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

Chapter 245: One hand pointing to the sky, one hand pointing to the earth (Part )
With a "creak", the door of the Yiluan Palace in Youjiacheng was pushed open.

King Qi Li You, who was lying on the inside, suddenly sat up and looked at the door with an extremely nervous expression.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a light yellow python robe, walked in calmly with a food box in his hand. Li You was immediately surprised and said in a voice that said, "Royal brother."

Li Chengqian raised his head and glanced at the inner hall.

Li You was wearing a white shirt, with messy hair and untidy beard, standing at the door looking very sloppy.

Li Chengqian turned around and walked towards the main couch, then sat down on it and placed the food box in his hand on the low table on the side.

"What are you standing there for? You're so rebellious that you don't even know how to salute." Li Chengqian looked at Li You with cold eyes.

Li You immediately came to his senses and hurriedly walked to the hall. He bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your humble servant, Prince Qi You, greets the Crown Prince!"

As he spoke, Li You suddenly choked up inexplicably and lowered his head.

"Okay, your father, the Prince of Qi, has not been deposed yet, so don't cry there." Li Chengqian shouted coldly with a stern face.

"Yes!" Li You quickly wiped his tears, stood up and bowed.

"Come and sit down!" Li Chengqian glanced to the right and then said gently, "I heard that you haven't eaten much since you got here, so I brought some food to take a look."

"Yes, thank you, my royal brother!" Li You bowed gratefully, then walked to the couch and sat down.

Li Chengqian opened the food box and took out three plates of hot dishes and a pot of sake. He then poured two cups, one for Li You and one for himself.

Without any pretense, Li Chengqian simply picked up a glass of wine and drank it all before placing it on the coffee table.

Li You looked at Li Chengqian in a daze, then his eyes turned red and he picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

"Very good, you still trust your brother." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "I also know the whole story of your situation. You were forced by Quan Wanji to kill him. Although I agree with you privately on this point, legally speaking, you were wrong. After all, he was the Chief Clerk of the Prince of Qi, an official below the fourth rank, appointed by our father..."

Li You stared at Li Chengqian in amazement, then lowered his head and said, "Your Highness knows that you were wrong."

"Also, those assassins, your father has clearly exiled them to Liaodong. Who asked you to recall them to Qizhou?" Li Chengqian looked at Li You with a cold face.

Li You looked away and lowered his head: "Your Highness is wrong."

"Finally, you killed Quan Wanji and stayed in Qizhou, writing a letter to the emperor to admit your mistake. Why did you gather troops and plot rebellion, forcing the emperor to mobilize troops from various states to quell the chaos you caused?" Li Chengqian slapped the table fiercely with a "bang", and the sound made Li You tremble.

"Someone..." Li You was about to say something when Li Chengqian looked over at him coldly. Li You immediately lowered his head and said, "It's my fault."

Li Chengqian sighed deeply and said, "Brother, I understand. You've actually made one wrong step after another, and you feel like there's no turning back, right?"

Li You's eyes suddenly became moist, and he nodded vigorously, "It is my fault."

Li Chengqian raised his head and continued, "Father is currently discussing with the court officials how to handle your case. Although there is no imperial decree yet, I believe it will be issued soon.

At that time, even if you are not beheaded, you will be exiled three thousand miles away."

Hearing what Li Chengqian said, Li You's face suddenly turned pale.

"I met Concubine De before I came to Chang'an." As soon as Li Chengqian mentioned Concubine Yin De, Li You looked up in surprise.

"Defei's eyes are almost blind from crying." Li Chengqian turned around and said just one sentence. Li You was stunned, and then he couldn't help crying.

Li Chengqian sat calmly. After a long while, Li You finally stopped crying. Then he looked at Li Chengqian with a pleading face: "Royal brother!"

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "From now on, you will do whatever I tell you to do. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" Li You nodded immediately, and a glimmer of hope couldn't help but rise in his heart.

Li Chengqian took out a blank memorial from under the food box, along with paper and pen, and handed it to Li You, saying, "I say, you write!"

"Yes!" Li You took the pen and paper hesitantly.

Li Chengqian said directly, "Write to the Emperor, saying that you know you are wrong. Your mistake this time has caused disasters in Qizhou, unrest in the east, and caused the Emperor to worry and feel unwell. Everything is entirely your fault. Now that you have acknowledged your fault, I beg the Emperor to strip you of all your titles and official positions and demote you to a commoner..."

When Li Chengqian said this, Li You's expression changed slightly.

Li Chengqian ignored him and continued, "Say you're willing to go to the Taiqing Palace on Mount Mang to become a monk. Under the Three Pure Ones, pray for the dead and injured civilians and soldiers throughout the world, for the rest of your life, without ceasing!"

Although Li You looked a little unhappy, he still wrote it down word by word.

After everything was written, Li Chengqian said, "Of course, if you are willing to find a remote Buddhist temple to become a monk, you can also rewrite it."

"No need, the Taoist temple is just right." Li You waved his hand quickly.

"Hmph!" Li Chengqian snorted coldly and said, "Once this memorial is submitted, the emperor's anger will subside a little, and then your punishment will come down. At least it won't be beheading or exile three thousand miles away. No matter what, you must be patient and accept it. Wait a few years, and when the emperor's anger subsides, we will find a solution. Do you understand?"

Li You immediately looked up with joy, then nodded vigorously and said, "Wulang understands."

"You should be thankful. Although your rebellion this time had extremely disastrous consequences, fortunately not many people died. Otherwise..." Li Chengqian snorted coldly. Originally, the most difficult thing to avoid was Quan Wanji's death, but because of the letter Quan Wanji was found in Li Tai's study, Li You had some room for maneuver.

Of course, someone had to speak for Li You, but unfortunately, no one dared to plead for him except his uncle Yin Hongzhi, who was implicated by him.

"Thank you, my royal brother." Li You stood up and bowed earnestly to Li Chengqian. He knew that if Li Chengqian had not come to find him today, his end would definitely not be good.

"Be more cautious in your actions from now on." Li Chengqian stood up, put the memorial into his sleeve, and then said, "Be good to yourself these few days. I will go to see my father now."

"Thank you, my dear brother!"

……

In the Zhenguan Hall, Li Shimin sat on the imperial couch, looking at the memorial in his hand. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He looked at Li Chengqian, nodded, and said, "You have done a great job on this matter. This way, it will be easier for me to explain to Concubine Yin."

The reason why Li Shimin had not dealt with Li You was because of Concubine Yin.

After all, she was one of the four concubines, and especially because of her background, she tried hard to please the other concubines and was very popular in the palace.

Li Chengqian bowed slightly and said, "As the Crown Prince, I have failed to teach my brothers well. I am at fault. Please punish me, Father."

"If you want to punish me, I'm afraid I'll also have to issue an edict of self-blame." Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "People in the world act on their own. Good fortune and misfortune are brought upon themselves. Don't blame others."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian bowed seriously.

"Okay, you can go down." Li Shimin waved his hand slightly.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian bowed and then walked out.

After exiting the Zhenguan Hall, the clear sunlight set. Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief and then strode out of the palace.

Outside Chengtian Gate, two carriages stopped at the door.

Li Zhi and Jin Yang were sitting inside. When they saw Li Chengqian leaving the palace, they quickly waved and said, "Royal brother!"

Li Chengqian smiled and nodded, took the reins from Chang Sunxiang, and said, "Let's go."

"Yes!" Changsun Xiang bowed and waved to both sides. Hundreds of Qianniu Guards gathered from all directions and escorted Li Chengqian, Li Zhi, the Princess of Jin and their entourage towards Luoyang City.

After crossing the Tianjin Bridge, hundreds of Jinwu Guards followed side by side from the left and right sides, some coming in front and some guarding both sides.

Li Chengqian was wearing a light yellow python robe, sitting on a tall horse, with a long sword in a black sheath hanging at his waist.

The densely packed Luoyang residents on both sides of the long street immediately bowed and saluted from a distance, but they couldn't help but look at Li Chengqian.

Prince, people in Luoyang really rarely see a prince.

Now that it is difficult for the prince to come to Luoyang, they naturally want to take a few more looks.

……

Dozens of miles south of Luoyang, the Yi River flows slowly down from the Yique Gorge and finally heads towards Luoyang City.

On the western side of the mountain wall, there are countless solemn Buddha statues in the caves.

In the early morning, the light fell and a halo of light enveloped the whole place, as if the real Buddha was in the world.

Unfortunately, when Li Chengqian and his party arrived, it was already noon.

The abbot of Longmen Temple led Li Chengqian, Li Zhi and Princess Jinyang into the Binyang South Cave to burn incense and worship.

The grand and solemn statue of Amitabha Buddha is awe-inspiring.

Even Li Chengqian and Li Zhi, who had always admired Taoism, could not help but chant "Amitabha".

After coming out of the stunning Binyang South Cave, Li Chengqian, Li Zhi and Princess Jinyang immediately entered the Binyang North Cave.

Seeing the later-famous Scissorhands Buddha statue, and looking at the somewhat damaged Buddha hand, Li Chengqian turned sideways to look at the host and asked, "Host, is it possible to repair this?"

"Your Highness wants to repair it?" The host was suddenly shocked.

"Of course!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "These two shrines were originally used by the King of Wei to pray for his mother, the Queen Mother. It's just that time was too tight, so they are not perfect. If you spend some time to prepare a complete plan, I can report to my father and ask for repairs."

"Amitabha, Your Highness!" The host immediately saluted Li Chengqian with his hands folded.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about the repair plan. Every other part can be further refined, except for this hand seal... one hand pointing to the sky, the other to the earth. Does Buddhism have any other hand seals that can be used as an alternative for repair?"

The host said with a bitter face, "Your Highness, after the accident, I did think about repairing it. Even my senior brothers from the White Horse Temple came to take a look, but I still couldn't find the right hand seal in the scriptures."

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes and said softly, "Just because there is nothing now doesn't mean there won't be anything in the future."

(End of this chapter)