Chapter 364: Li Tai: Why Aren

"Knocking the mountain to startle the tiger?!"

A proverb inexplicably surfaces in Li Lizhi's mind; she presses her lips together and says, "So, Father Emperor's purpose is to use this incident to intimidate the noble families?"

"Right!" Chen Yan first affirms, then says, "Did you forget? Your Father Emperor wants to promote commoner youths through the Imperial Examination to reduce the influence of the great noble families. Not only the Imperial Examination, even revising the clan chronicles faces great difficulty, with members of noble families involved."

From Zhenguan Year One to the present Zhenguan Year Five, large‑scale Imperial Examinations were held only once, in Zhenguan Year One. Your Father Emperor does not lack the desire to hold a wide‑scale Imperial Examination; he is simply constrained by various forces, making it hard to achieve.

If the situation continues like this, the Imperial Examination becomes a joke, and the fundamental problem will never be remedied.

At this point Chen Yan pauses, smiling, and says, "But last year I founded a library, giving the common folk a chance to rise. Naturally, your Father Emperor wishes to change the current constraints imposed by the noble families, seeking an opportunity to hold a large‑scale Imperial Examination again, granting the great commoner youths a swift path to success."

"Then, the current Wei family is a perfect opening."

"Adding up all these circumstances, your Father Emperor has no reason not to act; by contrast, a consort's feelings naturally become insignificant."

Gao Yang, pondering, says, "So this is the reason you chose to act back then, even though you knew the Wei family had Consort Wei's backing?"

"Of course!" Chen Yan nods slightly, calmly saying, "Regardless of the level of battle, it ultimately boils down to profit; fundamentally it is plain and unadorned. As long as we can read everyone's thoughts, seize the right moment, and strike with the tide, not even a so‑called hundred‑year clan—let alone a massive empire—can't escape being overthrown."

"Isn't the Sui Dynasty the most typical example?"

The two sisters' mouths twitched in unison, and they couldn't help but retort in their heads, "What a 'mere hundred‑year clan'; you're probably the first to use 'mere' to describe a hundred‑year clan."

Nevertheless, though they thought so, the two also glimpsed a cruel aspect in Chen Yan's words.

That's the Wei family at its peak, yet it is about to fall like this, leaving only cold, recorded words in the histories.

How dramatic!

Li Lizhi sighs softly, "Husband, then… why are we returning to the Imperial Palace now?"

"Going back now would mean confronting Consort Wei, wouldn't it?"

"Right." Gao Yang, belatedly, adds, "Why must we go back now?"

"The Wei family is about to be attacked en masse; how could Consort Wei possibly stay seated?"

"You, the mastermind behind the scenes, still wander into the Imperial Palace and loiter before her— isn't that courting trouble?"

"You two still don't see clearly." Chen Yan closes his eyes; his words leave the sisters utterly speechless.

"What makes you think your Mother Empress won't act?"

As the saying goes, one stone can stir a thousand waves; the stone Chen Yan cast stirred far more than a thousand—calling it a ten‑thousand‑foot torrent would not be an exaggeration.

Within a few hours, people from across the lands kept coming forward to verify the news as true; the Wei family's various holdings were reported, and after rapid multi‑level approvals, they were immediately sealed off.

At the same time, the Wei family's hidden farmlands were exposed; the case files were clear, bypassing any verification disputes, and swiftly entered the confiscation process.

One must admit, the speed was damn fast; the Emperor, Crown Prince, noble families, clans, and numerous officials acted in concert, revealing the terrifying coordination.

While the major figures of the Wei family were still being blocked by Li Tai, drinking and squabbling, impeachment petitions from across the realm had already been submitted.

When a whale falls, the gold content of all things rises.

It is precisely because the Wei family's power is so vast—occupying positions in the court and across the lands—that such a stir can be caused.

Who wouldn't want to tear a piece of flesh from this giant whale of the Wei family?

At this moment, in the Wei Qu Grand Courtyard, Li Tai sits at the head of the long table, eating and drinking, while the Wei family members sit split on both sides in silence.

The atmosphere is oppressive, like a rumbling thunder before a storm.

Li Tai finishes gnawing a leg of lamb, tosses the bone onto the table, and wipes his hand with a handkerchief handed by a maid.

"Mr. Wei, why aren't you speaking?"

"Don't you like to speak?"

Wei Cheng's forehead instantly bulged with two blue veins, and he forced words through his teeth: "Prince of Yue, a meal must eventually end; how long can you still block us?"

"The Wei family won't fall that easily."

"Is that so?" Li Tai clicks his tongue, as if savoring the just‑finished taste, yet also tasting the veiled harshness in Wei Cheng's words, "Mr. Wei, are you deceiving yourself?"

"I, the King, do not believe you have not yet seen the situation clearly; you should understand that the time of a single meal is actually sufficient."

He smiles at Wei Cheng, "When I was young, Father Emperor often told our brothers and sisters stories of his days as the General of the Celestial Strategies, campaigning across the four directions."

"Father Emperor once said something that left a deep impression on me, which I still dare not forget."

"On the ever‑changing battlefield, victory or defeat often hinges on a single thread. Seizing the moment lets you ride the momentum and secure triumph; lagging by one step leads to a ten‑thousand‑foot abyss, a total loss."

"As long as you have favorable timing, terrain, and popular support, three thousand may well break ten thousand!"

Li Tai calmly scans the Wei family's pallid faces, "Clearly, Father Emperor achieved it, didn't he?"

Although the reference is to Li Shimin's three thousand breaking ten thousand, where could the Wei family not grasp the deeper meaning?

Because of Li Tai's obstruction, the Wei family's major figures were blocked, unable to respond immediately; they have already fallen behind by more than one step.

Li Tai's meaning is that the mastermind behind the scenes is three thousand, and the Wei family is the ten thousand to be broken.

Wei Ting looks at the somewhat agitated Wei family members and says gravely, "Prince of Yue, our Wei family has stood on this land for a hundred years; we cannot be toppled by some petty rumors."

"Don't say a single meal's time; what about ten meals?"

"Don't forget, our Wei family's lady is still outside."

He is referring to Consort Wei in the palace.

The others, hearing this, gradually calmed down.

Indeed, although their main figures are all blocked here, there is still a Consort Wei in the palace.

What are you afraid of?

"Your Highness."

At this moment, an eunuch approaches and hands a letter to Li Tai.

Li Tai looks around the Wei family, tears open the letter, reads it, a smile curls his mouth, he slaps his thigh with both hands, and stands up.

"Alright, everyone, the public's anger outside has subsided considerably; I suppose by now no one will be blinded by fury and cause you harm."

"I, the King, should also depart."

Hearing such shameless words, Wei Cheng, Wei Ting and the others were furious and laughed bitterly.

But they had no time to quarrel with Li Tai, and each of them sprinted out.

"Good luck to you!"

Li Tai, hands behind his back, left at a leisurely pace.

"....."