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

Chapter 18: The East Palace acts with dignity and integrity

Sitting on the main couch, Li Chengqian calmly looked at the officials of the Eastern Palace and said, "My lords, my third matter today... It's almost the end of the year, and only two months until the New Year's Day. It's time to start preparing New Year's gifts. So I'm going to send a message to the officials of the Eastern Palace in the local areas, asking if there are any auspicious signs or child prodigies, and also to wish the Emperor a happy New Year."

The first day of the first lunar month is the grand court session.

All officials in Chang'an, provincial governors, royal princes, foreign envoys, students of the Imperial Academy, and retired elders all had to attend the court to celebrate.

The Prince's Eastern Palace was naturally no exception. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, during the grand court session, they had to present gifts to the emperor.

In the past, although the Eastern Palace also celebrated as usual, it was not too grand and did not suppress other princes too much. However, the situation is different this year.

The Prince of Wei's intention to seek a succession is obvious. If the Eastern Palace does not do something, it is likely to result in people turning away from the government.

"Among the officials of the Eastern Palace who are in the local areas, the main ones are Li Ji, the Left Guard of the Crown Prince and the Chief Clerk of the Bingzhou Grand Marshal's Office, and Zhang Liang, the Right Guard of the Crown Prince and the Chief Clerk of the Xiangzhou Grand Marshal's Office. Others include Dou Kegou, the Right Doctor of the Crown Prince and the Governor of Shanzhou, and Li Chongji, the Inspector of the Crown Prince's Groom and the Chief Clerk of Yanzhou..." Yu Zhining looked at Li Chengqian calmly. Not many officials of the Eastern Palace were serving in other places.

Except for the two generals Li Ji and Zhang Liang, the others were royal family members like Li Chongji, and relatives of the emperor like Dou Kegou.

"The Chief Secretary can send a letter from the Eastern Palace." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "In addition, those who left the Eastern Palace in the early years, such as the former Prince's Secretary of Justice and Qizhou Sima Wang Ye, the former Prince's Secretary of State and Jingzhou Chief Secretary Wei Gui, the former Prince's Secretary of State and Songzhou Sima Li Dejian, and the former Prince's Secretary of State and Zizhou Xuanwu County Magistrate Liu Yingdao, can also send letters and ask for help."

Li Chengqian has been the crown prince for fifteen years, and countless officials have been transferred out of the Eastern Palace during these years.

In addition to the chief secretaries of the fifth rank and above who only obeyed the emperor's orders, there were many other people of low rank who were transferred out of the Eastern Palace. Most of these people also had extraordinary backgrounds.

The most typical example among them is Li Dejian, the former Sima of the Left Guard of the Crown Prince and Sima of Songzhou, who is the son of Li Jing.

Of course, Li Chengqian just mentioned his name and didn't expect him to do much.

It is not the time to use Li Dejian, who truly inherited the essence of Wei Gong's military strategy.

Li Chengqian, an official who once served in the Eastern Palace, will take some action this time and also see what people think.

"In addition, we also need to send people to comfort the families of the Duke of Longxi and the Duke of Yongning." Li Chengqian sighed lightly, his expression gloomy.

Li Gang, Duke of Longxi and Prince's Junior Tutor.

Wang Gui, Duke of Yongning County and Prince's Right Assistant.

These were Li Chengqian's truly trusted old ministers, but it was because of their passing away one by one that Li Chengqian lost control of internal and external affairs, and was finally forced into a desperate situation step by step.

"By the way, the families of my teachers and mentors, including Lu Jianzhi, the Imperial Court Official, the Prince's Counselor, and Yu Shinan, the Imperial College Scholar, will also be sending condolences at the end of the year. If there is anything I need, the Eastern Palace will help if it can." Li Chengqian raised his head, his face solemn.
Lu Jianzhi and Yu Shinan were not Li Chengqian's close confidants, but they had both been Li Chengqian's teachers. Taking the opportunity to visit and express their condolences at the end of the year was also a sign of respect for teachers.

"Yes!" Yu Zhining nodded in agreement.

He knew Li Chengqian's plan. The prince was using these local officials and noble families who had deep connections with the Eastern Palace to announce to the world that the prince was safe.

"By the way, if there are any outstanding craftsmen in the local area, they can also be recommended to the Eastern Palace." Li Chengqian looked at the ministers, smiled, and said, "The Eastern Palace is currently under the imperial order to compile the 'Kaogongzhi' (Records of Craftsmen's Examination), and they happen to need craftsmen with special talents from the local areas. It's a good opportunity to see how many have been accumulated in the local areas since the end of the Sui Dynasty."

"Yes!" All the ministers in the hall were solemn at the same time. If the previous contact was just to show the existence of the Eastern Palace, then now transferring people in the name of the imperial edict was to demonstrate the power of the Eastern Palace.

"There's basically nothing left." Li Chengqian looked up at Li Anyan and said, "Housekeeper, send someone to the Shangshu Province now to keep an eye on it and see if there are any lawsuits... Dai Qing."

Dai Zhide, the Crown Prince's Right Guard, looked up in surprise, then immediately stepped forward with his hands clasped in a bow: "Your Highness is here."

"When it comes to all matters of dispute, Mr. Dai's family is well versed in this. Recently, Mr. Dai has gone to the Ministry of Chancellery to hear cases. It is also a good opportunity for him to learn from Duke Liang." Li Chengqian looked at Dai Zhide with encouragement. Dai Zhide is the son of former Prime Minister Dai Zhou.

During his lifetime, Dai Zhou served as Li Chengqian's Crown Prince's Left Secretary. Along with Wei Zheng, he served as a Counselor, reviewing the government's successes and failures. He was later promoted to Minister of Revenue and then Minister of Personnel, participating in government affairs. He was posthumously awarded the titles of Shangshu You Pushe and Daoguo Gong.

With some connection, Dai Zhide's work in the Secretariat would be somewhat smoother.

Moreover, the Shangshu Zuo Pushe, Duke of Liang Fang Xuanling happened to be the Prince's Junior Tutor, so he had to give him some face.

Dai Zhide subconsciously glanced at Yu Zhining, who nodded and said, "Go."

"Yes!" Dai Zhide bowed solemnly.

Li Chengqian smiled gently and said, "The next step is to deal with government affairs. You can return to your respective places now. At noon, the palace has prepared a delicious meal for you all to enjoy together."

"Thank you, Your Highness." All the ministers bowed their heads.

……

In the Chongjiao Hall, Li Chengqian sat at the top, with six people sitting on both sides: Prince's Secretary Yu Zhining, Prince's Junior Secretary Zhang Xuansu, Prince's Middle Secretary Kong Yingda, Prince's Right Secretary Li Baiyao, Prince's Groom Linghu Defen, and Prince's Middle Shepherd Xiao Jun.

There were also several other prince's servants behind the curtain, writing and recording.

Yu Zhining handed a memorial to Li Chengqian, then said seriously, "The first thing to do today is about three days ago when Prince Yuan Jing of Jing and others submitted a petition to Your Majesty requesting a Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. However, Your Majesty refused, believing Gaochang was a small country and unworthy of such a ceremony. I don't know why the Secretariat sent this matter over."

Logically speaking, the emperor has made the decision, so the Secretariat should continue to pass it up and down, but now it has been sent to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly. He knew in his heart that his father, the emperor who was very concerned about his reputation, was still very interested in the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Tai.

He had reasons for his previous refusal, but now, he wanted to hear Donggong's opinion.

As Li Chengqian took the memorial, he asked, "Chief Secretary, since the Zhenguan period, how many times has the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai been mentioned?"

"Twice." Yu Zhining took a deep breath, looked at Li Chengqian seriously, and said, "In the fourth year of Zhenguan, the world was prosperous and the barbarians were submissive. Your Majesty was given the title of 'Heavenly Khan'. Therefore, at the beginning of the fifth year of Zhenguan, Zhaojun Prince Li Xiaogong and others submitted a petition to the Emperor to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.

In December of the same year, Lizhou Governor Wu Shigui and others again submitted a petition requesting Fengshan, but Your Majesty did not approve it.

In the sixth year of Zhenguan, civil and military officials again requested the emperor to offer sacrifices to the gods on Mount Tai.

Your Majesty, considering that the empire has just been stabilized and the people are exhausted, will not allow it."

Li Chengqian nodded. Now it was said that the emperor himself did not allow it, but in fact the emperor had already agreed at that time. It was only after Wei Zheng strongly advised him against it and several states in Henan and Hebei were hit by floods that the emperor had to find a reason to refuse.
"This is the first time." Yu Zhining looked at Li Chengqian seriously.

Li Chengqian nodded calmly, declining three times, as he was used to it.

"The second time was in the eleventh year of the Zhenguan reign. The ministers again requested it, and even Prime Minister Wei agreed. Unfortunately, heavy rains occurred in the late autumn, and Luoyang was nearly flooded. Over six thousand officials and civilians drowned, so Your Majesty finally stopped." Yu Zhining sighed, saying, "Your Majesty's love for the people is unmatched only by Emperor Wen in the past three dynasties."

Li Chengqian continued to nod. Although Yu Zhining said so, everyone in the court could see that the emperor wanted to perform the Fengshan ceremony, it was just that the timing was not right every time.

"This is the third time." Yu Zhining looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "Prince Jing Yuanjing and others have again petitioned for the Fengshan ceremony, but Your Majesty has not approved it. However, this petition has been sent to the Eastern Palace..."

Yu Zhining didn't finish his words, but his meaning was very clear. The emperor wanted to perform the Fengshan ceremony, but he felt that the request from Prince Jing and others was meaningless, so he sent the request to the East Palace, asking the prince to lead the request again.

Now it depends on whether the emperor will perform the Fengshan ceremony and whether the prince agrees to take the lead in making the request.

(End of this chapter)