The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 42 A War of Justice

Ning'er also looked at the rising wick of His Highness's lamp and whispered, "According to the past, it should be like this."

Li Chengqian put down the heavy book. Confucian classics were boring to read. These books wanted to teach everyone in the world to be good people.

Seeing His Highness' frowning expression, Ning'er whispered, "If the Confucian classics are difficult to read, you can ask the court scholars to explain them."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "No need, go to bed early."

Ning Er understood and bowed slightly, saying, "Yes."

Li Chengqian sat in front of the window in the quiet bedroom of the East Palace. Occasionally, a few drops of rain fell into the hall. After nightfall, the autumn wind became colder.

Li Chengqian stood up in front of the window and looked at the Taiji Hall in the rain. It was still brightly lit as usual.

The next day, the sky was still gloomy and just a little gray. The rain had just stopped and the ground was still wet.

Li Chengqian ran around the East Palace three or five times before he had breakfast, changed into court clothes and prepared to attend the morning court.

I have been jogging in the morning for almost a year, and my body is getting stronger and stronger. I walked back to the East Palace, picked up a bucket, poured it into the wooden basin, and started washing.

It is obvious that the strength has increased. Boys aged fifteen or sixteen are at the most effective age for exercise and are at the most critical age for growth. It is the best time for both the speed of recovery from illness and the strength of bones.

Ning'er put the porridge on the stove to heat it up, and then helped His Highness check to see if everything was done.

Li Chengqian straightened his clothes and walked to the front hall where he saw Li Lizhi brushing her teeth.

My younger brothers and sisters all woke up quite late, and Li Lizhi was the first to wake up.

Seeing that she was brushing her teeth, looking forward with lifeless eyes, she saw the emperor coming and hurriedly said, "Imperial brother."

"Prepare some more salted duck eggs from the East Palace. I will go to visit my mother after the morning court."

Li Lizhi nodded when she heard this, but she was still a little sleepy.

The morning light in the sky was brighter, but this brightness still could not break through the dark clouds. The autumn rain in Guanzhong was like this, falling intermittently.

The wet ground looked awful.

There are still many places in the palace that have not been repaired, and the ground is bumpy and filled with water.

In fact, this is a good thing. When we want to rebuild the palace in the future, it will be much easier.

As soon as I walked out of the East Palace, I saw a figure standing not far away. It was time for court, and the ministers were walking hurriedly towards the Taiji Hall.

Standing at the gate of the Eastern Palace at this time, who else could he be waiting for if not the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace?
When he got closer, he recognized that the man in the blue official uniform and the silver fish bag on his waist was the emperor's uncle Li Daozon.

But seeing his overgrown beard, I couldn't recognize him at first.

Li Dao Zong bowed and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian quickly helped him up and said, "Uncle Emperor went to the frontier to fight. He has lost a lot of weight when he came back. His eye sockets are so sunken. He must have not rested well."

"Last night in Taiji Hall, I drank with His Majesty and the generals until late at night. After resting for an hour, I had to come to court again."

Li Chengqian continued walking towards the Taiji Hall with his hands in his pockets, and said, "Uncle, please take care of your health. Go and rest after the morning court session."

"Here."

Li Dao Zong was very respectful and added: "In fact, His Majesty gave me a reward last night."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "That's good."

When they were almost at the Taiji Hall, Li Xiaogong also came over and looked at Li Daozong's expression and said, "Chengfan, after the court session, go to the Imperial Medical Bureau to check your pulse and bring some medicine for recuperation."

"My brother is in good health." Li Daozon replied.

The uncle and nephew walked into the Tai Chi Hall while talking in low voices.

Seeing that Li Dao Zong's brows were furrowed, as if he was worried, Li Chengqian asked in a low voice: "Uncle, you have returned from a great victory, and you should be in high spirits. Why? Are you still worried?"

Li Dao Zong first glanced at his brother, then said: "I would like to thank Your Highness for your guidance on this expedition, but no one believed me when I told them the truth."

"It doesn't matter. It's best if the war can be won."

Li Xiaogong whispered: "We, the generals of the royal family, must be careful and cautious in everything we do. Military power can kill people, but it can also harm ourselves. Your Majesty is still very good to us generals who have made great contributions."

It is true that since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the Khan has always treated his meritorious officials well.

First, he looked at Li Ke who was already standing in the court, and Li Chengqian whispered, "How did the emperor's uncle give up his military power at that time?"

Li Xiaogong coughed first, then lifted the belt of his court dress and said, "I have married more than twenty beautiful concubines."

Li Daozon's expression became more and more solemn.

Li Chengqian said with emotion: "Uncle, please take care of your health."

"Later, he was reprimanded by His Majesty, his military power was confiscated, and he had no choice but to release those concubines. He was also scolded by many censors."

Seeing that both the uncle and nephew were looking at him, Li Dao Zong said angrily: "I have a fierce wife at home. If I take a concubine... she will fight to the death with me."

Li Xiaogong shook his head in disappointment, his eyes only showing that he should take good care of himself. He then said, "Yesterday, Li Jing returned victorious and met with Your Majesty. They talked for a long time in Ganlu Palace. Then Li Jing returned to his residence and closed the door to visitors. He even did not come to the Taiji Palace banquet last night."

Li Daozong said in a deep voice: "Let's not talk about our own affairs. The Tibetans should not be underestimated. When we went to Wuhai to kill Fuyun Khan, we met the Tibetans there."

Tuyuhun was pacified, and tens of thousands of people died in Chishuiyuan and Dafeichuan.

The feud between Tubo and the Tang Dynasty has been recorded in history books for a hundred years.

Especially when I heard the place name Dafeichuan again.

Only after listening to Li Daozon's narration did I realize how dangerous the attempt to capture Fuyun Khan alive was. If the Tibetans had intervened from behind at that time, the situation would have been out of control.

Fortunately, the Tibetans were not fully prepared at that time, or perhaps they did not want to go to war with the Tang people at this juncture. After all, they had just conquered the Yangtong tribe. Songtsen Gampo even sent envoys to Nepal behind the snow-capped mountains.

Then, Li Xiaogong talked about the banquet held in Taiji Hall last night. The Western Expedition against Tuyuhun was a great victory, and the generals of the Western Expedition, the old generals in the court, and His Majesty got drunk.

It was Qin Qiong who woke everyone up one by one, and then they hurriedly cleaned up the Taiji Hall. Everyone changed into court robes and almost missed the court session.

Until now, there is still a faint aroma of wine wafting through the Taiji Hall.

I heard from the emperor's uncle that last night Cheng Yaojin proposed that Jie Li Khan and Fuyun Khan come to the Taiji Hall to dance the Hu Xuan dance to liven up the atmosphere.

This old man's proposal was not allowed after all.

Seeing that the morning court was about to begin, Li Chengqian returned to his seat.

Li Ke asked curiously, "What did my brother and uncles talk about?"

Li Chengqian said: "These are all things that happen to some people when they reach middle age. They have nothing to do with us brothers."

The morning court session began, and Fang Xuanling stepped forward first and reported the war with Tuyuhun in a loud voice.

In fact, everything was ready last night, and today they just went through the motions. Not long after, Fuyun Khan was escorted to the Taiji Hall. Li Chengqian looked coldly at the Tuyuhun Khan who was kneeling before the court. He was not very tall, his curly yellow beard was a little messy, and his clothes were dirty.

The majestic Emperor Li Shimin sat on the throne, pointing at Fu Yun and cursing, "How dare you offend the three northwestern states of the Tang Dynasty, and even detain the Tang envoy. You are so bold!"

The emperor's angry roar echoed throughout the Taiji Hall, and Fu Yun knelt on the ground and trembled.

From the very beginning of the war between the Tang Dynasty and Tuyuhun, the Tang Dynasty first persuaded, then warned, and finally sent Tang envoys.

They tried to persuade them again and again until no more reason could persuade them. They had no choice but to send troops. Although the process was hasty, the Tang Dynasty stood on the side of justice in this war, both in terms of morality and justification.

No matter how Tuyuhun defended himself, in the eyes of the Tibetans in the Western Regions or the Turks, Fuyun Khan was a complete villain.

Now, it wouldn't be considered excessive for anyone in the Tai Chi Hall to kick him.

However, this is the Taiji Hall of the Tang Dynasty, the highest power center of the Tang Dynasty, and everyone is trying their best to restrain their barbarity.

Finally, Fuyun Khan was taken away again and was to be executed in the autumn, because someone in the court suggested that they should first comfort the soldiers who died in the battle while guarding the border during the Sui Dynasty.

This proposal was also adopted by my father and the court officials.

The following morning court session began with various departments reporting on this year's autumn harvest.

After the morning court session at noon, Li Chengqian walked out of the Taiji Hall and saw his sister Li Lizhi waiting outside the hall with a basket of salted duck eggs.

She held the basket in both hands and said, "I don't know when my brother will leave the court, so I will wait here."

Li Chengqian took the small basket from her hand and asked, "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long, just waited for a moment."

Li Xiaogong stopped in front of the hall and smiled with relief when he saw the Crown Prince and Princess Changle, a brother and sister, walking towards the Lizheng Hall.

Li Chengqian carried the basket and walked to the outside of his mother's Lizheng Hall. There were not many changes here.

Li Lizhi walked into the hall first and called out, "Mother!"

Empress Changsun was packing some clothes. When she saw her daughter, she asked, "Why are you wearing this old dress again? Didn't we just send her a new one yesterday?"

Li Lizhi said shyly in front of her mother: "My daughter is reluctant to wear it, my brother is here too!"

Hearing this, Empress Changsun looked up, saw her son, and nodded again, "Chengqian, sit down."

Li Chengqian handed a basket of salted duck eggs to the maidservant who was serving his mother, but he didn't sit down. He looked around the Lizheng Palace and asked, "How is my mother's health lately?"

The queen first glanced at the little Sizi crawling on the bed, then picked up her little daughter and said, "Before, Divine Doctor Sun came to visit once every ten days, but now only once a month. He said that her condition has improved a lot. Queen Mother doesn't know the cause of the disease, but Divine Doctor Sun said that she has recovered well, so she is fine."

Li Chengqian put his hands behind his back, looked at a ginkgo tree outside the Lizheng Palace, and whispered, "I brought some salted duck eggs."

Li Lizhi also said: "These are all salted duck eggs made by my brother. There are still many in the East Palace. Mother, remember to eat them and don't always reward the concubines in the harem."

Looking at her children, Empress Changsun smiled and nodded, then took out a cloth bag and put it in her son's hand, "Chengqian, keep this sachet. Your mother can't use it. I heard that you always go to bed late recently. This sachet can help you sleep peacefully."

"Thank you, mother."

Li Lizhi was a little dissatisfied and grabbed her mother's arm and said, "My daughter wants it too."

Seeing this, the queen laughed again and said, "You little girl, you are still not satisfied even after I gave you new clothes."

Inside the palace, the queen's children were beside her, talking and laughing. The scene was very warm, and the palace maids in the Lizheng Palace were also smiling.

Li Lizhi teased her little sister Sizi who could only crawl on the bed.

Empress Changsun dismissed the palace maids and left her children behind. She looked serious and said, "Chengqian, your mother has something to ask you. You must tell the truth."

Li Chengqian took a stool and sat down, saying, "Mother, please speak."

"I know that the East Palace doesn't have many people, and can barely take care of your brothers and sisters, but do you have any private property outside?"

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "So the Queen Mother knows all these things."

Empress Changsun held her temple and whispered, "If you don't tell your mother something, your uncle will tell you."

My uncle is a family member. Since he told my mother about it, it means that she knows what to do and will take care of me in the future. If it was not necessary, he would not have said these things to her.

Seeing her son's silence, Empress Changsun said again: "Chengqian, you are the crown prince, so you need to be more careful about some things."

"I understand, but those are Du He's family businesses, and the Eastern Palace has never been involved in their management."

At this, Empress Changsun nodded slowly, and then looked at her son again. Suddenly she smiled and whispered, "You have grown a lot taller. Look at your court dress, it seems too short."

Li Chengqian looked down and saw that the court dress was indeed a little short, revealing part of the ankles.

Li Chengqian smiled awkwardly and said, "I didn't pay attention to it before."

"Change it, and let your mother change it for you."

Li Chengqian took off his heavy court robes in response.

Empress Changsun took the court robe, folded it and placed it on her knees, whispering, "You have grown up. Ning'er said that you have your own ideas now. This is all good. No matter what you arrange outside, you must promise your mother to do good things, not to harm the people of Guanzhong, and not to bully others."

"My sons, please remember your mother's teachings."

Looking at her son who had grown taller, Empress Changsun patted her son's strong shoulders and nodded with satisfaction.

"Remember to visit your uncle."

"I plan to go there after noon."

Just as the Emperor said, this uncle holds a very important position in the Li Tangtian family.

Even though he has left the court and is now in retirement, it does not prevent him from supporting the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, because the Crown Prince is the bond between the two sides.

Empress Changsun looked outside the palace, and a palace maid noticed her gaze and walked over in small steps, reporting: "Queen, the meal is ready."

"Well, you brothers and sisters should have dinner here with the Queen Mother before leaving."

"I intend to have dinner here."

The food in Lizheng Hall was simple. Li Chengqian looked at the dishes in front of him and cut some mutton and put it in the bowl of his sister beside him.

Li Lizhi chewed the mutton with her small mouth while teasing the little Sizi.

Li Chengqian said, "Mother, I heard that your father is going to Mount Li for the autumn hunt. Did your father mention staying in Chang'an to supervise the government?"

"You want to go hunting in autumn, too?" After a pause, Empress Chang Sun shook her head and said, "You will probably have to stay in Chang'an."

After saying this, he saw his son was silent for a long time.

(End of this chapter)