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

Chapter 26 Since there is a gap, I will help you fill it

In front of the Taiji Hall, Li Chengqian walked up the steps calmly, his expression gradually becoming completely solemn.

Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, Wei Zheng and other ministers bowed their heads slightly with calm expressions and followed with their tablets in hand.

Liu Li, Cen Wenben, Li Xiaogong, Tang Jian, Liu Dewei and other Shangshu Temple ministers had solemn expressions and held their tablets tightly.

The officials further behind were mostly curious.

Although they were keenly aware that something was happening, many people could not guess what exactly happened.

I could only follow the queue and slowly enter the Tai Chi Hall.

……

The Taiji Hall is solemn and majestic, representing the righteousness of the world.

A tall dragon couch was placed in front of Fu Yi, with bronze cranes standing on one knee on both sides and Tibetan incense lingering in the air.

Two female officials with heroic figures but beautiful faces stood solemnly on both sides of the throne, holding bird-feather fans in their hands.

Sixteen Qianniu guards, holding Qianniu swords in their hands, looked straight ahead, their eyes falling on the officials, alert and sharp.

Li Chengqian held a jade tablet in his hand and stood on the third step of the Danbi.

Li Tai was located behind him, standing on the first step of the Danbi.

The ministers on both sides, the prime minister, the secretary, the vice minister, the kings, the generals of the sixteen guards, the generals, the lieutenant generals, and the lieutenant generals were all present.

The ministers stood holding their tablets, their heads slightly bowed.

"The Saint is here!" At the gate of Taiji Hall, the Minister of Internal Affairs shouted loudly, and all the ministers bowed their heads.

The emperor, the Heavenly Khan Li Shimin, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe and wearing a twelve-tassel white jade crown on his head, had an indifferent expression. He walked calmly among the civil and military officials and walked out from under the red steps. He glanced at Li Chengqian lightly, then stepped up, walked onto the red steps, turned around, and sat steadily on the dragon couch.

The Minister of Internal Affairs stepped forward and shouted, "The Holy Saint has arrived. All the ministers pay their respects!"

All the ministers held their tablets in front of them and bowed, then knelt on both knees, placed their tablets in front of them, and supported themselves with their hands. Then they kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects to you. May your Majesty live a long and healthy life."

Li Chengqian stood on the steps and bowed heavily, while behind him, Li Tai had already knelt down and kowtowed.

Among all the ministers in the hall, only Li Chengqian bowed without kneeling.

Because last time, the emperor had exempted him from the grand ceremony.

……

Sitting on the dragon couch, Li Shimin raised his hand slightly, and the eunuch Dianyi immediately shouted loudly: "Xing!"

"We thank Your Majesty very much." The ministers kowtowed again, then picked up the tablets and stood up.

He brought the tablet back in front of him, and all the ministers bowed their heads in awe.

The emperor looked at the eunuch Dianyi at the side, and Dianyi immediately spoke again: "The emperor is in the morning court. If you have anything to report, please report it. If not, please dismiss the court."

Li Chengqian's hand holding the jade sceptre couldn't help but feel heavy, but then his eyes fixed, he bowed solemnly, and then walked down the steps.

Standing in the center of the court, Li Chengqian pulled out a purple chapter from his sleeve, raised it high, and then bowed deeply toward the imperial throne: "Your Majesty, I have this memorial."

All the ministers in the hall were in awe.

Meetings in the Taiji Hall have their own rules, and when and by whom reports are made are generally discussed in advance.

Of course, Li Chengqian arrived at Chengtian Gate in advance today to tell Zhangsun Wuji and others about this matter, which was equivalent to preparing for it. He was the first to report it today.

Li Shimin looked to the side and saw Zhang Ananda immediately walked down from the Danbi, walked quickly to Li Chengqian, took the memorial from his hand, and then returned to the Danbi.

The emperor took the memorial, opened it, and said, "What is it? Tell me."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian held up the jade tablet and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have heard that among the ancient sages, there were seventy-five families who were enfeoffed on Mount Tai and those who were buried in Liangfu. Therefore, those who are unable to predict the yin and yang and can shape the lives of all beings are called gods; those who are able to spread morality and benevolently educate the people are called saints.

A sage is one who is gifted from heaven.

God is the one who governs things on behalf of Heaven.

Therefore, only Heaven can call upon Pi, and the spiritual heart can make it flourish; only Pi can obey Heaven, and express his sincerity in Fengshan.

Is this the way to ascend to the middle? Hence, the ancient kings were anxious to take on this responsibility, and they took it upon themselves to do so.

I humbly hope that His Majesty the Emperor will study hard and explore the mysteries, and his divine guidance will illuminate everything.

Only a few of them can reveal the beginning of the Xiang Emperor.

The innate rules are formed, transcending the state of chaos.

I have also heard that to those who travel to Hai Ruo, Feng Yi’s palace seems shabby; to those who climb Mount Tai, the state of Lu Hou seems small.

Therefore, we know that the crimson sky has no limit, and the nine realms are connected in our heart; the red county has no boundaries, and the four seas are included in its measure.

Therefore, we respectfully invite Your Majesty to ascend the circular altar on Mount Tai to receive the military commander, and to descend from the nine heavens to be honored as equals.

So that the people of that generation can have their names recorded in the official registers, and the barbarians from all directions can have their orifices dug into the spiritual palace, then the whole world will be happy and grateful for their help, and they will be reborn, and when they hear of it in the morning they will die in the evening, and they will feel as if they have ascended to heaven.

Your son, I am deeply grateful for your help and am extremely grateful. I will use all my wisdom and knowledge to report this to you even at the risk of my death."

After saying this, Li Chengqian kowtowed once more. All the ministers looked solemn, even Li Tai and Fang Xuanling, who were extremely solemn at this moment.

It is no secret that the prince requested the Fengshan ceremony, but the question is when the prince requested the Fengshan ceremony.

Especially Fang Xuanling, he knew the emperor's intention when the Secretariat sent the Fengshan memorial to the Eastern Palace. However, the Eastern Palace was able to prepare everything in such a short time, which shows that the prince's ability is still extraordinary.

Especially since the Crown Prince requested the Fengshan ceremony today, all the rumors against the Eastern Palace by the ministers inside and outside the palace will have to stop for a long time afterwards.

Otherwise, if something happened again, the emperor's Fengshan ceremony would be affected.

……

Li Shimin leaned forward gently, his eyes fell on Li Chengqian, he sighed softly, and said: "Chengqian, I will put the Fengshan matter on hold for the time being. Your leg injury has not healed yet, and I am worried that it will be very inconvenient for you to travel east to Mount Tai, so let's put it aside for now."

"Father." Li Chengqian bowed again and said seriously, "Before enthroning, we must offer sacrifices first. It is our duty to inform the gods. Matters concerning the gods are the will of heaven and earth and cannot be delayed for long.

The matter of your son's health is yours alone. I cannot let it delay your father's Fengshan ceremony. I firmly implore your father to travel east to Fengshan."

Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian, who was standing in the hall with a determined expression, and nodded slightly. Then he looked up at the ministers and asked, "What do you think of this matter?"

"Your Majesty!" As soon as Li Shimin finished speaking, the Grand Historian Li Chunfeng stood up.

"Your Majesty, I think what the Crown Prince said is absolutely right." Li Chunfeng bowed and said seriously, "The ancient calendar divides the day into two periods at half past midnight. This year, the winter solstice begins on the first day of the first lunar month. I and the Grand Historian Fu Renjun have carefully calculated that the first day of the first lunar month is three quarters off, which is inconsistent with the celestial order and is just the right time for verification.

The time is right for the whole world, and I think it is the right time to hold a Fengshan ceremony."

Li Shimin looked up at the hall and found that the Grand Historian Fu Renjun had not arrived today. Then he remembered that Fu Renjun had taken sick leave a few days ago.

The calculation of the weather would take more than a day or two, and Li Chunfeng probably just happened to catch up today.

"Your Majesty, the will of heaven is unshakable and cannot be rejected." Changsun Wuji stepped forward and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, I ask that you decide on the Fengshan ceremony immediately."

"Your Majesty, we respectfully request that you decide on the Fengshan ceremony immediately." All the ministers bowed their hands.

Li Shimin sighed deeply and said, "You all are always giving me trouble... Fine, fine, let's set the Fengshan ceremony starting today. Yu Jian, the Minister of the Imperial Household, and others will be the Fengshan envoys. The Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household will determine the time and other matters. Kong Yingda, the Director of the Imperial Academy, will lead the scholars in formulating the detailed ritual notes. That's it."

"We obey your order. Your Majesty will be wise and virtuous forever." All the ministers bowed their heads.

……

As Li Tai bowed, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.

When the prince requested the Fengshan ceremony, the emperor hesitated for a moment, and then after some persuasion from his ministers, the emperor agreed.

This was beyond Li Tai's expectations. They originally thought that the emperor would have to drag on for at least half a year.

Why are you so fast and impatient now?

In this way, the emperor was telling the world that he had no intention of changing the crown prince.

At least not right now.

The prince's position immediately became extremely stable.

Li Tai's eyes swept across the suppressed smiles on the faces of the officials in the Eastern Palace below, and he felt as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a fly.

Fang Xuanling looked serious. He knew that according to convention, the emperor would not agree so quickly. The reason why he did so today was probably because of Lu Hu.

"Please stand up, everyone." Li Shimin raised his hand gently, and the ministers stood up straight.

Li Chengqian was about to return to his seat when Li Shimin's voice rang out again, "Crown Prince, I heard that both the positions of Temple Master and Temple Assistant of the Crown Prince's Palace in the Eastern Palace are vacant?"

Li Chengqian paused, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the position of Crown Prince's Servant in the Eastern Palace has been vacant for over half a year, and the Crown Prince's Servant Temple Secretary was injured while carrying wooden stakes while compiling the 'Kaogong Zhi' for the Eastern Palace the other day, and is unable to perform his duties."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "Since there is a vacancy, I will help you fill it."

The eunuch Zhang Ananda stepped forward, opened the imperial edict, and said in a loud voice: "In the fourteenth year of the Zhenguan reign, in the year of Gengzi, on the eleventh month of the Wuzi year, on the first day of the first lunar month of the year Renchen, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

I, your servant, have fulfilled my duty and have agreed to the King’s order.

If one acts with virtue, his name will surely become famous.

Dugu Dabao, the Imperial Court Doctor, Chief Clerk of Puzhou, and Earl of Gucheng County, came from an old family and was a man of many talents. He was able to speak quickly and was capable of handling important matters when governing.

He was promoted to deputy prime minister and his reputation was known among the common people; he was promoted to a minister and his favor was greater than that of several horses.

The carriage is under your command, and the drum is beating in your charge; you are trusted to serve diligently and deserve the favor of the state.

The prince's servants may order the emperor to confer honors and titles according to the regulations.

Admire this. "

Dugu Dabao?

Before the ministers could even recall the name, a white-haired general stepped out solemnly and knelt down. "Your Majesty, I, Dugu Kaiyuan, General of the Right Guard, Grand Duke of Kaocheng County, thank you for your grace on behalf of my son, Dugu Dabao."

……

Li Chengqian was a little stunned. How could he be from the Dugu family?

(End of this chapter)