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

Chapter 511 You Must Be His Majesty's Most Loyal Dog (Part )

After a day and a night, Li Ke finally left Taiji Hall exhausted.

Tonight, Prince Jiang Li Yun, Prince Han Li Yuanchang and Prince Hejian Li Xiaoyou will accompany the emperor to keep vigil.

The emperor stayed in the east wing of Taiji Hall at night.

Apart from attending court in Liangyi Hall, he usually spends his time in Taiji Hall.

Others take turns accompanying.

But after a day and a night, I am also very tired.

Li Ke just returned to Baifu Hall and couldn't help but lie down.

At this moment, Li Yin, the King of Shu, rushed in, walked quickly to the bed, squatted down, looked at Li Ke anxiously, and asked, "Brother, how did you talk to His Majesty about mother's matter?"

"It's OK." Li Ke waved his hand slightly, then said, "I'll tell you the details tomorrow. I ran in the rain all night last night, and now I've been through two days and one night. I need to rest."

"Brother!" Li Yin wanted to say something, but at this time, Li Ke had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Li Yin could only turn around and leave helplessly.

The next day, Li Ke woke up slowly, and then he saw Li Yin standing in front of the bed.

Li Ke was startled and frowned as he looked at Li Yin and asked, "Liu Lang, what are you doing?"

"Brother, get up and have breakfast. We'll have to go to Taiji Hall to keep vigil for our father in a little while." Li Yin looked at Li Ke with amusement and said, "Brother, you really can sleep. You've slept for five hours since last night."

"Has it been so long?" Li Ke sat up immediately, then quickly washed and changed his clothes.

Li Yin stood aside and asked in a low voice, "Brother, what exactly does His Majesty mean regarding Mother's matter?"

"Your Majesty is willing to let Mother leave the capital, but His Majesty is worried that if Mother leaves, countless people will impeach you and my brother for treason." Li Ke sighed and looked at Li Yin and said, "If that happens, Mother will worry about us. Instead of that, it is better for Mother to stay in Chang'an."

"Damn it!" Li Yan cursed angrily.

"Shut up." Li Ke glared at Li Yin, then glanced outside the palace before saying to the young Li Yin, "Given your personality, it's better for your mother to stay in Chang'an, lest anything really happen."

Li Yin was a little indignant, but he also nodded helplessly.

He knew that many people in the government and the country were keeping an eye on their brothers.

Not only Zhangsun Wuji and other Tang heroes who overthrew the Sui Dynasty, but also the Jingzhao clans looked at them with vigilance.

Not to mention the Zongzheng Temple, which was used by the emperor to keep an eye on them.

"So, after discussing with His Majesty, I have decided that Mother will live in Banzhengfang. We will build a temple there, and let Mother become a nun there, practice cultivation, and pray for Father." Li Ke smiled and said, "Your brother and I both live in Banzhengfang. This will allow the princess and her sister-in-law to take care of Mother all the time, so that you won't miss her for several years if she goes to Suzhou."

Only after hearing Li Ke's last sentence did Li Yin suddenly look up.

Li Ke was the governor of Liangzhou, and Li Yin was the governor of Huangzhou.

Li Ke's fief was in Suzhou, while Li Yin's fief was in Shuzhou.

Li Ke was older than Li Yin, and their mother was the Queen Mother of Wu.

The only way to go is Suzhou.

This means that once the mother goes to Suzhou, Li Yin will not be able to see their mother for a longer time.

From this perspective, what Li Ke said is actually the most reasonable.

In Chang'an, the brothers could see each other every year when they returned to the capital. On weekdays, they had their own princess to take care of them personally, and their children and grandchildren were around them.

Is there anything better than this in the world?

Li Yan opened his mouth. He knew that what his royal brother said was right, but Li Yan always felt that something was wrong.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, grabbed Li Ke's arm, gritted his teeth and said, "Brother, I still want my mother to leave the capital."

Li Ke was stunned, then looked straight at Li Yin.

Li Yin looked at Li Ke angrily and said, "Brother, don't bully Liu Lang because he doesn't understand. They just want to use my mother to stay in Chang'an to contain us..."

With a "pa" sound, Li Ke slapped Li Yin directly on the face. Looking at his stunned face, he grabbed his collar and pulled him in front of him.

Li Ke spoke in his lowest voice, gritting his teeth, "Your Majesty is my father's eldest son. He has been the Crown Prince for twenty-two years, and in between he defeated the King of Wei and the King of Jin. He even ascended the throne last year. His throne is extremely stable, and he is the last person in the world who needs to be wary of us. So, swallow your words."

Li Yin looked at Li Ke with some fear, then nodded subconsciously.

Li Ke then slowly let go of Li Yin, closed his eyes, sighed, and said, "Back then, when Your Majesty was fighting with the King of Wei and the King of Jin, what I feared most was their victory. The King of Wei was arrogant, and the King of Jin was vicious, neither of them was a good person. If they ascended the throne, there would be no escape for you and me... Only Your Majesty!"

Li Yin's lips trembled slightly, and he looked at Li Ke in disbelief.

"Li Zhi and Li Tai, they are not the eldest sons, and they are not much better than us." Li Ke shook his head and said slowly: "Only His Majesty, he only cares about Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji and others.

Once Mother leaves the capital, they will plant countless spies around you and me, looking for our flaws, and ultimately try to kill us, so you must stay calm, Liu Lang."

Li Yin was not a peaceful prince.

When the late emperor was still alive, he was impeached for excessive hunting and beating officials. The late emperor repeatedly warned him but he refused to change. He denounced him as a beast and stripped him of half of his fiefdom and official position.

"Now that our father is gone," Li Ke looked at Li Yin, his expression filled with worry and fear. He whispered, "Sixth Brother, I only have you and Mother. You must stay calm and don't listen to the nonsense these people talk. They're not helping us brothers; they're trying to climb up the ladder by stepping on our corpses."

"Brother, what's wrong with you?" Li Yan's eyes were filled with fear. "You're too young to hide anything. I can see it, and so can His Majesty, not to mention old foxes like Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling." Li Ke shook his head and said seriously, "So, it's good for Mother and for us if she stays in Chang'an. If you truly wish to take care of Mother, then do everything you can to be transferred back to Chang'an."

"Transferred back to Chang'an, can we be transferred back to Chang'an?" Li Yin was surprised and unbelievable.

"I can't do it, but you, you're young and won't attract attention. As long as you reform yourself and properly manage the place, and carry out the things His Majesty has instructed you to do, it's best to offer your utmost loyalty to His Majesty." Li Ke leaned forward, leaning close to Li Yin's ear, and lowered his voice, "If nothing else, the Minister of the Imperial Clan Affairs Department can do it."

"Minister of Zongzheng Temple?" Li Yin muttered these words.

"You must be the most loyal dog of His Majesty. You must bite whoever His Majesty tells you to bite. This is your only chance to become the Minister of Zongzheng Temple." Li Ke gently let go of Li Yin and looked at him straight in the eyes.

Li Yin instantly understood that Li Ke had not said something.

That is, if the emperor asked him to bite Li Ke, he had to do it.

"Only in this way can you accompany Mother when I'm away and fulfill your filial duty on my behalf." Li Ke took a deep breath and said seriously, "Also, if something really happens and someone falsely accuses me, you don't have to say anything on my behalf. Just thoroughly investigate the truth and you'll be helping me."

Li Yin didn't react for a moment.

Li Ke patted his shoulder and then strode out of the hall.

Li Yin reacted immediately and turned to chase after Li Ke. He lowered his head, a little panicked and nervous, and asked, "Then what should we do?"

"You don't need to do much. Just wait for His Majesty's imperial edict. Whatever His Majesty orders others to do, you just need to follow His Majesty's imperial edict and do it better than anyone else. That will be enough." Li Ke paused and looked at Li Yin.

Li Yin nodded vigorously and said, "Liu Lang, I'll remember this."

"As for me, you don't have to worry." Li Ke smiled easily, then said, "Although I am suspicious, the emperor still has other people he needs to be wary of... Don't forget the prophecy that after three generations of Tang, a female ruler, King Wu, will succeed the Tang. The person this prophecy refers to has not yet been found."

Li Yin nodded in confusion and joy.

Li Ke smiled lightly, then stepped forward. However, after taking just two steps, he stopped and looked forward.

Li Yin quickly stopped and looked forward.

In the corridor opposite, Fang Yiai and Prince of Jing Li Yuanjing walked over together.

Li Yin's expression became serious. They had just mentioned Fang Xuanling.

Now he met Fang Xuanling's second son Fang Yiai, and the father-in-law of Fang Xuanling's third son Fang Yize, Prince of Jing Li Yuanjing.

Yes.

Fang Yiai married the late emperor's beloved daughter, Princess Gaoyang.

Fang Yi married the only daughter of Li Yuanjing, the Prince of Jing, the Princess of Yiling.

The reason why Fang Yize is not here today is because his status is not high enough.

Li Ke quickly laughed, walked towards Li Yuanjing, and took the lead in bowing and saying, "Uncle Wang is awake."

"Hmm!" Li Yuanjing's gaze fell from Li Ke to Li Yin, and he smiled meaningfully and said, "Let's go and have breakfast together."

"Yes!" Li Ke bowed, then walked out of the hall with Li Yuanjing and Fang Yiai.

Li Yin followed closely behind, and his originally ugly expression gradually eased.

Outside the hall, dozens of guards holding spears and blades stood expressionlessly.

……

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The retired emperor's body has been lying in state in Taiji Hall for seven days.

According to funeral rites, the retired emperor's body was moved to Qianqiu Palace.

It rained heavily for five consecutive days and suddenly stopped today.

Li Chengqian, dressed in raw hemp mourning clothes, held the ancestral tablet in his hands and walked towards the Qianniu Hall with a sad look on his face.

Behind him were the empress and the crown prince, and further behind them were the princes and princesses, the princesses’ wives and their husbands, the ministers and chancellors, the generals of the guards, and all the officials of Chang’an City above the ninth rank were following Li Chengqian today.

Like a long dragon, there is the Qianniu Hall in front.

Funeral music played, but it still couldn't cover up the endless crying coming from outside the palace.

The late emperor reigned for twenty-two years and made countless achievements. Although martial virtues were more suitable for him in terms of officials, benevolence was his fundamental character in terms of the people.

The late emperor really listened to Wei Zheng’s words, “Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.”

In the 22nd year of Zhenguan, taxes were reduced or exempted for the people of the world countless times.

There is even more compassion between summer and winter.

Now that the late emperor has passed away, all the people have come to the Vermillion Bird Gate, bowing their heads, throwing wreaths as sacrifices, and mourning and offering sacrifices.

The sound was clearly transmitted into the palace.

Li Chengqian walked in front, looking extremely sad.

My eyes were filled with tears, but I fought hard to hold them back.

(End of this chapter)