The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 145 The End of the Eighth Year of Zhenguan

Li Chengqian whispered, "Uncle, are you annoyed to see me?"

"No." Gao Shilian waved his hand and said, "I don't feel annoyed when I see Your Highness."

"That's good."

Gao Shilian glanced at the freezing rain outside the house. Ice particles fell to the ground in the rain. He stroked his beard and said, "Sometimes I think about it. When Yu Shinan, Ouyang Xun, and Wang Gui are buried one after another, it will be time for me to be buried too. I want to live a few more days, just one day longer than them. Your Highness, go and prepare a coffin for me."

Li Chengqian asked suspiciously, "Is Uncle worried that sleeping in that big box will be uncomfortable in the future, so he sleeps in it in advance?"

Gao Shilian nodded in appreciation and said, "Your Highness, this is a very good idea."

Li Chengqian looked at his uncle expressionlessly, and for a moment he didn't know where to start. His uncle was too good at chatting, the kind that could easily kill the conversation.

He thought for a moment and said, "In fact, we can hold the funeral first. Then when I am buried, there will be no need for people to mourn."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets in distress, "I came to visit my uncle. I wanted to see how he was doing."

"I am doing well."

"Then uncle, you don't need to say these things. You are in good health. Don't keep talking about how you died."

Gao Shilian leaned in and whispered, "Don't you want to be the emperor?"

Li Chengqian also whispered: "Yes."

"The prince can think about becoming the emperor, so why can't I think about how to die?" Gao Shilian said with a serious face and pursed his lips, "I understand."

"What do you understand?"

"None of you want me to die early."

Li Chengqian sat in silence for a long time.

Gao Shilian withdrew his gaze and lay down on his side again.

Gao Lin, wearing a straw raincoat, came hurriedly. With gray hair on his temples, he stood in front of the door and saluted, saying, "It turns out that it is the Crown Prince who has come."

Li Chengqian put on a smiling face and said, "Please continue with your work. I will just sit for a while and leave."

Gao Lin smiled and saluted repeatedly.

Looking at the uncle in front of him, he still looked relaxed.

The incense burner on the table was lit, and white smoke was slowly coming out of the incense burner. Looking out the window, there was a withered potted plant.

Gao Lin moved them all down, and then poured the soil and grass into a wooden box.

This old man was my uncle's old servant. He followed my uncle to various places, all the way from Shuzhong to Chang'an. No matter what he did, the old man always had a smile on his face.

"How are you doing in the Secretariat?"

Hearing his uncle's question, Li Chengqian replied: "I am studying government affairs in the Secretariat and understand the people and affairs of various departments in the court."

There is no doubt about the learning ability of this eldest grandson. He has a strong learning ability and learns things very quickly.

There are some words and some things that he knows how to do once he learns them.

Rather than asking where this eldest grandson's skills came from, it is better to say that the way he learned the skills is different from others.

As his uncle, he was very confident in him and did not have to worry at all that his eldest grandson would not be able to sit on the throne. Except for this eldest grandson, the other children of His Majesty were not very ambitious.

Gao Shilian turned the page and asked again, "I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince often cleans the Secretariat himself?"

Li Chengqian said: "I know exactly how many papers and pens there are in the Secretariat, which stools are uncomfortable to sit on, and which chairs are unstable."

"Duke Li Wei is very close to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

"I've met you three or twice, but we're not close."

Gao Shilian whispered, "Your Highness the Crown Prince should get closer to him, even if it means getting closer to his son."

"Thank you for your advice, uncle."

"I can't say I'm giving you advice. I haven't conspired with the Crown Prince to usurp the throne."

Li Chengqian also took a bowl for himself and clinked glasses with his uncle, drinking tea instead of wine.

The laughter of the old and the young was drowned in the freezing rain.

When Li Chengqian walked out of his uncle's house holding a bamboo umbrella, he met Zhangsun Wuji, the Duke of Zhao, who also came to visit his uncle.

"I have already visited my uncle."

Li Chengqian said while standing at the door.

Zhang Sun Wuji looked inside the door and said, "My uncle..."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Uncle, you don't have to go anymore. Uncle said he gets annoyed when he sees you."

"is it?"

"Didn't Uncle tell me?"

Changsun Wuji looked at the servants behind him and motioned them to leave, then said: "Uncle has indeed said it many times."

Li Chengqian said: "Then there is no need to go again."

"If Your Highness wants to visit your uncle again in the future, please let me know."

"what happened?"

"If I and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince came to visit together, perhaps my uncle would not be annoyed."

"Alright."

Li Chengqian did not refuse, and then walked on Zhuque Street.

Changsun Wuji gave up the idea of ​​visiting his uncle at this time.

After walking for a while, Changsun Wuji whispered, "Ashina She'er and the Yinan Khan of Mobei are fighting again."

The umbrella could not keep out the cold wind. When the wind blew, the prince would shrink his neck due to the cold just like any other person.

Li Chengqian asked, "Are they still fighting?"

"Well, Jie Li died at the beginning of this year, and Ashina She'er hated the people of Mobei. After the autumn, the war horses got fatter, and the herdsmen had some free time, so they brought their troops and started fighting again."

"Are they done yet?"

Hearing His Majesty's complaints, Changsun Wuji said, "His Majesty has issued an order, hoping that both sides will cease fighting."

"is that useful?"

"It's no use."

Li Chengqian looked at his uncle suspiciously.

His feet stepped on the wet ground, and some ice particles fell on his boots. Changsun Wuji whispered: "Since Jie Li died of illness in Guanzhong, whether it is the Uighurs or the current Turkic Khan, in their words, the Tang people are no longer as trustworthy as before."

Li Chengqian said: "I clearly saw their tribal leaders declare their loyalty to the emperor in the Taiji Hall."

"Your Highness, that's just the loyalty of the little Khans of those tribes."

Li Chengqian laughed and said, "Some people think that Jie Li's death in Guanzhong was due to the Tang people's viciousness and insidiousness. Someone must have fanned the flames..."

Changsun Wuji did not reply.

"The simple and innocent herdsmen have been taken advantage of. The people of Datang are kind, and the Tang people are also kind. There are too many misunderstandings in this world." "Some things are not as complicated as your highness thinks."

Another gust of cold wind blew, and the uncle and nephew shrank their necks at the same time due to the cold.

"They felt that the Tang people wanted their cattle and sheep, but the Tang Dynasty gave them too little, so they felt that the Tang people were not sincere and honest."

Li Chengqian said: "That's because they can't read. When they learn to read many years later, they will find that the Tang Dynasty actually has good intentions for them."

Changsun Wuji wanted to refute, but he felt that it made sense.

In front of the Suzaku Gate, there were some people kneeling, including two elderly people and a woman.

Li Daoyan came running over, ice particles falling on his armor, and stepped forward to explain: "Your Highness, Duke Zhao, they are Yu Ning's family members, kneeling here to beg Your Majesty to clear Yu Ning's name."

The old man was kneeling on the ground, shivering with cold. He tried to stand up, but was stopped by the woman next to him.

This subtle movement was noticed by Li Chengqian.

Li Daoyan shouted, "The people of Chencang County have reported Yu Ning's evil deeds. He harmed the villagers and brought shame to the army. He deserves death. You don't have to kneel."

Seeing that they were still kneeling here, Li Chengqian walked past them with an expressionless face.

Changsun Wuji looked at them again and then walked into the Suzaku Gate.

The prince went all the way to the East Palace, while Changsun Wuji went to Ganlu Palace to meet His Majesty.

Li Shimin was sitting by the stove, reading a book. When he saw someone coming, he smiled and said, "Fuji, come and take a look at this story book in the East Palace."

Changsun Wuji took the round stool handed to him by the eunuch and sat down next to His Majesty.

Li Shimin handed the book to him and said, "Chengqian often tells stories in the East Palace. The ladies in the East Palace wrote down the stories and sent them to the Lizheng Palace. Guanyin ordered someone to sort them out and Lizhi named it the East Palace Story Collection."

Chang Sun Wuji turned a page and read it carefully. The story was about two down-and-out nobles struggling to survive. They got a doe and could survive on deer milk.

But the two nobles greedily killed the doe, and after having a full meal, they had no other source of food and starved to death.

Li Shimin used a stick to clear the burning charcoal in the stove to make the fire burn more vigorously.

Chang Sun Wuji looked at the second story, which was about three monks carrying water to drink.

Li Shimin said: "I have left one scroll here, I will give it to you."

“It’s profound and thought-provoking.”

After putting away the storybook, Changsun Wuji felt the warmth of the stove and said, "I want to visit my uncle today."

"How is uncle's health?"

"I didn't see him, but after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince visited my uncle, I ran into the Crown Prince. His Royal Highness said that my uncle got annoyed when he saw me, so I didn't go in."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Assistant, you will also be annoyed by others."

"I am concerned about my uncle's health." Zhang Sun Wuji looked ashamed and continued, "There is one more thing."

"speak."

Your Majesty is in a good mood today because the construction of Lingyan Pavilion has begun, and he has not been troubled by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince these days, which makes him particularly happy.

It has been a month since he last lost his temper. When he has nothing to do, His Majesty can go for a walk in Taiye Lake and order people to make a few more puzzles.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince has seen those people kneeling outside the Suzaku Gate. They are Yu Ning's family members."

Li Shimin's face darkened immediately, and he said, "Someone has also told me that Yu Ning is a general in the army after all, and he has military merits behind him, and they hope that I can provide compensation for his family."

Zhang Sun Wuji bowed and said, "Your Majesty has never troubled his family. How dare he ask for compensation and want to clear his name? I dare to ask if the people of Chencang will clear his name?"

Li Shimin asked, "When the prince saw the people kneeling outside Chengtian Gate, did he say anything?"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince has nothing, he didn't even look at it for a second."

Li Shimin stood up, picked up the tea bowl, looked straight ahead and took a sip of tea.

Seeing His Majesty's solemn expression, the eunuch standing beside him lowered his head and dared not move.

After swallowing the tea, Li Shimin suddenly smiled, "I thought this kid would have some compassion."

Then, His Majesty said, "He really shouldn't have any compassion."

As night fell that day, the freezing rain turned into heavier rain, and Yu Ning's family was taken away.

They were taken out of Chang'an City, and the officers and soldiers warned them that if they dared to cause trouble again, they would be arrested for disrespecting the court.

After saying this, Yu Ning's family left Chang'an City.

Also stripped of his military power was a general named Gao Zongsheng.

Few people in the army knew why His Majesty wanted to dismiss this man from his post and let him return home. They only heard from rumors that Gao Zongsheng had always been at odds with Li Jing, now Li Weigong.

Some people also speculated that this incident was related to the original expedition against Tuyuhun, because Gao Zongsheng was also in the army that was fighting against Tuyuhun at that time, and it seemed that he was suspected of neglecting military orders.

At night, Li Shimin came to the East Palace to visit his father.

Li Yuan was in the Chongwen Hall, repairing toys for his grandchildren.

An oil lamp was lit nearby, the light was very dim, Li Yuan's eyes were a little blurry due to his old age, he squinted his eyes and held a thin iron pestle in his hand, turning the mechanism inside the palm-sized cart.

Li Shimin did not disturb the eunuchs beside him, but looked at his father quietly.

It seemed to be repaired. Li Yuan moved the four wheels of the cart behind him, stroked his beard and smiled with satisfaction.

It turned out that a small stone was stuck in the wheel hub.

Looking back, he saw his son standing beside him. Li Yuan asked, "Come to see me?"

Li Shimin watched his father happily playing with the wooden cart and whispered, "It's been a long time since I've seen father so happy."

Li Yuan sat down, put the cart aside, and said, "The children are already asleep. I will return this toy to Zhinu tomorrow."

As long as these children are around, the emperor will be so happy, and Li Shimin will feel much more at ease.

Looking from the Chongwen Hall, you can see that lights are still on in several rooms of the East Palace, but you can't hear the noise of children.

Li Yuan asked, "Cheng Qian has been distant from you these days, so you want to come and visit him, right?"

Li Shimin said solemnly: "I am here to visit my father."

Li Yuan nodded with a smile, reluctantly accepting this reason.

"Li Chengqian is a precocious child. When he saw Yu Ning's family kneeling outside the Suzaku Gate today, he didn't even have the slightest sympathy."

Speaking of children, Li Yuan took the oatmeal porridge brought by the eunuch and ate it while saying, "Erlang, Cheng Qian is a mature child. Aren't you relieved?"

"That is why I am worried."

Li Yuan smiled silently and said with emotion: "Unconsciously, the children have grown up so big. Cheng Qian is growing up too fast. Whether it is the royal family of our Li family or the relatives of our Li family, the younger ones are afraid of him, and the older ones are on guard against him."

Li Shimin patted his father's back to make his back feel more comfortable.

Li Yuan looked at the wind and rain outside the palace and said, "In our Li family, all of you sons should be outstanding. You and Cheng Qian should also be good sons."

"Don't worry, Father. I will teach Cheng Qian carefully. He is still young, and now he wants to take charge of world affairs, but there are so many disputes in the world that he has not seen before."

Li Yuan nodded slowly and patted the back of his son's hand pertinently.

Looking at his father, Li Shimin smiled again.

(End of this chapter)