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

Chapter 404: How About I Abdicate? (Part )

In the Lizheng Hall, the emperor lay quietly, he had completely woken up.

But except for his neck, he could not move his whole body and felt numb.

Not only now, he couldn't even open his mouth.

Can't say a word.

His eyes turned and looked at Zhang Baozang beside him.

Zhang Baozang held a silver needle in his hand and used it carefully on his body.

Zhang Ananda stood on the upper left side of the bed with a sad look on his face, but his eyes were always fixed on Zhang Baozang's every move.

Li Shimin closed his eyes gently, his heart feeling cold.

He had to admit that he might have really failed this time.

Suddenly, Li Shimin's mind emerged with the last words he said before he fainted.

Capture the prince.

Li Shimin looked outside the hall with a serious expression.

……

Outside the hall, Fang Xuanling had already left.

The night banquet in the Liangyi Hall had not yet completely ended. In order to prevent others from discovering that something had happened to the emperor, Fang Xuanling went there first to take care of it.

Li Chengqian stood behind the pillars, gritting his teeth as he looked towards the Liangyi Hall: "I will go and kill Lu Dongzan now."

Zhangsun Wuji, standing opposite him, looked at Li Chengqian calmly. "Yes, Your Highness, you can take the Imperial Guards and arrest Lu Dongzan now. Tell the envoys that Lu Dongzan is plotting to murder Your Majesty and that the Tang Dynasty will never tolerate this. He will be publicly executed tomorrow."

Li Chengqian was slightly stunned, and then his face darkened.

"Then let the foreign envoys and all the officials know that Your Majesty has fallen prey to a Tibetan plot, suffering severe injuries and unable to move." Changsun Wuji looked up at Li Chengqian and asked, "Prince, do you think they will be filled with righteous indignation and join the Tang Dynasty in conquering Tibet, or will they each harbor disloyal intentions and secretly stir up trouble, trying to overthrow the Tang Dynasty, the mountain that weighs heavily on their heads?"

Li Chengqian clenched his fists and whispered, "I understand the truth, but I can't swallow this anger."

"Ganlu Palace has already been investigated. Your Majesty came to Lizheng Palace because you happened to look up at the moon and thought of the Empress, so you came here. Then you happened to encounter those..." Zhangsun Wuji glanced inside the palace and said, "For now, the other ministers will not be involved in this matter, but Your Majesty's condition must not be leaked in any way."

"Is this really a good deal for Lu Dongzan?"

Changsun Wuji looked at Li Chengqian calmly and said, "Of course we can't just let it go. There's no way that body could have been brought into the palace so silently. Your Highness, please follow this lead and investigate.

As long as we can find any clues that implicate Lu Dongzan, as long as we find any evidence to incriminate him, we will publicly execute him."

"How could that old fox Lu Dongzan leave any clues? Besides, my nephew has been keeping an eye on him these days in Chang'an. Aside from his son's activities, he's nowhere to be found..." Li Chengqian looked up at Changsun Wuji and squinted his eyes as he said, "It's Gar Qinling."

"Go and investigate. If you find any clues, arrest Gar Qinling." Changsun Wuji sneered and said, "He's in Chang'an. If he can find someone to bring the body to the palace, then that person must be a traitor. If he's in cahoots with the traitors and is caught red-handed, not even Songtsen can save him."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded, then turned and was about to leave, but suddenly he stopped, looked at Zhangsun Wuji, and said, "Nephew, come back after you have made all the arrangements..."

"No need to rush." ​​Changsun Wuji waved his hand and said, "Imperial Physician Zhang said that Your Majesty's body needs at least one night to recover. By then, Divine Doctor Sun should be able to rush back from Zhongnan Mountain. With Divine Doctor Sun's help, Your Majesty may be able to recover."

……

In the Lizheng Hall, the morning light slanted down on the west side of the hall door.

Li Shimin regained consciousness and subconsciously said, "Someone come!"

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Ananda immediately came over and knelt beside the bed. He looked at the emperor and said in surprise, "Your Majesty, can you speak now?"

Li Shimin blinked and his expression suddenly relaxed.

He couldn't speak the whole night last night, and he was really worried that he would never be able to speak again, which would mean he would lose control of everything.

However, Li Shimin's face soon turned gloomy.

He still had no feeling in his hands and feet.

"When will Master Sun arrive?" Li Shimin looked up.

"They will be back from Mount Zhongnan this afternoon," Zhang Ananda quickly reported, "Duke Zhao sent people to look for them overnight."

"No one noticed anything wrong last night." Li Shimin's face darkened slightly.

"No, from the beginning to the end, only the Crown Prince, Duke of Zhao, Duke of Liang and Duke of Guo knew about this matter." In Zhang Ananda's eyes, apart from these people, everyone else was not considered a human being.

Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that all the foreign envoys, provincial governors, major families, and military generals were unaware of his accident.

This is a good thing.

But it's not necessarily a good thing.

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "How is the palace doing now?"

Zhang Ananda immediately became solemn and said, "The guards at the outer gates are on duty as usual, but Duke Zhao has already replaced all the guards at the inner gates."

The gate of Taiji Palace, although Zhuque Gate is one of the main gates, there are also Jiade Gate and Taiji Hall inside it, and Taiji Hall is only after passing them.

Behind the Taiji Hall are the Zhuming Gate and the Liangyi Gate, and then the Liangyi Hall.

Behind the Liangyi Hall is the Ganlu Gate, Ganlu Hall, and the harem.

To the north of the harem are the Neizhong Gate and the Xuanwu Gate.

The red gates in the palace generally have similar configurations.

What Zhang Ananda meant was that in order not to arouse suspicion, the Zhuque Gate and Chengtian Gate were on duty as usual, but all the gates afterwards, as well as the gates in the palace, were changed.

In other words, the palace was completely under the emperor's control.

"Yanxi Gate and Anfu Gate?" The emperor raised his head slightly.

"Same." Zhang Ananda nodded slightly.

Anboku Gate is fine, but Yeonggi Gate is right next to the Eastern Palace.

Once the guards there were replaced, it meant that the emperor could give orders at any time to attack the Eastern Palace directly.

The emperor can directly control the entire Eastern Palace.

No, the entire palace is now under the emperor's control. "What's the situation outside the palace?" Li Shimin asked again.

"Everything is normal. No news has leaked out of the palace. There is nothing unusual among the officials. The Sixteen Guards are quiet as usual. The foreign envoys are also very normal. Even the Tubo Prime Minister went to bed early after returning last night." Zhang Ananda reported softly.

The Hundred Cavalry Division still controls the entire Chang'an City.

The emperor completely relaxed, but then he sighed softly in his heart. He was really wrong last night.

"How is the Prince of Jin? What happened to that man last night?" Li Shimin asked again.

"No news has been received today, but I've checked past records and everything is safe with the Prince of Jin." After a brief pause, Zhang Ananda continued, "As for that man, although he's wearing a python robe and his figure is somewhat similar, his skin is too rough and dark without the clothes, and his hands are covered in calluses. He's most likely the Tibetans who found him in the northwest."

"Hmm!" Li Shimin raised his head and thought for a long time before saying, "Call the Crown Prince and the six Prime Ministers, as well as the Duke of E, the Duke of Lu, and the Duke of Guo to come together."

"Yes!"

……

The emperor was lying on the bed, and Sun Simiao was sitting in front of the bed, his hand on his pulse, his brows furrowed.

Zhang Baozang stood in front of the bed, staring at Sun Simiao closely.

Li Chengqian, Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Chu Suiliang, Ma Zhou, Li Ji, Yu Zhining, Cheng Zhijie, Yuchi Jingde, and Zhang Shigui all stood on both sides with serious expressions.

After a long time, Sun Simiao finally relaxed his pulse and looked at the emperor and said, "Your Majesty is still alive today, it's a miracle!"

"Hmm?" The emperor frowned and looked at Sun Simiao: "What do you mean, Master?"

"Your Majesty's pulse was once extremely weak, but it has recovered strongly." Sun Simiao turned to look at Zhang Ananda and asked, "Did you save him?"

"No." Zhang Ananda knew what was going on and said with a bow, "It was the Crown Prince. His Majesty had been unconscious for some time. It was the Crown Prince who pressed on his chest and restored his breath. This happened once before in February."

After Zhang Ananda finished speaking, everyone's heart couldn't help but jump, and they looked at Li Chengqian gently.

The emperor had died before, and was brought back to life by Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian noticed everyone's gazes and calmly shook his head, saying, "I've read in ancient books that after a person's breathing stops, their pulse doesn't stop immediately. It takes more than half a quarter of an hour for it to completely stop. If you perform a technique on the heart meridian in time, there's a chance that the pulse can be strengthened. It's not difficult."

"Faked death!" Sun Simiao pointed out the key point directly, then looked at Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty once faked his death, and it was the Crown Prince who saved His Majesty."

Li Chengqian lowered his head slightly, and the ministers looked at him with a hint of surprise, admiration, and gentle appreciation.

If the person is not rescued in time, the suspended animation state will turn into real death.

Zhang Sun Wuji's gaze fell on the emperor. The emperor's face darkened for a moment, and then he asked, "Master, how is your Majesty's health? When will you recover?"

Everyone became solemn.

Although the emperor can speak now, he can't move at all. If this continues...

"It's hard to say." Sun Simiao looked at the emperor and said, "Your Majesty's health is just as Imperial Physician Zhang said. You've been in trouble before. It was still quite difficult to get timely treatment this time. A complete recovery is difficult. I can only try to help Your Majesty move his limbs."

"How long?" Li Shimin couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know." Sun Simiao shook his head and said, "Let's treat him for a month and see the results."

"Your Majesty, please rest assured in Lizheng Hall and leave all matters to the Crown Prince, just as before." Changsun Wuji whispered comfortingly.

Starting from March this year, the emperor went to Mount Zhongnan and the crown prince became regent. Apart from Goguryeo's war preparations, the emperor was not responsible for anything else.

Li Shimin nodded slightly and said, "Okay."

"Father!" Li Chengqian suddenly spoke, then knelt down in the hall and said seriously, "Your Majesty, I ask you to serve me in the Lizheng Hall!"

The emperor was slightly startled. Looking at Li Chengqian's sincere expression, he sighed softly and said, "I do need someone to take care of me at all times. That's why I called all of you here today."

"There are six prime ministers here," Zhangsun Wuji said, looking at the emperor, "Your Majesty, what you mean is that each of you will take turns accompanying Your Majesty for one day."

"Yes!" Li Shimin nodded and said, "That's what I mean, but after thinking about it, I think it's better for five people to take turns. Yu Xiang will be in the Ministry of Personnel, supervising all officials. If the others have something urgent to do, Yu Xiang will take over."

"I obey your order." Yu Zhining stood up and bowed.

"Five people, has Your Majesty considered the five-day rotation?" Li Chengqian looked up at the emperor.

"Yes!" The emperor nodded and said, "This will help to avoid suspicion from both the government and the public."

The emperor is sick, and the prime minister accompanies the emperor alone every day. What does he do?
"Your Majesty!" Zhangsun Wuji interrupted everyone's thoughts and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and I will come here every day off. It's better for the Crown Prince to stay in the court on weekdays."

"Crown Prince?" The emperor looked at Li Chengqian.

"Your son obeys." Li Chengqian kowtowed and then said, "Your son sees that since each of the ministers has one person serving your father every day, why don't the kings also have one person serving your father every day? Your son, Prince Ji, Xiang'er, Prince Han, and Prince Jiangxia will each serve your father every day."

Li Xiang, Li Chengqian, Li Shen, Li Yuanjia, Li Daozon.

Three generations of royal family members, plus a powerful prince from the side branch, are enough.

Especially since Li Daozon was the Minister of Rites, this identity was even more important.

"Okay." The emperor nodded, looked at Li Chengqian with a smile and said, "I originally wanted to let Xiang'er stay with me, but seeing the filial piety between the prince and his brothers, uncles and nephews, I will not say anything."

"Thank you, father!" Li Chengqian kowtowed gratefully.

……

"Huh!" The emperor suddenly opened his eyes, let out a long breath, and his face was full of horror.

In the darkness, he only felt his face covered with sweat.

No, not just his face, he was sure his entire body was covered in sweat.

A horrible nightmare.

A man holding a knife rushed into the temple amidst the flames, walking towards him with murderous intent, and that man...

……

The summer heat was scorching, and although the emperor didn't feel much heat while lying on his bed, he still looked at Li Chengqian and said, "Prince, go get some ice from the ice cellar and have someone make some mung bean porridge. Look at your uncle, he's in such a state of heat."

Li Chengqian glanced at Zhangsun Wuji, whose face was covered in sweat, and quickly stood up. He bowed to the emperor and said, "This son is wrong. I will make arrangements now."

"Hmm!" Watching Li Chengqian quickly leave the Lizheng Hall, Li Shimin looked at Zhangsun Wuji, hesitated slightly, and asked, "Wuji, what do you think of my abdication?"

(End of this chapter)