My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 85: The Stubborn Wei Zheng

When it comes to things like causing trouble for civil servants, one must be tactful and careful.

This does not mean that all civil servants in the court should be disturbed.

The result of this is that almost the whole world is your enemy.

It is also necessary to clearly distinguish what can be made a fuss and what cannot be made a fuss.

For example, Fang Xuanling cannot make trouble.

He has great influence in the military, and as an important official in the court, he has many guards in his palace, so it would be difficult to cause trouble and difficult to clean up after it was done.

Wei Zheng can make trouble.

He has a good reputation, but he is a minister of remonstration and is not involved in too many power backgrounds.

Although he is said to be a member of the princeling party, he himself belongs to an aristocratic family.

Of course, the most important thing is that once this incident happens, Li Chengqian will not be able to hide it.

In other words, the prince must secretly support the bad guys who are causing trouble.

How could a bad guy have the guts to cause trouble in an official's residence? Even if he was trying to fish in troubled waters, wouldn't the government office hold him accountable later?

This requires the prince to make secret efforts to protect this group of bad people. In this way, who would not know that it was the prince who did it?

Li Chengqian didn't care. If he knew, he knew. What difference would it make?

Anyone who stands in my way is an enemy.

In the afternoon, the bad man Zuo Qiuming entered the East Palace.

The eunuch Wen Zhong gave him a list.

There were not many people, only about twenty or so, led by Wei Zheng and Chu Suiliang.

These two people were also the main civil servants who opposed the expedition to Goryeo.

It is very simple to inquire about the address. Just check the official’s household registration. It is also in the archives of Wannian Public Office.

"Your Highness, you must protect us afterwards."

Zuo Qiuming looked at the list in his hand and couldn't help but speak.

As the saying goes, the people should not fight against the officials. Now he has to take these bad guys to teach the court ministers a lesson. This is a big job.

If the prince abandoned them, the death penalty might not be necessary, but expulsion from Chang'an and exile to Lingnan would probably be inevitable.

"Just do it with confidence, and don't cause any casualties."

"The county lieutenant of Wannian County is still imprisoned in the Dali Temple. Who would dare to do this?"

"I, the Jinwu Guard, have already told them that you should keep an eye on the time. After you finish your work, there will be curfew, so there will be no problem."

Now, the Jinwu Guard is not just about Su Dingfang.

Lu Tong, who was in charge of the area north of Wannian County, had also come over.

Although his loyalty has yet to be tested, at least he will cooperate with the arrangements made by the Eastern Palace.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Hearing this, Zuo Qiuming immediately felt relieved.
-
As the sun set, the number of people on the streets of Chang'an became fewer and fewer.

The few pedestrians walking were also in a hurry as the curfew was about to be implemented. Those who lived far away naturally hurried home.

If you delay, you will be thrown into jail.

Who likes to go to jail for no reason?

However, there was a group of people walking on the street carrying wooden barrels.

If you get closer, you can smell a pungent, sickening odor; that's the smell of gold juice.

Zuo Qiuming stood at the street corner, directing the bad guys to hurry on their way.

They didn't have much time left, and they had to finish their work and get back before curfew.

Hundreds of people immediately dispersed and trotted towards the target direction.

"Are we really not going to care? If there is accountability later, we won't be implicated, right?"

"What are you afraid of? If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. This is General Lu's intention. Even if there is a punishment, it will be on the heads first, not on us."

"That's true, but these bad guys are really brave. They dare to do such things. They are simply risking their lives."

"Isn't it because he has someone's support? He is so straightforward. I have long been fed up with these scholars. They look down on everyone. It's disgusting."

"Haha, they always disgust us, let's disgust them this time."

The patrolling Jinwu Guards saw the actions of the bad guys and even knew what they were going to do, but they had no intention of stopping them.

When the bad guys passed by the patrolling Jinwu Guards, they were careful to stay away from them. After all, the smell of the golden juice was unpleasant.

Although he has someone above him, he still has some trauma in his heart after being disciplined by the Jinwu Guards for many years.

Shengyefang.

This is where Chu Suiliang’s mansion is located.

At this moment, there was smoke rising everywhere, obviously it was dinner time.

More than a dozen bad guys rushed to the gate.

"Do it."

With a low shout, two buckets of golden juice were poured onto the gate.

"scold!"

"Chu Suiliang, you old traitor, you accepted benefits from Goryeo and became its running dog. Are you worthy of your dead ancestors?"

"Go, don't stop."

More than a dozen bad guys shouted at the top of their lungs as they walked.

The neighborhoods to the north of Wannian County are all inhabited by nobles and dignitaries. When they heard the noise, most of them came to watch the fun.

The group of people started cursing loudly in the whole neighborhood, wanting to make the matter known to everyone.

On the other side, Chu Suiliang, who was originally eating at home, immediately blushed.

When encountering such a thing, no matter how good-tempered a person is, he would curse loudly, not to mention that Chu Suiliang did not have a good temper.

"The people are so unruly, so unruly, and they are going too far."

"Hurry up and report to the police, and have all these troublemakers arrested."

"How dare they? Are they planning a rebellion?"

Chu Suiliang was so angry that he was shaking.

If it was just the gold juice at the door, it would be fine, but calling him a traitor, a running dog of Goryeo, and destroying his reputation was something he couldn't tolerate at all.

The servants in the mansion hurried to report to the authorities, while others rushed to fetch clean water and clean the gate.

But the smell drifted away with the wind, and it happened that a gust of wind blew it in, and Chu Suiliang, who was angry, gasped and took a deep breath.

vomit! ! !
Wei Zheng's situation was basically the same.

The insults they gave were also about traitors and Korean dogs.

The golden juice at the door is definitely a must.

"It was the prince who did it. It was the prince who did it."

"I want to go to His Majesty and file a complaint. The Crown Prince allowed his men to commit such evil acts. It is simply a disgrace to human dignity!"

"Madam, please prepare the horse for me. I need to enter the palace now."

"I want to file a complaint! I want to file a complaint with the Emperor!"

Wei Zheng's face was livid, he clenched his fists, his knuckles turned white, the anger in his heart was like a volcano about to erupt. His gray beard also seemed to tremble slightly because of his emotions, as if telling of his strong dissatisfaction in his heart.

"Husband, don't be so impulsive. After all, the prince is the crown prince, and this matter needs long-term consideration." Mrs. Wei persuaded softly, her face full of worry.

Wei Zheng threw his sleeves violently and shouted, "Let's discuss this in the long run? The prince has done something so absurd, do you want me to swallow my anger?"

"He resorted to such despicable means only for his own power, to lead the troops into battle and to seize military authority."

"Such behavior disregards the people. The prince's actions have seriously endangered the country. How can we sit back and do nothing? As a subject, I have the responsibility to share your majesty's worries and fulfill my duties to the country!"

The wife gently pulled Wei Zheng's sleeve, her eyes full of concern: "My husband, you are devoted to the country, and I know your good intentions. But this matter is very serious. If it is not handled properly, it may lead to disaster."

Wei Zheng frowned, his anger not diminishing: "I, Wei Zheng, have been upright all my life. How could I back down for fear of causing trouble? Your Majesty must be informed of the prince's mistakes so that they can be corrected in time, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous."

The lady sighed softly, "My dear husband, I am not asking you to back down. I just hope you can think calmly and find a more appropriate solution. If you rashly go and complain, it may intensify the conflict."

Wei Zheng was silent for a moment, and the anger in his heart subsided a little. He looked at his wife's worried face, and a sense of guilt surged in his heart.

But when he thought of the prince's absurd behavior, his eyes became firm again.

"Madam, I will consider your words. But the prince's mistake must be corrected. I will definitely report this matter to Your Majesty." Wei Zheng said in a firm tone.

When Mrs. Wei heard this, she knew that it was impossible to persuade him any longer.

She knew her husband's character too well. If he were not a sage and wise, she would not have tolerated him.

It is not a good thing to confront the prince now.

After Wei Zheng tidied himself up briefly, he mounted the horse prepared by his wife and galloped towards the palace.

As night fell, the palace was shrouded in silence, with only the footsteps of patrolling guards occasionally breaking the tranquility.

At this time, Wei Zheng was riding a fast horse, rushing towards the palace in a hurry.

When Wei Zheng arrived at the gate of the imperial palace, the guards saw that it was this upright and famous minister and hurriedly reported it.

When Li Shimin learned that Wei Zheng asked to see him late at night, he knew that something big must have happened.

He immediately summoned Wei Zheng to the emperor.

Wei Zheng walked quickly into the palace, and when he saw Li Shimin, he knelt down with a plop, and said in a firm and sincere voice: "Your Majesty, I have the audacity to ask for an audience so late at night, but I have something important to report. Today's matter concerns the country, so I have no choice but to come."

Li Shimin frowned slightly and motioned Wei Zheng to stand up and speak.

Wei Zheng stood up and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince today allowed bad people to splash gold juice on the residences of ministers like me and others, and also insulted us. This behavior is truly shocking."

"The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne of the country. He should set an example for the people of the world. Now he has done something so absurd. If he is not corrected, he may not be able to convince the people in the future."

Li Shimin was silent for a moment. He knew that the prince would take action, but he didn't expect it to be so direct.

However, Goryeo's affairs were also what he had to do.

After thinking for a while, he asked, "Wei Qing said that the Crown Prince ordered the bad guys to do it. Do you have any evidence?"

Wei Zheng straightened his expression and said, "Your Majesty, although there is no solid evidence pointing directly to the Crown Prince, there are many signs that this matter is closely related to the Crown Prince."

"First of all, these bad guys had a clear goal when they acted, directly targeting the residences of officials who opposed the expedition to Goryeo. Moreover, they dared to act so boldly. If there was no one behind them to support them, how could they dare to do so?"

"Furthermore, the county lieutenant of Wannian County is now imprisoned in the Dali Temple, and the Jinwu Guards have turned a blind eye to this matter. All signs point to the Eastern Palace."

At this point, Wei Zheng earnestly advised: "Your Majesty, the prince is young and hot-tempered. He may take such extreme measures because of different political views. If it is not stopped, it may lead to disaster."

In fact, the matter was already very clear, but Li Shimin obviously wanted to protect the prince in this matter.

"What Wei Qing said makes sense, but this matter cannot be concluded based on mere speculation."

"I will send someone to investigate in detail. If it is really the Crown Prince who did it as Wei Qing said, I will punish him severely. But before there is solid evidence, do not make any rash judgments."

Wei Zheng saw that Li Shimin's attitude had softened, so he continued, "Your Majesty, as subjects, we are loyal to our country. We speak out against the prince's mistakes for the sake of the Tang Dynasty."

"The conquest of Goryeo should be a long-term plan and should not be acted rashly. The Crown Prince's move is really disregarding the overall situation. I hope Your Majesty will understand this."

Li Shimin nodded slightly, "I understand, Wei Qing, please leave. I will handle this matter properly."

This is Wei Zheng. He came to accuse the prince without even any evidence, which shows that he was slandering the prince.

Wei Zheng wanted to persuade the emperor again, but seeing the emperor's dissatisfied expression, he knew that he should not go too far, so he had no choice but to bow and leave.

Now all the police officers and constables of Wannian County Government have been dispatched to investigate and search.

These civil servants were important officials in the court, especially those like Chu Suiliang and Wei Zheng, who had a say in front of the sage. Even Lu Yizhong did not dare to look down on them.

Of course, he was secretly delighted that the prince did such a thing.

However, he did not dare to provoke the prince now. The injury on his back has not healed yet. His men only dared to pretend to do so and did not dare to really arrest anyone.

The news that Wei Zheng had entered the palace to file a complaint soon spread to the Eastern Palace. After all, this matter had a huge impact.

In the Eastern Palace, the eunuch Wen Zhong hurried to report the situation.

"How dare this Wei Zheng be so bold as to complain to Your Majesty!"

News came from the Jinwu Guards that only Wei Zheng went directly to the palace to file a complaint, while the other ministers reported to the authorities.

Li Chengqian was not surprised that the stubborn Wei Zheng would behave like this.

"Let him be. Is there any movement from His Majesty's side?"

Wen Zhong replied: "After hearing the news, His Majesty did not issue any decree."

"It is said that Wei Zheng was very reluctant when he left."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Okay, let's do this."

"Pay more attention to the movements of Taiji Palace and report any news promptly."

Wen Zhong bowed slightly: "Yes, Your Highness."

When King Li Tai of Wei learned about this, he was secretly delighted but did not show it.

He paced back and forth in his mansion, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised and a cunning light flashing in his eyes.

"My prince, you just lost your temper and did something so absurd. Now you have angered our father and displeased the ministers. Let's see how you can keep your position as the prince."

He called Chai Lingwu to discuss countermeasures.

"Now that the prince has made a serious mistake, what should we do?"

Chai Lingwu said: "We should not be too public at this time, but we can add fuel to the flames in secret to further expand the impact of this matter."

"The Crown Prince's intention is to gain military power. Besides, there were no casualties in this incident. It was just a loss of face. I don't think His Majesty will punish the Crown Prince."

Li Tai suddenly lost interest and said, "Then we just watch?"

Chai Lingwu said: "The prince must have military power before the King of Wei can have military power."

Li Tai thought about it and felt that this was the truth, so he didn't bother to care about it anymore.

The next day.

Li Shimin issued an imperial edict, ordering the Dali Temple to be responsible for trying the crime committed by the bad guys last night.

After receiving the imperial edict, Sun Fujia, the Minister of Dali Temple, handed the matter over to Su Tan, the Junior Minister.

After all, there were no casualties in this case, it just damaged the minister's reputation.

Besides, Helan Chushi's case has not yet ended, and he can take this opportunity to avoid getting involved in the struggle between the prince and the ministers.

After becoming the chief judge, Su Tan went to the East Palace immediately to express his feelings to the prince.

"I will do whatever you say in this case, Your Highness."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "This is just a spontaneous action of the people. It was so agitated a few days ago, so it's normal for them to feel some resentment."

"It's understandable that he vents his anger and curses a few times."

"Besides, when has there ever been a saying in the Tang Dynasty that one could be punished for one's words? If that were the case, wouldn't the disputes among the officials in the court be crimes?"

(End of this chapter)