the country and bring peace to the world?"

Wei Cong, Zhang Xingcheng, and the others were speechless, their faces gradually changing from righteous indignation to a mixture of red and green.

They anticipated that the crown prince might panic and try to defend himself, or argue illogically, but they never expected that the other party would so easily change "questioning" into "asking for advice," package "rebellion" as "eagerness to learn," and even slap on a big label of "disrespecting the sacred way" and "questioning the teachings of the emperor and father"!
This...this is absolutely shameless!
Seeing their speechless expressions, Li Chengqian felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction!

Cool! So cool!
Let's see what else you can say!
He tried hard to control his facial muscles, not letting his smugness show, and continued to follow the path taught by Li Yichen. His tone remained steady, but suddenly became more forceful, each word clear and resounding, echoing in the silent hall.

"What I ask is precisely to delve into the true meaning of the sages, so that in the future one can distinguish right from wrong and govern the country properly. This is the duty of the crown prince! It is only natural to seek knowledge from one's father! This question and answer is a common practice between the emperor and his son to discuss knowledge and refine their thoughts. How can it be considered immoral? How can it be considered rebellious?"

His voice rose slightly, carrying an unquestionable tone: "As officials outside the palace, you are ignorant of the inner workings of the court and do not delve into the profound meaning of the classics. How dare you presume to speculate on the affairs of the imperial family's learning and to speak ill of the Crown Prince's desire for knowledge based solely on hearsay and worldly views?"

He spoke the last sentence almost directly into Wei Cong and Zhang Xingcheng's eyes, enunciating each word with a chilling sharpness.

"Not to mention using such unfounded accusations to attack my moral failings? Are you all questioning His Majesty's authority to educate the Crown Prince? Or do you fundamentally believe that the classics of the sages are not worth studying? As officials of the censorate, have you carefully weighed the weight of this matter?"

After he finished speaking, the entire Liangyi Hall fell into a deathly silence.

You can hear the needle drop.

Wei Cong, Zhang Xingcheng, and the others' faces turned from red to white, then from white to green, their lips trembling, but they couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

They felt as if they had punched empty air, and instead, the other side used their force against them, pushing them to the fire of "criticizing the sacred way" and "questioning the ruler and father," and their foreheads instantly broke out in a fine layer of cold sweat.

On his throne, Li Shimin's eyes flashed with an extremely complex expression.

Surprise, scrutiny, a hint of barely perceptible anger, and much more inquiry.

(End of this chapter)