The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 550: Heavy Snow Every Year

Li Shen knew clearly that his elder brother had once wanted to become Xu Jingzong's disciple in Jingzhao Prefecture, but his father had never looked at Xu Jingzong favorably, so the plan ended in vain.

Although he did not take Xu Jingzong as his teacher, he still received his teachings, so it was natural for his brother to be angry about this.

Li Zhi hesitated and asked, "Could it be that Liu Rengui set the fire?"

Li Shen whispered, "I heard that Liu Rengui is not a simple person. He beat one of my father's captains to death, but he is still safe and sound. Now he has been promoted to the Minister of War."

"Replying to King Jin, it was not Liu Rengui who set the fire."

"Hmm?" Li Zhi's expression was stern, and he asked, "Who set the fire?"

Li Shen asked, "Could it be Chu Suiliang?"

"That's not the case, Prince Ji." The servant explained hurriedly, "The three of them were in the imperial city at the time, and no one set the fire."

Li Zhi said: "That's right. No matter how domineering Liu Rengui is, he would not set fire to Chang'an. This is a serious crime."

Li Shen also agreed and ordered: "Tell Di Shaoyin of Jingzhao Prefecture to send over any news."

"Here."

In Jingzhao Prefecture in Chang'an City, Jingzhao Prefecture Prefect Zhang Da'an and Jingzhao Prefecture Shao Yin were listening to the report of the bad guys.

Di Renjie interrupted, "It was Minister Xu's wife who accidentally set the house on fire."

"Exactly."

Zhang Daan said: "I understand, you can leave now."

Di Renjie put down the file in his hand and said, "This is a fire, not arson."

"Does Di Shaoyin still want to investigate?"

"I won't check anymore." Di Renjie simply stood up and said, "Chang'an City is peaceful."

This house must have been set on fire, but whether it was the fire in Xu Jingzong's house or the fire in Chu Suiliang's house, it was always an accident, never arson.

Since Zhang Da'an took office as prefect, the governance of Chang'an City has been very good.

Zhang Da'an is more than ten years older than Di Renjie, so he can give him some care in his dealings.

The noisy city of Chang'an seemed to never stop, from morning to noon every day.

Only when the evening sun shines on this most populous and largest city in the world, does Zhang Daan feel that the city is a little quieter.

A eunuch came hurriedly and saluted, saying, "Prefect, His Majesty has summoned you."

Hearing this, Zhang Daan stood up and followed him out.

The scenery by the Qujiang Lake in autumn was not very good. Li Chengqian looked at the dead branches by the lake and peeled and ate walnuts.

"Your Majesty, the prefect has arrived."

Li Chengqian said, "Sit down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhang Da'an took the chair handed to him by the eunuch and sat down.

"I have read the reports from the Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel regarding your rumors. They both said that it would be a good idea to have you serve as the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture."

"I dare not accept it."

Li Chengqian poured him another cup of tea.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian refilled his tea and said, smelling the tea, "Ali of the Arabs is dead."

Back then in Congling, Zhang Daan had heard of Ali, but he didn't expect that he was dead?

Li Chengqian added: "He was only nineteen years old, and died in the second year after becoming the fourth caliph of the Arab Empire. Some say he died of a sudden illness, while others say he was assassinated."

Zhang Da'an frowned and said nothing.

Li Chengqian continued: "I think he was assassinated."

"I don't understand."

"I don't understand it either." Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly and looked at the sparrow on the dry branch in the distance. "After Ali died, several civil wars broke out in the Arab Empire, and many forces were formed..."

According to your Majesty's narration, a powerful Arab Empire is falling apart and gradually splitting into small forces.

Even the Persian prince Arohan, who was far away in the old land of Persia, found an opportunity to restore his country.

The Persian prince gathered an army near the Aral Sea. This army consisted of only thirty people and was not even a group of horse bandits.

Therefore, no one cared about the Persian prince's plan to restore his country.

Li Chengqian added: "These are the messages sent by Wang Xiaojie. From now on, there will be no more threats from the Arabs west of the Pamir Mountains. Now they are busy with their own affairs, and some people say that I should take this opportunity to advance."

After a pause, Li Chengqian continued, "I think you have a lot of experience in various counties or in county governance. The Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate also value the abilities you have honed at the grassroots level, but I hope you can train more people like this."

"You can learn until you die." Li Chengqian smiled relaxedly, "Take Jingzhao Prefecture as a place to train people, or select more people like you from Jingzhao Prefecture. After the imperial examination this year, the court recruited 600 people."

"I intend to hand over two hundred of them to Jingzhao Prefecture."

"I accept your order."

"As for how to arrange it, you can make your own decision. I will not let others interfere."

"Here."

Zhang Da'an bowed, took his leave and left.

The wind of late autumn blew again, blowing up a cloud of fallen leaves. Li Chengqian sat alone by the Qujiang Lake, scratching the blue stubble on his chin, thinking.

Maybe everyone is too busy this year, or maybe everything that needs to be done this year has been done.

After Liu Rengui caused a big disturbance in the Ministry of Rites, the emperor often adjourned court.

In November of the 13th year of the Qianqing reign, Li Chengqian accompanied his father on a walk along the Longshou Canal. “How much manpower did Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty use when he built the Longshou Canal?”

Li Shimin said: "One hundred thousand."

"really?"

"That's what the historian said."

Li Shimin stopped and looked into the distance.

Li Chengqian remembered that this direction was the direction of Zhaoling, which was also the mausoleum where his father would be buried after his death.

When Liu Bang built his own mausoleum, he buried all his meritorious officials in the Changling Mausoleum of Emperor Gaozu of Han.

It may be that my father had special feelings and views towards Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang. In fact, it was also the case during the Zhenguan period. My father also buried his old brothers who had fought together in the war in Zhaoling Mausoleum.

Li Chengqian noticed the hope in his father's eyes. His father's old brothers left one after another and were buried in Zhaoling Mausoleum.

Perhaps my father was looking forward to the day of his burial so that he could be reunited with his old brothers?

Li Chengqian slowed down his pace, looked at his father's back, and also saw his father's head full of white hair.

Li Shimin pushed away the cane handed to him by the eunuch, stood by the canal with his hands behind his back, and felt the wind blowing in his face. "I heard that you are beginning to neglect state affairs?"

Li Chengqian sat beside his father and replied, "I have not neglected state affairs."

"Then you shouldn't be here, chatting with me." Li Shimin whispered, "When you were still the crown prince, you almost lived in the Secretariat." Li Chengqian explained, "Father, after I became the emperor, I don't have so many things to do personally."

"hehe."

Li Shimin chuckled.

The people who serve as emperors are different, so the emperors are also different.

Judging from past experience about what the previous emperors were like is of no reference value to the current emperor.

The court was transformed into an efficient centralized power center. It was more efficient than during the Zhenguan period and more like a machine.

Everyone in this machine has his or her own job, and the machine operates over and over again.

This may sound a bit cold and ruthless, but as long as it is a machine, the more ruthless it is, the more efficient it is.

It is impossible for an emperor to make everyone in the court ruthless, but at least he should be as lenient as possible.

The deeds during the Zhenguan period were full of lofty sentiments and loyalty.

The Tang Dynasty during the Qianqing period was powerful. It was probably the most powerful it could be. It was even more powerful than during the Zhenguan period, and its territory was also larger.

For half a month, Li Chengqian stayed with his father, either fishing or taking walks and chatting with him.

Until winter came in Guanzhong, the emperor, apart from asking about state affairs every now and then, left most matters to the crown prince and court officials.

It was a winter day and it was snowing heavily. Li Chengqian was fishing by the lake with a fishing rod.

Li Shimin sat aside and ate tea eggs, saying: "You are free now. I haven't seen my grandson for some time."

Empress Dowager Changsun, Empress Su and Concubine Ning were preparing meals.

Li Chengqian ignored his father's words.

In the eyes of the eunuchs, His Majesty is sometimes like this, and not every question from the retired emperor will be answered.

In the past, the crown prince was raised by the retired emperor. Now, when the crown prince needs training, he is taught by the strict Majesty. Most of the time, there is less teaching by words and deeds, and it is probably felt that the people in the court are enough for the crown prince to learn from.

"Will the bluebird come back this year?"

Upon hearing His Majesty's words, the eunuch immediately replied: "The Zongzheng Temple has not sent any news yet."

Li Shimin sighed, "I don't know when Qingque will come back from outside, I don't know what Ke'er is doing outside, and even Zhinu is hanging out with a group of blacksmiths all day. Now you are the only one left by my side."

"I have an agreement with my younger brothers and sisters that no matter how busy we are outside, we will come back for the New Year this year."

The cold wind blew across the land of Guanzhong. Guanzhong, which had previously had some cool autumn weather, seemed to have entered winter overnight, and heavy snow swept across the land.

The court officials were still arguing in the Secretariat about foreign affairs, internal affairs, the imperial guards, the Protectorate...all the matters seemed to be rushed in front of everyone at once in this cold winter.

Including Zhang Da'an of Jingzhao Prefecture, he almost lived in Jingzhao Prefecture and inquired about the situation in various places and counties every day.

The heavy snow was like cotton sprayed out of a bag, hitting people's faces and making it impossible to see the scenery in the distance.

In the snow, you can still see busy figures in the imperial city. Li Chengqian and his father sat on the city wall of Chengtian Gate, cooking hot pot and looking at the snow scenery.

In the eyes of people in the palace, the current emperor loves snow scenery. When the first heavy snow falls every year, the emperor will sit on the city wall of Chengtian Gate, cook hot pot and watch the snow scenery.

The same is true today. The first snow of this year came especially early and was especially heavy.

There was such heavy snow in mid-October this year, which is rare in the past fifty years.

Li Chengqian picked up a piece of fish from the hot pot and put it into his father's bowl, saying, "Actually, I don't like using fish to cook hot pot."

Li Shimin ate a piece of fish and said, "I also think it would be better to cook it with porridge."

The eunuch at the side stopped cutting the fish and put the cut fish aside. He deftly poured some millet into the earthenware pot, and waited for the millet to be cooked into porridge. When he could smell the fragrance of the porridge, he put the fish into the pot.

When the fish was cooked, the eunuchs sprinkled some salt and chopped green onions on it and served it to Your Majesty and the Emperor.

Li Shimin took a wooden spoon and scooped out a spoonful of porridge, put it into his mouth, tasted it carefully, finished the bowl of porridge, and smiled: "Actually, there is no difference."

Seeing his son eating with gusto, Li Shimin said, "When I was young, I drank too much and ate too much. How can I not taste such delicious food?"

Li Chengqian added: "This year, my brother Ke has been investigating matters related to salt and iron. When he comes back, you can ask him about the results."

"Salt and iron?"

"Nothing, just some small things."

Li Shimin snorted coldly, feeling that the trivial matter his son mentioned would result in the deaths of many people.

Li Chengqian scooped some spinach from the pot and put it into his father's bowl, then he scooped some spinach himself and ate it.

"Father! Grandfather!"

Hearing the familiar call, Li Shimin finally smiled, scooped a bowl of porridge from another pot and handed it to his granddaughter.

Little Magpie took the bowl and sat aside, drinking the porridge obediently.

Li Shimin asked, "Where is your brother?"

"My brother didn't accomplish anything this year, but he didn't get into trouble either. The Imperial Censor Shangguan Yi always said that my brother was a good kid. He didn't make any achievements. Shangguan Yi's only comment on my brother was that he was a good kid."

The emperor, who had a sad face at the beginning when he was having dinner with his son, now smiled brightly and chatted non-stop with his granddaughter.

“Do you have any zongzi?”

Hearing the princess' question, the eunuch bowed and said, "Yes."

Soon, a bowl of steaming zongzi was served. Xiao Queer put down the porridge in his hand and ate the zongzi in a good mood.

When the princess came here, everyone here consciously surrounded her, fearing that her highness would be unhappy.

In fact, Que'er was a very sensible child and the most reassuring one among the other children in the palace.

After the meal, the emperor felt sleepy. Li Chengqian took out a blanket and covered him with it, and then placed the heater next to him. These actions were very natural and he was used to it.

When the cold wind blew, my father's hair and beard were still shaking.

Only after his father really fell asleep did Li Chengqian have someone carry a chair and take his father to the warm city tower to rest.

Xiao Que'er sat on the recliner, holding a book in her hand, and said, "My daughter is waiting here for Grandpa to wake up."

In the cold winter of the 13th year of Qianqing's reign, King Wei finally arrived in Guanzhong.

In the house of Anning Village, Empress Dowager Changsun looked at her son for a long time and said, "Qingque, you have lost weight."

Li Tai squatted down beside his mother, held her hand, and said, "I have been to a very far place, and now I am back."

"Tell my mother where you have been?"

"I went to the seaside, and I also went out to sea on a boat."

Li Shimin happened to come over with a fishing rod in hand and said, "Cheng Qian said you would come back in the twelfth lunar month. Is the twelfth lunar month so early this year?"

The guard replied: "Your Majesty, it is already the twelfth lunar month."

Li Shimin bent down, put the fish basket aside, and once again pushed away the guards who came to help him. Instead, he stood up on his knees and said, "Qingque, Xin'er has been with Yu Tu in the East Palace recently."

Li Tai bowed and said, "Thank you, father, for taking care of Xin'er."

Li Shimin said: "They are all my grandsons, all the same."

(End of this chapter)