At this time, in the Tai Chi Hall, there was a great court meeting.
The air pressure in Tai Chi Hall is now very low and it has been quiet for a long time.
The ministers lowered their heads one by one, like children who have done something wrong in kindergarten.
Last night, someone deliberately set a fire in the accounting room of the Ministry of Accounts, burning all the accounts from previous years. Moreover, the person who set the fire actually took poison and committed suicide after the fire started.
As a result, Li Shimin's intention to continue checking the accounts was directly frustrated.
And what made Li Shimin even more angry was not just this incident. Since the day before yesterday, ministers had complained of illness and did not come to court.
As of today, there are less than half the number of people attending court. Most of those who didn't come were from the Shandong gentry lineage and held important positions in the court.
Li Shimin knew what these people were up to, and originally wanted to uncover some important officials by continuing to check previous years' accounts or through interrogation in Dali Temple.
But now, no matter how the officials of Dali Temple interrogate him, those who entered have not let go. Everyone insisted that the corruption was all planned by themselves and had nothing to do with others.
Now after the accounts were burned in previous years, it is no longer possible to continue investigating and punishing corrupt officials.
Li Shimin sat on the dragon chair with a gloomy face, his hands clenched into fists. At this time, he was extremely angry.
But he also knows that anger alone cannot solve the problem. Even the angrier he is now, the happier those ministers are privately.
He glanced coldly at the ministers in the palace, and then took a deep breath. Then he said to the Shaoqing of Dali Temple:
"Sun Fujia, I order you to convict the offending officials according to Tang law within three days. Those who deserve to be killed will be killed, and those who deserve to be exiled will be exiled."
After hearing this, Sun Fuga, the young minister of Dali Temple, came out of his class and saluted:
"Yes, I obey the order."
After hearing this, Li Shimin didn't say anything more and went straight out of Tai Chi Hall.
Wuji saw this and said quickly:
"Retreat from the court."
After saying that, he hurriedly chased in the direction where Li Er disappeared.
When all the ministers heard this, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Some smart people in the court already understood what Li Shimin meant, since he asked Sun Fujia to convict the officials who were caught.
In other words, he told the ministers in disguise that the audit was over. So the ministers left the Tai Chi Hall together in twos and threes. Some of them had already thought about visiting their colleagues who were sick at home.
...
Li Shimin returned to his dormitory, Ganlu Hall, and after shooing away all the eunuchs and maids, he punched the table angrily.
At this time, Li Shimin couldn't wait to send troops to kill all the ministers who claimed to be sick at home, so as to relieve his anger.
As long as I think about myself, the mighty Khan, the leader of the Tang Dynasty, there is nothing I can do against a group of ministers who are eating nothing but corpses. Li Er's heart felt like a ball of fire, burning so hard that his chest hurt.
He gritted his teeth and whispered softly:
"I will make you pay the price."
While Li Shimin was venting himself in the Manlu Hall, a tongueless voice came from outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, the eldest grandson, Shangshu, is asking for an audience outside the palace."
After hearing this, Li Shimin straightened up, straightened his clothes, and then said outside the hall:
"Xuan."
After a while, Changsun Wuji followed Wuji into the hall.
"My lord, Changsun Wuji is here to see Your Majesty."
As if nothing happened, Li Shimin smiled and said to Changsun Wuji:
"Auxiliary engine, please get up. Someone will show Zhao Guogong his seat."
Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji knelt down and said:
"Your Majesty, I am here to plead guilty."
Li Shimin was a little confused when he heard this and said:
"Auxiliary machine, what do you mean by this?"
Changsun Wuji knelt on the ground and said:
"Old minister, I'm here to break off the engagement for Chong'er, and I would like to ask Your Majesty to punish him."
When Li Shimin heard this, he immediately understood what Changsun Wuji meant. After Li Shimin had rumors of incest marriage in Chang'an City, he asked Bai Qisi to investigate. Of the more than 300 households recorded in the previous book, where cousins were married, more than half of them gave birth to children who were either early demons or born with disabilities.
Li Er was also frightened when he looked at the contents in the booklet. After the matter was confirmed, at that moment he also had the idea of canceling the engagement. After all, Li Lizhi was one of his most beloved daughters.
But he is the emperor, and he has just given the marriage, and then goes back on his words, so how can he convince the ministers? Besides, Changsun Wuji has always been loyal to him and is his brother-in-law.
So he couldn't say this, but now Changsun Wuji took the initiative to break off the engagement, which invisibly gave him a step forward.
Thinking of this, he pretended to be angry and said:
"Why do you want to break off the engagement? Do you think my Changle is not worthy of Chong'er's child?"
After hearing this, Changsun Wuji sighed and said:
"I never meant this. It's all my fault. I always thought that Chong'er liked Princess Changle."
"It wasn't until yesterday that Chong'er child got drunk and cried to me that I knew he really liked Princess Yuzhang."
"I was at home yesterday and thought about it for a long time before I decided to explain the matter to Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will be able to help the child out of consideration for my loyalty over the years."
Li Shimin frowned and said:
"How presumptuous, my daughter, can she marry whoever she wants?"
Changsun Wuji, who was kneeling on the ground, felt very uncomfortable at this moment. If the rumors in Chang'an City were not flying all over the sky, he would not have come to the palace to break off the engagement.
In fact, even if Princess Changle's children have problems in the future, her eldest grandson's family will not be afraid. They can give Chong'er a few more concubines.
But Changsun Wuji knew that he had to cancel the marriage, because he knew that His Majesty must have sent someone to verify the authenticity of the matter. Your Majesty knows it, and my sister must know it too.
Although he does not break off the engagement, His Majesty and his sister will still marry Changle into their own family, but that will definitely make them feel bad.
Moreover, the common people in Chang'an City now know that there will be problems when cousins get married, so if they still let their sons marry Changle, wouldn't that mean that the people and officials in Chang'an City are waiting to see the joke on their family and the royal family.
That would deviate from the original intention of their marriage. So after thinking about it, he decided to let Chong'er marry Princess Yuzhang, because Yuzhang was raised by Empress Changsun since she was a child.
Although she is not her biological daughter, she is just like her biological daughter.
"I know that I have committed a crime, and I hope that Your Majesty will fulfill my crime."
I also want to fulfill your wish, but Yuzhang has already been betrothed to Qin Ming. Li Shimin sighed in his heart, this matter was so troublesome.
"Hey, I have agreed to break off the engagement, but I have to discuss the matter with the queen about Yuzhang's child. You should stand down first."
After hearing this, Changsun Wuji stood up and said:
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave."
After saying this, Changsun Wuji left the Ganlu Hall, leaving Li Shimin looking at Changsun's back and letting out a long sigh.
