Chapter 49 None of your damn business!

In an instant, the eyes of Prince Wei, Li Tai—which had been desperately trying to maintain an expression of grief, grievance, and profound concern for the nation—were suddenly clouded like clear water into which ink had been poured, quickly swallowed by intense rancor and utter madness!

The toxic fire of jealousy and the frenzy of ambition completely scorched the last thread of his rationality.

Perhaps at this very moment, he too understood what Crown Prince Li Chengqian had once felt...

They say the temptation of power is enough to turn the most rational person into a madman.

Then, for Li Tai, whose heart was set upon it, the temptation of the lofty throne of the Great Tang was enough to drive him completely insane!

Especially when those ministers who had previously stood in silent observation with uncommitted loyalties swept their gazes—whether intentionally or not—across him, the complex emotions contained within those glances:

Was it sympathy? Mockery? Pity?

Or... contempt?

Like countless steel needles, they pierced fiercely into the sensitive and proud nerves of the Prince of Wei!

The rage, which had been suppressed at the bottom of his heart like volcanic magma ever since Li Shihmin showed no reaction at all, seemed to be completely ignited and detonated by these very gazes!

"Enough!!!"

A roar, resembling that of a wild beast, filled with brutality and despair, exploded like a thunderclap from a clear sky within the Taiji Hall, which had just been echoing with Cheng咬金's (Cheng Yaojin's) clamor!

This roar made the ears of the civil and military officials buzz. The expressions on everyone's faces froze instantly, and in disbelief, they all turned their heads in unison toward the source!

Even Li Shihmin upon the imperial throne saw his gaze suddenly narrow. As the bead tassels of his crown swayed slightly, wrath abruptly surfaced in his falcon-sharp eyes!

Even Prince Wei Li Tai himself, who had uttered this roar, trembled all over, startled by his own out-of-control outburst!

Following the extreme anger was an icy fear that instantly welled up in his heart!

It’s over!

This is the imperial court!

In front of the Son of Heaven, how dared he roar like this?!

Fortunately, although Li Tai was foolish and short-sighted regarding the grand scheme, he reacted extremely quickly in terms of impromptu adaptability. Forcing down the panic in his heart, he abruptly whipped his head around, directing all the wrath that was on the verge of burning him to ashes entirely toward Cheng Yaojin, and rebuked sternly: "Cheng Zhijie!"

"This is the Taiji Hall, the solemn place for deliberating state affairs!"

"It is not the backyard stable of your Duke of Lu's manor!"

"How dare you spout nonsense here and disrupt the court's discipline?!"

"Eh?" Cheng Yaojin, who had been arguing with Li Shihmin until his spit flew everywhere, was momentarily stunned by Li Tai's sudden outburst. He turned his large face, which still wore an aggrieved expression, and looked with a strange gaze at the Prince of Wei, whose eyes were clearly bloodshot and who looked like a man possessed by madness.

Without even thinking, he replied in a booming, muffled voice: "Your Highness the Prince of Wei... old Cheng here knows what you're talking about!"

"Of course I know this is the court!"

"But... but if I don't argue this clearly with His Majesty right now, wouldn't old Cheng be getting the short end of the stick?"

"This is a major matter concerning the bloodline inheritance of my family's 'Snow-Sweeping Black'!" He deliberately brought up that horse once again, placing heavy emphasis on the words "bloodline inheritance," and even waved his hand with a matter-of-fact expression, "So, Your Highness, please put your matters aside for a moment and wait until old Cheng has thrashed this out with His Majesty!"

"After all, my only prized steed is about to be lost, and I cannot allow that!"

"There is simply no such logic under heaven!"

To be able to stand firm throughout the Zhenguan era, Cheng Yaojin certainly did not rely solely on his brute strength and three routine axes.

Coupled with his years of mingling in the imperial court, his skill at playing the fool and muddying the waters had become even more refined.

Moreover, his seemingly simple-minded yet thorn-filled retort at this moment...

Was simply like adding fuel to the fire!

Sure enough, Prince Wei Li Tai was so angered that stars danced before his eyes, and he almost spat a mouthful of blood!

"Duke of Lu, you...!" The finger he pointed at Cheng Yaojin trembled violently. Gritting his teeth, his voice squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with bone-deep hatred: "Cease your sophistry and muddying of the waters here!"

"The court is currently deliberating the monstrous crime of the Crown Prince brazenly breaking into the palace last night, which is tantamount to treason!"

"This is a matter of paramount importance concerning the safety of the state and the shaking of the nation's foundation!"

"Yet here you are blathering nonsense about donkeys and horses!"

"It is clearly a deliberate attempt to disrupt the court, divert attention, and shield the Crown Prince!"

The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, a flash of madness crossing his eyes. Recklessly, he directed his spearhead straight at the most dangerous accusation: "Duke of Lu! For you to engage in such sophistry and obstruct in every possible way, could it be... could it be that the Crown Prince breaking into the palace last night has some massive connection with you, Duke of Lu...?"

"Or could it be... that you are fundamentally... also an accomplice to the Crown Prince's treason?!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked!

The air seemed to drop to freezing point in an instant!

Linking a meritorious and prestigious Duke to "rebellious accomplices"—this accusation was vicious to the extreme!

Even more shocking was that the Prince of Wei, who had just appeared full of benevolence and filial piety, "persuading" His Majesty to show leniency to the Crown Prince, had now completely torn off his mask... he wasn't pretending anymore!

The map was unrolled and the dagger revealed; this was truly revealing the dagger at the end of the map!

Changsun Wuji's expression changed drastically, and Fang Xuanling and the others drew in a sharp breath!

The "simplicity" on Cheng Yaojin's face vanished instantly as well. His bell-like eyes widened, and the sharp, chilling aura of a veteran campaigner faintly leaked out.

Truth be told, Cheng Yaojin was truly angered now.

Though he originally had no intention of intervening, he had been drafted by His Majesty, and now this aggressive Prince of Wei had pushed even the notorious "Vandal King" into a genuine rage.

Yet suddenly, the formidable aura about him vanished without a trace.

Twitching the corners of his mouth, Cheng Yaojin looked at Li Tai, who resembled a mad tiger, and muttered in a low voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, yet just loud enough for Li Tai and those nearby to hear clearly, filled with disdain:

"Whether I have any connection to the Crown Prince... what the hell does it have to do with you..."

These words were like a spark thrown into boiling oil!

"Cheng Zhijie!!!" Li Tai felt a surge of fishy sweetness rush straight to his throat, stars spinning wildly before his eyes, as the string of his rationality snapped completely!

He lunged forward a step, pointing at Cheng Yaojin, his voice grown shrill and distorted from extreme anger, and roared sternly: "Cheng Yaojin! If you have the guts, repeat what you just said to this Prince!"

"Right in front of His Majesty and all the civil and military officials!"

"Repeat those rebellious and foul words you uttered right here in the court!"

The Prince of Wei was dead set on pinning the charge of treasonous and disrespectful foul language upon Cheng Yaojin, and even making him confess to being an accomplice in the Crown Prince's rebellion!

In his crazed mind at this moment, no matter who it was—whether it was Cheng Yaojin, his uncle Changsun Wuji, or even his Imperial Father's silent warning—none of them would stop him!

Those who block me shall die!

If gods block, slay the gods; if buddhas block, slay the buddhas!

In short, one principle applied: the Crown Prince must be brought down!

At this moment, Prince Wei Li Tai had his mind completely swallowed by the illusory throne of the Crown Prince, and he had completely... gone on a murderous frenzy!

And the one he was crazily targeting...

Was precisely the most difficult, most adept trouble-maker in the entire court at muddying already troubled waters!

Cheng Yaojin!