Chapter Forty-Eight: Clinging to Life

Sun Jiali was in a difficult position. "Your Highness, Prince of Jin, Young Master Zhangsun, he..."

"No matter how many reasons you have, you cannot let him go!"

"I am ordering you right now: arrest Zhangsun Chong! Otherwise, I’ll report this matter to the emperor and have you punished for neglect of duty and colluding with criminals. If you lose your position, that’s a small matter, but if you’re exiled or beheaded, don’t say I didn’t warn you!" Li Zhi spoke sternly.

"Yes, Your Highness. Your humble servant obeys," Sun Jiali replied.

Sun Jiali was responsible for maintaining order in the capital, and he could not shirk his duty in this matter. Weighing the consequences, he brought two officers with him into the main hall. "Stop! All of you, stop at once!"

"Oh, it's Magistrate Sun. What brings you here?" Zhangsun Chong remained arrogant.

With Li Zhi supporting him, Sun Jiali showed no fear. "Young Master Zhangsun, causing trouble here is a violation of the county’s laws. Are you aware of this?"

"I am."

"Do you admit guilt?"

"I do."

"Very well. Since you admit it, come with me to the county office and explain yourself." Sun Jiali signaled his men to detain Zhangsun Chong.

"How dare you!" Zhangsun Chong’s guards blocked the officers. "Watch yourselves! This is Young Master Zhangsun!"

On any other day, Sun Jiali would have backed down without hesitation. But today, he could not retreat.

"No matter how noble your status, it does not give you the right to break the law! Out of respect for Lord Zhangsun, I won’t detain you for now, but you must come to the county office with me!"

Zhangsun Chong burst out laughing, then his expression turned cold. "Sun Jiali, don’t push your luck! Haven’t you noticed I’ve been giving you leeway? Get lost, or you’ll make me angry and I’ll have you beaten too!"

Zhangsun Chong had lost all patience. He had entangled Sun Jiali only to give him an out, hoping he would drop the matter. But Sun Jiali persisted, even wanting to take him away for punishment. That, he could not tolerate. He had to strike back hard.

"You..." Sun Jiali glanced around, feeling humiliated.

"What, do you dare to lay a hand on me?" Zhangsun Chong sneered, not taking him seriously at all. Sun Jiali, constrained by Zhangsun Chong’s status, found himself at a disadvantage.

Li Zhi, watching from the top of the stairs, was sweating with anxiety. "Useless fool! As magistrate, it is your duty to arrest criminals and maintain order, yet you dare not act!"

At this rate, Zhangsun Chong would only become more arrogant.

To achieve his goal, Li Zhi decided to intervene personally.

"Come with me. We will assist Sun Jiali," Li Zhi said to Cheng Chubi and Luo Tong. They descended the stairs and appeared before everyone.

Zhangsun Chong looked over, meeting Li Zhi’s gaze.

Luo Tong shouted, "Are you all blind? This is His Highness, the Prince of Jin! Bow at once!"

"Greetings, Your Highness…" Everyone present, except Zhangsun Chong, bowed respectfully.

"So it’s the Prince of Jin. Hmph! A snot-nosed brat, and you want to meddle in my affairs? Ha!" Zhangsun Chong laughed, clearly undaunted by Li Zhi.

He could hardly be blamed for his attitude. Li Zhi was simply too young—a three-year-old child posed no threat to him.

"You dare not bow before me? Is this the Zhangsun family’s teaching? Are you disregarding me, or are you contemptuous of imperial authority? Seize him!" Li Zhi deliberately escalated matters, intent on teaching Zhangsun Chong a harsh lesson.

Upon hearing this, Zhangsun Chong laughed even harder. But Luo Tong suddenly stepped forward and slapped him. "That’s for what you did to me! On Chang’an Avenue, you publicly humiliated me. Out of respect for my mother’s teachings, I held myself back. But today, I cannot. Zhangsun Chong, face your punishment!"

With a crack, Luo Tong pressed him to the ground, the bones in his arm snapping audibly.

"Ah—my hand! Luo Tong, how dare you!"

There was another crack as Luo Tong mercilessly broke his hand.

Li Zhi, watching from behind, was shocked. Clearly, Luo Tong’s resentment ran deep from past abuses at Zhangsun Chong’s hands.

It seemed he would have to bear the blame for this now.

Sun Jiali hurried forward. "Your Highness, please calm your anger. No matter what, Young Master Zhangsun is still Lord Zhangsun’s son. Treating him this way, I fear..."

"I fear nothing!" Li Zhi glared at him in frustration. "You are the enforcer of law and order in the capital. It was your duty to arrest and punish Zhangsun Chong. I have done it in your stead, and you still have so much to say!"

"Yes, yes… your humble servant wouldn’t dare!"

"Then step aside!"

Li Zhi ordered Luo Tong to escort Zhangsun Chong to the county office.

Zhangsun Chong’s men panicked and tried to intervene, but Luo Tong’s martial skills were far superior. Rushing at him was only asking for a beating; they were quickly thrown to the ground, battered and bruised.

"Don’t let these men go either. Take them to the county office as well!"

Luo Tong handed the matter over to Sun Jiali. With things having escalated so far, there was no turning back. He could only stand firmly with Li Zhi, hoping his strict enforcement of the law would earn Emperor Taizong’s favor—he would either rise to prominence or be crushed by Zhangsun Wuji.

"Take them all away!" Sun Jiali gritted his teeth, escorting the prisoners out.

Zhangsun Chong continued to threaten and intimidate, but it was all to no avail.

Li Zhi instructed Cheng Chubi, "I intend to reside at the county office for a while, to keep an eye on the officials and prevent any collusion or corruption. This time, I want Zhangsun Wuji to pay a price. You stay here and manage the restaurant well. Without Zhangsun Chong to cause trouble, you should do just fine."

"Master, rest assured..."

"I noticed the two shops next door—though their condition isn’t great, their land area is large. Consider buying them and expanding the restaurant. Figure out the details yourself."

"Yes!"

Li Zhi and Luo Tong headed straight for the county office. He had already decided to stay there from now on, until Zhangsun Chong was convicted and the sentence strictly enforced. Even if Zhangsun Wuji came, he would not relent.

He was afraid of no one.

The law was as immovable as a mountain. Even Emperor Taizong had to acknowledge that the law applied equally to emperors and commoners. Who was Zhangsun Chong, after all? How dare he defy the law?

At the county office, Zhangsun Chong was thrown into a cell, still shouting, "Sun Jiali, are you crazy? How dare you detain me! Do you believe I can have you removed from office?"

"I was appointed by imperial decree—why should I fear you?" Sun Jiali’s attitude suddenly grew firm. He had no choice. He was already implicated by Li Zhi. Alone, he could not escape this crisis. Only by cooperating with Li Zhi, punishing Zhangsun Chong, and gaining Emperor Taizong’s favor, could he hope to survive.