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

Chapter 227 Father is waiting to see what Your Highness will do (Part )
The night is dark in the Chongjiao Hall.

Li Chengqian sat on the main couch, calmly wiping his sword.

The light yellow mulberry linen cloth slowly wiped from under the handle to the top of the blade.

The tip of the knife is sharp and clear.

Even the tip of the tip could reflect Li Chengqian's cold eyes.

Xu An stood at the door of the palace, facing outward.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps sounded in the Chongjiao Hall.

Li Chengqian looked up and breathed a sigh of relief. He put down the mulberry cloth with his left hand, picked up the scabbard and raised it upwards. The horizontal sword was inserted into the scabbard.

The sword is placed flat on the knee.

A voice outside the palace rang out at the same time: "Your Highness!"

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly towards Changsun Xiang outside the hall.

Chang Sunxiang walked quickly into the hall and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Highness, Duke Qiao just sent a message that Chai Lingwu has already begun preparations. In addition, some news has also been sent in that we are not aware of."

Li Chengqian's expression became serious. He took the secret book from Changsun Xiang and began to read it carefully.

"Sure enough, just as I guessed, they have prepared many supporting measures." Li Chengqian sneered lightly.

Changsun Xiang nodded slightly. Deposing the crown prince was not an easy task.

It's not that it's enough for you to rush into the palace and frame the prince, you also need the support of the officials in Chang'an.

Zhang Liang and Hou Junji have already contacted dozens of people.

Hou Junji used to be the Minister of War, and now he is the Minister of Personnel. Zhang Liang is now the Minister of Works. No one knows how many people have depended on them.

Now, the two of them are still in contact with their own confidants, and in the future, they will be able to respond to everyone's call. Who knows how many people will call on them.

"Cousin, remember these names. After the matter is settled, let the Dali Temple investigate thoroughly." Li Chengqian raised his eyes and looked at Changsun Xiang.

"Yes!" Chang Sun Xiang immediately bowed. He knew that these people were finished.

"Oh, Qingque sent someone to Songzhou to invite Fang Yiai directly." Li Chengqian looked up and said in sudden realization, "So they still haven't managed to get Fang Xiang."

Tomorrow, Li Tai will take action, but he fails to deal with the most important person, Fang Xuanling.

According to Li Tai's plan, Fang Yiai should come back before tomorrow night.

Poor Fang Yiai had no idea that once he returned to Chang'an, he would immediately become Li Tai's best tool to threaten Fang Xuanling.

"Cousin, notify General Li Xuansi of the Imperial Guard and have them immediately send troops to guard Ziwu Pass, Baoxiang Pass, Tangluo Pass, and Chencang Pass. If they see Fang Yiai returning to the capital, detain him immediately." Li Chengqian looked up and said seriously, "Tell him that this is an order from me and Prime Minister Yu. If he insists on breaking in, he will bear the consequences."

"Yes!" Chang Sun Xiang immediately bowed.

"Also, tomorrow afternoon, send someone to hide outside Duke Liang's mansion. Before curfew, use my and Prime Minister Yu's orders to invite Duke Liang into the palace." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Given Duke Liang's abilities, I'm afraid he can enter the palace himself if we deliver the message."

Don't underestimate Fang Xuanling, he just doesn't have enough understanding of the current situation.

Just give him a little information and Fang Xuanling can immediately make the most correct choice.

Changsun Xiang quickly turned around and left, but Li Chengqian in the Chongjiao Hall couldn't help but sigh.

Fang Xuanling, I'm afraid he will be able to escape this disaster this time.

Li Chengqian calmed down.

This time, his biggest opponent is Li Tai and those around him who have always helped Li Tai fight for the position of crown prince.

Fang Xuanling, let him avoid this difficulty for the time being. After all, this is what the emperor wants to see most.

"Pass the message down. If there is any news tonight, send it to me immediately. I will be waiting in Chongjiao Hall." Li Chengqian's gaze fell on the night sky of Chang'an City in the distance.

"Yes!" Xu An immediately bowed.

In Chang'an City that night, I wonder how many people were watching every movement.

Especially Hou Junji and Zhang Liang.

The two of them are the ones who least want anything to happen.

Similarly, the person who least wants anything unexpected to happen tonight is Li Chengqian.

But, tonight, there is a curfew in Chang'an.

All is quiet.

……

In a daze, Li Chengqian suddenly woke up.

A figure sat at the head of the bed, blocking the faint light outside the hall.

March 18th has arrived.

The familiar aroma made Li Chengqian inexplicably relax. He let go of the sword he was holding tightly under the quilt with his right hand, looked at Su Shu, and asked softly, "Why are you here, my beloved concubine?"

"Your Highness has been missing for the past few days, so I came to check on him." Su Shu picked up a bowl of thick porridge and said to Li Chengqian, "Your Highness, please get up and have some breakfast."

"Put it aside. This is the end of my conversation with my beloved concubine." Li Chengqian gently grasped Su Shu's wrist and whispered, "Today, Qingque is hosting a banquet for all the important officials in Chang'an City in honor of our second son."

Su Shu paused for a moment, then frowned and said, "Your Highness has been so busy lately because of the Prince of Wei's affairs... Could something happen tonight?"

Su Shu had a sharp intuition and saw through the problem at a glance.

"Tonight, the Qingque Society will lead its troops to attack the Suzaku Gate." Li Chengqian raised his head and said calmly, "He has reached the end of his rope."

"What!" Su Shu suddenly grabbed Li Chengqian's hand and asked worriedly, "Is Your Highness ready?"

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "The Skynet has been laid, and we are just waiting for Qingque to sneak in."

"Where is the emperor?" Su Shu looked a little worried.

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "All of this was arranged by my father."

Su Shu suddenly understood. Although Li Chengqian was the crown prince, to be honest, he really couldn't do much without the emperor's permission.

But if the emperor allows it, then no one in Chang'an City can cause any trouble.

After calming down, Su Shu said, "I will arrange everything for Your Highness in the harem, but there is something I want to say." "My beloved, please feel free to say it."

"It's the Prince of Wei!" Su Shu hesitated slightly, but continued, "I know the Prince of Wei has made a grave mistake this time, but no matter what, Your Highness must persuade the Prince of Wei when it's time... And Wan'er, and the Prince of Wei's second son. After all, they are royal blood, my father's bloodline. Perhaps my father is waiting to see what Your Highness will do."

Li Chengqian was suddenly startled.

During this period of time, he has been busy setting traps for Li Tai and waiting for him to die.

The only thing he thought about was to save Li Tai's life.

Of course, at least he had to save Li Tai's life for now.

He wanted to see him deposed as king, exiled to Qianzhou, and then die of illness on the roadside.

But he never thought about stopping Li Tai's rebellion.

Because only in this way can he completely suppress Li Tai.

What's more, Li Chengqian's real target was never Li Tai, but those people in Chang'an City who had always surrounded Li Tai and tried to depose the prince.

Only by completely eradicating these people, anyone who tries to challenge his position as crown prince in the future will lack the most basic foundation.

Only in this way can Li Chengqian's position as crown prince be more stable.

But in this way, he would inevitably lose points in the eyes of the emperor.

After all, knowing that his own brother was planning a rebellion, he not only did not stop him, but also set a trap in front of him. This is a violation of filial piety.

There are bound to be thorns in the emperor's heart.

"Thank you, my beloved concubine." Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time stood up from the bed and said, "I know what to do."

Li Chengqian walked to the table and quickly wrote a memorial. After finishing, he personally sealed it and then looked up and said, "Come here, call Helan over. I have a memorial here. Tell him to send it to Hebei immediately."

……

In the noisy Prince Wei's Mansion, Li Tai stood in the middle hall, looking at the people busy inside and outside, his face was eerily calm.

In a little while, the guests will arrive.

The Crown Prince, Li Daliang, Yu Zhining, Chu Suiliang, Fang Xuanling, and even Gao Shilian and others will be here today.

Once they sat down and started drinking, there was no stopping them.

Or to be more precise, the moment Li Tai decided to take action, everything could no longer be stopped.

A burst of hurried footsteps sounded from the side and behind.

Li Tai subconsciously turned around, and Chai Lingwu walked up with a serious expression: "Your Highness, Duke Chen is here!"

"Hmm!" Li Tai frowned instantly. Hou Junji shouldn't have come so early. Li Tai looked up and said, "Let's go!"

Chai Lingwu was also confused. He took Li Tai to the backyard and met Li Tai who suddenly appeared.

In the side courtyard, Hou Junji stepped forward and said with a bow, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince just asked Helan to deliver a memorial to Hebei."

"Hmm?" Li Tai's pupils shrank, and he couldn't help but ask, "But what did the prince discover?"

"I don't know. I have already sent people to chase Helan. I believe that the memorial given by the prince will be retrieved soon." Hou Junji explained briefly.

Li Tai finally breathed a sigh of relief, but he immediately raised his head and said, "Duke, if the emperor really finds out something, what should we do?"

"That depends on whether the Crown Prince will arrive soon." Hou Junji looked at Li Tai and bowed gently, saying, "If the Crown Prince doesn't come, then Your Highness will have no choice but to hold a Hongmen Banquet, arrest all of today's guests, and then mobilize troops to attack the palace directly."

Li Tai nodded directly and said, "That's it, cousin. You go to the front yard to greet the guests first. I will wait here for a while!"

"Yes!" Chai Lingwu bowed, then turned and left.

The moment he turned around, Chai Lingwu's expression gradually became solemn.

Li Tai said he wanted to hold a Hongmen Banquet, but he didn't tell him how to hold the Hongmen Banquet and where the executioners were hiding.

And what about the crown prince? Why did he suddenly send someone to deliver a memorial to Chang'an?

Chai Lingwu felt uneasy, but when he saw Chai Zhewei hiding in the crowd, he relaxed.

Soon, the news that someone came to the Prince of Wei's Mansion from the backyard reached Chai Lingwu.

He immediately rushed back to the backyard.

Li Tai had just taken the memorial from Hou Junji. When he saw Chai Lingwu come in, he nodded calmly and then opened the memorial.

Li Tai glanced over the entire memorial and slammed it shut. He then handed it to Hou Junji indifferently and said, "My royal brother has submitted a memorial to the Emperor, requesting the title of prince for Xin'er. He also said that the princess had just given birth, and he hoped that the Emperor would allow me to stay in Chang'an for a while longer."

Hou Junji was a little stunned. He glanced at the memorial and then looked at Li Tai in surprise.

The crown prince submitted a memorial requesting that the title of king be bestowed upon the prince of Wei. At the same time, he arranged for the chief secretary, the royal tutor and others to teach him, and allowed Li Tai to stay in Chang'an for a longer period of time.

The words are sincere and earnest, enough to show the filial piety of brothers.

But Li Tai, the current Li Tai didn't feel anything at all.

Seeing Hou Junji's eyes, Li Tai said calmly: "Duke, we have no way out now."

Hou Junji fell silent.

Chai Lingwu stood aside and watched all this silently.

He had a vague feeling that this scene and the prince's memorial were the basis for his final safety.

……

The sound of drums and music celebrates the wedding banquet.

Li Chengqian was wearing a white python robe, holding Li Tai's hand, and walked into the mansion with a smile.

Behind him, more than twenty maids from the East Palace brought more than twenty jars of fine wine into the central hall.

Li Chengqian looked at Li Tai and all the guests in the courtyard and said with a smile, "This is a fine wine that someone specially presented to me last year. I took it out from the East Palace treasury just to celebrate today."

The smiles on the faces of Hou Junji, Zhang Liang, and Li Tai standing by had become stiff.

(End of this chapter)