The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 384 The Past of Zhenguan

Pei Xingjian smiled knowingly and let the shopkeeper get back to work.

Liang Jianfang said: "After this meal, let's go see the prince."

He was still chewing and his speech was slurred.

There were still many officials and generals walking into Chang'an. Pei Xingjian felt regretful when he thought about missing the Eastern Expedition.

Among the people coming and going, Pei Xingjian saw a familiar face, it was Wang Xuance, with whom he had fought in Songzhou.

When he saw this person, Pei Xingjian did not speak immediately, but his expression became a little more puzzled. So many generals guarding the border have returned.

Liang Jianfang stroked his bloated stomach and said, "It's great. I haven't eaten so well in a long time."

Bai Fang was still chewing a baked bun and said, "Chang'an's meat is really special."

Pei Xingjian said, "If I wasn't afraid that you would kill Xuanzang in the Western Regions, I really wouldn't want to bring you to Chang'an."

Bai Fang has golden hair, blue eyes, and speaks fluent Guanzhong dialect.

The people around were naturally curious about this man from the Western Regions.

In fact, many people in the Western Regions can now speak Guanzhong dialect. Because of the bumper cotton harvest, people in the Western Regions and people in Guanzhong are now interacting more and more frequently. Being able to speak Guanzhong dialect can bring many benefits in the Western Regions, and you can even become the patriarch of some tribes.

This is all driven by interests. Guanzhong has always needed cotton, and those who are good at speaking Guanzhong dialect can benefit first.

As long as they learned Guanzhong dialect, they could communicate with people in Chongwenguan, and they could get a generous return after selling cotton. People from the Western Regions flocked to this.

Bai Fang said: "There will be no more wars in the Western Regions in the future. Only Guanzhong needs such a large amount of cotton. Once Guanzhong is lost, the people of the Western Regions will lose even more."

Pei Xingjian said unhappily: "Can you change your self-righteous nature?"

Bai Fang followed behind and asked back: "Isn't it?"

Pei Xingjian sighed and said, "It's not that simple."

Liang Jianfang burped, and several people came to the Suzaku Gate.

The guards were already waiting here. They saluted and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is at the Ministry of War. Please come this way."

Pei Xingjian picked up the handcuffs and locked Bai Fang to a pillar on the side of the road.

Without waiting for the curious guards to ask questions, Pei Xingjian and Liang Jianfang walked into the Suzaku Gate.

The shackles were hanging on a pillar nearby. Actually, they were just hanging there. Bai Fang could easily untie them and leave.

But he did not do so. Instead, he stood quietly, bowed his head and saluted the guards in front of the imperial city gate with a friendly smile on his face.

Several guards looked at him suspiciously.

Only Pei Xingjian knew that Bai Fang used to be a disciple of Xuanzang, but later became a murderer without blinking an eye.

Inside the imperial city, in front of the military department, there were quite a few people standing here, including Ashina She'er, Xue Rengui, Wang Xuance, Liu Renyuan, Wang Xuandu, Chai Zhewei, Li Zhen... a group of young and middle-aged soldiers stood outside the military department.

Inside the Ministry of War, Li Chengqian looked at the nails sent by the Shaofujian. The nails were square in shape.

Li Chengqian said: "Try different sizes, make a batch of specifications, and also pay attention to recycling and reuse."

The craftsman from the Shaofu Supervisor bowed and took his leave.

After giving instructions to the Shaofujian, Li Chengqian picked up the documents sent by the generals, looked at one of them, and gave instructions to the clerk beside him.

Immediately, a clerk came to the door and said a few words.

Upon hearing this, Ashina She'er walked into the Ministry of War first.

Inside the Ministry of War, Li Chengqian looked at the military report in his hand and said, "Ashina Chebi, do you understand?"

Ashina She'er replied: "Your Highness, this man is a member of Tuli Khan's clan. He has now set up a camp east of Jinshan Mountain. He and the Karluk, Jiegu, and Basimi tribes are plundering people and livestock everywhere."

Li Chengqian whispered, "Let him come to Chang'an to see me."

His Highness spoke slowly, and Ashina Dur hurriedly said, "Go and arrange it right away."

Ashina Dur walked out of the Ministry of War.

He walked away with his head held high under Pei Xingjian's gaze.

Liang Jianfang shouted, "She'er."

Seeing an acquaintance, the other party also smiled and said, "General Liang, long time no see."

Liang Jianfang asked with a confused look on his face: "Your Highness the Crown Prince... ahem, what are your instructions?"

Ashina Dur recounted the incident.

Pei Xingjian still frowned after listening. Let Ashina Chebi come to Chang'an?

This should be the decision that His Majesty would make. Pei Xingjian also felt that given the prince's personality, he would probably send troops to kill him directly.

Or maybe His Royal Highness the Crown Prince intends to kill him in Chang'an.

Now His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is about to ascend the throne, and the next Khan will be a very strict one.

Now Ashina Chebi is causing chaos. If we can kill him to appease the people of Mobei, it will also be a great opportunity to intimidate many tribes.

In Pei Xingjian's mind, Ashina Chebi was doomed to die. It didn't matter whether he came to Chang'an or not. What was missing was a reason to kill him, or how to kill him.

If you come, you will die. If you don't come, you will die too. Pei Xingjian whispered, "People who are good at fishing are really good at it."

The current Pei Xingjian is no longer the young and ignorant man he was back then. Although he has developed a rough temperament in the Western Regions, he still remains alert in his heart.

Wang Xuance walked into the Ministry of War, and then walked out quickly, followed by Brother Xue.

After that, it’s yourself.

Pei Xingjian straightened his clothes, walked into the Ministry of War, and saluted, saying, "I am the Protector General of Anxi Protectorate, Pei Xingjian."

Li Chengqian said, "Sit down."

Seeing the eunuch carrying a chair, Pei Xingjian bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Chengqian looked at the military report and said, "Give me tea."

The eunuch handed over another bowl of tea. Pei Xingjian noticed that there were many tea bowls on the side, so he raised his head and drank it in one gulp, then let out a sigh of relief.

Li Chengqian said, "I don't want to cause any noise, so I asked you to come one by one to see me. Sorry for keeping you waiting outside for a long time."

Pei Xingjian hurriedly said, "I came late and I can't wait long."

"How many troops are there in the Western Region now?"

"There are 50,000 soldiers stationed in the Anxi Protectorate. If we include the Turkic men who can be recruited, there should be 80,000 soldiers."

Seeing that His Highness seemed to be frowning, Pei Xingjian felt that he had said too little and said, "Your Highness, in fact, long after the army swept across Tianshan, the population of the Western Regions has been declining. In the past few years, there have been children who have grown up, some fifteen or sixteen years old."

Li Chengqian said: "It's not the quantity of soldiers and horses that matters, but their quality."

"I understand."

"Persian Prince Peroz is unwilling to come to Chang'an?"

"Your Highness, after arriving at the Anxi Protectorate, he fell seriously ill, most likely due to acclimatization."

The journey from Persia to Xizhou is indeed a long one, especially since one has to pass through the Pamir Mountains.

Li Chengqian asked Pei Xingjian about the Arabs again.

The warlike Arabs are all soldiers, they love force, are barbaric, and like to plunder. They are a group of people who fight for war. Pei Xingjian talked with the Crown Prince for the longest time.

By the time he walked out, Pei Xingjian didn't know how many hours had passed, and heavy snow was still falling in Chang'an City.

Pei Xingjian walked out of the Suzaku Gate and met Brother Xue, Wang Xuandu and Liu Renyuan who were waiting there.

Liang Jianfang said: "We are drinking together today. We all swept across Tianshan together back then..."

"I dont go."

Liu Renyuan left after saying this.

Wang Xuandu couldn't stand this guy's always cool look, so he felt disappointed. After clasping his fists and saluting, he left quickly.

Wang Xuance said, "I still have to visit my family, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, Pei Xingjian saw that only Liang Jianfang and Brother Xue were left. He took Bai Fang with him and said, "Then let's drink."

Liang Jianfang said: "Okay."

After walking for a while, Xue Rengui asked, "Why are you taking this person with you?"

Pei Xingjian glanced at Bai Fang, responded with a very friendly smile, and explained: "This is a prisoner from the Western Regions, and he is also my friend."

Xue Rengui nodded in understanding.

After walking a few more steps, Pei Xingjian warned: "Bai Fang, don't kill anyone in Chang'an."

Bai Fang said: "How can you kill someone in such a beautiful place like Chang'an?"

The four of them came to a tavern, and Pei Xingjian asked Brother Xue about the Eastern Expedition.

The wind and snow are still strong tonight. After nightfall in Chang'an, it is approaching the twelfth lunar month, but the emperor and the prince are still playing cards.

Almost every night, the Emperor Retired, Duke Xu, His Majesty and the Crown Prince would all go to the Wude Hall without any prior arrangement and then play a hearty game of cards.

The palace and the court are busy preparing for the crown prince's coronation ceremony.

Ever since the decree for the crown prince to ascend the throne was issued, Your Majesty has had a lot of time to have fun, and Your Majesty has been particularly happy during this period.

Even though His Majesty often lost his temper, the eunuchs tolerated it.

As the first month of the next year approached, Li Chengqian and his father worshipped the Taoist ancestor in the Sanqing Temple.

Before ascending the throne, one must offer sacrifices to heaven and ancestors.

Li Shimin looked back at his grandson and said, "Cheng Qian, are you going to hand over the position of crown prince to this kid?"

Li Chengqian looked at the portrait of Daozu and said, "If he wants to be the crown prince, he must start from the bottom. The suffering and burden he has to bear are greater than those of ordinary children, and the knowledge he has learned is several times that of ordinary children."

"Try to be as happy as possible now. In the future, he will have to accept new concepts, learn new knowledge, and even his understanding of the world will be different from that of ordinary people. The prince of the Tang Dynasty will have to endure a lot of hardships."

After worshipping the Taoist ancestor, Li Chengqian also had to worship his own ancestral temple. There were many sacrifices and rituals to be performed.

Empress Changsun came to the Zongzheng Temple with a ruler and measured her son. She said, "The emperor's crown and clothes need to be altered. Your father has gained a lot of weight at this age. The crown and clothes look slimmer on you."

Li Shimin, standing by, suddenly felt touched.

Li Chengqian let his mother measure him and said, "Mother, do you really want to move out?"

Empress Changsun said, "You and your father will live near the North Garden where Li Zhi and the others live."

Looking at her son's appearance, Empress Changsun said with satisfaction: "On the day you ascend the throne, I will personally put the crown on you."

Li Chengqian said: "Thank you, mother."

Empress Changsun smiled and nodded, then left with the palace maids.

When everyone left, Li Chengqian was the only one left in the Li Tang Ancestral Hall.

If he had to face these ancestors of the Li family alone, of course they would not speak, they would just be spirit tablets one by one.

Thinking about my father's words, judging from the choice of the empire's successor, the scene of the nine dragons fighting for the throne is something to behold.

Just like what King Han Li Yuanchang proposed, that the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace should have more concubines and more heirs, so that there would be more choices for the heirs.

But if this happens, the Li Tang Dynasty will have to face endless cycles of killing.

Therefore, it is really not a human being to be an emperor.

"father."

Hearing his daughter's voice, Li Chengqian saw his daughter walk in.

Little Queer walked over quickly, took out a piece of zong cake, and said with a smile, "Hehe, my daughter brought some food."

You cannot eat when offering sacrifices to ancestors. Thinking that the ancestors would not blame him, Li Chengqian took the zonggao and ate it with his daughter.

Little Magpie asked, "Dad, are people in this world really stupid?"

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "People in this world are not stupid."

"That's why Uncle Ma Zhou and the others say that the noble families are ignorant."

Li Chengqian whispered: "Some people want people to live in ignorance, and some people want to live in clarity."

Little Magpie said, "My daughter knows that people would rather be awake in pain than be numb."

Li Chengqian suddenly smiled again, looking at his well-behaved daughter, and said, "The government knows that supporting education is a thankless task and a policy that will never recover the cost, but do you know... why I insist on promoting it?"

Xiao Que'er thought for a moment and replied, "Because Dad knows that only when more and more people understand knowledge can the court become more powerful."

Li Chengqian shook his head.

"Did my daughter say something wrong?"

Li Chengqian whispered to her, "Because teaching can counter the outdated system, and because we are the ones who choose the teachers, whoever holds the power to teach will have the most say. It doesn't matter what kind of books people read, but what kind of teachers they have."

Seeing his daughter's puzzled look, Li Chengqian said, "Don't worry, think about it slowly and more."

Xiao Que'er nodded heavily, and then quickly left when no one was paying attention.

In fact, some people had already seen it, but no one was willing to tell this sensible child.

After the sacrifice, it will be the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month. After tonight, my father will be fifty years old.

A family dinner was prepared by the Taiye Lake. Li Ke, Li Tai, Li Shen, and a group of princes and princesses were all there.

Tonight is also the night to celebrate my father's fiftyth birthday.

In fact, the children had already forgotten their father’s birthday, and Li Tai probably knew it. But he was also very happy tonight, so he celebrated with everyone else without saying anything.

The emperor was surrounded by a group of grandchildren.

At the family dinner, my father laughed happily.

Li Chengqian noticed that there were tears in his mother's eyes and whispered, "Mother, tonight should be a happy day."

Empress Zhangsun said, "In fact, as early as the Fengshan ceremony, your father had the idea of ​​letting you succeed to the throne. Chengqian... when you grow up, you will stand in front of millions of people. The country is in your hands, and both mother and father should be proud."

Li Chengqian sat next to his mother and nodded.

Empress Changsun smiled and said, "Since your father ascended the throne, during the Wude era until now, you know how difficult and challenging it has been all along the way."

Li Chengqian nodded and sat quietly beside his mother, listening to her talk about the past.

(End of this chapter)