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

Upon hearing this, Princess Luling, Li Jing, and the magistrate of Chang'an nodded in unison, quite satisfied with his answer.

Hu Yan almost couldn't help but curse out loud, angrily rebuking, "Du Jingjian climbing over the wall? I might believe that, but does that old man even know how he managed to do it?"

Li Jing raised an eyebrow and said, "What did this old man do to offend you? Huang Zhong is old, but his arrows are still sharp. Climbing over a wall is no big deal for him. I am fifty-eight years old this year. Do you want to climb over one and broaden your horizons?"

"You are so messy!"

"I'm telling you, what Cheng Dalang said is true!"

Hu Yan shouted, "Whether he's telling the truth or not, I'll search the courtyard and see if Du Jingjian is inside, then we'll know!"

Li Jing glared at him and said, "Are you out of your mind? I already said he's not inside, why do you insist on going in? The way you're acting doesn't look like you're searching for someone, it looks more like you're framing him!"

Hu Yan raised his arms and said, "I'll let you search me and see if you can find those eight taels of gold!"

Li Jing chuckled and said, "Alright, take off your pants and let me see if that gold is hidden in your ass!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Cheng Chumo and Cheng Chuliang simultaneously burst into loud, booming laughter. "That's half a pound of gold! Can it even fit in there...?"

Everyone glanced at the two of them. How could they still laugh at such a tense moment? Didn't they know what a tense situation was like?

Hu Yan's face turned purple with anger. "Minister Li, try saying another word!"

Li Jing chuckled and said, "If you want to reason with me, I will. If you don't want to reason with me, then take action and see if you can break in!"

"you--"

Hu Yan clicked his tongue and glanced at the military officers. Every one of them was a veteran of countless battles, and the hundred Dali Temple officials he brought were no match for them.

Moreover, these people are all powerful and influential, so the officials from the Dali Temple would never dare to take action against them.

For a while, the two sides were in a stalemate.

Standing at a distance, Wang Liang saw that Hu Yan was helpless, so he immediately turned around and ran out of Da'anfang, riding in a carriage and speeding back to the Ministry of Personnel.

The Ministry of Personnel, located within its main hall.

Changsun Wuji was reviewing official documents when he heard footsteps and panting. He looked up and saw Wang Liang walking in, panting, and chuckled, "Is it lively over there?"

"It was so lively! I got whipped more than a dozen times!"

Changsun Wuji was stunned upon hearing this. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the whip marks on the back of Wang Liang's hand and frowned, asking, "Who did this?"

"Princess Luling!"

Princess Luling... Her son Qiao Bei received Cheng Jun's wooden plaque in the palace yesterday... Changsun Wuji made a judgment in his mind: Princess Luling was an accomplice hired by Cheng Jun.

"This kid has some skills."

Changsun Wuji's eyes lit up with surprise. Such a quick reaction meant that Cheng Jun had not only arranged people at the Du family's door, but also had someone secretly spying on them.

Who is this person...?

Changsun Wuji pondered for a moment, but had no clue, so he stopped thinking about it and looked at Wang Liang and said, "Then you came back too early. Once Hu Yan, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, arrives with his men, it will be useless even if Princess Luling is present."

Wang Liang said with a wry smile, "Hu Shaoqing has already left, and he can't get into the Du family's house."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Changsun Wuji waved his hand and said, "I specifically instructed Hu Yan in the official document to bring a hundred judges from the Dali Temple. With so many people carrying swords, who can stop them?"

Recalling what had just happened, Wang Liang's eyes widened in terror, and he said, "Minister of War Li Jing..."

"Li Jing?"

Changsun Wuji's eyes narrowed as he said, "An old man shouldn't rely on his physical strength. He's over fifty years old, how can he stop more than a hundred people? Just find some excuse to pull him aside and rush into the Du family, won't that solve the problem?"

Wang Liang's throat bobbed as he said, "The key is that it wasn't just him who came; with him were Left Guard General Chai Shao, Right Guard General Hou Junji, Left Martial Guard General Qin Qiong, Left Valiant Guard General Duan Zhixuan, Right Guard General Zhang Liang..."

"..."

As Changsun Wuji listened to the names of more than fifty military officers that came out of his mouth, he became more and more alarmed. When he finished speaking, he slammed his fist on the table and stood up angrily, saying, "A bunch of old bastards!"

Knowing full well that he was the one plotting this behind the scenes, they still dared to stand up and protect Cheng Jun, even at the cost of going against him!

"Excellent! So many military officers have joined the fray; this is truly an eye-opener for me!"

Changsun Wuji said with a dark face.

Wang Liang retorted indignantly, "Minister Changsun, they're backing up Cheng Jun; they don't respect you at all!"

Changsun Wuji sneered, "They have people backing them up, but do you think I don't?"

"Somebody come!"

He shouted loudly, and immediately a clerk from the Ministry of Personnel walked in.

Changsun Wuji picked up a brand new sheet of paper, quickly wrote something down, put it in a letter, and handed it to the recipient, saying, "Take this letter to the Eastern Palace and find Li Gang, the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince!"

"promise!"

The clerk from the Ministry of Personnel accepted the gift with a bow and turned to leave.

Wang Liang asked in alarm, "Can Li Shaobao really do it?"

Changsun Wuji said decisively, "This matter will succeed!"

Seeing his unwavering conviction, and remembering the whip marks all over his body, Wang Liang was tempted and stood up, saying, "Then this humble official will go and see Cheng Jun make a fool of himself!"

"Go."

Changsun Wuji waved his hand and said.

…………

The Censorate.

In the main hall of the Imperial Academy, Wen Yanbo frowned deeply after hearing the news brought back by Ma Zhou. "Changsun Wuji's methods are a bit ruthless."

Ma Zhou solemnly echoed, "This is what I think too. In order to deal with Imperial Censor Cheng, Minister Changsun has gone to great lengths. I am worried that if this continues, Imperial Censor Cheng will not be able to withstand it."

Wen Yanbo shook his head and said, "You underestimate him."

"Others might not be able to handle it, but Cheng Jun can definitely do it!"

After all, Cheng Jun is the son of a military officer, and he has helped those officers before, so they certainly won't stand idly by.

"Da'anfang is probably in complete chaos..."

Wen Yanbo's expression grew more and more serious as he thought about it. He stood up and said, "This matter is getting bigger and bigger. If it continues to develop, it will probably cause even more trouble. Go back and find Cheng Jun now. I need to go to the Lizheng Hall!"

Ma Zhou asked in surprise, "You're going to see the Empress?"

As Wen Yanbo put the Xie Zhi crown on his head, he said, "The Empress is Changsun Wuji's sister. At this time, we need her to step forward and persuade Changsun Wuji to stop immediately, otherwise it will not benefit anyone!"

"Then I'll go find Imperial Censor Cheng now!"

"Go!"

Wen Yanbo waved his hand and immediately set off for Chengtian Gate.

After the gatekeeper had reported to the Empress, a decree came down, allowing Wen Yanbo to enter the palace. Wen Yanbo quickly entered the palace and arrived at the Lizheng Hall, where he saw Empress Zhangsun instructing Li Lizhi on how to brew tea. He bowed and greeted her.

"Imperial Censor Wen Yanbo pays his respects to Her Majesty the Empress."

After saying this, he turned to Princess Chang Le and said, "Your subject greets Your Highness."

"Greetings, Lord Wen." Princess Chang Le immediately rose to return the greeting.

Empress Zhangsun pointed to the prepared cushion and said, "Dalin, sit down and talk."

Da Lin was Wen Yanbo's courtesy name.

Wen Yanbo solemnly said, "This matter is of utmost importance and cannot be discussed lightly."

"What happened?"

Empress Zhangsun asked curiously.

Wen Yanbo said in a deep voice: "The Empress's elder brother, Minister of Personnel Changsun Wuji, has already sent people to Da'anfang to arrest Du Jingjian!"

"Du Jingjian entered the palace yesterday. He participated in the selection of censors and has a very good relationship with Cheng Jun. It is obvious that Minister Changsun is after Cheng Jun!"

"What did you say?!"

Empress Zhangsun's expression changed, and she stood up abruptly. She immediately guessed that this matter might be related to her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she said, "My matter with Cheng Jun has been settled. What is he trying to do by creating this trouble now?"

Wen Yanbo solemnly replied, "Your Majesty, I suspect that Minister Changsun is retaliating against Cheng Jun because Cheng Jun impeached the Empress before His Majesty, and his aim is to ruin Cheng Jun's reputation!"

Empress Zhangsun angrily said, "Cheng Jun is an imperial censor chosen by His Majesty. To ruin his reputation is to cut off his career. How dare you do such a thing, brother!"

Cheng Jun impeached her before the Emperor, and no matter how angry she was, she never thought of ruining Cheng Jun.

But I never expected that Changsun Wuji would be so bold!

Moreover, Cheng Jun is not so easy to control.

Empress Zhangsun felt a pang of fear when she recalled how Cheng Jun had rendered her speechless and how she and Li Lizhi had separately apologized to the Cheng family father and son. She immediately turned her head and said:

"Lizhi, go to the Ministry of Personnel on behalf of your mother and ask your uncle to come here!"

Li Lizhi was furious. Cheng Jun's words and actions were clearly reasonable and for her and her mother's good. Why was her uncle still causing trouble for her? Upon hearing this, she stood up and said, "Your subject will go now!"

After saying that, she quickly ran out of the Lizheng Hall.

Not long after, she returned, panicked, and said, "Mother, my uncle is not in the Ministry of Personnel, and no one there knows where he went!"

Empress Zhangsun's face turned icy cold upon hearing this. It wasn't that he wasn't there; he was clearly hiding from her!

"By the way, when I came back just now, I saw that Li Shaobao had left the palace!"

At this moment, Li Lizhi spoke again.

Wen Yanbo's expression changed and he said, "Your Majesty, Li Shaobao's departure from the palace this time is probably related to Minister Changsun!"

"Something's going to happen..."

Empress Zhangsun's heart sank to the bottom. Li Gang was the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince. He represented not only himself, but also the Crown Prince!

This has even dragged the crown prince into it!

Wen Yanbo realized this at this moment and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, what should we do?"

Empress Zhangsun was silent for a few seconds, then turned to look at Li Lizhi and said seriously, "Lizhi, I'll have to trouble you to go to Da'anfang!"

As she spoke, she whispered a few words in Li Lizhi's ear.

After hearing this, Li Lizhi nodded quickly and said, "Your subject knows what to do, Your subject will go now!"

"Go!"

Soon, a chestnut horse galloped out of the palace.

Li Lizhi, dressed in a patterned Hu-style dress, angrily rode her horse toward Da'anfang.

"Uncle, why are you like this? What Cheng Jun said makes so much sense! Doesn't Uncle know that Cheng Jun's memorial was for the good of me and Mother?"

She grew angrier the more she thought about it.

She soon arrived at Da'anfang. When she approached the gate of the Du family, she was startled to see hundreds of people gathered there, and at the same time became even more furious.

Is this grand display meant to force him to his death? If he dies, where will Father Emperor find such a loyal minister?

At this moment, Li Lizhi noticed an old man in a green official robe looking at the Du family's door with a gloating expression. She immediately turned red with anger and scolded, "The country is about to lose a good minister, and you not only don't feel sad, but you can even laugh? You treacherous minister!"

Wang Liang saw Li Gang's carriage heading towards the Du family's gate and couldn't stop smiling. Just as Minister Changsun had said, with the Crown Prince's Junior Guardian in charge, success was assured!

Suddenly, he heard a girl's angry shouts behind him.

Before Wang Liang could even see what the girl on horseback looked like when he turned around, he saw a whip lashing out at him.

Snapped!

…………

More chapters to come!