Three whips break the father-son relationship, please call me prince

Chapter 142 The Censorate is a Knife
Li Chengqian was not angry, but looked calm instead.

Li Xiaogong stood up and scolded, and the hall fell silent.

Who doesn't know Li Xiaogong's power? Challenge him.

Even if they have a reason but can't explain it clearly, they might still be able to get the upper hand over you.

If someone hits you and you don't dare to fight back, you can only get beaten.

The people of Mazhou are numb.

He didn't even know how things would evolve to the point of forcing the emperor to abdicate.

I never thought about it myself.

If you make a mistake, just take responsibility for it.

The prince overturned the Censorate with just one sentence.

"Humph!"

"This is the first time I have seen someone who knows he is wrong but refuses to correct his mistakes. Instead, he is arrogant and domineering."

Li Xiaogong said coldly: "Is your Censorate still a court agency?"

"Still under the rule of the Tang Dynasty?"

"I think you are just a bunch of traitors."

"They are forcing the emperor to abdicate in front of the Crown Prince. If you want to die, just say so."

"I will grant you your wish."

The officials of the Censorate knelt on the ground, lowered their heads and dared not speak.

Ma Zhou gritted his teeth and said, "Prince of Hejian, we are not forcing him to abdicate..."

"no?"

"Does that mean that what the prince said is wrong?"

"what!"

Li Xiaogong raised his head and smiled, saying sarcastically, "It's interesting. The Censorate failed to do its job this time. As the king and the central supervisor of the country, the Crown Prince cannot criticize or question the Censorate."

Gao Shilian sneered and said, "I think you, the Imperial Censor, cannot escape blame."

"It's wrong for you to talk back to the Crown Prince. If you have something to say, just say it. If you all stand up, how is this different from forcing the Crown Prince to abdicate?"

Fang Xuanling had a gloomy face. He didn't know what the prince was thinking, but he knew clearly that Ma Zhou was the emperor's confidant.

The Censorate is the eyes of Your Majesty.

Otherwise, Ma Zhou would not have been able to sit in the position of Grand Censor.

"All right!"

Li Chengqian spoke at this time. He looked deeply at Gao Shilian, but Gao Shilian did not notice.

This uncle seemed to be speaking for him, but his intention was to aggravate Ma Zhou's charges.

The drunkard's real intention is not to drink.

"Please sit down, all three of you."

"Your Highness, the Censorate must punish severely."

Li Xiaogong bowed, Gao Shilian nodded in agreement, and Fang Xuanling was a little hesitant.

"I have heard a saying that to punish without teaching is cruelty."

Li Chengqian said calmly: "I have no intention of punishing the Censorate. It is Your Majesty who should be punished."

"I just want to let the Imperial Censor know."

"There are many imperial censors who understand."

"I say that you are just sitting there doing nothing. You should know your shame and come up with a plan for your supervision by the Censorate."

"You can't wash away your faults of incompetence and dereliction of duty by yelling in front of me."

The Censorate is not afraid of being guilty, but is afraid of losing its reputation.

Others say they are just sitting there doing nothing, but that's fine, they don't have much power.

The prince said that they were so powerful that they could break the sky.

All of them will be nailed to the pillar of shame.

As a king, the prince's every word must be recorded.

Today's court meeting is an extremely formal occasion. It will be recorded in the history books. How do they face the world and serve as officials?
Li Chengqian didn't really want to kill the Censorate and get rid of Ma Zhou.

That obviously didn't fit his idea.

He is looking for trouble with Ma Zhou and the Censorate today and wants to make them the scapegoats.

A sharp sword hanging over the heads of all officials.

The kind that could fall at any moment.

Although Ma Zhou came from a poor family, he was deeply trusted and relied upon by Li Shimin.

Li Chengqian knew his talents.

But sitting in the position of Chief Censor, one has to do more than just being an eye, one also has to do things.

"The Imperial Censor."

Li Chengqian asked: "Can you come up with a plan to monitor whether the national policy is being implemented?"

opportunity.

I leave it to you.

Whether you can catch it depends on you.

Ma Zhou said in a clear voice: "Your Highness, we can take it out."

Li Chengqian chuckled and said playfully: "It's not difficult to take it out, but can you execute it?"

Ma Zhou said in a solemn voice, "Don't worry, Your Highness. If the Censorate can produce it, then we can carry it out."

"Okay, I want to see you guys take the initiative to do things instead of waiting and relying on others."

Li Chengqian said: "This is the only way to live up to your majesty and the responsibilities of the Censorate."

Fang Xuanling has finally gotten a taste of it.

The prince is not in danger at the Censorate.

It is clearly handing a knife to the Censorate, so that they have a legitimate reason to do things in a high-profile manner.

Almost all the censors were branded as being idlers, and if they wanted to clear themselves of the stigma, they had to work hard.

Is there anyone saying that the Censorate shouldn’t do this?
Wouldn't that mean the censors can continue to serve as officials while bearing the infamy they deserve? Can they continue to serve as officials like this?

"Everyone."

“Everyone saw it today.”

Li Chengqian said loudly: "I don't mind the excessive behavior of the Censorate because they are brave enough to know shame."

"I'll give them this opportunity."

"If they continue to neglect their duties, today's incident will be used to force the emperor to abdicate!"

Not only will you be stigmatized first.

We will continue to give you higher intensity. The pressure from the Nine Clans is here, and you all want to muddle through?

Just wait, the national policy will change if there are problems with the officials.

Let me ask you guys.

"Your Highness, today the Censorate is forcing the emperor to abdicate. How can we let this go so carelessly..." Gao Shilian could not help but say.

"Duke Shen, are you questioning my decision?" Li Chengqian said in a calm voice.

But it is like a calm lake, when a stone is thrown into it, huge ripples are created.

Li Xiaogong couldn't help but look at it a few times, revealing a suspicious look.

Fang Xuanling also looked at him secretly, wondering if Duke Shen's thoughts were too obvious.

Do you still want to bring down Ma Zhou with this?
Gao Shilian paused, and said in a muffled voice: "I dare not!"

Li Chengqian smiled faintly, he seemed to be emotional.

But he didn't care and continued to preside over the court meeting.

"The contents of today's court meeting have been sorted out, and they will be sent to the emperor by express horseback!"

Li Chengqian said this before the court meeting was over, and then he stood up and left the Taiji Hall.

Ma Zhou's heart sank, knowing that the court meeting had been sent to His Majesty, but he still felt uneasy when he heard it.

After leaving the Taiji Hall, he was originally planning to go straight back to the Censorate.

But the prince sent someone to call him to the East Palace, and he had no way to refuse.

When he arrived at the East Palace, the prince had changed into casual clothes and was sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the lake sipping tea.

"See the prince!"

"Here he comes."

Li Chengqian smiled faintly and said, "Sit down."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Ma Zhou knelt with his hands on his knees, looking very serious.

"Don't be so nervous, relax."

Li Chengqian asked with a smile: "Are you also so reserved in front of His Majesty?"

Only then did Ma Zhou relax a little.

"Drink tea!"

Li Chengqian said, and when he saw Ma Zhou move, he said, "What do you think about today's matter?"

"Are you angry with me, or are you blaming me for being too critical of your Censorate?"

Ma Zhou held the teacup, paused slightly, and shook his head, saying, "Your Highness is far-sighted and wise. I dare not have the slightest resentment or indignation."

Li Chengqian did not comment, and said: "Encouraging childbirth is one of the most important national policies at present."

"I will not allow anything that undermines the implementation of national policy, and Your Majesty will definitely not tolerate it."

"You, the Censorate, supervise all officials, and inspect officials in every state, prefecture, and county."

"The responsibility is heavy, and the mission concerns the fate of the country."

Ma Zhou had put down his teacup and was listening very seriously.

On the way here, he almost figured out the whole context of the incident.

From the beginning to the end, when the prince started questioning the Censorate, his intention was not to cause trouble for them, but to help them enhance their authority.

"You supervise the implementation of national policies. Do you have any specific ideas?" Li Chengqian asked.

Ma Zhou pondered for a moment and said, "I don't have a very clear plan at the moment, but His Highness said that we should not wait or rely on others."

“We must take the initiative and supervise all localities.”

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "I do have an idea."

"I would like to ask the prince for his instruction!"

"The Censorate will send no less than two censors to various places to inspect the situation."

"At the same time, a secret inspection team of no less than two people was also dispatched."

Li Chengqian asked with a smile: "Does the Censorate have enough staff?"

Ma Zhou said solemnly, "Don't worry, Your Highness. The Censorate is short of manpower, but there are other ways."

"But isn't this a bit... uh, dangerous?"

Li Chengqian knew what danger he was talking about.

There won’t be any major problems with the open inspection teams, but it is very easy for accidents to happen with the secret inspection teams.

In this era of inconvenient roads and backward means of communication.

There is no way to report the whereabouts of the undercover inspection team at any time.

Once some serious problems are touched upon, one may die at any time.

"Will you not do it if it's dangerous?"

"Does the Censorate have no integrity at all?"

Li Chengqian asked back.

Ma Zhou was speechless and could only think silently.

"On the surface, you come up with a plan."

"Come up with this plan in private, and only I and Your Majesty know about it."

Li Chengqian took a sip of tea and spoke calmly, but there was a chill in his words that made Ma Zhou shiver.

Ma Zhou left.

Li Chengqian sighed quietly and was about to leave the palace when he heard Gao Shilian coming.

As soon as he saw this great uncle, who was so angry, he found it funny.

"Uncle, are you here to call me to task?" Li Chengqian said with a smile.

"How dare I? I dare not question your Highness's decision." Gao Shilian said angrily.

Li Chengqian smiled helplessly, "Uncle, you were too obvious today."

"Ma Zhou is your Majesty's confidant, can you get rid of him?"

"Or in other words, what benefits can you get after getting rid of him?"

"Well, instead of coming to me to get angry, you should think about what His Majesty will think of my uncle after he knows about it."

Gao Shilian frowned, "I'm helping you, I don't have any other ideas."

"They have offended Your Highness and should be severely punished. I am not afraid of what Your Majesty thinks."

help me?

Just don't cause more trouble.

He was not afraid of Li Shimin's opinion.

You know in your heart whether you should worry or not.

Li Chengqian shook his head secretly. These old guys spoke in high-sounding words, but none of them was easy to deal with.

You still have to be on guard all the time.

The Censorate is very important.

Everyone understood that Ma Zhou, a boy from a poor family, controlled such an important department and only listened to Li Shimin, and had little connection with other aristocratic families.

For the aristocratic families, if they get the chance, they will definitely want to take over and replace the previous one.

Gao Shilian supported Li Chengqian, but he also had the little thoughts of the aristocratic families.

(End of this chapter)