Chapter 4: His Majesty, please behead the guilty minister at once, to serve as a warning to others

Dali Temple Prison.

Chen Yan lies on a straw mattress, humming an unknown song, with not a trace of worry on his face.

Li Er is an extremely image‑conscious person who also cares about reputation.

When that letter is sent out, Li Er will surely recall the Chen family's meritorious deeds and will not commit the act of executing the sole descendant of a meritorious minister.

Even if Li Er is truly furious, he would rather forfeit his reputation than try to kill him.

Then Qing'er's role becomes apparent.

Chen Yan only entrusts Qing'er to deliver salt to certain people; essentially, they are the group who originally followed Li Er in conquering the realm.

This serves two purposes: first, to inform that group that Li Er is angry and intends to execute the meritorious minister afterward.

Can those people still sit calmly?

After all, his two uncles, both of whom died fighting alongside Li Er, and his father, who defended the Qin Prince's residence to the death, were the ones who protected Empress Changsun and the current Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

Having established such meritorious deeds, as the sole remaining member of the Chen family, he is to be beheaded merely for having fought a princess who is not born of Empress Changsun.

See if those founding heroes can remain seated.

Secondly, the salt Qing'er delivers also tells Li Er that he knows the method of making salt, and the salt he produces is even better than official salt.

Since ancient times, salt and iron! Salt and iron!

Salt even precedes iron, so one can imagine how important this thing truly is.

With such an arrangement, Chen Yan's defense is all‑round and without blind spots; Li Er cannot kill him by any means.

Soon, Wushe arrives at Dali Temple Prison accompanied by another young eunuch.

Upon seeing the prison guard, Wushe immediately produces a golden dragon‑pattern Imperial Token.

"Transmit His Majesty's edict, summon the Marquis of Weinan to the palace, and open the door quickly."

"Yes, yes, I will open the door at once," the guard says, not daring to delay; he hurriedly pulls out the key, opens the door, and then, knowing his place, steps back out.

Wushe steps into the cell, stands before the wooden bed, and with a faint smile says, "Marquis of Weinan, His Majesty has issued an edict summoning you to the palace; please change your attire promptly, tidy your appearance, and follow me to the palace for an audience."

As he finishes speaking, the young eunuch behind him presents a set of dark‑colored court robes.

Chen Yan nods slightly, steps down from the bed, and begins changing his clothes on his own.

Seeing Wushe arrive in such a hurry, he immediately understands that Li Er is merely trying to intimidate him.

Though a bit angry and wanting to defy the edict and not go, he lets Li Er become impatient.

However, Chen Yan is not foolish; Li Er has already issued the edict and even brought the court robes for him.

Refusing to go would constitute defying the edict.

Though defying the edict likely wouldn't lead to much, Chen Yan doesn't want Li Er to have leverage over him.

There will be many days ahead, and plenty of chances to spite Li Er; missing this one is not a loss.

"......"

He follows Wushe out of Dali Temple Prison and then enters Cheng Tian Men.

Seeing that Wushe did not take him to Tai Ji Dian, Chen Yan's mind stirs and he asks directly, "Grandmaster Wushe, may I ask where His Majesty intends to meet me?"

Grandmaster Wushe looks around, then whispers, "Tell the Marquis of Weinan, His Majesty is currently in Lizheng Hall."

"Lizheng Hall, huh," Chen Yan smiles, now having an idea.

Though it is merely a meeting venue, the atmosphere inside is entirely different.

If it were Tai Ji Dian, a place for grand ceremonies and audiences with important ministers, the matters discussed would be official; Li Er would be the sovereign and he would be the subject.

One must be cautious in speech and conduct.

But now that Li Er has chosen Lizheng Hall for the audience, he need not worry excessively.

Because Lizheng Hall is the residence of Empress Changsun, this summons is not solely Li Er's; most likely Empress Changsun is also present.

Though reluctant to admit it, Chen Yan has indeed become betrothed to Gao Yang; in Lizheng Hall, he is Li Er's prospective son‑in‑law, essentially family.

Some matters can now be spoken boldly.

Soon, Grandmaster Wushe leads him into Lizheng Hall.

Chen Yan looks up and sees Li Shimin seated on a soft couch by the window, wearing a dark‑colored robe embroidered with a coiled dragon, his every gesture exuding a calm, commanding aura.

Beside him sits a woman in her thirties, dressed in a light‑blue high‑waisted ru‑skirt, draped with a white sheer shawl, exuding gentle elegance.

Wushe bows and says, "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Weinan has arrived."

Chen Yan places both hands in a bow, respectfully saying, "Guilty minister Chen Yan, I salute Your Majesty, I salute Empress Changsun!"

Empress Changsun studies the young man before her closely; his features are clear, his demeanor composed, and the more she looks, the more she finds him appealing, a faint, grateful smile lifting the corner of her mouth.

Yet she maintains her dignified bearing and says nothing.

"Guilty minister?"

Li Shimin snorts coldly, steps down from the couch, approaches him, his expression half‑smile, half‑serious: "How could I not have known before that my Marquis of Weinan is so clever?"

"Do you know, just now exactly five Dukes came to plead on your behalf?"

"But it took me a great deal of effort to clarify it."

The minister maintains his bowing posture, his voice respectful yet composed: "I am apprehensive, having burdened the Dukes with such great kindness and thereby disturbed the sacred carriage; I could not atone for my crimes even with ten thousand deaths."

"What a 'ten thousand deaths yet unable to atone,'" Li Shimin says calmly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, "Perhaps the Marquis of Weinan should recount his crimes one by one honestly; I will see whether you truly cannot atone even with ten thousand deaths."

"I—do not know!"

"'Do not know?'" Li Shimin raises an eyebrow, "If you do not know the crime, why call yourself a 'guilty minister'?"

"Your Majesty says I am guilty, so I am guilty!"

"When did I ever say you were guilty?"

Chen Yan is speechless in his heart.

It seems Li Er has made up his mind and will no longer pretend to intimidate me.

However...... you want to get this matter over with, it's not that simple!

Chen Yan immediately straightened his body and laughed, 'Since His Majesty has not said I am guilty, then I am not guilty.'

Then he changed the subject: 'Your Majesty, I want to impeach the Minister of Dali Temple, Dai Zhou!'

Without waiting for Li Shimin's reply, Chen Yan quickly said: 'I was originally studying at home, not concerning myself with worldly affairs, but three days ago, Minister Dai Zhou brought the Dali Temple personnel into my residence, without distinguishing right from wrong, and dragged me into the Dali Temple Prison!'

If it weren't for the vast heavenly grace, I wouldn't know when I could get out.

Your subject, I am truly wronged!

Li Shimin: '......'

Empress Changsun: '......'

Wushe kept his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart, looking as if he had heard nothing.

Li Shimin stared.

You claim you're wronged, but is Dai Zhou not wronged too?

'When did I ever say you were not guilty?'

'You should know, I even married off the Princess to you, yet you are ungrateful and dare to strike my Princess.'

'And you still say you are not guilty?!'

Chen Yan nodded, clasped his hands solemnly, and said: 'The guilty subject who struck the Princess has committed one count of disrespect, two counts of defiance, and three counts of offending the royal dignity.'

'I, as the subject, know my crime deserves death!'

'Please, His Majesty, immediately execute the guilty subject to serve as a warning!'

'......'