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

Huai De Fang, Cheng Mansion.

Cheng Jun rode a black Turkic horse back home, changed into a blue robe with cloud patterns inside, rested for a while, and then heard Cheng Zhong's voice outside:

"Sanlang, the master wants you to go to the main room."

"understood."

Cheng Jun responded, opened the door, and strode into the main room.

At this moment, inside the main room, Cheng Yaojin, dressed in a purple robe, sat on a cushion, looking down at the military treatise he held in his hands.

Seeing Cheng Jun walk in, Cheng Yaojin closed his military treatise, pointed to the cushion beside him, and said:

"Come sit here."

Cheng Jun sat down beside him, gazing at the book on military strategy, and asked curiously:

"Father, why are you reading military books?"

Cheng Yaojin looked at him and said, "Seeing how you never suffer a loss after mastering military strategy, I'm envious and want to learn it too."

Do you know why I called you here?

Seeing Cheng Jun shake his head, Cheng Yaojin slowly said:

"I called you over because I've figured it out. When it comes to fighting tigers, brothers fight side by side; when it comes to the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, I won't hold you back."

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "Did Uncle Fang tell you that?"

Cheng Yaojin nodded and said, "That's right, your Uncle Fang said that I should stay out of it."

As expected of Fang Xuanling, he understood my thoughts with just a few words...

Cheng Jun's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Father, do you know how to stand by and watch?"

Cheng Yaojin snorted and said, "It's easy to just stand by and watch. I'll treat you like I'm not my own son. You can live or die as you please!"

"Isn't it too early to just stand by and watch?" Cheng Jun thought to himself, looking at Cheng Yaojin's expression that showed he didn't care whether Cheng Yaojin lived or died.

Cheng Yaojin then sighed and said, "I had no choice but to stand by and watch. If I had known beforehand that you wanted to offend the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, I would have stopped you from doing something foolish."

Cheng Jun shook his head and said seriously, "Father, it wasn't me who offended the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families; it was the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families who offended me first."

"His Majesty promoted me to Palace Attendant Censor for the purpose of inspecting Hebei Province."

"Liu Xiangdao from the Censorate took me to visit the Cui family of Boling, one of the five prominent families and seven influential clans. However, the head of the Cui family not only verbally abused us but also drove us out."

Cheng Jun continued:

"They obviously know that the court has sent me to inspect Hebei Province, so they are deliberately making things difficult for me. If I don't retaliate, I'm afraid I'll be bullied to no end when I get to Hebei Province."

"Now that I've told you the whole story, Father, do you still think I shouldn't have dealt with them?"

Cheng Jun looked into Cheng Yaojin's eyes and said.

Cheng Yaojin frowned and said, "That's a matter for the Cui family. Why involve all five surnames and seven clans?"

Cheng Jun explained, “Of the five surnames and seven prominent families, half are in Hebei Province. After I was selected as the imperial censor to inspect Hebei Province, I became irreconcilably opposed to them.”

Cheng Yaojin suddenly realized what was happening, looked Cheng Jun up and down, and exclaimed:

"Fang Xuanling said that you have a unique perspective. No matter how complicated the situation is, you can see the primary and secondary contradictions at a glance. That is no exaggeration."

"So what are you going to do next?"

Cheng Yaojin asked curiously.

Cheng Jun smiled and said, "His Majesty has approved my memorial to revise the 'Clan Records' and to prohibit court officials from marrying women from the five clans. The five clans and seven noble families have been bleeded by me. They will not let this go. Next, it will be their turn to deal with me."

Cheng Yaojin's heart tightened. "What do we need to prepare?"

"Nothing needs to be prepared."

Cheng Jun waved his hand and said.

Cheng Yaojin was taken aback. "So confident?"

Cheng Jun patiently said, "It's not that I'm confident, it's that I can't guess how they'll deal with me, so we have to wait for them to make their move."

At this moment, Fang Zhong strode over and stood outside the main room, saying:

"My Lord, Third Master, someone from the palace has arrived. They say that after lunch, you are to attend the morning court session."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin frowned. "Didn't His Majesty cancel it? Why is it being offered again?"

Cheng Jun thought for a moment and said, "This is using my own methods against me."

Cheng Yaojin's eyes flashed, "I understand now, it's Cui Mingan, the Yellow Gate Attendant, who's up to his tricks. He's still up to no good and wants to get back at you!"

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "I'm afraid this time it's not just aimed at me, it might also be aimed at you, Father."

Cheng Yaojin opened his eyes wide and said, "He's going to deal with me?"

As he spoke, he suddenly stood up and sneered, "Fine, I want to have a go with them too, otherwise they'll think I'm some kind of adopted Duke of Su."

Cheng Jun smiled and said, "Dad, do you need my help?"

Cheng Yaojin glanced at him and said, "Dealing with a mere Yellow Gate Attendant is no problem for me!"

Seeing his confident demeanor, Cheng Jun said nothing more.

Around noon, Cheng Zhong prepared the meal.

After having lunch, the two changed into their official clothes, rode their horses, and arrived at the palace.

Outside the palace, dozens of courtiers dressed in official robes loitered around.

"His Majesty said during the morning court session that he would no longer hold the afternoon court session, so why has he sent someone to deliver the decree so soon?"

Among the court officials, some expressed their dissatisfaction.

The others also looked annoyed, but they all held back and didn't respond.

When the palace gates opened, the court officials, holding their official tablets, arrived one after another at the Taiji Hall.

Soon, Li Shimin, dressed in his imperial robes, walked over with a stern face.

"I will pay my respects to Your Majesty."

The ministers in purple robes inside the hall and the ministers in red, green, and blue robes outside the hall all bowed in greeting.

"My esteemed ministers, you may rise and dispense with the formalities."

After Li Shimin finished speaking, he glanced at the civil and military officials and said in a deep voice:

"I'm sure my ministers are quite puzzled. During the morning court session, I said that today's court discussion would end here, but in the end, there was still a midday court session."

"The reason is simple: someone from the Censorate has come to me again and submitted a memorial, saying that I cannot break my word!"

Li Shimin snorted and said, "Well said! I'm spinning like a top, getting whipped by the censors one by one!"

Someone else has impeached His Majesty... The purple-robed ministers in the hall looked at each other, then looked at Cheng Jun. Besides him, who else was impeaching His Majesty?

Seeing the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, Cheng Jun decisively stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, may I ask which censor made the accusation?"

Li Shimin looked at him and said, "I am Cui Renshi, Palace Attendant Censor."

Cui Renshi also did it... The court officials understood and all looked at Cui Mingan, the Yellow Gate Attendant. As expected, it must be related to him.

Li Shimin suddenly said, "Very well, I'm idle anyway today, and having my beloved ministers with me is not a bad thing."

"Let's begin the court meeting."

He waved his hand, signaling the court officials to speak if they had anything to report.

This time, not a single censor stepped forward, and the purple-robed ministers in the hall remained silent.

At this moment, an elderly minister in a red robe, holding a tablet, entered the hall from outside and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, your subject Cui Mingan has a matter to report."

As expected... everyone looked at him with expressions of astonishment.

Li Shimin looked at him; Cui Mingan's accusation was within his expectations. He asked:

"What do you have to report, Minister Cui?"

Cui Mingan raised his hand, pointed to Cheng Yaojin standing in the ranks of military officers, and said loudly:

"Your subject requests to impeach Duke Cheng Yaojin!"