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

Chapter 354: I am increasingly unable to see through my brother's schemes (Part )
Jin Palace.

Li Zhi, who had just left court, walked into the study with a frown.

Hanging the travel crown on the hanger, Li Zhi slowly took off his court clothes.

As soon as Ji Jiafu entered the room, he hurried forward to help and whispered, "Your Highness, I am here."

"Yeah!" Li Zhi nodded slightly, letting Ji Jiafu help him take off his clothes, then change into casual clothes and walked to the couch and sat down.

Li Zhi raised his head and said thoughtfully: "Something is wrong!"

"What's wrong?" Ji Jiafu carefully placed the hot tea in front of Li Zhi.

Li Zhi rubbed the rim of his teacup and whispered, "At court today, the Censor Yang Zheng suddenly impeached the Crown Prince for debauchery. It just so happened that the Crown Prince's concubine, Lady Zhang, was pregnant, which made Father very happy. He didn't blame Yang Zheng, and the matter just passed."

"How did Yang Zheng know about the Eastern Palace?" Ji Jiafu looked up in surprise. With the prince's control over the Eastern Palace, this shouldn't be possible!

"It's likely that my brother deliberately spread the news in order to get Yang Zheng impeached and, incidentally, to announce Zhang's pregnancy to the court." Li Zhi shook his head and said, "But that's not right. As my brother himself said, it would be most advantageous to bring this up at the New Year's Eve banquet. There's no need to disclose it now."

"Could it be that the Crown Prince, after resigning his position as the Imperial Court official, brought this up in order to win over the people?" Ji Jiafu looked at Li Zhi and whispered, "Besides anything else, His Majesty will absolutely be delighted by this. This way, His Majesty will be less suspicious of the Crown Prince, and even any suspicion he had previously might be put aside... The Crown Prince will have gained a lot from this."

Li Zhi nodded slightly, but then shook his head and said, "That's true, but today is the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the last regular court session before the New Year. After that, except for the Prime Minister and the officials of the three provinces, no one else will be able to see the emperor. Therefore, there is not much difference between raising the issue today and raising it on New Year's Eve. In fact, raising it on New Year's Eve will be more reassuring."

"Then I don't know." Ji Jiafu shook his head in confusion. He whispered, "Your Highness, isn't this enough?"

"Not enough!" Li Zhi raised his head and looked out the window. "Over the past two years, I've gradually come to understand what kind of person my royal brother is. He's a steady and cautious person with foresight. His actions today can also lay out plans for the future. Isn't that the case with Li Yifu?"

Ji Jiafu was slightly stunned, then nodded in agreement.

Li Yifu was originally the clerk of Prince Jin. It was because he had several contacts with the Eastern Palace and cooperated with the Eastern Palace that he was gradually won over by the Crown Prince.

For Li Zhi, every time he mentioned Li Yifu's betrayal, it was a hurt.

"It's the same with today's incident. I have a feeling that my brother's plot this time must have a greater purpose." Li Zhi frowned, shook his head vigorously, and said with pursed lips, "But I just can't see through it."

"Your Highness!" Ji Jiafu quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince has some plans. This is inevitable, but I don't think he is targeting Your Highness. Your Highness, there is no need to worry."

"If he's not targeting me, then he's targeting my father." Li Zhi tilted his head and looked at Ji Jiafu. "He's targeting my father to pave the way for his future ascension to the throne. This is also detrimental to me. Therefore, this matter must be clarified."

"Your Highness, why don't you ask someone else? Lord Luo Bin should be able to see something." After a brief pause, Ji Jiafu whispered, "If that doesn't work, Your Highness can try asking Duke Zhao. Duke Zhao has a keen eye and might be able to see something."

"That's right, I should ask my uncle." Li Zhi suddenly smiled and nodded, "My brother is targeting my father, and my uncle won't allow that. He should be able to see something!"

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu breathed a sigh of relief.

"And that's not all." Li Zhi smiled complacently and said, "If this incident can bring me closer to my uncle, that would be even better."

"Yes!"

……

Chongde Hall of the Eastern Palace.

Li Chengqian sat on the couch, while Changsun Xiang and Yuwen Zhongfang stood on both sides of the couch.

Zhang Xuansu, Lai Ji, Dou Dexuan, Li Yifu, Feng Yandao, Gao Zhenxing, Zhang Da'an and Cen Changqian stood on both sides of the hall.

An official in a strangely styled light purple robe and a black uncut hat entered the hall and bowed solemnly to the ground. "Your Highness, the foreign minister, the special envoy of Goguryeo, Jin Shangquan, pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May His Highness live in peace and prosperity!"

"Stand up." Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Jin Shangquan stood up, breathed a sigh of relief, and then bowed and said, "Your Highness, I have come here on the orders of the king to pay my respects to the Heavenly Khan."

"Lord?" Li Chengqian frowned and asked, "Did you come to the Tang Dynasty on Gao Baozang's orders? Did Gai Suwen send you here just like that?"

"Foreign ministers...they actually escaped." Jin Shangquan smiled wryly, looking up slightly and saying, "In May, Gai Suwen announced to the nation that tribute to the Tang Dynasty would be completely cut off, and all trade would be prohibited."

Li Chengqian asked with some confusion, "Goguryeo hasn't paid tribute to the Tang Dynasty for four years, right? Why did they only announce the cessation this year?"

"The people of the country thought they were paying tribute to the Tang Dynasty every year, but the Tang Dynasty was recklessly attacking Goguryeo." Jin Shangquan shook his head and said, "They have no idea that Gai Suwen used all the tribute they paid to the Tang Dynasty every year for military purposes."

"He's benefiting while the Tang Dynasty is being criticized, right?" Li Chengqian sneered. The people of Goguryeo had no idea that it was their fault that led to the Tang Dynasty's invasion.

But they always thought that it was the Tang Dynasty that was wrong.

"The people are innocent!" Jin Shangquan bowed earnestly, then said earnestly, "That's why the king sent a foreign minister to the Tang Dynasty to meet with Your Majesty, report the truth about Goguryeo, and then assist Your Majesty in resolving the war between the Tang Dynasty and Goguryeo."

"I see." Li Chengqian nodded, his eyes calmly looking at Jin Shangquan, who looked sincere, and nodded, "I will report this matter to my father later, but I need you to tell me the inside story of Goguryeo now."

"Yes!" Jin Shangquan's expression subsided, and he said seriously, "When I left the country, I tried my best to obtain some maps of the country's military and food deployment..."

……

In the Liangyi Hall, Li Chengqian knelt beneath the red steps, turned sideways, and said to the emperor, "Jin Shangquan came here, saying he was a subordinate of Gao Baozang. He also brought with him some maps of the deployment of troops and supplies, a batch of gold, silver, and jewelry, and two beauties from Goguryeo, all to present to your father."

"Beauty!" Li Shimin shook his head and sighed, "Why do some people always think that a great army's conquest will change because of a woman?"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly without saying anything more.

Whether it is presenting a beautiful woman or marrying a princess, the essence is the same, which is to express goodwill.

But the actual purpose is just to give both parties a way out.

In essence, it is still a political plot.

"Prince, what do you think about this matter?" The emperor turned and looked at Li Chengqian. After all, this matter was handled by Li Chengqian and Jin Shangquan.

Zhangsun Wuji, Yang Shidao, Chu Suiliang, Li Ji, Yu Zhining, Ma Zhou, Du Xing, Shangguan Yi, Sun Fujia and others all looked at Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian hesitated for a moment, then looked at the emperor and said, "Father, I think this is a trick!"

"It's a trick!" Li Shimin was stunned, then his face darkened and he said, "You think this person was not sent by Gao Baozang, but by Gai Suwen."

"Not really!" Li Chengqian bowed, then said thoughtfully, "This son and the officials of the Eastern Palace have discussed this matter, and we finally concluded that Jin Shangquan might really have been sent to the Tang Dynasty by Gao Baozang, but Gai Suwen is very likely aware of this and facilitated it."

"Gai Suwen gave a fake map of the deployment of troops and food supplies, and then lured the Tang Dynasty to send troops, but he left an ambush." ​​Li Shimin sneered. He was most familiar with this method back then.

Changsun Wuji sat to one side, then looked at Li Chengqian and said, "How did the Crown Prince find out about Jin Shangquan's problem? It's impossible for the Crown Prince to know Gai Suwen's food and military deployment."

Li Chengqian smiled and nodded, saying, "My uncle is right. I naturally have no way of knowing Gai Suwen's food and troop deployment. In fact, I believed him at first, but until he said that he wanted to assist the Tang Dynasty and resolve the war between the Tang Dynasty and Goguryeo..."

"He doesn't want to assist the Tang Dynasty, he wants to understand the Tang Dynasty's strategy against Goguryeo." The emperor slammed his fist on the table, with a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

For many things, once you see through the purpose, you can also see the problems in many other things.

If the Tang Dynasty did not suspect Jin Shangquan, then it would be normal for Jin Shangquan to intervene in the Tang Dynasty's efforts against Goguryeo.

But once you start to doubt him, some of his hidden intentions can be seen.

Li Chengqian bowed and said, "What really made me completely suspicious of him was that he claimed to be a close confidant of Gao Baozang, and that he followed Gao Baozang's orders to escape from Goguryeo, then crossed the sea and successfully arrived in the Tang Dynasty, bringing with him a large amount of gold and two beauties... I checked and found that those things were indeed brought from Goguryeo."

"Gai Suwen wouldn't make such an obvious mistake, right?" Li Ji couldn't help but look up.

"Gai Suwen made no mistake." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "When Jin Shangquan left Pingrang, he only took gold artifacts and a map of his military deployments. He found the beauty in a familiar territory. What really made me suspicious was that he met Gao Baozang, and from what he said, the two of them talked for quite a while."

"Impossible, Gai Suwen won't give Gao Baozang the slightest chance." Changsun Wuji shook his head and looked at the emperor and said, "Who is Gai Suwen? He's Gao Baozang's confidant. He's killed everyone he could. Even if there are some who are still alive, they are the focus of surveillance. How could he easily be allowed to see Gao Baozang?"

"Yes, Jin Shangquan was able to escape from Pingrang, but he was also able to find people and a boat, and then safely reach the Tang Dynasty." Li Ji shook his head and said, "If this is true, then God blesses Goguryeo."

"How could Heaven bless a traitor who murdered the king and seized power?" The emperor shook his head calmly and said, "Gai Suwen is setting a trap for me!"

　On the Jiayin day of the fifth month, King Zang of Goryeo sent an envoy to apologize and presented two beautiful women, who were returned to the emperor.

　　In February, Emperor Taizong summoned his ministers to discuss another attack on Goryeo. The court agreed that it was not advisable.

　　Taizong followed everyone's advice and sent a small army to harass the Goryeo people while they were farming.

　　The following month, Tang generals Niu Jinda, Li Hai'an, Li Ji and others divided their forces to attack Goryeo by land and sea, but returned without success.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)