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

Chapter 466 Wherever the Emperor is, there is my uncle (Part )

It was dusk in the East Palace’s Chongjiao Hall.

Princess Wencheng knelt on the ground and kowtowed deeply to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian sat on the imperial couch, looked at Princess Wencheng, and said helplessly, "What do you want?"

Princess Wencheng looked up at Li Chengqian and, though hesitant, asked firmly, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask you, Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with the Tubo issue?"

"First, we will investigate the crimes of Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling, father and son. Then, we will punish them and demand an explanation from Tubo." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Although Tubo used Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling as scapegoats, how can we just let this go?"

"Your Majesty, are you still going to mobilize the troops?" Princess Wencheng looked at Li Chengqian with concern.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "If Tubo doesn't offer a price that satisfies me and my father, I will have the Duke of Wei send troops to Subi, destroy Subi, then march west to Yangtong, destroy Yangtong, and then drive the two countries into Tubo."

These strategies are not difficult to guess. If Li Chengqian can think of them, Songtsen can naturally guess them as well.

Princess Wencheng looked up and asked, "If Tubo can offer a price that satisfies Your Majesty, will Your Majesty withdraw its troops?"

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Yes, I will."

"I understand. I will write to Lhasa right away and ask the Zamp to make preparations." Princess Wencheng kowtowed again.

"Don't worry about it. I've already sent someone to Lhasa." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Next, Tubo will send an envoy to Chang'an to sign a treaty of compensation for the defeat."

Princess Wencheng fell silent. The emperor didn't want her to get involved in these matters. She didn't even know that the envoys from Tubo had arrived in Chang'an.

"What about Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling, father and son?" Princess Wencheng couldn't help asking.

"Trial!" Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Although the Tang Dynasty won this victory, countless soldiers were still killed and injured, and Songtsen used him as a scapegoat. Therefore, they need to pay the price. This is at least the case here, but this will have to wait until their crimes are proven."

Princess Wencheng nodded, the emperor at least had no intention of killing them for now.

Finally, Princess Wencheng looked up and asked, "What about my sister? What will her future be like?"

Li Chengqian looked at Princess Wencheng and shook his head. "I don't want you to return to Luoxie because I don't want Tubo to use your name as a Tang princess to plot against me and the Tang Dynasty. I don't want to regret it myself, and I don't want you to regret it either."

The Tang Dynasty will eventually destroy Tubo.

Princess Wencheng would be caught in the middle and would probably be in a difficult position.

"What about my sister and the Zamp?" Princess Wencheng looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "After all, he is my sister's consort!"

"He's your consort, but is he your only family member?" Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "This time, someone in the court has already impeached me, and I just suppressed it. But what about the next time? If something goes wrong again, the people you truly care about will die, not just one but two."

Princess Wencheng's mouth couldn't help but tremble.

She is not the biological daughter of the retired emperor. Although the retired emperor has treated her like his own daughter and the emperor has treated her like his own sister over the years, she is not a real princess of the royal family after all.

She has her biological father, mother, and sister.

The emperor may not care about many things, but can the court officials do so?

And the reason why the emperor was able to suppress it this time was because she was in Chang'an.

But if she was not in Chang'an, and the Tang Dynasty and Tubo went to war again, it would be difficult to avoid implicating her father.

Li Chengqian looked at Princess Wencheng and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

In his previous life, Li Daozon was involved in the rebellion case of Fang Yiai and Princess Gaoyang and was exiled to death.

As soon as Songtsen died, Li Zhi sent someone to bring her back to Chang'an.

At that time, as long as she could return to Chang'an, she would immediately be treated as the eldest princess.

What happened to Li Daozon might not have happened.

However, she did not.

She believed that staying in Tubo would help to ensure peace and stability between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo.

But the so-called peace and stability is nothing but a joke.

She was deceived, and the Tang Dynasty was also deceived. Within a few years, Tubo sent troops to invade Tuyuhun and annexed Tuyuhun.

Later, the Tubo defeated the Tang Dynasty at Dayechuan. For the next few hundred years, the Tubo was the biggest threat to the Tang Dynasty.

Her own sacrifice was meaningless. She harmed her family and countless soldiers and civilians of the Tang Dynasty, and in the end only moved herself.

Li Chengqian regained his composure and looked at Princess Wencheng, saying, "You should go back. The current situation is like this, and no one knows what will happen in the future. If Tubo is unwilling to accept defeat and continues to use tactics, there may be another war."

Princess Wencheng wanted to say something, but...

"I'm leaving!" Princess Wencheng bowed slightly, then stood up and left the Chongjiao Hall.

……

After Princess Wencheng left, Su Shu walked out from the side hall.

Watching Princess Wencheng leave, Su Shu looked at Li Chengqian and asked, "Your Majesty, are you planning to have the princess remarry?"

Li Chengqian made room a little, and Su Shu came over and sat down next to him.

Li Chengqian's eyes calmed down, and he said softly, "She is now Songtsen's Grand Consort. Songtsen is not dead yet. If she is allowed to remarry, wouldn't that force the Tibetans to go to war with the Tang Dynasty? So, let's delay it until Songtsen is dead first."

"What if Songtsen is dead?" Su Shu asked immediately.

"Let her be, she's still young." Li Chengqian shook his head and said calmly, "If she is willing and can find a new lover, I wish her a smooth life. If she is unwilling to find one, then I will capture Songtsen's grandson and bring him to Chang'an to continue her family line."

Su Shu heard something different in Li Chengqian's voice.

"Okay, let's not talk about her anymore." Li Chengqian looked up and said, "Is your Majesty doing well these days?" "Fine." Su Shu smiled and nodded, saying, "Xiang'er, Jue'er, Yu'er, and Ankang accompany your Majesty every day. The other princes of Yue and Ji, as well as several princesses and their husbands, have all come to the palace to accompany you, and the same goes for the other princesses."

"Let's wait and see." Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief and said, "What I'm most worried about is that Father will become depressed, which can be detrimental to his health. If that doesn't work out, I'll have Father go with me on this year's eastern tour to Luoyang."

"Then who will stay to assist in the administration?"

"Prime Minister Fang." Li Chengqian shrugged and said, "My father is in Chang'an, and Xiang'er is the regent, so my uncle is the assistant minister.

Father went to Luoyang, so Xiang'er has seen it. Prime Minister Fang is assisting in the administration, and my uncle and I are accompanying Father to relax in Luoyang."

Su Shu raised her head slightly, frowned, and said, "Wherever the emperor is, there is Duke Zhao."

Li Chengqian smiled and nodded, "This way everyone can feel at ease."

Su Shu forced a smile.

"Many times, people's hearts are sensitive. No matter how reassuring you are on a daily basis, once the root of the problem is touched, they will still worry. But it's just worry." Li Chengqian smiled and shook his head, saying, "Although it's unnecessary, if it can put people at ease, there's no need to do anything more."

"Yes!" Su Shu nodded, but there was still some confusion in her eyes.

Li Chengqian didn't explain anything.

Although Luoyang is the eastern capital, in fact, the fundamental power there is still the Heluo family.

The Zheng family of Xingyang had a great influence on Luoyang.

Not to mention, Xiao Jun, the chief officer of Luozhou, was also the prince's secretary when Li Chengqian was the crown prince.

Especially now that he is the emperor, he has the final say on the deployment of all guards.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. In a few days, it will be Xiang'er's crown prince ceremony." Li Chengqian looked at Su Shu and said, "After he is crowned crown prince, I want him to study in the inner school of Zhaode Hall with his brothers. After he gets married, he can enter the Eastern Palace."

"Okay!" Su Shu nodded, and then she whispered, "Your Majesty, let's go back to Yichun Palace with me tonight."

"Okay!" Li Chengqian nodded with a smile.

The candlelight flickered, and the two people were no longer in the hall.

Before I knew it, the night had deepened.

……

March 1st, Taiji Hall.

Li Chengqian was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a twelve-tassel white jade headdress, sitting high on the imperial couch.

Su Shu was wearing a queen's phoenix robe and sitting beside him.

Li Shimin abdicated as the Supreme Emperor, but today he was wearing a light yellow dragon robe and a Tongtian crown on his head, sitting on the flat steps on the side with a calm expression.

The three people's eyes fell on Li Xiang who was kneeling in the center of the hall.

He was wearing a light yellow robe with nine pythons and nine emblems, kneeling on the ground, holding a jade sceptre in his hand, and bowing solemnly.

All the officials inside and outside the palace had solemn expressions, their eyes gently fixed on Li Xizhi, the Minister of Rites.

Li Xizhi stood to the upper left of the ministers, holding the imperial edict in his hand, and said in a loud voice: "In the first year of Yongwei, on the Bingchen day of the third month, on the first day of the first lunar month, the Emperor said:

Yu Xi!

The great treasure is called the throne, which actually comes from the great successor.

All nations are loyal and established by the two.

I have already settled my great cause and am only concerned with long-term plans. I respectfully submit to the Lord of the Seven Sacrifices: How could I abandon the hopes of humans and gods?

The emperor's eldest son, Xiang, was gifted with intelligence and was born with the knowledge of benevolence and filial piety. He was in harmony with his ruler and parents, and was filial and respectful to his elder brothers.

A father who knows his son is a good father.

The longer the elder, the smoother the order, and it is in line with the old rules.

He should be given the task of choosing a successor so that he can be promoted to crown prince.

But the Crown Prince.

Admire this. "

The ministers held their tablets in their hands and kowtowed at the same time, saying, "Your Majesty, may you live forever, and the Crown Prince may live forever."

Li Chengqian stood up from the steps.

Li Shimin also stood up at the same time.

The two men walked down the steps at the same time and came to Li Xiang's side. Then they took the white jade nine-tassel crown from the tray in the hands of Zhao Yuankai, the Minister of Taichang Temple behind them, and put it on Li Xiang's head at the same time.

Li Shimin was the first to speak: "Crown Prince Xiang, in the future you must demonstrate your noble virtues, carry forward the great legacy, promote the teachings of the Three Kings, and establish a virtuous leader for all nations."

"Grandson obeys the order." Li Xiang bowed forward gently.

Li Chengqian finally spoke, "Crown Prince Xiang, the world is vast. Only by promoting the Way and promoting change, and being able to organize and organize things, can one achieve success. In the future, you must diligently study, organize both internal and external affairs, and achieve order and peace, and continue the cause of prosperity."

"Your son obeys your order." Li Xiang finally kowtowed heavily to the ground.

"The ceremony is over." Li Xizhi turned and looked at the ministers. "The Crown Prince has taken his seat. The ministers bow."

"The prince will die!"

(End of this chapter)