"Does the Duke of Wei suspect my son?"

"I wouldn't dare..."

"The Duke of Wei is just afraid that the Crown Prince will be implicated, which would put His Majesty in a difficult position."

"snort!"

"My young servant has always been kind and benevolent; how could he possibly do such an evil deed!"

"On the contrary, it is you two who, despite being appointed by me to assist in governing the country, actually watched the Crown Prince fall into a pit without warning him. Your intentions are utterly despicable!"

"ah?"

Upon hearing this, Yuchi Jingde quickly pressed for details.

"May I ask, Your Majesty, which matter are you referring to?"

Li Shimin said in an annoyed tone.

"What else could it be but the matter of Zhi Nu ordering a thorough investigation of the Guanzhong treasury!"

Upon learning of this matter, Yuchi Jingde immediately cried out in protest against the heavens.

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged!"

"This matter is indeed unknown to me. Not only am I unaware of it, but neither are Prime Minister Gao and the Duke of Wei."

"By the time we found out, the document had already been distributed to various prefectures and counties in Guanzhong."

"oh?"

Li Shimin, upon hearing this, said with some disbelief.

"Such a big thing, and you didn't know?"

"Your Majesty, I truly do not know!"

"In fact, we were quite puzzled as well. How did this document get to the Secretariat and then through the Secretariat to the Chancellery?"

"But this did happen, and we dared not hide it, so we all apologized to His Highness the Crown Prince..."

"Oh oh oh..."

"So you had already taken the blame all along..."

Upon hearing this, Yuchi Jingde spoke with righteous indignation.

"Of course!"

"His Majesty is away on a distant expedition, leaving the Crown Prince in our care. Whatever happens, it is the responsibility of us old men. We cannot possibly shift the blame onto the Crown Prince!"

"This isn't about loyalty or disloyalty; the key issue is that we can't afford to lose face!"

Li Shimin nodded upon hearing this.

"I understand..."

Li Shimin's words were tinged with desolation and helplessness. Although he had always been unwilling to believe it, he now had to admit that the tragedy of him, Li Jiancheng, Li Chenggan, and Li Tai was about to be repeated in the Tang Dynasty.