The rebellious grandson of Emperor Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty: Please, Your Majesty, be called Cro

Chapter 117 Li Xin: He dares to scold the emperor, what wouldn't I dare to do!

"Xin'er?" Li Shimin was taken aback.

He had always been quite fond of his grandson, Li Xin. However, since there was a meeting being held in the palace at this time, it was rather presumptuous for Li Xin to request an audience so abruptly.

"Nonsense!" Seeing Li Shimin's slightly furrowed brow, Li Tai quickly spoke up before Li Shimin could, scolding, "Doesn't he know that Father is discussing important matters? Send him back to the palace! I'll deal with him properly later."

"But—" The eunuch hesitated.

"His Highness the Crown Prince, with tears streaming down his face, insists on seeing His Majesty. He says he has been deceived—"

"Being bullied?" Li Tai raised an eyebrow, and even Li Shimin's eyes narrowed as he turned around. "Go and ask who caused my grandson to suffer such an injustice?"

No sooner had the eunuch received the order than a Jinwu Guard general hurriedly entered the palace. He leaned close to Li Shimin's ear and briefly recounted the events of the day in Pingkang Ward to the emperor.

"It's that brat again." Li Shimin took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly.

Turning to his ministers below, he said, "Let's stop here for today."

"I have family matters to attend to. You may all leave now."

"We take our leave." Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, and other officials immediately withdrew from the hall. Emperor Li Zhi also tactfully took his leave, leaving only the eunuchs and Li Shimin and his son Li Tai in the hall.

Immediately afterward, Li Shimin summoned Li Xin to an audience. Before Li Xin even entered the hall, his cries of distress had already reached him.

"Grandfather! Li Xiang has slandered the Prince of Wei's residence and my grandson. I beg you, Grandfather, to do justice for my grandson!"

"Xin'er, come here." Li Shimin was still very kind to his eldest grandson.

"Don't worry, what happened?"

All the Imperial Guards knew was that the two imperial grandsons had a conflict at Chengguang Tower, and that the imperial grandson Li Xiang had dismissed the attendants of Prince Wei's heir, Li Xin. That was all.

"Tell me the whole story in detail."

Li Xin rushed over in order to make the emperor take the lead, so she cried and embellished the story of what happened in Pingkang Ward to Li Shimin.

"That brat, relying on a black book, falsely accused and coerced many noble scions who were on good terms with you, forcing them to speak ill of Qingque?"

When Li Shimin heard that Li Xiang had done such an absurd and rebellious thing again, he couldn't help but widen his eyes.

Li Tai was trembling with rage. That brat dared to incite a group of noble children to publicly insult him, the Prince of Wei—

"Father!" Li Tai turned around abruptly and looked at Li Shimin.

"I implore Father Emperor to severely punish this scoundrel this time!"

"This son has repeatedly insulted his father, showing no respect for the emperor or his father. Now, he even forces others to humiliate his child and bully his brothers!"

"This level of lawlessness is outrageous; if it is not punished, it will surely become a menace!"

Li Tai and his son were furious, and Li Shimin also frowned deeply, his face grim.

But what he was thinking about was not how Li Xiang would humiliate Li Xin and Li Tai.

After all, that brat's mouth is truly unprecedented.

It's just that Li Xin is still too green to handle it. Li Shimin, on the other hand, has been through a lot.

Listening to Li Xin's retelling of those rebellious words, one might even feel that the rebellious grandson had actually shown mercy, disrespecting the elderly but loving the young.

What he cared about was the black booklet about Li Xiang that Li Xin had mentioned.

He knew, of course, that the booklet was written by his eldest son, Chengqian. After all, it was he who had secretly instructed Chengqian to test what means he had to help Li Xiang, who was still in prison at the time.

He also knew that Sun Fujia originally intended to use this register written by Chengqian to divide the gentry.

However, the aristocratic clans united to force the emperor to abdicate too quickly, and Sun Fujia was unable to obtain enough evidence based on the book. Therefore, he returned the book to the rebellious Sun afterwards.

Those aristocratic sons, fearing the consequences, had no choice but to listen to the rebellious grandson's insults against Qingque, which shows that what was said in that book must be true.

Although Li Shimin was aware that many aristocratic families had committed illegal acts, he turned a blind eye to these activities for the sake of the stability of the country.

But upon learning that his grandson was associating with those lawless aristocratic youths, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

"I am aware that Li Xiang has spoken rebelliously," he said coldly.

"However, you have associated with a group of纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy and powerful families), allowing them to run rampant in the streets, prey on the people, lend money at exorbitant interest rates, and bully the people by abusing their power. Do you know your crime?"

Li Shimin's voice suddenly turned serious, the kindness he had shown when facing his grandson completely vanished, replaced by the cold and piercing majesty of an emperor.

The moment those words were spoken, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Li Xin's sobs suddenly stopped, her tearful face frozen in place, and she was completely stunned.

He envisioned countless possible outcomes: his grandfather's fury, rebuking Li Xiang for his rebellion, severely punishing the disrespectful imperial relatives, and suppressing the unruly commoners.

I never imagined that I would be the one getting scolded!

Li Tai's expression also changed drastically. He hurriedly stepped forward and urgently protested, "Father! This is a miscarriage of justice! Xin'er was merely befriending and discussing studies with the sons of noble families. How could she be accused of condoning wrongdoing? It is all Li Xiang's malicious fabrication of charges, framing, and coercing others to slander my Prince Wei's Mansion!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, everything Li Xiang said was untrue—"

"Is it true that you and your son have cultivated relationships with aristocratic families, won over court officials, and coveted the throne?"

Li Shimin suddenly shouted, his question as loud as a thunderclap!

Li Tai and Li Xin's arguments suddenly became stuck in their throats.

Li Shimin paced back and forth in the hall, his hands behind his back. He believed he had seen through Li Xiang's thoughts.

"Those aristocratic sons used to speak ill of Chengqian quite a bit."

"That brat forced them to speak ill of you, King Wei, not only to vent his father's anger and take revenge on you, King Wei, but also because of this?"

"He's a mere brat who doesn't value his life. He risks offending me and powerful families every day, all for the sake of salvaging Chengqian's reputation."

"And you, do you still know that he comes from the same family as you? Do you think I can't tell that you provoked him first?"

Li Xin shuddered!

"Those aristocratic sons are not virtuous. This time, that brat forced them to break with the Prince of Wei's mansion, which is also a good thing for you and your son." Li Shimin stood on the steps with his hands behind his back, softening his tone.

"Since you struck first, don't blame that brat for retaliating. He's also your elder brother; you shouldn't harbor such resentment!"

Li Xin clenched his fist, clearly dissatisfied with Li Shimin's statement.

From childhood to adulthood, as the eldest son of the Prince of Wei and the grandson of the Tang Dynasty, he had been showered with love and affection and had never suffered such grievances.

He had long disliked Li Xiang, who was merely a grandson of a concubine, yet because he was born into the Eastern Palace, he enjoyed the same lifestyle as Li Xin. Li Xin, on the other hand, was a legitimate member of the royal family with a noble status, yet he could not live in the capital and could only live in the Prince's mansion.

Now, Li Xiang is no longer a member of the Eastern Palace, and his status is vastly different from that of the current Prince of Wei and the future eldest grandson of the emperor.

But why! It was clearly Li Xiang who acted recklessly and disrespectfully, humiliating him and his father, yet in the end, it was he, the legitimate grandson, who was punished!

It's unfair! It's so unfair!

An intense sense of resentment and bitterness welled up in Li Xin's chest.

Li Xiang was only a grandson of a concubine, while I, Li Xin, was a grandson of a legitimate wife!

He dared to offend my imperial grandfather, so what wouldn't I dare to do!

"When my grandfather was at Xuanwu Gate, did he ever speak of kinship? When he deposed my uncle, did he ever speak of kinship?"

"But now you're talking to your grandson about family ties, wouldn't that make him resentful!"

Li Xin suddenly raised her head.

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