Chapter 49: Deposing the Emperor, Who Agrees? Who Opposes?

What is going on here?

Had they not already taken the Xuanwu Gate?

Li Shimin wore a look of utter astonishment and could not help pressing further, "You said the Duke of Wu has taken the Prince of Yi'an and arrived outside the hall?"

"Yes. Accompanying them is also General of the Left Gate Guard, Zhangsun Anye!" the reporter answered truthfully.

"Zhangsun Anye?"

Li Shimin instinctively looked toward Zhangsun Wuji.

He saw Zhangsun Wuji's expression darken as he said coldly, "What is he doing here?"

"He came with the Prince of Yi'an, and brought a black box. He claims it contains a ten-thousand-word petition presented to Your Majesty by the commoners of Yuzhou, pleading to halt the reduction of fiefs for the princes!"

"Absurd!"

Zhangsun Wuji rebuked angrily, "How could the commoners of Yuzhou...?"

"Enough, Wuji!"

Before Zhangsun Wuji could finish, Li Shimin waved his hand to interrupt him. "Regardless of the details, since Anye has meddled in this, it proves he too is implicated in this rebellion!"

As he spoke, his gaze gradually grew cold. "I shall go and see for myself what on earth they are trying to do!"

"Then the Xuanwu Gate, shall we retake it?" Zhangsun Wuji asked with a frown.

Li Shimin glanced at him and frowned, "How have you become so slow-witted? Li Xiaochang dares to confront me directly precisely because he relies on the Xuanwu Gate being in their hands. What do you think?"

"This..."

Zhangsun Wuji hesitated for a moment, then immediately cupped his hands and said, "I shall go make the arrangements at once!"

"Go!"

Li Shimin waved his hand, then composed his emotions, straightened his attire, and returned to the Taiji Hall as if nothing were amiss.

At this moment, the Taiji Hall was a scene of commotion.

Some were whispering among themselves, discussing Li Shimin's earlier unusual behavior.

Some were earnestly analyzing the current situation.

Some sat upright and straight, maintaining a deep silence.

And others treated the matter as none of their concern, adopting a detached attitude.

In short, the myriad facets of human nature were fully displayed within the Taiji Hall.

"His Imperial Majesty has arrived—!"

Following a slightly shrill voice, the entire grand hall fell as silent as autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

Every gaze involuntarily turned toward the source of the voice.

They saw Li Shimin striding forward with the vigor of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, guided by palace attendants, as he walked toward his imperial throne.

Soon, he sat down with a normal expression, raised a hand, and commanded, "Summon the Prince of Yi'an to audience!"

"The Prince of Yi'an requests an audience—!"

The attendant's voice had barely faded when Li Xiaochang, Yuchi Gong, Zhangsun Anye, and others appeared at the entrance of the grand hall.

However, the guards before the hall shouted coldly in warning, "No one is permitted to approach the vermilion steps carrying weapons!"

At these words, Li Xiaochang frowned deeply, while Yuchi Gong beside him decisively surrendered his weapons.

Seeing this, Zhangsun Anye hurriedly reminded Li Xiaochang, "We've already come this far; there's no need to quabble at the threshold!"

"Hmph!"

Hearing Zhangsun Anye's reminder, Li Xiaochang nodded heavily, casually tossed aside his own treasured sword, and strode into the Taiji Hall.

Zhangsun Anye and the two soldiers carrying the box did the same.

While discarding the weapons in their hands, they carried the box toward the grand hall.

"What is inside this?" asked one of the guards before the hall with a frown.

Zhangsun Anye replied with a ingratiating smile, "A ten-thousand-word petition from the commoners of Yuzhou, to be presented to His Majesty!"

"Open it and let us see!"

"This is meant to be presented to His Majesty!"

"Open it and let us see!"

The palace guard spared no extra words. While rebuking Zhangsun Anye, he led men to surround them.

Zhangsun Anye's expression shifted repeatedly until, at last, he gave a silent hand gesture indicating for the two soldiers to open it.

Indeed, the box was filled to the brim with sheets of paper covered in writing.

"Do you need to inspect it page by page?"

Zhangsun Anye asked coldly.

The guard hesitated slightly, but then, wasting no further words, simply waved a hand to let Zhangsun Anye and the others enter the grand hall.

According to their duties, they should have inspected it page by page, but since Zhangsun Anye had come alongside Li Xiaochang, and if there were truly any problem, Yuchi Gong would never have allowed them to enter—not to mention that a pile of paper posed no actual danger.

Yuchi Gong, who had watched the entire scene, also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the box genuinely contained only paper, and followed them into the grand hall.

"The Prince of Yi'an, acting under Your Majesty's imperial decree, enters the hall for deliberation!"

As soon as they stepped into the hall, Li Xiaochang stated his purpose to Li Shimin, neither servile nor overbearing.

Li Shimin gave him a faint glance, too lazy to even waste words with him, and addressed Fang Xuanling directly: "Minister of the Secretariat, you shall preside over the deliberation!"

"Understood!"

Fang Xuanling responded respectfully, then stood up, walked not far from Li Xiaochang, and said calmly, "Governor of Yuzhou, please state your case!"

Li Xiaochang's face turned dark, as if he had not expected that even at such a juncture, Li Shimin would still refuse to save face for him. But remembering Zhangsun Anye's admonition, he suppressed the anger in his heart and said in a deep voice, "I propose that Zhangsun Wuji be executed to clear the ruler's side!"

At these words, the ministers looked at one another in dismay.

Fang Xuanling looked around the room and still said calmly, "Is there any seconding opinion in the hall?"

"This..."

The ministers looked from one to another, yet not a single person stepped forward to second the motion.

Li Xiaochang's face grew even darker.

Yet this outcome was something Zhangsun Anye had already warned him about, so he did not feel overly humiliated.

At this moment, Fang Xuanling addressed him once again: "Please present the detailed grounds, Governor of Yuzhou!"

"Hmph!"

Li Xiaochang let out a cold snort and remained apathetically silent.

Fang Xuanling surveyed the assembly once more, then straightened his posture and stated: "Regarding the court's reduction of the princes' fiefs, I, Fang Xuanling, Minister of the Secretariat, shall reiterate as follows:

First, those with verified military merit, such as the Prince of Jiangxia and others, shall retain their titles as Commandery Princes.

Second, those without great merit who belong to the line of the Retired Emperor shall have their ranks reduced by one degree.

Third, all others shall likewise have their ranks reduced by one degree.

Fourth, those whose ranks are reduced shall retain their official emoluments and status."

Saying this, he paused slightly, turned his head to look at Li Xiaochang, and asked, "Governor of Yuzhou, among the first three provisions, which one applies to you?"

"I..."

Li Xiaochang hesitated for a moment, then cast a glance at Zhangsun Anye and said with indignation, "The third one applies to me!"

"Since the Governor of Yuzhou was aware of the details regarding the reduction of fiefs, yet still distributed circulars, stirred up public opinion, disrupted state administration, and amassed troops at the capital, this proves that the Governor of Yuzhou harbors rebellious intent. You should be stripped of your office as Governor of Yuzhou!"

"You!"

Hearing Fang Xuanling's words, Li Xiaochang's expression changed drastically, and he was about to open his mouth to rebuke Fang Xuanling.

However, Fang Xuanling spoke first: "Your Imperial Majesty, I, the Minister of the Secretariat, request that the title of the Prince of Yi'an be stripped, and his fiefs and taxable households be revoked!"

"Granted!"

Li Shimin did not waste a single superfluous word and agreed immediately.

Li Xiaochang flew into a rage: "Your Majesty!"

"Minister of Justice, how is commoner treason punished?"

Ignoring him, Li Shimin instead looked toward the Minister of Justice.

The Minister of Justice replied, "Decapitation!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin waved his hand grandly: "Men! Drag Li Xiaochang out and execute him!"

The words had barely faded when several imperial guards strode in from outside the hall.

"Fine, fine, fine! Very well, Li Shimin!"

Li Xiaochang laughed out of sheer fury. "Do you still not realize your current situation?!"

With that, his gaze swept across the ministers as he said coldly:

"I presume none of you know either? The Xuanwu Gate, the Anli Gate, and the entire northern gates of the imperial city are all under the control of my men! Now, I propose to depose Li Shimin, this usurping emperor, and respectfully invite the Retired Emperor to resume his throne! Who is in favor, and who is against?"

Clang!

An uproar swept through the entire hall!