My father, Gao Huan, is an invincible prince!

Chapter 8 This is truly the unicorn son of our Gao clan!

Upon hearing these words of demotion, Lou Zhaojun was greatly alarmed.

He hurriedly grabbed Gao Huan's sleeve, pleading and crying, "Your Majesty, Zihui is our eldest son, and the heir personally chosen by Your Majesty. If he is deposed, to whom will our life's legacy belong? Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan hesitated for a moment, but his anger quickly overwhelmed his hesitation.

"I would rather pass the throne to Zijin (Gao Yang's courtesy name) than take this disgraceful and shameful thing!"

After saying that, he picked up the riding whip hanging on the wall, turned around and walked out.

Lou Zhaojun was even more horrified when she saw this.

Forgetting all her cries and pleas, she rushed forward and hugged his legs, pleading, "Your Majesty, please don't! Zihui is weak and cannot withstand the whipping!"

"Hey! You ignorant woman, get out of here!"

Upon seeing this, Gao Huan's anger intensified. He shoved her aside, strode out of the main hall, and ran wildly toward the Crown Prince's residence.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't! You mustn't!"

Lou Zhaojun stumbled and chased after him, tears streaming down her face. She knew Gao Huan's temperament all too well; if she went, he might really beat Gao Cheng to death!

Gao Huan ignored him, his anger rising to his head, and he charged straight to the gate of the Prince's residence with his riding whip in hand.

Seeing that the courtyard gate was ajar, he kicked it without thinking.

Immediately afterward, a loud "bang" was heard, and the courtyard gate opened.

He strode in, but after seeing the scene inside the courtyard, he froze on the spot. Even Lou Zhaojun, who had followed him, stopped abruptly, her face full of astonishment.

In the center of the courtyard, on the bluestone slab, Gao Cheng, dressed in plain white clothes, without a crown or hat, with his long hair tied back, was kneeling upright.

On the stone slab in front of him, there was a stack of hemp paper covered with writing and a small token.

Although his back was ramrod straight, there was not a trace of arrogance on his face, clearly indicating that he had been waiting there for a long time.

Upon seeing this, Gao Huan's hand, which was holding the riding whip, froze in mid-air.

He had originally intended to rush in and give his unfilial son a good beating with his whip, but looking at his eldest son who was so obedient and waiting for his punishment, he couldn't bring himself to swing the whip.

He was stunned for a moment before realizing the purpose of the visit, and his anger surged again. He shouted, "You unfilial son, do you know your crime?"

"I know I'm guilty."

Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng immediately kowtowed deeply, his forehead pressed firmly against the cold bluestone slab: "I have committed adultery with my father's concubine, engaging in incestuous and rebellious acts. This has disgraced our ancestral temple and caused my parents worry and hardship. My sins are unforgivable. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Gao Huan was taken aback by his decisiveness.

He had assumed that Gao Cheng would repeat his past mistakes, using clever words and sophistry to deny everything until the evidence was presented to him.

But to everyone's surprise, this kid didn't try to deny anything today and readily admitted to all the crimes!

Is this still the same son who, relying on his quick wit, wanted to turn the world upside down?

In an instant, he felt as if all the angry curses and questions he had prepared were like punching cotton, and he couldn't muster any strength at all.

Upon seeing this, Lou Zhaojun hurriedly stepped forward and bowed again, pleading, "Your Majesty, Cheng'er has committed such a grave crime, I dare not ask for forgiveness."

"However, despite his many faults, he is still the eldest son of the king. I hope that Your Majesty will remember his past talents and allow him to serve as the king's chief minister from a young age, managing the affairs of the rear. Please do not lightly mention the matter of deposing or installing him."

When Gao Huan saw his wife weeping and heard her mention the past, his expression changed as well.

A moment later, he snorted coldly and suddenly slammed the riding whip hard on the ground, making a crisp "crack" sound.

He then looked down at Gao Cheng and asked angrily, "Since you know your crime, why don't you flee to avoid disaster? Instead, you kneel here awaiting punishment. Are you pretending to repent and hoping I will forgive you?"

Gao Cheng remained prostrate on the ground and respectfully replied, "I know I have committed a heinous crime, and there is no way to avoid it or escape it."

"Rather than deceive the king with clever words, I would rather confess my crime and accept punishment. Even if the king strips me of my title as crown prince and punishes me with a hundred strokes of the cane, I will not utter a single complaint."

He knew in his heart that this was where the incident had occurred in the past, and if he did not confess first today, he would not be able to avoid this beating.

Although he was skilled in archery and horsemanship, he might not be able to withstand Gao Huan's wrath.

Not to mention that being beaten would mean losing face as the heir apparent and making it difficult to hold one's head high in front of Huai Shuo Xunjiu in the future.

Seeing his frankness, Gao Huan stared at him for a long time, and the anger in his eyes inexplicably subsided a bit.

After all, what he hated most in his life were those who dared to do things but not to admit them, and those who deceived their superiors and subordinates.

Although this scoundrel committed a terrible mistake, he still dared to admit it and didn't try to shirk responsibility at all, which showed some of the spirit he had when he was young.

But the anger in my chest still wouldn't subside.

Although he abandoned the whip, he couldn't resist and kicked Gao Cheng in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

He then shouted and cursed, "You wretched child! At the age of fifteen, you dare to lay your hands on your father's concubine! Your lust is boundless! If you were to rise to a high position one day, wouldn't you try to deceive the emperor, murder your father, and usurp the throne?"

Gao Cheng took a hard kick from Gao Huan, feeling as if his internal organs had shifted, blood was flowing backwards throughout his body, and a trace of crimson blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He dared not cry out in pain, and quickly turned around and kowtowed again: "I dare not!"

After speaking, he pointed to the stack of hemp paper in front of him and said bitterly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Although I have made mistakes and committed unforgivable crimes, I have always thought about my father's royal cause and have never dared to slacken in the slightest."

"This child has been reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors recently. He has written down the advantages and disadvantages of the country both domestically and internationally, as well as strategies for military and political reform. I request Your Majesty to take a look."

"Even if I die a hundred times, I only ask that Your Majesty know that I am absolutely not a foolish man who indulges in women and neglects our cause!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but glance at the stack of hemp paper.

After hesitating for a moment, I stepped forward and picked up the top scroll.

But after reading only a few lines, the anger on his face gradually faded, replaced by an undisguised shock.

After finishing the first volume, he picked up the second one and began reading faster and faster, becoming increasingly alarmed.

The paper contained detailed information, presented in a clear and organized manner, with no major or minor issues.

From the drawbacks of the dual system of Jinyang and Yedu, to the root causes of the conflict between Xianbei nobles and Han gentry, from the strategies for dealing with Yuwen Tai in Guanzhong, to the specific measures for rectifying officialdom, equalizing land distribution, and encouraging agriculture...

Every single one of these issues struck at a sore spot that he had been unable to resolve for half his life.

Moreover, it not only contains methods for analyzing the malpractices of government policies, but also practical and feasible solutions.

Although some parts are still a bit immature, or even outdated.

However, the overall framework has already taken shape. It only needs to be further subdivided and refined to become a strategy for strategizing the world.

After reading all the volumes, he felt his heart churning like a stormy sea.

He always thought that although his son was known as a child prodigy, he was ultimately just a teenager with an unsettled mind.

Unexpectedly, this young man has such a clear understanding of the world's affairs!

This insight and perspective have far exceeded the scope of "intelligence".

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he simply wouldn't have believed that this was something written by a fifteen-year-old boy.

"This is truly the prodigy of our Gao clan!"

He couldn't help but secretly praise her in his heart.

However, his face still showed lingering anger as he said sternly, "Did you write this?"

Gao Cheng quickly nodded: "I dare not deceive Father, this strategy was indeed written by me."

Lou Zhaojun, standing nearby, keenly sensed the relaxation in Gao Huan's tone.

He quickly stepped forward and advised again: "Your Majesty, Cheng'er has been confined here since committing the crime, writing this petition day and night without the slightest slackening. He truly knows how to repent and is sincerely trying to share Your Majesty's burdens."