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

"I didn't have time to go."

Cheng Jun explained, "I went to the palace in the morning to participate in the selection of censors, submitted a memorial to the Empress at noon, went to Leyun Tower with my elder brother for drinks and dinner, and went to the palace in the afternoon to persuade the Empress and the princess to apologize. I was either busy or on my way to work, so I simply couldn't find the time."

"Then go to the Censorate now!"

Cheng Yaojin solemnly said, "On your first day as an imperial censor, if you don't pay your respects to the Imperial Censor Wen Yanbo, he will think you are too arrogant and don't respect your colleagues and superiors. He might make things difficult for you in the future!"

Cheng Jun thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Father's teachings are right, then I'll go!"

Cheng Yaojin was very pleased that he could listen to him. He took the brocade box from his hands and asked, "Do you know where the Censorate is?"

Cheng Jun laughed and said, "I have a mouth under my nose."

"Then go!"

Cheng Yaojin, carrying the brocade box, watched his departing figure with a look of satisfaction. His son had made something of himself; it was time for him to continue what he was doing...

"drive!"

He rode back to his residence, put down his things, and then rode out of the city.

…………

Imperial City.

Guided by the palace guards, Cheng Jun quickly found the location of the Censorate.

The Censorate, also known as "One Censorate and Three Courts," refers to the Censorate and its subordinate Courts: the Court of Censors, the Court of Palaces, and the Court of Investigation.

There were a total of 26 officials in the Taizhong, whose ranks, from highest to lowest, were: Grand Censor, Vice Censor-in-Chief, Attendant Censor, Registrar, Recorder, Palace Attendant Censor, and Supervising Censor.

In addition, there were 110 officials from the three courts, whose titles were Clerk, Secretary, Head of the Pavilion, and Manager.

Cheng Jun saw the plaques with "Taiyuan" and "Dianyuan" written on them and hurried past, as this was not the place he was going.

The Imperial Academy was the head of the three academies, and the office of the Grand Censor, the Vice Censor-in-Chief, and the Attendant Censor.

The next level was the palace courtyard, the office of the seventh-rank imperial censor who wore a green robe.

The place he was going to was the nearby Censorate.

Cheng Jun entered the procuratorate.

The main hall of the Censorate was where the censors held meetings and conducted business.

At this moment, a voice rang out in the courtyard: "Well done, Cheng Jun!"

Are you talking about me?

Cheng Jun pricked up his ears and went over to hear the sound. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw a young man sitting on a cushion, looking down at the official gazette with great interest.

The other person was wearing a blue robe and had his back to him, so he didn't notice him coming in.

Cheng Jun walked over and glanced at the official gazette in his hand.

The official gazette is the same as a modern newspaper.

The contents above were actually an imperial edict he had drafted to punish the Empress.

Li Er is really efficient. Only a few hours have passed, and he has already sent people to copy the contents into the official gazette and distribute it to the Censorate... Could it be that other government offices have it too?

Wouldn't that make me famous?

The imperial edict in the official gazette had clearly been polished, and Cheng Jun saw his own name on it, so he couldn't help but click his tongue in disapproval.

Just then, the young man with his back to him suddenly slapped his thigh, turned around, saw Cheng Jun, his eyes lit up, and he stood up, leaned close to him, excitedly pointing to the contents of the gazette and saying to him:

"My colleague, come and take a look! This is a report that just came down from the Secretariat. The censor chosen by His Majesty is truly remarkable; he actually impeached the Empress!"

A hearty laugh drifted in from outside the courtyard hall. "What's so special about that? I just heard that this Third Young Master Cheng has once again gone to the palace to impeach Her Majesty the Empress, and this time he did it in person!"

Cheng Jun turned around and saw another young man, also dressed in the robes of an imperial censor, walking in leisurely.

The young man holding the official gazette looked past Cheng Jun and then at the young man approaching him. He asked in surprise, "Brother Xiao Yi, you said Cheng Jun has impeached the Empress again? What did he impeach this time?"

The young man who came in dusted off his sleeves and said with a smile, "It's not clear yet. What I know so far is that after Cheng Jun went to the Lizheng Hall to personally impeach the Empress, Princess Chang Le left the palace to apologize to Cheng Chuliang, the second son of the Cheng family."

"The Empress has invited Duke Su over, presumably to apologize."

The young man gripped the official gazette tightly and exclaimed, "I, Ma Zhou, have never been convinced by anyone in the past twenty-odd years, but today I am truly convinced by Cheng Jun!"

Xiao Yi, Ma Zhou... Cheng Jun silently memorized the names of his two colleagues.

"You're also an imperial censor?"

Xiao Yi then looked at Cheng Jun and, seeing him wearing a xiezhi hat and censor's robes, asked curiously, "Why haven't I seen you at the Censorate?"

Ma Zhou also looked at him with a curious expression.

Cheng Jun smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "My name is Cheng Jun, courtesy name Chuxia, and my father is the Duke of Su."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi and Ma Zhou both widened their eyes.

"So you're Cheng Jun, the one who impeached the Empress twice?"

Ma Zhou put down the official gazette and said with delight, "I am Ma Zhou, courtesy name Binwang. It is a pleasure to meet you!"

Cheng Jun said earnestly, "I've heard so much about you."

He had truly admired this man for a long time; he was a future prime minister, no ordinary person.

Cheng Jun looked at another young man.

The young man smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "My name is Xiao Yi, and I come from the Xiao Clan of Lanling."

"I have admired you for a long time!"

Cheng Jun cupped his hands in greeting again. This man was no ordinary person... His portrait is still hanging in a museum.

"Let's sit down and talk."

Xiao Yi pointed to the soft cushion on the ground.

"Brother Chuxia, please have a seat!"

"Brother Xiao Yi, please go first, Brother Binwang."

After sitting down, Ma Zhou and Xiao Yi kept looking him over.

Although Cheng Jun was sitting, his imposing physique still gave them a strong sense of impact.

"Brother Chuxia is truly a man of exceptional appearance," Ma Zhou remarked. "This is the first time I've ever seen such a robust and imposing censor in the Censorate."

Xiao Yi chuckled and said, "This is what you call being both learned and skilled in martial arts. You and I are far inferior to Brother Chuxia."

Cheng Jun said, "You flatter me, gentlemen. I have heard of your great names far and wide."

"Really?" Ma Zhou asked with a smile in his eyes. "You're not just flattering me?"

Cheng Jun solemnly said, "Brother Xiao Yi is the great-grandson of Emperor Xiaoyuan. I think anyone who doesn't know Brother Xiao Yi's name is just a country bumpkin!"

Emperor Xiaoyuan, also known as Emperor Yuan of Liang during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, made Xiao Yi a descendant of a phoenix and a dragon. Although more than seventy years have passed since Emperor Yuan of Liang, Xiao Yi was able to enter the court as an official without taking the imperial examination, thanks to this connection.

Xiao Yi's eyes lit up with surprise as he said, "Brother Chuxia, you actually know my identity..."

"I didn't read history books in my past life for nothing..." Cheng Jun looked at Ma Zhou, and seeing his expectant look, said seriously:

"Not to mention Brother Binwang, my father has often told me about how Brother Binwang advised General Chang He and thus gained His Majesty's favor. I have always admired him. Brother Binwang can be said to be my guide on the road to becoming a censor!"

Upon hearing this, their feelings of goodwill towards Cheng Jun surged.

"Come, come, have some tea!"

Ma Zhou picked up three teacups and placed them on the table.

Xiao Yi picked up the teapot, filled Cheng Jun's teacup first, and then poured tea for them.

"This is the Censorate. Since we are both on duty today, it is not appropriate for us to drink alcohol. Let us use tea instead of wine to toast Brother Chuxia!"

Xiao Yi picked up his teacup and said.

Ma Zhou also picked up his teacup and said with a smile, "From now on, we'll be colleagues, so we'll have to help each other out!"

Cheng Jun raised his glass and said sincerely, "I hope Brother Binwang and Brother Xiao Yi will take good care of me in the future!"

The three laughed and finished their tea. Xiao Yi put down his teacup and asked, "Brother Chuxia, are you here at the Censorate at this time to see the Censor-in-Chief and the Vice Minister?"

Cheng Jun nodded. "That's right. My father asked me to come and pay my respects to Shangguan."

“Your father’s consideration is very reasonable,” Xiao Yi nodded and said, “On your first day as an Inspector General, if you do not come to pay your respects to your superiors, your colleagues in the Censorate will think you are too arrogant. However… it is not advisable for you to visit them today.”

What does that mean...? Cheng Jun was stunned.