Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 123: Accusing the Crown Prince of Rebellion, How to Do It (Part )
East Palace, Cheng'en Gate.

Li Chengqian walked out of Cheng'en Gate and looked at the dozen or so unfamiliar eunuchs and maids entering the Eastern Palace. He frowned at Li Anyan and asked, "What's going on?"

"Your Majesty has banished Concubine Xiao and Concubine Cui to the cold palace." Li Anyan bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Half of the palace maids accompanying the two concubines have been sent to the Eastern Palace, and the other half to the Prince of Wei's residence."

"Is this what father meant?" Li Chengqian frowned and looked at those people with a serious expression.

"Eunuch Zhang Jian personally delivered it." Li Anyan glanced towards the palace gate, then shook his head slightly and said, "Your Highness, this matter has been settled."

"Alright." Li Chengqian held back his heavy breath and said, "Control these people. Don't let them approach the princess at will."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed, but he felt a little puzzled as to why the prince did not mention the princess consort, Prince Liangti, and the two imperial grandchildren.

Li Chengqian suddenly laughed, and then said, "An Yan, do you think Qingque can see through the mystery here?"

"The Prince of Wei may not be able to do it, but Master Chai should be able to." Li Anyan bowed to Li Chengqian with a solemn expression and said, "Your Highness, for the past year, Master Chai has been handling all the secret affairs of the Prince of Wei's Palace."

Chai Lingwu, son of Chai Shao and younger brother of Chai Zhewei.

Although Chai Lingwu is far inferior to Chai Zhewei, he is not bad either.

"Don't worry about it." Li Chengqian looked at Li Anyan and said calmly, "Hide our people outside the palace. Be careful when contacting us. If our people are discovered by our father, it won't be a big deal. But if they are discovered by Qingque and the others, it will be troublesome."

"Yes!" Li Anyan nodded seriously.

During the six months that the Crown Prince was regent, Li Chengqian and Li Anyan rebuilt their own secret intelligence network in Chang'an.

Especially when the Xueyantuo attacked from the north, there were frequent manpower transfers inside and outside the country, and the tricks done by Li Chengqian and Li Anyan were completely unnoticeable to ordinary people.

"Also, since they're from the palace, let's investigate." Li Chengqian's eyes turned cold, and he snorted softly, "Find out who Concubine Xiao and Concubine Cui usually have contact with outside. Those insignificant people, but those who made Concubine Xiao and Concubine Cui very happy when they arrived."

"I understand." Li Anyan nodded vigorously.

Concubine Xiao and Concubine Cui must have connections with people outside the palace, but there are many such connections. So who can make them truly happy and avoid the sight of others? Of course, there is only one kind of person, someone who does privacy business.

Now we just need to investigate along this line, and those hiding behind the scenes will be further exposed.

……

On the 19th day of the twelfth lunar month, King Wei returned to the capital.

Sitting in the study, listening to the sound of the princess pointing at everything to be cleaned outside, Li Tai couldn't help but smile.

At this moment, Chai Lingwu came out and bowed to Li Tai, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Cousin, please sit down." Li Tai withdrew his gaze and looked at Chai Lingwu. "How is the East Palace doing recently?"

"Since His Majesty returned to the court, the Crown Prince has been much quieter. I heard that he spends most of his time playing with Princess Ankang, and even neglects state affairs." Chai Lingwu bowed solemnly.

"Hmm?" Li Tai frowned at Chai Lingwu's serious expression and asked, "Is there any problem?"

Chai Lingwu nodded and said, "Princess Ankang is your majesty's only granddaughter. Your majesty has just met her and already granted her the title of princess, which shows how much she loves her... Especially since Princess Chengyang and Princess Gaoyang have just married. There are not many princesses left in the palace, and even fewer who are favored by your majesty. Your majesty may love the crown prince as much as he loves his daughter."

Li Tai's face immediately darkened.

"That's one reason," Chai Lingwu continued his careful analysis, "and secondly, all of the East Palace's financial resources have always been quantified. Many of the Crown Prince's actions can be inferred from these resources. However, Princess Ankang was granted a fief of 800 households, all of which are actual fiefs. The best farmland is worth at least a thousand strings of cash annually. With the Crown Prince spending this money at his will, it's hard to say what he'll do with it."

"One thousand strings of cash is not a lot of money." Li Tai forced a smile, but his fists were clenched tightly.

In fact, they all knew that neither the Eastern Palace nor the Prince of Wei's Mansion was short of money. What they lacked was the kind of cash that could be used at will in a place where no one could see.

This part is what truly belongs to them.

Princess Ankang is only three months old, and the prince can spend the money at will without anyone asking about it.

One thousand strings of cash, magnified by the power of the Eastern Palace, could do so much.

"Third," Chai Lingwu lowered his head slightly and said, "Now that Your Majesty has returned to Chang'an, the Crown Prince has returned to the Eastern Palace to care for his daughter. He has given up all his previous powers as Regent, decisively and calmly, without the slightest regret. I'm afraid Your Majesty will like this attitude very much."

With every word Chai Lingwu said, Li Tai's face became darker. In the end, his face was as dark as black water.

After a long time, he looked up and said, "How about that thing we talked about before?"

"Few people know the details of the prince's illness. Anyone from the Eastern Palace who asks a few detailed questions will be targeted. As for the Imperial Hospital, Master Sun has ignored everyone else since Xie Jiqing died." Chai Lingwu couldn't help shaking his head.

Although it was obvious that the Eastern Palace was behind the death of Xie Jiqing, the perpetrators were all from the Prince of Wei's Mansion, and they were caught in the act. Sun Simiao had already offended the Prince of Wei's Mansion.

"We have to find a way." Li Tai stared at Chai Lingwu and said, "Although there is still a lot of time, there are few opportunities."

"I understand." Chai Lingwu nodded seriously.

Li Tai breathed a sigh of relief and said, "My Royal Brother has received a lot of praise from my father for what he has done in the past six months. If this continues, I'm afraid it will be extremely detrimental to me."

"I do have an idea." Chai Lingwu paused for a moment and said, "Your Highness, do you still remember Li Dejian?"

"Didn't he get promoted to Chief Clerk of Xiazhou for his merits?" Li Tai frowned and looked at Chai Lingwu.

"He rushed three hundred miles north of the Yin Mountains and happened to run into Datushe, the eldest son of Xueyantuo Zhenzhu Khan, who was fleeing by a detour. He then beheaded him." After a brief pause, Chai Lingwu looked at Li Tai and said, "I heard that Xueyantuo Zhenzhu Khan's envoys have entered the Great Wall and will arrive in Chang'an in a few days." "What do you mean?" Li Tai looked at Chai Lingwu and frowned. "You want to use the Xueyantuo to oppress my father?"

"Of course not." Chai Lingwu smiled and said, "If Xueyantuo comes again, the soldiers in the army will no longer complain about not having enough military achievements. I was just thinking about something else... Your Highness, do you still remember the impeachment of the Duke of Wei?"

"Gao Zongsheng, treason?" Li Tai immediately thought of Gao Zongsheng's impeachment of Li Jing for treason.

If Li Dejian were impeached for treason today, and Li Dejian was an official of the Eastern Palace and also Li Jing's eldest son.

As a result, the hat of treason can be put on the prince's head immediately.

Thinking of this, Li Tai's breathing suddenly became heavy.

"Your Highness, what are you talking about?" Chai Lingwu shook his head and said, "Accusing someone of treason shouldn't be used lightly. If you do, it's best to kill them immediately, otherwise it could backfire on you... Your Highness, look at what happened to Gao Zongsheng back then. He accused the Duke of Wei of treason but failed, and in the end, he himself was exiled and disappeared."

Li Tai nodded slightly. For some reason, he felt a little itchy when he thought of the words "Crown Prince's rebellion".

Chai Lingwu glanced at Li Tai and shook his head again.

The treasonous act, even if it is a false accusation, can have an impact on the Eastern Palace.

If this happens two or three times, even if the Eastern Palace is not abolished, it will definitely become infamous.

But once this method is used, it will be a fight to the death. With the prince's keen sense, he will immediately understand that the Prince of Wei's Mansion wants to kill him completely.

The most direct and violent conflict between the two sides will break out.

The final outcome of this matter, whether it is the defeat of the Eastern Palace or the death of the King of Wei, will not be good.

And it is easy for a third party to take advantage of it.

Or it could be the King of Jin, or the King of Wu.

The most important thing is the emperor. He doesn't want to see his two sons in a desperate situation.

Even if they want to do something, they need to find a time when the emperor is not around, such as the eastern tour next year, or the eastern expedition to Liaodong.

Accuse the crown prince of treason, force him to rebel, and then the King of Wei can extricate himself.

Chai Lingwu bowed his head slightly, then raised his head again and said, "I'm talking about the Duke of Wei's campaign against the Turks, and the incident where he was accused of allowing his troops to plunder?"

"Allowing soldiers to plunder?" Li Tai was a little confused.

"I'm still thinking about this matter. I'll inform Your Highness after I have the results." After a brief pause, Chai Lingwu said seriously, "These matters have nothing to do with the Prince of Wei's Palace. Your Highness should hurry and finish editing the Book of the Later Han."

"Okay!" Li Tai nodded seriously.

The editing of "Book of the Later Han" has reached its end, and its successful completion is the most important thing for Li Tai.

……

Chai Lingwu was riding on his horse, swaying along Chang'an Avenue. Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed by on the long street.

Chai Lingwu suddenly came to his senses and took a look there.

Soon, he frowned.

"Let's go to the West Market. It's Princess Yongkang's hundred-day banquet, so we need to prepare some good gifts." Chai Lingwu's expression calmed down.

The guards in front immediately escorted Chai Lingwu towards the West Market.

Soon, Chai Lingwu appeared on the second floor of a restaurant in the corner of West Market.

In the secluded attic, Chai Lingwu frowned at Qi Zhixuan, who was sitting across from him, and asked, "Didn't you go back to Dingzhou? Why are you in Chang'an again?"

"I have to come." Qi Zhixuan poured a glass of wine for Chai Lingwu himself and said helplessly, "The Xiao family has been implicated. His Majesty has banished Concubine Xiao to the cold palace. Unfortunately, the people from the Dali Temple are still investigating the Xiao family's assets, so the Xiao family asked me to handle it."

The Xiao family is not the Cui family.

It was the Lanling Xiao family, not the Boling Cui family in Dingzhou.

"How do you plan to deal with this?" Chai Lingwu looked at Qi Zhixuan with some amusement. The emperor had already banished Concubine Xiao to the cold palace. How could they easily interfere in such matters?

"The person who's been most closely following the Xiao family's affairs outside the palace is actually Dai Zhide, the Minister of Justice. If we kill him, there won't be anyone to investigate." Qi Zhixuan looked up and said with a sinister look on his face, "This will be a perfect opportunity to cut off the Crown Prince's arm."

Rumor has it in the court that the prince has changed a lot in the past year or so because of Dai Zhide's advice.

Killing Dai Zhide would definitely be a huge loss to the Eastern Palace.

"If you want to die, go by yourself and don't drag me down." Chai Lingwu stood up with a cold expression, turned around and left.

Qi Zhixuan's brows furrowed instantly. "Why can't we kill Dai Zhide? He's just a Dali Temple official. Even though his father was the prime minister, he's been dead for over a decade."

(End of this chapter)