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

Chapter 492: He is my father after all! (First update)
Outside the Wude Hall, Li Chengqian stood on the steps with a calm expression.

Everything is quiet inside and outside.

The guards stood solemnly with swords and spears in hand. The sunlight filtered through the windows like a fence and spread onto the floor of the hall.

Li Chengqian could clearly hear Li Shimin's heavy breathing.

In his mind, he was recalling the previous conversation between Cheng Zhijie and his group and Li Shimin.

No one supported Li Shimin's reckless behavior.

Even the old friend who walked with him from Xuanwu Gate back then was the same.

Yes, they are no longer the generals of the Qin Palace who would immediately flee into the mountains if they did not raise an army.

They are all dukes and generals who enjoy high positions and generous salaries. Who would risk their lives at this time?

A burst of hurried footsteps sounded behind Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian turned slightly sideways.

Xu An quickly walked up the steps and bowed to Li Chengqian: "Your Majesty, the three generals have already returned."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded, then turned around and strode into the Wude Hall.

Entering the inner hall, Li Chengqian bowed to Li Shimin, who was already lying on the bed, and said, "Father!"

"Yeah!" Li Shimin responded lightly.

"What would Your Majesty like for dinner today?" Li Chengqian bowed seriously and said, "I'll have someone prepare it."

Li Shimin was silent for a long time. He finally said, "I heard that Wei Zheng is still alive. Summon him to the palace to see me."

This idea came to him when he saw Cheng Zhijie and others coming to visit and Li Chengqian did not stop them.

Li Chengqian hesitated for a moment, then bowed and said, "Duke Zheng is in poor health and cannot move easily."

Li Shimin's eyes suddenly became sharp.

"I think it would be better if I could arrange for Your Majesty to leave the palace and visit Duke Zheng's residence tomorrow morning." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian raised his head and said sincerely, "We can also invite Duke Song and my uncle to come along and have them join Your Majesty in visiting Duke Zheng."

Wei Zheng, Xiao Yu, and Gao Shilian, three prime ministers who have retired from the court.

Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian steadily and nodded: "Okay!"

……

The bright moon is like water, spreading all over the earth.

In the Lizheng Hall, Su Shu, dressed in a black robe with gold threads, stood in the hall, looking expressionlessly at Li Chengqian who had just entered the hall.

Li Chengqian stopped and looked at Su Shu in surprise, asking, "What happened?"

"I heard that His Majesty wants to ask the Emperor to leave the palace." Su Shu looked straight at Li Chengqian and said, "I just want to ask, what exactly does His Majesty think?"

"You!" Li Chengqian shook his head with a smile, then walked to the short couch in the inner hall and sat down, then waved to Su Shu.

Su Shu turned around and walked in front of Li Chengqian, staring at him straight.

Li Chengqian grabbed Su Shu's hands and whispered, "Duke Lu, Duke E, and Duke Guo came to see my father today. My father said something, but Duke Lu, Duke E, and Duke Guo all disagreed. So, I've figured it out. The situation is far better than you and I thought."

"Could it be that they and Father are acting?"

"No, they are all successful now, some have even retired. Why would they risk acting like this with my father?" Li Chengqian looked up at Su Shu and said seriously, "Besides, although Duke Lu looks rough, he is actually very tactful. Duke E is actually the one who supports me the most, and Duke Guo is the one who knows the truth the best."

Cheng Yaojin is the most tactful.

Between Zhangsun Wuji and Li Zhi, he chose to support Li Zhi; between Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang, he chose to support Wu Meiniang.

Therefore, the Cheng family was at its peak.

In his early years, Yuchi Jingde had already advised Li Shimin to retire early and hand over the throne to Li Chengqian.

He has been taking elixirs all these years and has long lost the courage he once had.

As for Zhang Shigui, he seems steady, but in fact he is too cautious. He knows best how powerful Li Chengqian is.

If they take action, they have no chance of winning.

"Besides, I've been on the throne for almost a year now. I'm the legitimate ruler of the world, and my father is now in a state of confusion. No one is sure what the future holds." Li Chengqian looked at Su Shu's bright face and whispered, "Perhaps my father will suddenly wake up tomorrow. If they really make a fuss and my father wakes up, who do you think is plotting a rebellion, or are they?"

Su Shu was a little dazed: "Is that how it is?"

Li Chengqian reached out and pulled Su Shu into his arms, then whispered, "Except for Zhishisili, Qibi Heli, and Ashina Zhong, these vassal generals who don't know how to weigh the pros and cons, no one else will act recklessly."

Su Shu nodded slightly, then looked up and asked, "What about them?"

"Don't worry, I'm here to make arrangements." Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Tomorrow, the Duke of Susong will be on duty as the imperial guard, An Yan will accompany me to the Wei Mansion, and Qiu Shenji will be on guard all around.

My uncle, Prime Minister Fang, Prime Minister Tang, Minister Yang, as well as Qiu Xinggong, Zhishisili, and Qibi Heli also accompanied the emperor."

Su Shu suddenly looked up: "Are they going with us?"

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Tomorrow is the best time to resolve all these issues. Everyone inside and outside the palace is my people. I will limit their contact time with my father and keep everyone on guard. This way, as long as tomorrow passes, all hidden dangers will disappear."

As long as Li Shimin appeared in Chang'an City, all the rumors about him being sick, under house arrest, and taking elixirs would disappear.

"Furthermore, the real source of all this lies with my father." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, "My father is still my father after all. As long as he can leave the palace and see the people of Chang'an living in peace and happiness, he will calm down."

Li Shimin's age is there after all. Although he can't understand it for a while, he will calm down as long as he sees that the world is stable.

The reason why he felt uneasy in the palace was because he didn't know how Li Chengqian governed the world.

As long as he could see the world prosper as he imagined, he would no longer have the idea of ​​deposing Li Chengqian.

This matter can also end here.

Fundamentally end.

"So that's how it is." Su Shu now understood what was going on.

Li Chengqian wanted to use tomorrow's events to completely eliminate the hidden dangers. "Of course, the reason for this is that after Duke Lu and the others leave the palace today, news from the palace will spread, but they won't act so quickly." Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly and said softly, "It's a good opportunity to see who will make a move."

There must be someone who wants to do something about Li Shimin's affairs.

Li Chengqian sent people to keep a close eye on Cheng Zhijie, Yuchi Jingde, Zhishisili and Qibi Heli, all of whom he could see.

But there must be someone he can't see who is ready to make a move.

Su Shu grabbed Li Chengqian's hand and said seriously, "The daughters of the seven families in Guanzhong have entered the palace and are now placed in the Eastern Palace, Your Majesty..."

"They are all named beauties." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "Keep a low profile for the time being."

"Your Majesty, are you still going to kill someone?" A hint of worry flashed across Su Shu's face.

Li Chengqian hugged Su Shu and whispered, "Tomorrow, the Crown Prince will guard Liangyi Hall. Duke Yingguo, Ma Zhou, and Prime Minister Yu will assist him. The Empress will attend to government affairs in the east wing of Liangyi Hall. If anything happens, she will handle it decisively."

This is Li Chengqian's last trump card.

Li Ji was the Shangshu You Pushe, Ma Zhou was the Zhongshu Shilang, and Yu Zhining was the Shizhong. With these three people around, the imperial edict could be issued at the critical moment.

"As for the Duke of Susong, everything must be done according to the Queen's orders." Li Chengqian gently held Su Shu's hand.

"Okay!" Su Shu nodded slightly.

Li Chengqian looked forward and said softly, "I really hope that everything will end smoothly tomorrow. I hope that my father can wake up and be in good health... After all, he is my father!"

Su Shu looked straight at Li Chengqian.

There was a hint of sadness on Li Chengqian's face.

Su Shu reached out, held Li Chengqian in her arms, and comforted him silently.

……

The imperial carriage left from the Suzaku Gate.

Surrounded by people from front and back.

On Chang'an Street, flags were waving and countless Jinwu Guards stood solemnly on both sides with spears in hand.

More people knelt on both sides of the road and bowed to the emperor loudly: "Your Majesty, may you live forever. May the Emperor live forever in good health and happiness."

The rumbling sound continued to echo throughout the entire Chang'an City.

More people were standing far away and couldn't get close at all.

Li Chengqian watched this scene calmly. He turned around and looked at Li Shimin who was sitting opposite him.

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling knelt on one side, looking at Li Shimin with concern.

Li Shimin's gaze lingered on the city of Chang'an outside the car for a long time.

Cheng Zhijie, Yuchi Jingde, Zhang Shigui, Zhishisili, Qibi Heli and others all rode on horseback to guard on both sides.

Further away were Zuo Kuangzheng, Tian Renhui, Qiu Xinggong and others.

The person closest to the imperial carriage was Li Anyan.

On both sides of the imperial carriage were Li Anyan’s most trusted confidants.

Li Shimin ignored all this, and even after seeing Zhishisili and Qibiheli, he did not ask them to come closer.

His entire gaze was fixed on the prosperity of Chang'an City.

On Zhuque Street, camel bells rang softly.

In the West Market, the shouts of the Hu merchants rose one after another.

There were groups of young scholars standing in the distance, bowing to the imperial carriage.

There are also tall buildings that extend from not far away to the horizon.

On both sides of the long street and in the alleys, the dense crowds of Chang'an people are almost endless.

This is Chang'an City.

Although the clothes worn by the people were not gorgeous, they were already much more substantial.

They all have a warm complexion and it's obvious that they are well fed and well dressed.

From further away, there seemed to be waves of meat aroma coming from the West Market.

The sun is bright and the world is at peace.

Li Shimin looked at all this with endless greed.

He looked at everything greedily and didn't even notice that he had finally arrived at Wei Zheng's residence.

……

The imperial carriage entered the Duke of Zheng's Mansion through the main gate.

Wei Zheng, Gao Shilian, Xiao Yu and others had already been waiting by the side.

Li Shimin was seen getting off the carriage with the support of Li Chengqian.

Looking at Li Shimin, whose hair and beard were already white, everyone felt a complicated feeling in their hearts, and then they all bowed their hands: "Your Majesty, we pay our respects to you, may your Majesty live forever; Your Majesty, we pay our respects to the Emperor, may you live long and healthy."

Li Shimin walked towards the carriage, his eyes first falling on Wei Zheng, then he smiled gently and said, "Duke Zheng, the emperor takes care of you, even more than I, your father. He would rather let me leave the palace than let you work hard. In this respect, I am not as good as you!"

The ministers around him suddenly held their breath.

Wei Zheng smiled and cupped his hands, saying somewhat complacently, "Of course. After all, I am Concubine Shu's biological father. A son-in-law is half a son. It's just right that Your Majesty would take care of me."

Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng deeply, then nodded: "That's right."

(End of this chapter)