The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 320 The Returning Emperor

Li Yuanxiang's face turned red, and he suddenly had a violent cough that made him fall to the ground several times. He could not remember when it started, but he had been coughing like this in the dungeon of the Ministry of Justice.

Or is there poison in the food?
As Li Yuanxiang was dragged along the way, he suddenly remembered the sweet fragrance he could smell every night, which would happen every few months.

Looking at the escorting officer in front of him, Li Yuanxiang suddenly understood, and finally breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Are you also the one guarding the cell?"

"Haha, I was originally in charge of the prison, but now I don't have this job anymore. I personally asked to hand over the job to another brother just to escort you."

"Cough, cough, cough..." Li Yuanxiang started coughing violently again.

He was thrown beside a river and wanted to drink water, but he didn't have the strength to crawl to the shore.

"Cough cough cough!" Li Yuanxiang coughed violently. His body's instinctive reaction made him curl up, his eyes red.

As dusk fell, the coughing stopped and a young man was shaving meat with a knife in his hand.

He was wearing thin clothes, and his official uniform and hat were neatly folded on a clean stone by the river.

Then the young man, covered in blood, started slashing with a knife.

He waved the knife in his hand and read out the names one by one. He was the only one on the riverbank from beginning to end.

Prince Jiang Li Yuanxiang died. When the court received the news, they found bloodstains and the body on the riverbank.

Inside the palace, it was night, and Li Chengqian was looking at the reports from the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple. They had conducted a detailed investigation into the cause of Li Yuanxiang's death and his whereabouts in the cell.

Until late at night, when Yu Zhining and Chu Suiliang left, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was still looking at the files.

Seeing that His Highness was looking at the files intently, they did not dare to disturb him. After a slight bow, they left.

The light from the candlestick shone on Li Chengqian's face, and when the night wind blew in, the light of the candlestick flickered.

Li Chengqian put down the reports from the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple, stood up, blew out the candle, and then walked to the outside of the Secretariat, stood in the cold moonlight, and closed the heavy door.

As soon as they arrived at the East Palace, Xiaofu handed over a scroll of letters and said, "Your Highness, this was sent by Master Du He."

Li Chengqian took the letter, sat in the quiet hall, opened it and read its contents. It turned out that Li Zhi and Li Shen had been visiting him frequently these days.

Seeing that His Highness had finished reading the letter and had no further instructions, Xiaofu left on his own accord. His Highness looked very worried today.

Su Wan walked over quickly and said, "Your Highness, it's getting late."

Li Chengqian rubbed his brows, took his wife's hand, and remained silent.

Sitting beside His Highness, Su Wan felt the warmth of His Highness's palms. In fact, His Highness's palms were very rough. It was said that His Highness was often sick when he was young.

In order to improve my health, I still go jogging every morning and practice archery.

This is how these rough and spacious hands were developed.

His Highness didn't say anything, so she just stayed by his side quietly.

The prince, who had always been calm in the face of difficulties, now seemed even quieter than before, so quiet that one could hear every breath.

After sitting quietly for half an hour, Li Chengqian said, "Take a rest."

"Ah."

Su Wan never asked about the affairs of the court. Recently, she has been taking care of the children or managing the affairs of the palace with the queen. Moreover, the East Palace has a large business and a lot of money to manage, including many matters in the Hexi Corridor and arrangements for the Shu salt fields.

These things alone have consumed most of Su Wan's energy.

The next day, Li Chengqian went for a morning run around the East Palace. Today was a very important day. This year's imperial examination would be very lively, with more people participating than in previous years.

Every time His Highness went for a morning run, Ning'er would prepare the court robes. While combing the crown prince's hair, she said, "Recently, the queen often said that Princess Dongyang was too casual. She always put her shoes on her feet and even liked straw sandals."

"She has been following Divine Doctor Sun for a long time, and has become a little lax."

"Well, the Queen often mentioned that Princess Dongyang should be more dignified." Ning'er put her husband's long hair up and put on a hair crown, and then said, "But Princess Dongyang said that if she is too dignified, no one will dare to let her see a doctor."

Dongyang has always been a very sensible child, and she was a very obedient child when she was young.

Thinking back to six years ago when she wanted to become Dr. Sun’s disciple, it took her tremendous courage. It was after she took that step that her life changed and she is now more confident.

When the sun shines into the East Palace, it is time for the morning court session.

Ning'er stood at the gate of the East Palace, watching His Royal Highness the Crown Prince walk towards the Taiji Hall alone.

Today is the beginning of summer in the sixteenth year of Zhenguan. The weather today is very good. As June approaches, the weather begins to become dry and hot.

Li Chengqian walked into the quiet Tai Chi Hall.

All the civil and military officials stood in the court, and when the prince stood in front of all the officials, they bowed and saluted.

The Taiji Hall was still the same as usual. During the days when His Majesty was away, the windows had to be opened every morning to allow air to circulate, and the place had to be cleaned before the court session began every day.

Li Chengqian stood in front of the court, listening to the words of various departments in the court. His father was about to come back, and he sent a series of imperial edicts to Chang'an. The first one was to send the exiled prisoners to the Western Regions to strengthen the border.

It is gratifying that the Tang Dynasty’s border has now expanded to the Anxi Protectorate line of the Tianshan Road.

Originally, today's morning court session was about the imperial examinations, farmland, and governance issues after the Mobei War, mostly those topics were the main focus.

In addition to normal political affairs, people from the Censorate also said that someone proposed to restore Gaochang.

This idea was rejected immediately. What was rare was that the person who stood up to refute this opinion was Zhang Xuansu. He said loudly: "Since we have already established the Anxi Protectorate, why do we need to restore the Gaochang Kingdom?"

In fact, the one who proposed to restore Gaochang was an old minister who supported the stability maintenance faction in the court. Most of them were old ministers from various places, and they were headed by Cui Dunli, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, in order to reduce the expenses of building the Protectorate in the court.

Let the Western Regions restore their army once again. In this way, as long as the Western Regions submit to the Tang Dynasty, the Western Regions people will naturally maintain stability in the Western Regions countries.

It is inevitable that old ideas still exist in the court. Everyone wants to use the lightest method to solve the heavy burden and use their own understanding from history books or the experience of their predecessors.

Li Chengqian said: "Minister Cui does not need to worry about the expenses of the court."

Cui Dunli bowed and returned to the court.

Chu Suiliang walked out of the court with a tablet in hand and reported: "Your Highness, urgent news came from Liaodong. There was civil unrest in Goguryeo. The King of Goguryeo was killed. Your Majesty ordered Zhang Jian to send someone to investigate."

Some people in the court began to discuss this. Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Send someone from the Honglu Temple to get more information."

"Yes." Chu Suiliang returned to the court.

Goguryeo was still too far away from Chang'an. People did not care about the civil strife in Goguryeo, but they cared about Your Majesty's opinion of Goguryeo. Now everyone was suspicious, and some even thought that Your Majesty was going to march east.

There was another quarrel in the court over this. As expected, today's morning court ended with everyone quarreling.

When Li Chengqian left Taiji Hall, everyone was still debating whether to support His Majesty's eastern expedition to Goguryeo.

After noon, this year's imperial examination will begin.

Li Chengqian, his teacher and his uncle had dinner in the East Palace. During the meal, little Yutu appeared and left from time to time. The child was very active recently. He was two years old and grew very fast. He was quiet during dinner.

After dinner, Li Chengqian, his teacher, and his uncle stood on the city wall of Chengtian Gate, looking at the students taking exams at Suzaku Gate in the distance.

This year, more than 10,000 people registered to take the imperial examination, and more than 9,000 people officially took the examination.

Li Chengqian said: "Some people say that the Tang Dynasty has been established for more than 20 years, and it is already remarkable that the imperial examination has flourished to this extent."

Fang Xuanling nodded slightly.

Chang Sun Wuji whispered, "Your Highness, some people are worried that frequent imperial examinations will lead to a serious redundancy of officials in the court."

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Uncle, I don't think so. The Tang Dynasty has just emerged from the war and needs officials. Whether it is to be sent to the local areas or to govern the borders, the court is in great need of manpower now."

This imperial examination will last for half a month, and this year's examiners who are involved in writing the examination questions will, as in previous years, be under house arrest until the day the results are announced.

Because the Ministry of Personnel had some arrangements for the transfer of officials in the court for this imperial examination, my uncle left first.

Fang Xuanling then said, "I heard that the Crown Prince and Su Tan rarely interact with each other?"

Li Chengqian said, "I visit them every year during festivals, but I am not close to them on weekdays."

"Well, as the crown prince, it is right to distance yourself from your in-laws, but after dealing with Li Yuanxiang and Li Yuanying, Your Highness needs to appease the people."

Li Chengqian said: "Thank you for the reminder, teacher."

Fang Xuanling added: "Your Highness does not need to intervene in this matter. Let the royal family go to Wugong Su's house and appease them during this period."

While walking on the city wall, Li Chengqian said with his hands in his pockets, "Thank you for the reminder, Teacher."

Today's imperial examination will last until dusk. If the weather is good and there is no rain, this year's imperial examination can be completed within half a month.

If it rains, it will be postponed.

The imperial examination and population migration became the main driving forces of population mobility in Guanzhong. After each imperial examination, whether passing or failing, a part of the population would stay. Now more and more people are able to stay.

Li Chengqian escorted his teacher to Chengtian Gate, and then instructed the guards in front of the palace: "Give this to Zhinu."

The guard took the vernier caliper with both hands and said, "Here."

Zhinu went to see Du He, which was enough to show what he was thinking.

Du He is no longer the same person he used to be. He acts very cautiously now and will not nod easily. Even in business, he will not make promises easily.

He told the East Palace everything that Zhinu had said to him.

I should always support my brother's career, but he needs to be down-to-earth and take it step by step. I suddenly went to Du He, hoping to get his help. I didn't expect him to achieve much, so it's better to give him a ruler first.

By dusk, today's imperial examination was over.

Li Shen was busy moving a pile of wood, while Li Zhi was using the new ruler in his hand. He used a vernier caliper to measure all things that required energy, and the copper ruler was very heavy.

After using it, Li Zhi put the ruler into a box and kept it well. This kind of ruler is very delicate. If there are any wood chips in the ruler, it has to be disassembled and repaired, which is very troublesome.

"Brother Imperial, look."

Hearing this, Li Zhi glanced sideways and saw Zhang Jianzhi standing outside the door, with his head held high, looking unpleasant.

Today is only his first day to take the imperial examination, and it seems that to him, he is already at the top of the list of Jinshi.

Zhang Jianzhi stood outside the door and saw His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin just coming out of the storeroom. He said, "I will probably pass the imperial examination this time."

Li Zhi smiled disdainfully and said, "Really?"

Zhang Jianzhi put his hands behind his back, facing the setting sun, and said in a deliberately low voice, "That's probably true."

"oops!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Jianzhi was kicked by Prince Jin and let out a scream.

The weather was sunny for half a month in a row, and on this day in early June, the imperial examination results were announced.

As confident as Zhang Jianzhi was in the past, he is as miserable now. He keeps pouring wine into his mouth.

There were 1,600 people who passed the imperial examination this time, but Zhang Jianzhi's name was not on the list, so he failed.

Today, Li Zhi was in a good mood and even gave Di Renjie a large basket of fruits and vegetables, all of which were shipped from the Western Regions.

Li Shen chewed the melon and said, "I heard that my father will be back soon."

Li Zhi asked, "Where is Father?"

"My sister said that my father has arrived in Luoyang and will probably stay there for a while."

Li Zhi's attention was still on the distraught Zhang Jianzhi.

"Shen brother."

"Ah."

Li Zhi said: "I think the son of a famous scholar would fail the imperial examination. There is no greater joy in life than this!"

Di Renjie echoed: "It's like eating melons."

Li Shen said: "That's how it should be."

My father was planning to come back, but he was stranded in Luoyang. After mid-June, he showed no intention of coming back. Instead, he would often send his imperial edicts to Chang'an.

After the great victory in Mobei, the mood of the court officials was somewhat calmed down.

But now that my father is stranded in Luoyang, these court officials have become restless again. They have begun to criticize the current emperor for only caring about enjoying himself in Luoyang.

The court officials wrote memorials one after another, hoping that the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace could persuade the emperor to come back.

Li Chengqian was accustomed to handling many state affairs. If the internship period for a prince was one year, the results of this year's internship would be enough to prove to the court officials that this prince could become emperor.

Sometimes, it is wrong to worry too much about your situation, as it will only lead to endless internal friction.

Now that my father has gone out for a year's travel, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace does not need to do anything. The officials who remain in Chang'an will consciously stand on the side of the Eastern Palace, and there will even be more and more voices scolding His Majesty and praising the Crown Prince.

Li Chengqian accompanied his grandfather in Beiyuan. Lizhi and Dongyang were usually here, and there was also a female army guarding outside Beiyuan.

"Grandpa, my father must be in a very difficult mood right now."

"Alas..." Li Yuan sighed, "Your father will probably come back soon. If he doesn't come back, Ma Zhou will advise your father."

(End of this chapter)