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

Under the watchful eyes of civil and military officials, Li Shimin entered the main hall and sat on the dragon throne.

The civil and military officials then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects."

Li Shimin said in a deep voice, "My dear ministers, you may rise and dispense with the formalities."

After all the civil and military officials had finished expressing their gratitude and stood up straight, Li Shimin glanced at them and asked:

"My esteemed ministers, have you noticed that there is an extra person in the court today?"

All the ministers in purple robes inside the hall turned to look at Cheng Jun, who was standing at the hall entrance.

Before they could respond, Li Shimin continued:

"Yesterday afternoon, I reinstated Cheng Junguan to his original post."

"I'm sure you ministers are puzzled as to why I reinstated Cheng Junguan to his original post."

Li Shimin said with an air of authority:

"Because I discovered that the earthquakes did not stop even after I dismissed him."

“Three days have passed since I dismissed Cheng Jun. In these three days, there have been dozens of earthquakes.”

"This is enough to prove that the earthquake had nothing to do with Minister Cheng."

"It has nothing to do with my pardoning those people from the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Jun stepped forward two steps, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

The civil and military officials glanced at him and remained silent, knowing that Li Shimin would surely have more to say.

Li Shimin waved his hand, signaling him to stand aside, and then addressed the assembled officials:

"The earthquakes last night and this morning are enough to prove that they have nothing to do with Changsun Wuji!"

"It has nothing to do with me, the Empress, the princes, the princesses, or the concubines in the harem!"

Li Shimin's voice turned cold as he said:

"Lu Ting, my dear minister!"

Lu Ting immediately walked in from outside the hall, bowed, and said, "Your subject is here."

Li Shimin looked at him and said:

"All the civil and military officials have witnessed that I have been doing what you said these past few days. You said that as long as I do these things, I can appease the wrath of Heaven."

"I will listen to you. First, I will dismiss Cheng Jun from his post and pardon the criminals from the Five Clans and Seven Families. Then, I will dismiss Changsun Wuji from his post and lead the Empress, the Crown Prince, the princes, and the concubines in a period of fasting."

"And what was the result? Your words were completely useless!"

"Tell me, what is the reason?"

As Li Shimin spoke, his voice became more stern.

Lu Ting gripped his tablet, head bowed, a layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead, unable to answer.

Seeing this, Li Shimin snorted coldly and said:

"Why are you mute? You were quite talkative the other day, criticizing this and that. I listened to you, and now I need an explanation, but you can't answer?"

"Since he can't answer, then I'll find someone else to answer!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the civil and military officials looked at Cheng Jun.

Needless to say, it was this person's turn to speak.

Sure enough, the next second, Li Shimin's voice rang out:

"Minister Cheng, you speak!"

Cheng Jun stepped forward, grasped his tablet, bowed, then raised his head and solemnly said, "Does Your Majesty intend for me to speak freely, or to answer whatever question is asked?"

Li Shimin said, "Speak your mind without reservation."

Cheng Jun said, "In that case, I will speak frankly."

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

Cheng Jun said in a deep voice, "I want to impeach Lu Ting, the Vice Minister of Agriculture, for deceiving the emperor and causing chaos in the court!"

Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials were immediately in an uproar. Either of these two charges would be capital offenses.

Is there such a serious crime...? Li Shimin was also somewhat surprised. He had originally wanted Cheng Jun to stand up and say that Lu Ting's previous words were wrong, so that he would have a reason to punish Lu Ting.

He just didn't expect that Cheng Jun would sentence Lu Ting to two death sentences so readily.

Very good... Li Shimin did not feel displeased. On the contrary, he was very pleased at this moment. After all, Lu Ting was from the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families. Cheng Jun was now going all out to deal with Lu Ting, which was helping him.

It has to be this mouth; it's just right.

Li Shimin glanced at Lu Ting, whose expression had changed drastically as he stood beside Cheng Jun, and deliberately said:

"Minister Lu, what do you have to say?"

Lu Ting was seething with anger, especially now that Cheng Jun had impeached him. He had to prove his innocence, so he decisively raised his voice and shouted:

"Your Majesty, Cheng Jun is spouting nonsense! I have always been loyal and have never deceived or misled the emperor, much less caused any trouble in the court! Please, Your Majesty, see the truth!"

Li Shimin looked at Cheng Jun and asked, "Minister Cheng, he said no."

Cheng Jun immediately walked up to Lu Ting and questioned him:

"Lu Shaoqing says he has not deceived the emperor or caused chaos in the court? Then let me ask you, when Heaven sends down a warning, why do you say that this warning is related to me and Minister Changsun? How do you know this?"

Lu Ting glared at him and said, "Before the earthquake, His Majesty issued an edict to punish the criminals, and these criminals were all convicted because of you and Changsun Wuji. Heaven's warning is naturally related to this. I am reporting the facts. What's the problem?!"

Cheng Jun countered, "Then how do you explain the continued earthquakes during the period when I and Minister Changsun were dismissed from our posts?"

Lu Ting did not respond to him, but instead looked at Li Shimin, who was sitting on the dragon throne, and bowed, saying loudly:

"Your Majesty, there must still be treacherous officials in the court, which is why the earthquakes continue..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Jun's voice rang out first: "I think you are that kind of despicable person!"

Lu Ting turned and glared at him. "What did you say?"

Cheng Jun stared at him and said, "Can't you hear me calling you a petty person?"

Lu Ting immediately said to Li Shimin, "Your Majesty, you heard it! Cheng Jun insulted me! Please, Your Majesty, do justice for me!"

Cheng Jun said coldly, "To tell the truth, it's an insult to you? You used Heaven's warning to spread rumors before His Majesty, trying to harm loyal officials. Tell me, if you're not a villain, then what are you?"

"Minister Changsun and I were handling the imperial case because someone attempted to assassinate a high-ranking official, and because someone was suppressing salt prices. We were handling the case according to the law and performing our duties according to the law. What's wrong with that? But you linked the warning from Heaven to us, causing Minister Changsun and me to be dismissed from our posts. It clearly had nothing to do with us, but because of your slander, His Majesty made an incorrect judgment. What else can you call this but deceiving the emperor?"

"You just said there are still villains in the court. It's obvious that you want to use the earthquake to eliminate your rivals. If I don't stop you, another court official will suffer today. What else can you be but a troublemaker in the court?"

"It is because of villains like you who deceive the emperor and wreak havoc in the court that loyal ministers are helpless and good generals are silenced. As the Imperial Censor and the eyes and ears of the emperor, how can I sit idly by and do nothing!"

"Take off your hat!"

Cheng Jun shouted loudly, then raised the tablet in his hand and swung it around, aiming at Lu Ting's hat.

Snapped!

Lu Ting's official hat was instantly knocked off his head.