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

Chapter 350 Li Zhi + Li Chengqian: The Emperor is Old! (Second Update)
Chang'an City, outside Chunming Gate.

Li Chengqian was wearing a black robe with golden threads, a golden crown on his head, and a black sable fur coat, and he was gazing into the distance.

Following beside him were Lai Ji, the Crown Prince's Junior Secretary, and Chang Sun Xiang, the Crown Prince's Household Manager.

A pale yellow carriage appeared at the end of the sight.

Two hundred cavalrymen, armed with spears and lances, escorted the carriage all the way to Chunming Gate.

Countless soldiers in full armor on the city walls all set their sights on the two hundred cavalrymen at this moment.

The personal guards of Prince Li Zhi of Jin.

According to the system, a prince can have 800 soldiers under his command.

However, among these 800 palace soldiers, some were to guard the Prince of Jin's Mansion in Taiyuan, some were to guard the Prince of Jin's Mansion in Chang'an, and some were to guard the Jingzhou Governor's Mansion in Jingzhou. The remaining 200 cavalrymen were to escort Li Zhi back to Chang'an.

No, not two hundred, three hundred.

A hint of sneer flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

When Li Zhi returned to Chang'an from Jingzhou, he brought three hundred cavalrymen with him, but now there were only two hundred of them in front of Li Chengqian.

More importantly, the emperor only allowed the prince to bring no more than 300 cavalrymen into Chang'an.

Of course, the fewer the better, so Li Zhi brought two hundred.

……

The carriage slowly stopped in front of Li Chengqian, and the guards on both sides had already stopped behind.

The curtain was lifted and Li Zhi got out of the carriage.

Li Chengqian scanned the entire carriage in an instant and found that only Li Zhi was inside.

"Your humble servant, Prince Jin Zhi, pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Li Zhi bowed solemnly.

Li Chengqian's face was all smiles for a moment. He stepped forward and grabbed Li Zhi's wrist, saying with a smile, "We are brothers, there is no need to be so polite. How are you? Have you had a good trip?"

"Have a smooth journey." Li Zhi bowed to Li Chengqian with gratitude and said, "I am so humbled to have the honor of coming to pick you up personally, my dear brother."

"As I should." Li Chengqian sighed and said, "Jingzhou has been stable this year, thanks to Zhinu. The flood in Jingzhou this year didn't cause much damage. So, when I heard that you were coming to Chang'an soon, I personally asked my father for permission to come to the city gate to welcome my brother... Zhinu, you've lost a lot of weight this year!"

Compared to when he left at the beginning of the year, Li Zhi is indeed much thinner, but he is also much stronger.

"I serve my father and my brother, and I am responsible for everything I do." Li Zhi bowed to Li Chengqian again and said, "My brother has been governing the country this year, rising early and going to bed late, and working extremely hard. I have heard about this in Jingzhou as well. Thank you for your hard work, my brother."

"It's all as I should." Li Chengqian smiled, then took Li Zhi's arm and said as they walked, "Let's go back to the palace. Father is still waiting in Wanchun Palace!"

"Wanchun Palace?" Li Zhi couldn't help but pause.

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian sighed and said, "Your Majesty Father summoned Master Xuanzang to Wanchun Palace a few years ago, and summoned him several times again this year in Zhongnan Mountain. Now that he has returned to the palace, he often summons him for private conversations, more often than in Wanchun Palace. Therefore, Your Majesty Father has been living in Wanchun Palace for a long time and no longer in Ganlu Palace."

Li Zhi's lips trembled slightly. He wanted to say something but didn't know how to start.

The emperor lived in Wanchun Palace for a long time and often summoned Xuanzang. It was probably because the empress used Wanchun Palace to entertain guests in the past, so the emperor met Xuanzang to comfort the empress's spirit in heaven.

No, what the emperor really wanted to comfort was his own heart.

This year the emperor lived in Zhongnan Mountain, and the only thing he did was to depose Xu Hui.

However, the incident with Xu Hui was ultimately caused by Wu Meiniang. The emperor found out about it later, but he no longer wanted to reinstate Xu Hui. Therefore, he stopped going to Ganlu Palace, where Xu Hui often went, and stayed in Wanchun Palace.

Maybe he really missed the queen, or maybe he was just deceiving himself.

But in any case, all this shows that the emperor is old.

"Let's go." Li Chengqian walked to the front and then jumped on his horse.

Li Zhi came to his senses, jumped on his horse, and then the two of them headed towards the palace together.

……

In Wanchun Hall, Li Chengqian and Li Zhi entered the hall at the same time.

Li Zhi was the first to kneel on the ground, then kowtowed solemnly and said: "Your son pays homage to the emperor, may the emperor live forever."

Li Chengqian stood to one side, bowing to the figure behind the curtain and saying, "Father, Zhinu is back."

"Everyone, stand up." An old voice came from behind the curtain. Then, a figure sat up and waved his hand, saying, "Open the curtain!"

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda stood on one side, bowed, and waved his hand slightly, and the curtains were pulled open from both sides.

The emperor, dressed in a red and yellow robe with gold patterns, sat up and looked at Li Chengqian and Li Zhi with a tired look.

Li Chengqian and Li Zhi both bowed, "Father!"

"Zhi Nu is back." The emperor's gentle gaze fell on Li Zhi, and he said with some surprise and pity: "Why have you become thinner?"

"Father!" Li Zhi suddenly knelt down, looking at the question behind the couch, tears streaming down his face. "Father, what's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong?" Li Shimin was suddenly stunned. He turned to look at Li Chengqian and asked, "Is there anything wrong with me?"

Li Chengqian bowed and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, father is in good health. He must be tired from sleeping and not very clear-headed, so I was a little surprised when I saw him."

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows, then said in realization, "It turns out that after not seeing me for a year, I feel that I have aged a lot."

"Your Highness dare not." Li Zhi immediately kowtowed and said, "Your Highness simply feels guilty for not being able to serve you, Father."

The emperor smiled softly, waved his hand and said, "Okay, I know you are filial. Get up."

"Yes!" Li Zhi then slowly stood up and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Let's get down to business." The emperor's expression turned serious. He looked at Li Zhi and said, "I think you did a very good job in Jingzhou this year, especially in Yiling. The Yangtze River surged out from Bashu. You were able to evacuate the people and resettle them in time. That was excellent."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your approval." Li Zhi bowed and said, "Everything is Your Majesty's teaching. I am simply following it."

"I hope you can listen to my words. Now, let's go to Lizheng Palace to see Sizi." The emperor smiled and said, "Last year, due to my poor health, her marriage was not scheduled. This year, my health is good. Next year, I will choose a good family for her and she will get married."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian and Li Zhi bowed at the same time.

"I'll also take a good look at you two brothers and examine your family background, character, and personality for me." The emperor raised his hand slightly.

"Your sons obey your orders." Li Chengqian and Li Zhi bowed again, then said at the same time, "Your sons will take their leave."

The emperor waved his hand gently, and Li Chengqian and Li Zhi slowly left the hall.

Looking at the two people's backs as they left, the emperor's gentle expression was filled with a hint of indifference.

Li Zhi stood beside the Lizheng Hall, watching Li Xiang and Wu Meiniang who had just entered the Wanchun Hall. He couldn't help but look at Li Chengqian and asked, "Royal brother, is Xiang'er still with father every day?"

"I guess so." Li Chengqian tilted his head slightly and said, "Father allows Xiang'er to return to the Eastern Palace for one day every five days, and I can also see Xiang'er every day when I pay my respects."

"So that's how it is." Li Zhi nodded, his eyes flashing.

Li Xiang was the chess piece used by the emperor to control the prince.

Li Zhi had already seen this clearly.

When Li Tai and Li Zhi were alive, the emperor used them to check and balance the crown prince.

Now, the emperor is still using Li Xiang to check and balance the prince.

Don’t think that just because Li Xiang is the prince’s son, he cannot check and balance him. It’s just that the effect of this check and balance is relatively weak.

However, if the crown prince really dares to do anything excessive, the emperor can still depose him and enthronize the crown prince.

Sometimes, the emperor could even sentence the prince to death quietly.

Of course, this is only the most extreme case.

The emperor asked Li Xiang to be by his side at all times to tell the prince that he had other options, and also to warn his ministers not to act rashly.

There is also Li Zhi. The emperor was also warning Li Zhi not to take action against the prince, otherwise even if the prince was gone, he still had the crown prince grandson.

Naturally, these are the results of a situation that is completely out of control.

His father was such a wise and powerful man that everyone was under his control and no one dared to have any dissenting thoughts.

Although Li Zhi knew that his royal brother was an ambitious man, he had not seen his royal brother do anything out of line during the years he had been regent.

This shows how strong his father's control over the court was.

Of course, it may also be that his father is in poor health. Although he looks somewhat strong today, his physical fatigue is also extremely obvious.

Li Zhi stepped into the Lizheng Hall and looked at his beloved sister, Princess Jinyang, rushing towards him, but he was thinking about something else.

If the emperor handed over all government affairs to the prince, then the emperor might be able to live two more years. But if the emperor still clung to power, it would be hard to say how many years he could last.

several years.

Li Zhi let go of Princess Jinyang, looked her up and down, and his eyes couldn't help but look at the prince beside him.

Li Chengqian just watched the scene with a faint smile.

……

"Zhi Nu has returned to Chang'an." Li Chengqian stood at the gate of Chongjiao Hall, looking at the brightly lit Chang'an City in the distance.

"Your Highness!" Xu An stood aside and bowed seriously.

Li Chengqian didn't turn around and said calmly, "Send the order down to keep an eye on every move of the Prince of Jin's Mansion."

"Yes!" Xu An immediately bowed.

"Zhi Nu went to Jingzhou this year and won over many people both inside and outside. He now has too many strangers under his command." Li Chengqian sighed softly, looked towards the sky above Chang'an City, and said softly, "If I were Zhi Nu, I would have had my men hide in Chang'an before I arrived."

Xu An's expression became serious.

"Let's stick with the old method. Focus on the location, not the people. Pay special attention to those outsiders with a Jingzhou accent." Li Chengqian sneered softly and said, "Spend more time, even if it takes longer, to dig out all of Zhinu's men."

"Yes!" Xu An immediately bowed.

Li Chengqian waved his hand, Xu An bowed and stepped back, leaving the hall.

Li Chengqian looked towards the direction of Suzaku Gate.

Li Zhi returned to Chang'an Road. His father should be taking action soon.

Li Chengqian's expression became serious.

Something is not right this year.

His father recuperated in Mount Zhongnan for a year and his health was much better than expected.

But after returning to the palace, the emperor still chose to hand over power to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian was still in charge of most government affairs. Apart from attending court sessions, the emperor rarely summoned his ministers.

If it weren't for Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, who went to Wanchun Palace with Li Chengqian every day to pay their respects to the emperor, the court officials would probably have thought that Li Chengqian had put the emperor under house arrest.

But even so, there are still a lot of rumors in the court.

It is precisely because of this that Li Chengqian acted extremely cautiously and meticulously. He did not dare to let the emperor catch any mistakes of his.

In the middle of the year, Wang Renyou was suddenly transferred from the Sima of Yongzhou to the Governor of Songzhou, which really surprised Li Chengqian.

Although he had been prepared, the emperor, as he expected, replaced Yu Zhining as the Chief Clerk of Yongzhou and also replaced Wang Renyou as the Sima of Yongzhou.

This means that Li Chengqian has completely lost any opportunity to intervene in Yongzhou.

Fortunately, the new Sima of Yongzhou, Jia Dunshi, was of upright character. Like Zhang Chengcheng, the chief officer of Yongzhou, he had no intention of targeting the Eastern Palace. This made Li Chengqian gradually feel relieved.

But the question is, if the emperor is like this, why doesn’t he take back the power?
Li Chengqian shook his head slightly. The emperor must have some plans in mind, he just couldn't see through it at the moment.

But now, Li Zhi is back.

Li Chengqian sneered lightly.

Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang will be connected sooner or later, and then...

Li Chengqian's expression became serious. What he needed to do now was to restrain his minions and show weakness to the enemy.

Let Li Zhi be a little more arrogant and then win over more people.

As the crown prince, his current situation makes it difficult even for the emperor to depose him. If Li Zhi wants to replace him, he has to find another way.

It's really that time...

Li Chengqian's eyes swept slightly towards the direction of Wanchun Palace.

His mind completely calmed down.

(End of this chapter)