Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Everyone in the house was shocked!

This includes Feng Ang, the Duke of Yue.

No one expected that Li Chengqian had so much explosive information in his possession.

Even people like He Wanli and Song Jinglun, who were looking at the records of the evil deeds committed by their wives' families or other relatives, had cold sweat pouring down their foreheads.

Almost in the blink of an eye, he was drenched in sweat.

"My lord, I am guilty of death!"

At that moment, Song Jinglun felt as if he had fallen from heaven to hell.

Just a moment ago, he was overjoyed, eager to make his mark, to realize his grand ambitions, and to use the budget allocated by the Crown Prince to develop Guangzhou Prefecture into a new shining pearl that surpasses Taiyuan Prefecture.

He thought a lot, as if all the wisdom he had gained from ten years of studying and more than twenty years in officialdom had been unearthed at this moment.

The new policy is in place! He is granted the title of Duke!

However, before he could even put his dream into practice, two thick books listing the sins of his relatives shattered all his hopes and desires.

He had not been subjected to any physical punishment or flogging.

Every pore seemed to be conveying the pain of being eaten by ants and bitten by insects.

"Your Highness, I deserve to die! Waaah!"

Song Jinglun cried out in agony, tears mixed with cold sweat streaming down his face.

The others present also collapsed to their knees, wailing and weeping, as if they had lost their parents.

Feng Ang frowned as he looked at the list of his relatives' crimes in front of him. Many of them were names that even he, the head of the Feng family in Lingnan, did not know. He had never even heard of some of the names on the list.

He stood up, knelt down in front of Li Chengqian, and looked ashamed.

"This old minister has failed the Emperor Emeritus and His Majesty's trust! He even nearly misled His Highness the Crown Prince! I deserve death!"

That's what they said, but both Feng Ang and Li Chengqian understood the truth.

Feng Ang, the Duke of Yue, will not be affected in any way.

Li Chengqian's actions were nothing more than a big stick following a sweet treat.

Furthermore, those who are able to participate in this meeting today will undoubtedly not be subject to any major punishment. As for those who are qualified to attend but were not summoned by the Crown Prince...

Everyone trembled in their hearts.

I thought back to when His Highness the Crown Prince first went to Taiyuan to implement his new policies, what was the first thing he did...?

Li Chengqian remained silent amidst the rustling footsteps.

Wang De entered with several eunuchs and palace attendants.

Holding gleaming golden wine cups, he placed them one by one before the kneeling ministers.

"Crash..."

The rich aroma of Bingzhou Fenjiu liquor, flowing down the wine jug, filled the hall at that moment.

Everyone swallowed hard.

It wasn't the aroma of the wine that tempted them; rather, they were genuinely terrified.

Many people couldn't help but tremble.

He thought in fear, "Could this be a death sentence?"

One after another, the golden goblets were filled with mellow and fragrant wine. Wang De bowed to Li Chengqian and then slowly left the hall.

Just when everyone thought Li Chengqian was about to say something.

Then came another series of footsteps.

The crowd was puzzled. Several officials kneeling at the back of the crowd turned their heads slightly, and then, as if they had seen the most terrifying thing in the world, they were so frightened that they pressed their heads to the floor.

In their line of sight, there were things that looked like supports placed around them.

Then these people went out again.

Li Chengqian's voice then drifted softly from the stage.

"Lingnan Circuit is a remote area, and many officials regard it as a place for the exile of relatives of officials who have committed crimes. There are many illegal activities there, which I foresaw long ago..."

"My Imperial Guards monitor the entire realm. The evidence you see before you is merely the result of six months of investigation by my Imperial Guards. If we continue to dig deeper, I don't know how many more sordid things I will find."

Everyone held their breath and remained kneeling with their heads bowed.

"You should be glad that you can still see this evidence of your crimes!" Li Chengqian's voice grew even colder.

No one dared to feel the slightest bit of relief.

The implication was quite clear: the Embroidered Uniform Guard's investigation over the course of six months could not have been limited to just these individuals; rather, it had covered all officials in the surrounding counties and prefectures of Guangzhou Prefecture in Lingnan Circuit.

They were just lucky; at least their relatives who suffered from cerebral palsy due to the plague didn't cause any harm to the lives of ordinary people.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to appear at today's meeting.

Li Chengqian looked coldly at these officials who resembled quails.

"Are you scared?"

"You should be grateful that you still have the opportunity to be afraid, and that you know what fear is!"

"When I first implemented the new policies, many members of the noble families in Bingzhou only understood what fear was when my Imperial Guards came knocking on their door and their entire clans were sent to the executioner's block!"

Li Chengqian's voice was like an iceberg pressing down on everyone present.

Even a powerful figure like Feng Ang, who had risen through the ranks since the end of the Sui Dynasty, dared not even breathe loudly in the face of the imposing presence of Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

Just a moment ago, he was chatting with these officials about the future prosperity of Guangzhou Prefecture, like a young man pursuing his vision with a pure and innocent smile on his face.

The next moment, it transformed into an ancient ferocious beast capable of devouring the flesh and blood of everyone present.

"Thunder and rain, all are the emperor's grace"—at this moment, this saying seems to have been truly embodied.

After all, as Li Chengqian said.

At least they had the chance to see this evidence; at least they were still alive...

"Raise your glasses!"

Li Chengqian's cold voice rang out, and everyone present looked down at each other before cautiously and tremblingly picking up the golden goblet in front of them.

He straightened up after bending over.

"what!!!"

Several panicked shouts suddenly came from the mouths of the group.

Those people were all pale-faced, and the golden goblets in their hands fell to the ground, spilling wine everywhere. But they didn't care about anything else and instinctively dodged and moved behind them.

The way they scrambled and crawled was quite comical.

however.

However, no one present was able to laugh.

Song Jinglun, He Wanli, and the others stood upright, looking at the straw-filled human skins so close to them, their hands holding golden goblets as if they had Parkinson's disease.

Keep shaking.

The scarecrow, with its hollow eye sockets, stared straight at them. Its mouth was a huge gap, as if it were glaring at them with invisible grievances.

Li Chengqian seemed oblivious to the fact that everyone was terrified.

Holding a wine glass, he murmured softly.

"I have had a very pleasant conversation with you all these past two days, and you have not disappointed me. You are all first-rate, capable ministers who can serve the country in a practical way. The people of Lingnan are fortunate to have such virtuous and capable officials as you."

"This is also a blessing for our Great Tang Dynasty..."

"I have made no false promises to you all. Whether you are dukes, marquises, earls, or historians, if you can govern Lingnan and bring about a prosperous era, making every family wealthy and healthy, and the people living in peace and contentment..."

"I will fulfill all your requests!"

"However... if you all go astray, thinking that the emperor is far away and the sage's sight and hearing are beyond the reach of this Lingnan region, then I can only wish him a safe journey..."

"Gentlemen, will you leave your name in history, or just your skin?"

Everyone's face turned pale. Seeing Li Chengqian raise his wine glass, they hurriedly forgot about the cold, ghostly creature beside them and loudly pledged their loyalty.

"We, your humble servants, are willing to serve Your Highness the Crown Prince with utmost loyalty and devotion to the new policies until our dying breath!"

Seeing everyone's expressions, Li Chengqian's face finally regained some warmth.

His voice remained cold and sharp.

"Very well, esteemed lords, please remember my words... We shall drink together in this golden goblet, but we shall show no mercy in this life!"

"Do not go astray!"

.......

"Tsk tsk tsk, so you're saying, Imperial Brother, you were born to be Emperor... Look how many days you've been here! The blood on the execution platform at Caishikou in Guangzhou Prefecture can't be washed away..."

King Li You of Chu shook his head and sighed.

Many members of the Feng family in Lingnan were also sent to the execution ground. Fortunately, Feng Ang was strict in managing his household and had a decisive nature. Those who were beheaded were just small fry who had little to do with the Feng family.

However, the small fish and shrimp of the Feng family in Lingnan were already considered ferocious beasts by ordinary people.

"What? Are you blaming me for scaring your little fiancée so much that she doesn't dare to come to you? If she doesn't come to you, why don't you go to her? Think about Ninth Prince, that guy's familiarity with the Duke of Ying's mansion is almost as good as the Imperial Palace and Yangcheng Palace."

Li Chengqian's words made Li You roll his eyes in annoyance.

This elder brother of the emperor has recently taken to joking about him and Feng Jinsi.

Just as they were talking, Wang De came running over quickly.

"Your Highness, Prefect Song Jinglun has been severely injured..."

"What?!" Both Li Chengqian and Li You were stunned.

It was as if they were doubting their own ears.

When they rushed to the prefectural governor's office in Guangzhou, they heard a series of loud cries mixed with pain.

At this moment, the open space in front of the governor's mansion was surrounded by a large crowd of people.

Li Chengqian stood on the carriage not far away, and his gaze instantly fell upon Song Jinglun, who was being pressed onto a bench, his buttocks and back covered in blood.

The latter bit his teeth until they bled, and his head was held down by two yamen guards with water and fire sticks on either side of him, both of them looking on with pity.

Song Jinglun screamed and shouted at the same time.

"I have failed in my duty, neglected my duties, and have lost all moral integrity. I deserve severe punishment!"

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

The sounds of caning, each blow landing squarely on the skin, caused even the surrounding common people to show expressions of unbearable pain.

Li You gasped, "Hiss! This Song Jinglun, I thought he was pretty smart before, but I didn't expect him to be such a blockhead?!"

Li Chengqian: "......"

He looked at Song Jinglun, who was being publicly tortured, and took a deep breath.

"A blockhead? He's not a blockhead at all..."

A smile appeared on Li Chengqian's lips, and he lost the will to stop them. Those yamen runners and Song Jinglun couldn't possibly be so unruly.