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

Chapter 363 Calculating the Sixteen Guards (Part )
The noise gradually died down and the palace returned to silence.

Princess Jinyang and her husband Yan Xuanxiu have already gone to Princess Jinyang's mansion.

As for the things that happened during the bridal chamber, they would naturally be the responsibility of their sisters, Princess Changle, Princess Chengyang, Princess Gaoyang and so on.

Li Chengqian is the crown prince. The emperor drank a little too much tonight, so he left first.

After he left, Li Chengqian had to stay at the banquet to entertain the guests.

The only thing he noticed was that Li Zhi had left quietly at some point.

Li Zhi could leave, but Li Chengqian could not.

It was not until the banquet was over that Li Chengqian was helped, drunkenly, onto a sedan chair and returned to the Eastern Palace.

Just after passing by Chongde Hall, in the breeze, Li Chengqian took a deep breath, then exhaled the smell of alcohol, raised his hand slightly, and the sedan chair stopped immediately.

"Go to Chongjiao Hall." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly. He pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand, trying his best to use the pain to make himself more awake.

"Yes!" Xu An immediately bowed, then called the guards to send Li Chengqian to the Chongjiao Hall.

Lying on the bed with hot silk on his face, Li Chengqian finally felt a little excited.

After wiping his face, Xu An placed a bowl of sobering soup in front of him.

Li Chengqian drank it all without any hesitation.

After drinking, he lay on the bed somewhat weakly.

Xu An changed into another piece of cold silk. The cold feeling finally gave Li Chengqian some strength.

Sitting up slightly, Li Chengqian finally asked, "Where is the Prince of Jin tonight?"

"After leaving Liangyi Hall, Prince Jin went to Lizheng Hall and stayed in his room for more than half an hour before leaving." Xu An bowed seriously.

"Always here?" Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yes, he was there the whole time." Xu An finished speaking, then hesitantly bowed and said, "After the Prince of Jin entered his room, no one disturbed him. He left the Lizheng Hall after more than half an hour. In the meantime... I'm not sure if he was in the Lizheng Hall during that time."

"More than half an hour?" Li Chengqian looked up and suddenly turned sideways to ask, "Did anything happen in the meantime?"

"Yes!" Xu An cupped his hands and said, "It was the two small fires in Liangyi Palace. They caused a little chaos before and after, but they didn't last long."

"That's enough." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly.

"Yes!" Xu An's expression changed slightly. This sentence was enough to let him know that something was wrong.

Li Chengqian ignored Xu An's thoughts. He lay on the bed with his eyes closed.

Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang met.

They identified something.

It is very likely a plan for future action.

After the wedding in Jinyang, it was his mother's birthday on March 15th, and then Li Zhi would go to Jingzhou again.

During this period and after this, Li Zhi had no other opportunity to meet Wu Meiniang.

Of course, Li Chengqian hoped that they would not achieve anything, so that they could only wait until this winter.

However, if we wait until this winter to take action, it will be too late.

His father had been in Liaodong and Goguryeo for two years, and his health was much worse than in his previous life.

In his previous life, his father died of illness in the 23rd year of Zhenguan.

This time, it is likely to happen earlier, even a year earlier.

That is the 22nd year of Zhenguan.

But now, it is already the third day of March in the twenty-first year of Zhenguan.

If Li Zhi really waited until winter to prepare, regardless of whether he would have enough time, at least Li Chengqian's preparations during this year would make him completely despair.

So, tonight is his last chance.

And just as Li Chengqian expected, he really moved.

It would be good if we could just move on. Only by moving on could we do everything as Li Chengqian expected.

Similarly, Li Chengqian’s preparations for this year can also begin.

In Chang'an City, Li Zhi would not have any chance.

Li Chengqian would not allow it, and neither would his uncle Changsun Wuji.

The key lies outside the city of Chang'an.

Li Zhi would definitely deploy personnel outside the city of Chang'an.

It is even possible that he will mobilize the troops of the Sixteen Guards at a critical moment.

The Yang family, the Zhao family, the Wei family, and the Guo family.

Although these families are keeping their distance from Li Zhi now, at the last moment, who knows which family will have an unfilial son who will go crazy with Li Zhi.

Not only that, in addition to what Li Chengqian knew, Li Zhi might have a trump card that Li Chengqian didn't know about.

These people must be outside the city of Chang'an.

……

Li Chengqian stood up slightly, picked up the cold tea beside him, and took a sip. He finally felt better.

In Chang'an City, even though Yongzhou Prefecture was not under his control, everything was under the control of his uncle.

His uncle Zhangsun Wuji controlled Yongzhou Prefecture, Dali Temple, Ministry of Justice, Left and Right Thousand Oxen Guards, Left and Right Golden Guards, Hundred Cavalry Division, etc.

Not to mention the imperial palace, Fang Xuanling, Li Ji, and the six ministers would not allow any accidents to happen.

The only place that can escape control is outside the city of Chang'an.

Although Chang'an City is large, its siege is even larger.

If Li Zhi's men really wanted to hide somewhere, it would not be easy to find them in a short time.

There was even the possibility of the Sixteen Guards being transferred. Therefore, Li Chengqian had to be on guard against the transfer of the Sixteen Guards from now on.

He doesn't need to control the Sixteen Guards.

It was enough for him to just restrict the Sixteen Guards.

The transfer of the Sixteen Guards has never been an easy task. The Sixteen Guards' Lang Jiang, Lieutenant General, General, Grand General, Ministry of War, and Inner Court all have the power to transfer the Sixteen Guards.

Similarly, they also have the power to monitor and even control the transfer of the Sixteen Guards.

This is the court's system and rules.

Li Chengqian only needs to grasp these systems and rules to be able to exert great control and monitor any unexpected events.

This is one of them.

Second, it is now the 21st year of Zhenguan.

Li Chengqian needs to have absolute power that he can mobilize at the last moment.

Putting aside all human calculations, victory or defeat, life or death, ultimately comes down to swords and spears.

He and Li Zhi.

He and his father.

In Chang'an City, Li Chengqian had loyal followers such as General Li Anyan of the Right Guard, General Du He of the Left Guard, and General Zheng Rentai of the Left Jinwu Guard.

Although Du He's title of General of the Left Guard was a nominal position, it might not be so in the future.

Of course, what Li Chengqian wanted most was Su Dingfang.

Su Dingfang, the former Lieutenant General of the Left Jinwu Guard and now the General of the Right Tunwei Guard, is unfortunately in front of the Liaodong army.

In addition, Xiazhou Governor Li Dejian, Left Thousand Oxen Guard General Xi Junmai, and others were all placed in border states by the emperor.

This is good. If something really happens, they can suppress it.

If something really happened, it would be Li Zhi's fault, and Li Chengqian could also mobilize Li Junxian, the Right Guard General.

Because of the Hebei incident, Li Zhi had offended Li Junxian badly.

Most of the rest were the emperor's men.

If Li Zhi did not have strong means, then Li Chengqian would be able to mobilize more people through Zhangsun Wuji, Li Ji, and Fang Xuanling.

Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Jingde, Zhang Shigui, Zhishisili, Qibi Heli, Ashina Zhong, Ashina She'er, Liang Jianfang, Chang He, Xue Gu Wu Ren and so on.

Except for a small number of people that Li Zhi could mobilize, most of the sixteen armies were in the hands of Li Chengqian.

Of course, these people are not so easy to mobilize.

He needs to pass the court's regulations...

Li Chengqian suddenly couldn't help laughing.

The rules of the court and the order of the world.

All these things are in Li Chengqian's hands.

Taking a deep breath, Li Chengqian suppressed the words "the situation is in my hands" from the bottom of his heart.

He didn't want to fail because of his carelessness.

He can also transfer the manpower outside Chang'an City appropriately.

Of course, in order to avoid being caught by others, he also needs to cover up to a certain extent.

Dali Temple!
Li Chengqian took a deep breath, looked at Xu An, and said, "Remember this: this autumn, we need to have the Dali Temple investigate all the backlog of cases in Yongzhou Prefecture. Dai Zhide and Zhang Wenguan will be in charge, while Li Yifu and Su Liangsi will supervise."

"Here!" Xu An bowed in surprise.

Has the prince already planned this autumn?

"Okay, send a message to Yi Qiu Palace and ask them to prepare bathing water. I want to take a bath and rest." Li Chengqian stood up with some effort.

Although his steps were still steady, the trouble with his hands and feet proved that he needed more training.

Xu An supported Li Chengqian and walked out of the hall.

Li Chengqian spoke again, "Send a message to the Right Guard General and arrange everything according to his instructions."

"Yes!" Xu An didn't know what Li Chengqian and Li Anyan had discussed, but he knew that the prince's real manpower outside the palace was in Li Anyan's hands.

Targeting the King of Jin’s men.

……

In Yi Qiu Palace, as soon as Li Chengqian stepped in, Zheng Shuang'er came to greet him.

"Your Highness!" Zheng Shuang'er, wearing a light green skirt and a light gauze, bowed gently to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian forced a smile on his somewhat numb face and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Zheng Shuang'er stepped forward and helped Li Chengqian into the inner hall. Together with Zheng Chu, she helped Li Chengqian take off his clothes, and then helped him into the bathtub.

Li Chengqian lay in the warm water and breathed a sigh of relief with some comfort.

"My beloved concubine!" Li Chengqian turned sideways to look at Zheng Shuang'er, who was about to wipe his body, and asked, "Sanlang is getting older. In a year or two, he will have to start school. My beloved concubine, please find time to pass on a message to your father-in-law. Is there anyone in the Xingyang clan who is suitable to serve as Sanlang's tutor?"

Li Jiu is almost four years old, and it is time to prepare for his schooling.

"I'll write it down." Zheng Shuang'er nodded seriously.

Li Chengqian closed his eyes and asked casually, "My father-in-law has been in the army all these years. Are all the people in the clan also in the army?"

"Many people from my branch are in the Zuowei and Zuo Jinwuwei, and many are also in the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice." Zheng Shuang'er introduced to Li Chengqian in detail the positions her clansmen currently held in the court.

"Ministry of Justice!" Li Chengqian smiled lightly, turned sideways to look at Zheng Chu on the other side, and flicked his fingers lightly, lifting her delicate chin.

Zheng Chu lowered his head shyly, his face as red as blood.

(End of this chapter)