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

October of the seventh year of the Zhenguan era.

Great court meeting.

The Prefect of Taiyuan, the head of the Wang family of Taiyuan, suddenly stepped forward to report.

"Your Highness, the imperial examination system is now stable and the official promotion system is becoming more and more perfect. The pressure of official vacancies in Guannei Circuit, Longyou Circuit, Hedong Circuit and other places is no longer as great as before. However, in the new territories of our Great Tang, such as Liaodong Circuit, Pyongyang Circuit and Zangyuan Circuit, official promotion and imperial examination reform have not yet been implemented."

"Zangyuan Province is newly established, so we should not rush things. Liaodong Province is currently busy with the resettlement of people in the north, so we should not rush things either. However, Pyongyang Province has been stable for more than two years. The Crown Prince appointed Grand Chancellor Lu, who is said to be a criminal, has achieved remarkable political achievements, and the people live in peace and prosperity."

"I believe that the Pyongyang Province should immediately implement a new system for the promotion of officials, allowing ordinary people and children from poor families to enter officialdom and make contributions!"

After Wang Ming finished speaking, a number of his subordinates stepped forward to second his opinion.

Even Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui couldn't help but exchange a glance, their eyes sweeping between Wang Ming and the Crown Prince on the high seat, before they followed suit and stepped forward.

"Your subject, Fang Xuanling, second this proposal!"

"Your subject, Du Ruhui, second this proposal!"

A large number of people echoed this sentiment.

Li Chengqian looked at Lu Zhaojing, who had also arrived at the court, and smiled slightly.

"What does Prime Minister Lu think? I heard from Dean Sun that you are in poor health and need long-term recuperation. Are you capable of taking on this important task?"

Although he said that, Li Chengqian couldn't help but complain in his heart.

When Lu Zhaojing first came to Chang'an, he looked like he was on the verge of death, and now, two years later, he's still in that same half-dead state...

What is this? The blessing of the ancestors of the underworld?

Lu Zhaojing's breathing was heavy, like a bellows being pulled, and he glanced around.

Now that Tibet has become the Tibetan Plateau of the Tang Dynasty, even if he is willing to believe that the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty can give them, the remnants of aristocratic families, a chance to make a dignified exit, he has to consider it carefully.

"Does Prime Minister Lu have concerns? But who in Pyongyang doesn't respect the Mandate of Heaven?" Changsun Wuji asked sarcastically.

His gloomy gaze met Lu Zhaojing's, and the two of them seemed to be instantly transported back to the time when they, along with King Yeon Gaesomun of Goguryeo, were escorted to the capital.

Cui Minshi, the head of the Cui family of Qinghe, died at his hands...

“Cough cough cough…”

Seeing Lu Zhaojing cough violently again, Changsun Wuji smiled disdainfully.

Holding a tablet, he stepped forward and bowed to Li Chengqian.

"Your Highness, I observe that Prime Minister Lu's health is not as good as before. The matter of promoting officials is already complicated, and now it involves many of Prime Minister Lu's relatives or friends' children. I think it is not appropriate to leave this matter to Prime Minister Lu. It would be better to let Prime Minister Lu retire and recuperate in peace."

"Your subject wishes to recommend Duke Gongsun Wuda of Donglai. He is a skilled warrior, proficient in both civil and military affairs, and has achieved remarkable merit as the governor of Suzhou over the years..."

Gongsun Wuda?!

Lu Zhaojing's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this a former general of the Prince of Qin's mansion?

To appoint a staunch supporter of the Xuanwu Gate Incident as the prime minister of Pyongyang Province, where the remnants of the deceased clan resided, is no different from releasing a tiger into a sheepfold.

Changsun Wuji wore his signature sinister smirk.

As soon as he finished speaking, a burly minister with sharp eyes stepped forward from the back of the crowd.

"Your Highness, your subject Gongsun Wuda is willing to go!"

A cold smile, clearly directed at him, played on his lips as he spoke, his gaze sweeping over Lu Zhaojing as if he were sizing up prey.

On stage, Wang De leaned close to Li Chengqian and whispered something to him.

"Your Highness, during court today, the Duke of Donglai and Lord Changsun chatted for quite some time."

Li Chengqian already understood.

Based on his uncle's personality and Gongsun Wuda's merit in supporting the emperor—that as long as he didn't rebel, he would be able to live a peaceful life—Li Chengqian could easily guess what his uncle had said to Gongsun Wuda.

Slaughter all the remaining members of the Pyongyang Province aristocratic families, lose the title of Duke of Dongnae, and when the Crown Prince succeeds to the throne, fight for the title of Duke!

Wang Ming and Changsun Wuji exchanged a glance. Both were old foxes, and their eyes met only briefly.

But no further action was taken.

Lu Zhaojing's heart was pounding wildly, and she couldn't care less about anything else at the moment.

There is a wolf in front and a tiger behind.

They suspected that Wang Ming, that old dog, was using the official promotion assessment as a pretext to target them, compared to Gongsun Wuda, a blatant killer.

After hesitating for a moment, he ultimately chose the former.

“Your Highness, I am in good health and it does not affect my handling of government affairs... As Governor Wang mentioned, the promotion of officials should indeed begin in Pyongyang Province, and I have no objection.”

Gongsun Wuda looked up at the Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who was in a high position. Seeing the latter gently shake his head, he couldn't help but bow and retreat in disappointment.

Li Chengqian immediately nodded in agreement.

"In that case, the Pyongyang Province shall immediately begin the process of evaluating and promoting officials this year, with all six ministries and departments jointly overseeing this matter."

After leaving the court.

As soon as Wang Ming stepped out of the palace gate, Lu Zhaojing, supported by the Lu family members, caught up with him.

"Brother Wang, what is your intention today?"

He got straight to the point, and upon hearing this, Wang Ming stopped in his tracks, but his face wore a calm and formulaic smile.

"What do you mean by that, Brother Lu?"

Lu Zhaojing took a couple of breaths, his gaunt face twitching, his eyes fixed on the other person.

"I have served in the same court as you for several years. Do you think I don't know who you are? If you had nothing to do, why would you, as the Prefect of Taiyuan, interfere in the affairs of my Pyongyang Circuit?!"

He gritted his teeth, gripping his cane tightly with one hand: "What are you planning to have your son do?!"

Wang Ming remained silent, but his eyes, which had been calm, gradually turned dangerous, like those of a vicious wolf.

The two looked at each other.

The atmosphere around them subtly became heavy and somber.

Wang Ming stared at Lu Zhaojing's head, his eyes filled with greed.

Lu Zhaojing stared at Wang Ming with murderous intent in her eyes.

On this day, the imperial court seemed to have simply passed a decree to conduct promotion assessments for officials in Pyongyang Province. In other parts of the Tang Dynasty, no one would have given it much thought.

Anyone who attended that court assembly knew that it was by no means an assessment for the promotion of officials.

This is His Highness the Crown Prince's way of killing the hunting dog after the rabbit is dead!

The Wang family of Taiyuan were the executioners tacitly approved by His Highness the Crown Prince.

“Brilliant, truly brilliant… It’s a pity I wasn’t there at the court assembly that day.”

In Chengdu Prefecture, Li Shimin looked at the report from the Hundred Cavalry Commandery in his hand and sighed repeatedly.

"That old dog Wang Ming is getting more and more cunning. Now, the Wang family of Taiyuan has no other way to go but to remain a lone minister..."

Inside the Qing Shu Palace, Li Shimin's voice was filled with sighs and melancholy.

After the initial excitement, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Chengqian, when will you finally ascend the throne!"