The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 280 History is difficult to write
Since the wedding of the King of Wei and the King of Wu, memorials of persuasion and remonstrance from all over the country have been continuously sent to Chang'an City.

Today's morning court was particularly quiet because some of the memorials of advice sent in from various places compared the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace to the tyrannical Qin Dynasty, Qin II, and even Yang Guang in the past could not be compared to him.

This Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace had just shown his prowess since coming to power, but he was arrested and thrown into prison when his family, which had been a noble family for generations in Luoyang, came up with a plan. What will happen in the future?
Now think about it, the county magistrates of Guanzhong counties were only dismissed, and the prince at that time was really too gentle.

Yan Shigu held up a memorial and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the Second Emperor of Qin was no better than this. The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace collected taxes and imposed fines dozens of times higher. Such harshness and cruelty are hard to record in history books!"

The court was still very quiet. No one stood up to denounce the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. Instead, only Yan Shigu was reading the memorial of advice alone.

After Yan Shigu finished reading a memorial of advice, he looked at the prince cautiously. The prince smiled and said nothing.

Li Chengqian said, "Mr. Yan, please continue reading, otherwise outsiders will think that the Crown Prince of the East Palace cannot tolerate criticism or advice."

Yan Shigu trembled as he picked up another copy and said aloud, "The nobles have served the country for generations. Since ancient times, generals and ministers have all been awarded by the emperor. The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, along with Jingzhao Prefecture and Chongwenguan, arrested the nobles and put them in jail in the name of checking taxes. This is really disrespectful to the emperor..."

As he was reciting, he could not pronounce the next sentence. He stroked his head with one hand and said to everyone and the emperor: "Your Majesty, I... I feel dizzy! I am not feeling well today. It's really..."

After saying this, Yan Shigu suddenly fell to the ground in the hall and could not get up.

Li Shimin said: "Someone take Mr. Yan to rest, and the Imperial Medical Bureau will arrange for someone to treat him."

Inside the main hall, there were a large number of memorials of advice and remonstration sent from various places in Shandong and Hebei.

Li Chengqian picked up the memorial that Yan Shigu had not yet finished reading and said loudly: "The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace really has no respect for his emperor and father. He should be deposed and a new crown prince appointed!"

The court was silent, no one stood up to speak. Speaking of aristocratic families, they should be said to be the elite group of the time.

Which idiot wrote this who always mentions the deposed prince?

Probably, everyone in the court thought so, with different expressions. The cultural levels of the children of aristocratic families... were so varied!
As for climbing and biting...there's nothing like this.

Most people think so.

Duke Zheng quickly stood up from the court and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, investigating taxes is a legal matter. What is wrong with the prince's words and deeds?"

Zhang Sun Wuji stood out of the court and said, "Your Majesty, since the army's westward expedition, the court's food and fodder have all been dispatched by the Crown Prince, and the soldiers are all grateful to the Crown Prince for distributing food and wages."

Fang Xuanling stood out from the court and said in a loud voice: "When the crown prince got married, villagers from all the counties in Guanzhong came to congratulate him, which shows how much the people care about him."

Li Xiaogong said: "These people who are talking about deposing the crown prince should be arrested."

Zhang Sun Wuji added: "Prince of Hejian, no one has ever been convicted for giving advice."

"Is... is that so?" Li Xiaogong smiled awkwardly and stood back in the court.

Li Tai said: "Father, they have clearly committed a crime, and the guilty should be punished. How dare you say that the crown prince should be deposed? It is really absurd. How can a country be established without strict laws? If they are let off lightly, where will the taxes come from in the future!"

This morning court session ended with these words. Whether judging from the sentiments of the people in various counties or the advice of officials in the court, the position of the crown prince was still stable.

After the court session ended, the officials left the Taiji Hall. Li Chengqian looked at the pile of persuasion memorials that was half a person high on the ground and said to the guards outside the hall: "Send all these memorials to the East Palace."

Li Tai asked in confusion: "Why?"

"I really like these memorials. I feel uncomfortable if I don't read them for a day. I really like them so much."

Li Tai was speechless.

Several guards sorted out the memorials of persuasion on the ground and followed His Highness.

As they walked along, Li Tai asked, "After getting married, Brother Wu went to Luoyang with his princess consort. It seems that he wants to stay in Luoyang for a long time. Did Brother Huang have such an arrangement in advance?"

Li Chengqian said: "It was just a coincidence that he encountered these things. It was not intentional. He went to Luoyang just to visit various counties to understand the people's sentiments and support education."

Li Tai wondered if it was a coincidence that Zhang Xuansu had advised his father to clarify taxes and was then sent to Luoyang.

It was because Zhang Xuansu said that taxes needed to be sorted out that he was sent to Luoyang early, which led to the current situation.

If this is the case, Li Tai thought about how many years his royal brother had been preparing for these things and how many people he had prepared.

No matter how you look at it, this matter seemed to have been planned in advance, and it must have been prepared since two years ago when the emperor's brother was appointed as the governor of Shaanxi East Road.

I have been planning for this for several years, but I have only started now.

Could it be that when my royal brother is in charge of the allocation of money and grain in the court, he will just stand idly by and watch the difficulties in collecting taxes?

As the crown prince, how deep are the emperor's thoughts?

Li Chengqian said: "Qingque, let me tell you a story. I saw this in a history book."

"Brother, please speak."

"During the Jin Dynasty, a prince asked how to govern the country. Someone answered that the prince should collect taxes, but he only needed to give the people enough food to survive and seeds for the next year's farming, and the rest could be confiscated."

Li Tai asked, "Did that prince die peacefully?"

"A terrible death."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "History books are very good. I can learn a lot from them. Therefore, the nobles think they are human beings. They think everything they have after annexing the land belongs to them, and they don't regard the common people as human beings. What a cruel story."

"A cruel and harsh tax can be imposed on the common people, or on the nobles. They are hurt and afraid."

Li Tai whispered, "Qingque is worried that someone will rebel."

Li Chengqian smiled happily and said, "Haha, that's great. I'm waiting for the day of rebellion."

Returning to the East Palace, noticing the worried looks of Ning'er and Su Wan, Li Chengqian said, "It's okay, I'm fine."

He had a pile of memorials of persuasion placed in front of the gate of the East Palace, and Li Chengqian sat down and looked through them one by one.

Su Wan took one and glanced at it, then frowned. The fingers holding the memorial turned pale and trembled from the excessive force. She gritted her teeth and said, "Depose the Crown Prince? How dare they!"

It may be because of the Jin Dynasty or the previous Sui Dynasty and other dynasties that they felt that changing the crown prince was a very common thing.

The last one, how many years ago?

Ha ha……

Li Chengqian patted his wife on the back and soothed her, "Don't be angry. Although your father doesn't read this criticism, I still like it."

Li Lizhi came over quickly, "Royal brother, Ying Gong wants to see you."

Li Chengqian put down the memorial, put his hands in his pockets and said, "Let Ying Gong come in."

"Here."

Yinggong Wu Shigui came with his daughter Xiaowu. He walked up to him and said, "Your Highness, I am Wu Shigui, and I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian stepped forward to support him and said, "Mr. Ying, there is no need to be so polite."

"I am guilty." Wu Shigui was still making a bowing gesture.

Li Yuan also walked over quickly, first pulled Wu Shigui to sit down, and said: "You are a meritorious official who followed me when I started my army in Jinyang. What crime have you committed?"

Wu Shigui said: "My sons are running the family business in Luoyang, but they are also avoiding paying taxes. I have long known that these two rebellious sons will ruin the family business, but I didn't expect that they would not pay taxes. I have failed to educate my children..."

Li Yuan sighed and said, "What does your son's crime have to do with you?"

After saying this, Wu Shigui took out several files and contracts and said, "This is my family property and this is my land deed. I wonder if it can cover the taxes for those two boys."

As he spoke, Wu Shigui started coughing violently again. After a while, he calmed down his breathing and said, "Your Highness, please do not spare these two boys and punish them according to the law."

Fourteen-year-old Xiao Wu stood behind his father and looked at the prince in front of him with curiosity and admiration in his eyes.

This is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace who is now rumored to be feared by the noble families.

It turns out that the people who hold power and build the country are so powerful. Li Chengqian looked at the land deed, understood the Wu family's property, and nodded, "Enough."

"Then please, Your Highness, punish those two boys. They are ruining my family business and I'm afraid they will..."

Li Chengqian said, "I also have younger brothers who are ignorant. An elder brother is like a father and can understand Mr. Ying's feelings. Wu Yuanshuang and Wu Yuanqing will be exiled to hard labor for five years. Is this okay?"

Wu Shigui said again: "My title of lord..."

"Not to be inherited."

Wu Shigui bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for the forgiveness of my crime."

The Grain Rain season has just passed, and it is the most comfortable time in Guanzhong.

While my father was discussing with the prince, Xiao Wu noticed someone calling him.

When she glanced sideways, she realized it was Xu Hui. She took small steps forward and said, "Xiao Hui."

Thirteen-year-old Xu Hui whispered, "I heard something happened at Sister Xiaowu's house?"

Xiao Wu said, "It's because of my two brothers. They have been bullying Xiao Wu and mother since they were young. Now they deserve it. Your Highness the Crown Prince has punished them well."

Xu Hui took her hand and walked aside, whispering, "You just looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for a long time."

Xiao Wu sat down on a stone beside the wall of Chongwen Hall, holding up her skirt, supporting her chin with both hands, as if she was thinking.

Xiao Hui whispered, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is very scary."

"Ah."

"Until now, my sister doesn't dare to look up at the prince. I heard that both the court officials and the children of the rich and powerful are afraid of the prince."

Xiao Wudao said: "The prince only has a pair of eyes and a mouth. He doesn't look scary, but he doesn't look friendly. However, His Royal Highness is a very powerful person."

Girls also have secrets between each other. Xiaohui just noticed the way Xiaowu looked at the prince. If Xiaowu really had that kind of thought, it would be very dangerous.

Xiaohui only thought it was a guess. Besides, the prince now had a crown princess and a concubine, and the childhood rumors were all in the past.

Xiao Wu asked in a low voice: "Sister Xiao Hui has known His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for a long time."

Xiao Hui replied: "A long time ago, the prince asked me how old I was at that time."

In front of the East Palace gate, Grandpa took Ying Gong to rest.

Li Chengqian sat in front of the East Palace gate, reading one memorial after another.

Li Zhi and Li Shen, who had just returned from playing outside, saw a table full of memorials.

Before the two younger brothers could say anything, Dongyang grabbed them by the ears and walked away.

"Sister Dongyang, it hurts, it hurts!" Li Shen shouted with his head tilted as he was carried all the way.

"Don't bother my brother." Dongyang said to his two younger brothers. "Those are all memorials advising our father to depose and enthronize the crown prince. How dare you read them?"

"Ah!" Li Zhi opened his mouth in shock. He pointed at his brother and said, "Isn't my brother very happy to see this?"

Dongyang smiled coldly and said, "How many things can make my brother happy?"

Li Zhi said: "Then my brother won't watch it anymore."

Just after passing the test of Sister Dongyang, Li Zhi and Li Shen were preparing to have dinner when they met the imperial sister.

Li Li asked, "How was your time out today?"

Li Shen spoke first: "Sister, my brother didn't get into trouble today, nor did he beat anyone up. He even made friends with a man named Pei Yan."

Li Lizhi held a scroll in her hand and nodded, "Wash your hands and eat."

The two brothers responded in unison: "Yes."

Outside the East Palace, Li Chengqian was flipping through the memorials, one volume after another, from which he could roughly tell which forces these memorials came from.

There were Wang, Xie, Yuan and Xiao who established themselves after crossing the river; Wang, Cui, Lu and Li in Shandong; and Dou Yuan and Yuwen in the north.

As for the several big families and surnames in Guanzhong, they are quite honest. They just do what they should do and don't dare to cause trouble.

There are still many enemies in this world, and each of them is a powerful family entrenched in the local area.

A palace maid came quickly and saluted, saying, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, His Highness the Prince of Wu has arrived in Luoyang and has brought a letter to Concubine Yang and a letter to Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian took the letter and opened it to read. After Li Ke arrived in Luoyang, he and Quan Wanji began to manage the local people's livelihood. While supporting production labor, they also continued to inquire about teaching matters.

The maid delivered the letter and left.

Li Chengqian raised his eyes to look at his grandfather again and saw that Ying Gong was already saying goodbye.

Xiao Hui was saying goodbye when she saw Princess Changle coming over. She bowed and said, "Teacher."

Li Lizhi said, "Hui Er, you have done a good job in your studies recently."

"Thank you, teacher."

Noticing Xiaohui's worried look, Li Lizhi added, "Don't worry, father will not abolish my brother's position as crown prince, because the country cannot do without my brother, and Guanzhong has finally become prosperous for several years."

"Hui Er understands."

Li Lizhi said with a proud smile, "My royal brother has never been a person who would back down, and neither is my father."

When the counties of Shandong and Hebei began to become enemies of the Crown Prince, Li Lizhi became more and more proud, because she knew that the reason those people advised her father in this way was because they were afraid of her brother, and now her brother was no longer the same as he was in the past.

How could a Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace with such a strong foundation be deposed with just a few words?

Several years ago, the younger brothers and sisters had listened to the teachings of their elder brother, the Emperor, and as heirs of the royal family, whether they were princes or princesses.

We must first strengthen ourselves before we can strengthen this family.

Now the royal brother is so powerful that the noble families and ministers from all over the country are afraid of him. They are afraid that the royal brother will ascend the throne and become emperor.

So now, those memorials that come to advise the emperor will be the targets that my elder brother will purge in the future.

Li Lizhi looked back and saw her brother leaving with a eunuch. Most likely, he was summoned by her father again.

In Ganlu Palace, Li Chengqian walked in with a food box and saw his father, teacher and uncle were also there.

Li Shimin said, "It's just right. I'm hungry too. Xuanling and I will have dinner together."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian put down the lunch box and took out the dishes.

Li Shimin said: "Ma Zhou sent a memorial, in which he distributed all the confiscated land to the county residents who had no land, and provided housing for those who moved to Luoyang."

Fang Xuanling said: "The situation in Luoyang has spread to most of Henan. They will not allow themselves to be slaughtered by the court."

Chang Sun Wuji asked worriedly, "What should we do next?"

Li Chengqian said: "It's not that difficult to punish according to the crime, right, teacher?"

Fang Xuanling sighed, "I am old."

Li Shimin laughed and said, "Xuanling is joking again."

(End of this chapter)