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

"Lord Feng, let me ask you a question: what official position does your son hold?"

Cheng Jun asked.

Feng Deyi frowned, not understanding what he meant, but still said, "My son has no official position or rank!"

Cheng Jun spread his hands and said, "Before your son entered the Imperial Medical Academy because of me, I was also without official rank or position. What does it mean to be without official rank or position? It means I was a commoner!"

“If a commoner beats another commoner, according to the laws of our Great Tang Dynasty, he should be punished for the crime of fighting and causing injury.”

Cheng Jun said innocently, "In the crime of fighting and injuring, those who beat others with their hands or feet shall be punished with forty strokes of the cane; if the injury causes bleeding, they shall be punished with seventy strokes of the cane; if the teeth are broken, the ears or nose are destroyed, one eye is blinded, or the fingers or toes are broken, they shall be sentenced to one year of penal servitude."

"I'll only get forty lashes at most."

"笞四十" means to whip, stick, or bamboo stick forty times.

Cheng Jun solemnly said, "Therefore, Lord Feng, the charges you brought against me are incorrect. Now, do as I say and resubmit a memorial against me to His Majesty."

The hall fell silent for a moment. The next second, some of the purple-robed ministers gasped, while others clicked their tongues in disbelief. Asking someone to impeach him again—wasn't that a provocation?

"You arrogant brat from the Cheng family!"

Feng Deyi was so angry that his nose was flaring up, his eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Cheng Jun, pointed at his nose and cursed, "You're asking for a beating, so I'll grant your wish!"

He turned to Li Shimin, bowed, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, Cheng Jun has confessed. This old minister requests that Cheng Jun be immediately given forty strokes of the cane!"

After saying that, he glared at Cheng Jun, only to see Cheng Jun showing a gentle and kind smile. He immediately became furious and said, "What are you laughing at now?"

Cheng Jun smiled and said, "Lord Feng, have you forgotten that our Great Tang Dynasty allows for the redemption of punishments?"

Upon hearing the words "redemption," Feng Deyi's expression changed.

Upon hearing this, Wen Yanbo's lips curled up slightly.

The ministers in purple robes looked at Cheng Jun with strange expressions.

Li Shimin's lips twitched, finally understanding why Cheng Jun was so fearless.

The term "redemption" is, in layman's terms, a system that allows prisoners to pay a certain amount of money in exchange for a reduced sentence.

The term "redemption from punishment" first appeared in the Book of Documents, indicating that this system existed very early on.

After a long period of development and continuous improvement throughout the dynasties, the system of redemption for punishment had become a relatively mature system by the Tang Dynasty.

Cheng Jun watched as Feng Deyi's face turned ashen, and said, his words piercingly, "According to the laws of our Great Tang Dynasty, officials of the fifth rank and above, as well as their relatives, are all subject to redemption."

“The laws of our Great Tang Dynasty clearly state that one lash is redeemed for one jin of copper, twenty lashes are redeemed for two jin of copper, and thirty lashes are redeemed for three jin of copper.”

"Therefore, I only need to redeem four catties of copper to avoid the punishment of forty strokes of the cane."

"Lord Feng, do you... understand?"

Cheng Jun asked with a smile.

In an instant, everyone's attention was focused on Feng Deyi.

Feng Deyi's face was purplish-red, his fists were clenched, and he was trembling with anger. He was filled with rage, but he couldn't vent it!

Li Shimin saw this and felt a pang of sympathy for him. He understood even more why Wei Zheng hadn't come and thought he was a cunning old fox. Look at what Cheng Jun had done to Feng Deyi; if Wei Zheng had been here today, he probably would have done the same.

“Minister Feng,” Li Shimin felt it was necessary to comfort him at this moment, and said, “Don’t take it to heart. Although your son has entered the Imperial Medical Bureau, he is not seriously injured.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Cheng Jun and decided to step in and smooth things over. He gave Cheng Jun a look and said, "Minister Cheng, no matter what, Feng Yandao got into the Imperial Medical Bureau because of you. Shouldn't you show some appreciation?"

He wanted me to apologize... Cheng Jun understood his meaning, pondered for two seconds, and said, "Since Your Majesty has spoken, I will obey Your Majesty's words, for I am Your Majesty's eyes and ears."

These words warmed Li Shimin's heart instantly, and his gaze softened. Knowing when to advance and retreat, he was a promising talent. He asked, "How do you intend to express this?"

Cheng Jun turned to Feng Deyi and said, "Lord Feng, I admit that I slapped your son on the back. To show my sincerity, I'll let you slap him three times. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Deyi suddenly looked up, staring at him and asked, "Are you serious?"

A gentleman's word is his bond!

Feng Deyi looked at Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty, you heard it too. Please be my witness!"

Li Shimin was stunned. He really hadn't expected Cheng Jun to let him fight. This wasn't like him at all. Instead of responding to Feng Deyi first, he looked at Cheng Jun solemnly and asked:

"Minister Cheng, you are not allowed to joke in front of me!"

Cheng Jun said seriously, "I'm not joking!"

"Then I will be a witness!" Seeing that he was serious, Li Shimin stood up and walked to the two men, looked at Cheng Jun, then at Feng Deyi, and said solemnly:

“Minister Feng, Cheng Jun is willing to let you hit him three times. After you do, this matter will be over. Do you understand?”

"understand!"

Feng Deyi rubbed his hands together and gritted his teeth.

"Then let's get started."

Li Shimin took a few steps back, and the ministers in purple robes also took a few steps back, giving them enough space.

Feng Deyi suddenly moved, raising the ivory tablet in his hand and smashing it towards Cheng Jun's face!

Everyone who saw this changed their expressions. The old man was a scoundrel. Cheng Jun told him to hit him three times, and they all thought he should use his fists. But they never expected that Feng Deyi would pick up a ceremonial tablet and use it as a weapon to hit Cheng Jun!

And it was a blow to the face...

That damned Feng Deyi... Li Shimin was both shocked and furious. If that hit his eye, he would be blinded or crippled. How could he then serve as an official? He clearly wanted to ruin Cheng Jun's career!

…………

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