Chapter 322 Li Shimin was completely dumbfounded
"His Majesty has arrived."
Consort Yin was embroidering when she heard the eunuch's voice. She quickly put down what she was doing and went to the door to greet him.
"Your Majesty, I have come to pay my respects."
"Um."
Li Shimin simply nodded, then walked straight to the edge of the couch and sat down.
Consort Yin's delicate eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
In the past, when Li Shimin came, he was always all smiles and lecherous.
This time, however, he was indifferent to her.
Something's not right...
"His Majesty."
"This is osmanthus cake that I just learned to make these past few days. Please try it."
Consort Yin warmly served a plate of pastries.
"Let's put it down for now."
Li Shimin's voice was devoid of emotion: "You must have heard about Yin Hongzhi's matter, right?"
"What's wrong with him?" Consort Yin asked, puzzled.
"Still pretending you don't understand?"
Li Shimin slammed his palm on the table beside him, causing several pieces of osmanthus cake to fall to the ground.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Consort Yin quickly knelt down and begged for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, I truly do not know what happened."
Li Shimin stared at Consort Yin for a long time.
However, Consort Yin merely squatted down with her head bowed, revealing a hint of fear.
"You really didn't know?"
Li Shimin squinted.
"I spend all my time in the inner palace. Apart from seeing You'er and chatting with my sisters, how would I know anything about what's happening outside?"
Li Shimin frowned.
That seems to make sense.
In the imperial harem, everyone who enters or leaves is under surveillance.
No need for formalities.
Seeing that Consort Yin was still half-squatting and her body was trembling, Li Shimin softened and said something.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After straightening up, Consort Yin tidied up the osmanthus cake and asked, "What exactly happened to make His Majesty so furious?"
"Yin Hongzhi is suspected of stealing military rations and has been dismissed from his post by me."
"His son is involved in the illegal sale of military rations and has been imprisoned."
What?
Yin Fei's hand trembled slightly as she arranged the pastries, but she quickly recovered.
"Your Majesty upholds the law impartially, and I have no complaints."
Consort Yin replied naturally, "I only hope that Your Majesty can investigate the matter thoroughly."
"My beloved consort is so understanding and sensible, I am very pleased."
Li Shimin nodded and continued, "But why is Yin Hongzhi so adamant about not giving in?"
Consort Yin remained silent.
She knew that Li Shimin suspected her and her son.
"Is Your Majesty referring to You'er?" Consort Yin asked tentatively.
Li Shimin remained silent.
He picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip.
But this behavior made Consort Yin realize that Li Shimin wanted her to prove her innocence.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Consort Yin said with conviction, "If You'er did this, I am willing to die to atone for it."
"Someone, go and fetch You'er."
As soon as Consort Yin finished speaking, a palace maid immediately left.
Before long, Li You arrived in front of Li Shimin.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty." Li You bowed respectfully.
snort.
Li Shimin simply snorted coldly.
"You'er, have you been in contact with your uncle's family recently?" Consort Yin asked with a hint of urgency.
"this……"
Li You's eyes darted around, making him seem somewhat guilty.
He naturally received the news that Wei Shuyu and Yin Hongzhi were arguing so fiercely.
"Why aren't you telling me yet?"
Consort Yin also noticed her son's unusual behavior and immediately scolded him.
"No... we don't have any connection."
Bang.
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shimin threw the teacup onto the table.
"You dare to lie!"
Li Shimin stood up and walked to Li You: "You are my son, do you think I don't know what you're thinking?"
"Tell me, where did you get the military rations you gave Yin Hongzhi from!"
Seeing Li Shimin's furious face, Li You's mental defenses crumbled rapidly.
"Father, please forgive me."
Li You wept and begged for mercy, saying, "Your son only wanted to resell grain to make some money. I never knew things would escalate like this, and I certainly didn't know it was military rations..."
Um?
Li Shimin frowned.
"You didn't know that was military rations?"
Li You nodded repeatedly.
"Father, I really didn't know. If I had known it was military rations, I wouldn't have dared to resell it even if you gave me a hundred lives."
"Oh right, Father, it's my fourth brother."
"He introduced the vendors to sell to me; he framed me!"
Fourth Imperial Brother?
Li Tai?
"You're saying this grain was given to you by Qingque?" Li Shimin asked in a deep voice.
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Li You nodded repeatedly: "Your subject thought it was given by the fourth imperial brother, so I didn't think much of it."
He said he could get the money after the product was sold, so I asked my uncle to help me sell it.
Li Shimin frowned.
Li You's words were correct, and they also brought up Li Tai.
It seems like this has little to do with him.
"Whether you knew about this or not!"
"A prince of such high status engaging in buying and selling is a disgrace to the imperial family. What will become of our dignity if word gets out?" Li Shimin reprimanded him again.
“Father is right.”
Li You solemnly vowed, "Your subject will never dare to do it again."
Li Shimin reprimanded him a few times and then left in a hurry.
We arrived at the Wude Hall again.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty," Li Tai hurriedly greeted him.
It was a rare occasion for Li Shimin to come to him.
Have you heard about Yin Hongzhi's matter?
After Li Shimin entered, he went straight to the point.
"I've heard about it."
"Then what do you have to say?"
Li Tai understood that Li Shimin had traced his involvement back to him.
"Father, it is true that I introduced this grain to my fifth brother."
"However, I am not entirely clear about the matter either."
Um?
Li Shimin's expression grew cold.
"Father, please be patient and let me finish."
"This grain was introduced by Wei Daijia, who is by my side. I felt that as a prince, I should not do such business, so I did not intend to accept it."
"But I was afraid that a direct refusal would dampen his enthusiasm for getting a better offer, so I passed it on to my fifth brother."
Li Tai is quite clever.
Know what money you should earn and what money you shouldn't earn.
"Wei Daijia? Wei Ting's son?"
Li Shimin's expression grew even more somber.
The ministers dared to incite and exploit the prince.
This also crossed Li Shimin's bottom line!
"Yes."
Li Tai waved his hand, and Wei Daijia stepped forward.
Given the magnitude of the event, Li Tai had already summoned Wei Daijia to the palace.
"Your Majesty, I have met with you."
"explain."
"Your Majesty, this grain was sold on behalf of Consort Wei by the Wei family."
Consort Wei?
What's going on?
Why did it turn to his own concubine again?
Consort Wei.
One of Li Shimin's four concubines.
People from the Wei clan of Jingzhao.
"Alright, I understand."
Li Shimin nodded and looked at Li Tai: "You did a good job not to take ill-gotten gains."
Li Shimin praised him a few times, then turned and left.
Then he happily ran over to Consort Wei.
"Welcome, Your Majesty."
When Consort Wei learned that Li Shimin had arrived, she excitedly came out to greet him.
Soon, a resentful look appeared on her face again...
"Your Majesty has not visited me for quite some time."
snort.
Li Shimin, however, had no time for flirting.
As more and more people were involved, he became somewhat numb.
"Tell me, where did the batch of grain you gave to Wei Daijia come from?" Li Shimin once again went straight to the point.
"Your Majesty is talking about grain..."
Consort Wei covered her mouth and smiled, "It was the Crown Prince who asked me to help sell them."
He said he had a batch of grain, but no way to sell it.
"Knowing that our Wei family has good connections in Chang'an, they entrusted it to me."
As expected, other people were involved again.
And he's the crown prince!
This is fucking...
The Crown Prince should be the last one, right?
I don't have many relatives left.
Surely there couldn't be another Guanyinbi, right?
"I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
Li Shimin was about to leave when Consort Wei grabbed him.
"His Majesty has already come, how can you just leave like that?"
"At least... have some food before you go."
"..."
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because once it was brought up, Li Shimin actually felt a bit hungry.
Moreover, Consort Wei's confidence and composure were likely unrelated to this matter.
So Li Shimin dined at Consort Wei's house.
But this meal...
They ate for a full hour.
Finally, Li Shimin left the house while supporting his back.
The Eastern Palace.
Li Chengqian was about to go to sleep when he was told that Li Shimin had arrived.
They immediately and hastily went to greet them...
"Greetings, Father Emperor."
"Tell me, where did the military rations come from?"
Li Shimin had lost his patience; after running back and forth so many times, his legs were almost broken.
"this……"
Li Chengqian hesitated: "Father, I promised someone that I cannot tell them."
Go to hell.
Is it possible for you not to speak in front of me?
"Wang De, the cane!"
Li Shimin shrugged.
"..."
Li Chengqian immediately backed down: "Then Father, you must promise me that you cannot say it was me who said it."
"explain!"
Li Shimin rebuked him sternly.
"It was my imperial grandfather..."
Li Shimin was completely dumbfounded.
He never imagined that the military rations would end up in the hands of his own relatives.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
