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

Decisive and efficient, she truly is a military officer's wife...

Cheng Jun labeled her and had an idea in mind. He asked, "Auntie, are you aware of the matter of the military officer's son beating up the civil official's son?"

Princess Luling snorted, "You know perfectly well what I'm asking. Do you think I wouldn't know that your people from the Censorate are all here?"

"What is your opinion on this matter, Auntie?"

“My son has avenged my husband, and I am very happy.”

Princess Luling narrowed her eyes and said, "His Majesty has already punished Yuchi Jingde for this matter, sending him to guard the palace gates. In principle, the matter is settled."

"Which person in your Censorate wants to bring this matter up again?"

Cheng Jun replied, "It is Liu Xiangdao, Liu Zhongcheng... no, we should now call him Liu Taiduan."

Princess Luling was taken aback. She knew Liu Xiangdao, who was very famous in the court, not only because he had a father who served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, but also because he himself was very capable.

"Tai Duan... I remember that's another name for Imperial Censor, right?"

Princess Luling hesitated and asked, "Did His Majesty demote him?"

Cheng Jun nodded and said, "Yes."

"Who did it?"

"My nephew did it."

"you?"

Princess Luling was taken aback and had to re-evaluate Cheng Jun, who was the Vice Censor-in-Chief and the second-in-command of the Censorate, yet he had fallen into the hands of a supervising censor who had only been in office for a day.

She didn't believe Liu Zhongcheng was incompetent; the fact that he was defeated by Cheng Jun only proved that Cheng Jun was more cunning and shrewd.

"If that's the case, why did you come to my residence in the first place?"

Princess Luling asked curiously.

On her way to the main room, she had already asked the steward, who said that Cheng Jun was only there to see Qiao Bei and had no other intentions.

She doesn't believe a thing.

Who comes looking for someone while wearing official uniform?

Wearing official uniform means you're here on official business!

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "My nephew has come here this time for both personal and official business."

Princess Luling snorted upon hearing this, just as she had expected, and said in a calm tone, "I already know about your so-called private matters. What are you talking about as official business?"

"It's official business; my nephew is here on behalf of the Censorate."

As soon as Cheng Jun finished speaking, Princess Luling stood up abruptly and shouted towards the outside of the hall, "Guards, show the guest out!"

In a flash, the steward of the princess's residence, with a stern face, led two burly servants into the main hall and stood in front of Cheng Jun and Feng Lingshi, waiting for them to leave tactfully.

Feng Lingshi felt their fierce gazes and immediately broke out in a cold sweat, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles, wishing he could get up and run away immediately.

He glanced at Cheng Jun and saw that he was actually drinking tea.

"Auntie, I have plenty of time, there's no rush."

Cheng Jun, holding his teacup, showed no intention of getting up and said with a smile.

Princess Luling was somewhat surprised to see him so calm and composed. She said in a light tone, "Whether you have time or not is none of my business. I don't want to waste my time here with you!"

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Cheng Jun, I have spared you any trouble since you came in, because you are the son of a military officer."

"I'm speaking to you politely, not because I'm easy to talk to."

"If you've come on personal business, you're welcome. But if it's official business, please leave. I've already given orders to expel anyone from the Censorate! Don't make me lose face."

Cheng Jun listened patiently to her finish speaking, then met her gaze and asked seriously:

“Aunt, you think it’s a loss of face if you don’t drive the people from the Censorate out? But when the Censorate summoned Brother Qiao Bei, and you stopped him from going, didn’t the Censorate also lose face?”

Princess Luling raised an eyebrow and said, "Whose side are you on? Why are you taking the side of the Censorate? Just because you're wearing this uniform, does that mean you don't acknowledge that you're the son of a military officer?"

"If that's the case, then take off these clothes and come see me again!"

Seeing that Princess Luling was getting impatient, Cheng Jun decided to speed things up and said solemnly, "Aunt, this is what I meant when I said that my visit this time is both private and official. What do you think of the Censorate?"

Princess Luling scoffed, "A bunch of officials who only know how to argue!"

"But words can kill!"

Cheng Jun put down his teacup and said slowly, "Sometimes, what you can't get on the battlefield, you can get by just talking."

"For example, if we want the head of a general, this general sits in the command tent with thousands of troops protecting him. We can't kill him on the battlefield, but as long as we bribe someone close to the king and have that person slander him, we can easily kill the general."

In military strategy, this is called the strategy of sowing discord.

Princess Luling crossed her arms and looked at him with great interest: "You understand military strategy, which means you still remember which side you're on. Just say what you want to say."

Cheng Jun said, "My uncle was a guerrilla general of our Great Tang Dynasty. He fought on the battlefield and made great military achievements. As my uncle's virtuous wife, my aunt must also know some military strategy. Have you ever heard of 'When besieging a city, one must leave a gap'?"

Princess Luling nodded and said, "I have read some books on military strategy before. If I remember correctly, this sentence comes from the chapter on military competition in 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu. It is about the art of using troops."

"Auntie, you are so eloquent and can recite anything you've read. I admire you greatly!"

Cheng Jun offered a compliment, then continued, "This time, the Censorate summoned the sons of military officers, just like the two sides fighting on the battlefield."

"The Censorate is the 'enemy,' and the Princess's residence is 'ours.' When the enemy attacked, my aunt, a woman of great courage and bravery, led her stewards and servants to defeat the Censorate officials, who fled in disarray. She is truly a heroine!"

"The Censorate is now like a defeated army hiding in a city, afraid to fight. My aunt and the other fifty-nine military officers have surrounded this defeated army, leaving it with no way to escape and on the verge of despair."

"But why does military strategy dictate that when besieging a city, one should leave an exit?"

Before Princess Luling could respond, Cheng Jun explained, "Because if you push the enemy to the brink, they will fight desperately. With no way out, they will fight to the death, burn their boats, and fight with their backs to the river. That's how it is."

Cheng Jun sighed, "We have already won a great victory without losing a single soldier. If we push the Censorate too hard, it will be detrimental to us. This is a result that I do not want to see."

Princess Luling listened to him speak, lowering her arms and showing a thoughtful expression.