The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 59 The Prince Who Does Everything Himself

From now on, the meals for Lizheng Hall will be taken care of by the Eastern Palace. This is no big deal. Let Ning'er assign a few more people to Xiaofu to teach him more in the future.

Xiaofu, the head chef of the East Palace, already has a sense of power, which is mostly developed from her explosive personality.

Whenever someone in the palace gossiped about her, she would get furious.

In fact, Xiaofu's face is a little rounder, which makes her look chubby. She has gained some weight recently and people have been teasing her for eating too much in the kitchen. If she is really fat, she is just slightly fat and quite healthy.

Being of the same age as Li Zhi, it was a rare achievement for her to be able to cook a table of food.

So, Ning'er assigned two assistants to help her. From then on, Xiaofu became the second in command under Ning'er, the head female official in charge of the Eastern Palace.

Because of Princess Changle's words, Xiaofu's status in the Eastern Palace was greatly improved.

Therefore, Li Zhi, the younger sister, is still very loyal, and Xiaofu is very close to Princess Changle on weekdays.

Don't be fooled by Li Zhi's young age, she has a lot of tricks up her sleeve.

Li Chengqian returned to the front hall of the Eastern Palace and picked up the memorial beside him and began to read it.

During these days of supervising government affairs, the court has become accustomed to using tables to record the expenses of the three provinces and six ministries.

Looking at each item carefully, I felt a headache after reading too many of them. It was because the expenses of my father on state affairs were not just a mess, it was a complete mess.

This approach of spending money wherever it is needed without considering how it will be used in the next few years is unreasonable.

For example, my father has no plan on where and how to spend the money in the next three years.

Li Chengqian put the memorial aside. Not all memorials needed approval from the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace who was in charge of government affairs.

The financial situation of the Tang Dynasty is truly regrettable.

Just put this memorial aside and ignore it.

In late autumn, the wind howled in Chang'an City at night and only stopped during the day.

After the morning court session, Li Chengqian asked Ning'er to inform the court of the prince's schedule for the day.

General Li Ji had been waiting in front of Chengtian Gate early in the morning.

Because Li Zhi, his mother, and Ning'er needed to prepare winter clothes, Li Chengqian walked to Chengtian Gate alone with his hands in his pockets.

Li Ji clasped his fists and said, "I heard that Your Highness will inspect the city defense today, so I will wait here."

"General, please go first."

"Here!"

Li Chengqian followed Li Ji's footsteps and first looked at the defense situation of Chengtian Gate. Originally, all the court affairs that could be handled had been handled, and the rest were old problems that had been piled up.

Those old problems have troubled my father and the court for many years, just like the problem of money use in the court that we see today.

Li Ji was accompanying him. The general was still the same as always, silent and with a stern face. Behind him were more than a dozen armored guards.

When walking out of the Suzaku Gate, Li Chengqian stopped because he saw a few people fighting in a tavern nearby.

He just took one more look and continued walking towards Chunming Gate.

On the way to Chunming Gate, you will definitely pass by Pingkangfang and Dongshi, which are the most lively places in Chang'an City.

There was a drunkard who fell to the ground in front of the gate of Pingkangfang, holding a jar of wine.

There were also people shouting and cursing in the streets.

The streets of East Market are lined with vendors in an orderly manner on both sides.

"General, has Chang'an City always been like this?" Li Chengqian frowned as he looked at a pile of debris piled aside.

Seeing this, Li Ji quickly ordered people to take the pile of debris away.

The street in front of him was cleaner. Li Chengqian was relieved and said, "I have always felt that clean streets can reflect the majesty and grandeur of Chang'an City. Cleanliness is necessary for a capital city."

Li Ji clasped his fists and replied, "Your Highness, if we want to clean up the entire Chang'an City, it will require a lot of manpower and resources."

The fear is that the crown prince has become arrogant and extravagant after only two months of supervising government affairs. Even if the crown prince immediately orders tens of thousands of troops to cleanse Chang'an City, Li Ji will do it.

However, if this happens, impeachment from the court and the public, or the emperor's autumn hunting in Mount Li is disturbed, it may cause great trouble.

But he still had to persuade him, and he waited for the prince's reaction with a worried look.

Li Chengqian continued walking and said, "We can let Jingzhao Prefecture handle this matter slowly. The various district leaders in Chang'an City should also set an example."

Hearing this, Li Ji finally felt relieved.

Li Chengqian laughed and said, "I heard the other day that General Cheng Yaojin wanted to hang up his son and whip him. Is that true?"

Li Ji smiled awkwardly and said, "There are many people who beat their sons, but I have never seen a father who would hang his son up and beat him. Zhijie would not beat his son like this, right?"

"The general doesn't seem to be very sure."

Li Ji replied: "It is said that the children of the Cheng family are the least talented. In fact, in my opinion, the other youngest sons of the Cheng family are nothing special. The older Chu Mo is still a good boy."

"In that case, General, how about you come with me to meet Chu Mo?"

Li Ji said: "Chu Mo is probably in the Qianniu Guard south of Chang'an now."

"Let's go and have a look."

"Here!"

Li Chengqian suddenly said, "General, Hou Junji and General Duan Zhixuan are going back to Chang'an, why haven't we seen them discussing the issue of rewards in the court?"

"I dare not hide it from you, Your Highness. After Fuyun Khan died, the news reached Tuyuhun. Hou Junji was worried that the Tuyuhun people would change, so he imprisoned Fuyun's relatives. But even so, except for Fuyun's son who surrendered, his relatives instigated riots among the surrendered troops."

"After Fu Yun died, his clansmen were filled with hatred, so Hou Junji killed almost all of the Tuyuhun king's relatives, leaving only one relative alive."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Is it the son of Fu Yun who surrendered?"

"That's right. Prepare to bring him to Chang'an."

Li Ji deliberately lowered his voice and continued, "Not many people know about this matter. The secret report has been sent to Mount Li. Your Majesty is probably aware of it, so Minister Fang of the Secretariat and Duke Zhao did not mention the reward to Your Highness."

Li Chengqian slowed down his pace and asked, "General, do you think he should be killed?"

Li Ji added: "Your Majesty will make the decision on this matter."

Seeing that the prince looked unhappy, Li Ji said again: "Your Highness is worrying too much."

"I am a worrier. Ever since I started supervising government affairs, I have been worried about more and more things."

When we arrived at Qianniuwei, Cheng Chumo was drinking with a group of people in front of the door.

Li Ji ordered his men to bring Chu Mo forward.

Who knew that he was enjoying his drink when Li Ji pulled him back and shouted, "Hey! Who is disturbing my pleasure?"

Li Ji, who didn't want to lose his composure, looked back at the prince with an apologetic look on his face, kicked Cheng Chumo again, and then dragged him to the ground.

After all, Cheng Chumo was not as strong as Li Ji, and in the end he was dragged all the way here.

Li Chengqian looked at the young man who was about his age and said with a smile, "Brother Chumo, long time no see." Looking at the man in front of him, Cheng Chumo stood up hurriedly and sobered up immediately, "Someone..."

Realizing that his words were wrong, he changed his words and said, "Chu Mo greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Are you drinking?"

"Exactly."

After saying this, Li Chengqian walked to the wine table and sat down.

As soon as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sat down, the people around him dispersed in an instant. Some were so flustered that they kicked over the stools when they stood up, or they fell to the ground and ran away in embarrassment.

Li Chengqian smelled the wine in the bowl and it didn't smell very strong, so he said, "Chu Mo, sit down."

Cheng Chumo first looked at Li Ji who was standing beside him.

Normally, Li Ji had a good relationship with Cheng Yaojin, and Cheng Chumo would call all the generals in the army "uncle".

Only after getting Li Ji's nod did he dare to respond and sit down.

Li Chengqian picked up an empty bowl and poured him a bowl of wine.

Cheng Chumo straightened his clothes, trying not to act too unrestrained in front of the Crown Prince. He collected his expression and said loudly, "Thank you, Your Highness, for the wine."

After saying that, he picked up the wine bowl and drank it all.

"Brother Chumo has a good alcohol tolerance." Li Chengqian frowned and asked, "Do you usually drink here?"

Cheng Chumo wiped his mouth and said, "Not really. I usually eat here, but a man should eat in the army. Those killers wouldn't let me enter the army, so I had to eat here at the door."

Li Chengqian looked at his expression and asked with interest, "I heard that you have a very good relationship with Du He?"

"That's right." After swallowing, he replied, "The money for the wine here has always been paid by Du He. He is a good brother of a certain family."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "That's true. Du He has plenty of money."

After saying that, he poured him another bowl of wine.

Li Ji stood aside in silence.

After three rounds of drinking, Cheng Chumo, who had been serious, became unruly again. He slammed the table and said, "Yan Shigu is a bitch. He dared to impeach my father and caused my Cheng family to not receive salary for several years."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Brother Chu Mo, are you planning to take revenge?"

"Revenge?" Cheng Chu smiled and said, "I'm not stupid. If I really beat up that old man, I will be sent to the government. Even if my father wants to protect him, he can only be sent to the border and will not be able to return to Chang'an for several years."

Li Chengqian patted his shoulder and poured him some more wine. "Did your father hang you up and whip you?"

Cheng Chumo nodded and said, "After half an hour of beating, they all said that my family was lucky... He didn't die. In fact, my father didn't really beat him."

Seeing that most of what he said was true, Li Chengqian nodded and said, "If you get into trouble in the future, go ask Du He for help."

"Yes! Your Highness is right." Cheng Chumo slammed the table and said, "When the Cheng family gets into trouble, it is natural that they will drag the other families into it together."

In fact, Cheng Chumo is a very smart person. Judging from his words, he always tells the truth when asked questions, and he also knows clearly what he can and cannot do.

Cheng Chumo looked suspicious and whispered, "I don't know which expert Du He received guidance from. He actually made such a fortune in Jingyang."

"Didn't your father tell you?" Li Chengqian smiled and stared at the other person's expression.

"No." Cheng Chumo shook his head vigorously and said, "If I also have such a master to guide me, why would I need to look at his face?"

"Yeah." Li Chengqian patted his shoulder again and said, "You will definitely have a bright future in the future."

Cheng Chumo looked a little sad, and said, "Your Highness, you are joking. I won't have a good future. The old man has said it before."

"Excuse me, is your cow really killed by a fall?"

"Of course." Cheng Chumo slapped the table and said loudly, "I saw the cow fall into the ditch with my own eyes."

“Did your cow drink too much?”

Cheng Chumo grinned.

After all, the kid was drunk. Li Ji had someone clean him up and then arranged for someone to carry Cheng Chumo back.

Li Chengqian did not drink a drop of wine, and said with a smile: "General, look! I was right, General Cheng really hung up and beat his son."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is still as good as a god."

"That's the general's family affair. It's not good to ask too much."

At noon in Chang'an City, there were many customers in the taverns along the streets and alleys, and the aroma of wine and meat filled the streets and alleys.

Li Chengqian bought a few cakes from a vendor.

Li Ji quickly took out a few coins from his waist.

The man selling cakes was a native of Gaochang in the Western Regions. He kept refusing in Guanzhong dialect with a Western accent and was afraid to take the general's money.

In the end, Li Ji paid the money.

The Tang Dynasty's external policy was still very open, but there were not many Hu people living in Chang'an now, because the Silk Road had only been pacified not long ago, and the Tuyuhun people had caused chaos in the Hexi Corridor in the past few years.

After the Tang Dynasty grows stronger for a few more years, all the countries along the Silk Road will know how powerful and wealthy the Tang Dynasty is.

Li Chengqian gave a piece of cake to Li Ji.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Arriving at Jingzhao Prefecture, there weren't many officials here. While someone was reporting to Li Daozong, Li Chengqian talked to the doorman beside him, "I remember the court gave Jingzhao Prefecture a lot of manpower. Where are these people?"

"Your Highness, Jingzhao Prefecture has 35 civil servants and 61 guards. Most of them have been sent to various counties, so there are not many people left in Jingzhao Prefecture."

After saying that, Li Dao Zong came hurriedly. He first looked at Li Ji, then bowed and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian walked into Jingzhao Prefecture, where the government office had been built. "Uncle, are you still busy now?"

Li Dao Zong smiled and said, "I can handle it. With so many people in the court, how can I not be able to handle it?"

Sitting down in the government office of Jingzhao Prefecture, Li Chengqian inquired about how various recent matters were arranged and how they were being carried out.

Li Ji stood aside and listened the whole time. The prince had always been diligent in his work, and it would have been enough to send one or two people to inquire, but the prince of the East Palace had to come in person.

The prince's diligence is a good thing for everyone in the court and the country.

Li Chengqian held the file and said with a smile, "I have something else to trouble you, uncle."

The issue of military power has been resolved, and the Crown Prince's words must be obeyed. Li Dao Zong bowed and asked, "What do you want, Your Highness?"

"I have always felt that Chang'an City needs to be governed. At least arrange some people to clean the streets every morning and noon."

"I will definitely arrange this matter. Please give me some time."

Li Chengqian nodded and stopped talking. He looked at the files sent by the counties, and learned about the various developments after the officials went to the counties.

It was not until dusk that Li Ji escorted His Royal Highness the Crown Prince back to Chengtian Gate. If the Crown Prince had not been guarding Chang'an and could not leave the city without an imperial decree, His Royal Highness would have wanted to go and see the situation in various counties.

(End of this chapter)