The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 193 What a person
Li Zhi put down his sleeves and said, "You will be stronger in the future."

Li Shen explained to Di Renjie: "My brother said that you need to be strong to avoid getting sick. In the past, my brother was weak and sickly, but now it has been three years and he has never been sick again."

Di Renjie chewed the biscuit and asked, "Really?"

Li Zhi and Li Shen both looked at Di Renjie's fat face.

"Prince Jin, why is Prince Ji looking at me like that?" Di Renjie asked a little uncomfortably.

"Renjie, you should lose weight." Li Zhi said with a worried look.

"I wasn't fat originally...I got fatter after coming to Chang'an." Di Renjie added.

Li Shen said: "Renjie, is there anything fun recently?"

Di Renjie replied: "Yes, I followed my father around the counties and encountered many things."

Xue Wanbei and a team of people stood in the back, keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings and guarding this street corner.

Just as Di Renjie said, Jingzhao Prefecture is still very busy. When Di Zhixun woke up, it was already noon and the weather was still very cold.

He was wearing a thing, looked around, and said, "Where's my son?"

The clerk beside him replied, "He went out to play with Prince Jin and Prince Ji."

Di Zhixun nodded with relief and hurried into Jingzhao Prefecture. In front of him, Master Du He and the merchants from Jiangnan were still bargaining and inspecting each other's goods.

Xu Jingzong listened to the argument in front of him, which seemed to be a situation where a penny could only stump a hero, and the two sides bargained endlessly.

Watching Master Du He talking about the price increase of soap, and then seeing that the merchants from both Jiangnan regions were still unwilling to accept this price.

Xu Jingzong took a sip of tea and his head felt as big as a bucket.

He reached out and picked up the kettle beside him, and found that it was empty, so he asked Li Daozon beside him: "Prefect, how much tea did this humble official drink?"

Li Dao Zong picked up a pen and wrote on a piece of paper. There were four words on the paper. He said, "Xu Shaoyin, what do you think of my handwriting?"

Xu Jingzong took a deep breath at the first sight. The four words clearly meant that diligence is the root of success. He followed the words and praised: "What a great ambition the prefect has."

Li Dao Zong cleared his throat and said seriously, "This is what I learned from the Crown Prince of the East Palace."

Xu Jingzong's expression became more admiring, and he asked, "Really?"

"Ah."

The sensible clerk handed over another pot of boiling water and refilled the tea for the prefect and Xu Shaoyin.

The present Jingzhao Prefecture is no longer what it used to be. Not to mention that the Jingzhao Prefecture was understaffed, even the city of Chang'an was mostly controlled by soldiers.

The current Jingzhao Prefecture has developed various counties and is deeply loved by the people.

We adhere to the principle of taking root in the hearts of the most ordinary villagers in each county.

This foundation is the greatest confidence of Jingzhao Prefecture in Chang'an and the imperial court.

Di Zhixun was sleepy and stroking his hungry stomach, he started looking for something to eat in the backyard of Jingzhao Mansion. He murmured, "Renjie is not around, I don't know what to eat."

Yan Qinli was also sitting in the backyard. He whispered, "There's also a bowl of cold noodles."

Di Zhixun took the bowl and chopsticks and said, "Thank you."

While eating cold noodles, Di Zhixun asked, "What book is Yan Shuling reading?"

Yan Qinli's eyes fell on the page and he replied, "Red Mansion."

As the two were talking, a clerk came hurriedly and said, "Mr. Yan, Judge Di, the Prince of Gaochang is here to see you."

Yan Qinli put down the book in his hand and whispered, "Let him in."

Di Zhixun stared outside the Chongwenguan gate, put the cold noodles in the bowl into his mouth in three or two bites, then chewed them in his mouth and put the bowl and chopsticks back in their place.

The last time Gaochang Prince Qu Zhisheng came to Chang'an was two years ago. This time he came to Chang'an as always in a very free and easy manner.

Yan Qinli smiled and said, "I wonder what the Gaochang prince is here for?"

Qu Zhisheng was still wearing the unique clothing of the Gaochang people. He held a string of beads in his hand and said, "I heard that the people in Jingzhao Prefecture are all talented and outstanding people with great reputation in Chang'an City, so I came here to meet you."

Hearing this, Di Zhixun hurriedly explained: "Prince Gaochang, I'm afraid you have misunderstood."

"Misunderstand?"

Di Zhixun explained sincerely, "The talented people that Prince Gaochang mentioned should be Xu Shaoyin of Jingzhao Prefecture, Guo Siqing of Sinong Temple, and Shangguan Zhushi of Hongwenguan. These three are well-known in Chang'an, not like us."

Kou Zhisheng's smile froze on his face.

I was originally thinking of getting close to them, but after saying this, the atmosphere became a little awkward.

Qu Zhisheng forced a smile and said, "Really? It seems that I didn't ask clearly."

Di Zhixun waved his hand, with a serious face, and whispered: "It's okay, I never fight with others, that's why I don't have a good reputation."

Qu Zhisheng pondered and said hesitantly: "I came to Chang'an after a year, and I didn't expect that the atmosphere in Chang'an has become like this."

Yan Qinli asked back: "What happened?"

Qu Zhisheng said, "I am ashamed to say that I brought a lot of gifts to congratulate Tian Khan this year. I also heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in charge of the strategy of increasing income and advocating trade. I wanted to pay a visit to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but the court was on holiday and I couldn't find any officials from the Honglu Temple."

Di Zhixun added: "I'm afraid the Prince of Gaochang has found the wrong person."

"Ok?"

"In fact, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince rarely comes to Jingzhao Prefecture. I have only met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince once and have never seen him again. As for introductions... we really can't help."

Qu Zhisheng felt a little embarrassed. The judge Di Tong in front of him was really honest and he shut him up with just a few words.

Not knowing how to respond, Qu Zhisheng looked around and clapped his hands. Three or two Hu girls came in from outside, carrying boxes. When they opened the boxes, they were filled with golden coins and silver ingots.

"I heard from Gaochang that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince hopes that the gold and silver will be in regular shapes in the future. After hearing this, Gaochang did as he was told. I would like to ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to see if these gold and silver meet the requirements."

Dickson looked at the boxes of gold and silver and swallowed hard.

Yan Qinli felt that the gold and silver were a bit dazzling.

Qu Zhisheng added: "There is absolutely no other meaning."

Yan Qinli looked perplexed and said, "I will report the truth to the Crown Prince. Please take it back."

Qu Zhisheng sighed and said, "Can these gold and silver be temporarily stored in Jingzhao Prefecture..."

"Bring back!"

Hearing the other party's harsh words, Qu Zhisheng felt disappointed, so he asked Hu Ji beside him to lift the box again, bowed slightly, and walked out quickly through the back door.

After the guests left, the backyard became quiet again.

Di Zhixun stood there, frowning and said, "This Gaochang prince brought so much gold and silver to Chang'an. It's a long journey, but he didn't encounter any bandits on the way. It's incredible." Yan Qinli said, "The Gaochang prince wants to use gold and silver to wear down our will. Judge Di Tong must not be swayed by these things."

Di Zhixun nodded and asked, "Do I need to inform the prince about this?"

"No need. Why should we act according to his expression?"

"What Yan Shuling said is absolutely right."

Today's Chang'an City is as lively as usual, and a horse-drawn carriage is slowly leaving the city gate.

Cheng Yaojin was on duty at the west gate of Chang'an City, also known as Yanping Gate.

He was still a general in the army and had no idea that he was on the list of meritorious officials in the Lingyan Pavilion. Everyone in the court was waiting for this news, but His Majesty had never revealed anything.

The only thing we know is that people like Li Weigong, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui will definitely be able to enter the Lingyan Pavilion.

Cheng Yaojin was lazily talking about these speculations with the soldiers around him when he saw a horse-drawn carriage approaching. Those who could drive a carriage in Chang'an were all nobles with silver fish bags on their waists.

First, they stopped talking. Cheng Yaojin stood in front of the city gate, motioned for the carriage to stop, and asked, "Who is in the carriage?"

Before the driver could reply, Han Yuan stepped out of the carriage and bowed, saying, "General."

Cheng Yaojin understood. It was Han Yuan, the emperor's relative. That was not surprising. He asked, "Where is Minister Han going?"

Han Yuan handed over the document and said, "In compliance with the order of His Majesty, I am returning to my hometown in Liangzhou to recuperate. As the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, I will support the construction of the Hexi Corridor and work with Vice Minister Duan."

After checking the documents, Cheng Yaojin handed them back and nodded, saying, "Minister Han, take care."

"Thank you." Han Yuan bowed slightly, walked back to the carriage, and ordered the coachman to leave the city.

The carriage drove out of the city gate and into the bustle in front of the city gate. After driving for some distance, the wheels of the carriage left ruts on the official road.

After walking two miles, the carriage suddenly stopped. Han Yuan, who had closed his eyes to rest, asked irritably, "What's wrong?"

The driver replied, "Master, someone is stopping us."

Han Yuan lifted the curtain of the car and saw several young people standing in front of the official road.

The other party said loudly: "Your Majesty, please appoint Ma Zhou as the governor of Luoyang. Despite this, we still thank Minister Han for his righteous words."

Han Yuan said loudly: "You all should go back. From now on, I, Han, will have nothing to do with you. Our friendship is over now. Don't come looking for me again."

The young men looked at each other, then got on their horses and rode away tactfully.

The carriage started moving again. Han Yuan sat in the carriage and whispered to himself, "Your Majesty, do you really not know about my past relationship with these people? Or is Your Majesty worried that I will be gossiped about in the court, so you let me leave Chang'an. I feel guilty."

Han Yuan muttered to herself with regret in her heart.

Several snowmen outside the East Palace gate are still standing. From tall to short, they seem to be the brothers and sisters of the East Palace.

Li Chengqian listened to his uncle's story and asked curiously, "So this Han Yuan is really connected to the children of the noble family?"

Li Xiaogong said: "Your Majesty is a man of great character, would you care about these things? You have ways to win the hearts of the people and teach your subjects a lesson."

"I haven't seen the emperor's uncle these days, but is he counting money at home?"

"The prince's story book is not selling well. Will the ending of Red Mansions be written?"

"Father asked General Zhang Shigui to go to Tuyuhun because he knew that this Tuyuhun turmoil was just a small matter. If there is another turmoil in the future, General Zhang's ability will be more able to deter the Tuyuhun people. General Niu Jinda is still a little bit behind after all?"

Seeing that the Crown Prince suddenly changed the subject, Li Xiaogong said worriedly, "It seems that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is unwilling to write."

Li Chengqian whispered, "If I say I forgot, would you believe me, uncle?"

Li Xiaogong shook his head, "I don't believe it."

Li Chengqian ate his dates and continued, "In fact, even if Han Yuan resigned, it wouldn't matter. After all, resigning is not a shameful thing in this era. For example, when Cui Renshi resigned, he gained more support from the nobles. What's the reason for this?"

Speaking of this, Li Chengqian asked again: "I heard from my uncle that when we were marching and fighting, did General Li Shentong always lose the battles?"

Li Xiaogong said, "Who said that? My uncle has always been brave, but he always keeps Mencius' words in his mouth."

"Hmm?" Li Chengqian hesitated and said, "It is rare for generals in the army to read Mencius."

Li Xiaogong nodded while drinking hot tea.

"Uncle." Li Chengqian stepped forward and asked, "What did Mencius say?"

Li Xiaogong replied: "A hero is not judged by his success or failure."

Li Chengqian's expression showed a little more respect, and he bowed in the direction of the ancestral temple.

"Back then, Lord Li Wei also admired my uncle very much. However, Lord Li Wei was not like Your Majesty in fighting. He always defeated the enemy with a small force, often with a few thousand men against tens of thousands. Most of the time, Lord Li Wei was at the back. In my spare time, I have read Lord Li Wei's military books."

"Li Weigong is actually a very boring person, just like when he fights a war. He either follows the rules or wins by using surprise attacks. Most of the time, he wins by playing it safe. However, Li Weigong has one very powerful skill."

Li Chengqian asked in confusion: "What skill?"

"I also heard about this from Cheng Fan. When they were attacking Tuyuhun, they debated whether to pursue Fu Yun. At that time, the troops and food were insufficient, and most of the generals thought that they should play it safe and win, and the most important thing was to regain the lost territory."

"At that time, I don't know who said that we should pursue and not let Fu Yun have a chance to catch his breath. It was just a general who said this, and Li Weigong adopted it, and won a great victory."

Li Chengqian understood and said, "Sometimes the majority opinion is not necessarily correct. The opinions of the minority should also be listened to and carefully considered."

Li Xiaogong said again: "Your Majesty, fighting is fun, with big moves and many victories with wisdom and strategy, but it is very boring to be under the command of Lord Li Wei. Your Highness, why not learn the art of war from me?"

Li Chengqian stopped talking again, staring in the direction of Luoyang in a daze and silence.

Now King Wu Li Ke is still in Luoyang, and the Crown Prince is worried about the situation. Seeing this, Li Xiaogong also calmed down.

The cold wind from the northwest continued to blow into Guanzhong, bringing with it wind and snow, covering the 800-mile Qinchuan area with a blanket of white snow.

Luoyang, east of Guanzhong, was covered in ice and snow like it is today. Li Ke stood on the city wall of Luoyang and saw groups of militiamen still carrying stones.

After a long time, Li Ke walked back to the city wall.

Inside the city tower, Ma Zhou and Quan Wanji were there.

Li Ke saw that the two gentlemen looked troubled, so he said, "I have sent the letter to Chang'an, and I believe there will be news soon."

Quan Wanji whispered, "We are ordered to come to Luoyang to control the flood. Controlling the water is also controlling people. Your Highness, King Wu, must always be vigilant against the dirty hands and dirty water of those officials."

"Don't worry, sir."

Quan Wanji is the chief historian in the Prince of Wu's palace. His duty is to teach the Prince of Wu how to behave and to advise the princes on their conduct. He deserves to be called a sir.

Just like Wang Gui in the Prince of Wei’s mansion.

"Report!" A soldier came quickly and reported: "Your Highness, King Wu, three chief clerks have escaped and have been captured by General Chai."

Li Ke's expression flashed with ferocity and he said, "How dare you escape!"

(End of this chapter)