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

Chapter 154: Hou Junji + The Concubine of the King of Gaochang (Part )

The back hall of Wei Zheng's mansion, Duke of Zheng.

The winter chill is dispelled by the burning stove.

Li Chengqian knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times with Wei Wei. Then he stood up and bowed, saying, "Greetings, father-in-law."

Wei Zheng looked a little tired, but very satisfied as he raised his hand and said, "Prince, please stand up."

"Thank you, father-in-law." Li Chengqian turned around and helped Wei Wei stand up.

Wei Zheng looked at his daughter's shy but smiling face and felt relieved. He then turned to look at Li Chengqian and said, "My daughter is unruly. I hope Your Highness will bear with her."

"Second Madam has a quiet nature, and your son-in-law loves her so much." Li Chengqian bowed and glanced at Wei Wei again.

At this moment, Wei Wei happened to look up, pouting at Wei Zheng and said coquettishly, "Aye!"

Wei Zheng suddenly felt a little amused. He looked at the somewhat surprised Li Chengqian and waved his hand, saying, "My daughter has always... cough cough cough..."

"Father-in-law!" Li Chengqian hurried forward, patted Wei Zheng's back, and at the same time reached out to press his pulse.

Wei Zheng calmed down a bit and then realized that Li Chengqian was taking his pulse. He asked in surprise, "The Crown Prince can actually take pulses?"

"I learned it while I was lying on the sickbed two years ago." Li Chengqian shook his head and released Wei Zheng's pulse.

"Your Highness, Father?" Wei Wei stood aside, looking at Li Chengqian with some worry, and then looked at Wei Zheng.

"Father-in-law is fine." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "He's just been overworked these past two days. He'll just need to rest in bed. I'll send someone to ask Master Sun later if he should increase his dosage by three-tenths."

"Is this all right?" Wei Zheng looked at Li Chengqian in surprise.

"Of course, it's just that the loss of vitality is quite large, so I'll make up for it." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian looked at Wei Zheng and said, "My father has already ordered the General of the Army, Xi Junma, to search for it in Kunlun Mountain. I have also written to the Governor of Jiaozhou, Du Zhenglun, to ask him to search in the Nanhai and Linyi Mountains. I think we'll have results soon."

"Du Zhenglun!" Hearing Du Zhenglun's name, Wei Zheng was a little dazed and said softly, "Du Zhenglun has the talent to be a prime minister, but he has an impatient temper. He's not bad at all. After being tempered like this, he may be able to make a big move in the future. The real trouble is Hou Junji."

Li Chengqian turned and looked at Wei Wei, waving his hand slightly. Wei Wei glanced at her father Wei Zheng, nodded, and carefully left the back hall.

Wei Zheng sighed softly and shook his head, saying, "Hou Junji also has the talent to be a prime minister, but his problem is that he can't control his desires. Your Majesty has him stay in Yongzhou Prefecture so that he can use one detailed case after another to test him. Although he seems to be handling everything in an orderly manner, he is not truly dedicated. Or rather, his mind is always elsewhere. If he doesn't change, he will be in big trouble in the future."

Hou Junji and Du Zhenglun were both talented people that Wei Zheng felt had the opportunity to truly change. Du Zhenglun had gradually changed over the years, but Hou Junji had no intention of correcting himself at all.

In other words, Hou Junji had no idea where he was wrong.

No, Hou Junji certainly knew where he was wrong. His problem was that he didn't want to change. He had no intention of changing.

This is the reason why the emperor found it difficult to reuse him.

Li Chengqian lowered his head and pondered. He could understand what Wei Zheng meant. Wei Zheng wanted him to help Hou Junji.

Hou Junji was dissatisfied, and Li Chengqian was the one who knew it best. If he wanted to make him feel better, he had to let him sit in the position of prime minister.

However, if he does not let it go, he will never be able to become the prime minister.

Li Chengqian had thought about letting Hou Junji become a wise prime minister who could serve the country, but even Li Chengqian found it difficult to accept the things he did.

In particular, there is a possibility that he may be misled by others and rebel.

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian spoke, "Duke Chen, father-in-law, I still hold the same opinion as before. He is not suitable for the position of prime minister, at least not now. The most suitable position for him is to be the Grand Commander of Goguryeo after we conquer it, or at most concurrently serve as Vice Minister of State Affairs. As for other positions, I'm afraid it will take a few years of experience for him to change his mind."

The prime minister can be given, but others cannot stay in the court. This is Li Chengqian’s attitude.

"Yes, no one in the court likes him. It's good enough that he was not beheaded for what he did in Gaochang." Wei Zheng smiled bitterly.

"The problem is not actually with Duke Chen. Didn't my father-in-law notice that he hasn't dared to return home for the past year?" Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile.

"When the censor impeached Xue Wanjun for forcibly taking the Gaochang woman, it would have been better if he had come forward to respond." Wei Zheng's words completely revealed the real reason behind Hou Junji's incident.

"Those two women are said to be Qu Wentai's concubines." Li Chengqian shook his head and sighed, "I noticed this last year and found out with a little investigation. He really thought he could hide it from everyone. In fact, it's just that no one wants to bother with him."

Wei Zheng fell silent. After Hou Junji captured Gaochang, someone sent him two women from Gaochang. He didn't know that they were Qu Wentai's concubines, so he enjoyed them directly. But in the end, it was exposed, and he could only acquiesce to his men plundering Gaochang.

The concubine of the King of Gaochang should not appear in Hou Junji's home under any circumstances.

As long as it is known to others, he will be immediately impeached for his disloyalty.

Li Chengqian glanced at Wei Zheng and said nothing more.

He did not learn about Hou Junji's affairs in this life. He found out about it when Hou Junji's house was raided in his previous life.

At that time, officials found a large amount of gold, silver, jewelry and rare treasures in Hou Junji's home.

What was most shocking was that they also discovered two beauties who had been "eating human milk but not rice since childhood."

These two beauties were so beautiful and fair-skinned that even Emperor Li Shimin was amazed at their unparalleled beauty.

Li Chengqian had naturally never seen such a beauty, but he understood men's psychology.

After saying a few words softly, even a hero would feel weak and limp, not to mention Hou Junji who already had a strong desire.

A man’s heart!
……

"Father-in-law." Li Chengqian looked up at Wei Zheng and said seriously, "Father is in charge of everything now. Everything is decided by Father. As for Duke Chen, the most I can do is ask him to do more farm work, hoping he can settle down. As for the rest, I can't say a word."

Li Chengqian was, after all, only a crown prince, and above him was the emperor. Even Li Chengqian couldn't predict what Hou Junji's future would be like.

Not to mention, he is still deliberately distancing himself from him.

Once his secret is discovered by Chai Lingwu and his people, rebellion will be inevitable.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Wei Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Everyone has their own blessings. No one should worry about other people's misfortunes."

"The human heart is so subtle that it only takes a moment for him to change. Perhaps at the last moment, he will come to his senses." Li Chengqian looked up at Wei Zheng and said, "If my father-in-law really wants to take care of him, then he should take good care of himself. When he gets into trouble in the future, you can intervene and plead for mercy."

"Your Highness is wise." Wei Zheng laughed. Indeed, his living and well-being was the greatest help to Hou Junji.

Li Chengqian nodded seriously. Wei Zheng's life was the greatest help to Li Chengqian.

As long as Wei Zheng was alive, the emperor would not dare to do anything too harsh on Li Chengqian.

In this way, he can have more time to develop himself.

……

It was dusk when Li Chengqian got up and returned to the East Palace with Wei Wei.

In the back hall, Wei Zheng was sitting there wearing a black cloak.

Strangely, there was no one else in the entire back hall except him.

Wei Zheng turned sideways, looked at the small door to the backyard, and said, "The prince has left, and I have told people not to disturb the backyard. Li Changshi can come out now."

At the small door, Li Wu, with an ordinary face, wearing a black round-necked suit and a black unbleached hat, walked out carefully.

"Greetings, Duke Zheng." Li Wu bowed seriously to Wei Zheng.

"Li Changshi heard what I said just now. You can go back to the palace to report." Wei Zheng waved his hand calmly.

"Yes!" Li Wu bowed to Wei Zheng again, then turned to leave. Suddenly, he paused, then bowed to Wei Zheng again and said, "Prime Minister Wei, I have dealt with some spies outside the palace gate on your behalf. Please be careful when you go in and out in the future."

After Li Wu finished speaking, he turned and left.

Wei Zheng looked at his back and frowned tightly.

Why is there still someone watching his mansion?

……

In the Taiji Hall, Li Shimin put down the memorial in his hand, looked at Li Wu, frowned, and asked, "Who is it?"

Under the candlelight, Li Wu said calmly, "It's Prince Consort Chai's people!"

"Chai Lingwu!" The emperor mused softly, then said, "Then what he's after is Qingque, the matter of Su Xu's daughter, right?"

Today, the most buzzing topic in the entire Chang'an City is nothing more than the matter of Princess Nanchang's daughter.

Although she was the daughter of Princess Nanchang, she was also the daughter of Su Xu, who was also the Sima of King Wei. If someone was tampering with this matter, then perhaps they were targeting Su Xu and Li Tai.

Li Shimin raised his head, looked at Li Wu, and asked, "Did the prince do this?"

"No!" Li Wu bowed and said, "There's no sign that the Crown Prince's men were involved. Your Majesty, do you want to investigate this matter further?"

Li Shimin pondered for a moment, then waved his hand calmly and said, "Since it wasn't the Crown Prince who did it, then it must have been a matter of jealousy among the other men. Why bother investigating? Just keep an eye on Chai Lingwu. If there's any problem, he'll find it out."

"Yes!" Li Wu bowed. The emperor didn't care about the tricks behind it. He cared more about Chai Lingwu.

Li Shimin looked up and said, "My sister just came to me and cried, saying that because of this incident, her daughter can't get married. I thought about it and it is indeed the case. The Wei family has been stealing the things left by the Qi family recently...I issue an order to remove Wei Cong, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department, from all his duties for great disrespect. He is to be taken to the Dali Temple for strict interrogation, and his son is to be sent to the Anxi Army."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda walked out quickly from one side, and then walked out of the Liangyi Hall quickly.

The emperor picked up the memorial again and looked at the record of Li Chengqian and Wei Zheng's discussion about Hou Junji.

Hou Junji, the emperor's eyes narrowed slightly.

As for the two concubines of Qu Wentai, in fact, as long as Hou Junji reported this, he would at most reduce some of Hou Junji's merits, and then give the two women to him.

But Hou Junji didn't.

He was hiding things from him, he was lying to him.

He has completely lost his mind for the two women.

"Chief Clerk of Yongzhou, Minister of Personnel." Li Shimin put down the memorial, feeling an inexplicable pang of pain in his heart. Then, he raised his head, looked at Li Wu, and said, "Keep a close eye on everything around Hou Junji. All his contacts, both inside and outside, keep a close eye on them. I want to see how far he will go."

Hou Junji was not only a senior official who grew up with him and fought on the battlefield with him, but also the son of his aunt.

There is still a trace of blood relationship between them.

This made the emperor extremely hesitant in dealing with Hou Junji's affairs.

He hoped that Hou Junji could correct himself, but he also vaguely hoped that he could do something extraordinary.

"Yes!" Li Wu bowed expressionlessly in the candlelight.

(End of this chapter)