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

Chapter 596 I Don’t Mind the Queen Killing a Few People to Establish Her Authority (First Update)
With a creak, the palace door creaked open and Li Chengqian walked into the palace calmly.

Gao Yang had already stood up and walked to the side very obediently, bowing and saying, "Greetings, my royal brother!"

"You know it's me?" Li Chengqian looked at Gao Yang in surprise.

Gao Yang was wearing a light blue skirt and looked fresh, obviously having washed and bathed before.

Li Chengqian immediately understood that it was Su Shu who did it.

He walked over to the master couch and sat down.

Gao Yang bowed at the same time and said sincerely, "Except for my royal brother, no one else has such heavy and majestic footsteps."

Li Chengqian looked at Gao Yang deeply and said, "It is indeed my intention to imprison you in the Princess's Courtyard this time. I am also teaching the Queen how to manage the affairs of women in the world. Especially after my eastern tour next year, I don't mind having the Queen kill a few people to establish her authority."

Gao Yang's expression changed, and he lowered his head.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and sighed, "Okay, tell me, what exactly is going on?"

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have embarrassed my uncle." Gao Yang looked up pitifully and said, "I know I was wrong. Filial piety and brotherhood should have been the order. My uncle should have been reinstated first, and then Erlang's turn. I was overstepping my bounds."

"How rare!" Li Chengqian looked at Gao Yang in surprise and said, "It's rare that you finally understand things!"

"Yes!" Gao Yang smiled somewhat complacently, then walked to Li Chengqian's side, gently tapped his shoulder, and said, "Then my royal brother, since I admit my mistake, can you please agree to a small request from me?"

Li Chengqian's expression turned slightly cold: "If you have anything to say, just say it."

"Royal brother, do you think it is possible to transfer my uncle to Liaodong and let him serve in the army?" After Gao Yang finished speaking, he couldn't help but lowered his head.

Li Chengqian's brows knitted together instantly, and he looked at Gao Yang and said, "Gao Yang, are you interfering in government affairs?"

"I dare not!" Princess Gaoyang immediately lowered her head, then raised her head again and said, "Brother Your Majesty, this is my only request. Please agree to it."

"No, I won't agree to your request." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Let's not talk about Fang Yizhi's appointment. It's in my uncle's hands. Even if it were up to me, I wouldn't let him go to Liaodong. With his health, I'm afraid he'd die in Liaodong..."

Li Chengqian spoke more and more slowly. Finally, he looked at Princess Gaoyang in disbelief and said through gritted teeth, "Gaoyang, you're not planning on killing someone with someone else's knife, are you?"

"No, no." Princess Gaoyang quickly waved her hands and said, "Brother, how could I have such a delusion?"

"Tell me, what are you thinking?" Li Chengqian looked at Gao Yang, narrowing his eyes and saying, "If you dare to make any moves in the army, I will banish you to the imperial palace right now, and no one in the court will say a word for you."

"Your Majesty!" Princess Gaoyang saw the murderous intent flickering in Li Chengqian's eyes, and her heart suddenly turned cold. She quickly lowered her head and said, "I really don't have any ideas. In fact, I hope that my uncle can achieve great military success on the battlefield, and then use his military achievements to request that Erlang be granted the title of Duke."

Li Chengqian was stunned. He looked at Princess Gaoyang and asked uncertainly, "What did you mean? Let Fang Yizhi give his military merits to Fang Yiai. Then what about Fang Yiai? I originally wanted to transfer him to the front line."

"Erlang naturally doesn't need to go to the front of the army." Princess Gaoyang nodded gently and said, "If your uncle goes to the front of the army, earns military merits, and then gives them to Erlang, he can also be made a Duke. Erlang won't have to fight with your uncle for these things, and the Fang family can also be stable."

"Let others fight to the death on the battlefield, and then give you the military merits they earned. Gao Yang, are you confused?" Li Chengqian looked at Princess Gao Yang in disbelief and said, "How is this possible?"

"My Royal Brother, this has precedent." Princess Gaoyang suddenly looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "Before Duke Bao passed away, he begged Father to give his son's fifth-rank official title to his younger brother Duan Zhigan. Father also praised this act of filial piety."

"Gao Yang, you're crazy." Li Chengqian looked at Gao Yang and shook his head, "He was just a fifth-rank official."

"Is there any fundamental difference?" Princess Gaoyang looked at Li Chengqian calmly and said, "They are all elder brother's military achievements. If he gives them to his younger brother, isn't it the same? The elder brother gives in to the younger brother, the elder brother's things are given to the younger brother. Isn't this just right?"

Li Chengqian was stunned. For a moment, he felt so absurd that he didn't know how to refute it.

But then, he slowly and firmly shook his head and said, "Gao Yang, you are wrong. Filial piety and brotherly love have order and are even more controlled. Some things cannot be given away... If it is according to what you say, my throne should also be given to Qingque and Zhinu, right?
If it were according to your statement, then Father wouldn't have had to raise an army during the Xuanwu Gate Incident. He could have simply let Crown Prince Yin hand over the throne to Father."

Princess Gaoyang was stunned. Looking at the emperor whose expression had completely turned cold, she subconsciously said, "Brother, that's not what I meant..."

"Military merit and the throne—does that make a big difference?" Li Chengqian looked at Princess Gaoyang and said indifferently, "Gaoyang, tell me, if one day one of my brothers, one of your brothers, came to me and asked me to give him the throne, would I kill him with one blow, or would I cut him into pieces?"

"Royal brother!" Princess Gaoyang immediately felt a chill run down her spine. She knelt down in horror and said, "Your Majesty, I absolutely did not mean that."

"Gao Yang, you're trying to kill Fang Er!" Li Chengqian looked at Princess Gao Yang and shook his head gently. "If I really did what you said, Fang Yizhi, who has just returned from fighting in front of the Goguryeo army, faces your attempt to force her to give up her military achievements, do you think she will cowardly obey you, or will she habitually tighten her grip on the knife?"

Princess Gaoyang's mind was suddenly filled with the bloody image of Fang Yizheng rushing towards her with a knife in his hand.

Her whole body suddenly began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Also, if military merit can be given away today, then can it be bought and sold tomorrow, or even plundered the day after tomorrow?" Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, "If you say so, Fang Yizhi loses control and kills you, how many of the generals with military merit and the court officials in the palace will plead for him? And guess what I will say?"

Princess Gaoyang suddenly raised her head and looked at Li Chengqian, pleading, "Royal brother, Royal brother!"

It was as if at this moment, someone had already put a knife to Gao Yang's neck.

Li Chengqian glanced at Gao Yang indifferently and continued, "Even if you manage to succeed with your conspiracy, how do you think the world will view Fang Er and you afterwards? Especially the imperial censors in the court, they will seize on every fault of Fang Er and impeach him. Do you think I will protect him then?"

"Royal brother!" Princess Gaoyang couldn't help but grab Li Chengqian's robe and shook her head vigorously, "Royal brother, Gaoyang really didn't mean it that way!"

"No, you have. When you mentioned the word 'military merit' in front of me, your intentions were clearly revealed... Gao Yang, military merit is the foundation of the Tang Dynasty, and it cannot be tampered with." Li Chengqian slowly stood up, looked out the door, and called out indifferently, "Zhang Ananda."

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Ananda flashed out from the front of the palace gate and bowed seriously.

"Inform Duke Zhao: From today onwards, the Eternal Law will strengthen the penalties for those who falsely report, transfer, sell, or plunder military merit." Li Chengqian glanced at Gao Yang and continued, "Anyone guilty of serious offenses will be executed, and their entire family will be implicated. Those guilty of less serious offenses will be dismissed from office and banned from employment for life."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda bowed solemnly.

Li Chengqian continued, "Princess Gaoyang has spoken recklessly and has failed to observe filial piety and brotherly love. From today on, half of her fiefdom will be cut."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda's expression became serious. As soon as the two imperial edicts came out, people outside the palace immediately found out what had happened.

"Improve Fang Yizhi's position and appoint him as the governor of Weizhou." Li Chengqian said lightly, and Princess Gaoyang couldn't help but look up.

If Fang Yizheng is appointed, then the appointment of Fang Yiai will be postponed.

"Gao Yang, I remember there is a small door between your house and the Duke of Liang's house, right?" Li Chengqian looked sideways at Zhang Ananda and said, "You arrange for someone to seal that door today." "Yes!" Zhang Ananda bowed seriously.

Princess Gaoyang looked confused. What did this mean?

Li Chengqian looked at Princess Gaoyang and shook his head. "You really don't understand, Gaoyang. Once that small door is completely sealed, you'll have to use the main gate to enter and exit the Duke of Liang's mansion from now on... Although I won't order them to separate a year after Prime Minister Fang's death, you, from now on, refrain from visiting the Duke of Liang's mansion."

At the end of his speech, Li Chengqian almost roared.

Princess Gaoyang was the one who started everything.

Bian Ji, Fang Yiai, and Li Yuanjing conspired to rebel.

As a princess, I don’t know how many troubles she has caused.

"Royal brother!" Princess Gaoyang's face turned pale. Not only was her fiefdom reduced, but she was also forbidden to go to the Duke of Liang's Mansion. All the things she had originally expected were gone.

"Also, Zhang Ananda, you must deal with those disgusting things in Princess Gaoyang's villa outside the city yourself, and then bury them in the backyard of the villa." Li Chengqian glanced at Zhang Ananda coldly. Zhang Ananda immediately bowed his hands to accept the order and turned to leave.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Princess Gaoyang, suppressing his anger and saying, "Gaoyang, I don't care if you touch those things, but you better promise not to make any noise. Otherwise, if I hear you, I will kill you and make you sleep with those corpses as pillows. At the same time, I will also deprive you of your right to enter the palace and your right to perform royal sacrifices."

The princess's power comes from being able to enter the palace and see the emperor, as well as performing sacrifices that demonstrate her status.

Without these, Princess Gaoyang would be left with only an empty shell.

"Royal brother!" Princess Gaoyang thought of this and quickly said pitifully, "Royal brother, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me."

"Stay here for three more days. After that, go home." Li Chengqian turned and headed out of the hall, saying, "You know your own character best. Gao Yang, I don't expect you to completely change, but if you can't even keep your secrets, I will have no choice but to expel you from Chang'an and never allow you to return."

Princess Gaoyang shuddered suddenly.

Expelled from Chang'an.

Chang'an was the most prosperous city in the world.

Leaving Chang'an, there are no roads in the remote mountains and wilderness.

Princess Gaoyang looked up subconsciously, but Li Chengqian had already left the princess's courtyard.

Princess Gaoyang couldn't help but stand up and walked to the palace door.

Two soldiers in full armor blocked the door with spears at the same time, forcing Gao Yang to stop for a moment.

Watching Li Chengqian walk down the stairs.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from Qianqiu Palace.

Immediately, Xu An appeared outside the princess's courtyard and hurriedly bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Majesty, Concubine Xu is about to give birth."

"Let's go!" Li Chengqian immediately strode out.

Princess Gaoyang could only watch helplessly, but that night, news came that the beauty Xu had given birth to the eighth prince, Li Yu.

Li Yu, Yu.

Princess Gaoyang knew that the emperor was best at using the "Tao Te Ching" when naming.

So, isn't it the way of man to take from the deficient to give to the surplus?
……

Three days later, Princess Gaoyang knelt outside the Yi Qiu Gate, facing the Liangyi Hall.

Two guards stood on both sides with expressionless faces.

They also didn't expect that Princess Gaoyang was fine when she left Qianqiu Palace, but she immediately knelt down as soon as she came out of Yiqiu Gate.

He did not ask to see the emperor.

A burst of hurried footsteps came from the direction of Ganlu Palace.

Dou Zhijie, the eunuch, quickly arrived before Princess Gaoyang. He flicked his whisk and bowed to her, saying, "Your Highness, His Majesty is accompanying Concubine Yang today. Concubine Yang was unwell yesterday, so His Majesty has been in Linzhao Palace the entire time. It's no use seeing you again today. Please go back. His Majesty said he hopes to see you next year, on the third anniversary of the late emperor's death."

Gao Yang's mouth twitched slightly, and finally he could only kowtow and say, "Your Majesty, I obey your command."

Dou Zhijie watched from the side, and then waited for Princess Gaoyang to stand up before escorting her out of Chengtian Gate.

After getting on the carriage outside Chengtian Gate, Princess Gaoyang headed towards Zhuque Gate.

When she turned around, she couldn't help but look deep into the harem and sneered softly.

The emperor is just a lustful man.

Concubine Xu had just given birth to a prince, and Concubine Yang, who was nine months pregnant, started making a fuss again.

However, even Gao Yang had to admit it.

With each additional prince, the emperor's position becomes more stable.

Shaking her head, Princess Gaoyang looked forward and said calmly, "Let's go to the other courtyard."

"Your Highness, aren't you going back to the princess's mansion?" The steward in front couldn't help but look back.

"What's the point of going back? They wish I would never go back." Princess Gaoyang sneered. She knew best what Fang Yiai was thinking.

(End of this chapter)