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

Chapter 509: I hope I can be a benevolent ruler and not kill too many people (Part )
Outside the Liangyi Hall, a canopy towers high.

The downpour was completely blocked.

Li Chengqian walked calmly towards the Taiji Hall.

Changsun Wuji followed beside him.

At this time, Changsun Wuji was still murmuring the five words "Emperor Taizong Wen".

Li Shimin's figure quietly appeared in Changsun Wuji's heart.

Behind him were more ministers following behind, many of whom were as dazed and dejected as Changsun Wuji.

As soon as the five words "Emperor Taizong Wen" came out, Li Shimin's figure stood out in everyone's mind.

No need to discuss further.

Before they knew it, everyone had arrived outside the Tai Chi Hall.

Li Chengqian walked up the golden steps. After all the ministers had come up, he turned around and said to them, "My lords, the matter of our father's temple name and posthumous title must be announced publicly."

"We obey your orders." All the ministers bowed in unison.

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "When discussing Father's posthumous title, the character 'Wen' will go to Father, leaving 'Xiao' and 'Ren' as the remaining characters."

All the ministers looked up at the emperor.

Li Chengqian's expression darkened. He sighed and said, "A son wishes to support his parents, but they are no longer around. My father passed away, and my mother died very young. Although I have endless filial piety, I have nowhere to display it. Therefore, the posthumous title of 'filial piety' probably won't be bestowed upon me."

"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences!" Changsun Wuji bowed and wanted to say something.

Li Chengqian waved his hand calmly and said, "I ask for little, just the word 'benevolence'. I hope that after a hundred years, this word 'benevolence' will be etched on me, and that I can truly implement 'benevolent' policies during this reign."

The ministers couldn't help but feel moved. A benevolent government is a good thing!
"To cultivate virtue and achieve great deeds is called benevolence; to be kind to the people and to all things is called benevolence; to restrain oneself and to uphold propriety is called benevolence; to value the virtuous and to cherish one's family is called benevolence." Li Chengqian looked at the ministers, his eyes cold as he said, "For the Tang Dynasty to achieve prosperity, governing the people with benevolence is inevitable, but governing officials is not necessarily the same. Corruption, unfilial piety, misbehavior, incompetence, laziness, and old age will all lead to dismissal from office, and even criminal charges will be considered by the Three Courts."

The ministers looked up in astonishment.

"I hope I can be a benevolent monarch. I don't want to kill too much when encountering such things." After Li Chengqian finished speaking, he turned around and walked into the Taiji Hall.

Changsun Wuji stood aside, not knowing what to say for a moment.

At this moment, Zhang Ananda walked out of the hall, nodded gently to the crowd, and then said, "Your Majesty has ordered: Let them return to their respective departments now. It's pouring rain, and it would be disastrous if something really happened. As for the worship, according to the late emperor's will, for seven days, officials of the fifth rank and above will cry and worship every morning and evening. After seven days, they will cry and worship once every morning."

"We obey your command." All the ministers bowed.

When they looked up, Zhang Ananda had disappeared.

Everyone couldn't help but look at Changsun Wuji.

The emperor's words were enough to show that he was not an easy-going emperor.

Changsun Wuji turned and calmly looked at the ministers, saying, "Your Majesty has said that the Tang Dynasty is on the path to prosperity. Anyone who is incompetent, or even corrupt and lawless, will be thrown off this path. What remains are the virtuous and capable people who can accompany Your Majesty on this journey to prosperity. As the saying goes, be close to virtuous ministers and stay away from villains. Your Majesty has great ambitions, so I hope you will work hard."

"Yes!" All the ministers bowed.

Changsun Wuji was the first to go to the Secretariat, as he was the one who could best understand the meaning of Li Chengqian's words.

Rectify the administration of officials.

The reason why Sun Fujia was asked to strengthen the Censorate was also for this reason.

However, Changsun Wuji couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart.

How far can he accompany the emperor?

In addition...

Changsun Wuji's expression became serious.

Why did Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Jingde suddenly speak out about the late emperor's posthumous title? Taizong had no problem with it!

Behind them?
Is someone behind this?
who?

……

In the Taiji Hall, Li Chengqian walked into the hall with a calm expression.

The Queen, along with the Prince of Wu, the Prince of Ji, the Prince of Teng, the Prince of Jiangxia, and dozens of other princes, princesses, consorts, and concubines in the harem all bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Majesty!"

"No need for formalities." Li Chengqian nodded slightly, walked to the front of the coffin, lit three tall incense sticks, put them into the incense burner, then walked to one side and knelt down, facing Su Shu.

Facing Su Shu's concerned gaze, Li Chengqian nodded calmly, then picked up the paper money beside him and put it into the brazier to light it.

Looking at the jumping flames, Li Chengqian sighed lightly, then turned and looked to the left.

All the princes, princesses and others in the palace looked at Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian nodded, looked at everyone and said, "The matter concerning the Emperor has been settled. The Emperor's temple name will be Taizong, and his posthumous title will be Wen, making him Emperor Taizong Wen."

Emperor Taizong Wen.

Hearing these five words, everyone couldn't help but bow their heads slightly.

As the figure of Emperor Taizong appeared in their minds, everyone kowtowed to the coffin and said, "May Emperor Taizong Wen live forever."

The same goes for Li Chengqian.

In the end, he did not change Li Shimin's posthumous title.

Emperor Taizong Wen's name will be passed down through the ages. He has withstood the test of thousands of years of history and has become increasingly dazzling in the long river of history.

He doesn't need to change.

Because he is the son of Li Shimin, he is the son of Emperor Taizong Wen.

Once this posthumous title is recognized by everyone in the world, it will silently strengthen and consolidate his imperial power.

Once these five words, Emperor Taizong Wen, were decided, at least Li Chengqian's elder generation, the Prince of Jing and the Prince of Han, were silently deprived of the support of the people.

Even in his own generation, everyone's eyes will be on him.

Everyone else, even Li Ke, would appear dim under his brilliance.

This is the function of the posthumous title.

In addition, he also liked the posthumous title "Ren". Now that he has kept it, it is very likely that this posthumous title will be given to him in the future.

Li Chengqian knew that his personality was not very good, and sometimes he would appear harsh when speaking.

Once something happens, killing is absolutely inevitable.

He hoped that he could remember the word "benevolence" in his heart and kill as few people as possible.

Ren! ...

Li Chengqian stood up and looked at everyone. He said, "My uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters, while my father's body is resting, all the female members of the family should leave early and return late. They do not need to stay in Taiji Hall for long. As for the other men, I will stay in Taiji East Hall every night. Then one uncle, one brother, and one prince from each county will stay. That will be enough."

"We obey your command." Everyone in the hall bowed.

"Today, I think Uncle King Jing, King Wu, and Prince Jiangxia should accompany me to guard the Taiji Hall and accompany my father." Li Chengqian glanced at everyone.

Prince of Jing Li Yuanjing was the oldest prince of his generation.

Prince Wu Li Ke was the oldest among their generation, except for Emperor Li Chengqian.

Li Daozon, Prince of Jiangxia, was the highest-ranking official in the court among all the princes.

Today, they are accompanying Li Chengqian to guard the Taiji Hall, and they are the strongest force of the royal family supporting the emperor.

"We obey your command." Everyone kowtowed.

Li Chengqian nodded, looked outside the hall, and said, "It's getting late, Zhang Ananda, please serve the meal."

Zhang Ananda bowed and said, "Yes!"

Turning around, Zhang Ananda quickly made arrangements.

Li Ke on the side glanced at Li Chengqian who lowered his head and started burning paper, then looked at Zhang Ananda.

Zhang Ananda, the Chief of Internal Affairs.

The most capable person around the late emperor.

The person who held the most secrets of the previous emperor was used by Li Chengqian quietly and without any barriers.

Li Ke lowered his head. For some reason, a hint of disappointment flashed through his heart.

Just at this moment, a hand pulled his sleeve.

Li Ke quickly restrained his expression, then turned slightly and saw his own brother, King Shu Li Yin.

A brother from the same mother.

When Li Yin saw Li Ke looking at him, he looked towards his mother on the other side.

Li Ke was a little dazed at first, but soon his face became completely gloomy.

He was wondering if his encounter with Empress Xiao on the street was a plot.

After entering the palace, many people looked at him with unusual caution.

Especially Changsun Wuji.

So he suspected that he had been tricked without realizing it.

But he still couldn't figure out who had schemed against him.

He was somewhat suspicious of the emperor, but also somewhat unconvinced.

Because he was always thinking about this matter, he ignored another most important thing.

His mother.

……

The rain came down in sheets.

Li Ke and Li Yin watched their mother enter the harem, and then the two brothers walked towards the Taiji Hall.

Before they knew it, they had already avoided people.

It was pouring rain and the mist obscured the view.

Deep in the rain and fog, Li Yin suddenly grabbed Li Ke's collar and said through gritted teeth, "No matter what, I don't care. Mother must leave the palace with us. She must."

Li Ke looked at Li Yin calmly and said calmly, "Before his death, my father issued an edict to let the concubines in the harem become nuns. However, there is a long-standing custom in the palace that concubines with children leave the palace with their children. At most, they can just find a random place to build a temple and let my mother become a nun in the palace."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about." Li Yin let go of Li Ke angrily and said with hatred: "As the mother, how could they let her go free?"

The mother of Li Yin and Li Ke was the daughter of Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty.

Yang Guang's daughter, princess of the Former Sui Dynasty.

With her status, how could they possibly let her leave the palace?

Li Ke fell silent, then shook his head and said, "I have to ask His Majesty for help on this matter. Although my mother is my grandfather's daughter, she is only a concubine. If the court needs to be vigilant, it should be Yang Zhengdao."

To be more precise, Yang Zhengdao was the nephew of Concubine Yang and the cousin of Li Ke and Li Yin.

Not to mention, there is Empress Xiao.

Li Yin looked straight at Li Ke. Is this what he was talking about? He said it was Li Ke!
You are the one who needs to be wary of the most!
……

The night was hazy, and countless white candles were already lit in the Liangyi Hall.

Li Ke saw that the incense in the incense burner was about to burn out, so he quickly stood up, lit three more incense sticks, and put them into the incense burner.

He nodded to Prince of Jing Li Yuanjing and Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozon, then turned and walked towards the east wing hall.

In the east side hall, the fire was bright and clear.

Li Chengqian sat behind the short couch, carefully handling each memorial.

He has been on the throne for a year and is adept at handling state affairs.

Before his death, the late emperor was already the emperor emeritus, and no longer qualified, and indeed no regent was assigned to him.

Of course, he also asked Zhangsun Wuji and Tang Jian to assist Li Chengqian with all their strength.

Therefore, even during the mourning period for the late emperor, Li Chengqian still had to deal with a large amount of government affairs every day.

It is impossible for him to stay in front of the spirit of the late emperor all the time.

Light footsteps were heard at the door. Li Chengqian looked up and saw Zhang Ananda leading Li Ke standing at the door.

"Come in!" Li Chengqian raised his head slightly.

Li Ke then stepped into the hall and came to a place three steps away from Li Chengqian.

With a "thump", Li Ke knelt down straight.

(End of this chapter)