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

Chapter 61 If He Listened to Advice, He Would Not Be Hou Junji
Deep inside the Dali Temple prison, it was not as gloomy as people imagined, but surprisingly clean.

Hou Junji glanced at a few familiar faces, and finally walked calmly into his cell and walked down.

Helan Chushi followed him in, and the Dali Temple jailer behind him closed the prison door.

Hou Junji walked to the wooden couch inside the prison and sat down. Then he looked at Helan Chushi who was pouring water and asked, "Helan, what are the origins of those two people today?"

"Father-in-law!" Helan Chushi turned around and handed the bowl of water to Hou Junji. Then, standing to one side, he sighed and said, "Those two were the father and brother of Lu Hu, the former servant of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. Lu Hu passed away at the beginning of last month, and the Crown Prince went to pay his respects in person."

"What else?" Hou Junji could tell that Helan Chushi had concealed a lot, and his eyes immediately became cold.

"Alas!" Helan Chushi sighed softly and said with a bow, "Father-in-law, this matter shouldn't be told to outsiders, but since we met today, I will tell you a little bit, and you will listen casually."

"You say." Hou Junji became serious.

"In March of this year, the prince fell off his horse while hunting in spring and broke his leg. He then recuperated for half a year before gradually getting better." Helan Chushi said, and Hou Junji nodded slightly.

He returned to the capital yesterday. Under normal circumstances, the crown prince should have led all the officials to welcome him outside the Jinguang Gate, but the crown prince did not go due to illness, and was replaced by Prince of Wei Li Tai. Then in the end, Prince of Wei did not show up, and was replaced by Prince of Jin Li Zhi. The turmoil here immediately made Hou Junji smell the scent of Xuanwu Gate.

The army's conquest is the army's business, but if there is a Xuanwu Gate incident in the court, everyone will be in trouble.

Hou Junji also knew the limits of this basic matter, and he believed that no matter how many mistakes he made, the emperor would not punish him severely.

He still believes.

No matter what, Hou Junji was also a hero of Xuanwu Gate who fought his way out from the Prince of Qin's Palace.

Recovering his composure, Hou Junji continued to ask, "And then?"

"After the Crown Prince's injuries had healed, he went to Lizheng Hall one day to visit Prince Jin and Princess Jinyang. On that day, while Lu Hu was guarding a woodpile, for unknown reasons, it collapsed, breaking both of Lu Hu's legs." Helan Chushi said cautiously, "Rumor has it that the Crown Prince suspected Lu Hu of causing his fall, so he resorted to covert tactics..."

"That's impossible. How could a prince's servant be so bold as to murder the prince?" Hou Junji couldn't help but shake his head and said, "Unless someone behind him..."

"So, Lu Hu is dead." Helan Chushi interrupted Hou Junji.

Hou Junji's face instantly turned gloomy.

"Because Lu Hu broke his leg, the position of the Prince's Servant in the Eastern Palace was vacant. Since the position of the Prince's Servant was also vacant, Your Majesty filled both the Prince's Servant and the Prince's Servant Secretary. At the same time, Lu Hu was transferred to the position of Secretary of the Dali Temple. So when Lu Hu died after returning home, the people of the Dali Temple began to investigate." Helan Chushi briefly recounted it.

"The people at the Dali Temple should be able to find out something, right?" Hou Junji looked at Helan Chushi and said, "Sun Fujia is quite qualified to be the Dali Temple Minister."

"Perhaps." Helan Chushi shook his head slightly and said, "On the seventh day after Lu Hu's death, the Crown Prince personally went to offer sacrifices and praised Lu Hu and the Fanyang Lu family for their loyalty and bravery. But that same afternoon, Lu Hu's cousin, Cui Qian, the magistrate of Chang'an County, was killed."

"Silenced again?" Hou Junji's brows frowned instantly, and several prime ministers in the court emerged in his mind at the same time.

"Finally, this case was concluded with Lu Hu and Cui Qian fighting over the Korean maid. That's it." Helan Chushi sighed softly and said, "Originally, the matter was closed, but when Lu Hu's family was escorting his body back to Fanyang, someone pretended to be a robber, overturned his coffin, and searched inside, apparently looking for something, but I don't know if they found it..."

Helan Chushi pondered for an inexplicable moment, then quickly came to his senses and whispered, "The bandits chose a very clever location, just when the Lu family had just left Yongzhou and entered the border of Huazhou. However, because the Lu family later escaped and returned to Yongzhou territory, this matter ultimately fell under Yongzhou's jurisdiction."

"Since it's a matter of Yongzhou, why did they come to the Dali Temple?" Hou Junji put down the bowl of water in his hand.

"The Yongzhou Prefecture couldn't find out anything, and the Lu family was unwilling to do so. They wanted to send Lu Hu's body back to Fanyang for burial. After all, it's already the 47th day, and it's almost the 57th day. But for some reason, the Yongzhou Yin Changshi is unwilling to let him go, so the Lu family came to the Dali Temple. After all, Lu Hu's last official position was the Dali Temple Secretary." Helan Chushi shrugged.

"They didn't dare to go to the Eastern Palace, so they came to the Dali Temple." Hou Junji nodded slightly. He understood that even the Lu family themselves knew that there was something fishy going on.

"But the Dali Temple doesn't care!" Helan Chushi spread his hands helplessly.

"Prince." Hou Junji raised his head, looked at Helan Chushi and asked, "Did the prince do anything about this matter?"

"No, since the seventh day after Lu Hu's death, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has not paid any attention to it. He has been busy editing the 'Kaogong Zhi' recently." Helan Chushi paused for a moment and said, "Also, there is the matter of welcoming my father-in-law."

"So it wasn't the Crown Prince who did it." Hou Junji's face turned pensive, and he muttered to himself, "Could it be that Lu Hu really has something important on him?"

Hou Junji keenly felt that he seemed to have grasped something very important.

The prince, or the person who harmed the prince.

As long as he found this thing, Hou Junji would have the leverage to weigh in on both the Crown Prince and the person who harmed him. "Helan, keep an eye on the Lu family and don't let them leave Chang'an!" Hou Junji looked up at Helan Chushi.

"Yes!" Helan Chushi bowed. He vaguely understood in his heart why Yongzhou Chief Clerk Yin Jun and his father-in-law were unwilling to let the Lu family leave the Eastern Palace.

"Okay, you can go home now." Hou Junji breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "Go back and tell your family that your father is fine. Also, tell the Crown Prince a message for your father. I have taken note of the Crown Prince's kindness in saving me today. It's a pity that he was too stupid at the time and didn't understand anything."

"Father-in-law." Helan Chushi looked at Hou Junji worriedly. He didn't know what was going on.

"Go back." Hou Junji waved his hand, and Helan Chushi bowed, then stood up and walked to the prison door.

The jailer from the Dali Temple outside hurried over to help Helan Chushi open the prison door.

Helan Chushi looked up, bowed to Hou Junji again, then turned and left.

……

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Dali Temple Prison.

"…Remove Duke Junji of Chen from his position as Vice Minister of State Affairs and appoint him as Minister of Personnel and Chief Clerk of Yongzhou. His conduct will be assessed to ensure he upholds justice. I constantly monitor your actions. Do not slack off or disappoint me. I hereby order."

"Your Majesty, your servant Hou Junji accepts your order and expresses his gratitude. May your Majesty live a long and prosperous life!" Hou Junji kowtowed heavily, his voice choked with sobs.

"Duke Chen, please stand up." Zhang Ananda handed the imperial edict to Hou Junji and whispered, "Duke Chen, His Majesty has more instructions."

Hou Junji looked up subconsciously.

Zhang Ananda leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Majesty has issued an oral decree that Yongzhou must have clean administration and a clean court."

Hou Junji looked at Zhang Ananda in surprise. Zhang Ananda had already placed the imperial edict in his hand. He stepped back and said, "Duke Chen, I will return to the palace first."

"Send Zhang Jian away." Hou Junji quickly stood up and bowed seriously to Zhang Ananda.

Zhang Ananda nodded, then turned and went back to the palace.

"Father-in-law!" Helan Chushi stepped forward and whispered, "As the Minister of Personnel, serving as the Chief Clerk of Yongzhou, this has not happened in many years except during the founding of the country."

"This is a great favor from Your Majesty." Hou Junji looked at Helan Chushi and said, "Go back and ask the Crown Prince for me..."

……

In the Chongjiao Hall, Li Chengqian listened to what Helan Chushi said and looked up in surprise: "Lu Hu's family is still in Chang'an. Didn't they send Lu Hu's body back to Fanyang?"

"No." Helan Chushi lowered his head, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, then he cupped his hands and said, "Something happened. The Yongzhou Yin Changshi refused to release him, and the Dali Temple's Sun Siqing was unwilling to intervene, so they kept dragging it out."

"This matter." Li Chengqian pondered for a long time, then shook his head and said seriously, "Lu Hu's matter has been resolved. The Eastern Palace will not interfere in the future. Tell Duke Chen not to interfere. Besides, the emperor didn't ask him to go to Yongzhou Prefecture to inquire about the affairs of the Eastern Palace. It would not benefit him."

"Yes!" Helan Chushi's expression became serious.

"Also, tell Duke Chen that I originally hoped he could be appointed as a governor of a distant place, such as Puzhou, Lanzhou, or Daizhou. I didn't expect that my father would let him be the Chief Clerk of Yongzhou, and even retain his position as Minister of Personnel..." Li Chengqian's face turned slightly grim. After a moment, he raised his head and said, "Tell Duke Chen to be careful."

"Yes!" Helan Chushi's expression became completely solemn.

"You go." Li Chengqian waved his hand gently.

"I'll take my leave." Helan Chushi bowed and retreated, then strode out of the East Palace.

At this time, Li Anyan walked in from the side hall with a solemn expression, stood beside Li Chengqian, and asked with a bow, "Your Highness, will Duke Chen listen to your advice on this matter?"

Li Chengqian raised his head calmly and said, "If he had listened to advice, he wouldn't be Hou Junji anymore."

Li Anyan's expression suddenly became strange.

(End of this chapter)