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

"Thank you, Lord Changsun." 「

"I too have made mistakes," Li Yuanchang replied calmly, without refusing.

At this point, it's as if Li Shimin has laid out a toast to reconcile; if you don't drink it, you're going against Li Shimin.

Changsun Wuji smiled and said no more.

His deep, weathered eyes met Li Yuanchang's for a moment, revealing neither hidden malice nor absolute intimacy, but rather an almost indifferent gaze.

The eyes can speak, and the heart has a magnetic field. At this moment, both sides seemed to understand that they were destined to be different.

And so, after the case was solved, everything returned to calm.

The first public conflict between Li Yuanchang and Changsun Wuji ended amicably, even giving rise to the anecdote of Li Yuanchang giving Changsun Wuji a piece of jade.

However, this situation only lasted for half a month.

Although Li Shimin suppressed their personal grudges, the conflicts between Li Yuanchang and Changsun Wuji in official matters began to escalate!

As Minister of War, Li Yuanchang advocated military reform, restrictions on local control, and cost-saving measures, which directly impacted the interests of the Guanlong aristocratic group represented by Changsun Wuji.

As the core leader of the Guanlong Group, Changsun Wuji appears to uphold the law of the land, but in reality, he is protecting the monopolistic interests of his family group.

In the selection and appointment of military officers under Li Yuanchang's responsibility, there were quite a few reliable commoner sons, but most of them were rejected by Changsun Wuji, who frequently replaced them with people of average ability but from the Guanzhong region.

This situation has led to complete confrontation.

This also gradually made the discord between Li Yuanchang and Changsun Wuji public.

Initially, the two sides only had differences in appointments and political views, which was what Li Shimin wanted to see.

But by mid-March, the situation had escalated significantly.

"Wait a minute!"

"This list cannot be approved."

Changsun Wuji walked out of the Liangyi Hall.

Li Yuanchang paused just as he was about to submit the list, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

Changsun Wuji bowed and said, "Your Majesty, of the twenty-eight people on the list of the Director of the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Guard, nineteen are not from noble families. This is contrary to the rules of etiquette."

"Secondly, as far as I know, most of the people on this list are from local counties and their families are not in Chang'an, which poses a risk."

Li Shimin frowned and looked at Li Yuanchang, seemingly asking if this matter was true.

Li Yuanchang was somewhat annoyed at this moment. Changsun Wuji appeared to be acting in the public interest, but in reality, he was doing everything against him.

"Lord Changsun, aren't you meddling a bit too much?"

"According to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, the appointment of military officers of the sixth rank and above is subject to a list selected by the Ministry of War and submitted to His Majesty for a final decision."

"For those below the sixth rank, the Ministry of War shall make its own decisions."

"These officials, the Sijie and the Qianniu Beishen, are both of the sixth rank. You're going to manage them too? Is there anything else you won't take care of?"

These words were already quite aggressive; they were Li Yuanchang's outburst over the past few days.

Upon hearing this tone, all the officials fell silent, too terrified to utter a word.

Both of them had very special identities, far beyond ordinary achievements. One represented the pinnacle of the royal family, and the other represented the pinnacle of the maternal relatives.

"Your Highness, you are mistaken!"

"I have never overstepped my authority. Am I not reporting to His Majesty right now?" Changsun Wuji was clever and shrewd, and with one sentence he deflected Li Yuanchang's accusation.

Then he launched a counterattack: "On the contrary, Your Highness, what are you so nervous about?"

"As the Minister of War, you should know the rules, but the list you submitted is clearly against them!"

Li Yuanchang sneered: "Improper? What's improper about it?"

"The Imperial Guards are required to have impeccable appearance and competent martial arts skills. I have personally seen every one of them, and there are absolutely no problems with their qualifications."

"As for their background, their ancestors were all scholars, no less than anyone else. Although in the past, they were mostly from noble families, this was not an explicit rule."

"Selection should be based on merit, not nobility!"

Changsun Wuji replied, "King of Han, no."

"How could someone without noble birth and ancestral privilege serve as a court general?"

Li Yuanchang clenched his fist.

"According to you, Lord Changsun, these people should be chosen from your family? Your family is full of nobles, and your ancestors were all blessed with good fortune!"

His outburst stemmed largely from his disgust with this standard of selecting people based solely on merit, which negated all of someone else's hard work with a single sentence.

A cold glint flashed in Changsun Wuji's eyes, but it vanished in an instant.

"King Han!"

Li Shimin frowned in displeasure.

Cheng Yaojin secretly tugged at Li Yuanchang.

But Li Yuanchang knew that backing down would not bring any good results. These people on the list came because of his reputation and wanted to serve the country.

If he were barred from entering because of his humble origins, Li Yuanchang would not accept it. In his previous life, he had also been an orphan in the countryside, but he was no worse than anyone else.

"Your Majesty, please forgive my rudeness, but Lord Changsun is far too overbearing."

"If Lord Changsun is so eager to manage things, why don't you become the Minister of War?" Li Yuanchang said unhappily, putting pressure on everyone.

Li Shimin was somewhat displeased, but then he thought of the many petitions that Li Yuanchang had been rejected over the past few days.

"Alright, that's enough."

"This matter shall be decided by the Ministry of War." He made the decision directly.

These words caused an uproar among the court officials.

After all, very few things that Changsun Wuji opposed were actually approved, which shows Li Yuanchang's influence.

Li Yuanchang's complexion improved slightly.

"Yes, Your Majesty, Your Majesty." Changsun Wuji also cupped his hands, appearing very generous, as if he listened to Li Shimin and that his previous objection was only for official business.

But Li Yuanchang knew very well that this old fox had ulterior motives and that everything he did was by no means aboveboard.

The reason why such a conflict did not occur in previous years was because Li Yuanchang was not in great danger at that time. However, the current situation, with Li Chengqian's deposition, the vacancy of the crown prince position, and Li Yuanchang's challenge to power, has made him feel a sense of crisis.

The matter had already passed, and the court assembly was able to continue, with the tense atmosphere largely dissipated.

Everyone thought that was the end of it, but Changsun Wuji's final impeachment stirred up a huge wave of controversy.

"Your Majesty, Kou Zhu, the former military advisor and commander of the Zhechong Prefecture in Lantian County, and now a Wuzhong Langjiang, practiced witchcraft on the anniversary of his mother's death."

boom!

The Liangyi Hall erupted in uproar once again.

Lantian County, Zhechong Prefecture—those are subordinates of the Prince of Han!

Witchcraft and sorcery are heinous crimes punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family! This was also something Li Shimin hated most.

In an instant, Li Shimin's eyes on the dragon throne turned cold.

"What happened?"

"Your Majesty, Xiao Zhu, the mourner from Lantian County, is right outside the palace. It was he who reported this to this old minister."

The term "funeral attendant" refers to a professional who organizes funerals, sings elegiac songs, and carries the coffin.

Li Yuanchang's heart skipped a beat. He knew about Kou Zhu's mother's passing, and the Princess Consort of Han had even sent someone to inquire after her.

"His Majesty……"

"Hmm?" Li Shimin asked, displeased.

Li Yuanchang had no choice but to retreat, his sharp gaze fixed on Changsun Wuji.

But Changsun Wuji remained expressionless and did not look at it.