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

Cheng Jun turned to look at Li Chengqian and saw him looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Cheng Jun, why are you swaying?"

"What are you shaking for? The earth is shaking!"

During the Tang Dynasty, earthquakes were called "earthquakes".

Cheng Jun called out, then immediately grabbed the small box in one hand and pulled Li Chengqian up with the other, running quickly outside the East Palace.

Li Chengqian, completely bewildered, was dragged outside the main hall. Only then did he come to his senses, feeling the aftershocks beneath his feet, his expression changing drastically as he exclaimed, "How could the earth have shaken...?"

"Could it be that I carved the Imperial Seal of the State?"

Cheng Jun said in a deep voice, "Perhaps it is because your filial piety reaches the highest heavens that it has moved heaven and earth."

Li Chengqian opened his eyes wide and said, "Is this how you use the phrase 'moving heaven and earth'?"

Cheng Jun retorted, "Am I wrong?"

Li Chengqian jumped up and said, "Of course that's wrong. I'm just carving a fake imperial seal. How could that be such a big mistake?"

Cheng Jun said irritably, "You know it, yet you still drag it into this? Are you just bored?"

Li Chengqian shrank back, gave a dry laugh, and muttered, "I knew it, it definitely has nothing to do with me..."

At this moment, Fifth Ren, a guard of the Eastern Palace, ran over in a panic. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Li Chengqian and Cheng Jun standing outside the hall.

Li Chengqian also saw him and waved his hand, saying, "It's alright, don't worry, go back to your post."

Fifth Ren clasped his hands and said, "Yes!"

After he left, Li Chengqian and Cheng Jun felt that the ground was no longer shaking, so they returned to the East Palace.

Cheng Jun looked at the things inside the hall and found that everything was intact. Fortunately, the shaking wasn't too bad.

Based on the shaking just now, it was at most a magnitude 4 earthquake.

Unlike modern high-rise buildings, houses in the Tang Dynasty were mostly one or two stories high, with the taller ones being pagodas.

As long as the earthquake magnitude is not high, nothing bad will happen.

As long as the house doesn't collapse, the people will be fine.

It's hard to say what will happen in the imperial court... Cheng Jun frowned.

In ancient times, earthquakes were not classified by magnitude; any earthquake that occurred was a major event and would be recorded in history.

People at that time believed in the interaction between heaven and humanity.

Once an earthquake occurs, both the court and the public will believe it is because the emperor has lost his virtue, and therefore Heaven is angry.

Why did this earthquake have to happen at this crucial moment? Cheng Jun's brows furrowed even more.

You should know that this morning at the imperial court, Li Shimin just issued an edict to behead all the members of the Cui family, who were the head of the five clans and seven prominent families, and to exile their families.

Not long after the decree was issued, an earthquake occurred.

Cheng Jun knew without even thinking that rumors would definitely spread in the next couple of days.

If it's just a tremor, it could be a huge problem...

As Cheng Jun was pondering, he suddenly felt the surroundings shaking again.

This time, the shaking was several times more intense than before.

Cheng Jun guessed that the tremor was at least level five.

Without hesitation, he pulled Li Chengqian out of the East Palace again.

As soon as he came out, Cheng Jun heard Li Chengqian shout in a panic, "It's over, it's over, it really has something to do with me!"

"I had just considered continuing to carve the Imperial Seal of the State when another earthquake struck!"

"I won't do it again, I'll never do it again..."

Cheng Jun looked at Li Chengqian, who was repeatedly bowing to the sky and muttering to himself, and said:

"Don't overthink it, it has nothing to do with you, it's just a natural disaster."

Li Chengqian looked at him with fear and unease, "Cheng Jun, don't talk nonsense. This is an earthquake, a wrath of the heavens. If you talk nonsense and cause another earthquake, and people find out, you won't be able to escape!"

"..."

Sure enough, in this era, nobody would believe it if you said it was a natural disaster... Cheng Jun's heart sank.

At this moment, Li Chengqian's panicked voice rang out again: "My father must be very anxious now. That's true. Heaven is furious. I am sure I only have a small part to blame. The main part must be that my father did something wrong."

Cheng Jun remained silent.

If Li Chengqian would think this way, then the ministers and the common people would think it was the emperor's problem.

Li Shimin is going to have a headache... Cheng Jun thought to himself.

"There are treacherous officials causing trouble in the court..."

Li Chengqian muttered to himself, then looked at Cheng Jun, his expression becoming increasingly worried.

"..."

Oh no, I'm going to get a headache too... Cheng Jun twitched the corner of his mouth.

Although Li Chengqian didn't say it, Cheng Jun could tell from his expression that this earthquake was going to cause a lot of trouble!

Whether they are court officials associated with the Five Clans and Seven Families who are about to be transferred away from the capital, or people from the Five Clans and Seven Families, they will definitely take advantage of this earthquake to rise up and fight back.

Cheng Jun frowned. He thought the salt price issue was over, but he didn't expect it to be just the beginning.

Without further hesitation, he held the small box and said to Li Chengqian, "Your Highness, please do not enter the palace for the time being. Stay here for now."

Li Chengqian asked, "What are you going to do?"

Cheng Jun said in a deep voice, "I need to find someone to talk to about this."

Li Chengqian nodded repeatedly, while also instructing, "You absolutely mustn't tell anyone about what happened to me!"

Cheng Jun looked at him and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Li Chengqian said, "It's about privately forging the Imperial Seal of the State..."

He quickly changed his mind halfway through his sentence, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing, you should go now."

Cheng Jun cupped his hands in greeting and then quickly left the East Palace, heading towards the Censorate.

Looking at his retreating figure, Li Chengqian felt a sense of peace. Master Cheng was as reliable as ever in his work.

Just then, the ground beneath our feet began to shake again.

Li Chengqian looked towards the direction of Ganlu Palace, his expression worried, and muttered to himself, "Father..."

At this moment, he was probably the one who was most overwhelmed.

Li Chengqian had initially considered going there, but quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that going now would only cause trouble.

But he couldn't just do nothing... Li Chengqian's heart stirred, and he headed towards the Lizheng Hall.

When Li Chengqian arrived at the Lizheng Hall, he saw Empress Zhangsun at the entrance.

At this moment, Empress Zhangsun was standing outside the Lizheng Hall with Princess Changle and several palace maids.

"Mother!"

Li Chengqian called out, "Are you alright?"

Empress Zhangsun frowned, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing the sound, she looked over and shook her head at Li Chengqian, who was walking towards her, saying, "I'm alright, Chengqian, are you injured?"

Li Chengqian replied, "I'm fine too."

"And you, little sister?"

Seeing Li Chengqian's concerned gaze, Princess Chang Le shook her head, then asked in confusion:

"How did it suddenly start moving?"

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "I don't know either."

As he spoke, he looked at Empress Zhangsun and whispered, "Mother, I heard that at the morning court this day, Father punished members of five prominent families and seven powerful clans..."

Empress Zhangsun's expression changed drastically, and she immediately interrupted him, saying, "Chengqian, be careful what you say!"

Li Chengqian paused for a moment, then continued, "What I mean is that there will definitely be people in the court who will take advantage of the earthquake to submit a memorial to plead for mercy on behalf of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families!"

Empress Zhangsun gazed at him, pursed her lips, and said:

"Chengqian, you must believe your father, he did nothing wrong! It must be Heaven that has made a mistake!"