The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 453: Around the Lantern Festival
They both responded in unison: "Yes."

Li Chengqian added: "Liang Jianfang will be appointed as the General of the Left Guard, and Xue Rengui will be appointed as the General of the Right Army. From now on, the two of you will guard Chang'an. When the war breaks out again, we will need two more generals to lead the troops."

"Here!"

Li Chengqian smiled again and said, "I have prepared rewards for you and have had them prepared outside Chengtian Gate."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

The two generals bowed and withdrew.

It was a very simple conversation, without any extra words. Cen Wenben watched the two generals retreat and then looked at His Majesty's expression.

The next people summoned were Cheng Chumo and Li Jingheng.

"We have been friends for many years. You don't have to put on a stern face when you see me."

The two men smiled, and Li Jingheng bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the four Anxi towns have not been built, and I am willing to accept the punishment."

Li Chengqian stood up, put his hands in his pockets and looked at the two of them, saying, "Zhi Nu and Shen Di have been playful since they were young. Father and mother punished them last night. You don't have to feel guilty."

Li Jingheng hesitated to speak. He originally wanted to speak for Prince Jin and Prince Ji, but the retired emperor punished him first, so he felt it would be inappropriate to say anything more.

"Don't think about saying good things for them. Father is punishing them, and I can't stop them. After all, they are young and they are not sensible. It's not that father and I are making things difficult for them. It's just that father and mother have high expectations for the two brothers."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and said, "Now that father has recognized the reality, he should be relieved."

People cannot be compared. Li Jingheng felt that Prince Ji and Prince Jin had a hard time as well.

Li Chengqian handed over the order and said, "You two will each be the commander of the Flying Tigers, and lead a team each from now on."

Li Jingheng hesitated and said, "Your Majesty..."

"Ok?"

"I obey your command." Li Jingheng suppressed the doubts in his heart and immediately changed his words.

"Okay, let Pei Xingjian and Di Renjie come over."

"Here."

Li Jingheng and Cheng Chumo walked out of the new palace together, walking side by side.

"Chu Mo."

"speak."

Li Jingheng was puzzled and said, "When we went to the Western Regions, except for the original ten members of the Flying Tigers, the rest were personnel assigned by the Guards. His Majesty asked us to lead a team each. How should we select the personnel?"

Cheng Chumo looked solemn, as if he had encountered a very serious problem.

This guy is always clueless when faced with problems. Li Jingheng thinks that the responsibility of leading the Flying Tigers can only be shouldered by him. As a branch of the imperial guards, directly under the command of His Majesty, it is natural that it cannot be worse than other guards.

He added: "Forget it, I'll go ask the Ministry of War."

Cheng Chumo still had a solemn look on his face and nodded, "Okay."

The two men walked out of Chengtian Gate, Pei Xingjian and Di Renjie also walked into the palace, followed by Pei Yan and Jiang Shiren.

Next came Wang Xuance and the Queen of India.

The Queen of India presented the Khan with the unique Indian sugar.

Li Chengqian looked at the child who had just learned to walk and smiled: "How old are you?"

The child looked at his parents behind him.

The Queen of Tianzhu hurriedly explained: "Tian Khan, the child is two years old this year."

Li Chengqian picked up the child and said, "Well, he is a very energetic child."

Seeing Tian Khan holding his child, Wang Xuance and the Queen of India immediately bowed.

Li Chengqian held him and walked two steps, saying, "Now many things in Tianzhu are arranged by Chongwenguan. A Luo Nashun is a cruel man. I have heard that Chongwenguan will govern Tianzhu in the future, but all matters will be reported to you."

Seeing that the Queen of Tianzhu looked fearful and seemed to be worried about the child, Li Chengqian handed the child back to Wang Xuance's arms and said, "I will make this child the King of Tianzhu. The royal family of Tianzhu will still be preserved, and you will still have the subjects of Tianzhu."

The Indian Queen bowed again and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian looked at the snow outside the palace and said, "Stay in Chang'an for a few more years. Since you are married to a Tang person, you will be his wife from now on. You are a Tang person, and your children will also be Tang people."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The Queen of India held back her tears. She had been worried all the way about whether she would be recognized by the Tang people. With His Majesty's words, all her worries of the past two years were swept away.

Li Chengqian said: "In the future, Tianzhu will need to pay taxes to the Central Plains, the amount will be the same as Guanzhong, how about storing the taxes in the Tubo Protectorate?"

The Indian Queen replied, "Yes."

"Okay, I'll let the people from the Honglu Temple discuss the remaining matters with you and your wife."

Wang Xuance led his wife and children to pay their respects and said, "I will take my leave."

"Wait a minute." Li Chengqian picked up the decree on the table and handed it over, saying, "Wang Xuance is conferred the title of Duke of Ba County and appointed as the Chief of the Army of Tianzhu Road, commanding all the troops of the Tianzhu countries."

"Here."

Li Chengqian patted Wang Xuance's shoulder again.

Wang Xuance bowed again.

The couple bowed and left with their child.

Bai Fang was a person from the Western Regions, but he bowed and saluted as soon as he entered the hall, fortunately he did not kneel on the spot.

Seeing His Majesty frowning, the eunuch beside him hurriedly helped the man from the Western Regions up.

Bai Fang was already in tears. He finally met the Tian Khan. This Tian Khan was very young and seemed to be a few years younger than himself.

"Mr. Liang recommends you to serve as the garrison general of Anxi. Are you willing?"

"Bai Fang is willing!" He fell to the ground again, trembling all over, not knowing whether he was too happy or too scared.

The eunuch had no choice but to help him again, but when he saw that the man was kneeling on the ground and refused to get up, he stopped helping him.

Li Chengqian reached out and patted his shoulder.

Bai Fang was frightened again, this was the hand of the Heavenly Khan, and it actually patted his shoulder.

Cen Wenben smiled, and seeing His Majesty being so friendly, he stroked his beard and nodded.

Li Chengqian continued, "You should stay in Chang'an during the New Year, and then go to the Western Regions to take up your post after the Lantern Festival."

"Here!"

Bai Fang responded loudly, his voice drawn out.

Seeing that the man was already crying, Li Chengqian rubbed his brows in distress and ordered, "Okay, you're tired from running around, take a good rest."

But Bai Fang was still prostrating himself on the ground.

The man was kneeling very firmly, and the eunuchs could not help him up no matter how hard they tried. The man was even struggling, and the eunuchs had a bitter face.

Bai Fang said loudly: "I am willing to kill enemies for Tian Khan and eliminate all enemies for Tian Khan. Thank Tian Khan for benefiting the Western Regions. The people of the Western Regions are all grateful to Tian Khan."

Li Chengqian rubbed his brows in distress and nodded, "I understand. I'll remember what you said. In fact, someone has also told me the same thing."

"Bai Fang, may I ask who it is?"

"His name is Ashina She'er. He is fighting in the north. No one knows where he is fighting. Alas..." Bai Fang raised his head slightly and saw the back of Tian Khan. He was wearing a black robe with golden brown embellishments. His back looked no different from that of an ordinary person, but it made people feel very heavy.

After performing the great ceremony once again, Bai Fang stood up. He wrote down the name Ashina She'er, bowed, and then left.

Only His Majesty and Elder Cen were left in the hall.

Cen Wenben kept watching and said, "This newly appointed general is very loyal."

Li Chengqian said: "He was Xuanzang's disciple. He used to be."

"Does he know that Xuanzang has returned to secular life?"

"It has been announced to the world, how could he not know? He just didn't ask me, and probably didn't dare to ask. Xuanzang is still alive, let him have a thought in his mind. If he can go on another expedition in the future, maybe Xuanzang will know."

"Your Majesty is kind and righteous."

Li Chengqian raised his head and said, "Mr. Cen is joking."

The envoys from the Kingdom of Little Bolor, like the White side, bowed and saluted as soon as they entered the hall.

This is a bit of imitation, but it does not prevent the small Kingdom of Bolor from expressing its loyalty to the Heavenly Khan.

Until finally, His Majesty summoned General Zhang Shigui.

It was lunch time. Li Chengqian cooked a bowl of noodles himself, poured the soup into the bowl, and handed it to the old general himself.

It is still snowing in Chang'an today. It is New Year's Day, and the snow is neither heavy nor light. It stops from time to time, and then continues after half a day.

I didn’t know how long it would stop raining, it just continued for three days and was still raining on the fourth day.

Duke Wei has been seriously ill lately, and has since closed his door to visitors. Even the current emperor has not been seen due to illness.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month in the fifth year of the Qianqing reign, people were still celebrating the New Year leisurely.

Today an old general retired, his name is General Zhang Shigui.

After he retired, Your Majesty still conferred the title of Shangzhuguo on this great general and conferred him the title of Duke of Xinye.

Chang'an has one more duke. This is the first duke conferred in the fifth year since Your Majesty ascended the throne.

In the taverns and on the streets of Chang'an City, people were discussing this matter.

Actually, there is nothing much to discuss. There were many founding dukes during the Zhenguan period, but there is only one in this dynasty.

"I heard that when the old general retired, His Majesty personally made a bowl of noodles for him."

"I heard about it many years ago. Prime Minister Fang and Duke Zheng also liked to eat at the East Palace. Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, no one has eaten the food Your Majesty prepared personally. General Zhang is the only one who has eaten it."

“What an honor this is.”

A man from the Western Regions said, "Some people say that the current Heavenly Khan is very harsh and does not give many rewards. Now it seems that those people are just talking nonsense."

Di Renjie stood on the street corner, listening to these people's discussions. He was wearing a black robe. The outer robe was black, and underneath the outer robe was the official uniform of the Secretary of Jingzhao Prefecture.

Seeing a man coming out of a tavern, Di Renjie followed him.

This person was Murong Shun. After returning to Chang'an, Di Renjie kept keeping an eye on him, wanting to know what he was going to do and whether he had any other arrangements.

Murong Shun walked into the crowd and brushed past pedestrians several times. Di Renjie stood there with a frown on his face, as he had lost him.

With a dull sigh, Di Renjie let out a breath of hot air and had to return to Jingzhao Prefecture.

In Jingzhao Prefecture, Xu Jingzong was drinking tea and looking at last year's city tax accounts. Di Renjie changed out of his outer robe and sat beside him.

Di Renjie grew up in Jingzhao Prefecture and was a disciple of Yan Qinli. He grew up under the eyes of everyone in Jingzhao Prefecture, and everyone treated Di Renjie like their own child.

"Why do you have time to walk around here today?"

Di Renjie propped his chin with one hand and said, "I am the secretary of Jingzhao Prefecture."

Xu Jingzong was still holding the tea bowl when he asked, "Are you worried about something?"

"Is Murong Shun from Jingzhao Prefecture?"

"It used to be, but not now?"

"Whose owner is he now?"

Xu Jingzong took another sip of tea slowly and said, "Not all methods used to govern the Western Regions are aboveboard. There are always some secrets in this world. You are as stubborn as your father. Back then, Di Zhixun held on to Cheng Yaojin's cow, and you held on to Murong Shun."

"This guy is so weird."

Xu Jingzong smiled and did not stop Di Renjie from investigating.

In the fifth year of Qianqing's reign, it was the Lantern Festival. Ever since the Anxi Army returned, Chang'an City had been very lively. On the Lantern Festival, Chang'an City was extremely lively.

Under the cover of night, Li Chengqian was accompanied by Xu Jingzong, Chu Suiliang, Cen Wenben, Yu Zhining, and Songtsen Gampo.

Li Chengqian said, "You can go to Taiji Hall to attend the court meeting."

Songtsen Gampo was puzzled and asked, "What does your Majesty mean?"

"Haven't you always wanted to find out how the court governs the world? Then just get involved in the government."

Cen Wenben followed behind in silence.

Xu Jingzong, Chu Suiliang and Yu Zhining were also very silent.

From then on, Songtsen Gampo held court in the Taiji Hall like your Majesty's subject, which was indeed a good story.

"The court will be in session after the Lantern Festival. If you don't want to come, I won't force you."

Songtsen Gampo neither refused nor agreed.

Amid the bustle of the Lantern Festival, people looked forward to it all night long. However, no unusual sounds were seen in the night sky. Since the brilliant night at the end of the Zhenguan period, the flowers in the night sky have never bloomed again.

This added some legends to Chang'an. According to the legend, the auspicious signs that would appear at night would usher in a prosperous era, just like the Zhenguan period bid farewell to the world in the light of the Eastern Expedition, and the Tang Dynasty ushered in a new look.

Now with His Majesty's decree and the arrangements made by the court, the people of Tang today are not yet at the age where they can enjoy luxury.

The Tang people still needed to live a simple life, and even the heroes in the court did not dare to be overly extravagant.

Su Tan came quickly with the scroll in his hand and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this is a newly compiled scroll from the Chongwenguan."

Li Chengqian stopped, took the scroll, and looked at the contents in the scroll in the light of the torches on the city wall. The teachers in Chongwenguan also told the story of the blood and tears of the Sui Dynasty's Eastern Expedition, the hardships of the Eastern Expedition during the Zhenguan period, and of course the glory of the victory in the war.

Thanks to the vigorous promotion of volunteer teachers, today's children all know the stories of the Eastern Expedition, the legends of the Western Regions, and the advice of Duke Zheng.

Li Chengqian put the scroll away again and said, "When Duke Zheng was still alive, he often advised me and my father. Now that Duke Zheng has passed away, his words are advising the world."

Su Tan bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Cen Wenben, Chu Suiliang, Yu Zhining and others all bowed in unison.

Li Chengqian put one hand on the city wall and looked at the beautiful scenery all over the city. In the square streets and in some gaps, the light of lights was overflowing.

That night, His Majesty looked at the night view of the Lantern Festival for a long time.

The curfew was lifted for three days during the Lantern Festival. After three days of excitement, the court resumed.

The White Party heard that during the Lantern Festival, His Majesty invited Songtsen Gampo to attend the morning court in Taiji Hall to hear government affairs, but afterwards the Tibetan king did not attend the morning court.

Pei Xingjian now serves as the General of the Guards. He is flipping through the military book in his hand.

(End of this chapter)