The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 176 Tang People's City
News came out from the palace one after another that the imperial examination would be held again in the spring of the following year, and Yan Qinli was appointed as the Chief Clerk of Jingzhao Prefecture, in charge of document submission.

Di Zhixun was the Tongpan of Jingzhao Prefecture.

The division of powers in Jingzhao Prefecture was subdivided in these imperial edicts.

Today, Jingzhao Prefecture has become a government office with all the necessary facilities.

Liu Rengui was promoted to the magistrate of Xianyang County, and Pei Xingjian was promoted to the magistrate of Weinan County. The original personnel of each county were redeployed.

The newly appointed Secretary-General of Jingzhao Prefecture, Yan Qinli, produced another decree, raising the salary standards of county magistrates to the fifth rank.

At this point, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace had even greater control over the counties in Guanzhong. In addition to military power, the personnel, governance, population, and household registration of each county all fell into the hands of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.

In Chang'an City, Li Ji, Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin sat together.

Qin Qiong had been recuperating for the past two years. He asked, "Mao Gong, you knew the prince would go to this point, didn't you?"

Li Ji looked at Cheng Yaojin, who was sitting on a new-style recliner and shaking his legs, and said unhappily, "Zhijie, stop shaking."

Cheng Yaojin's shaking legs suddenly stopped.

What Li Ji didn't say was that the prince had always wanted more power, and strong power.

Qin Qiong sighed, "The power of the Crown Prince is so great that the people in the Censorate must be having trouble sleeping."

Cheng Yaojin snorted coldly: "Does the prince have much power? The prince has no military power, no power to appoint officials, and he does not hold a position in the court."

Although Cheng Yaojin's words were usually unpleasant to the ears, what he said was true.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince does not have much power. He has no authority over the appointment of officials, military power, or official duties.

Qin Qiong drank a mouthful of the medicine, which was so bitter that he rinsed his mouth with cold water. After a while, he spoke again, "Didn't you notice? His Majesty didn't give any reward to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Cheng Yaojin sat up and said, "Brother Qin, it's true. What does your majesty think?"

Seeing the two of them looking at him, Li Ji subconsciously took a step back and said, "Why are you looking at me?"

Li Ji said in annoyance, "I am indeed close to the East Palace and taught His Royal Highness the Crown Prince how to fight and archery. Based on my understanding of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, if Your Majesty does not reward the Crown Prince, it is most likely that the Crown Prince has refused. What else do you want me to know? Should I go and ask the Crown Prince now?"

Cheng Yaojin whispered, "Could it be that you are worried about the gossips of the Censorate?"

Qin Qiong shook his head and denied, "No."

In Jingzhao Prefecture, Yan Qinli saw Di Zhixun and bowed politely, saying, "Di Tongpan."

Di Zhixun had his son Di Renjie with him all the time. He also bowed and asked, "Yan Shuling, did you just come back from Weinan?"

Yan Qinli nodded, "I always feel that Pei Xingjian is not interested in being a county magistrate."

Di Zhixun said, "I heard that the people of Lantian County and Jingyang County are quarreling again. I will go and take a look."

Yan Qinli nodded, "I will go to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

The city of Chang'an was still bustling with activity. Yan Qinli walked from Jingzhao Prefecture into the Suzaku Gate and all the way to the Secretariat.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here every afternoon.

During the emperor's summer vacation, the prince had quite some free time. When Yan Qinli arrived at the Secretariat, the prince was sleeping on the table.

There was no one else there, only the prince.

The court was still on holiday, and apart from the occasional official on duty who came here to submit documents, there was no one else.

Because of the unbearable heat in Guanzhong this year, the weather is extremely hot, and many officials do not need to come to the court unless they have important matters. This is also the order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Yan Qinli cleared his throat and seeing that the prince was still asleep, he knocked gently on the table.

Li Chengqian finally woke up slowly, looked around with his red sleepy eyes, and stopped at Yan Qinli beside him, and asked, "Have you arranged it?"

Yan Qinli handed over a roll of documents and said, "Your Highness, everything has been recorded."

All arrangements have been made, and by October merchants from the south of the Yangtze River will arrive in Guanzhong, and Jingzhao Prefecture will host the transactions.

With Yan Qinli appointed as the Secretary-General, the clerical work of Jingzhao Prefecture finally no longer required the help of Zhining and Shangguan Yi.

Xu Jingzong was also able to free up his hands to focus on trade.

Li Chengqian said: "Pei Xingjian should be placed in Weinan County for now. You don't have to worry about him."

Yan Qinli replied: "There is one more thing."

"explain."

"The news from Longyou is that a Persian monk named Aroben has come all the way from Persia."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian's sleepiness faded a lot, and he asked, "Persian monk?"

"He claims to be a Persian monk." Yan Qinli asked, "Only Jingzhao Prefecture knows about this."

Li Chengqian thought about the current situation in Persia. Alopen still came to the Tang Dynasty as a Persian monk.

"Where is Xuanzang now? Does this person have any connection with Xuanzang?"

Yan Qinli said: "I heard that this person was quite famous in the Western Regions, but I don't know if he knew Xuanzang."

"You go and fetch the person."

"Here."

As soon as Yan Qinli left, a eunuch came quickly. He bowed and said, "Your Highness, Your Majesty has heard that a Persian monk has come from afar."

"The news from Father's side came so quickly." Li Chengqian sighed and said, "Just tell him that Jingzhao Prefecture will take care of this matter, so there's no need to bother Father."

"Can……"

Li Chengqian looked stern and said, "He is just a Persian monk. There is no need for your Majesty to worry. If you want your Majesty to meet him in person, as your son, I will advise him."

The eunuch bowed repeatedly, left the Secretariat, walked to the edge of Taiye Lake, and repeated the prince's words.

Li Shimin looked at his daughter beside him.

Li Lizhi said: "Since my brother has said so, there is no need for my father to meet with me."

"Aren't you curious about Persia?"

Li Lizhi said disdainfully: "My daughter is only curious about the wealth of Persia, not the Persians. It doesn't matter if she is killed."

September, the ninth year of Zhenguan.

The scorching summer heat began to fade, and the city of Chang'an, which had always been sluggish at noon, finally regained some vitality.

The Persian monk Alopen entered Chang'an City under the escort of officials from Jingzhao Prefecture.

He held a bar of soap in his hand and a leather bag filled with grape wine hung around his waist.

The Persian monk was wearing a thin robe, with only a circle of hair on the sides due to middle-aged baldness. He was holding an old parchment scroll in his hand.

Li Baiyao came to greet him with officials from the Honglu Temple and looked at the Persian.

The Persian man has long, curly golden hair behind his bald head, and his face is not as full and beautiful as that of the people in the Central Plains.

Instead, his thin cheeks and sunken eyes, the gray-blue eyes were also looking at the beautiful city in front of him.

This was the first time he had seen such a big city. The Persian monk held the parchment scroll in his hand, opened his arms and exclaimed in Persian.

Li Baiyao asked Di Zhixun, who had brought the Persian monk with him, "Can he speak Guanzhong dialect?"

Di Zhixun replied: "He learned the Guanzhong dialect when he was in the Western Regions."

Li Baiyao smiled and said, "Please come in, my friend who has come from afar."

The Persian monk Alopen smiled and said, "Thank you." A group of officials from the Honglu Temple took the Persian monk to the Suzaku Gate, and many people along the street looked at them curiously.

Today's Tang people are proud. They look at Persian monks as if they were looking at a rare animal.

They were escorted into the Honglu Temple, and everyone sat down.

Aroben put the parchment scroll in his hand on the table. He did not sit on the current Tang Dynasty chair, but sat on the ground.

Li Baiyao was about to ask him to sit on the chair, but since he was already seated, he just let him do as he pleased.

After many officials sat down, everyone sat on chairs, but the Persian monk sat cross-legged on the ground and looked a little shorter.

Li Baiyao noticed a figure flashing past the gate of Honglu Temple. He straightened his clothes and asked seriously, "Are you really Persian?"

Aroben replied in broken Guanzhong dialect: "I am originally a Arab, and I came to Persia to learn the truth."

Li Chengqian walked into the Honglu Temple, sat down next to Li Baiyao, and motioned him to continue asking questions.

It is easy to infer that Alopen was originally a Arab. Persia and the Arabs often fought in recent years, and the population of the two sides was exchanged several times due to the wars.

And now the Arabs should also have contacts with the Gauls further west.

Li Chengqian looked at the parchment book on the ground. There was a strange symbol on the book, and Persian words were written on it.

Li Baiyao asked, "Why didn't the Prince of Persia come?"

"The Persian prince is on his way." Aroben placed his hands on his chest and said respectfully, "People in the Western Regions say that there is a very rich country in the East called the Tang Dynasty, and there are also rich Tang people."

Li Chengqian changed his sitting position and continued to observe the Persian without saying a word.

Li Baiyao asked again: "Do you Persia have much contact with the Western Regions?"

Aroben recalled and said, "We have always been in contact. The King of Gaochang and I are very good friends."

This person probably misunderstood. In the Tang language, there is "laidao" which means movement between two parties, or perhaps a transaction.

But in Aroben's understanding, it was about whether they were friends with the people from the Western Regions.

"Do you know Xuanzang?"

Hearing about Xuanzang, Alopen looked regretful. He whispered, "When I arrived in Gaochang, Xuanzang had already left."

An official from the Honglu Temple was recording this conversation.

Li Baiyao asked, "What are you doing in the Tang Dynasty?"

Aroben smiled and said, "I am willing to recite the Persian ideals to the Tang people."

"no need."

Li Chengqian interrupted.

The Tang official in front of him seemed to be of high status, and the young man had not spoken a word since he walked in.

But as soon as he spoke, he interrupted the official in front of him.

It seems that this young man has a higher status.

Alopen stood up, handed over the parchment book with both hands and said, "This book records all the Persian truths."

Li Chengqian kept a distance from him across a table.

"You are wrong. The Tang people do not need you to spread the truth. We Tang people have very complete knowledge, which is thousands of years ahead of your truth."

After he finished speaking, Aroben looked confused.

Li Chengqian continued, "You can stay in Chang'an. The envoys who come to the Tang Dynasty are now studying in the Sifang Pavilion. From now on, you can stay in the Sifang Pavilion and learn the wisdom of the Tang people."

Aroben asked, "What is the wisdom of the Tang people like?"

Li Chengqian asked back: "Do you think the wisdom of the Tang people is not worth learning?"

Li Baiyao slammed the table and stood up, pointing at the Persian monk and shouting, "How dare you."

Aroben took two steps back and bowed apologetically, saying, "I am just curious about the wisdom of the Tang people."

"This messenger should go and rest first."

After saying this, Li Chengqian left quickly.

Aroben was still standing in the Honglu Temple, looking at the young man's back with a puzzled look.

Li Baiyao hurriedly followed, "Your Highness, this Persian monk is too presumptuous. Should we drive him away, or..."

Li Chengqian walked along the shade under the eaves and reminded them, "He is a Arab and a Persian monk. He has come from afar and knows the roads. He also knows how to pass through the Western Regions to the Tang Dynasty. Even if we want to drive him away, we must leave his experience in the Tang Dynasty."

"Have someone teach him to write. After he learns, have him draw a map of the main roads between the Arabs and Persia, and between Persia and the Western Regions, and hand it over to the Institute of Literature."

Li Baiyao bowed and said, "I obey your command."

Li Chengqian walked towards the East Palace and said to him, "Thank you for your help."

Everyone has value. For Li Chengqian, once this Persian man's value has been squeezed out, he will be useless.

As for his Persian truth, Li Chengqian had even less interest in it. He wanted to find out the other party's situation, understand their strength, and then crush and digest it for his own use before destroying the other party.

This is the true purpose of a messenger.

The Persian monk Alopen was just thrown into the Sifang Pavilion and no one cared about him.

Murong Shun is now the bully of Sifang Pavilion. As he is now very rich and generous with his money, he has traveled to various countries in the Western Regions in accordance with the instructions of Master Du He in the past two years and earned a lot of money.

Murong Shun had seen this Persian monk in Gaochang and asked curiously, "Why is he here?"

Hu Ji, who had been taking care of him, walked up to him and replied, "He was escorted here by an official from the Honglu Temple."

Aroben was still sitting cross-legged, looking extremely skinny, which showed that he had suffered a lot on his way from Persia to Gaochang, and then from Gaochang all the way to Chang'an.

Murong Shun placed a bowl of mutton soup in front of him and handed him a bun.

So Aroben started eating immediately. While eating, he said in Guanzhong dialect, "The houses of the Tang people are very beautiful. The cities of the Tang people are more beautiful than the castles of Persia. The Tang people are not friendly."

Murong Shun listened to his words with a smile on his face.

Aroben said again: "I met a young man from Tang. He was of high status and unfriendly."

Naturally, the prince would not be interested in a Persian monk. There are very few things in this world that can interest the prince.

Murong Shun traveled around the Western Regions doing business, and had met Persian men and even Persian women, not to mention that he was a monk.

In Murong Shun's understanding, the Persians were very rich and had a lot of gold.

But this Persian monk was very poor. He was so poor that he had only tattered clothes and a parchment book.

Not long after, another teacher came to the Sifang Pavilion. He took out a scroll of characters and said, "Learn!"

Aroben shook his head and said, "I am here to tell the Tang people..."

"If you don't learn, you'll be driven away."

Aroben was choking with speech. He knew that if he left now, he would starve to death. So he put down his parchment book and picked up the Tang people's book.

Note: Alopen was a Persian monk who came to the Tang Dynasty in history.

Today, I will update twice. I will go to bed first.

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(End of this chapter)