If you traveled back to ancient times, while others ate Guanyin clay, you would actually have giant

The day after the victory celebration.

Li Tiancheng, who had been cheerful the day before, now sat in the main hall with a gloomy face. Only one person dressed as a guard was kneeling in front of him.

"You're saying the Fourth Prince and his party never encountered any pirates?"

Li Tiancheng asked coldly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. When the Fourth Prince's army arrived at the estuary, eight or nine out of ten people on board were seasick, and the Fourth Prince himself also fainted and lost consciousness."

The one who knelt down to reply was Li Tiancheng's secret guard. This was an intelligence escort team that directly obeyed Li Tiancheng's orders and was absolutely loyal to him.

"This rebellious son~~~"

With a loud crack, a top-quality official inkstone on the dragon table lay shattered on the ground. Veins bulged on Li Tiancheng's forehead. He had never imagined that his son would deceive him and the world.

"In other words, he was lying from beginning to end."

The guard naturally knew who Li Tiancheng was referring to, but he dared not answer. Gathering intelligence was the guard's duty, but how to handle it and determine the outcome was not something they could say.

Li Tiancheng realized he had asked a pointless question; it was all obvious.

"Go and bring that unfilial son here."

"promise."

. . . . . .

"Your Highness, Your Highness, someone from the palace has come to summon you to the palace."

The servants woke Li Zheng, who was still asleep.

"What's the matter?"

Li Zheng was still a little tipsy from drinking too much last night.

"Your Highness, His Majesty summons you to the palace."

"Oh."

Upon hearing that it was his father, the Emperor, who had summoned him to the palace, Li Zheng could only imagine that he was to be rewarded.

She quickly instructed her maids to help her dress properly and then hurried into the palace.

Knowing that he was about to receive a reward, Li Zheng did not linger for a moment and went straight to the main hall.

"My son, I pay my respects to my father."

After Li Zheng knelt down, he did not hear a response from his father, the emperor. He looked up and glanced around. There was not a single servant among them. He cursed the servants in his heart for being so audacious.

"Get up."

Only then did Li Zheng dare to look his father in the eye, but even that one glance made him shudder.

Li Tiancheng was expressionless at this moment, and his eyes had lost their usual gleam. He showed no joy or happiness, but it was clear that he was not in a state of mind to receive a reward.

"Thank you, Father Emperor. I wonder why you have summoned me here today?"

"Yesterday I heard you talk about killing pirates, but I wasn't satisfied. Today I've specially asked you to tell me in detail."

“If Father is willing to listen, then I will tell you more.”

Li Zheng was imagining some scenarios in his mind, preparing to tell Li Tiancheng about them, when the other party suddenly became furious.

"You bastard, how long are you going to keep deceiving me?"

"Father, please forgive me."

Li Zheng was stunned, and immediately knelt down, knowing that his secret had been exposed.

He was no longer the man he had been the night before. Now, he was trembling uncontrollably, and sweat was beading on his forehead and back. He was guilty of deceiving the emperor and deserved to die.

"You scoundrel, how dare you defy the world! You not only deceive the emperor, but also the people of the world! You are truly my good son!"

This was the first time Li Zheng had ever seen his father so angry. He no longer cared about any rewards; he only wanted to escape.

"Father, please forgive me. I was blinded by my own conscience. I am willing to atone for my sins by performing good deeds. Please give me a chance."

Faced with his son's pleas for mercy, Li Tiancheng was at a loss for what to do. His anger earlier had only wanted to teach this good-for-nothing a lesson. But when it came to actually punishing him, he didn't know what to do.

At that moment, a report came from outside the palace.

"Your Majesty, the Right Chancellor requests an audience."

"Let him in."

"I see your Majesty."

"No gift."

After Right Chancellor Ji Gaojie entered the hall, he saw the Fourth Prince Li Zheng kneeling on the ground with a bitter expression on his face, and Li Tiancheng also seemed to be angry. He immediately guessed what was going on.

"Your Majesty, this..."

Ji Gaojie originally came to see Li Tiancheng for other matters, but seeing the Fourth Prince in distress, he could only try to resolve the situation, since he was the Fourth Prince's biggest supporter.

"Hmph~~~ Ask this bastard yourself."

"Your Highness, this is..."

"Prime Minister, it was my momentary lapse of judgment that led me to deceive everyone. The story of annihilating the pirates is false."

The appearance of the Right Chancellor was seen by Li Zheng as a lifeline, and at this moment he placed all his hopes on the Right Chancellor.

"What? Your Highness is confused?"

The Right Chancellor felt like his world was collapsing. All the hard work he had put into building up the image for the Fourth Prince over the years had vanished in an instant.

However, upon closer reflection, it seems that His Majesty's decision to summon me at this crucial moment suggests that he intends to use me to downplay the matter and make it disappear.

"Your Majesty, I believe that since this matter has already occurred, His Highness the Fourth Prince is naturally guilty. However, as the saying goes, one should not wash one's dirty linen in public. The Fourth Prince is, after all, a member of the royal family. If this matter is exposed, it will inevitably damage the image of the royal family. I suggest that we handle this internally."

"This unfilial son, since he dares to brag like this, he's afraid of losing face, humph."

After years of serving the emperor, how could the Right Chancellor not sense that his emperor was beginning to compromise? The Right Chancellor quickly gave the Fourth Prince a wink, and the latter, understanding perfectly, quickly admitted his mistake.

"Your subject is guilty, and your subject is willing to accept punishment."

"Your Majesty, please calm down. The Fourth Prince's actions certainly deserve punishment. However, I believe that in order to prevent this matter from being exposed and causing a negative impact on our royal family, we should send the Fourth Prince on another expedition to suppress the pirates. After all, there is more than one group of pirates."

Li Tiancheng remained silent, but in fact, he was already considering the suggestion. Indeed, if this matter were exposed, the royal family would lose face. Now, he could only listen to the Right Chancellor's advice and send Li Zheng to war again, to fight the pirates in a real battle, so as to cover up the previous lies.

"Hmph, Li Zheng, in a month, lead your troops out to fight the pirates once again. I'll keep this score in mind for now, and settle it with you when you return."

"Thank you, Father Emperor. Thank you, Father Emperor."

Li Zheng fled the palace as if he were escaping, then hid in the carriage, waiting for the Right Chancellor to come out.

It wasn't until it was almost dark that Right Chancellor Ji Gaojie came out of the palace.

"Right Prime Minister, please wait."

Seeing the Right Chancellor's carriage pass by, Li Zheng quickly called for it to stop.

"Your Highness, how dare you wait for me here so blatantly!"

Ji Gaojie, sitting inside the carriage, didn't even see Li Zheng waiting for him. He only became annoyed when he heard Li Zheng calling him again.

"Thank you for speaking up for me earlier, Right Prime Minister."

"Your Highness, there's no need for that. I was merely fulfilling my duty as a subject. From now on, I urge Your Highness to train diligently and, after a month, refrain from causing any further trouble."

"Right Prime Minister, rest assured. Once bitten, twice shy. Do you think I, Li Zheng, would fall in the same place twice?"

Li Zheng may have forgotten that he did indeed get seasick twice at the time.