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

Inside the Ganlu Hall, there was a deathly silence.

The ten ministers looked bewildered, but Li Shimin's eyes flashed, and he guessed Cheng Jun's intention.

Is this kid using a feigned retreat as a tactic to advance?

That's a good idea...

Today there was an earthquake, and he resigned.

If there is another earthquake tomorrow, it will prove that the earthquake has nothing to do with him.

The method is good, but it has some flaws... Li Shimin secretly admired this kid for being worthy of a non-stick pan, but he couldn't help but worry that Cheng Jun was clearly gambling by doing this.

If the earthquake stops tomorrow, Cheng Jun's career will come to an end.

After much deliberation, Li Shimin concluded that Cheng Jun's willingness to gamble meant he must be confident of victory, and thus said in a deep voice:

"Cui Caiqi and others are beyond redemption, and their crimes are unforgivable. They should be punished according to the law! However, their family members will not be exiled for the time being, but will be imprisoned pending trial."

"The criminals from the five families other than the Cui family, along with their families, shall not be sent back to their original places of residence for the time being. They shall remain at home to await punishment. Without my decree, no one shall leave the house."

"As for the court officials associated with the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, investigate them further, but do not transfer them out of the capital for now."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ting and the others all showed joy on their faces; this was exactly the result they wanted!

Li Shimin then looked at Cheng Jun, pondered for two seconds, and said:

"Since Minister Cheng also agrees with their words, then I have nothing more to say. Effective immediately, I hereby dismiss Cheng Jun from his position as Palace Attendant Censor."

After saying that, he waved to Cheng Jun and said:

"Cheng Jun, leave your official robe here. You can go back now."

"Thank you for your permission, Your Majesty!"

Cheng Jun immediately took off his crimson official robe and handed it to Zhang Anan, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said:

"My minister retire."

Li Shimin hummed in agreement, watched him leave Ganlu Hall, then turned his gaze to Lu Ting and the others, his face conveying an imposing yet stern expression, and said:

"My beloved ministers, I have pardoned the criminals and dismissed Cheng Jun from his post. I should have been forgiven by Heaven."

Lu Ting and the others bowed and said:

"Your Majesty is holy."

Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "All of you, step down."

"I'm waiting to retire."

Li Shimin watched the ten ministers leave with satisfaction, his gaze turning colder.

.............

After leaving Taiji Palace, Cheng Jun walked back to the Censorate in the imperial city.

Along the way, the officials on duty stared in astonishment at him walking through the imperial city in a white undergarment.

What happened? He was dismissed?

The group exchanged bewildered glances, then quickly relayed the message back to their respective government offices.

Inside the Censorate, Wen Yanbo was reviewing official documents when he heard footsteps. Looking up, he saw Cheng Jun in a white undergarment, and his hand trembled slightly. He exclaimed in surprise:

"My dear nephew, where is your official robe?"

Cheng Jun laughed and said, "It's been stripped."

As he spoke, he pointed to the top of his head, "Look, even the official hat has been taken off."

Wen Yanbo looked incredulous. "His Majesty summoned you to the palace just to dismiss you?"

"What a joke! You're one of my censors, how can I dismiss you from your post without explanation!"

"No, I must go and speak up for you!"

After saying this, Wen Yanbo slammed the official document on the table, stood up, and angrily prepared to leave the Censorate and enter the palace to meet the Emperor.

Cheng Jun quickly stopped him, waving his hand and saying, "No need, no need."

"His Majesty only dismissed me from my post, he didn't take my head, it's not that serious."

Wen Yanbo angrily exclaimed, "How could it not be that bad!"

"You are one of my men. If I can't even protect you, how can I command respect?"

Cheng Jun said, "I did it voluntarily."

Upon hearing the word "voluntary," Wen Yanbo's anger subsided by half. He frowned and asked, "What do you mean by 'voluntary'? Did you request His Majesty to dismiss you from your post?"

Seeing Cheng Jun nod, Wen Yanbo opened his eyes wide and said:

"Are you crazy?"

Cheng Jun shrugged and said, "If I were crazy, why would I come back?"

As he spoke, he recounted what had just happened: "Just now in the Ganlu Hall, ten ministers came to see His Majesty with a memorial. In front of His Majesty, they used the excuse of divine wrath to ask His Majesty to pardon the crimes of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families. At the same time, they also impeached me."

Cheng Jun looked at Wen Yanbo, who had calmed down and was listening attentively, and continued:

"Seeing that Your Majesty was in a difficult position, I went along with their wishes and asked Your Majesty to pardon those people from the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families. At the same time, I also asked Your Majesty to dismiss me from my post."

Wen Yanbo twitched the corner of his mouth, expressing his confusion: "You..."

"How can you do things like this! Why?"

Cheng Jun solemnly replied, "The process of elimination."

Wen Yanbo knew that Cheng Jun wouldn't have requested the emperor to dismiss him from his post just to avoid putting the emperor in a difficult position. Although he knew this, he still couldn't help but say it aloud:

"I thought you were trying to say that you didn't want to put His Majesty in a difficult position, so you requested that His Majesty dismiss you from your post."

Cheng Jun was taken aback upon hearing this, then said seriously, "How could that be? I'm not that kind of person."

"..."

The way he said it made it sound like sharing the emperor's burdens was wrong... Wen Yanbo thought to himself, then realized he couldn't say any more. If he continued, he'd be accused of treason by himself. He quickly changed the subject and asked:

What is the process of elimination?

Cheng Jun asked, "Uncle Wen, do you think this earthquake will stop all at once?"

“No…” Wen Yanbo finished speaking, then his eyes flickered, and he asked, “Are you betting that there will be another earthquake tomorrow?”

Cheng Jun replied, "Yes, I'm gambling."

Wen Yanbo frowned and said, "Have you ever thought that if there is no earthquake tomorrow, you will lose everything, and your career will come to an end?"

Cheng Jun countered, "If there is no earthquake tomorrow, then may I ask, is it because His Majesty pardoned the five noble families and seven prominent clans, or because he dismissed me?"

Seeing that Wen Yanbo remained silent, Cheng Jun smiled and said, "Uncle Wen, are you also unable to tell the difference?"

"Therefore, once the earthquake has completely stopped, Your Majesty will reinstate me. If no further earthquakes occur, it will mean that the pardon of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families has had an effect."

Cheng Jun smiled kindly and said, "But if there is another earthquake, since I have already been dismissed from my post, it means it's not my fault."

"In short, from the moment I was dismissed from office, I was already in an invincible position."

Seeing Cheng Jun's confident expression, Wen Yanbo was somewhat moved, but still a little worried, and said:

"Aren't you afraid that the court officials will suggest that His Majesty arrest them first?"

Cheng Jun said decisively, "I think it's impossible. Those ministers went through so much trouble to save the lives of those people from the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families. Would they let them go to their deaths again? Those ministers wouldn't do such a thing."

"Moreover, even if they were capable of doing such a thing, His Majesty would not agree."

Cheng Jun said solemnly, "His Majesty will definitely appoint me first, and then arrest them."

"In short, first of all, let's rule out my problem. That way, once I'm reinstated, no one will associate me with the earthquake anymore."