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

Chapter 145 I No Longer Have the Idea of ​​Changing the Crown Prince (Part )

At the gate of Taiji Hall, the eunuchs of the Ministry of Ceremonies shouted, "Your Majesty has arrived!"

In the Taiji Hall, all officials immediately bowed their heads and stood solemnly holding their tablets.

Emperor Li Shimin, wearing a black robe with nine dragons and nine chapters emblazoned on it with gold edges, a twelve-tassel white jade hat, and a long sword with a black sheath slung over his waist, walked slowly into the hall with a stern expression on his face.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian and Prince of Jin Li Zhi followed on both sides of the emperor, with Li Zhi half a step behind Li Chengqian.

Following the emperor up the steps, Li Zhi stopped at the first step and Li Chengqian stopped at the third step. Then they turned to face the imperial couch and bowed their heads.

The emperor walked to the imperial couch and slowly sat down.

……

On the left side of the hall, the eunuch minister stepped forward and said loudly, "The emperor has arrived. All officials should bow and march."

After the shout, all the ministers in the hall took half a step forward and knelt on one knee on the ground.

"Take off your shoes!"

All the ministers took off their thick boots at the same time, and Li Chengqian was no exception.

"Unsword!"

Li Chengqian and other officials and generals in the hall who were carrying swords took off their swords and put them aside.

"Bow down!"

All the ministers immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowed deeply, and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, we pay our respects to you and wish you a long life."

Li Shimin sat on the imperial couch and raised his left hand slightly. The eunuchs in the Ministry of Rites shouted again: "Xing!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers kowtowed and stood up, then stood solemnly holding their tablets with their eyes lowered.

Wei Zheng, the Duke of Zheng, who was promoted specially, the Vice Prime Minister, and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, walked out from among the ministers with a solemn expression as usual.

Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, Yang Shidao, Hou Junji, Tang Jian, Zhang Liang and other important officials in the court who had come from the early years of Zhenguan all looked at Wei Zheng with complicated expressions.

After so many years of friendship, I am retiring today.

However, most of the court officials knew nothing about this and just treated today as an ordinary New Year's Day court session.

Wei Zheng wore a black three-beamed crown, his temples graying. He was dressed in a purple official robe, a gold and jade belt around his waist, and a gold-decorated fish bag. He walked to the center of the hall, held an ivory tablet, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I, Wei Zheng, the Minister of the Imperial Court, report to you that in the fifteenth year of the Zhenguan reign, the weather has been favorable, the people are content, all businesses are flourishing, and the world is at peace. On behalf of all the people of the world, I wish Your Majesty a long and long life."

Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng deeply, then nodded and said, "It's a good harvest this year. Thank you all for your hard work! Thank you, Wei Zheng, for your hard work too!"

The ministers subconsciously bowed their heads. At this time, many people suddenly raised their hands with surprised expressions.

The emperor closed his eyes slightly, looked to the side, nodded and said, "Prince!"

"As you wish!" Li Chengqian bowed solemnly, then skillfully took the imperial edict from the tray held by a nearby eunuch. He stepped down from the steps, stood to the upper left of the ministers, unfolded the imperial edict, and said loudly, "Yes, it is ordered!"

"Your servant Wei Zheng obeys your order." This time Wei Zheng knelt down completely.

Li Chengqian glanced at Wei Zheng, then said loudly: "In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, in the year of Renyin, on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar, on the day of Yiyou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

Fang borrowed Jiayou to support him in his old age and begged for advice, but he only had empty thoughts.

Retiring at the age of sixty is like being an ordinary person.

As for Lu Shang, who expected Yi to assist the Zhou Dynasty, Zhang Cang used Hua Hao to look after the Han Dynasty. He was a talented person who was destined to the world, and he was not constrained by constant etiquette. He got this heart late and showed mercy and discipline.

Wei Zheng, the Special Advancement, Vice Prime Minister, Director of the Ministry of Personnel, Grand Master of Imperial Gratitude, and Duke of Zheng, is an old man with weak muscles and is not able to work. Now he has ordered the relevant departments to exempt him from attending court gatherings.

After years of hard work, you are finally able to return home in glory.

He was specially granted the title of Prince Grand Tutor and was granted 800 households.

If there is a major event, we must discuss it together.

He sent another courtier to inquire at the house.

Admire this! "

……

As soon as Li Chengqian finished speaking, the entire hall and countless ministers were in an uproar.

Most people couldn’t believe that Wei Zheng retired just like that?
Wei Zheng, a wise minister who had been constantly advising and advising the emperor for so many years, is just going to retire like this?

Chai Lingwu, standing behind the ministers, could not help but clench the tablet in his hand. "Damn King Wei, you shouldn't have acted recklessly before. If you hadn't, Prime Minister Wei would have retired now, and the support for the prince in the court would have been reduced by more than half."

Of course, although Wei Zheng retired, he still had the honorable title of Prince Tai Shi. In addition, if the emperor had something to do, he would send people to Wei Zheng's house to ask for his advice at any time.

In fact, many times, Wei Zheng would participate in the New Year's Day court ceremony.

For example, Li Jing is also in the palace today.

But this was enough to make Chai Lingwu regret. If Li Tai and Qi Zhixuan had not done those tricks before, now would be their best opportunity to make great strides forward and win over the court officials. Why would it be like this now?

But there is a way now. Maybe we can think of other ways.

"Your Majesty, your servant Wei Zheng, thanks you for your great grace!" Wei Zheng shouted loudly and kowtowed heavily to the ground. Chai Lingwu's thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"Mr. Wei, please stand up." Li Shimin raised his hand and continued, "The Crown Prince will visit the palace regularly to consult on matters of state. I'll trouble you, Mr. Wei."

"I obey your command. Thank you, Your Majesty." Wei Zheng bowed again, then stood up and stepped aside.

The emperor turned to look at Li Chengqian and said, "Prince, please continue."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian bowed again, then picked up another imperial edict and said loudly, "There is an imperial edict. Huangmen Shilang Liu Li is here to listen to it."

All the ministers in the hall suddenly fell silent. With Wei Zheng's retirement, the position of the Menxia Province was immediately vacant and someone came to preside over it.

You should know that the position of Menxia Shizhong has been vacant for many years. There is only one former Shizhong Wei Zheng, who was promoted as a special official and was in charge of Menxia affairs and participated in government affairs.

As soon as Wei Zheng took office, the Secretariat was equivalent to having no prime minister.

So now someone must become the prime minister in the Menxia Province, and that person is Liu Li.

Many people were excited, and many others were watching coldly.

For example, Hou Junji.

"Your servant Liu Li, accepts the order." Liu Li knelt in the hall and kowtowed heavily.

Li Chengqian held the imperial edict in his hand and said loudly: "In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, in the year of Renyin, on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar, on the day of Yiyou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

To serve the ruler is to be kind, and to support virtue is to be harmonious.

We must wait for the enlightenment of the Three Terraces before we can increase the weight of the Nine Tripods. Liu Li, the Silver and Green Guanglu Grand Master and the Imperial Court Assistant, possesses a body of profound wisdom, a fluent and profound understanding of the Yellow Central Plains, and profound and elegant eloquence…

However, he could still be the Yellow Gate Minister and the Vice Prime Minister, and his official titles and honors remained the same.

Admire this! "

"I obey your order and thank Your Majesty for your grace!" Liu Li kowtowed heavily to the ground. Although he did not become the Shizhong, it was enough for him to become the Prime Minister.

Another person was appointed as prime minister. While the ministers were excited, there was one person who sneered. This person was Hou Junji.

Hou Junji was only one step away from becoming the prime minister of the three ministries, and now he is the Minister of Personnel and the Chief Clerk of Yongzhou. However, a year has passed and he still has no chance of being appointed as the prime minister.

His heart had already turned cold.

Li Chengqian handed the two imperial edicts to Liu Li, then took a step back and retreated to the Danbi.

Liu Li bowed slightly to Li Chengqian, then turned to face the ministers, opened one of the imperial edicts, and said loudly, "There is an order!"

Li Chengqian, Li Zhi, and all the officials in the palace knelt on the ground and said, "We listen to the Holy Teachings!"

Liu Li said loudly: "Tonight is the beginning of the new year. The world is at peace, and all directions are at peace. Merits and virtues are equally shared, and kindness is shared both internally and externally... Therefore, the king's utmost benevolence is evident, and this is a sign of peace.

Heaven has its own destiny, and it has favored our dynasty; our power and grace are both great, and people from afar are submissive. I join you in congratulating you on your inauguration.”

"We congratulate Your Majesty on your new appointment." The ministers bowed in unison and chorused their congratulations: "We respectfully wish Your Majesty a long life and pray that the Tang Dynasty will endure forever."

"Long live the Tang Dynasty. My dear ministers, please stand up." The emperor's voice sounded again, and the ministers stood up again.

"Come here, dance!" As soon as the emperor finished speaking, forty-nine Qianniu Guards came in from outside the door.

In an instant, the King of Qin broke through the formation and danced with his sword, the sword light was sharp and murderous intent was everywhere.

The ministers in the palace had already begun to think about the changes in the court situation after Wei Zheng retired and Liu Li took charge of the Ministry of Personnel.

Li Chengqian watched calmly. Although he now had a lot of say in the court, he could only obey in the actual operation of the court.

……

Thousands of bulls performed a dance, and all the states congratulated them.

The various foreign nations paid tribute, and the world was at peace.

Liu Li knelt in the center of the Taiji Hall, holding a memorial in his hands that recorded all the details of today's court session. He said loudly, "Your Majesty, congratulations on the auspicious occasion. The grand ceremony is over!"

Sitting on the imperial couch, Li Shimin looked at his ministers and said, "Thank you all for your hard work last year, Lord Liu!"

"Here!" Liu Li looked up and saw Zhang Ananda standing on the side holding a tray with the imperial edict.

Liu Li bowed, then picked up an imperial edict from the tray and continued to read: "There is an edict!"

"We listen respectfully to your imperial edict!" All the ministers kowtowed.

"In the sixteenth year of the Zhenguan reign, in the year of Renyin, on the first day of the first lunar month, on the day of Yiyou, the Emperor said:

Yu Xi!

To bring about the transformation of all directions and to share the aspirations of the world.

During the reign of Emperor Ji Xi, Zhao Chang made great plans.

The loyal and trustworthy ministers work together to establish the fundamental principles.

Cen Wenben, the Silver and Green Guanglu Doctor and the Imperial Court Assistant Minister, was a man of profound wisdom and integrity, dignified and harmonious, possessing a clear and bright mind, a profound and profound virtue, a thorough understanding of Confucianism, and a poetic style imbued with elegance...

However, the position of Zhongshu Shilang, who is in charge of confidential matters, can continue to enjoy the same official honors and rewards as before."

Cen Wenben looked up in surprise, then quickly stood up and kowtowed heavily to the ground: "Your Majesty, I, Cen Wenben, thank you for your great grace. May Your Majesty live forever!"

The emperor nodded calmly. Liu Li stood aside and continued to read the imperial edict: "In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, in the year of Renyin, on the first day of the first month of the lunar month, on the day of Yiyou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

……

Li Xiyu, the governor of Liangzhou, can be the governor of Tongzhou.

General Guo Xiaoke of the Left Guard can be appointed as the governor of Liangzhou.

......"

Following the emperor's decree, all the ministers stood up and kowtowed one by one.

As a result of these actions, more than a dozen provincial governors and generals have been transferred to new positions.

Li Chengqian watched calmly from the side; these transfers had nothing to do with him.

Most of those who were close to him were princes of the royal family, children of princesses, or local officials such as the emperor's son-in-law.

He couldn't get in touch with other provincial governors.

After everyone had been rewarded, the emperor nodded in satisfaction and raised his hand, saying, "All the nobles, please stand!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The ministers then stood up and retreated into the ranks.

"It's the New Year, and I have something to celebrate as well." The emperor smiled and said, "Crown Prince, King Zhao."

Li Chengqian and Li Fu stood up at the same time and knelt in the hall.

"Ritual is to be cautious at the outset, and morality is to emphasize its roots: all marriages are to be conducted in accordance with human relations; what is more, in cases of good people, they will be passed on to the ancestral worship."

The emperor looked at his ministers with a smile, and then said, "I now appoint Wei Wei, the daughter of Wei Zheng, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, as the Crown Prince's Liangti, and Yuwen Xiuduoluo, the daughter of Yuwen Shiji, the Duke of Ying, as the Princess of Zhao. I hope that they will have offspring to continue the family line."

Li Chengqian was a little stunned. Wei Wei, was it the beautiful girl he met at Duke Zheng’s mansion that day?

Wei Zheng and Yuwen Shiji simultaneously stepped forward and knelt, kowtowed along with Li Chengqian and Li Fu, saying, "Your Majesty, we accept your command and thank you for your grace!"

All the ministers were in silence. It was already known that Yuwen Shiji's daughter married the King of Zhao and became his Consort Zhao. What about Wei Zheng's daughter married the Crown Prince and became his Consort Liangti?

Chai Lingwu stood at the back and finally understood everything.

When Wei Zheng retires, his people will not be disbanded, but will instead completely gather around the prince.

The emperor was announcing to his ministers that he would protect the prince from now on.

Now he no longer has the idea of ​​changing the crown prince.

At least now, at least not the King of Wei.

Chai Lingwu lowered his head slightly. If that was the case, wouldn’t it be more in line with his plan?

(End of this chapter)