This made Li Shimin anxious, and he wanted to trade one for one with me.

Cheng Chumo looked troubled: "Eating it isn't impossible, but you can't eat it like this..."

"I am a little short of money."

Cheng Jun asked, puzzled, "Didn't Uncle Zhong throw you a money bag when we came out?"

Cheng Chumo sighed, looked at the dozens of dishes laid out in the room, and said with a wry smile:

"You have no idea how expensive the dishes at Leyunlou are. We probably can't even afford half of the food."

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "I remember that old woman said that Miss Ruyan would cover all our expenses at Leyun Tower today?"

Cheng Chumo twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "That was based on the premise that she wouldn't see us. Now that she's come to see us, how can we still have the nerve to ask her to pay?"

Cheng Jun put down his chopsticks, turned to look at him, and asked, "Can we return these dishes?"

Cheng Chumo shook his head and said, "Even if we could get a refund, we can't do it now. The dishes have already been served. It would be too embarrassing to let the waiter take them away. I want to come to Leyunlou again in the future."

Cheng Jun thought for a moment, then picked up a new pair of chopsticks, placed some food in Cheng Chumo's bowl, and slowly said:

"That's it for now, let's eat first."

"I'll think of something later."

"With your words, I can rest assured!" Cheng Chumo's eyes lit up, he grinned, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat heartily.

Cheng Jun was stunned. It was the first time he had ever seen someone eat so quickly that it could be described as a whirlwind. He patted the man's shoulder and said earnestly, "Brother, eat slowly!"

Cheng Chumo mumbled, "It's okay, I'm not afraid of choking."

"I'm afraid I won't get to eat it!"

Cheng Jun said irritably.

Cheng Chumo looked up at him as he ate: "If there aren't enough dishes, just have the waiter bring more."

Cheng Jun asked in surprise, "Didn't you say you didn't have enough money?"

Cheng Chumo replied matter-of-factly, "Didn't you just say you had a way?"

"..."

Well said... Cheng Jun twitched the corner of his mouth, suddenly understanding why Cheng Yaojin always beat him up; wasn't he just going to deal with him first...?

…………

royal palace.

Cheng Yaojin gazed at the palace gate not far away, dismounted, tied the reins to a tree trunk beside him, then straightened his purple round-necked robe, put on his official hat, grasped the gold belt tied around his waist, and walked towards the palace gate.

As he approached the palace gate, he noticed Yuchi Jingde, who was dozing off, leaning against the gate with his arms crossed. He walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and woke him up, asking, "Brother Jingde, what are you doing here?"

“It’s you, Zhijie,” Yuchi Jingde stretched and yawned. “Baolin stood up for me and led the way in beating up the son of a civil official. His Majesty was furious when he heard about it and sent me here to guard the palace gate.”

"Why are you here? Are you going to the palace?"

Cheng Yaojin nodded and said, "The Empress has decreed that I be summoned to the palace."

Upon hearing this, Yuchi Jingde immediately perked up. "The Empress wants to see you? What is it about?"

Cheng Yaojin shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Overall, it doesn't feel like a good thing...

Yuchi Jingde understood that anything related to the Emperor and Empress was no small matter, so he immediately opened the palace gates and said, "Then let's hurry into the palace, don't keep Her Majesty the Empress waiting."

"Okay, I'll tell you when I come out."

Cheng Yaojin clasped his hands in a fist salute and then strode into the palace gate.

As he approached the Lizheng Hall, he faintly heard a woman crying inside, so he quickened his pace and reached the hall entrance.

The palace maid who had gone to the Cheng residence to deliver the imperial decree was standing at the entrance of the palace.

The palace maid was clearly waiting for him. When she saw him approaching, she opened her palm and said, "Please come in, Duke Su. Her Majesty has been waiting for you in the palace for a long time."

Cheng Yaojin hurriedly followed the palace maid into the Lizheng Hall, where he saw a woman dressed in empress's robes comforting a crying girl in her arms. Recognizing them at a glance, he clasped his hands and bowed in greeting:

"Your subject Cheng Yaojin greets Your Majesty the Empress and Her Highness Princess Chang Le!"

"Zhijie is here," Empress Zhangsun said, embracing Princess Changle and stroking the back of her head. She had just told her that her father was going to avenge her. Seeing Cheng Yaojin walk in, she said slowly, "Sit down and let's talk."

The palace maid immediately brought over a soft cushion.

"Thank you, ma'am!"

Cheng Yaojin thanked her, then took the cushion from the palace maid, placed it on the ground, sat up straight, and asked:

"I wonder what brings Her Majesty the Empress to the palace?"

Empress Zhangsun raised an eyebrow slightly, and seeing his unaware expression, asked, "Didn't your third son tell you?"

Cheng Yaojin dared not be careless. He nodded first, then said, "He said it, but I dare not believe everything he says."

Empress Zhangsun asked, "What did Cheng Jun tell you?"

Cheng Yaojin said, "He said that the Empress summoned me to the palace to apologize for something..."

Empress Zhangsun was somewhat surprised that Cheng Jun was so pragmatic. Her expression softened as she said, "An apology is fine."

This should calm my second brother down.

Cheng Yaojin quickly waved his hand and said, "I think it's unnecessary."

No need... Empress Zhangsun pondered these two words and quickly realized that Cheng Yaojin had mistakenly thought that he had been summoned to the Lizheng Hall because she, as the empress, was going to apologize to him on behalf of Princess Chang Le, who had beaten Cheng's second son. She was so angry that she laughed out loud.

"Zhijie, your son is quite interesting. He's telling the truth, but when you put them together, the meaning changes. No wonder His Majesty chose him as an imperial censor; he's really eloquent."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin's expression changed instantly. So, the Empress wanted him to apologize?

"You unfilial son..." Cheng Yaojin felt a cold sweat break out on his back. He quickly sat up straight, clasped his hands, and said urgently, "Your Majesty, before I entered the palace, my son swore to the heavens at home that he would never impeach Her Highness the Princess. Could he have lied?"

Empress Zhangsun shook her head and said, "I can vouch for him on this point. Your son did not submit a single memorial to the throne."

"Then why does Your Majesty the Empress demand that I apologize?"

Cheng Yaojin blurted out, "My son Erlang was punched by the princess for no reason. There's no reason why your royal princess should hit my son and then make me apologize. That's a bit too domineering!"

Empress Zhangsun saw his expression and said, word by word, "Your son didn't impeach the princess, because he impeached the empress!"

"what?!"

Cheng Yaojin jumped to his feet, exclaiming in disbelief, "Hero, you've impeached Her Majesty the Empress?"

"No, that's impossible!"

Cheng Yaojin realized what was happening and quickly waved his hand, saying, "What crime has Her Majesty committed? What right does he have to impeach her? Even if he did, His Majesty would never agree to his impeachment!"

"Then take a look at this imperial edict."

Empress Zhangsun took out a rolled-up imperial edict from under the table and handed it to him, saying, "This is His Majesty's edict of punishment for me, drafted by your son!"

"..."

What on earth is Chu Xia doing? Not only did he impeach the Empress, but he also drafted the imperial edict punishing her. Isn't he trying to offend the Empress to the death? Cheng Yaojin gritted his teeth, opened the edict, and was instantly dumbfounded.

"It's the mother's fault if she doesn't properly educate her adopted daughter..."

His lips trembled as he read it aloud.

Empress Zhangsun stared at him and said, "That's right, the imperial edict sentencing me is the same as the crime His Majesty punished for Yuchi Jingde."

"It was precisely because His Majesty punished Yuchi Jingde that Cheng Jun seized the opportunity to impeach me, and even impeached His Majesty to the point that he had nothing to say. As a result, the imperial edict of punishment has been issued, stating that it is the mother's fault for not teaching her adopted daughter properly. I have been punished so severely that I have not been able to eat for a day."

Cheng Yaojin hurriedly clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

Empress Zhangsun stroked Princess Changle's head and said in a low voice, "His Majesty's reliance on censors is known throughout the land. Your son is a censor, and he speaks reasonably before His Majesty, yet His Majesty has not punished him. How can he be punished for speaking out in front of me? He has not committed any crime, so how can you talk about forgiveness?"

Cheng Yaojin immediately corrected his words, saying, "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty!"

"Things have come to this point, what else can I do but calm down?"

Empress Zhangsun pointed to the imperial edict and said, "His Majesty has issued an edict to distribute this edict punishing me to the government offices of all prefectures and counties, so as to warn officials throughout the country not to bend the law for personal reasons."

"My poor daughter,"

Empress Zhangsun sighed and said, "Because of the memorial Cheng Jun submitted, the whole world will know that he hit your second son. Your reputation will probably be ruined by Cheng Jun."

Cheng Yaojin quickly replied, "Your Majesty, you are mistaken! When the princess struck my second son, it was because she was standing up for me as a father. The world will only admire her, how could she possibly incur condemnation? I believe not!"

Empress Zhangsun glanced at him sideways and asked, "You just said that the princess would not be blamed for standing up for her father, but I don't understand."

"The princess stood up for her father, causing her mother to be punished by the emperor. Why is it that your son, Cheng Jun, stood up for his brother, yet he escaped unscathed?"

“The princess did hit someone, but your son also impeached me. According to the laws of the Great Tang Dynasty, there are ten heinous crimes: first, treason; second, plotting rebellion; third, plotting rebellion; fourth, heinous crimes; and fifth, immorality.”

"Sixthly, utter disrespect..."

Empress Zhangsun solemnly said, "Cheng Jun impeached the Empress and Zhijie. Do you think he is guilty of the crime of disrespect? You know that His Majesty values ​​officials who speak out. Once the officials in the court find out, they will use this charge against him. What will happen then?"

Cheng Yaojin broke out in a cold sweat.

The ten heinous crimes are not pardonable even if they are committed; once committed, they are capital offenses. In the Tang Dynasty, the main punishments for serious disrespect were beheading and strangulation.

Cheng Yaojin's face turned pale. He understood the warning in Empress Zhangsun's words and quickly said, "Thank you for the reminder, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun spoke frankly: "Zhijie, I want you to understand that if you don't do something, once the officials in the court find out about this, they will surely impeach Cheng Jun for the crime of disrespect, and things will be terrible!"

"Therefore, both for public and private reasons, you need to discipline your son properly. Firstly, to teach him the importance of things, and secondly, to silence any gossip!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin fully understood what the Empress wanted him to do by summoning him to the palace. He breathed a sigh of relief and then solemnly clasped his hands, saying, "Your subject understands what to do!"

Empress Zhangsun glanced at the palace maid.

The palace maid immediately went to Cheng Yaojin's side and spread her palms out towards the outside of the hall.

Empress Zhangsun, having achieved her goal, softened her voice, "Duke Su, please return. I need to rest."

Cheng Yaojin immediately stood up and said, "Your subject takes his leave!"

Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly, watching him leave. Then she gently patted Princess Changle's back and said softly, "Lizhi, are you still crying?"

Li Lizhi raised her head, her eyes still red, and looked at Empress Zhangsun with admiration. "Mother is really amazing. She persuaded the Duke of Su with just a few words!"

Empress Zhangsun smiled and said, "This was your father's idea. If we're talking about how clever it is, it's your father who's really clever to come up with such an idea."

"You're all amazing!" Li Lizhi blinked and asked, "Mother, how does the Duke of Su treat Cheng Jun?"

Empress Zhangsun looked towards the outside of the palace and said, "Of course, he should be disciplined properly. After today, if Cheng Jun impeaches anyone again, he probably won't dare to act so recklessly. He should also consider the consequences. This is also the reason why your father asked me to take action."