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

Chapter 569 Yuan Tiangang’s True Identity: Yang Guang’s Brother (Part )

Li Chengqian leaned back slightly on the imperial couch and asked, "Just now, Yang Zhengdao said that Yuan Tiangang's identity was related to the Sui Dynasty and the Yuchi family. Uncle, do you know what's going on?"

Changsun Wuji pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Speaking of the Yuchi family, there is something to say."

Li Chengqian's expression became serious and he listened quietly to what Changsun Wuji continued to say.

"During the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the Yuchi clan was a foreign relative. Yuchi Jiong, a great general of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, was the nephew of Yuwen Tai. Later, when Yang Jian succeeded the Zhou Dynasty, Yuchi Jiong raised an army in Yecheng, connecting with the Turks in the north and the Chen Dynasty in the south, intending to kill Yang Jian. Unfortunately, he was ultimately defeated and committed suicide, and most of his clan members were killed as well."

After a brief pause, Changsun Wuji said, "There is one thing we should pay attention to. Yuchi Jiong had a granddaughter who was taken into Yang Jian's harem. However, she was killed by Dugu Jialuo just one year later."

"One year?" Li Chengqian leaned forward and looked at Changsun Wuji with a frown.

"Hiss!" Changsun Wuji couldn't help but gasp and nodded heavily, "It was indeed one year. There is a record in the Book of Sui. These are from the official diary of the pre-Sui Dynasty, but the content is very limited."

"Although Dugu Jialuo is jealous, it is not easy to make her kill someone!" Li Chengqian looked at Changsun Wuji gently.

"Yes." Changsun Wuji nodded and said, "Although everyone says that Yang Jian only loves Dugu Jialuo, in fact, Yang Jian's harem is not just Dugu Jialuo. There are also Lady Xuanhua Chen, Lady Ronghua Cai, Lady Hongzheng Chen, the palace maid Yuchi, and many other women who were confined to the harem due to their defeat in the war to destroy their country."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly. Not to mention Yang Jian, there were also such people in his harem.

"However, because the other concubines are of low status, Dugu Jialuo doesn't care even if they are favored by Yang Jian. The only thing that can make her kill someone is..." Changsun Wuji looked up with a serious expression.

"Unless he has an heir, possibly even a son." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "In this case, Yang Yong and Yang Guang will not easily let this child survive."

"Yes!" Zhang Sun Wuji nodded solemnly and said, "So, indeed, Yuan Tiangang is very likely the son of Yang Jian and the brother of Yang Guang."

"Then everything makes sense." Li Chengqian nodded and said calmly, "He was a bastard. That's why Empress Xiao always looked so disdainful when she mentioned him, especially when he, a bastard, attempted to restore the Sui Dynasty."

"Your Majesty!" Zhangsun Wuji raised his head and said solemnly, "This means that Empress Xiao knew about Yuan Tiangang's plan to restore the Sui Dynasty, but she never reported it.

Furthermore, the fact that the Hongnong Yang clan and Yuan Tiangang collaborated to fabricate the prophecy suggests they knew Yuan Tiangang was attempting to restore the Sui Dynasty. Compared to Empress Xiao's inability to do anything, the Yang clan likely contributed significantly to the situation.

"Isn't this something we've known for a long time? It's just that everything is clearer now." Li Chengqian sneered softly and said, "But so what? Yuan Tiangang is already dead. He was even betrayed to death by the Yang family. It was a good death."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji nodded and said, "If that's the case, then the Yang family must have a plan to use Yang Zhengdao and the King of Wu. And just now... Your Majesty was wise!"

Li Chengqian was stunned, then couldn't help laughing.

Yang Zhengdao founded his own lineage and completely abandoned the legal system of the former Sui Dynasty, so the Yang family must have been furious.

As for Li Ke, Li Chengqian also imposed various restrictions on him.

And there is Yuan Tiangang.

The death of Yang Yuzhi might make the Yang family think that Yuan Tiangang was not dead, and Yuan Tiangang's identity as Yang Jian's son would make the Yang family even more uneasy.

"Uncle, just proceed with the Yang family's affairs as planned." Li Chengqian's expression grew serious. "What I'm worried about is whether there's any connection between Yuan Tiangang and Wu Guogong Yuchi Gong."

"Your Majesty, please check. When Yuchi Jiong started his rebellion, it failed, and most of his branch was killed. Although Duke Wu is from the same clan, his bloodline is quite different from Yuchi Jiong's. Moreover, after Yuchi Jiong's failure, Duke Wu's father Yuchi Jia was granted the title of general by Yang Jian and was given the title of Yitong Sansi. The relationship here cannot be that good." Changsun Wuji shook his head.

Li Chengqian nodded. Yuchi Jia was appointed as the general by Yang Jian, but he was still liquidated by Yang Guang. Finally, at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Yuchi Gong directly participated in Liu Wuzhou's uprising.

This shows the hatred towards the former Sui Dynasty.

"Then Yuan Tiangang was raised by the Yuan family." Li Chengqian had some understanding of the context of what happened back then.

"Yes, the Yuan family was also a provincial governor during the Northern Zhou Dynasty, so intermarriage with the Yuchi family was very likely. By the end of the Sui Dynasty, when only a county magistrate remained, this indicates a much greater problem." Changsun Wuji bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this means that Yuan Keshi is the grandson of Yang Jian."

"Let's not pursue this." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Master Yuan himself doesn't even know about this identity. There's no need to worry about it. At most, we can place a few people around him. If the Yang family comes looking for him in the future..."

"I understand." Changsun Wuji immediately understood Li Chengqian's meaning. Yuan Keshi was just a chess piece, a chess piece that would inevitably be moved if the Yang family plotted rebellion in the future.

Li Chengqian calmed down and looked at Zhangsun Wuji. "In two years, the army will conquer Goguryeo. Dingzhou and Youzhou in Hebei, as well as Liaodong, must prepare a large amount of food and fodder in advance. Uncle, please be careful. The Yang family must not interfere in this."

"I know." Changsun Wuji bowed and said seriously, "I will definitely not let anyone related to the Yang family get involved, not even a treasury keeper."

The only real big event in the world today is the eastern expedition to Goguryeo two years later.

If the Yang family wanted to do something, that would be the best time.

If we miss that opportunity, the Tang Dynasty will settle its fate in Dongdao and then turn to Western Turkestan and Tubo.

The Yang family does not have much influence in Longxi, Ganliang and Anxi.

Therefore, the affairs of the Yang family will be completely settled around the time when Li Chengqian conquers Goguryeo.

……

Li Chengqian picked up a memorial from the table and handed it to Zhangsun Wuji, saying, "Jun Gong Shi'an has submitted a memorial requesting retirement. Uncle, please take a look."

"The Minister of Rites is going to retire." Changsun Wuji was shocked and quickly opened the memorial to read it.

"When I appointed Li Qing as Minister of Rites, it was a temporary solution. Now that he has requested to retire, I cannot refuse." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "The Minister of Rites is, after all, one of the six ministries. The selection must be made with great care." Changsun Wuji closed his memorial and bowed to Li Chengqian. "What are your thoughts, Your Majesty?"

"Although Li Qing is retiring, I still feel we should give him a proper treatment and announce his retirement next New Year's Day." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "I would like to transfer Du Xing, the Imperial Court Assistant Minister, to the position of Assistant Minister of Rites, in charge of all matters in the Ministry of Rites. He will then be appointed Minister of Rites next year."

"Du Xing." Changsun Wuji chewed on Du Xing's name, and finally raised his head and said, "But Your Majesty, Du Xing is also not young anymore. He can only serve as the Minister of Rites for one year..."

Halfway through his speech, Changsun Wuji paused, then bowed his hands in sudden realization and said, "I understand."

Li Chengqian smiled softly and said, "Now that the position of Imperial Secretary is vacant, let Xu Jingzong take it. After all, the Jiangdong nobles still need some hope."

There are still quite a few Jiangdong nobles in the court, but there is currently no one who has the opportunity to become the prime minister.

Changsun Wuji turned slightly and looked behind the pillar on one side.

Shangguan Yi sat there and recorded his daily life.

After thinking for a moment, Changsun Wuji bowed and said, "I accept your command."

"Also, I want to transfer Li Wenliang, the Chief Clerk of the Yangzhou Grand Military Governor's Office, to the post of Governor of Luozhou." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "The Prince of Xiangyi is already old and his health has not been very good. I think it would be wise to transfer my cousin back to Luoyang within the next year or two so that he can serve nearby if anything happens."

Li Wenliang, the chief officer of the Yangzhou Grand Marshal's Office, is the second son of Li Shenfu, the Prince of Xiangyi. The Prince of Xiangyi is seventy-three years old, and Li Wenliang is also not young.

After what happened with Du Xing just now, Changsun Wuji had some idea of ​​Li Chengqian's appointment rules.

Li Wenliang will retire after one more term, which means that the governor of Luozhou may be his last, which can be considered a blessing.

"Then what about Luozhou Chief Secretary Xiao Jun?" Changsun Wuji looked at Li Chengqian with some concern.

If there was no governor above him, Xiao Jun would be the third-rank chief officer of Luozhou, but with the governor of Luozhou, Xiao Jun would be demoted to the fourth rank.

"Xiao Qing has been serving as the Chief Secretary of Luozhou for many years. To be honest, he is useful, but not very useful." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Let's negotiate with him. Anyway, his rank of third rank is very weak. If he falls and then rises again, no one will tell the truth anymore."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed. He didn't care about the affairs of Luozhou. Whether it was the governor or the chief secretary, they were all the emperor's men. The real key lay in Yangzhou.

"Li Qing has been transferred from the Yangzhou Grand Marshal's Office. I plan to transfer the Hangzhou Governor Su Tan as the Chief Clerk of the Yangzhou Grand Marshal's Office. At the end of the year, he will be conferred the title of Duke. In this way, I will have an explanation to the Queen." Li Chengqian looked up at Zhangsun Wuji and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Changsun Wuji bowed speechlessly. Since the emperor had said so, what else could he say? Did he really want to offend the queen because of this?

"As for the governor of Hangzhou, uncle, is Dalang interested in visiting Hangzhou?" After Li Chengqian finished speaking, Changsun Wuji suddenly looked up.

Although Changsun Wuji has several sons, only Changsun Chong is qualified to be a local governor.

The governor of Hangzhou, that’s a superior state.

Transferring from the Governor of Hangzhou to the Chief Secretary of the Yangzhou Grand Marshal's Office is a shortcut.

For example, Su Tan was transferred to be the Chief Secretary of the Yangzhou Grand Marshal's Office this time, so in a few years, he will be transferred back to the court.

At least the position of the nine temple ministers and six ministers.

Of course, the emperor had promised to promote Chang Sun Chong to the position of Minister of the Imperial Clan Affairs in the future, but the weight of the Minister of the Imperial Clan Affairs in the court was different for someone with or without local experience.

At least he can have a say in local affairs.

Especially Hangzhou.

The core and prosperous place of Wu and Yue.

It’s definitely worth going to Hangzhou.

Zhangsun Wuji took a deep breath and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. Dalang lacks experience in local areas. If he were to force his way into a local position, trouble would inevitably arise, which would in turn affect Your Majesty's administration."

Li Chengqian looked at Changsun Wuji and nodded with emotion: "Yes, uncle is right. When Dalang takes up a post in the future, he shouldn't go too far away. He should at least gain experience near Chang'an first, then go to a distant place, and finally be transferred back. Only then can he be considered a promising talent."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji nodded. He could feel the emperor's thoughts.

Changsun Wuji himself is not young anymore. After he retires, even if Changsun Chong can gain a foothold in the court, that will be all. It is impossible for him to become a prime minister in the future.

Even being the Minister of Rites had it hard.

But what can he do? Ever since Changsun Chong became the son-in-law of the emperor, his future was destined to be limited.

"Since my cousin isn't going to Jiangnan, let's find someone else." Li Chengqian pondered for a moment, then raised his head and asked, "Uncle, what do you think of Du Gou?"

"Du Gou, Du Ruhui's eldest son and Du He's elder brother?" Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyebrows, then nodded and said, "Du Gou is a calm and composed young man. Your Majesty, it's a good choice for you to choose him."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Du Gou is now the governor of Cizhou. He has been transferred to the governor of Hangzhou. In my opinion, we should let Fang Yizhi be transferred to the governor of Cizhou. The young people of this generation should gradually take on important responsibilities."

With these words, Changsun Wuji felt a heavy weight in his heart. He bowed and said, "Yes!"

(End of this chapter)