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

Chapter 201: Voodoo Doll, the Emperor's Birth Date (Part )

Night falls on the Prince of Wei's Mansion.

Chai Lingwu pushed the door open and entered the study. He immediately saw Li Tai copying the "Lanting Preface" behind the desk. He quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness!"

"Cousin, are you back?" Li Tai lowered his head and replied, then put down his brush and looked up to ask, "How was things today?"

Chai Lingwu hesitated, but still bowed and said, "Your Highness, the Dou family accepted the gift, chatted for a while, and then let me go, saying that they would return the gift in a few days."

With a "bang", Li Tai suddenly slammed his fist on the table. He raised his head, looked at Chai Lingwu with a ferocious expression, and said, "Cousin, which family is this?"

"Five families!" Chai Lingwu lowered his head with a serious expression.

The Pei family, Xue family, Wei family, Yang family, and Dou family all had a lukewarm attitude towards the Prince of Wei's Mansion. It was only when Chai Lingwu personally came to deliver gifts that they said a few more words for Chai Lingwu's sake.

"This is the consequence of leaving Chang'an, cousin. Those people who came to us before now want to stay away from us." Li Tai looked fierce.

Chai Lingwu, who was standing five feet away, had an inexplicable feeling that Li Tai was about to pounce on him.

"Yes!" Chai Lingwu bowed his head and saluted. He had to admit that what Li Tai said made sense.

Last year, even though Li Tai was under house arrest by the emperor, there were still many people coming to him to give him gifts. But this year, the emperor ordered Li Tai to be removed from his post as the governor of Yongzhou. These people immediately stayed away from the Prince of Wei's Mansion like dogs that had smelled something.

However, Chai Lingwu knew in his heart that human nature is fickle, not to mention that those people wanted to do it for the prince to see.

"Your Highness!" Chai Lingwu looked up and said, "In the past two years, the Crown Prince has become increasingly prudent and steady, and many of his suggestions have been adopted by Your Majesty. Furthermore, with the marriages between the inner and outer courts, Yu Zhining has been appointed Imperial Secretary and is on the verge of becoming Prime Minister. Ma Zhou has been appointed Junior Secretary to the Crown Prince, and Xue Wanbei has been appointed General of the Crown Prince's Right Guard. Your Majesty is increasingly paying attention to the Crown Prince. How dare the other families get close to Your Highness?"

"But if I hadn't been ordered to take up my post, this wouldn't have happened." Li Tai looked at Chai Lingwu, shook his head, and asked, "What about the people below? How many of them still listen to me?"

When Li Tai was compiling the "Guo Di Zhi", many people came to him.

There were officials from the Secretariat, Taichang Temple, Hongwenguan, as well as Dali Temple, Ministry of Justice, Jinwu Guards, Chang'an Wannian County and two counties, and even some officials from the Eastern Palace, but these people were generally of low positions. In addition, there were rumors that the prince was lame at that time, so many people were optimistic about Li Tai and they all came over.

These people have always been contacted by Fang Yiai. After Fang Yiai left, they were basically handed over to Chai Lingwu.

"There are a lot of these people. Although they are hesitant, basically half of them are willing to obey orders." Chai Lingwu bowed excitedly.

Li Tai sneered at this time and said, "Cousin, it's no problem for these people to do some unimportant things, but if there is really something important for them to do, they will not be willing to do it."

"Yes!" Chai Lingwu had to bow again. He admitted that what Li Tai said made sense.

"But, cousin, you should make two more trips to your uncle's place and Fang Er's place. They are very important." Li Tai looked at Chai Lingwu seriously.

"Yes!" Chai Lingwu nodded solemnly.

In the past two years, the decline of the Prince of Wei's Palace began with the successive departures of Du Chuke, Fang Yiai and Su Xu.

"As for the matter of Duke Chen, how have you arranged it, cousin?" Li Tai's expression finally became serious.

Compared with others, Hou Junji is the most important, even one Hou Junji is equal to all the people before him.

"On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Duke Chen will go to Pingkangfang to meet his old friend. I already know the exact location." Chai Lingwu lowered his voice.

"Why not meet an old friend at home?" Li Tai suddenly realized, and said, "Oh right, Duke Chen's family has a secret, so they chose Pingkangfang. So, they must have been discussing Father's Eastern Expedition that day, right?"

"It should be." Chai Lingwu nodded.

"Very good. I'll leave everything to you, cousin." Li Tai shook his head and said, "After the lessons learned in the past two years, it's really not convenient for me to go out."

"Yes!" Chai Lingwu's mouth twitched slightly. In the past two years, at the end of each year, Li Tai would be confined to his house for various reasons. This year, he has learned his lesson and will try not to go out if he can.

……

Under the night sky, light snow is falling.

In the small courtyard of the East Market, Chai Lingwu sat under the window.

On the table in front of him were beef, mutton, and two side dishes. Wine was warming on the stove beside him.
With a "squeak" sound, the courtyard door was pushed open.

Chai Lingwu turned around and saw Zhang Xi walking in from outside wearing a straw raincoat, which was already covered with snowflakes.

Zhang Xi hung his raincoat at the door before entering the room. Looking at the food and wine on the table, he smiled with satisfaction and walked over to say, "You are really kind, Chai Er. Good wine and good food are waiting for you."

Chai Lingwu watched Zhang Xi sit down, then asked, "How is it? Is there anyone following us outside?"

"Don't worry, who dares to follow me in Chang'an City?" Zhang Yi waved his hand, looking very indifferent.

Chai Lingwu wanted to say something, but nodded calmly.

Zhang Liang had been in Chang'an for many years. He had people in every department, from the Chang'an Wannian Guard to the Jinwu Guard, the Qianniu Guard, the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice. It was almost impossible for ordinary people to track Zhang Yi in Chang'an City.

"That's good." Chai Lingwu nodded slightly, then poured Zhang Xi a glass of wine and asked casually, "How are you doing lately? What are you busy with?" "What else could it be? The eastern expedition to Goguryeo." Zhang Xi raised his glass, clinked it with Chai Lingwu's, and then drank the wine in a gulp. Then he said, "Although Your Majesty said that the expedition to Goguryeo cannot be carried out, in fact, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works have already started, and a large amount of food, fodder and military equipment have been quietly transported to the front line."

Chai Lingwu nodded. It was inevitable for the emperor to march eastward to attack Goguryeo. The reason why he couldn't persuade him before was because everything was not ready yet.

"In addition, people from the Hundred Cavalry Division, the Left and Right Gate Guards, the Left and Right Guards, and even the Left and Right Jinwu Guards have been transferred to Liaodong, and many of them are our people." Chai Lingwu suddenly looked up as Zhang Xi finished speaking.

Zhang Qi waved his hand and said, "The Hundred Cavalry Division is expanding and will soon become the Thousand Cavalry Division. The same is true for the other guards. There's a lot of personnel movement going on, not just ours, but others as well. This is how wars are. Who knows, maybe one day, I'll go to Liaodong too."

"Duke, will the Duke go to Liaodong?" Chai Lingwu asked curiously.

"It's hard to say." Zhang Yi shook his head and said, "Recently, His Majesty has frequently summoned Su Dingfang to discuss matters, and when Su Dingfang leaves the palace, he often visits the residence of the Duke of Wei."

"Your Majesty is going to use Su Dingfang. It seems that what happened that year is in the past." Chai Lingwu nodded slowly.

"Su Dingfang is close to the Crown Prince. Your Majesty would be worried if he stayed in Chang'an." Zhang Yi looked up at Chai Lingwu and asked, "How are things going over there? What's your Highness the Prince of Wei been up to lately?"

Hearing Zhang Xi's teasing voice, Chai Lingwu shook his head and said helplessly, "Who knows? The King of Wei has been acting mysteriously lately. He sends me out every day while he does his own things quietly. I only spend a short time with him every day."

"It seems the Prince of Wei has learned his lesson." Zhang Yi's expression calmed down. He then looked at Chai Lingwu and said, "If there is a way, leave the Prince of Wei's mansion. Aye said that most of the civil and military officials in the court support the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince has been very obedient in recent years, acting within the scope set by Your Majesty. Therefore, there is no possibility of deposing the Crown Prince."

"What about the future?" Chai Lingwu asked immediately. It doesn't matter now, the key is the future. Will the King of Wei still have a chance in the future?

"Aye said that the prince has learned to get along with His Majesty." Zhang Xi's light words made Chai Lingwu's heart completely heavy.

Chai Lingwu said somewhat unwillingly, "But once Your Majesty leads the army eastward, and Crown Prince Chang'an becomes Regent..."

"You've already said that the army is in Your Majesty's hands." Zhang Yi shook his head slightly and said, "As long as Your Majesty's army is not defeated, the Crown Prince will not dare to make any moves in Chang'an."

"What if Your Majesty loses?" Chai Lingwu's eyes became deep.

Zhang Xi's pupils dilated.

Snowflakes are falling gently outside the window.

……

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, outside the residence of Zhang You, a doctor of the Imperial College.

Snowflakes fell gently as three carriages drove out of the front gate and headed towards the palace.

Outside the gate, Chai Lingwu turned his gaze calmly and looked at the carriage going away. His brows couldn't help but frown.

In the past six months, the only family the King of Wei has targeted is the Zhang family. How could Chai Lingwu not pay attention to the Zhang family's relationship with the Eastern Palace?

Soon, he found out the two people that Li Tai had planted in Zhang's mansion.

Especially since they had appeared in Huashan before, although Chai Lingwu had not seen them, it was not difficult to find out where they were.

But Chai Lingwu still didn't understand what Li Tai wanted to do to the prince.

The carriage slowly moved into the distance. Above, the snow had been falling scattered for more than ten days. The carriage followed the snow ruts all the way to the palace, and finally delivered the New Year gifts to the Chongren Hall of the East Palace.

Only after everyone had left did Li Chengqian and Li Anyan come out of the hall.

Li Anyan began to search carefully one by one. Half an hour later, a box containing a wooden Buddha statue was casually placed on the ground by Li Anyan.

"Wait!" Li Chengqian suddenly walked up.

"Your Highness!" Li Anyan looked at Li Chengqian in surprise. There was nothing wrong with the box!
Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "I heard a strange sound."

During the six months that Li Chengqian lay on his sickbed, loneliness made his ears extremely sensitive.

"Yes!" Li Anyan picked up the box and handed it to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian knocked on the box carefully, then raised his eyes and said, "Knife!"

A small knife immediately fell into Li Chengqian's hand, and Li Chengqian carefully used the blade to pry open the bottom of the box that was tightly sealed with wood glue.

Then, a puppet jumped down.

He was wearing a scarlet and yellow dragon robe and a white jade crown on his head. Although his face was blurry, one could tell from his appearance that it was the emperor.

Not to mention that the birth date is also posted on it.

Li Anyan looked at the puppet and said in disbelief, "Does the King of Wei want to die?"

(End of this chapter)