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

"That old fellow Wen Yanbo, he's always been so protective of me, how could he allow Zhang Xingcheng to bring so many boxes full of memorials to see me, ruining my mood? I'll make him suffer too!"

Upon hearing Li Shimin's cursing, Zhang Anan immediately accepted the imperial decree and said:

"The slaves obey the order."

After saying this, Zhang Anan summoned some guards and had them carry the box with him to the Censorate.

Cheng Jun then returned to Linde Hall.

Liu Heng was waiting for him inside the hall. Seeing him approach, he immediately went to greet him and asked curiously:

"Vice-Duty Cheng, what did His Majesty say?"

Cheng Jun smiled and said, "His Majesty has agreed."

Liu Heng breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good."

With one worry gone, Liu Heng smiled broadly and looked at Cheng Jun, saying, "It's still early, Vice-Chairman Cheng, how about we sit down and have some tea?"

Cheng Jun said seriously, "Since it's just tea, it's a private matter. Liu Shaoqing should change how he addresses me."

Liu Heng understood the implication in his words—that he wanted to befriend him—and was overjoyed. He quickly replied:

“I’m not much older than you. When we’re alone, I’ll call you Brother Chuxia. What do you think?”

Cheng Jun smiled and said, "I'll listen to Brother Liu."

Liu Heng's smile deepened, and he immediately summoned a subordinate official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, instructing him to prepare a teapot and teacups.

When the servants brought the teapot and teacups, the two found a table in the hall and sat down facing each other.

As Liu Heng poured him tea, he remarked with emotion:

"Brother Chuxia, your deeds are now widely known in the court and among the people, which makes me extremely envious."

Cheng Jun waited for him to pour the tea, then picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said:

"His Majesty has opened up channels for advice, and anyone in the court can submit a memorial. If Brother Liu is interested in this, he can go to His Majesty to offer his advice, and he will surely be able to do the same as me."

Liu Heng waved his hand and said, "I don't have your silver tongue."

"I love hunting so much, but I wouldn't dare to talk back even if His Majesty said a few words to me. Even if I wanted to give advice to him, I wouldn't dare to speak up."

Cheng Jun solemnly said, "As the old saying goes, reason prevails everywhere, while unreasonableness makes it difficult to move an inch."

"You can't speak up because you feel you're in the wrong."

Upon hearing this, Liu Heng slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Yes, yes, yes, that's exactly what you're talking about!"

"Brother Chuxia, if you were me, how would you advise His Majesty?"

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "You need to find His Majesty's sore spot."

Liu Heng asked curiously, "What is a pain point?"

Cheng Jun explained, "It's about demand."

"In other words, you first need to understand what His Majesty's needs are?"

Liu Heng stroked his chin and said, "Yearning for fame?"

"How can you talk like that..." Cheng Jun was taken aback, then immediately corrected him, "You only see the surface."

Liu Heng asked in surprise, "You must have seen wrong."

"..."

"Are you really that straightforward...?" Cheng Jun stared blankly at Liu Heng. After some conversation, he roughly grasped Liu Heng's personality and asked:

"Let's wait a moment. I want to ask you a question first. Why did His Majesty make you give up your hunting hobby?"

Without hesitation, Liu Heng replied, "His Majesty wishes me to act simply."

Cheng Jun then asked, "Why is His Majesty treating you this way?"

Liu Heng asked, puzzled, "I don't know."

Cheng Jun pondered for a moment and said, "Think carefully, before His Majesty ordered you to act with restraint, did you say anything to His Majesty?"

Liu Heng thought about it carefully for a moment, then suddenly realized something, slapped his thigh and exclaimed:

“I remember now. A few days before this happened, His Majesty summoned me to the palace and chatted with me. He mentioned my hunting skills and praised me for being a good archer.”

Cheng Jun asked, "What did you say?"

Liu Heng replied, "Of course I would say that compared to Your Majesty's archery skills, I am ashamed to admit that Your Majesty's archery skills are unparalleled in the world."

It seems there's no problem...

Cheng Jun stared at Liu Heng, but the biggest problem was that his mouth, or rather his actions, were not the problem. He asked, "And then?"

Liu Heng said, "Then His Majesty said that these were all empty titles."

Cheng Jun asked, "What did you say?"

Liu Heng said, "I thought this was a good opportunity to flatter His Majesty, so I advised him to go hunting, and His Majesty readily agreed."

"Unexpectedly, during the hunt, Duke Tang Jian of Ju suddenly appeared and said to His Majesty that Emperor Gaozu of Han won the world with his horsemanship and did not govern the world with horsemanship. He also said that His Majesty relied on divine martial prowess to pacify the four directions and should not show his ambition on a beast. Upon hearing this, His Majesty returned to the palace in a huff."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Jun's eyes narrowed, sensing something amiss, and he asked:

"You just said that His Majesty returned to the palace in a huff, and you didn't go back?"

Liu Heng was taken aback, and suddenly shut his mouth.

"..."

"..."

In the Linde Hall, the two looked at each other in silence.

After a long silence, Liu Heng, clutching his hair with both hands, said with tears welling up in his eyes, "You mean, it's because I didn't go back that His Majesty is angry?"

Cheng Jun smirked, "It's something anyone with eyes can see, didn't you notice?"

Liu Heng's face was as if he were wearing a mask of pain as he said, "I can see it. I'm not stupid. How could I not see it? I was thinking of going back with His Majesty, but His Majesty told me that I don't have to go back."

Cheng Jun asked incredulously, "You really mean it?"

"..."

Liu Heng's facial muscles began to twitch violently.

Cheng Jun exclaimed, "You really love hunting!"

Liu Heng complained with a long face, "I'm already like this, and you're still making fun of me."

Cheng Jun looked at him and asked, "Do you want to hunt again?"

Liu Heng's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Yes, I've been dreaming about it. Do you have a way?"

Cheng Jun seemed to see the image of a fisherman in him, and pondered:

"I'll find a chance to help you out."

Upon hearing this, Liu Heng immediately picked up his teacup and said with utmost respect, "Brother Chuxia, there's no need for further words. I'll offer you a cup of tea instead of wine!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, then held the teacup upside down in his hand, indicating that not a single drop was left.

Cheng Jun also drank the tea in his cup in one gulp.

The two continued their conversation.

After a long while, Cheng Jun turned his head to look outside the hall.

At this moment, the clouds on the horizon were tinged with red, making them quite beautiful.

It's almost time... he thought to himself.

…………

Dusk.

Zhao Mansion.

A slightly overweight, 1.75-meter-tall middle-aged man dressed in purple casual clothes rode a white horse to the gate of the mansion.

Upon seeing him, the servants of the Zhao household respectfully greeted, "Master is back!"

As he spoke, he stepped forward and took the reins of the horse. Seeing the gloomy face of the middle-aged man on the horse, he immediately shut his mouth and dared not say another word.

The middle-aged man dismounted, tossed his riding whip to a servant, and strode into the mansion.

Zhao Jinyong came out of the main room upon hearing the sound, and upon seeing the middle-aged man, excitedly exclaimed:

"Father, you're finally back! I know where Cheng Dong'e is now!"

Zhao Shida looked at him and asked coldly, "Are you hiding in Cheng Yaojin's house?"