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

Seeing Kong Yingda's fixed gaze, Yuchi Jingde said:

"I only remembered after I finished beating my son that Cheng Jun was going to give a lecture today. In this Chang'an city, who doesn't know that my Yuchi family and the Cheng family are close? If my Yuchi family can't come, wouldn't that be disrespectful to the Cheng family? After thinking about it, I decided to come myself!"

"Good reason..." Cheng Jun turned to look at Kong Yingda and said, "Chancellor Kong, Yuchi Baolin can't come. My Uncle Yuchi is only coming in person because he's giving me face. If we send him away, my father will hold me accountable when I get back. Why don't we just let him stay here?"

Kong Yingda could easily see that they were acting in concert, but since the other party had already offered a way out, he could only keep a straight face and say to Yuchi Jingde:

"For Cheng Jun's sake, let's let this go this time, but don't let it happen again!"

Yuchi Jingde grinned and said, "Don't worry, don't worry, it definitely won't happen next time."

Kong Yingda snorted and reminded him:

"However, if you embarrass yourself later, don't think I didn't warn you beforehand."

Yuchi Jingde was stunned. "Disgraceful? What disgraceful do I have?"

Kong Yingda pointed to the unused cushions in the Hall of Justice and said, "Today, all the students here are young students of our Imperial Academy. As an elder, how can you sit comfortably among such a group of juniors?"

Yuchi Jingde said in surprise, "I'm here to listen to the lecture, not to fight with a bunch of young people. What's wrong with me? You don't need to worry about me."

Upon hearing this, Kong Yingda said no more.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the Justice Hall, and then another person walked in.

The three of them turned around and were stunned at the same time.

The newcomer was a man in his fifties wearing a purple robe.

The three recognized each other immediately; wasn't this Li Jing, the Minister of War?

Cheng Jun glanced behind the other person but didn't see his son, Li Dejiang, and fell into deep thought.

Another person attending class in place of their son?

At this moment, Kong Yingda saw Li Jing walk in, frowned, and asked, "Minister Li, what brings you here?"

Li Jing said with a smile, "I came on behalf of my son."

Kong Yingda stared at him and said, "Why didn't your son, Li Dejiang, come over himself?"

Li Jing waved his hand and said, "My son cannot come today."

Kong Yingda questioned, "Your son was beaten so badly he can't get out of bed?"

Li Jing was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Why do you say that?"

Kong Yingda pointed to Yuchi Jingde, who was standing next to Cheng Jun, and said, "That's what the Duke of Wu just said."

Li Jing turned to look at Yuchi Jingde, saw him grinning at him, and then twitched his lips and said, "My son is different from his son. His son was beaten by him, but my son is sick."

Kong Yingda chuckled and said, "What a coincidence! The Duke of Wu also said at the beginning that his son was sick."

Li Jing patiently explained, "My son is truly ill; he has caught a cold."

"If you don't believe me, you can find a physician to come to my residence and take a look."

You didn't leave your son out in the yard to freeze all night, did you...? Cheng Jun thought to himself.

Li Jing continued:

“Cheng Jun is my nephew. He is giving a lecture today, so someone from my Li family must come. Since my son cannot come, I will come in his place.”

“My memory is excellent. After Cheng Jun finishes his lecture, I will go back and relay it to him. Isn’t that enough?”

Kong Yingda glanced at Yuchi Jingde, then at Li Jing, pursed his lips for a long time before finally saying, "This is the last time."

Li Jing smiled and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

Just then, another person walked in.

The four of them looked over at the same time and were stunned for a moment. The person who came was actually Liu Xiangdao, the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

When Liu Xiangdao saw Yuchi Jingde and Li Jing in the Hall of Justice, he was stunned for a moment, then took a few steps back, retreated outside the hall, looked at the plaque on the door, and muttered to himself:

"I didn't come to the wrong place."

After saying that, he strode in, looked at Yuchi Jingde and Li Jing with a puzzled expression, and asked, "Duke of Wu, Minister Li, why are you here?"

Yuchi Jingde said, "My son is sick."

Li Jing said, "My son is also sick."

Kong Yingda then asked, "Liu Zhongcheng, and what about you? Why have you come here?"

Liu Xiangdao paused for two seconds, then said, "My son is sick too..."

Kong Yingda chuckled, not believing a word of it, and questioned, "Is it really such a coincidence that your sons fell ill on the same day?"

Liu Xiangdao explained, "My son is really sick."

Li Jing said, "My son is too."

Yuchi Jingde snorted, "My son is telling the truth, as if someone is lying to you."

Liu Xiangdao ignored the two men and instead looked at Kong Yingda, explaining:

"Master Kong, I came here this time because my son couldn't come. He was afraid that Master Kong would blame me, so he hoped that I would come to listen to the lecture and then tell him about it later. I hope that Master Kong can agree to let me listen in here."

Kong Yingda frowned and said:

"Now I understand. You just wanted to hear what Cheng Jun would say today, so you made up an excuse to say that you were here on behalf of your son."

Liu Xiangdao solemnly replied, "I have no choice."

Kong Yingda pointed to Li Jing and Yuchi Jingde and said:

"Everyone who comes here says there's nothing they can do."

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Quickly call your sons over and let them listen too."

Yuchi Jingde asked in surprise, "They can come and listen too?"

Kong Yingda said irritably, "I invited Cheng Jun to give a lecture precisely for the sake of the students of our Imperial Academy, so of course they should come!"

"If they don't come, wouldn't it be a waste of my time to invite Cheng Jun here!"

Yuchi Jingde said discontentedly, "You should have said so earlier!"

"I'm going back."

After saying that, he quickly left, as if he were going home to bring Yuchi Baolin over.

Kong Yingda then looked at Liu Xiangdao and asked, "And you?"

Liu Xiangdao said helplessly, "My son is really sick, why don't you believe me?"

Kong Yingda asked suspiciously, "What illness does your son have?"

Liu Xiang said, "Diarrhea."

Kong Yingda turned to look at Li Jing, who stood silently in place, seemingly lost in thought. Remembering that Li Jing had mentioned his son was also ill, Kong Yingda asked:

"Where is your son?"

Li Jing looked up at him and said slowly, "Didn't I just say that my son has a cold?"

Kong Yingda then looked at Liu Xiangdao and asked, "How did your son get diarrhea?"

Liu Xiangdao said, "I didn't eat well yesterday."

Kong Yingda asked Li Jing, "And you?"

Li Jing said, "My son caught a cold last night."

Kong Yingda stared at Liu Xiangdao and asked, "Did you deliberately make your son have diarrhea?"

Liu Xiangdao said irritably, "What kind of father would deliberately let his son have diarrhea?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Yingda looked at Li Jing.

Li Jing pursed his lips, remained silent for a long time, and then grinned and said:

“What Liu Zhongcheng said is absolutely right. How could there be such a person?”