The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 165 Inevitable

In Chang'an City, Master Du He was waiting outside the gate of General Cheng Yaojin's house, accompanied by three servants.

At present, the Left General Cheng Yaojin rarely leads troops and spends most of his time at home.

I heard that after the Lingyan Pavilion is completed, the court will honor many of the heroes who made great contributions there.

For example, General Cheng Yaojin, as well as General Qin Qiong and General Li Ji, who have already been canonized, will all receive rewards.

This matter is related to the completion of the Lingyan Pavilion. Perhaps in the near future, these generals will be canonized as dukes.

However, these are just rumors from the court. No one knows who spread the news, let alone whether it is true or false.

At this moment, screams were heard one after another in the Cheng Mansion, and Cheng Chumo was being beaten.

Passersby who heard the screams stopped and listened for a while, then quickly left for fear of encountering something bad.

Du He smiled awkwardly at the curious passers-by.

To explain why Chu Mo was beaten, we have to start with Xu Jingzong.

Cheng Chumo has always been a young general with great heroism and loyalty, known as General Cheng. He is deeply welcomed by the people of Chang'an City. He can help the weak and punish the strong, and he cannot stand those who bully others by taking advantage of their power.

This can only be attributed to the good teaching of the Cheng family. Cheng Chumo is a young man with great righteousness and a true model boy.

And it forms a sharp contrast with people like Yuchi Baolin.

It was precisely because of Cheng Chumo's temper that when Xu Jingzong was fighting with others, he intervened to help, but was later captured by General Li Daoyan, who led the military guards.

After General Cheng learned about this, he did not leave his post on the first day of his duty. On the second day... which is now, he escorted the man back home from the Leading Guard and is now being beaten.

Some people beat children at night, why do some people beat children in broad daylight? The Cheng family has a good tradition, but they are a bit evil.

The servant came with the doctor. He led him closer and said, "Dr. Sun is still at General Qin's house. I invited him from the Chang'an Clinic."

Du He said, "Doctor, please come and help check the injuries after the incision is over."

The doctor looked around and heard the screams from the general's mansion. He nodded in understanding and stood aside waiting.

At this moment, several people saw Yan Qinli walking past them holding a book.

Yan Qinli's steps were hurried.

Du He glanced sideways and saw that he was walking towards the Suzaku Gate. Yan Qinli was now the chief clerk of the Chongwenguan of the Taizi Gate, and also served as the secretary and editor.

Du He thought carefully, there were actually not many people under the prince's command, and they all worked for the prince, so they all knew the situation.

Yan Qinli smiled at them, and Du He politely returned the smile.

Yan Qinli, a native of Linzi, Langya, became famous at a young age and was the grandson of Yan Zhitui of the Northern Qi Dynasty.

This man was a proofreader in the Sui Dynasty when he was young. After the empire was in chaos, the Li family raised an army in Jingyang, and Yan Qinli joined the army and became a disciple of the former King of Qin.

After that, the world was pacified. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, various places needed to be appeased, and Yan Qinli was sent to Yongzhou to appease the local areas and to reorganize the army and govern.

Now that the court has freed up its hands, Yan Qinli is able to return to Chang'an.

Watching Yan Qinli leave, Du He was still waiting for General Cheng in the mansion to finish teaching his son.

Beating children cannot just be said to be beating children, we have to talk about the Cheng family's way of educating children.

After the beating and scolding in the mansion was over, Du He asked a few questions at the door and then let the invited doctor go in to treat the injuries.

In the Secretariat, Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who had just finished his morning court session, was looking through the memorials that needed to be approved today.

By chance, I saw an impeachment memorial, which said: The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace dismissed the county magistrate based on his own words and acted cruelly. We, the county magistrates, have done nothing wrong and have not violated any laws. We have an upright style, so why did you dismiss us?

The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace is arbitrary and authoritarian. All the people in Jingzhao Prefecture are his lackeys, and the counties in Guanzhong dare not speak out.

The prince was hiding the emperor's eyes and ears, and his power was overwhelming...

All these words were insults to myself.

And the level of swearing is not high enough.

After reading it, Li Chengqian handed it aside and said, "Uncle, what should we do with this?"

Changsun Wuji was surprised for a moment, put down the pen in his hand, took the memorial and started to read it.

Most things in this world are full of twists and turns.

Whether it was about Jingzhao Prefecture or the previous dismissal of the county magistrate, there would always be people who would come and make a fuss, it was inevitable...

After a long while, Li Chengqian asked, "How is it?"

Zhang Sun Wuji thought for a moment and said, "Does Your Highness need to prove his innocence?"

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "I won't prove my innocence. Uncle, can you tell him to shut up?"

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji looked surprised. Why not prove his innocence?

"I asked Du He to investigate..."

"I can just send someone to reprimand him. There is no need for the Crown Prince to do it himself."

"Thank you, uncle."

Changsun Wuji nodded pertinently, "Yes."

In fact, proving your innocence is a thankless task. If you are eager to prove your innocence, you will only end up trapped in the vortex of self-proving. If you explain too much, you will fall into other people's trap.

Haha, this group of people are still playing the same thing over and over again.

Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile bitterly. To deal with this kind of person, it would be best to beat him up directly like Xu Jingzong did.

Xu Jingzong had been caned by the emperor and fined three years' salary, but he had never lost a fight in Chang'an.

Among the problematic officials, he is well-known for his brutality and his willingness to take revenge.

"Your Highness, Yan Qinli is here."

After hearing the report, Li Chengqian, still looking at the memorial, nodded and said, "Let someone in."

"Here."

Yan Qinli, the chief clerk of Chongwenguan, meets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

The number of times he met the prince could be counted on one hand. Although Chongwenguan was the prince's tutelage, the prince seldom came in person.

People in the court and the public said that the Crown Prince was good at investigation and he personally went to various counties to investigate agricultural affairs.

Perhaps the prince often inspected Chongwenguan and just didn't notice it?
Having been in Chang'an for half a year, Yan Qinli felt that he rarely spoke to the prince.

Seeing that the person was still standing in front of him, Li Chengqian whispered, "From now on, when you are here, just say what you want to say. Don't be so reserved."

Yan Qinli handed over a stack of papers with both hands and said, "Your Highness, these are the examination papers from Jingzhao Prefecture and Chongwen Academy."

"Leave it alone."

"Here." Yan Qinli placed a stack of papers on the prince's desk. Knowing the prince's character, he stacked the papers neatly and pressed them flat.

"These two months are the most critical period in Guanzhong. Tell all counties to keep a close eye on farming. After the summer harvest, they can start weaving and building workshops. The laborers in Guanzhong must be paid adequately."

Yan Qinli nodded and wrote down these words.

Li Chengqian gave another instruction: "Silk and tea from Jiangnan will soon be delivered in the fall. Tell all counties in Guanzhong to prepare sufficient reserves. After the goods for the mutual trade are ready, Guanzhong goods must be circulated throughout the Central Plains. Everything must be put into motion to form an internal circulation while also ensuring that exports are not left behind."

Yan Qinli bowed and said, "I will definitely pass the message to each county."

Li Chengqian nodded, still looking at the memorial, and said, "Sit down for a while."

After saying this, he sat down aside. This prince was only seventeen years old, but his speech, behavior, and eyes were very mature.

Yan Qinli did not dare to regard the prince as an ordinary 17-year-old boy. As time passed, officials from the Secretariat came and went, and gradually more and more people left, and fewer and fewer came back.

The prince still sat upright in the Secretariat and began to look through the test papers.

Two hours had passed, and the weather outside had changed from noon to almost dusk.

The prince sat here without moving, and his concentration was particularly good. The movement of people outside could not affect the prince's marking of the test papers at all.

The prince wrote comments on every test paper.

After annotating one paper, Yan Qinli took another one. After all the papers were marked, he would take them back and show them to the officials who were taking the exams.

Li Chengqian frowned and asked, "Can you still adapt to the position in Chongwenguan now?"

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince finally spoke, and Yan Qinli finally breathed a sigh of relief for some reason and replied, "I can adapt."

"I know how fast and slow you were in the past. I'm afraid you won't be able to adapt to the new way of doing things."

Yan Qinli smiled awkwardly.

Li Chengqian added: "I still have to rely on you, and I also have to rely on the honest people of Guanzhong County. If you have anything, please let the Ministry of Personnel send it to me. Don't think that I am too high and mighty to speak to you."

"I accept your order."

After the approval, Li Chengqian finally put down the pen in his hand and ordered, "Take it back."

"Here."

Yan Qinli bowed and saluted.

"correct."

Hearing the Crown Prince speaking, Yan Qinli turned around holding a stack of test papers.

Li Chengqian asked: "Were you in Jiangdu when the rebellion occurred?"

Yan Qinli replied: "I was in Luoyang at that time."

"Do you know Shangguan Hong?"

"know."

"Then you should also know Shangguan Yi, the current head of Hongwenguan. You can go see him when you have time. I think you two can get along well."

"Here."

"There's more!" Li Chengqian said, sitting upright with his hands in his pockets.

Yan Qinli bowed and looked at the Crown Prince's smile. He frowned and lowered his head. When the Crown Prince was reviewing the memorials, his expression did not look like that of a seventeen-year-old boy.

And now, after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had reviewed the memorials and test papers, the smile on his face was clearly the expression he should have at his age.

Yan Qinli was very confused and couldn't see through the prince.

That's not something you can understand just by meeting a few times and talking a few words.

This was the first time the prince had spoken so much to him.

Yan Qinli felt that he was only in his early thirties. He could imagine how arrogant he was when he was seventeen. Looking at the prince's appearance at the age of seventeen, he could not say that he was inferior to him, but he could only say that he could not compare with him.

This prince gives people the impression of being too calm and composed.

Li Chengqian instructed: "As for Guo Luotuo's matter, Jingzhao Prefecture and Chongwenguan must spare no efforts to help him."

"Here."

"Does Guo Luotuo still keep to himself now?"

"Your Highness, after Xu Shaoyin was caned, Guo Siqing visited him."

"You should let the old farmers in each county interact more with Guo Luotuo. Farming is the most in need of experience accumulation and brainstorming."

"I will make arrangements now."

Yan Qinli walked out of the Secretariat, looking puzzled all the way.

When he walked out of the Suzaku Gate, he remembered the prince's words and went to the Hongwenguan nearby.

Shangguan Yi, the director of Hongwenguan, was sitting here at the moment. There were many books in front of him, piled up like a wall.

The steward here saw a stranger standing in front of the head of the office, so he stepped forward and asked, "May I ask who you are?"

"Yan Qinli from Chongwen Hall."

After hearing the other party's self-introduction, Shangguan Yi, who was busy organizing articles, raised his head and asked, "What time is it?"

Yan Qinli said: "It's the twilight hour."

Looking up, it was already sunset outside.

Shangguan Yi put down the pen in his hand. Seeing that there was no one else in Hongwenguan, he stood up, gave a few instructions to the manager, and walked out with Yan Qinli.

"I am usually busy compiling books, so I apologize for the rudeness."

"I went to see the Crown Prince today. His Highness said that Shangguan Zhushi is the descendant of Shangguan Hong, so I wanted to come and pay him a visit."

Shangguan Yi smiled and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is a very different person, different from most of us, isn't he?"

Yan Qinli stroked his short beard, remaining silent, as if thinking about something.

The two found a tavern and sat down. Shangguan Yi said to the waiter, "Give me a pot of wine, a plate of mutton, and meat buns?"

"It's just in time that the guest asked. There are still two left."

"Okay." Shangguan Yi, who had been busy all day, said with a satisfied smile, "Bring it here."

"Guest, please wait."

The wine and a plate of mutton were served first.

He poured two bowls of wine, handed one to Yan Qinli, and drank it first. He said, "Every time at this time, drinking a sip of wine is the most refreshing!"

Yan Qinli whispered, "Thank you."

"I have heard of Brother Yan's name for a long time. He is good at exegesis and has profound knowledge."

Yan Qinli said: "Today, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince mentioned Guo Luotuo, and I was confused."

The waiter brought the steamed meat buns, which were still hot. Shangguan Yi took a bite of the bun and found it was filled with pork and green onions. He said, "You can tell the pork is from Jingyang the minute you eat it."

The waiter laughed and said, "The customer is very capable. Pork from Jingyang is not expensive but hard to buy. For these meat buns, the shop owner had to go to Jingyang before dawn to buy a leg."

Seeing that the two guests had something to say, the servant left tactfully.

Shangguan Yi took another sip of wine, let out a long sigh of relief, and said, "The prince rarely hangs out with you, right?"

Yan Qinli nodded, "Yes."

"That's right. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is most concerned about farming, so he mentioned Guo Luotuo. His Royal Highness is concerned about results. If the Crown Prince cared about power, he would not have dismissed so many county officials. On the contrary, he would have shown goodwill to these county officials."

"I have been in Chang'an for half a year, and have been working in Chongwenguan for half a year, but I still don't know the prince."

Shangguan Yi smiled and said, "Don't try to understand the Crown Prince. You should just do your own thing. Only when you focus on the things at hand and understand the governance strategy, you don't need to try to understand the Crown Prince. You can understand His Royal Highness's thoughts."

Yan Qinli raised his head and took a sip of wine, saying, "Thank you, Brother Shangguan, for your guidance."

Shangguan Yi put some more mutton into his mouth and chewed it while saying, "It can't be considered as guidance. When I first came to Chang'an, I was as confused as you."

I have insomnia, I will update more



(End of this chapter)