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

Outside a hall in the Eastern Palace, where birds sing and flowers bloom.

"What did Your Highness say?!" Upon hearing the truth, Lady Wang was extremely shocked.

Li Yuanchang thought to himself, "As expected, Wang Shi was also kept in the dark."

"Your Highness, you've been deceived."

"That's the truth. I've investigated thoroughly. There was no such thing as horse plague. The warhorses were given by Wang Yue to make friends and curry favor with powerful figures."

"Now that he's brought out the horses, all he's brought out is a batch of inferior horses. He only came to you because he couldn't cover it up anymore."

Upon hearing this, Crown Princess Wang staggered, unable to believe she had been deceived. She was first angry, then heartbroken, and finally worried.

"Your Highness, I came beforehand to give you a heads-up and let you know what's going on."

"Also, why don't you report this matter to His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Li Yuanchang tentatively asked, which was quite a concession on his part. He suggested that she report the matter herself and try to get on Li Zhi's good side, so she wouldn't be implicated.

If someone else brings it up, Wang might be sidelined or even implicated.

After all, they were such close cousins, so this was obviously not their first time meeting. Perhaps Wang had even mentioned this person to Li Zhi before.

Wang frowned, looking somewhat troubled.

Seeing this expression, Li Yuanchang sensed something was wrong.

Immediately afterwards, Wang dismissed everyone else.

Li Yuanchang instantly understood her intention.

He spoke first: "Your Highness, if I may be so bold, you must distinguish between what is important and what is urgent, and not be harmed by these people."

"This is no longer a matter of dereliction of duty!"

He emphasized his tone.

The Crown Princess Wang's expression was also not good, but she hesitated and said, "Seventh Uncle, but if we report it like this, many people will die."

"Is there any way to remedy this?"

"If Your Highness can buy some time, I will definitely find a way to make that scoundrel Wang Yue make up for it as soon as possible. We can still think of a way to get the warhorses!"

Li Yuanchang frowned upon hearing this.

"Your Highness, I am afraid I am powerless to help you with this matter."

Her face grew even paler, but she didn't give up: "Seventh Uncle, this matter is too serious. Why don't we try to make it a small matter and then let it go?"

"If you can be lenient, I will remember this favor!"

Li Yuanchang firmly shook his head; he had his own bottom line and standards for being an official.

Some things are fine to turn a blind eye to, he even dared to steal Princess Wencheng from the sky, but he dared not protect such a beast who brought disaster to the country and the people.

"Princess Consort, I'm sorry."

"Shall you go and speak, or shall I?"

Seeing that her pleas were ineffective, Lady Wang's beautiful face turned somewhat displeased: "Your Highness, are you not even willing to give me this much face?"

Her tone was close to one of pressure.

She thought he was influential enough, and that Li Yuanchang came here out of fear, but he was just doing her a favor. If he was trying to threaten her, then she had misjudged him.

Li Yuanchang immediately turned cold and said, "Princess Consort, the law of the land comes first."

"You shouldn't have done that. You should think twice."

After saying that, he turned around and completely squandered any remaining goodwill he had for Wang.

I was kind enough to ask for her help, but she refused and instead threatened me. She is ungrateful and narrow-minded. I cannot befriend this person.

Compared to the time when she was the former Crown Princess Su Qing, the difference is obvious.

Wang's dignified and elegant face turned completely ugly. Seeing that Li Yuanchang was not giving her any face, a hint of anger even appeared in her eyes!

"etc!"

Li Yuanchang turned around: "Does the Crown Princess have any further instructions?"

His tone was already very distant.

Wang, having no other option, declared, "I will report this matter to the Emperor!"

"Princess Consort, why don't we go together?" Li Yuanchang suggested. He no longer trusted Wang Shi and was afraid that she would turn around and cause trouble.

Wang bit her lip and could only agree.

As she walked past Li Yuanchang, Wang Shi, still irritated, glanced at him and said, "Seventh Uncle, how arrogant you are!"

This is tantamount to saying, "I'll remember you!"

After saying that, she left with a cold face.

She's beautiful and has a lovely complexion, but her temperament and personality are terrible, which will definitely ruin her.

I couldn't tell before because I hadn't had much contact with them, but now I can tell just by getting to know them a little.

Li Yuanchang shook his head; perhaps this was the core reason why she had lost to Wu Zetian in history.

Half an incense stick later.

The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, Chengde Hall.

"What did you say?!" Li Zhi's voice rose, filled with shock and anger, and he stood up abruptly.

Crown Princess Wang knelt down abruptly, weeping, "Your Highness, I only just learned of this. How could I have imagined that Wang Yue would be so foolish as to believe slander and switch the warhorses?"

Li Yuanchang was present at the moment. He glanced at her and saw that she was still protecting her own.

"absurd!"

"What do you mean by listening to slander? If he doesn't want to be a pastor, who's going to put a knife to his throat?"

"You embezzled so many warhorses and now you can't hand them over during wartime. Do you know how serious this crime is?" Li Zhi roared.

This was the first time Li Yuanchang had seen him looking somewhat like a crown prince.

At least, he knows right from wrong.

"Your Highness!" Lady Wang cried.

"Stop talking! You even mentioned this to me before, saying this person was reliable and could be transferred to Chang'an for an important position. Now it seems, it's a good thing you didn't come!"

"If you hadn't come to report this matter in person, upholding justice even at the cost of family ties, I, the Crown Prince, would not have spared you!" Li Zhi rebuked.

"Guards! Guards!"

"Order the Imperial Stud to send men to Qizhou to thoroughly investigate the embezzlement of warhorses and to recover them for this Crown Prince!"

"I hereby order the Qizhou Prefecture to arrest all those involved and send them to Chang'an for questioning!"

"yes!"

At this moment, Li Zhi, whose face was flushed with anger, noticed that Li Yuanchang had also arrived.

"King Han, you're here too."

"Your Highness, I have come here to report on some logistical matters."

Li Zhi said with shame, "I'm sorry to have made the Prince of Han laugh at me."

"I dare not. Your Highness the Crown Prince is wise and decisive, and the Crown Princess is righteous in putting family members before family. It is truly a remarkable story." Li Yuanchang cupped his hands in greeting.

That's what they say, but Li Zhi was weak, not stupid. It's clear that Li Yuanchang showed leniency in this matter.

Letting the Crown Prince handle the matter at least uncovered the corruption within the ranks.

If the Ministry of War were to arrest him, Wang Yue would fall from grace, and both he and the Crown Princess might suffer reputational damage.

"What are you still standing there for? Get down!" Li Zhi said unhappily.

"Your Highness!" Lady Wang was pale and tearful, seeing Li Zhi scold her like this for the first time.

"Hmm?" Li Zhi said unhappily.

"Yes!" Wang trembled, wiped away her tears, and dared not linger any longer, so she could only leave.

As she brushed past Li Yuanchang at the door, the corner of her eye she glanced at him revealed a victim's perspective, along with anger and hostility.

It seems that she blamed Li Yuanchang for being scolded by the Crown Prince, feeling that the incident occurred because Li Yuanchang refused to help.

Li Yuanchang knew that he was being resented again.

It's true that young women are the hardest to raise!