The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 192 Star Map and Roster

Han Yuan bowed again and again and quickly escaped from Ganlu Palace.

Li Shimin looked at his back, and at the palace maids who were sweeping the snow outside the palace, and said, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you about my family affairs."

If it were the crown prince, he would have already drawn a clear line between himself and his in-laws and royal family.

It was just the early years of the Zhenguan period, when everything was still being established, and many of the generals who conquered the world at that time were members of your majesty’s royal family.

There was an urgent need for manpower at that time, and Han Yuan's appointment to the Ministry of War was a decision made years ago when the court was short of manpower.

Du Zhenglun replied: "Your Majesty has your own difficulties, I understand."

Li Shimin sat down again and whispered, "The events in Luoyang were full of twists and turns, and I ignored them at the beginning."

"Your Majesty, I have found out that Master Cui Ren has left Luoyang and gone to Taiyuan."

"Well, I know that the Boling nobles and Taiyuan have disobeyed my will. Do you think I am going too far by interfering in their family affairs?"

Du Zhenglun replied: "Your Majesty did the right thing."

Li Shimin said sadly: "It's a pity that Keming passed away too early. I still remember how Keming recommended you to me..."

Du Zhenglun stood in the Ganlu Palace and listened to His Majesty talking about the past events between him and his uncle Du Ruhui.

After saying this, Li Shimin sighed again and said, "I remember that you were just a young boy at that time, but now you have become a little bit like Ke Ming back then."

"I dare not compare myself with my uncle."

"Have you met Du He?"

Du Zhenglun said: "I have been there several times and have also seen Du He's family business."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "Your cousin is now a well-known businessman in Chang'an City."

Du Zhenglun replied: "He values ​​credibility when doing business, so merchants and many people in Guanzhong are willing to show him favor. It is also because of the favor of Du Ling's family that Du He's goods are always favored by the powerful people in Guanzhong."

Speaking of Du He, Du Zhenglun felt a little disappointed again, and said: "Everyone has his own strengths. Although Du He rarely interacts with the Crown Prince, he often says that the Crown Prince of the East Palace is someone he wants to look up to."

"Du He is your cousin, Cheng Qian is my son, let them handle their own affairs."

"I know my limits."

Li Shimin handed him a token and ordered: "Go to the Zuowei Army and lead a 300-man army under Yuchi Gong to investigate Luoyang. During this time, do not reveal your identity easily. Just observe from the sidelines, record everything, and report to me."

Du Zhenglun bowed and said, "I obey your command."

Li Shimin said with a stern face: "Just report to me."

"Here."

Du Zhenglun responded loudly, "I'll take my leave."

As soon as the other person left, Li Chengqian arrived.

The two met in front of the hall. Du Zhenglun bowed and then left quickly.

Li Chengqian was about to greet him in the hall when the other party left in a hurry.

He was stunned at first, but had no choice but to walk into the Ganlu Palace.

"The East Palace made some braised beef and sent it to Father."

Hearing his son's lazy words, Li Shimin looked at the roster and nodded.

Putting down the lunch box, Li Chengqian said with his hands in his pockets: "Just now, Minister Du..."

"Take a look." Li Shimin interrupted and asked the eunuch to hand the list to the prince. "This is the list of Lingyan Pavilion meritorious officials. What do you think?"

Li Chengqian opened the list and saw the names of the Dukes of various countries listed. He read to the end and said hesitantly, "It turns out that my son's name is not on it."

Li Shimin drank his tea and said, "There is no name of mine either."

"If I ascend the throne in the future, can I add my name to the list?"

Li Shimin chuckled and said, "If you are a wise ruler, you can do it."

The construction of Lingyan Pavilion began last year, and the names of twenty-four dukes are clearly visible on it.

Some are still alive, and some are no longer alive.

Among them were my uncle and my uncle, as well as General Cheng Yaojin who was given the title of Duke of Lu, my uncle was changed to Duke of Qiao Xiang and was given the title of Governor of Jingzhou, and Changsun Shunde, who has lived in Gaoling County for a long time and is still seriously ill. He is the queen's uncle.

Li Shimin said: "These are only tentative. I am still considering it and want to see their future behavior before making a decision."

Li Chengqian put the list aside, put his hands in his pockets and remained silent for a long time.

"Why? You're complaining because your name isn't on it?"

"Father, I have not complained yet."

Li Shimin opened the food box and saw the sliced ​​braised beef. He nodded in a good mood and said, "Drink with me."

"I don't drink alcohol."

"You..." Li Shimin had already put down the wine bowl and whispered, "What kind of man is it if he doesn't drink?"

"My son cannot drink alcohol while on duty."

Li Shimin had already picked up the chopsticks, looking as if it was up to you to drink or not, and pointed to the seat across the table, indicating for you to sit down.

"Pour a cup of hot tea."

When His Highness entered the palace, the eunuch had already prepared tea.
The father and son sat opposite each other. Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and looked at the steaming tea in front of him, watching his father enjoying himself while drinking wine and eating braised beef.

Li Shimin pointed to his back and a eunuch came forward and asked him to scratch it, saying, "I fought in many places in the past, and I still have many old illnesses."

"Father, please take care of your health."

"Yeah." Li Shimin nodded while eating the braised beef, took a sip of wine, and said, "Duke Zheng admires you very much."

Duke Zheng was a man who would not waste his time on himself. He hated evil and was clear about right and wrong.

He knew clearly what he was going to do and what he was going to face.

Li Shimin put down his chopsticks, signaled the eunuch not to scratch, and said: "There are many people like Zheng Gong in this court, Ma Zhou and Quan Wanji are among them."

"There is also the Minister of Justice Liu Dewei, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Gao Jifu, and Zhang Xingcheng. Also, Liu Li, who has always worshipped Duke Zheng, do you know why I put these people in key positions?"

"Father thinks that the court needs such people, and needs someone to fight against those who are harming the country."

Li Shimin nodded and said helplessly: "If it weren't for these people, the Luoyang case would not be investigated further. Just like what you said today, it is better to be in pain and awake than to live numbly."

Li Chengqian said with a smile: "I am sorry that you have said so much in a short time. Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Li Shimin whispered, "You are the crown prince. Your words and deeds represent the position of a crown prince. You have chosen a very difficult path. You chose it yourself."

"It's just a choice, it's nothing."

Li Shimin smiled knowingly.

Seeing his father enjoying his meal, Li Chengqian finished the tea in his tea bowl and said, "I'm going to the Lizheng Palace to visit my mother and little Sizi."

"I am with you."

The emperor put down his chopsticks and walked out of the Ganlu Hall with the prince.

The eunuch was tidying up the palace, looking at the emperor and his son walking in the snow outside. Suddenly, he saw His Majesty put a hand on the prince's shoulder and seemed to be whispering something, just like an unreliable father and a helpless son in an ordinary family.

The eunuchs had smiles on their faces. After being blown back to their senses by the cold winter wind, they swiftly put away the dishes and chopsticks.

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and occasionally reached out to support his father who was a little drunk.

After the father and son walked to the Lizheng Hall, the queen mother helped the drunken father lie down.

"Father had braised beef with soy sauce today, so he drank a few more cups. The Luzhou wine in Shuzhong is still very intoxicating, and the cold wind makes it even more intoxicating."

Little Sizi was looking at star maps with a very focused expression.

The drunken father suddenly snorted, "If you don't want to drink, just say so. The court is on holiday, what are you doing?"

Li Chengqian frowned and looked at the snow scene outside without saying a word.

"Cheng Qian, have you seen the list of Lingyan Pavilion?"

"I have seen it."

Empress Changsun sat aside folding clothes and continued, "After your father prepared the list of Lingyan Pavilion, he proudly said that he would let Chengqian take a look at it."

"My son's name is not on the list."

"You are the crown prince, your name does not need to be written on it."

"It's fine with me, but Li Zhi will probably be unhappy."

Empress Changsun smoothed the folded clothes on her knees and whispered, "Although Li Zhi is a little naughty, she is still sensible."

Little Sizi came with a star map and said, "Royal brother, Mingda can't understand it."

It is no wonder that the teachings of Taoist Master Li Chunfeng and Taoist Master Yuan are quite similar to the style of a master leading the disciple to the door and then leaving it all up to the disciple's comprehension.

Li Chengqian picked up his sister, who was only knee-high, and placed her on the table, looking at the star maps one by one.

Little Sizi sat cross-legged, pointing at the paper, and said in a childish voice with a hint of complaint, "There are only black spots on it."

If you only look at these black spots, not to mention Xiao Sizi, even others will look confused.

Li Chengqian simply sat down in the Lizheng Hall and patiently taught his sister.

There were direction marks for north, south, east and west on the star maps. Li Chengqian reorganized the star maps and found the hexagrams written on the direction coordinates in the maps, which reminded him of Taoist Li's skill in using the Eight Trigrams as coordinates.

Li Chengqian asked, "Sizi, where is the compass that Taoist Priest Li gave you?"

The maid in the palace took out a small compass from the bookshelf and handed it to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. She also wanted to see how His Royal Highness understood the star map.

Li Chengqian explained: "There are marks and hexagrams on the map, so we first find the star map of the Big Dipper, and then use the Big Dipper as a reference, using directions and the eight trigrams to piece together these star maps."

"puzzle!"

Li Chengqian pinched his sister's nose lovingly and said, "Mingda is really smart."

Empress Changsun looked at the brother and sister in front of her with a smile on her face.

Li Chengqian pieced together the star maps according to the hexagrams and directions on the compass. The table was not big enough, so the brother and sister sat on the floor. Half an hour later, more than thirty star maps covered the ground.

Li Shimin woke up, looking confused and a little dazed.

Little Sizi said happily: "It's done."

In fact, Taoist Li could have handed the entire star map to Xiao Sizi. Perhaps his understanding of the starry sky had already reached the point where he no longer needed a star map, and he knew the location of every star in the sky.

This ability is somewhat incredible, but for Taoist Li who has spent half his life studying this knowledge, it seems natural.

Finally, some sunlight came in from outside the hall. A ray of sunlight passed through the window and shone on the faces of the brother and sister.

Li Chengqian patiently taught his sister to draw a complete star map on a piece of paper.

In Chang'an City, all the departments of the court had their day off, and Jingzhao Prefecture also had its holiday, but Xu Jingzong was still very busy. He was watching the merchants from the two Jiangnan regions bargaining endlessly with Master Du He.

Upon learning that Jingzhao Prefecture was on holiday, Li Zhi and Li Shen left the palace to visit Di Renjie. They were escorted along the way by Xue Wanbei, as ordered by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Three children were walking on the streets of Chang'an and came to an alley where there were many people gathered.

Di Renjie explained: "Those are officials from Jingzhao Prefecture giving lectures. They have to come out to give lectures in this icy and snowy weather all year long."

Li Zhi asked curiously, "Don't they have a day off?"

"My father is taking a rest. He is still sleeping."

Di Renjie said helplessly.

In the more than one year since he came to Chang'an, Di Renjie has gained weight, and his already round face has become even fatter.

The lecturer was a young man of about sixteen or seventeen years old. He wore a jade head and held a branch in his hand. He pointed at a piece of paper hanging on the wall with words written on it.

He said aloud: "It is better to stay awake in pain than to live in numbness and confusion."

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned to the two lines of words on the yellow cardboard.

He continued: "Everyone in the court and the public knows that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a man who always keeps his word. What His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said at the beginning has been put into practice in the past two years."

"Great!" someone clapped.

Di Renjie whispered, "Did the prince really say this in the Taiji Hall?"

Li Zhi said with pride: "Of course."

Di Renjie asked again: "Why did His Royal Highness say this?"

"This..." Li Zhi looked at Li Shen for help and asked stupidly, "Why did my brother say that?"

Li Shen scratched his head in pain and asked, "Why?"

The brothers Prince Jin and Prince Ji thought for a long time. Xue Wanbei watched in silence. The Crown Prince's brother was really...

The three children's attention was soon attracted by the smell of the cakes, and they stopped worrying about the problem. They asked Xue Wanbei to buy three Hu cakes and ate them while sitting on the street corner.

The young man who was giving the lecture said, "Today, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also said that Guanzhong is still not rich. In the next ten years or so, the court will continue to practice the strategy of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, and no extravagance or waste will be allowed."

He put down the stick in his hand, bowed towards the Taiji Hall and said, "Your Majesty has been advocating frugality since he ascended the throne, and the Crown Prince has been practicing it ever since. Isn't this a good story?"

This is certainly a wonderful story, the prince is practicing the frugality of His Majesty.

Li Zhi was not in the Taiji Hall, and he didn't know what happened in the Taiji Hall today, but he and Li Shen were proud of their brother from the bottom of their hearts.

Because my royal brother has his own grapes in Guanzhong, and because of my royal brother, life in the palace is better.

These are all things that can be seen before our eyes. The two brothers don’t understand much, but they know who is doing good for them and who is doing good for the family.

Therefore, although Li Zhi and Li Shen were sometimes scolded and beaten by their sister and brother, they still admired them in their hearts.

"Grandpa always said that the three generations of the Li family should all be in good health."

Di Renjie slowly turned his head to look at Li Zhi who was speaking and asked, "Is your highness the Prince of Jin in good health?"

Li Zhi lifted up his wide sleeves and wanted to take off his coat to let him see the muscles in his arms.

Li Shen supported his chin with both hands and said, "My brother's muscles are smaller than duck eggs, so don't show them."

(End of this chapter)