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

Chapter 467: The Fundamental Conflict between Li Chengqian and Zhangsun Wuji (Part )
Li Chengqian sat on the Danbi.

Li Shimin sat on the left side of the steps.

Li Xiang sat on the short couch under Emperor Dan.

Li Baiyao, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, stood to the left of Li Xiang and said loudly to the ministers, "In the first year of Yongwei, on the Bingchen day of the third month of the Yiyou year, on the first day of the first lunar month, the Emperor said:

Yu Xi!

I have only received the imperial edict, and have enlightened the imperial court. I have spread the great virtues to three dynasties, and have inherited the roots and branches for hundreds of generations.

The ancestral temple is forever solid, the gods and men are in harmony, the four mountains look up to the height of Songshan Mountain, and the hundreds of rivers receive the moisture of the Shaohai Sea.

The emperor's second son Jue was named Prince of Yong, the emperor's third son Jiu was named Prince of Yan, the emperor's fourth son Yu was named Prince of Dai, the emperor's fifth son Shan was named Prince of Xiang, and the emperor's sixth son Yu was named Prince of Shou.

The emperor's eldest daughter, Princess Yongkang, was canonized as Princess Yongkang.

Carrying forward the legacy of the past, with long-term plans in mind, the gods and humans are in harmony, and all animals and plants rely on you.

Admire this! "

Li Jue, Li Jiu, Li Yu, Li Shan, and Li Yu, five children of a few years old, bowed in unison as solemnly as adults: "Your Highness, I obey your command. May your father live a long and healthy life."

Li Chengqian sat on the imperial couch, looking at his five children. He spoke calmly, "In the future, you must respect your elder brother, care for the people, study poetry and books diligently to gain broad knowledge, and work diligently day and night to serve the emperor in the Way."

"Your sons obey your orders and will follow your father's instructions." The five children kowtowed in unison.

"Stand up." Li Chengqian waved his hand, and the five sons stood up and stood under the steps on the left side of Li Xiang.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Yu Zhining on the side.

Yu Zhining stood up with his hands clasped, looked at the ministers, held up the imperial edict, and said: "In the first year of Yongwei, on the day of Xinyou on the third month of the year Yiyou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

The importance of understanding the two is to solidify the ancestors; in the role of guidance, one should not first protect the teacher.

Therefore, Lu Wang and Zhao Xi were more beautiful than Youzhou; Shusun and Yuancheng were more beautiful than Longhan.

Li Ji, the Shangshu You Pushe, can be the Prince's Guardian.

The Minister of the Central Secretariat, Chu Suiliang, can be appointed as the Prince's Left Secretary.

Tang Jian, the Minister of Personnel, can be appointed as the Prince's Secretary.

The Crown Prince’s Secretary Lai Heng is the Crown Prince’s Right Secretary…”

The emperor appointed the crown prince and the kings and appointed officials to the Eastern Palace.

Duke of Song Xiao Yu was appointed as the Prince's Grand Tutor, Prince of Han Li Yuanjia was appointed as the Prince's Junior Tutor, Prince of Ji Li Shen was appointed as the Prince's Junior Tutor, and Shangshu You Pushe Li Ji was appointed as the Prince's Junior Protector.

Lai Heng was the Prince's Secretary, and Yuwen Zhongfang was the Prince's Junior Secretary.

Su Jun was the prince's household manager, Dugu Dabao was the prince's chief night watchman, and Changsun Huan was the prince's servant.

Li Yanshou was the Prince's Secretary, Zhao Chiman, Gao Zhenxing, and Feng Yandao were the Prince's Secretary.

Lu Yanyuan was the prince's groom, etc.

……

Changsun Wuji stood aside with a calm expression. One figure after another stood out and kowtowed heavily to the ground.

The emperor originally wanted to promote Prince Han Li Yuanjia to the position of Prince Taifu, Prince Ji Li Shen to the position of Prince Taishi, Li Ji to the position of Prince Shaoshi, Chu Suiliang to the position of Prince Shaofu, and Lai Ji to the position of Prince Shaobao.

Of course, these are all nominal positions.

A few of them just gave the prince occasional lessons.

However, the emperor wanted to appoint the Minister of Personnel, Tang Jian, as the Inspector of the Prince's Left Assistant.

This one is a bit sensitive.

Especially for Changsun Wuji.

Tang Jian is old and will retire in two years.

If the emperor still wants to retain Tang Jian's position as Prince Zuo Shuzi, then the emperor can indirectly influence the Ministry of Personnel through Tang Jian.

Or, the emperor might do as Zhangsun Wuji wanted and let Liu Shi be the Minister of Personnel, but at the same time let him inspect the Prince's Left Assistant.

Then things will be troublesome.

Liu Shi would at least remain neutral between the emperor and Zhangsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji lowered his head slightly. The Minister of Personnel should listen to the emperor, there is no problem with that.

However, when the emperor first ascended the throne, he used too much power over the Jiangnan gentry.

There are even plans to reuse the Hebei nobles.

Although the emperor has tried his best to restrain himself, the old brothers in Guanzhong are still very dissatisfied.

Therefore, they hope to ensure their own interests through the Ministry of Personnel.

The emperor asked Du He to inspect Yongzhou and clean up the bad children in the families in Chang'an City at the end of each year, which made many people feel uneasy.

Not to mention there are rumors that the emperor is going to hold a palace examination.

There are many other things going on, and although they are just rumors now, many people are already feeling uneasy.

I don’t know how many people went to chat with Changsun Wuji.

It seemed like a casual chat, but in fact I was still trying to find out his attitude.

Liu Shi's position as Minister of Personnel was guaranteed by Zhangsun Wuji.

He didn't want to do anything to the emperor, but wanted to try his best to appease these old brothers.

The emperor's confidants are still very young, while those old guys have many relatives in various states and guards. If they really make trouble, I'm afraid there will be a lot of trouble.

The situation is better now that the emperor is still alive, but now that he is gone, who knows what these guys will do when the emperor can't see them.

The people the emperor relies on most are the Qianniu Guards, but these Qianniu Guards are all the children of these old guys!
Therefore, Zhangsun Wuji was sensitive to the emperor's appointment of Tang Jian as the Crown Prince's Left Assistant. Although there were three departments, six ministries, and nine courts in the court, the Ministry of Personnel was actually the backbone of the entire court.

Changsun Wuji glanced at the emperor lightly. When the new emperor ascended the throne, the interests of many people would inevitably be harmed.

In the entire world, the Guanzhong clans had the greatest interests.

If anyone is harmed, it will be them.

Changsun Wuji just wanted less blood and killing.

It’s okay as long as the emperor is still alive. If he is gone, the emperor will raise his butcher knife.

……

"Your Majesty!" Yuwen Chongsi, the Minister of Rites, stood in the Liangyi Hall and bowed to Li Chengqian. "The Tubo have sent Lu Dongzan's clan to Chang'an. Two of them were killed along the way, and most survived. However, after comparison, we found that one very important person is missing."

Li Chengqian leaned forward slightly and asked, "Who's missing?"

"Gar Xiruo was Lu Dongzan's eldest son." Yuwen Chongsi bowed and said, "The Tibetans say that Gar Xiruo was killed for resisting while in Tibet."

Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows, looked at Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji on his left, and asked, "What do Prime Minister Fang and Uncle think?"

Fang Xuanling frowned, then stood up and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty, since Tubo has already sent all of Lu Dongzan's family to Chang'an, there seems to be no need to play any tricks here, right?"

"It's hard to say!" Changsun Wuji shook his head slightly and said, "If I were Songtsen, I would at least keep Gar Xiruo here. That way, even if Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling survive in Chang'an, they can use Gar Xiruo to control Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling and prevent them from saying anything nonsense."

Li Chengqian nodded calmly and said, "In other words, Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling are of no use to the Tang Dynasty."

The Tang Dynasty kept Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling in the hope that the father and son would tell everything they knew about Tubo.

At least most of it.

However, once they have reservations, then 99% of it is true and 1% is false. If they believe it, it will cause huge losses.

Even if that one percent is false, it will implicate everything and make Li Chengqian believe that it is not true.

"Your Majesty, why don't you send someone to investigate further?" Fang Xuanling couldn't help but bow.

Li Chengqian looked at Yuwen Chongsi and said, "My dear minister, please have the people from the Honglu Temple rush to Luosu to investigate. At the same time, have the Ministry of Justice, the Dali Temple, and the Censorate investigate the case of Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling. The Crown Prince has been appointed, and it's time to put these matters to rest."

"Yes!" Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji bowed together, but Fang Xuanling's face looked a little unhappy.

It is unknown how long it will take to send someone from Chang'an to Luoshui and back. The person may have been killed here before he returns.

"Your Majesty!" Zhangsun Wuji suddenly stood up and bowed, saying, "I'll go visit Lu Dongzan and his son. Perhaps knowing this will change their mindset."

Li Chengqian looked at Zhangsun Wuji and nodded, then smiled and said, "Go, uncle. I still don't want to kill anyone. If, in this situation, they can still come up with something that will keep them alive, maybe the emperor will finally grant them a pardon."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed and accepted the order with a serious expression.

If they wanted the emperor and all the officials in the Tang Dynasty to believe that Lu Dongzan and his son had completely severed ties with Tubo, they had to take out the most hidden secrets of Tubo.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, Gar Xiruo, this person should not be dead.

After all, just as Gar Dongzan is Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling is Lun Qinling, Gar Xiruo also has his own name in history.

Praise Xiruo.

After Lu Dongzan's death and before Lun Qinling's rise, it was Zan Xiruo who took over the Tubo regime.

For such a person, not to mention Songtsen, even Li Chengqian would not want him to die, nor would he let him come to Chang'an.

If that happened, if the entire Gar family really defected to the Tang Dynasty, Tubo would be finished.

Songzan still couldn't let go of the last bit of suspicion in his heart.

……

Thousand Oxen Prison.

cell.

Changsun Wuji looked calmly at Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling, and said calmly, "News has come from Luoshui that Gar Xiruo rebelled and was killed, but Your Majesty doesn't believe it, and neither do I. Therefore, Your Majesty has decided that tomorrow, the three courts will try you and your son. If nothing unexpected happens, you will all be hanged."

Lu Dongzan couldn't help but look up. Although his face was trembling, he couldn't help but feel happy in his eyes.

Changsun Wuji's expression turned cold, he turned around, and with a "bang", the prison door was closed.

Gal Qinling looked at Lu Dongzan with a trembling body and asked, "Father, is my brother really not dead?"

Lu Dongzan shook his head and said affirmatively: "No, he is dead."

"No, he's not dead." Gar Qinling suddenly roared, rushed forward, gritted his teeth and said to Lu Dongzan, "The Zamp admires him very much and will not let him die. At most, he will pretend to be dead and hide his identity, but in reality, he will still assist the Zamp... But father, we are going to die, we are going to die."

"No, your brother is really dead." Lu Dongzan still shook his head and said, "This has nothing to do with the Zamp. It's the Emperor of Tang who is too suspicious. With just a thought, he completely denied us. The problem is not with the Zamp, but with him."

Looking at Lu Dongzan like this, Gar Qinling suddenly felt that his heart was completely dead.

He slowly leaned back, looked at Lu Dongzan with disappointment, and said, "Father, you said that the Zamp raided our house to completely sever our ties with Tubo and give us a chance to survive in Chang'an. However, deep down, he was more afraid of us surviving, so he kept a trick up his sleeve, but the emperor didn't believe it."

People like the emperor don't need evidence, a thought is enough.

"So, he left this trick, and we are dead."

……

In the Liangyi Hall, the Minister of Justice Liu Dewei, the Minister of Justice Yin Jun, and the Imperial Censor Sun Fujia all bowed.

"Your Majesty, Lu Dongzan took all the blame on himself, but Gar Qinling confessed everything, including how they were connected with the remnants of Prince Yin, and that before they left Luoshui, it was Songzan who ordered them to do everything in their power to disrupt the Tang Dynasty."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "So, what are your opinions?"

"Lu Dongzan will be hanged, and Gar Qinling will be beheaded." Liu Dewei cupped his hands and said, "But if Gar Qinling can be used as a bargaining chip to get more benefits from Tubo in negotiations with Tubo, I hope to spare Gar Qinling's life."

"What about Lu Dongzan?" Li Chengqian raised his head slightly.

"Behead!" Liu Dewei, Yin Jun, and Sun Fujia bowed at the same time.

(End of this chapter)