My father, Gao Huan, is an invincible prince!

Chapter 60 If reasoning fails, then use fists and feet to make it clear.

Looking at Gao Cheng's smiling face, Sun Teng's chest heaved violently, veins bulged on his forehead, and cold sweat poured down, soaking his clothes in an instant.

"You...you're spouting nonsense!"

After a long moment of shock and anger, he finally roared hoarsely, "These are all fabrications by treacherous people, trying to frame this old minister in an unjust way. This old minister absolutely cannot admit to it."

Upon hearing Sun Teng's roar, Sima Ziru and his ilk on the side seemed to awaken from their daze.

Sima Ziru was the first to recover, hurriedly saying, "Your Highness, you are wise! This must be malicious slander by a villain. Lord Sun is loyal to his master; how could he do such a thing?"

"Indeed! Lord Sun's merits and achievements are evident to all, both in court and among the people. This must be a frame-up; Your Highness, you must not believe it!"

"Your Highness, please be wise! Do not let these idle rumors discourage our meritorious officials!"

Upon seeing this, Gao Longzhi and Gao Yue hurriedly stepped forward and offered their advice.

Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng sneered again, threw the silk scroll onto the table, and the crisp sound of it hitting the table silenced the entire hall.

He looked at the three men and said slowly and deliberately, "Gentlemen, please do not be impatient. I have also written a volume on the achievements of the three of you, which is no less than that of Lord Sun."

"I wonder if you gentlemen would like me to read this aloud in public, so that all the civil and military officials can judge whether it is a fabrication by a villain, or whether you gentlemen have truly made 'great contributions'?"

Upon hearing this, the three men's attempts to defend themselves abruptly ceased, and beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on their foreheads. They looked at each other, their faces ashen.

This is because they knew that Gao Cheng must have irrefutable evidence to back up his words.

If this were to be made public, not only would they lose all face, but the annihilation of their entire family might not be far off.

The guests were so quiet they fell silent, even their breathing became soft.

Everyone understands that by now, this banquet has changed its nature and is no longer something they can interfere with.

After a long pause, Sima Ziru forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and bowed again, saying, "Your Highness is joking. Today is a private banquet; it is not appropriate to discuss politics."

He paused, then softened his tone and pleaded, "Your Highness, please understand. Brother Sun was indeed speaking carelessly just now and had no intention of offending you. I beg Your Highness to consider that he has followed the King for many years and risked his life for him, and to forgive him this time."

Gao Longzhi quickly echoed, his voice hoarse: "Your Highness, my brother Sun has followed the King for many years. Even if he has not made any great contributions, he has certainly worked hard. Please forgive him if his words were inappropriate."

Gao Yue then said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, today is a private banquet, and it is not advisable to spoil the harmony. How about we each take a step back and let this matter rest?"

However, Gao Cheng was still dissatisfied upon hearing this.

He immediately drew out his tone and said sarcastically, "Oh? So today is a private banquet? Just now, Lord Sun kept talking about merits and achievements and said he hadn't made any contributions. I thought it was a matter of seniority in the imperial court."

Hearing these sarcastic remarks, the three of them were also furious.

They had all given in so readily, yet Gao Cheng still wouldn't let them off the hook.

However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, they ultimately dared not turn against him. After all, Gao Cheng held evidence of their crimes, and if things escalated, it would only backfire.

Thinking of this, Sima Ziru could only advise again: "Your Highness, please calm down. Brother Sun was just speaking in anger and should not be taken seriously. He is old and inevitably confused. I hope Your Highness will be more tolerant."

Gao Yue and Gao Longzhi nodded repeatedly, saying they would immediately rearrange the seating arrangement for Duan Shao, adopting an extremely humble attitude, completely unlike their usual arrogance.

Seeing this, Gao Cheng knew that the time was right. If he pressed any further, he might provoke these old foxes to do something desperate, which would not be good. So he slowly nodded to the three of them.

He then turned to look at Sun Teng and said indifferently, "Very well. Since the three gentlemen have spoken out of courtesy, the need to rearrange the seating arrangement can be avoided. But if you, Lord Sun, apologize to my brother Duan Shao, then we can let this matter rest."

However, Sun Teng considered himself a meritorious official who had helped the emperor rise to power, and now that Gao Cheng had squeezed him out of his position, how could he possibly lower himself to bow down to a fifteen-year-old boy?

Besides, if he apologizes to a junior in public, wouldn't that prove that what Gao Cheng just said was true?

Therefore, he still stubbornly said, "Back then, when I followed King Gao in raising an army in Xindu, the crown prince was still an infant. At that time, our army was small and our generals were few, and we were surrounded by enemies on all sides. Whenever King Gao faced a major decision, he would consult with me."

"Who would have thought that I would suffer such a humiliation for merely speaking frankly? It seems I am truly old and easily deceived. In that case, I might as well skip this banquet!"

Having said that, he turned and stood up, about to walk out.

When Sima Ziru and the others saw Sun Teng about to leave, they were momentarily stunned. They never expected that after all their efforts to persuade Gao Cheng to step down, Sun Teng would still insist on staying this long.

Upon seeing this, Gao Cheng's previously calm expression instantly darkened again.

Those old scoundrels really don't know what's good for them.

He immediately shouted sternly, "Stop! Do you think I'll allow you to leave?"

Sun Teng paused, turned around, and glared angrily, saying, "What does the young master intend to do? Do you intend to force this old man to stay?"

Gao Cheng slowly stood up, walked over to Sun Teng with his hands behind his back, and said expressionlessly, "Sun Teng, Sun Teng, I think you're really getting senile."

"What did you say?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Teng's eyes widened in disbelief, as if he had misheard.

"I'm telling you, you're really getting senile."

Gao Cheng spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice as cold as ice: "Are you so naive as to think that all I've said to you was just a joke? Or do you think I dare not do anything to you?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Teng trembled with rage, abandoning all pretense of decorum, and immediately roared, "You brat, what more do you want?"

Seeing that the old scoundrel still dared to get angry after he had said all that, Gao Cheng immediately lost interest in continuing to waste words with him.

He immediately twitched the corners of his mouth and muttered, "Fine. Since you cannot speak human language, my subordinate Peach Branch knows a little about martial arts. Let him trouble himself to wake you up."

Upon hearing this, Sun Teng was momentarily stunned, not understanding what he meant.

Before they could react, Gao Cheng raised his voice and said, "Liu Taozhi, take Lord Sun to the side courtyard to wake him up and let him know what the difference between ruler and subject is."

"Yui"

Liu Taozhi immediately nodded in agreement, strode up to Sun Teng, placed one hand on his shoulder and the other on the hilt of his sword, and said in a cold, hard voice, "Master Sun, please."

In an instant, Sun Teng felt a tremendous force on his shoulder, and his bones almost shattered.

He was both shocked and furious, and shouted angrily, "You brat! I am an old friend of His Majesty from his humble beginnings, a loyal subject who followed him into the throne. How dare you be so disrespectful to me?"

"presumptuous!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Taozhi immediately shouted angrily and tightened her grip, easily lifting him up.

Sun Teng felt a sharp pain; veins bulged on his forehead, cold sweat poured down his face, and he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.

Upon seeing this, all the guests in the hall fell silent, not one daring to plead for mercy.

Sima Ziru and the other two turned their heads away, pretending not to see them.

After all, Gao Cheng had already given them the way out they wanted. If they continued to plead for leniency, they might really get burned.

Seeing this, Gao Cheng said nothing more, simply waving his hand casually and saying to Liu Taozhi, "Go."

"only!"

Liu Taozhi responded, grabbed Sun Teng who was wincing in pain, and strode towards the side hall.

A moment later, Sun Teng's shrill screams came from the side hall, mixed with Liu Taozhi's cold and harsh reprimands.

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table felt their hearts tremble with fear, and they all lowered their heads to drink, wishing they could bury their heads in the table.

I just hope this banquet ends soon, so as not to cause trouble.

As for Sima Ziru and the other two, they were ashen-faced, but secretly prayed that the men sent to the governor's mansion would succeed as soon as possible.

After all, only by retrieving those incriminating pieces can they repay the humiliation they have suffered today a hundredfold in the future.