Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

"Li Chengqian! How cruel you are!! How dare you... how dare you poison the tea and snacks?!"

"You want to wipe us all out?! You won't even spare my own brother?!"

Li Tai's accusatory scream was like cold water being poured into boiling oil.

This made the already panicked crowd even more horrified, and countless surprised, fearful, and angry gazes instantly focused on Li Chengqian.

The Crown Prince poisoned them? He poisoned the distinguished scholars and his own brother who were present at the meeting?!

If that's true, it's an absolutely horrifying and heinous crime!
Faced with this sudden upheaval and Li Tai's sharp accusations, Li Chengqian's face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.

But what flashed in his eyes was not panic, but cold anger and a hint of murderous intent that had been provoked.

"Shut up!"

Li Chengqian sternly rebuked Li Tai.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that instantly quelled some of the commotion in the room.

He didn't bother with pointless arguments with Li Tai. Instead, he turned abruptly and gave a stern order to Pei Xingjian, who had been guarding him, and the Jinyiwei guards who had rushed over. His voice was firm and clear:
"Pei Xingjian!"

"The general is here!"

"First, immediately seal off all entrances and exits to the Crown Prince's residence! Entry is permitted, but exit is not! This includes the Prince of Wei and his entourage; no one is allowed to leave until the matter is clarified!"

"Second, immediately screen all those showing symptoms and isolate them. All imperial physicians and doctors in the palace must come to treat them immediately! Prioritize the treatment of Prince Wei!"

Although he loathed Li Tai, if Li Tai died in the Crown Prince's residence, it would disrupt all his plans.

"Third, control all servants and cooks who have come into contact with food and water today, detain them separately, and interrogate them rigorously!"

"Fourth, all tea, snacks, drinks, and utensils in the garden must be sealed off!"

"Immediately send someone to the Medical Academy to request Dean Sun Simiao or Imperial Physicians Zhen Quan and Zhen Liyan to bring testing equipment and come to the Crown Prince's residence at full speed! Examine all suspicious items!"

"Fifth, reassure the gentlemen present who have not been poisoned, and ask them to rest in a safe side room for the time being, cooperate with the investigation, and not move around at will!"

The five orders were issued in a row, clearly and decisively, without any hesitation or attempt to cover up or shirk responsibility.

His calm and decisive demeanor instantly calmed many of the panicked people down.

Pei Xingjian did not hesitate, clasped his hands and shouted: "This subordinate obeys the order!"

He immediately turned around and issued a series of short and precise instructions to his Imperial Guards.

The well-trained Imperial Guards moved swiftly like a black tide, sealing off, controlling, isolating, and issuing orders... everything was carried out in an efficient yet cold and ruthless order.

Li Chengqian strode towards the group of poisoned people. Ignoring the filth, he knelt down to personally examine the condition of one who was vomiting. His brow furrowed, he said in a deep voice to the imperial physician who had rushed over:
"The symptoms suggest acute poisoning! Induce vomiting, administer antidote, and do everything possible to save him!"

"If you need any medicinal herbs, just go to the treasury and get them. If that's not enough, ask the Imperial Pharmacy for help!"

His calmness, decisiveness, and sense of responsibility stood in stark contrast to Li Tai, who was sweating profusely from the pain and could only scream and curse.

Those scholars who had initially doubted Li Chengqian because of Li Tai's accusations began to waver again when they saw that His Highness the Crown Prince's first priority was not to defend himself, but to do everything he could to save people and thoroughly investigate the truth.

Ouyang Xun, suppressing his discomfort, whispered to Yu Shinan, who was also pale-faced beside him:

"Lord Yu, judging from His Highness's actions... it doesn't seem like a pretense. If His Highness had truly poisoned him, why would there be such a large-scale rescue and investigation?"

Yu Shinan clutched his chest, his breathing slightly labored. Looking at Li Chengqian's composed figure, he nodded slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his aged eyes.
"Hmm... this matter is probably not that simple. Someone... is trying to kill two birds with one stone and stir up trouble!"

Listening to the surrounding discussions, watching Li Chengqian calmly direct the rescue and investigation, and feeling the increasingly intense abdominal cramps, Li Tai felt both angry and afraid.

He wanted to curse again, but the excruciating pain prevented him from speaking coherently. He could only curl up in the chair his attendants had brought, groaning in pain, his heart filled with resentment towards Li Chengqian and extreme fear for his own safety.

The entire Crown Prince's residence instantly transformed from a refined gathering of scholars into a heavily guarded battlefield filled with the atmosphere of death and conspiracy.

Li Chengqian stood in the center of the chaos, his face ashen. His gaze swept over the groaning crowd, over the sealed tea and snacks, and finally towards the palace, his eyes cold and sharp.

He knew this was more than just an accident.

Someone has extended their malicious reach into his residence and into this gathering that brought together the cultural heritage of Chang'an.

This is both a provocation and a frame-up.

Whoever is behind it all has thoroughly enraged him.

"check!"

"Investigate this thoroughly to the end!"

"No matter who is involved, we will show absolutely no leniency!"

His voice, like a cold wind from the deepest hell, echoed throughout the Jixian Garden.

This sudden poisoning incident instantly pushed the power struggles in Chang'an into an even more dangerous and unpredictable situation.

Meanwhile, at Taiji Palace, in the side hall of Liangyi Hall.

The hall was filled with the gentle fragrance of incense, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere, a stark contrast to the chaotic and tragic scene inside the Crown Prince's residence.

Li Shimin was sitting opposite Chu Suiliang, the Grand Counselor, in front of a large sandalwood table.

On the table lay a meticulously framed copy of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, its ink flowing freely and its spirit vivid.

"Chu Qing, look at the downward stroke of the character '之' here. It's like a crashing wave, powerful and restrained, capturing the essence of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy." Li Shimin lightly tapped the copy, his eyes filled with appreciation and rapture, seemingly completely immersed in the art of calligraphy.

Chu Suiliang bowed deeply to examine it closely, stroking his beard in admiration:

"Your Majesty has discerning eyes. Although this copy is not the original, the copyist is highly skilled and has indeed fully demonstrated the balance of strength and gentleness, and the vigorous and beautiful style of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy."

"Especially the connecting thread at the turning point, which is as thin as a gossamer thread, yet strong and unbroken, cannot be done without decades of skill."

The two, the emperor and his minister, chatted back and forth, appreciating the exquisite strokes and exploring the mysteries of character structure, in a harmonious and focused atmosphere.

Just then, Wu She hurriedly but very quietly entered the hall, came to Li Shimin's side, and whispered the earth-shattering events that had occurred in the Crown Prince's residence.

"A sudden incident has occurred at the Crown Prince's Literary Society. Many of the participating scholars have been poisoned, with numerous vomiting and fainting. His Highness Prince Wei has also felt unwell. The Crown Prince has ordered the residence to be sealed off and the matter to be thoroughly investigated..."

The tongueless voice was kept extremely low, but it could still be clearly heard in the silent hall.

Chu Suiliang was not far away and heard it clearly.

His hand holding the teacup trembled violently, splashing some scalding tea that made his fingers recoil. His face drained of color instantly, and his eyes were filled with shock and worry!

Several prominent figures poisoned?

The King of Wei... or the Crown Prince's residence?

This is absolutely a major incident!

He immediately looked at the emperor, preparing to ask for instructions.

However, Li Shimin's reaction was unexpectedly calm.

He didn't even look up immediately; his gaze remained fixed on the copy of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, his fingers still gently brushing across the paper, as if sensing the invisible brushstrokes.

After a full three breaths, he slightly raised his eyelids, glanced at the tongueless creature, and spoke in a completely calm tone, as if he had only heard ordinary news such as 'the weather is bad today':

"Yes, I understand."

Just these four simple words.

There was no anger, no surprise, no immediate inquiry into the details, and no indication of any urgent concern for his son's safety.

He even looked down at the calligraphy again more closely, and said to Chu Suiliang:

"Minister Chu, what you said earlier is quite right. This connection between lines is indeed the essence. In my opinion, the person who copied this calligraphy must be a person of strong and steady character."

[His Majesty has brought the topic back to calligraphy again?!]

Chu Suiliang opened his mouth, looking at the emperor's focused and calm profile, a chill inexplicably rose from the bottom of his heart.

[His Majesty's reaction is highly unusual!]

[Such a heinous incident occurred at the Crown Prince's residence, affecting princes, numerous court officials, and literary figures; how could His Majesty remain so indifferent?]

Is it the ruthless machinations of an emperor? Or was it something that was foreseeable?

Wu She remained bowed and stood in place, awaiting further instructions.

Li Shimin seemed to only then remember him, still without looking up, merely waving his hand casually, his tone carrying a subtle hint of weariness and estrangement:

"Tell your subordinates to follow the rules. Instruct the Prefect of the Capital and the Court of Judicial Review to intervene as appropriate, and the Imperial Medical Bureau to provide the best possible treatment. As for Chengqian and Qingque..."

He paused, finally shifting his gaze completely from the calligraphy scroll to the distant sky outside the hall, his eyes deep and unfathomable. In the end, he simply said:
"They are not children anymore."

"I know what I'm doing."

These words, though seemingly light, carried immense weight!
[Knowing one's limits?]

This is not trust; it is clearly a cold indifference, a detached indifference!

Chu Suiliang was deeply shocked and dared not say another word. He quickly lowered his head and respectfully said, "Your Majesty is wise."

He already understood that, in His Majesty's mind, the poisoning incident that occurred at the Crown Prince's residence might have already gone beyond a simple criminal case.

Instead, he incorporated it into a much grander game of power, checks and balances, and trials.

Wu She understood immediately and bowed, saying, "This servant understands."

Then, he quietly slipped away, as if he had never been there.

The hall returned to silence, with only the faint sound of burning incense remaining.

Li Shimin turned his attention back to the calligraphy on the table, as if the earth-shattering news just now was merely a trivial interlude.

"Chu Qing, let's continue."

He pointed to another stroke, his tone returning to its usual gentleness, as if nothing had happened.

But Chu Suiliang could no longer truly calm his mind to appreciate this peerless calligraphy.

He felt an invisible, cold pressure enveloping the magnificent palace and the entire city of Chang'an.

His Majesty's indifference is more chilling than any outburst of rage.

This sudden poisoning case, seemingly dismissed by the emperor, only amplifies the underlying, perilous nature of the situation. (End of Chapter)