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

Chapter 506: Empress Xiao Pays Homage to the Late Emperor (Part )
It is already May, and seven months later it will be the first month of next year.

The retired emperor's body will be kept for seven months until the Spring Festival next year.

The impact is too great.

However, it is recorded in the Book of Rites: Therefore, the emperor is buried in the seventh month, and all the relatives are present; the princes are buried in the fifth month, and all the relatives are present; the officials are buried in the third month, and all the relatives are present; the scholars and common people are buried in the second month, and all the relatives are present.

This is a gift.

Li Chengqian looked up and said, "According to the Book of Rites, the emperor is buried in the seventh month. This is actually mostly for the purpose of repairing the mausoleum. At the same time, provincial governors are ordered to attend the funeral. Now, my father has issued an edict that, with the exception of the princes and their sons-in-law, no provincial governors are required to attend the funeral. As for the mausoleum... Cousin, when will the Zhaoling Mausoleum be completed?"

Minister of Works Chang Sunxiang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the Zhaoling Mausoleum will be completed by mid-July."

Li Chengqian nodded, looked at Zhangsun Wuji, and said, "Uncle, I think we should bury our father in Zhaoling Mausoleum in August... When our father was dying, he kept muttering our mother's name. Reuniting them sooner... would be good for both father and mother."

As he spoke, tears welled up in Li Chengqian's eyes again, and he couldn't help but turn his head to the side.

"Your Majesty is absolutely right." Changsun Wuji nodded with a heavy heart and said, "In accordance with Your Majesty's decree, the late emperor will be buried in Zhaoling Mausoleum in August."

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian sighed softly, then said, "What remains is to decide on a temple name and posthumous title for Father.

The Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academy, and all the scholars in the Hongwen Academy, please discuss this matter together and have a thorough discussion."

Li Xizhi, Zhao Yuankai, and Zhang Xuansu all bowed.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Li Shimin lying on the imperial couch, his expression becoming sad again.

Now that his father is gone, he will be the one to shoulder the responsibilities of the empire in the future.

Datang, Datang.

Long live the Tang Dynasty.

Li Chengqian closed his eyes gently.

Can he make the Tang Dynasty last for ten thousand years?

……

The heavy rain fell from the gloomy sky.

The entire palace was shrouded in mist, but people were still bustling about.

Today is the day when the retired emperor will be buried and his coffin will be moved to the Taiji Hall.

All officials above the ninth rank in Chang'an, retired elders, and vassal states from both inside and outside the city must come.

Even people who never appeared at the New Year's Day court in the past will come today.

Outside the Wude Hall, a bamboo shed was pulled out far away.

……

A piece of yellow paper floated down into the brazier.

Li Chengqian knelt aside, watching the rising flames. Li Shimin's face was still jumping up in the flames.

Without Li Shimin, all eyes in the world were on him.

Wait for him to lead the entire Tang Dynasty and move forward.

Continue throughout the heyday.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall and came to Li Chengqian's side.

"Your Majesty!" Xu An bowed with a serious expression.

"Is there something?" Li Chengqian looked up calmly, and his heavy gaze made Xu An bow subconsciously.

"Your Majesty!" Xu An bowed and whispered, "Prince Ji sent someone to report that Empress Xiao, Duke Song, and the Imperial Guardsman Yang Zhengdao have arrived."

Before Li Chengqian could say anything, Yang Shidao, the Minister of Personnel who was kneeling beside him, looked up in astonishment.

Empress Xiao was Yang Guang's wife, Xiao Yu, the Duke of Song, was Empress Xiao's younger brother, and Yang Zhengdao, the Shangyi Fengyu, was Yang Guang's grandson.

There was a hint of nervousness in Yang Shidao's eyes. Why did they come today?

However, Yang Shidao nodded slightly, looking helpless.

Today is the day when the retired emperor's body will be moved. From today on, the retired emperor's body will be kept in Taiji Hall for seven days.

No matter what, they must come today.

Li Chengqian nodded calmly and said, "Let Du He escort him to the Wude Hall."

"Here!" Xu An immediately walked down quickly.

Among the crowd on one side, Du He, who was accompanying Princess Chengyang, immediately stood up and went outside.

The entire Wude Hall.

Li Chengqian knelt on the left side of the imperial bed, and Su Shu knelt on the right side.

Behind Li Chengqian are his children and concubines.

Behind Su Shu were the retired emperor's concubines and their children.

Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan's sons and daughters knelt on both sides.

Su Shu touched Li Chengqian's hand and looked at him with some concern.

Empress Xiao was Yang Guang's empress, and Yang Zhengdao was Yang Guang's grandson and the last bloodline of the former Sui Dynasty.

Coming here today to pay tribute to the late emperor is bound to cause unrest among the people.

Li Chengqian looked at Su Shu, then shook his head calmly.

Seeing Li Chengqian's appearance, Su Shu immediately felt relieved.

Soon, footsteps were heard outside the hall.

Xiao Yu and Yang Shidao walked in, supporting an old woman who was in her eighties, with a noble demeanor but a face that looked only in her sixties.

Before arriving at the imperial bed, Empress Xiao knelt on the ground with the support of Yang Zhengdao and Xiao Yu.

He kowtowed deeply to the late emperor lying on the bed.

Then he cried fifteen times.

Afterwards, Empress Xiao bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Majesty, I express my condolences."

Li Chengqian did not look at Empress Xiao. His gaze was still on the brazier in front of him. He just said in a faint voice: "Thank you for coming today, Madam Xiao. The funeral of my father is very solemn. You are old, so from today on, you don't have to come to the palace to pay homage. In seven days, there will be the day of my father's burial, and you can come now." "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, and may the late emperor be blessed with endless happiness." Empress Xiao kowtowed to Li Chengqian again.

Xiao Yu and Yang Shidao followed suit, kowtowed, and wept bitterly. Then they bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Majesty, accept my condolences."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Duke Song is in poor health, and the Shangyi Fengyu is also sensitive. They can come to pay their respects in seven days and on the day of the emperor's burial."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live long and may the late emperor be blessed with endless happiness." Xiao Yu and Yang Shidao kowtowed to Li Chengqian at the same time.

Li Chengqian then turned around calmly and nodded slightly to the three of them.

The three of them then stood up, bowed, and slowly retreated.

……

Coming out of Chengtian Gate, Yang Zhengdao helped Empress Xiao and Xiao Yu sit in the carriage.

Queen Xiao sat in the carriage and slowly headed out of the palace.

It was not until they left the Suzaku Gate that Queen Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked outside the car. On both sides were two teams of Jinwu Guards closely guarding the vehicle, and further away, there were people on constant alert.

Empress Xiao looked at Xiao Yu across from her and said softly, "Qilang, although the current emperor is not as capable as the previous one, he is also a man of ability and means."

"Don't worry, sister." Xiao Yu bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty is a kind and filial person. He had many connections with my family before he ascended the throne. When the Empress was seeking to marry the seven daughters from Guanzhong for Your Majesty, someone asked the Xiao family, and the family has already agreed that after the mourning period for Your Majesty is over, one of our daughters will be sent to the palace as a concubine."

Empress Xiao thought about it and nodded slightly.

After all, the Xiao family is different from the Yang family.

She turned sideways to look at Yang Zhengdao on the other side, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

Xiao Yu gently grasped her wrist, shook his head gently, and said, "His Majesty is clear in his mind. As long as we behave ourselves well, he won't do anything."

"I hope so." Queen Xiao couldn't help but sigh.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid horse hooves sounded outside the car.

Queen Xiao frowned and subconsciously looked outside the car.

The sound of galloping horses also slowed down at this moment.

Then, in the heavy rain, a young man wearing white linen mourning clothes and looking exhausted passed by the carriage.

His eyes happened to meet those of Queen Xiao who was looking outside.

Then, under Empress Xiao's calm gaze, the man's face changed drastically, but he was immediately carried towards Chengtian Gate by the galloping horse.

Queen Xiao looked back in surprise.

"It's King Wu." Yang Zhengdao spoke for the first time and looked at Queen Xiao with a complicated expression.

Queen Xiao's lips trembled slightly.

King Wu Li Ke, his mother was Yang Guang's daughter.

Of course, that was not Empress Xiao’s daughter.

She is the daughter of another ordinary concubine.

Even before Yang Guang's death, she did not receive any title of princess.

Unlike Empress Xiao's daughter, she was given the title of princess when she was born.

But no matter what, Li Ke's mother had to call Queen Xiao "mother" when she saw her.

Empress Xiao was Concubine Yang's biological mother and also Li Ke's grandmother.

Yang Zhengdao was the grandson of Yang Guang, the son of King of Qi Yang Ling, and the cousin of Li Ke.

Empress Xiao shook her head at Yang Zhengdao, her eyes gradually becoming colder.

Yang Zhengdao lowered his head solemnly, then nodded calmly.

He will not have any dealings with Li Ke.

Queen Xiao's expression was still solemn. She turned and looked at Xiao Yu with a questioning look in her eyes.

Xiao Yu's face was solemn, and he looked outside the car.

The road is broad.

How could we meet by chance?

Could it be that someone is plotting this?
……

In the Wude Hall, Li Ke walked into the hall with heavy steps.

His face was filled with sorrow and tears flowed uncontrollably.

Prince Ji Li Shen stood to one side and whispered to Li Ke, "Brother, first pay respect to our father, and then pay respect to His Majesty."

Li Ke finally came back to his senses, nodded gratefully to Li Shen, then walked to the imperial bed, knelt down, and kowtowed deeply.

Crying in pain.

After a while, Li Ke wiped his tears, turned to look at Li Chengqian, and kowtowed to him, saying: "Your Majesty, I, the King of Wu, Ke, pay my respects to you. May your Majesty live a long and healthy life."

"Get up." Li Chengqian sighed, looked at Li Ke and said, "Sanlang, I've been waiting for you. Now that you're here, the emperor's body can be moved."

"I am guilty of wasting time." Li Ke kowtowed again, tears streaming down his face again.

He should have arrived earlier, but a mountain torrent washed away the road, delaying him.

"It's alright, you're finally here." Li Chengqian looked at Concubine Yang and the King of Shu to the right and back, and said, "Go back to your seats first. We can talk later, brothers."

"I obey your order." Li Ke bowed to Li Chengqian again, then retreated to the side of his mother.

Seeing his mother, Li Ke looked comforted, but the image of Empress Xiao whom he had met before flashed through his mind.

His expression suddenly became serious.

At this moment, a figure walked past him.

Li Ke looked up and recognized Changsun Wuji at a glance.

He was suddenly shocked. Could it be that all this was planned by Changsun Wuji?

Or was it the emperor who designed it?
Does the emperor want to kill his brothers?
(End of this chapter)