The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 98: Holiday
Empress Changsun looked at her son, who was still waving the round fan in his hand, and said slowly, "If you have a moment of free time, go out for a walk and hang out with a few good friends."

Li Chengqian then put down the round fan in his hand and replied, "I understand."

"You don't seem to be in the mood to eat fish, go back."

After hearing what his mother said, Li Chengqian quickly stood up and saluted, then left in a hurry.

After his son walked away, Li Shimin whispered, "My uncle said that Cheng Qian's mind is more mature than his peers."

Empress Changsun whispered, "I heard from Li Zhi that Cheng Qian always travels alone."

Li Shimin was relieved that the prince was mature.

But in the queen's heart, perhaps she hoped that the child could be more cheerful.

Li Shimin said calmly: "Look at this kid, talking about this kind of thing makes him feel uncomfortable even if he sits there for a while."

Li Chengqian walked back to the East Palace and sat in front of the Chongwen Hall in dejection.

Li Yuan was puzzled and said, "I rarely see you sighing like this."

"Grandpa, I'm planning to take a vacation." Li Chengqian nodded solemnly, "My father, the emperor, and my mother, the queen, have ordered me to take a vacation."

Li Yuan asked curiously, "Is there such a thing?"

"Well, some people think Gu is too lonely."

"I don't think you're lonely."

"Yes." Li Chengqian sighed, "I am so friendly and harmonious with the court officials."

Li Yuan was drinking tea, and no one knew what the old man was laughing at.

The next day, there was no rain in Guanzhong during the Grain Rain season. Most of the rain that God was supposed to send had fallen during the transition from spring to winter.

In the morning, after practicing archery, Li Chengqian did not go to court, nor did he go to supervise the imperial examination.

Instead, he left Chang'an City with General Li Ji.

He was accompanied by a team of two hundred soldiers, walking in the suburbs of Chang'an on a spring day.

Because the imperial examination was being held and there were still several subjects to be tested in the next five days, there were many scholars in blue shirts and cloth walking around inside and outside Chang'an.

He walked out of the Chunming Gate of Chang'an City and wandered aimlessly in the countryside.

Soon, a horse galloped in front of them. The rider was none other than the well-known young general of Chang'an City, Cheng Chumo.

He dismounted and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Highness!"

Li Chengqian lazily put his hands in his pockets and said as he walked, "Brother Chumo, no need to be so polite."

Cheng Chumo stood up again and said, "Yes."

Li Chengqian took out three meat buns, gave one to the general beside him, ate one himself, and gave one to Chumo.

"Your Highness, how come you have the leisure to go out for a walk today?" Cheng Chumo took the still hot meat bun and ate it with a smile.

Li Chengqian ate one himself and whispered, "I'm ordered to take a holiday."

Hearing this, Cheng Chumo smiled in surprise and said, "Order? Take a holiday?"

Li Chengqian said: "Well, sometimes the emperor's will is quite strange."

Cheng Chumo pulled the reins of the horse, walked aside and looked around, and said, "Du He? Why hasn't he come yet?"

Looking upstream along the Wei River, we saw a team of horse-drawn carriages slowly approaching.

Li Chengqian stopped and said, "Isn't this coming?"

Du He is the richest among the second generation of the rich and powerful. It is said that he has countless amounts of money hidden in his workshop in Jingyang. Selling soap alone is enough for Du He to have food and clothing for the rest of his life. If he manages the business better, he may be able to support several generations.

When the convoy arrived, it was really an exaggerated team. There was a lot of food, drinks, and even a few beautiful women accompanying them.

Du He, dressed in brocade clothes, stepped forward and saluted, saying, "Your Highness, I have prepared too much and am late."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "It's not too late, I just arrived."

After that, everyone set up their position here, with carriages parked on the side, and everyone sat on the ground, with plenty of wine and meat.

Cheng Chumo raised the wine jar, took a sip and said, "Good wine!"

Du He smiled apologetically and said, "Chu Mo, drink as much as you want. Whatever money you spend today belongs to me, Du He."

Li Chengqian sat on a chair, leaning sideways, and said, "We are here to have fun today."

Normally, His Royal Highness would not come out to play like this. Du He whispered, "Your Highness."

Li Chengqian nodded, "Hmm?"

"What's up today?"

"Du He, Chu Mo, please listen carefully." Li Chengqian whispered, "Someone has been saying bad things about me recently."

Cheng Chumo raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who dares to talk about the prince?"

Li Chengqian sat sideways on the chair and said with a smile, "Yes, who dares to talk about the prince? I really admire them."

Du He said: "Your Highness, I will spend money to buy some spies and send someone to ask."

Now, as the richest son of the Du family, the solution is of course to spend money.

As long as he spends money, things that can only be settled with money are easy for him.

It was the Grain Rain season, the weather was not too hot, and the wind blowing on the body was still very comfortable. The scene by the Wei River soon attracted people's attention.

I thought to myself, who would come out for fun with such a big scene?

Anyone who paid close attention could see at a glance that the people guarding the river were wearing the armor of the Zuo Wuwei Guard. It was obvious that the people here must be of extraordinary status.

Looking again, the person standing next to him was General Li Ji.

Who could travel with such a great general as his escort?

It was a bit imaginative, and when I walked a little closer, I saw a few young people drinking and having fun.

Apart from the prince, no one else could have such a grand ceremony.

Among the many princes, it seems that only Prince of Wei Li Tai can go out for fun, because the only one who can invite General Li Ji should be Prince of Wei Li Tai, who is deeply favored by His Majesty, and there should be no one else.

This is not surprising. The prince rarely appears in front of his peers. Even among the second generation of powerful people in Chang'an City, not many people recognize that he is the crown prince of the Eastern Palace.

It's just because Li Chengqian's whole spirit and energy have changed so much compared to before.

At this moment, he was like a son of a powerful noble, sitting arrogantly on the chair, looking disdainfully at every curious passerby who passed by.

It's because General Li Ji is guarding on the side and the Zuo Wuwei soldiers are here, so who would dare to fight?

Whenever the current crown prince travels, he will be guarded with the highest standards.

The situation here spread among some people who were on the spring outing.

After half an hour, a man came walking quickly and was stopped by two guards.

The visitor said hurriedly, "I am Li Chongyi, ordered by my father, the Prince of Hejian, to come and accompany His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for fun."

Li Chengqian raised his head and said, "Chongyi! Come quickly!"

After hearing this, the guards let him go.

Li Chongyi walked over quickly and said with a smile: "Your Highness, Chu Mo, Du He."

Li Chengqian threw him a peach and said, "These peaches are from Lingnan. Du He spent a lot of money to buy them."

Li Chongyi took the peach, stepped forward and said, "Thank you, Prince."

"I want to know something." Li Chengqian lowered his voice and said, "Who is talking about the current prince recently? They say that I am eccentric and mean." "What?" Li Chongyi was surprised.

"Yes! Whoever is talking about this will be torn to pieces by someone else." Cheng Chumo shared the same hatred for the enemy.

"This..." Li Chongyi looked troubled and whispered, "I don't know when this rumor started to spread, but my uncle Li Yuanchang did mention it during the Lantern Festival."

Cheng Chumo quickly clasped his fists and said, "Your Highness, my father said that Li Yuanchang is a bitch."

Li Chengqian leaned against the chair, crossed his legs and held his temple, and said in distress: "When did I offend my uncle?"

Li Chongyi added: "I am just guessing, maybe it was not spread by him."

Cheng Chumo immediately slammed the table and said, "Your Highness, don't worry! I will go and bring this person over to ask him and we will know."

"Hey!" Li Chengqian immediately stopped him and said, "No matter how strong your Cheng family's reputation is, I can't let you get into trouble."

After saying that, he waved to Li Ji again.

"Your Highness, what are your orders?"

Li Chengqian whispered, "General, is Li Yuanchang still in Chang'an?"

Li Ji said, "Yes."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Find three or two good fighters and have them find Li Yuanchang and beat him up first. If these words didn't come from his mouth, then have them investigate and report to the general tomorrow. If they can't find out within a day, beat him up every day until he finds out."

Li Ji responded, "Yes."

Li Chongyi asked quickly, "Will Your Highness pass?"

"Didn't you say I was mean? Who told him to say that? It's causing me to not be able to find a woman to marry in the future. Isn't this a big deal?"

Du He agreed, "That's right, that's right, killing him is not too much."

Li Ji found three or two soldiers to arrange this matter.

The imperial examination in Chang'an City is still going on, and he, the crown prince, will not need to participate in the next imperial examination. This may be another intention of his father and mother.

After all, he is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. The more he participates in such matters, the more likely he will be talked about.

"Chongyi, have you had nothing to do in Zongzheng Temple recently?"

"Yes, there are many things." Li Chongyi sighed, "I wanted to sort out the list of royal family members today, but my father heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was coming out, so he let me go out for fun."

Du He said: "The Prince of Hejian is really..."

Li Chongyi shook his head and sighed, "My father is just that kind of person, and as a child, I can only let him do what he wants."

Li Chengqian felt the same way and said, "So you were also ordered to take a holiday."

In Chang'an, Li Yuanchang was surrounded by several soldiers of the Zuo Wuwei as soon as he came out of Pingkangfang.

He said loudly: "What are you doing? Do you know who this person is..."

Before he could finish his words, fists and kicks came towards him.

Li Yuanchang shouted: "The Zuo Wuwei has rebelled!"

However, no one came to help until Li Yuanchang's curses turned into wails. The leader threatened, "I heard you were talking about the current crown prince?"

Li Yuanchang was beaten so hard that his mouth and nose bled. He choked and said, "No."

"Still quibbling?"

"I'm……"

He punched Li Yuanchang in the face again and said, "You'll be given one day to find out who is talking about the prince. If you can't find out within one day, we'll come and beat you up every day."

"You guys!" Li Yuanchang trembled and murmured, "The prince..."

Sun Fujia, the Junior Official of the Dali Temple, came hurriedly and shouted, "Who is causing trouble here?"

The few people who had just taken action stood up one after another, and the leader said loudly: "The left guards are following orders."

Sun Fujia was stunned, looked at Li Yuanchang, and then looked at the others who were about to leave, and said, "We can't just leave like this after committing a crime in the street."

Several people stood where they were, allowing Sun Fujia and the people from the Dali Temple to tie them up.

On the busy streets, one crisis after another arises.

Li Dao Zong also came hurriedly with his men, "Wait."

Sun Fujia saluted and said, "It turns out that it is the governor of Jingzhao Prefecture!"

Li Daozong also came up with his officers and soldiers and said, "The Jingzhao Prefecture is in charge of this matter."

Seeing that the other party was about to arrest someone, Sun Fujia stopped them and said, "Prince Jiangxia, the people of Zuo Wuwei were ordered to commit murder in the street. I want to find out who ordered them to do so."

Facing this Junior Official of the Dali Temple, Li Daozon had no choice but to be polite. This person was not only Junior Official of the Dali Temple, but also Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

"Sir Sun, I have already found out everything. This matter was ordered by the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, and the Left Guards were just following orders."

Sun Fujia said: "The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace is so arrogant that he actually ordered people to commit murder in the street!"

Li Dao Zong added: "This incident cannot be described as an act of violence. It is at most a street fight."

"That's good." Sun Fujia whispered, "Let's take him to the Dali Temple first. How about the Dali Temple and Jingzhao Prefecture jointly try him?"

"Wait!" Another loud shout came from the crowd.

Everyone made way for him, and the one who came striding over was Li Xiaogong, the Minister of Zongzheng Temple and Prince of Hejian.

"Li Yuanchang is a member of the imperial clan. Stop arguing. This matter is under the jurisdiction of the Zongzheng Temple!"

The main culprit of the incident, Li Yuanchang, was still lying on the ground, his face bruised and swollen, and his mouth and nose were bloody. The soldiers from the three parties and the chief officer all came with their men.

Because the people from the Dali Temple arrived first, the case was brought to the Dali Temple first and then jointly tried by Jingzhao Prefecture, the Dali Temple, and the Zongzheng Temple.

At the Dali Temple, Sun Fujia had just sat down when he heard the doorman hurriedly come to pass on a message, whispering, "Sun Shaoqing, the Duke of Zhao is here."

"Zhao..." Sun Fujia hesitated, almost falling off his seat, and whispered, "What is the Duke of Zhao doing here? Hurry up and invite him in."

The visitor whispered, "He said he would sit at the gate of the Dali Temple and would not come in."

At this moment, there were quite a few people standing in the Dali Temple, including officers and soldiers from the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Zongzheng Temple.

Prince of Hejian Li Xiaogong, Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozon, and Duke of Zhao Changsun Wuji were just outside the door.

"Report!" The doorman outside the door came quickly and handed over the document, saying, "Sun Shaoqing, the people from the Secretariat and General Qin Qiong of the Left Guard are here."

Sun Fujia read the document and said in dismay, "This matter has been reported to the emperor. The Dali Temple can no longer make the decision. Come on, take him to the Zuowu Guard and hand him over to the Zhongshu Province for disposal!"

After these words were spoken, everyone dispersed.

Sun Fujia wiped the sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh.

In the end, Li Yuanchang was taken back to his own house to recuperate.

The soldiers of Zuo Wuwei were naturally fine. They were just following orders, and the general's words were military orders.

In the evening of that day, Li Chengqian and Li Ji stood in front of Ganlu Palace, waiting for their fate.

"Let the general follow me to be punished." Li Chengqian bowed and said seriously.

"It's okay." Li Ji still stood straight.

"Get in here!"

His Majesty's voice was heard from inside the hall.

Li Chengqian walked into the hall, and Li Ji followed one step behind.

(End of this chapter)