HNYWEF -Chapter 166 Covered in Mud

The fifth year of Zhenguan, twenty-fifth day of the third month.

Morning court.

Inside Taiji Hall, the officials stood in solemn rows.

It was still the same old matters being discussed.

The Ministry of Revenue reported the progress of spring plowing, the Ministry of Works spoke about several repair projects, and the Ministry of War reported that the borders were peaceful.

Li Shimin nodded one by one, approving what should be approved and rejecting what should be rejected.

A voice suddenly rose from the ranks.

“Your subject, Supervising Censor Sun Wencheng, has a memorial to present.”

Li Shimin’s brow twitched slightly.

He glanced toward the ranks. Another unfamiliar face had stepped forward into the center of the hall and knelt down.

“Speak.”

Sun Wencheng straightened his back, his voice loud and clear.

“I wish to impeach Duke of Qi, Zhangsun Wuji.”

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Zhangsun Wuji stood among the officials without a trace of expression on his face.

Sun Wencheng continued:

“A few days ago, Imperial Son-in-Law Zhou Yi and Marquis of Jiuyuan Zhou Xiong visited the Duke of Qi’s residence. During the conversation, the Marquis mentioned Prince Li Ke of Shu, upon which the Duke of Qi became emotionally agitated and behaved as though he intended to silence them by murder. I believe that, as an imperial relative and a high minister of the court, such conduct violates the dignity expected of a subject. I ask Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.”

After speaking, he remained kneeling there, waiting.

The hall was so quiet that one could almost hear their own heartbeat.

Li Shimin sat upon the throne without speaking.

His face showed no expression, but everyone below could see what lay in his eyes.

It was not anger.

It was the exhaustion of “another one again.”

Zhangsun Wuji stood in the ranks without speaking either.

He lowered his head, staring at the tablet in his hands, motionless.

His expression was perfectly restrained. No one could read through it.

Wei Zheng stepped out from the ranks.

His pace was neither fast nor slow. The hem of his robe did not move in the slightest as he walked to the center of the hall and stood beside Sun Wencheng before bowing.

“Your Majesty.”

Li Shimin nodded.

Wei Zheng straightened up and turned to look at Sun Wencheng. His voice was calm, neither loud nor soft, yet every word struck like nails hammered into wood.

“Censor Sun, this ‘attempt to silence by murder’ you speak of—did you witness it personally, or hear it with your own ears?”

Sun Wencheng froze.

“Th-this subject… heard it from others…”

“From whom?”

Sweat began forming on Sun Wencheng’s forehead.

“Th-this subject… also only heard it from someone else…”

Wei Zheng stepped forward.

“From whom did you hear it?”

Sun Wencheng opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Wei Zheng’s voice rose slightly.

“The Imperial Son-in-Law and the Marquis of Jiuyuan visiting the Duke of Qi’s residence was a family matter. The Marquis suffers from a mental disorder—this is known throughout the court. Is it not entirely normal for arguments to arise during conversation? And based on this alone, you conclude that the Duke of Qi intended murder to silence them?”

Sun Wencheng’s face turned pale.

Wei Zheng continued:

“The censors’ right to submit reports based on rumor is a power granted by the court. But ‘rumor’ is not the same as chasing shadows and wind, much less fabricating accusations out of thin air. The accusation you present today—do you possess even a shred of concrete evidence?”

Sun Wencheng knelt there as large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. His lips trembled, but he could not force out a single sentence.

Wei Zheng no longer looked at him. He turned and bowed toward the throne.

“Your Majesty, this subject believes that Sun Wencheng’s accusations lack any factual basis and are pure speculation. To impeach a high minister of the court in such a manner runs contrary to the principles of governance and should be rejected.”

The hall became deathly quiet.

Li Shimin sat upon the throne, looking once at Wei Zheng, then at Sun Wencheng.

Then he spoke.

His voice was not loud, but every word was perfectly clear.

“You supervising censors are meant to oversee matters through reports and rumors—not engage in baseless speculation.”

Sun Wencheng collapsed fully against the floor, his body beginning to tremble.

Li Shimin’s gaze shifted away from him and landed on another figure within the ranks.

“Chief Censor.”

Zhang Liang stepped forward from the ranks.

He did not walk quickly, but every step was steady. Reaching the center of the hall, he stopped and bowed.

“This subject is here.”

Li Shimin looked at him for two breaths.

“The people in the Censorate—take them back and discipline them properly.”

Zhang Liang lowered his head.

“This subject obeys the decree.”

Li Shimin rose to his feet.

“Court dismissed.”

The attendant shouted the announcement. The officials bowed and filed out in orderly succession.

Sun Wencheng remained kneeling in the middle of the hall for a long time without rising. People passed by him, glanced once at him, and said nothing. Gradually, the sound of footsteps faded away.

The hall emptied.

Li Shimin walked toward the rear hall. Just before the curtain at the entrance, he suddenly stopped.

Without turning around.

He stood there for a breath.

Then he lifted the curtain and entered.

Rear hall.

Li Shimin sat upon the couch and rubbed the corner of his forehead.

Zhangsun Wuji stood below him with lowered head, silent.

The room remained quiet for a while.

Then Li Shimin suddenly spoke.

“You tell me—how did apologizing end up splashing dirty water all over yourself?”

Zhangsun Wuji said nothing.

Li Shimin looked at him and sighed.

“Even when I personally apologized to him, he still dared to throw a tantrum in my face. So why did you bother?”

Zhangsun Wuji stayed silent for a while.

Then he finally spoke, his voice lower than usual.

“That day… this subject truly did lose composure.”

Li Shimin waited for him to continue.

Zhangsun Wuji fell silent again.

Li Shimin did not press further.

Leaning back against the couch, he stared at the beams overhead for a long while.

Wasn’t he himself the same? Even apologizing had ended badly for him too.

Then he waved his hand.

“You may leave.”

Zhangsun Wuji bowed and withdrew.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away.

The hall quieted once more.

Li Shimin sat there when he suddenly recalled the sentence Sun Wencheng had spoken earlier—

“They mentioned Prince Li Ke of Shu.”

How did Zhou Xiong know Li Ke?

He sat there thinking for a very long time.

And still could not figure it out.