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

Outside the palace.

Yuchi Jingde had a guard bring two stools, and sat down with him beside the palace gate. Then, he took out a flatbread wrapped in cloth from his bosom, opened it, and handed it to him, saying:

"Come, my nephew Chuxia, eat before you set off."

"..."

Cheng Jun stared at him, feeling as if he were being offered a last meal before his execution, and said sincerely, "Uncle Yuchi is old, you eat first."

Yuchi Jingde shook his head and said, "I won't eat it."

"I don't want to eat either..." Cheng Jun made an excuse, saying, "I've already eaten at Leyunlou."

Yuchi Jingde did not force him. He wrapped the flatbread in cloth and put it in his bosom, saying, "Since you're not going to eat the flatbread, remember to drink more soup."

"Is this soup some kind of Meng Po soup...?" Cheng Jun twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "Uncle Yuchi, just say what you want to say to your nephew, don't beat around the bush."

Yuchi Jingde said sternly, "Then I'll be blunt: you're dead!"

That's pretty direct... Cheng Jun chuckled dryly, "Actually, it hasn't gotten to that point yet..."

Yuchi Jingde sighed: "It's not that I'm criticizing you, but what you did this time was really too much. It was one thing to impeach the Empress once, but you actually dared to impeach her a second time, right to her face. Do you really think the Empress is a clay figure?"

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "Uncle Yuchi, as you know, His Majesty is a wise ruler who listens to advice, and His Majesty is a virtuous empress, so she will naturally listen to advice as well. Therefore, there is no major problem."

Yuchi Jingde felt that he hadn't realized how big a hole he had created, so he patiently explained:

“My dear nephew Chuxia, you are still young and there are some principles you do not yet understand. Today, I will teach you. Do you know what it means for a ruler to be the guide for his subjects and for a father to be the guide for his son?”

"These two sentences together mean that a subject should treat the emperor like a son treats his father, with love, respect and obedience. The emperor is like a father, and the empress is like a mother. If you impeach the empress, it's like a son cursing his mother. Our Tang Dynasty law states that anyone who curses their grandparents or parents shall be hanged!"

"You think your dad really wants to hit you? He just wants to use the incident of hitting you to quell the trouble you caused."

Yuchi Jingde snorted, "Now look what's happened! Things were about to calm down, but then you impeached the Empress. Do you think your father wouldn't be angry? He'd deserve to beat you to death!"

Cheng Jun shook his head: "Uncle Yuchi, I don't agree with your statement."

The Book of Rites says: "When parents have faults, children should humbly and gently advise them. This is the way of filial piety."

"Uncle Yuchi just said that the emperor is like a father and the empress is like a mother, and that we should treat them as we would our own parents. Now that Her Majesty the empress has made a mistake, I am advising her gently and kindly. Haven't I done my duty as a subject and son?"

Cheng Jun said innocently, "So not only did I not do anything wrong, but I also proved that I am a good minister and a filial son."

"..."

Yuchi Jingde was taken aback. "What you said makes sense, but why do I suddenly feel like punching you?"

Cheng Jun explained, "This is what they call an official encountering a soldier; reason is useless."

"If you say that, I think you deserve a beating even more."

Yuchi Jingde rubbed his stiff fists and said, "It's pointless to argue about who's right and who's wrong right now. Your father is furious. What's important for you is to leave Chang'an first. How about this, you go to my fiefdom for a few days and come back after the storm has passed."

Without hesitation, Cheng Jun replied, "I appreciate Uncle Yuchi's kindness, but I cannot run away."

Yuchi Jingde was surprised, "Are you really not afraid of death?"

Cheng Jun said helplessly, "Uncle Yuchi, have you forgotten that my father is not only the Duke of Su, but also the Right General of the Martial Guard, a third-rank official? If he wants to find me, it probably won't even take a day."

"Besides, I am an imperial censor. His Majesty gave me a verbal order to attend court tomorrow. If I run away now, it would be disobeying the imperial decree, and I would die even faster!"

Yuchi Jingde gave an "oh" and said regretfully, "It seems I really have to go to the Cheng residence to offer my condolences."

Cheng Jun met Yuchi Jingde's gaze and saw a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Sure enough, the military generals were very shrewd, just not as slippery as the civil officials, but they were by no means stupid... Cheng Jun instantly realized that Yuchi Jingde had already guessed it, and gave a dry laugh.

Yuchi Jingde patted him on the shoulder and chuckled, "Judging from your expression, you're clearly fearless. If you're not afraid, why should I worry about you?"

Cheng Jun complimented, "Uncle Yuchi has a discerning eye."

Just then, the clattering sound of horses' hooves on the ground suddenly came from afar.

Cheng Chuliang sat on horseback, following behind the palace maid who was on her way to deliver the imperial decree, and rode towards this direction.

"Second brother, over here!"

Cheng Jun waved to Cheng Chuliang, who was dismounting not far away.

Cheng Chuliang ran over excitedly, "Third brother, you're still alive!"

"..."

Cheng Jun swallowed back the greeting that was about to come out.

The palace maid dismounted and said to Cheng Chuliang, "Second Master Cheng, please wait here for a moment."

"Ok!"

Cheng Chuliang quickly clasped his hands in response.

After the palace maids led the horses into the palace gates, Yuchi Jingde walked up to the two of them and asked curiously, "Nephew Chuliang, what brings you here?"

“Uncle Yuchi is here too,” Cheng Chuliang scratched his head and said, “I don’t know either. That palace maid just ran to the mansion and said that there was an imperial edict from the Empress, asking me to come with her. She didn’t say anything else.”

Yuchi Jingde glanced at Cheng Jun, knowing that this matter must be related to him.

Crunch!

Just then, the sound of the palace gates opening suddenly rang out behind the three of them.

Everyone turned around to look.

The red paint on the palace walls resembled a white plum blossom in full bloom.

A young girl dressed in a white floral-patterned Hu-style robe came out carrying a food box.

Actually, she had been there for a while, but when she saw the Cheng family father and son almost fighting at the palace gate, she was a little scared and didn't dare to come out.

When she saw that Cheng Chuliang had arrived, she walked out from behind the palace gate.

"I have met Her Highness the Princess."

The three men immediately bowed when they saw her.

Then Yuchi Jingde asked curiously, "Is Your Highness going to leave the palace?"

"No, I'm looking for him."

Li Lizhi shook her head and pointed at Cheng Chuliang.

Amidst Cheng Chuliang's bewildered expression, the girl walked up to him and said apologetically, "Cheng Erlang, it was my fault. I shouldn't have hit you."

"These are pastries I got from the Imperial Kitchen as an apology to you."

As she spoke, she handed the food box in her hand to Cheng Chuliang.

"Are you kidding me? The princess apologized to Cheng Chuliang..." Yuchi Jingde rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.

It should be noted that Cheng Chuliang held no official position and was a commoner!

Li Lizhi was Princess Chang Le, bestowed by the emperor. The Tang Dynasty had a strict hierarchy, and even knowing that the princess had punched Cheng Chuliang, Cheng Yaojin would never dare to make her apologize.

Now that the princess has apologized, there is only one possibility... Yuchi Jingde turned to look at Cheng Jun, his heart filled with shock. The Empress is a fiercely protective person. How did he persuade the Empress to agree to let the princess come out and apologize?

Cheng Chuliang scratched his head, not reaching out to take it immediately, but looking at Cheng Jun instead.

Although he looked honest, he was very clear-headed. Princess Chang Le's current attitude was definitely because of Cheng Jun. As for whether he should accept her apology, that depended on Cheng Jun's attitude.

As a family member, Cheng Chuliang was determined to follow Cheng Jun's arrangements in everything.

Cheng Jun smiled and said, "Second brother, accept it. Things given by the princess can't be bad."

"okay!"

Cheng Chuliang grinned, immediately reached out and took the food box from the girl, holding it in his arms.

Li Lizhi immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her beautiful face. She turned to look at Cheng Jun and said sincerely:

"Cheng Jun, what you said makes a lot of sense. I've realized my mistake. Thank you!"

Cheng Jun glanced at her a few more times. He could not see any trace of arrogance in her at this moment. He smiled and said, "To know one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue. His Majesty has always been like this. The princess is indeed His Majesty's daughter."

For some reason, Li Lizhi felt quite comfortable hearing him say that, and smiled, saying, "My father really didn't choose the wrong person. You are very suitable to be an imperial censor! With an imperial censor like you, my father will definitely be very happy!"

…………

At this very moment, in the Taiji Hall.

Li Shimin looked up at the sky, his expression blank, and murmured to himself in the beautiful Chang'an dialect:

"I was wrong, I was really wrong. I shouldn't have held this censor selection in the first place. If I hadn't held the censor selection, Cheng Jun wouldn't have been chosen. If Cheng Jun hadn't been chosen, my Empress wouldn't have been impeached, and my Princess Chang Le wouldn't have had to apologize..."