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

Chapter 471: The Emperor Decrees: Buddhism and Taoism Jointly Promote Longevity Pills (Part )
Raindrops fell gently from the sky.

very light.

Li Shimin sat behind the threshold of Ganlu Palace, looking calmly at the Ganlu disciples in the distance.

Li Chengqian and Zhangsun Wuji exchanged a few words at Ganlu Gate, and then they were surrounded by many eunuchs and guards and headed towards Liangyi Hall.

"Mei Niang." Li Shimin raised his head slightly, his gaze passing through Ganlu Gate and gazing at the entire Chang'an City ahead. He said softly, "Do you know how important prestige is to an emperor?"

Wu Meiniang looked carefully at the rain in front of her, trying her best to prevent it from falling on Li Shimin.

"Prestige can gain people's respect!" Wu Meiniang bowed slightly.

Li Shimin shook his head and said, "More than that, even though I have abdicated the throne, as long as I am here, the people of the world are at peace. But if I am gone, the people of the world will be divided."

Wu Meiniang wanted to speak, but didn't know how to respond.

"Prestige, the first word is 'wei', and 'wei' is earned by killing people." Li Shimin looked up at the gradually darkening sky above him and recalled softly, "When the Tang Dynasty was founded, I killed countless people before I gained respect. After gaining respect, I was able to win over Huaide."

Wu Meiniang listened quietly. These were the life experiences of Emperor Li Shimin.

"Does the emperor have power in the world today?" Li Shimin turned sideways.

"Yes!" Wu Meiniang bowed. Emperor Li Chengqian was definitely an extraordinary man with extraordinary scheming and tactics.

"That's for people like you," Li Shimin shook his head. "In the eyes of those who fought alongside me on the battlefields of the late Sui Dynasty, in the eyes of the world's most powerful families, does the emperor have any authority?"

Wu Meiniang really wanted to say yes, but she knew in her heart that even if Li Chengqian killed more people, it would be impossible for those who emerged from the battlefield to be so awed.

"So, right now, the best thing for him is to kill one person and establish his authority." Li Shimin's eyes gradually became indifferent.

Wu Meiniang subconsciously said, "Is it Lu Dongzan?"

"Yes, it's Lu Dongzan." Li Shimin nodded with a smile and said, "Lu Dongzan is the Prime Minister of Tubo. He has a noble status and extraordinary abilities. Even in the Tang Dynasty, he is equivalent to a minister of six ministries, or even a prime minister. If the emperor kills him, he will establish the same prestige as if he had killed the prime minister of the dynasty."

Wu Meiniang didn't know what she was thinking about, and her expression changed slightly.

"Cheng Qian has only been on the throne for a short time, and crucially, I am still around, so he can't see through these things for a while." Li Shimin looked at the gradually quieting Ganlu Gate and sighed softly, "Although Wuji has been prime minister for many years and was personally trained by me, he has never been emperor. Moreover, he is the emperor's uncle, so he hasn't thought about these things."

Or rather, as the emperor's uncle, Changsun Wuji thought he was one with the emperor.

In his efforts to subdue Lu Dongzan and his son, he was essentially trying to enhance the emperor's prestige by enhancing his own prestige.

But he didn't understand that he was not the emperor.

"While I'm still here, everything is fine. People are at peace. Even if some people have second thoughts, it won't matter." Li Shimin shook his head and said, "But if I'm gone, people's hearts will be scattered. Some of these scattered hearts will disappear, while others will flow to others."

Changsun Wuji, his figure instantly jumped out in Wu Meiniang's mind.

"It's okay if it takes a short time, but over a long time, the prestige of others will be higher than that of the emperor, and Cheng Qian is not a weak person. He will overturn everything and rebuild his prestige. The simplest way here is to kill the most prestigious person." A trace of helplessness flashed in Li Shimin's eyes.

Wu Meiniang felt a chill all over her body as she listened.

The emperor will kill Sikong.

Li Chengqian would kill Changsun Wuji.

If Lu Dongzan were still alive now, his family might even have a good career in the Tang Dynasty. Then Changsun Wuji's prestige would greatly increase, while the emperor's prestige would be damaged.

When the ministers fear Zhangsun Wuji more than they fear the emperor, many unpredictable things will happen.

Wu Meiniang heard clearly that Changsun Wuji had no intention of rebelling, but as he moved forward step by step, he was often unable to control his own will.

And when that time comes, the emperor will take action.

Wu Meiniang knew Li Chengqian very well, and she believed that when that time came, Li Chengqian would definitely kill Zhangsun Wuji.

……

"Mei Niang, do you think Cheng Qian has thought about what I just said?" Li Shimin suddenly turned around.

Wu Meiniang was slightly stunned and whispered, "What are you talking about, Your Majesty?"

"Do you think Cheng Qian has thought about the consequences of what Wuji is doing now?" Li Shimin looked up at Wu Meiniang.

Wu Meiniang shuddered uncontrollably, then quickly bowed and said, "Saint, I don't know."

Li Shimin turned around, looked towards the Liangyi Hall, and said softly, "I'm afraid he knows it clearly."

Wu Meiniang fell to her knees with a plop.

Li Shimin suddenly laughed, looked at Wu Meiniang and said, "What's wrong with you? Are you imagining nonsense again?"

"Saint, who am I?" Wu Meiniang looked up in confusion.

Li Shimin shook his head and sighed, "Although Cheng Qian is quite cunning, his heart is good. Look at Qingque and Zhinu. Although they were defeated in several battles, they are still doing well now. They treat me, Wuji, and Cheng Qian the same way."

The corners of Wu Meiniang's mouth trembled slightly. Is the emperor such a person?

"How many things in the palace can be hidden from him?" Li Shimin turned around, and raindrops were like a curtain in front of him.

This made him think of what Li Chengqian said on the way to Da Ci'en Temple that day.

He said he didn't care about the life or death of Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling.

"Perhaps he really doesn't care." Li Shimin raised his head and whispered, "Perhaps in his mind, he already has a whole set of methods to target Wuji, or even methods to disintegrate Wuji's entire faction, but Wuji is completely unaware of these."

Wu Meiniang lowered her head heavily, but she felt inexplicably relaxed in her heart, because this was how the emperor looked in her eyes.

"But." Li Shimin's face turned cold and his voice became serious: "No one in the world or anything in the world will ever develop according to the wishes of one person, not even the emperor."

For some reason, Wu Meiniang felt the coldness in her body suddenly deepened a lot.

Li Shimin's voice suddenly softened, and he even whispered, "If there were a choice, who would be willing to kill their own brother, their own younger brother, their own nephew, and then force their own father to abdicate?"

Wu Meiniang looked at Li Shimin in surprise.

Xuanwu Gate Incident. Since the Zhenguan period, how many people dared to mention Xuanwu Gate in front of the retired emperor?

Not to mention killing brothers and even one's own nephew.

"I'm already in this state, let alone Cheng Qian." Li Shimin shook his head slightly and said, "If I don't kill Lu Dongzan and his son today, then one day in the future, Cheng Qian will definitely kill Wu Ji."

Wu Meiniang nodded subconsciously. For a moment, she could even see Zhangsun Wuji being executed and his entire family being exterminated. "So, I hope today's events will serve as a warning to Wuji." Li Shimin sighed softly, raised his head, and whispered, "As for Cheng Qian, he has done well enough."

Wu Meiniang lowered her head, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.

She believed that the emperor's starting point might be good, but his methods were definitely not soft, and at times, they might even be extremely cruel.

Perhaps, he will not kill Changsun Wuji's clan in the end, but those who depend on Changsun Wuji will definitely be killed by him.

It was as if all those who had firmly supported Li Zhi and Li Tai were dead.

"In matters of imperial power, the most fearful thing is the change of people's hearts and the loss of control over oneself." Li Shimin's expression grew serious. Turning around, he looked at Wu Meiniang and said, "Meiniang, tomorrow go and call Master Yin Wencao and Master Xuanzang to the palace. Oh, and call Master Luo Ersabomei too."

"Yes!" Wu Meiniang bowed slightly. She knew that the retired emperor wanted to take good care of his health and prolong his life, and then hold on for as long as possible so as to suppress the changes in people's hearts in the court.

……

In the Liangyi Hall, smoke was curling up.

The atmosphere in the hall was solemn, with guards standing on both sides holding spears.

Situ Fang Xuanling.

The Shangshu Zuo Pushe was Zhangsun Wuji, and the Shangshu You Pushe was Li Ji.

The Minister of the Secretariat was Chu Suiliang, and the Secretary of the Secretariat and Vice-Chancellor Ma Zhou.

Shizhong Yu Zhining, Huangmen Shilang and Canzhi Zhengshi Lai Ji.

Li Jing, the commander-in-chief of the Northwest Road Army and the vice-chancellor.

Zhang Xuansu, the Grand Secretary of the Hongwen Academy and the third-rank official of the Zhongshu.

Nine prime ministers sit at the top left.

The other six ministers, nine ministers of the temples, as well as the generals of the guards, the generals of the palace, the chief censors, and the supervisory censors, each holding a tablet and standing in the middle of the ranks.

Li Chengqian sat on the Danbi, looking calmly at the dozens of important officials in front of him, and said, "Is there anything else?"

Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Majesty, the Tibetan envoy has already sent the contract back to Tubo. Then, Tubo will send 50,000 taels of gold to Chang'an. However, the Tibetan envoy has requested an audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Wencheng!"

"They still refuse to give up and are even trying to use the gold issue to blackmail me!" Li Chengqian sneered and waved his hand, saying, "Tell him, one thing is one thing. Tubo has six months. If the gold sent to Chang'an is even one ounce less, I will send troops to dig Su Pi out of Tubo's hands."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed solemnly.

Li Chengqian's eyes were cold, and he turned around and asked, "What does the princess do every day now?"

"Your Majesty!" Qiu Shenji, the General of the Right Thousand Oxen Guard, stepped forward and said with a blank expression, "The princess often studies at home these days, and only goes out for a walk when she's tired."

"Where are you going?"

"We've been to both East City and West City, and also Taiyi Qinghua Temple and Da Ci'en Temple. However, the most popular place is Qujiang Lake." Qiu Shenji bowed slightly.

"There are too many opportunities for others to take advantage of them." Li Chengqian closed his eyes slightly, then looked at Li Jing and said, "Duke Weiguo, please set off for Xichang Prefecture as soon as possible. Once you return, they will be at peace."

"I obey your order!" Li Jing stood up and bowed.

"As for the princess, I can't keep her imprisoned at home." Li Chengqian looked up at Dou Zhijie and said, "Send the Ministry of Rites, Junior Secretary Yan Xuansui, Secretary of the Central Secretariat Liu Rengui, and General Wei Daijia of the Left Thousand Oxen Guard to the rear to see the emperor!"

"Yes!" Dou Zhijie bowed slightly.

Wei Daijia's wife is the eldest daughter of the Prince of Jiangxia. After Wei Daijia travels east, it is a good opportunity for Wei Daijia's wife to spend more time with Princess Wencheng, while keeping her confined in the mansion.

"Alright." Li Chengqian's expression became serious, and he looked at his ministers and said, "The Tang Dynasty has not taken any action against Tubo for five years, and I will not let the princess return. I am afraid that Songtsen will make a big move in Lhasa before he dies.

But we don't care about these. As long as we get the 50,000 taels of gold, we will start repairing the river and clearing the road.

The most important thing is the suppression of bandits along the Silk Road and this year’s autumn harvest…”

Fifty thousand taels of gold is enough to do a lot of things.

……

After the court meeting, Li Chengqian stood in front of the huge East Island sand table.

Behind him, Yan Xuansui, Liu Rengui and Wei Daijia bowed solemnly.

"On our way to Silla, we'll pass through Baekje." Li Chengqian's gaze fell on Baekje, and he said calmly, "Remember to mention the war between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo, especially the Tang Dynasty's killing of 100,000 Tubo soldiers in one battle, with the Tubo Zamp barely escaping with his life, and the subsequent compensation of 50,000 taels of gold to the Tang Dynasty. Talk about it all."

"Unintentional", "Say something".

Although the emperor said this, Yan Xuansui, Liu Rengui and Wei Daijia all understood that the emperor wanted them to publicize these things widely in Silla and Baekje.

It is even possible that the news would be passed on to Goguryeo.

The Tang Dynasty defeated the Tibetan army of 100,000 in one battle.

The Tibetan king barely escaped with his life.

The most important thing is that Tubo paid 50,000 taels of gold as compensation to the Tang Dynasty.

This not only means that the focus of Tang Dynasty's foreign wars will be fully shifted to Goguryeo, but also means that Tang Dynasty will have no worries and will even have more powerful forces to participate in the war against Goguryeo.

Li Chengqian turned and looked at the three of them, his expression becoming serious.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Xu An appear at the door of the east wing hall with an anxious look on his face.

Although Xu An was the Junior Eunuch, most of the time he was responsible for serving Li Chengqian's harem.

The affairs of the previous dynasty were managed by Dou Zhijie, who was from the Dou family.

When Li Chengqian was in the previous dynasty, Xu An usually stayed by Su Shu's side.

Unless there is something important, he usually does not come to the front court.

"What's the matter?" Li Chengqian frowned and looked sideways at Xu An.

Xu An immediately stepped into the hall, walked up to Li Chengqian, and bowed solemnly, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has just issued an order for both the Taoist and Buddhist sects to present the Longevity and Longevity Pill."

(End of this chapter)