The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 355 Winter Solstice Family Dinner
Li Chengqian brought his uncle from Hejian with him, and they sat down together.

Li Zhi and Li Shen were eating voraciously. They picked up some more food with their chopsticks while still chewing in their mouths.

Li Yuan's attention was completely focused on Xiao Yutu and Xiao Lingque. He watched them eat and picked up food for them.

Gao Shilian asked, "I heard that you have been very close to Gu Nalu recently?"

Li Chengqian said: "He wants to educate the world, so I will write books with him."

"That's good, but don't take too long."

"That's what my uncle said."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaogong was slurping noodles. Hearing this, his movements paused, as if he was thinking about it, and then he returned to his normal state of slurping noodles.

The grandfather and grandson almost said that Gu Nalu was too old and they were afraid that he would pass away in two years, so they wanted to use it now while it could be used.

Xiao Sizi was talking to Dongyang about Laojun Mountain. The two sisters were disciples of Taoism. Li Chunfeng and Sun Simiao were both Taoists. Dongyang was also very curious about Laojun Mountain.

The meal was lively and grandpa was amused by the two children and laughed out loud.

Empress Changsun looked at her grandson and granddaughter with a smile on her face.

After the meal, Li Zhi and Li Shen disappeared.

Lin Chuan held the hot water bottle to warm his hands and said, "They went to look for Xu Jingzong."

Li Lizhi said disdainfully: "Oh, these two guys are becoming more and more uncontrollable."

Linchuan sat in front of his grandfather's house, looking at the heavy snow with squinted eyes and smiling.

The winter solstice every year is the busiest time at home. This year, my father is not here, Li Ke is not here either, and Li Tai is still in Chang'an.

Su Wan and Ning'er also have to take care of the children.

Empress Changsun walked over to her son, who seemed quite lonely, and put her arm around him and asked, "Are you worried about something?"

Li Chengqian said: "There are indeed many troubles."

Pulling her son to sit down, Empress Changsun continued, "When your father was in charge of state affairs, he was often worried, especially in the first two years after he ascended the throne. He often couldn't sleep or eat."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Your Highness knows that the first two years since your father ascended the throne were not easy. Your Highness has it much easier than your Highness."

"Cheng Qian, as an imperial family, our Li family naturally has more things to worry about than ordinary people, and this will be even more so in the future."

"When I ascend the throne, I will surely have more worries. This is nothing at the moment."

Empress Changsun let out a long sigh in the snow, "Now I just hope that your father can return safely from his expedition to the east."

The outcome of this battle was no longer important to my father, because when the emperor personally went to the east to fight, this statement was enough to win the hearts of the people, and after a great victory in the Battle of Liaoshui, the hearts of the people in all parts of the Central Plains were even more loyal.

In this way, the Li Tang Dynasty gained stronger support when it established itself in the Central Plains.

If my father can successfully recover the remains of the former Sui soldiers and return them to their homeland, it will be considered an explanation to the former Sui Dynasty.

In this way, the foundation of the Li Tang Empire was truly stable.

Empress Changsun said, "Some people have always said that your father should be enthroned at Mount Tai. Later, your father hesitated."

Li Chengqian asked, "Father, why are you hesitating?"

Seeing the little magpie running over, Empress Changsun held her in her arms and said, "Your father is hesitating whether to go on the expedition to the east. If he went to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to the gods in order to calm people's hearts, then he wouldn't have to go on the expedition to the east."

I listened quietly to my mother's words, thinking about the situation at that time.

"In fact, there are many generals in the court who are left over from the former Sui Dynasty. They have always supported your father's expedition to the east. The expedition may fail, or it may follow the same fate as the former Sui Dynasty, but your father still decided to march to the east instead of going to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to the gods."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "After Father returns from the Eastern Expedition, will he go to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to the gods?"

Empress Changsun still shook her head and said, "If your father wants to go, then go."

Shortly after lunch, Xiaofu was preparing for dinner, and Li Chengqian was looking at the files sent by Li Zhi from Hebei.

Li Lizhi also looked through it and frowned, saying, "We really can't count on Zhinu and the others to check it out."

It is also true that several murder cases in Bozhou were handled very quietly, and no follow-up clues were found.

Li Chengqian said: "In fact, they are just waiting for us to give up."

Li Lizhi added: "Then we need to continue investigating."

"Well, hold on and keep investigating until there is a result."

These matters are not his forte, so he can leave the Shandong affairs to the Censorate and the Dali Temple to investigate.

Li Lizhi said, "Sister, go help Xiaofu cook."

After Li Zhi left, Su Wan looked up and saw the prince sitting alone at the table. She came over with a chessboard and said, "I will play chess with your Highness."

The prince has always been good at chess and is decisive on the chessboard.

The black and white pieces moved across the chessboard. Su Wan considered herself to be from a prominent family, and her chess skills were not perfect, but they were good enough.

Since getting married, I haven't played chess with the prince very often.

Every time it ended in defeat.

On the chessboard in front of her, Su Wan had a solemn expression. His Highness's black chess pieces attacked fiercely. Once he found a gap in the white pieces, he would bite it.

Su Wan felt that as long as she learned something from the prince's chess skills, she could improve her own chess skills.

The Prince of Hejian spoke some more words to the retired emperor and then left.

Li Yuan held little Yu Tu in his arms and asked, "Why don't Zhinu and Shen'er come back for dinner?"

The dinner was almost ready, but no one came back.

Dongyang said: "Grandpa, don't worry about them. They will definitely come as soon as the food is ready."

As the brothers and sisters expected, Li Zhi and Li Shen came back as soon as the meal was served.

The evening meal was more sumptuous, and Empress Changsun asked, "Chinu?"

Li Zhi chewed and said, "Yes, mother."

"Didn't you eat well while helping your brother investigate a case?"

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "It's good, but not as good as what we eat at home."

Empress Changsun smiled helplessly.

Li Zhi and Li Shen's enjoyment was interrupted by a letter, which was sent by Zhang Jianzhi from Bozhou.

"This bitch got beaten!" Li Zhi said angrily.

The whole family had finished eating, and only grandfather, mother and brother were left at the table. He shouted, "Brother, Zhang Jianzhi was beaten up."

Li Chengqian ate his meal and said slowly, "So what?"

"Zhi wants to go back to Bozhou."

Li Lizhi, who came with soup and rice for Grandpa, said, "Just move your fief to Bozhou, and live in Bozhou from now on. Don't come back."

Li Zhi's sharpness immediately relaxed, and he said, "Then my brother can't just sit there and watch." Li Lizhi brought soup and rice to her grandfather, then left in a good mood, not intending to interfere any more.

Li Shen whispered, "Zhang Jianzhi was beaten. Isn't he happy?"

"Not happy."

Li Shen sighed and advised: "Actually, there is no need to rush this matter. We still have Li Yifu in Bozhou."

After hearing what Shen Di said, Li Zhi immediately calmed down and said, "Shen Di is right. Why should I take action in such a matter? It should be that Zhang Jianzhi is incompetent, so don't even think about coming to see me."

Li Shen said: "That's great."

Li Zhi added: "Kezhi still has to go to Bozhou again."

"Brother Prince Jin is right. We must see this matter through to the end. However, since we are all back, we should stay in Luoyang for the next few days and leave next year."

When Li Zhi was away from home, Li Shen was a reassurance to him. He could not only give him advice but also persuade him not to act impulsively.

Li Yuan nodded after listening to these words. The reason why Li Shen was so smart was because this child was raised by Cheng Qian and brought up in the Eastern Palace.

Since moving into the Eastern Palace, Li Yuan watched Cheng Qian teach them principles and how to read and write, and he became very knowledgeable. Even Li Zhi seemed to be a late bloomer.

But even among many of his peers, Li Zhi is far ahead of the others.

However, among so many brothers and sisters in the Eastern Palace, Li Zhi seemed very ordinary.

Li Chengqian ate his meal in silence. Li Shen was a very sensible child. Although he usually followed Li Zhi and looked obedient, he was actually much smarter than Li Zhi.

It’s just that Li Shen didn’t want to show it.

The two brothers walked to the outside of their grandfather's house, sat in front of the door wearing cloaks and talked in low voices.

Li Zhi said: "Brother Shen, do you think that the emperor wants to promote Confucianism as the only doctrine?"

Li Shen sat on the stone steps, looked up at the heavy snow and said, "No, my brother will never promote Confucianism alone. The knowledge we have learned since childhood is not Confucian knowledge. Moreover, my brother has taught us to always maintain a dialectical perspective since we were young."

"My brother cares about the reputation and knowledge of Gunarut, but for the sake of the country, my brother will not only accept the advice of the great scholar."

Li Shen emphasized again: "Brother Prince Jin, did you find out?"

"What did you find?"

"My brother has never taught anyone else the knowledge we learned in the East Palace. Even to the great scholars, my brother has never said a word about it."

Li Zhi's thoughts were no longer between his brother and the great scholar, but he said, "Let's go to help Xu Shaoyin in the evening. I heard that he will take over Luoyang affairs and will be very busy."

Li Shen sighed and exchanged glances with his sister in the courtyard.

When Linchuan heard what her two younger brothers said, she nodded to indicate that they could leave.

At night, Xiao Wu and Xiao Hui also came to Luoyang City.

"When are we going to see Her Royal Highness the Princess?"

Originally, the two disciples were in Beiyuan sorting books for Princess Changle. They came to Luoyang today with the instructions of Her Royal Highness the Princess, saying that there was something important.

Xiao Wu looked at the sky, which had already turned dark, and the heavy snow was still falling. Her long hair fluttered in the wind. She looked at the female guard beside her and said, "Give Her Royal Highness a message. We are here. We will see Her Royal Highness tomorrow morning."

"Here."

Xu Hui held a scroll in her hand and said, "Sister Xiaowu, come to my house. My father is in Luoyang."

Xiao Wu said: "Okay."

In fact, Xiaowu’s sister’s father is now old and seriously ill, and Xiaowu’s mother and sister have been taking care of him.

All the way from Chang'an to Luoyang, Sister Xiaowu has been in a bad mood, and Xu Hui hopes that she can be happier.

Xu Xiaode had already arranged for servants to wait for his daughter in front of the city gate.

Xu Hui said to the servant in front of her: "Take us to see my father."

The servant led the way.

In Wushui County of Bozhou, it is also snowing heavily.

At night, by a river, ever since Li Yifu came to Bozhou, he has begun to investigate the counties of Bozhou. Now he has captured a county magistrate, but the clues are broken. Now he is very distressed. If he can't find the follow-up clues, he will have no way to deal with Shandong.

As an imperial censor, Li Yifu had the power to interrogate various prefectures. He asked some bad guys from Chang'an to secretly gather information.

The knights-errant that the King of Jin and the King of Ji made friends with in Bozhou were used to gather information.

After sending away his left and right men, Li Yifu still stood by the river. He was waiting for someone here. Five years ago, a body was found in Beike Lake in Cangzhou.

But the strange thing is that when the prince sent people to clear Hebei, no one in Hebei informed the government.

Instead, a woman suddenly came to Bozhou to appeal for justice.

The person who came was Lu Yuan’s biological mother, whose child Lu Yuan had been murdered.

She kept saying that her son was murdered, but within three days, she was also killed.

Li Yifu's eyes showed a hint of cruelty. The case ended here, full of bizarreness and absurdity.

Thousands of miles away, he came to Bozhou to appeal for justice.

Lu Yuan's biological mother came to Bozhou under the pretext of visiting her relatives, and then appealed for justice in the government office in Bozhou. Why didn't she appeal for justice in Cangzhou? Does she not trust the officials in Cangzhou?
Hearing footsteps behind him, Li Yifu turned around and saw a farmer wearing a straw hat, carrying a basket on his back and holding a wooden stick in his hand.

The farmer came closer and said, "Greetings, Imperial Censor."

Li Yifu looked at the other person and said, "Who are you? What is your relationship with Lu Yuan's case?"

The farmer took off his bamboo hat and said in a hoarse voice: "I am a servant of the Lu family. I saw with my own eyes that Cui Renshi pushed Lu Yuan into Shell Lake."

"really?"

The farmer took out another letter and handed it over, saying, "This is a letter from Master Cui Ren. He asked me to kill Lu Yuan's biological mother."

Li Yifu took the letter and suddenly smiled. He did not have so many noble righteousness in his heart. As long as he could kill the Shi family, it would be a very gratifying thing for him.

"He gave you such an important matter? Are you here to confess your guilt now?"

"I was just one of the people sent by Cui Renshi. I didn't kill Lu Yuan's biological mother. Someone else did. They asked me to kill people because they trusted me."

Li Yifu frowned and asked, "Why should I trust you?"

He said: "They all know that I am a mute."

After that, he made a mute's unique sound again, showing a very flattering expression, but soon his face became gloomy again, and he said: "Lu Yuan's biological mother has been kind to me, I can't bear to do it, but Cui Renshi arranged not only me, but also others, and I didn't stop them. Now that my wife is dead, I hope Cui Renshi will die too."

Li Yifu said: "You can go and kill him now."

The farmer looked confused and spoke in a hoarse voice again, "After the incident in Hebei, Master Cui Ren hid himself and I couldn't find him."

Then, the farmer told a very long story. The story began in the Wude period. He was a servant of Lu Yuan's biological mother.

As a servant, he knew very well that he should not have any romantic feelings for his mistress, but he was a mute and just a servant.

Later, the mistress married the Lu family in Fanyang, and he followed her to Cangzhou. He stayed there for many years. As a mute, he was never liked by the Lu family. Later, he was just a mute who watched the lake.

(End of this chapter)