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

Chapter 250: Liu Li will be wrongfully killed, and Fang Xuanling will be falsely accused of treason (Part )
The Wei River flows quietly.

The autumn leaves are green and yellow.

Inside the rocking carriage, Li Chengqian handed the memorial to Ma Zhou and said, "I never thought that my father would allow my young slave to become a vassal just like that. It's too soon."

Li Zhi had just gotten married on the first night when he was immediately sent to Taiyuan by the emperor.

Seeing such a huge gap, Li Chengqian's face turned green instantly when he saw Li Zhi's face in the hall that day.

Ma Zhou looked at the memorial in his hand and said nothing.

Li Chengqian shook his head and sighed, "I originally thought that Zhinu would stay in Luoyang, but I didn't expect that my father would send him back to Taiyuan so soon, and even let Wei Ting be his chief secretary."

Wei Ting was transferred to be the Chief Secretary of Bingzhou Grand Marshal's Office, and Li Zhi's complexion looked visibly better.

Although Wei Ting was Li You's father-in-law and was secretly in contact with Li Tai, he was ultimately the leading figure of the Jingzhao Wei family.

This time, Wei Ting was transferred from the Imperial Censorate to Bingzhou, which was actually a demotion. However, Li Chengqian could not tell whether it was because of Li You's rebellion or Li Tai's affairs.

Before Li Tai rebelled, Wei Ting followed the emperor to Hebei.

He did not get involved in the details of Li Tai's rebellion, and there were no letters between the two in Li Tai's study.

In addition, Du Chuke's sudden appearance made everyone think that the person hiding behind Li Tai and plotting was Du Chuke, and they did not continue to investigate further.

In particular, the emperor executed Du Chuke without even meeting him. Even if Du Chuke had something to say, he couldn't say it.

Can only be forced to take the blame.

"With the Fuyang County man in Bingzhou, it will be easy for the Prince of Jin to gain a foothold in Taiyuan." After a brief pause, Ma Zhou said, "Especially the Qinghe Zhao family as an outsider family. With the Wei family behind the Fuyang County man and the Yang family behind the Zhao family, they are more than capable of competing with the Wang family in Taiyuan."

Li Chengqian was stunned and asked softly, "Wang family of Taiyuan?"

"Yes, it's the Taiyuan Wang family behind His Highness's newly married wife, the Crown Prince Liangyuan." Ma Zhou nodded affirmatively.

"When Zhinu arrived in Taiyuan, she actually formed a balance with the Wang family of Taiyuan." Li Chengqian nodded slowly.

The daughter of Taiyuan Wang has now become his in-laws, so it is naturally impossible for her to get too close to Li Zhi, so... the emperor is using Li Zhi to balance the Wang family.

Taiyuan, Bingzhou.

The Wang family is the largest family in Bingzhou, no doubt about it.

No wonder when the daughter of the Wang family wanted to be the Princess of Jin, the emperor not only did not agree, but quickly made the daughter of the Wang family the Crown Prince Liangti of Li Chengqian.

"Your Majesty is on an expedition to the east, so Bingzhou naturally needs stability. It is inevitable that Zhinu will be appointed to Bingzhou." Li Chengqian nodded slowly.

Li Zhi went to Bingzhou to take up his post. How could the daughter of the Taiyuan Wang family possibly become his Princess Jin?

Once it happens, the emperor will feel uneasy on the front line.

"So the daughter of the Taiyuan Wang family became your Highness's concubine." Ma Zhou glanced at Li Chengqian and said, "Prime Minister Yang is accompanying your Highness back to Chang'an this time. Your Majesty will probably do something similar."

The Minister of the Central Secretariat and the Minister of Personnel, Yang Shidao.

Li Zhi married the granddaughter of the Yang family, and the relationship between the Yang family and Li Zhi began to become closer.

However, when the emperor asked Li Chengqian to return to Chang'an, he left Fang Xuanling in Luoyang and asked Yang Shidao to return to Chang'an.

The sense of checks and balances here is too obvious.

Li Zhi went to Taiyuan and used Li Chengqian's maternal family, the Taiyuan Wang family, to check and balance him.

Li Chengqian returned to Chang'an and used Yang Shidao, the uncle of the Princess of Jin, to check and balance him.

This is the emperor's balancing act.

Clear, complex.

"That's not all." Li Chengqian leaned back on the soft couch in the carriage and said softly, "The Wang family of Taiyuan, the Yang family of Hongnong, and the Wei family of Jingzhao are actually also in a balance of power. Together with me and Zhinu, they check and balance each other and cooperate with each other, which is enough to ensure the stability of Chang'an and Taiyuan."

"Your Highness resides in Chang'an, stabilizing the northwest and southwest; the Prince of Jin resides in Taiyuan, stabilizing Bingzhou and the grasslands." After a brief pause, Ma Zhou said, "Adding Luoyang together, it will be enough to suppress the world during Your Majesty's eastern expedition."

Chang'an, Taiyuan and Luoyang formed a stable triangle, and most of the government troops in the world were in these three places.

It is enough to ensure the stability of the world during the emperor's eastern expedition.

In addition, Li Chengqian and Li Zhi not only checked and balanced the world, but also checked and balanced each other, so the emperor's retreat was stable enough.

Now, Li Chengqian finally understood everything.

What the emperor really wanted was that there would be no hidden dangers when he was on the eastern expedition, and no one would do what Yang Xuangan did.

Whether it is the Crown Prince Li Chengqian or the Prince of Jin Li Zhi, they have no chance of causing any trouble during the emperor's eastern expedition.

"Father's methods are brilliant!" Li Chengqian smiled softly and said, "It seems that I still have a lot to learn."

"Yes!" Ma Zhoukan lowered his head slightly, and his slightly anxious heart finally settled down.

The emperor was going to march east, and the court was most afraid of two things.

Either the prince is unable to control the situation and the situation is unstable.

Or maybe the prince doesn't want the situation to be too stable.

Judging from the contact between Ma Zhou and Li Chengqian during this period, the prince did not have those worrying and dangerous thoughts.

"Chang'an and Taiyuan are easy to deal with, but Luoyang is wrong. Why does the emperor now appoint Zhinu's father-in-law as the Sima of Luozhou?" Li Chengqian asked Ma Zhou with some confusion.

The reason why Li Chengqian thought Li Zhi would stay in Luoyang was because his father-in-law Zhao Shujian was the Sima of Luozhou.

Ma Zhou thought for a moment and said, "The current Luozhou Chief Secretary, Xue Dading, is an expert in flood control. I'm afraid it won't be long before His Majesty transfers him to Hebei. By then, the Luozhou Chief Secretary should be replaced. If nothing unexpected happens..."

"Someone from the Eastern Palace?" Li Chengqian looked at Ma Zhou in surprise and said, "It seems that apart from the Chief Secretary, no one else in the Eastern Palace is qualified to be transferred to the post of Chief Secretary of Luozhou?"

The Chief Secretary of Luozhou is an important official of the third rank. Apart from Zhang Xuansu, the others in the Eastern Palace, Ma Zhou, Changsun Xiang, Lai Heng and Dugu Dabao, either lack the qualifications or the ability.

As for Zhang Xuansu, he was the Prince's Secretary, and the emperor could not transfer him at this time.

"I don't know what Your Majesty will do, but You will definitely find a way." After a brief pause, Ma Zhou said, "When Your Majesty was on the Eastern Expedition, the Prince of Jin's father-in-law was serving as the Sima of Luozhou. This meant that the Prince of Jin could intervene in Luoyang. Once the Prince of Jin took control of Luoyang, it would mean that Chang'an's eastward route would be blocked..."

Once Li Zhi took control of Luoyang, the three-way balance of power among Chang'an, Taiyuan and Luoyang would become unbalanced.

Chang'an will impact Taiyuan and Luoyang, and the southeast of Taiyuan and Luoyang, Qi and Lu, Shannan, and the entire Jiangnan and Lingnan will be unbalanced, thus endangering the emperor's eastern expedition.

"Your Majesty will not allow such a situation to happen, so He will definitely transfer people from the Eastern Palace to check and balance it." Ma Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This way, both Your Highness and the Prince of Jin can reach into Luoyang. Then, all they need is someone to lead and integrate the two forces to suppress the world."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said, "No matter what, the overall situation of Emperor Father's Eastern Expedition cannot be disrupted."

"Yes!" Ma Zhou nodded affirmatively, then he looked at Li Chengqian carefully and asked, "Your Highness, what about the floating bridge?" "I have an idea. Tomorrow I will summon the Ministry of Works and the Supervisor of Works and the Supervisor of the Imperial Household in Beiyuan to build a floating bridge together." Li Chengqian nodded directly.

"Yes!" Ma Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Chengqian looked at Ma Zhou. He had something to ask, but he held it back in the end.

It is only August now, but judging by the emperor's various arrangements, he is already making final preparations for the Eastern Expedition.

It seems that he has no intention of returning to Chang'an.

If the Tang Dynasty wanted to send troops to Goguryeo, it would have to be at least in November, arrive in Liaoxi by the end of the year, rest for two months, and then march into Goguryeo when the spring came.

But now it seems that the emperor will continue to stay in Luoyang.

From August to November, he showed no sign of returning to Chang'an.

If he does not return to Chang'an, it means that from now until next year, no, until the year after, for nearly two years, Chang'an will be governed by Li Chengqian as regent.

For two years, the crown prince served as regent.

What's more, the emperor is likely to fall ill after returning from the expedition to Goguryeo.

At least that was the case in the previous life.

The eastern expedition to Goguryeo caused the emperor's old injuries to relapse.

After that, the emperor was recuperating for a long time.

Once the emperor fell ill, all the contradictions in the court and the country would erupt. Liu Li would be unjustly killed, Fang Xuanling would be falsely accused of treason, Gao Shilian and Yang Shidao would die of illness one after another, and the entire political system constructed in the early years of Zhenguan would quickly collapse.

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly.

These all happened after he was deposed in his previous life.

Li Zhi became the crown prince, and his position was unstable. While Zhangsun Wuji was helping Li Zhi eliminate his opponents, he was also rapidly expanding, even to the point where he was difficult to suppress.

Of course, the root of all this is that the emperor's old injuries broke out, making it difficult for him to handle state affairs, which led to all this.

As the emperor's control weakens, conflicts between Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, and Yang Shidao, who were originally well controlled, will break out.

Gao Shilian is still okay, Fang Xuanling doesn't dare to do anything, but Yang Shidao... Now the Yang family has been connected with Li Zhi. Once the emperor is seriously ill, who knows what they will think.

Yang Shidao, Li Zhi.

Wei Ting.

Li Chengqian had already started to ponder in his heart.

Two years is not a very long time, and many things need to be prepared starting now.

Moreover, these two years may not be quiet.

When the emperor marches eastward, I wonder how many people will be moved.

……

Seven carriages slowly drove into the Eastern Palace, and Li Chengqian got off at Chongde Hall.

Other vehicles drove towards the inner palace.

Zhang Xuansu, Xiao Jun, Zhang Daxiang and other officials of the Eastern Palace bowed earnestly to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Highness, we pay our respects to you."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said, "My lords, please enter the palace."

Li Chengqian was the first to enter the Chongjiao Hall. Zhang Xuansu, Xiao Jun, Zhang Daxiang, Ma Zhou, Changsun Xiang, Dugu Dabao, Lai Heng, and the others followed him into the hall. They saluted Li Chengqian simultaneously and said, "Your Highness, we pay our respects to you. May your Highness live long and long."

"Gentlemen, please stand." Li Chengqian looked at Zhang Xuansu and asked, "Mr. Zhang, how is Chang'an these days?"

"Everything is as usual." Zhang Xuansu bowed seriously.

"Very good." Li Chengqian looked up at the crowd and said, "My Lords, now that the Emperor has decided to personally lead the army, the collection of autumn taxes, as well as the mobilization of military equipment and personnel must be expedited... The Eastern Palace must assist Prime Minister Yang in completing this task. At the same time, the Eastern Palace must also closely examine the performance of officials, both high and low. Those who are incompetent will be dismissed immediately, and those who are capable will be recommended to the Ministry of Personnel for promotion."

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said seriously, "No matter what, no one can delay the Tang Dynasty's Eastern Expedition."

"Yes!" All the ministers bowed.

"Alright, that's it." Li Chengqian stood up and said, "Ministers Ma and Lai, mobilize the remaining craftsmen in Chongwenguan and accompany me to Beiyuan tomorrow to build the boat that my father requested!"

"Yes!" Everyone bowed again. Before Li Chengqian returned to Chang'an, the news from Luoyang had already arrived.

"Let's all go back and rest early today." Li Chengqian waved his hand and walked out of Chongde Hall from the side hall.

When they returned to the backyard, the carriage had disappeared. Only Su Shu was standing at the door of Cheng'en Hall, looking at Li Chengqian with a smile on her face.

"Your Highness is so amazing! He went to Luoyang and brought back a concubine for the prince." Su Shu made way for Li Chengqian to enter the hall, looking at him with amusement on her face.

"My beloved concubine has seen this. She's only twelve years old. You can't even touch her." Li Chengqian sighed helplessly, then waved his hand. All the eunuchs and maids in the palace bowed and retreated. Li Chengqian then looked at Su Shu with a serious expression and said, "All this is for Zhinu."

"Prince of Jin!" Seeing Li Chengqian's serious expression, Su Shu stepped forward and personally brought a cup of tea to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian took the teacup, took a sip, and said, "Zhi Nu is now serving as a vassal in Bingzhou, serving as the governor of Bingzhou. He married a woman from the Qinghe Zhao family, and has the support of the Tianshui Zhao family and the Hongnong Yang family. He also has Wei Ting as his Bingzhou Chief Secretary. If he is allowed to stay in Taiyuan, I'm afraid it will stir up another disturbance. Therefore, my father appointed a daughter of the Taiyuan Wang family as the Crown Prince's concubine."

"The Prince of Jin and the Wang family of Taiyuan are balancing each other." Su Shu immediately understood.

"When our father went on his eastern expedition, he wanted to use Zhinu to stabilize Bingzhou and the grasslands, and to balance me. Ultimately, he wanted to use me and Zhinu to dominate the world. That's why he gave me the Wang family of Taiyuan to use them as a check and balance for Zhinu." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "This will allow us two brothers to have some peace and quiet while he's on his eastern expedition."

Su Shu nodded slowly. The emperor's methods were very clear if explained, but if not, they would look dazzling.

"Where are the people placed?" Li Chengqian asked.

"Yiyue Palace." Su Shu shrugged helplessly and said, "I changed the She Palace to Yiyue Palace to avoid neglecting the noble lady of the Wang family."

The main halls of the Eastern Palace only include Su Shu's Yichun Palace, Zheng Shuang'er's Yiqiu Palace, Wei Wei's Yidong Palace, and Su Yi's Yixia Palace. Zhang Xuan lives in the Bafeng Palace, and Wang Youlan has to live in the Yiyue Palace which was converted from the She Palace.

"Thank you for your hard work, my beloved concubine." Li Chengqian looked at Su Shu with gratitude in his eyes.

"Hmph!" Su Shu raised her head slightly, a smug look in her eyes.

"By the way, I have one more thing to tell my beloved concubine." Li Chengqian spoke, and Su Shu turned around subconsciously.

At this time, Li Chengqian picked up Su Shu and whispered in her ear, "Father will not return to Chang'an this year. Once he goes on the eastern expedition, he will not be back until the second half of the year after next. So, my beloved, let's have another child."

"Ah!" Su Shu didn't react. Are these two things necessarily related? But at this time, she had already been put on the bed by Li Chengqian.

As the curtains fell, Su Shu suddenly shouted, "It's not dark yet!"

(End of this chapter)