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

Chapter 468: Beheading Lu Dongzan, the Emperor Emeritus Did Not Offer Pardon (First Update)
March fifteenth.

The sky is clear and the wind is gentle and gentle.

In Jinchangfang, the imperial carriage slowly drove out of Taiyi Qinghua Temple and headed towards Daci'en Temple.

Taiyi Qinghua Temple is located in Jinchangfang, East City, and Daci'en Temple is located in Dunyifang, West City. The two are located opposite each other with Zhuque Street as the center line.

Li Chengqian originally thought that the Buddhist community would continue to fight for the ruins of Wulou Temple where Taiyi Qinghua Temple was located. Who knew that they were extremely satisfied with Dunyifang in Xicheng? Later, he learned that Xicheng was closer to the Western Paradise.

"I heard that the emperor has decided to behead Lu Dongzan on March 19th?" Li Shimin leaned back in the imperial carriage and looked up at Li Chengqian.

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian glanced at Li Xiang, who was sitting opposite him, and nodded. "Yes, the three courts have already reached a conclusion, so this matter will be concluded sooner rather than later. As for Gar Qinling, he has already started writing about everything related to Tubo."

"Can what he wrote be trusted?" Li Shimin's expression became serious.

"Son doesn't plan to use it." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Once he finishes writing these things, I will have them sealed up. I won't open them until the day when the army attacks Tubo."

"At that time, even if there is something misleading in that thing, you don't have to worry about affecting the army." Li Shimin smiled lightly.

"Yes." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "My son will use him to target Goguryeo. I don't think he can do anything about it."

Gar Qinling was not familiar with Goguryeo.

Even if you want to do something, it will be easy for others to see through it.

"What about Lu Dongzan? Do you really want to kill him?" Li Shimin looked straight at Li Chengqian and said, "If Lu Dongzan dies, Gar Qinling may not serve the Tang Dynasty anymore."

"My uncle said that on the day of the execution, he will have a replacement prepared." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "The Tang Dynasty needs to behead the Tubo Prime Minister to instill fear in everyone. However, a replacement can be used to accomplish this. The real Lu Dongzan will be sent to Beiyuan and imprisoned for eternity. He will not be allowed to leave."

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian added, "If the emperor is willing to issue an edict to pardon Lu Dongzan's death, that would naturally be even better."

Li Shimin raised his head slightly and asked, "What about you? What are you thinking?"

"It doesn't matter to my son." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Whether Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling live or die, it doesn't mean much to my son."

"How do you mean?" Li Shimin was a little curious.

During this period, although the people did not know about it, a group of ministers in the court were trying to push Li Chengqian to emulate Li Shimin's tolerance and magnanimity and pardon Lu Dongzan and his son.

Li Chengqian was also being pushed forward.

However, few people know that Li Chengqian doesn't care about these things.

"Lu Dongzan and his son are indeed rare smart people, but in fact, if you remove some things, they are just so-so." Li Chengqian shook his head calmly.

"what?"

"First of all, they are Tibetans, and it took them decades to understand the internal affairs of Tibet. If they use their abilities against Tibet, they will naturally be invincible. But if they lose this identity, and use their talents within the Tang Dynasty or Goguryeo, they will not be able to grow if they are not given enough time." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly.

This is the fundamental reason why many people who excel in one field fail in another.

"Secondly, the reason why Tubo has an advantage over the Tang Dynasty is actually more because it is located deep in the plateau. If it loses the advantage of being deep in the plateau, then even if Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling all stay in Tubo, Tubo will find it difficult to stop the Tang Dynasty's military advance." Li Chengqian sneered lightly.

The Tubo simply relied on altitude sickness, and the Tang Dynasty did not have many soldiers who could truly fight on the plateau.

Once these advantages were gone, Xue Rengui alone could destroy Tubo.

"There are countless capable people in our Tang Dynasty. Not to mention the older generation, there are also the younger ones, such as Liu Rengui, Dai Zhide, Zhang Wenguan, Su Dingfang, Pei Xingjian, and Wang Fangyi. None of these people are less talented than them." Li Chengqian shook his head, with a gleam in his eyes.

Li Shimin noticed that many of the people Li Chengqian was currently using were not on this list.

Or to be more precise, he sent out all the people he trusted to gain experience.

Instead of staying in Changan to gain experience.

……

Li Shimin glanced outside the carriage and saw that the imperial carriage had already arrived at Dunyifang.

"So, why didn't you refuse this time?" Li Shimin retracted his gaze and looked at Li Chengqian.

"It was my uncle who insisted this time." Li Chengqian shook his head indifferently and said, "It's just to give my uncle some face. Anyway, if they want to move up, they still need to make achievements."

Li Shimin's eyes flickered as he asked, "After this incident, how do you plan to deal with Gar Qinling?"

Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "Give him the honorary title of Shang Cheng Feng Yu."

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then whispered, "But now, the two Shangcheng Fengyu positions are already full."

"Then transfer one out." Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "Sanlang is old now, it's time for him to go out and gain some experience."

The third son of Changsun Jun, the Shangcheng Fengyu, and Changsun Weiwuji.

"Let's go to Tanzhou." Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, "Now that my uncle is in charge of the reform of the Jinghu Express, it's a good opportunity for Sanlang to be the Chief Secretary of Tanzhou and gain some experience."

Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian deeply.

He got it.

Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling were retained by Zhangsun Wuji. If they wanted to stay in the court, they would have to occupy the power of Zhangsun Wuji's line.

Li Shimin saw very clearly that in Li Chengqian's mind, the various forces in the court had clear boundaries in his mind.

While the overall situation of the Tang Dynasty ruling the world through Guanzhong remained unchanged, he maintained his own balance.

Moreover, Li Chengqian paid great attention to the training of young people in many things.

He doesn't want any trash here.

Outside the car, we have arrived at Da Ci'en Temple.

Li Shimin restrained his expression and, with the help of Li Chengqian and Li Xiang, stepped down from the imperial carriage.

Up ahead, Xuanzang and the eminent monks from the Chang'an temples were already waiting.

……

On March 19th, the bright sky makes people feel happy.

Under the Wude Sect, Li Chengqian walked towards the Zhaode Hall in front.

Li Yifu and Liu Rengui followed behind him.

Zhang Xuansu stood beside Li Chengqian. "The Crown Prince, Prince Yong, Prince Yan, and Prince Dai have already enrolled in the inner academy," he said as he walked. "The Qin, Cheng, Yuchi, Changsun, Wei, Du, Xue, Liu, Pei, and Yang families have all sent their best children to study with them."

Li Chengqian nodded. Accompanying the prince in study was a sign of each family's closeness to the royal family, and it was also a means for the royal family to win over each family.

"Mr. Zhang is the prime minister, in charge of all cultural and educational affairs in the world. He taught me in the past, and now he has to teach the prince. Mr. Zhang has worked hard." Li Chengqian bowed to Zhang Xuansu very seriously.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your kind words. This is all I should do." Zhang Xuansu quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty has appointed me as Prime Minister. I am extremely terrified. I can only serve Your Majesty until my death."

Li Chengqian looked at Zhang Xuansu with satisfaction.

Zhang Xuansu came from a poor family. When he first served in the Sui Dynasty, he was just a county household official, but he was very compassionate to the people.

Since entering the Tang Dynasty, he has put forward a lot of useful advice.

Although there were countless officials in the court who imitated Wei Zheng, only Zhang Xuansu was evaluated by Wei Zheng as having such a nature.

Be steadfast in your claims to be the most truthful, and uphold the constitution.

He had no selfish motives and was a model court official in Li Chengqian's eyes.

As they were talking, they had already walked into the Zhaode Hall.

Li Xiang, Li Jue, Li Yu, Li Jiu, and a group of younger generations from various families all stood up and said, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

"Stand up." Li Chengqian stood behind the desk, glanced at Li Xiang, then looked outside the hall and waved.

Two Jinwu Guards carried a table into the hall. Above it was a small square screen with the word "Jie" written on it.

Under the small screen is a one and a half foot long ruler.

The table was placed in a corner on one side of the hall.

"Avoid laziness, arrogance, impatience, greed, anger, jealousy, extravagance, and violence." Li Chengqian looked at Li Xiang, Li Jue, Li Yu, and Li Jiu and said, "These are my eight rules for studying. If anyone breaks any of these rules while studying, any of the teaching scholars can punish you with this ruler, even the Crown Prince. Do you understand?"

"We obey your order." Everyone bowed in unison, their expressions solemn.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Zhang Xuansu and said seriously, "Mr. Zhang, I'll leave everything to you."

"I will do my best." Zhang Xuansu bowed solemnly.

Li Chengqian nodded, then turned and left.

Everyone in the hall immediately bowed and said, "Farewell, Your Majesty!"

After walking out of Zhaode Hall, Li Chengqian was about to turn around and head towards Hongwenguan when Cen Changqian came quickly towards him.

"Your Majesty!" Cen Changqian bowed and said hurriedly, "Lu Dongzan has been taken to Xishi to be beheaded."

"Yeah!" Li Chengqian nodded calmly and continued forward.

……

Thousand Oxen Prison.

Gar Qinling sat in the corner with a pale face, the scene of Lu Dongzan being taken away earlier was still in his mind.

Trial by three departments.

Lu Dongzan took all the blame himself.

Gar Qinling told everything truthfully, without any hint of Songtsen's intention.

Therefore, Lu Dongzan was sentenced to beheading, while Gar Qinling was sentenced to hanging. However, because of their honesty, their punishment was reduced by one level and they were sentenced to exile for 3,000 miles.

Of course, the three thousand li excursion was just talk. Gar Qinling knew in his heart that he would never be able to leave Chang'an in his lifetime, so he survived.

His father is about to die.

The emperor acted quickly. Just a few days later, his father was taken to Xishi and beheaded.

I don’t know when it started, but Gar Qinling huddled in the corner, his body trembling slightly.

His father now has only one chance to survive, and that is the pardon from the retired emperor, but will the retired emperor grant the pardon?
The light and shadow outside the cell were already setting in the west.

A series of heavy footsteps sounded clearly and slowly outside the cell.

Gar Qinling shivered involuntarily.

With a creaky sound, the cell door opened.

Gar Qinling looked up subconsciously.

Changsun Wuji, holding a box in his hand, looked at Gar Qinling expressionlessly.

Gar Qinling stared at the box.

Changsun Wuji stretched out his hand and threw the box towards Gar Qinling.

However, as Gar Qinling watched, the box fell directly from mid-air.

With a "pop", a bloody human head appeared in the center of the broken wooden box.

"Father!" Gar Qinling rushed over involuntarily, hugged the head and was about to cry.

Suddenly, he saw the eyes of the head, and then he suddenly looked up at Zhangsun Wuji: "No, this is not my father."

"This is indeed not your father!" Zhangsun Wuji raised his head indifferently and said, "Before he was released from prison, His Majesty issued an order to transfer your father to Beiyuan for imprisonment. Your father is now in Beiyuan, so you should know what you have to do."

"I will go meet the envoy." Gar Qinling nodded seriously, then gritted his teeth and said, "I will make them pay the price for invading the Tang Dynasty."

"Yeah!" Changsun Wuji nodded slightly, then turned and left the cell.

……

After leaving Qianniu Prison, Changsun Wuji looked towards the direction of Ganlu Palace with some surprise.

The retired emperor actually did not issue a special decree to pardon Lu Dongzan.

really weird.

(End of this chapter)