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

Li Shimin, sitting on the dragon throne, had a cold and hesitant look in his eyes.

Upon receiving this signal, Li Yuanchang immediately drew his jade belt and slammed it to the ground.

boom!

The jade belt shattered.

The imperial guards in the court tensed up, their hands on the hilts of their swords.

Cheng Yaojin and the others changed color. What was he going to do?

Li Shimin's face also turned murderous; Li Yuanchang was practically provoking him!

"snort!"

"So, in the end, you just want me dead, don't you?"

"I have been framed and betrayed twice for political marriages, and my secrets have been leaked. They want me dead. I accept it!"

"Your Majesty, I will return to my residence immediately. Whether you poison me or hang me with a white silk noose, there are only so many people in the Prince of Han's residence. Open your eyes wide and see how filial I am. I'll step up when there's trouble, and I'll be a scapegoat when there's nothing to do!"

After spraying the robes, Li Yuanchang immediately took off his royal robes, threw them on the ground, and stormed out, looking like he was waiting to die.

At this moment, he was actually half-true and half-false.

The "what's the use of 'throwing the pot down'" tactic is a strategy, but venting dissatisfaction is also a real reason. It's used when there's trouble, and used as a sacrifice when there's no trouble, all for the sake of balance.

The courtiers were terrified and lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

The pressure in the Liangyi Hall is extremely low.

Many ministers already felt that Li Yuanchang was going to be deposed.

"stop!!"

Li Shimin's deep voice boomed.

Li Yuanchang paused at the palace gate, his whole body tensing, but he did not hesitate. He turned around, bent over, and knelt down in one smooth motion.

Continuing to act willfully at this point is no longer a tactic; it's simply a lack of foresight and a recipe for disaster.

Li Shimin has spoken personally; He Gang's impeachment and court appearances are two different things.

Li Shimin stood up, his majestic eyes flickering with an unpredictable flame, truly a ruler of the world.

"You just said that both times you were framed and your secrets were leaked. What do you mean?"

His voice was filled with coldness, and if Li Yuanchang didn't give a clear answer, the consequences would be severe.

Li Yuanchang's months of preparation were not in vain.

He suddenly looked up, his expression excited, and said, "Your Majesty, the Tibetan delegation knows the confidential matters discussed in the Tang Dynasty's Council of State!"

"That person let slip about the Lunqin Fucha!"

"They knew that my brother had initially opposed the marriage alliance, and they even knew exactly what had been cut from the artisan books."

"Therefore, the Tibetan delegation has been targeting me the entire way, and after the incident, they even rushed here overnight to file this false complaint!"

"I ask you, the discussions in the Council of State Affairs are all among the important officials of the Zhenguan era, and are not to be divulged to outsiders. Who told them this?"

"Isn't this a setup? Isn't this a leak of secrets?"

Li Yuanchang's voice was deafening; he was completely reckless. If he wanted me dead, no one would have a good time!

Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Chu Suiliang, and many other top ministers all changed color.

The court was instantly thrown into complete chaos, and now the entire Council of State Affairs was caught in the crossfire.

"His Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, I have absolutely not revealed this matter to anyone!"

"Your Majesty, this old minister swears that this has never been revealed to anyone!"

"His Majesty……"

Led by Changsun Wuji, whose expression was stern, all members of the Political Affairs Hall bowed and clasped their hands in a gesture of respect to prove their innocence.

After all, revealing such things is taboo in itself. The Council of State Affairs is the highest decision-making center. If news from there can get out, then the color of Li Shimin's underwear can also get out.

Moreover, once this kind of news is revealed, it becomes entirely possible that Li Yuanchang will be targeted.

The script for being targeted was decided from the very beginning. Now that things have gone wrong, who should take the blame?

Li Shimin's face was contorted with rage, as if smoke was billowing from his head and flames were emanating from his eyes.

"what!"

He roared and with a flick of his hand, all the documents and memorials on the imperial desk flew out, causing the imperial crown to shake violently.

bang bang bang bang...

In the Liangyi Hall, everyone was terrified. Regardless of age, rank, or position, they all knelt down, already sensing Li Shimin's true anger!

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly for me!!"

The true dragon roared, shaking the central government of the Tang Dynasty, and the roar never ceased.

The imperial guards standing outside all paled at the sight.

"What happened inside?"

For many years, even people like Cheng Yaojin had never seen Li Shimin so furious.

This whole mess has been completely stirred up by Li Yuanchang.

Too many people have been implicated, making it difficult to distinguish right from wrong. The only solution is a thorough investigation from top to bottom to determine whether Li Yuanchang was disregarding the emperor's will or simply stumbled upon someone conspiring to frame him!

"..."

Shortly afterward, Li Yuanchang was investigated and "temporarily residing" in Mudan Garden.

This is clearly not an acquittal; if he were released, he should return to the old Han Prince's residence or Liangzhou.

Similarly, this is not imprisonment. If it were detention, it should be taken directly to a place like the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs or the Court of Judicial Review.

The location of Peony Garden is rather vague. It was part of the royal gardens and was as famous as Li Tai's Hibiscus Garden. Even the order was to stay temporarily rather than be placed under house arrest.

However, Li Yuanchang lost all channels of communication with the outside world, and he had no idea how far the central government of the Tang Dynasty had progressed in its investigation of the marriage alliance. He could only wait quietly.

He was forced to spend his days admiring the flowers and feeding the fish in the peony garden.

The guards were also imperial guards, and all his living needs were met. As long as he didn't solicit prostitutes or wander off, Li Yuanchang could have whatever he wanted.

But whenever Li Yuanchang tried to find out something, they all turned into statues and didn't say a word.

For five consecutive days, Li Yuanchang was incredibly bored at the Peony Garden!

But there was no other way but to wait.

On the sixth day, finally! Someone came.

He was Fang Xuanling, who was known for his strategic thinking and decisive judgment. He was a confidant of Li Shimin and a well-known neutral party member who never formed factions. He was also very popular in the court.

Whether it was a political figure like Changsun Wuji, who was both righteous and wicked, or military heroes like Cheng Yaojin, they all praised him.

Li Yuanchang had also interacted with Fang Xuanling several times and had a very good impression of him.

When he arrived, Li Yuanchang knew that he was probably out of danger. Often, the emperor's choice of whom to send determined his attitude.

"This old minister greets the King of Han!"

"Lord Fang, you're too kind. What brings you here? I was just saying I was bored by myself, hahaha!" Li Yuanchang greeted him personally.

At this moment, Fang Xuanling was leaning on a cane and looked very old, but according to the course of history, he still had at least a few years left to live.

"Your Majesty, to be honest, this old minister has come here on Your Majesty's orders." He got straight to the point.

"Oh?" Li Yuanchang walked alongside him. "Does His Majesty intend to deal with me and make room for my head?"

Fang Xuanling was left speechless, both amused and exasperated by these rebellious words.

"Your Majesty, this is unacceptable! This is absolutely unacceptable!"

"You are His Majesty's younger brother, and you have rendered great service and worked tirelessly. His Majesty is benevolent and wise; how could he act in this way?"

Knowing he was out of danger, Li Yuanchang grew bolder and asked with a sneer, "Then what does Your Majesty mean by placing me under house arrest here?"

"No, no," Fang Xuanling shook his head repeatedly.

Li Yuanchang gestured for him to sit down and helped him up like a junior, without the slightest arrogance.