In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

But at this moment, Li Yuanchang also erupted.

He knew that remaining silent meant death.

"Chai Lingwu provoked and insulted me first. I only fought back because I could not bear the humiliation. If you want to execute me, shouldn't he also be executed?"

"He didn't lay a hand on anyone during the fight?"

"Moreover, this person brought a hundred men with him, while I only have five. Who is plotting against whom?"

"Does losing a fight absolve one of guilt?"

"Is this the new Zhenguan Code?"

The rumbling sound could be considered a form of defiance.

Cheng Yaojin and the others looked horrified.

Li Shimin was furious, but he was speechless after being rebuked. How could he not know the truth?

However, there are too many people involved, so it seems most appropriate to target Li Yuanchang.

Seeing that his son was about to be dragged into this mess, the Duke of Qiao immediately rebuked him: "The Prince of Han is sharp-tongued; how has my son insulted you?"

"It's Ling Wu who's unconscious right now, not you!"

"Princess Baling is currently at home weeping all the time; my son has been beaten so badly that I don't even recognize him!"

As she spoke, Princess Pingyang Zhao burst into tears again, begging Li Shimin to make the decision.

Li Yuanchang sneered, "If he can't beat them, it's because he's incompetent!"

One sentence nearly made Duke Chai Shao of Qiao vomit blood; he was practically steaming.

"He knows in his heart that he has insulted and defamed me. I have broken the law and deserve to be punished, but that brat Chai Lingwu must suffer the same fate as me!"

"He was one of the troublemakers!"

"Your Majesty cannot show favoritism; otherwise, it would be a disregard for the laws governing the Zhenguan era!"

"I will die alongside Chai Lingwu!"

When Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong heard this, they almost couldn't help but laugh. Although it was a twisted logic, it seemed to make a lot of sense.

Duke Qiao and Princess Pingyang were furious, but they couldn't find any words to refute them.

Having lost to five out of a hundred men, Duke Chai Shao of Qiao was utterly humiliated.

"Your Majesty, if you do not stand up for Lingwu today, I will kill myself right here!" Princess Pingyang Zhao cried out, making a move to smash her head against the wall.

"don't want!"

"lady!"

A large group of people panicked and immediately tried to stop them, turning the Liangyi Hall into a chaotic marketplace.

Li Shimin, unable to bear it any longer, roared, "Shut up!"

"You scoundrel, how dare you be so unreasonable?"

"Quickly kneel down before the Duke of Qiao and Princess Pingyang, go to the Chai residence to kowtow and confess your sins, begging for forgiveness, otherwise no one can save you!"

He issued an ultimatum, and the emperor's authority trembled.

Actually, if Li Yuanchang had just admitted defeat and knelt down, he wouldn't have died; at most, he would have been severely punished.

Everyone tacitly understood that the initial talk of a war was just for show for the Chai family, not for the common people.

So much so that people like Cheng Yaojin were all speaking up for Li Yuanchang and giving him meaningful glances.

But Li Yuanchang just sneered. A man can be penniless, but he cannot be without dignity! He would never kowtow and apologize to Chai Lingwu!

"Your Majesty, your brother cannot do it!"

The voice was firm and resounding.

The ministers present all narrowed their eyes, not expecting Li Yuanchang to be so assertive.

Cheng Yaojin and the others frowned so deeply they looked like they were about to twist their hair into a pretzel.

As expected, the Emperor's wrath erupted completely!

This was no longer just a fight; it involved the Chai family filing a lawsuit with the emperor, and Li Yuanchang repeatedly defied him, refusing to back down.

"You can't do it, can you?"

"I want to see just how tough your bones are!"

"Someone come here!"

The Imperial Guards rushed into the Liangyi Hall with a whoosh.

"Your Majesty!" Cheng Yaojin and the others still wanted to try.

"No one is allowed to plead for him. He made this choice himself!" Li Shimin roared, unusually fierce.

Those familiar with Cheng Yaojin and others felt a chill in their hearts, knowing that the King of Han was in for trouble!

"Drag this madman to Xuanwu Gate, give him fifty strokes of the cane, and imprison him in the Imperial Clan Court!"

The Liangyi Hall trembled.

That's practically death. Fifty strokes of the cane would be enough to kill him, and confinement in the Imperial Clan Court would mean he'd never see the light of day again.

Throughout history, many kings preferred death to being imprisoned.

Many people gave Li Yuanchang friendly looks, urging him to quickly confess his crimes, kowtow, and apologize.

But Li Yuanchang refused.

Hou Junji was forced to take the person away.

At Xuanwu Gate, the Imperial Guards stood in rows, and the instruments of torture were already in place.

"Your Highness, why are you doing this to yourself?" sighed the eunuch in charge of the execution.

"bring it on!"

"I would rather die than kneel!" Li Yuanchang lay down on it himself.

These people will never understand that Li Yuanchang would rather die standing than live on his knees.

Hou Junji, standing to the side, felt helpless. He had been entrusted by the Crown Prince, and although he wanted to help, it was no longer something he could control.

As the wooden cane, as thick as an adult man's arm, was raised high.

boom! !

Li Yuanchang's veins bulged, and he was in excruciating pain.

In ancient times, caning was no child's play; twenty strokes could leave a person's buttocks bloodied and mangled.

Li Yuanchang was to be given fifty strokes of the cane!

But he didn't utter a single word, his veins bulging the whole time, gritting his teeth and enduring it.

Even a renowned general like Hou Junji couldn't help but show a hint of admiration in his eyes when he saw it.

After being struck fifty times, Li Yuanchang was covered in blood and immediately fell into a coma.

"..."

Ultimately, this "brothel case" that shocked Chang'an ended with Li Yuanchang being severely punished.

However, for Li Shimin, it was not over yet, because Li Yuanchang neither bowed his head to admit his mistake nor confessed his guilt and accepted punishment.

Cheng Chuliang and the other three did not suffer much punishment under Li Yuanchang's strong support and the court's angry rebuke, after all, Li Shimin had to give Cheng Yaojin and the others face.

"father!"

"Let me out! Let me out! How's my brother? How's my brother?"

In the backyard of the Cheng residence, Cheng Chuliang was locked in a small dark room. Outside, a large number of servants were carrying nails and wooden strips, blocking all the entrances and exits, and banging on the door incessantly.

Cheng Yaojin got angry just looking at this little tiger cub, so he left without saying a word.

"father!"

"Come back! Come back!!"

"Big brother, big brother, please don't go, I beg you!" Cheng Chuliang shouted in a hoarse voice.

A young man who wasn't as dark-skinned or as strong finally couldn't bear it and approached, saying, "Second brother, stop shouting."

"If you shout again, I'll really hang you up and beat you! Do you know how big of a mess you've made?!"

"Today, Father, along with several other dukes, shamelessly apologized to the Duke of Qiao."

He is Cheng Chumo, the eldest son of the Cheng family.

"How is my older brother?"

Cheng Chumo clearly knew that his second brother and the Prince of Han were brothers.

"The Prince of Han took all the blame himself and refused to kneel down and apologize to Chai Lingwu. He was punished with fifty strokes of the cane and then imprisoned."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Chuliang, whose dark face was peeking out from the crack, froze and panicked.

"How is your older brother now?"

"They've already hit me, why confine me? Brother, go talk to Father on my behalf!"

Cheng Chumo looked at his foolish second brother with a helpless expression and scolded, "Shut up!"

"Don't mention this again. Just stay put!"

Why?

Cheng Chumo bluntly stated, his expression grave: "Because someone wants to kill the Prince of Han!"