Chapter 129: Caught Red-Handed
“Yes!” Cheng Chuliang responded, muttering under his breath, “Three bottles of divine wine… can we really finish them?”
He was no novice when it came to drinking; he never exceeded half a jin each time. Too much, and he’d become dizzy, nauseous, even unable to walk properly.
Li Zhi laughed, “Father, the divine wine is fine, but one must not overindulge!”
“Today we celebrate; what harm is there in getting drunk?”
...
Li Ji agreed to take a position at the merchant guild, resolving not only Li Zhi’s predicament but also that of Emperor Taizong.
Indeed, it was a cause for joy.
As the food and wine were served, Emperor Taizong poured wine for Li Ji, startling him into standing up immediately. “Your Majesty, how could I dare…”
“We are brothers, do these formalities matter?”
“Come, a toast!”
“I drink to you!”
Emperor Taizong filled the cup and lifted it.
Very few in the Tang dynasty had the honor to drink directly with Emperor Taizong.
Generals like Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Jingde, and Qin Qiong had all shared drinks with him, being treated as brothers.
Though Li Ji was undefeated in battle and a brilliant strategist, he was merely a capable minister and general.
This was his first time drinking wine poured by Emperor Taizong himself.
He slowly raised the cup and drained it in one gulp. “Thank you for the wine, Your Majesty!”
“Sit!”
Observing Li Zhi, Emperor Taizong, and Li Ji’s interaction, Li Zhi sensed something unspoken.
Li Ji was displeased over the removal of his military authority.
Emperor Taizong could only alleviate his resentment through this gesture.
“Truly a sage emperor of all ages, his methods are ingenious,” Li Zhi thought to himself.
“Make way! Make way...” Suddenly, a raucous noise erupted from downstairs, piercing the calm.
Li Zhi glanced over unintentionally.
A dozen or so men carrying clubs charged toward the opposite merchant guild.
“What are they doing?”
“Trying to cause trouble?”
Li Zhi hurried downstairs.
Emperor Taizong and Li Ji followed closely behind.
“To dare break the peace in the imperial capital itself?” Emperor Taizong, slightly tipsy, frowned deeply.
“These must be sent by the aristocratic clans,” Li Ji remarked.
“You’re right, General! It’s them!”
They reached the other side.
The Golden Blade Guard wielded swords, trying to drive the men away, but to little effect.
They were about to storm the merchant guild.
Just then, Luo Tong returned from an errand.
Li Zhi commanded, “Don’t hold back. Beat them until their faces are bruised, then toss them out onto the street!”
“Yes!”
“Hmph... How dare they cause trouble on my turf? They want to die?” Luo Tong rushed forward, delivering a flying kick to one man’s back.
The force snapped several of his ribs.
The man collapsed, wailing on the ground.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Without mercy, Luo Tong swiftly drove all the troublemakers out of the guild.
At that moment, a sedan chair approached leisurely, stopping before the merchant guild.
The beaten men staggered to their feet and retreated to stand beside the sedan chair.
It was obvious they were acting on the orders of whoever occupied the chair, sent to vandalize the guild.
“Who dares... to have such audacity to attack the First Merchant Guild?” The gathered crowd whispered.
Everyone knew this guild belonged to the Ninth Prince, Li Zhi, the first "God of the Kitchen."
Others kept their distance, afraid to offend the prince.
Who was this person, then?
Daring to come here uninvited—could he be of even higher status than the prince?
Emperor Taizong and Li Ji exchanged puzzled glances.
“Ahem...”
The occupant emerged from the sedan chair.
He was a corpulent, repulsive man.
Judging by his attire and accessories, he was likely not from the capital.
Could he be from one of the aristocratic clans?
Would they really have such boldness to openly attack the merchant guild?
Li Zhi snorted and looked at Emperor Taizong. “Father, may I beat him up?”
“Don’t ask me. You decide! Your father has no objection!”
“Good!”
Li Zhi had been waiting for that answer.
No matter who this person was, such arrogance was not to be tolerated on his turf.
“Lou Yi!”
“Present!”
Lou Yi, who was standing nearby, stepped forward.
Li Zhi ordered, “Forget his status. Beat him up thoroughly! Make it bloody—no half measures!”
“As you command!”
Without hesitation, Lou Yi strode up to the repulsive fat man and slapped him hard, causing him to stagger in circles, blood pouring from his mouth.
“Who... who dares hit me, the young master? Don’t you know who I am...?”
“You? A young master? Disgusting creature! Take a hundred punches first!” The fat man tried to assert his status, but before he could finish, Lou Yi’s fists rained down relentlessly.
Blow after blow, flesh meeting fist!
In the end, the man was beaten so badly he couldn’t stand.
Li Zhi stepped forward, stopping Lou Yi, and addressed the fat man, “Before you stands the Ninth Prince, His Highness the Duke of Jin! Now you may speak—who are you, and why did you attack my merchant guild?”
“I-I am...” The man stubbornly tried to rise, his words slurred.
After a moment’s hesitation, his tone changed; he meekly said, “I came to the wrong place, Your Highness… may I leave?”
“Leave?”
His timid words shocked Emperor Taizong and Li Ji.
They had expected someone formidable.
But this was all?
Li Zhi chuckled, “Are you joking? Starting with such a whimper, you don’t even dare state your name? I am always just and fair. If you had a valid reason to attack my guild, I wouldn’t pursue the matter and would personally see you off. But if you have no reason, I’ll have to escort you to the magistrate’s office!”
“I swear I won’t dare again, Your Highness! Please spare me!”
The fat man kowtowed repeatedly.
“Spare you? Fine, but first tell me who you are.” Li Zhi was genuinely curious who would pick a fight with his guild.
...
No matter how they pressed him, the fat man refused to speak.
Emperor Taizong snorted, “A petty thief, why bother? Arrest him first, send him to the Ministry of Justice for questioning!”
He gave Luo Tong a meaningful glance.
Luo Tong understood immediately.
He grabbed the fat man and personally escorted him to the Ministry of Justice.
The dozen or so men who had been beaten were also controlled by the Golden Blade Guard and taken along.
“Everyone disperse...” Li Ji called to the onlookers.
The group then returned to the merchant guild.
Emperor Taizong said, “That fat man must have some status, or he wouldn’t dare cause trouble here...”
“Your Majesty is wise! I suspect he is connected to the aristocratic clans, hoping to take advantage of Luo Tong’s absence to disrupt the guild. He never expected the Duke of Jin to be here, nor that Luo Tong would return so quickly!”
“Just his misfortune!”
Li Ji’s guess was accurate.
The fat man was soon interrogated at the Ministry of Justice and confessed.
He was in fact Zhao Duo, a cadet scion of the Zhao family from Hebei.
Charged by his clan to oversee businesses in the capital, ever since the court’s covert and overt conflicts with the great families, Zhao’s fortunes had plummeted.
Frustrated, Zhao Duo had long wished to teach the First Merchant Guild a lesson.
His family ordered him to abandon his capital business and return to Hebei immediately.
Enraged, Zhao Duo disregarded the consequences and led men to the guild, intent on destroying it.
In the past, his status as a Zhao family scion meant he feared nothing, not even the authorities, who would give way or be bought off. Who would hold a grudge against money?
But now?
He dared not act so brazenly, especially not in the presence of Li Zhi, before whom he felt utterly inferior.