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

Chapter 615 The Emperor Will Never Be That Kind (First Update)
The night is quiet and the cicadas are chirping.

On the bed, Li Chengqian held Yang Mi in his arms, gently caressing her cheek as he continued, "My first request is that you be expelled from the family tree. My second request is that all the land, slaves, houses, and wealth held by Yang Gongren's lineage, except for some that were transferred to your father by the main lineage, be confiscated by the government."

"I want them all!" Yang Mi looked up in surprise, her eyes full of horror.

She knew very well how enormous and staggering wealth was in the hands of Yang Gongren, the main branch of the Hongnong Yang family.

"Tell me, if I don't do this, how can I give an explanation to the whole court." Li Chengqian hugged Yang Mi and looked into her eyes calmly.

Yang Mi bit her lip subconsciously, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Li Chengqian smiled softly, stretched out his fingers to scratch her nose, then shook his head and said, "You don't have to worry about these details. Your father and the elders of the Hongnong Yang family know how to choose."

"Really?" Yang Mi's face was full of confusion. Would the elders hand over such a huge fortune?

"Of course." Li Chengqian nodded affirmatively.

Under the butcher knives of Chu Suiliang, Liu Shi and Zhang Ananda, if those people of the Yang family dared to disobey or resist, Chu Suiliang, Liu Shi and Zhang Ananda would definitely raise their butcher knives coldly.

Because they knew very well that Li Chengqian's real purpose in reinstating them was to deal with the Hongnong Yang family.

The Yang family’s hidden fields and hidden households!
Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly. Only after getting these could he carry out many of his subsequent plans legitimately.

"Also." Li Chengqian hugged Yang Mi, his fingers lingering on her smooth back, and whispered, "In the future, if my beloved concubine and I have another prince, we can continue to be enfeoffed in Hongnong.

In this way, I can ask the Minister of the Imperial Household to allocate a piece of land for our son... Of course, I also like the princess."

"Yeah!" Yang Mi nodded vigorously, and all the doubts in her mind were completely thrown away.

Noticing that Li Chengqian's hand was causing trouble, Yang Mi quickly held his hand down and shook her head, saying, "Your Majesty, I will stop here today."

Li Chengqian was slightly stunned. At this time, Yang Mi had already rolled over from his body, then went deep into the bed and closed her eyes.

At this moment, a slight sound of footsteps came from outside the hall.

Li Chengqian looked up and saw Yang Shan, who was wearing a red chest-length skirt, walking into the inner hall with a blushing face.

Her hair reaches her waist and her red dress is graceful.

Li Chengqian stared with his eyes wide open.

Turning sideways, Li Chengqian glanced at Yang Mi. At this moment, Yang Mi seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

Li Chengqian's lips curled up slightly in a smile.

He hooked his finger at Yang Shan.

Yang Shan walked obediently to the side of the bed, then half-knelt on it.

Li Chengqian stretched out his hand and pulled Yang Shan into his arms.

Gently stroking her cheek, Li Chengqian whispered, "Are you really willing?"

Yang Shan bit her lip and nodded vigorously.

Li Chengqian smiled faintly, hooked his left index finger on her back, and the red gauze skirt was completely untied in an instant.

At this moment, a figure knelt down outside the inner room.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly at Wu Meiniang.

Only then did Wu Meiniang retreat obediently.

……

One night of absurdity.

Early in the morning, Li Chengqian woke up from his sleep and found Yang Mi and Yang Shan sleeping soundly in his arms.

After taking a look at the beautiful pair of sisters, Li Chengqian stood up calmly.

Wu Meiniang stayed with the other maids, walked in from the central hall, and helped Li Chengqian wash and change clothes.

After a while, Li Chengqian walked out of the hall.

On the bed, Yang Mi and Yang Shan opened their eyes at the same time and looked at each other.

"Sister!" Yang Shan looked at Yang Mi with some fear, who had a complicated expression.

Yang Mi closed her eyes gently, then sighed helplessly.

No one wants to see their sister climbing into their husband's bed.

Especially since it was her own bed.

However, the situation is such that no one can do anything.

Yang Mi opened her eyes, reached out and brushed the hair by Yang Shan's ear, and whispered, "The Emperor will soon issue an imperial decree. In the future, you will have your own palace. Take good care of yourself. Also, ask the Empress to transfer more people from your family to the palace. But this time, don't ask those sisters."

"Sister, I'll remember it." Yang Shan nodded vigorously.

Yang Mi looked out the window with complicated eyes.

Outside the window, the magpies raised in the palace were chirping on the branches.

Fresh air.

Li Chengqian sat on the imperial sedan chair and headed towards Ganlu Palace.

Wu Meiniang followed beside him all the way to Ganlu Palace.

Entering the Ganlu Hall, Li Chengqian said directly: "Change your clothes. I will go to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices later."

Wu Meiniang was slightly stunned, then immediately bowed and changed the emperor's clothes again.

Li Chengqian spread his hands, looked at Wu Meiniang who was close at hand, and said, "Meiniang did a good job this time."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Wu Meiniang lowered her head, her heart moved fiercely. This was the first time the emperor called her Meiniang.

"In the afternoon, I will confer the title of Talented Lady on Shan'er." Li Chengqian looked at Wu Meiniang, who lowered her head, and said, "I will also take her with me to Luoyang this time. Come with her, Mei Niang."

Wu Meiniang suddenly looked up, her eyes full of complicated surprise.

Li Chengqian continued, "Mi'er needs to send a message. Mei Niang should assist her and carefully choose the words, trying to be as gentle as possible, yet as firm as possible. You can ask them, if not, how can we reassure the officials in the court, how can we... reassure me."

Wu Meiniang immediately understood that no matter how many things were involved, satisfying Emperor Li Chengqian was the key to the Yang family escaping this disaster.

Moreover, based on her knowledge of some unknown details of the incident, she knew that the emperor played a decisive role in initiating the case and pushing it to the final conclusion.

If they fail to satisfy the emperor, all the losses suffered by the Yang family in this matter will far exceed their expectations.

Of course, the court's eastern expedition will also be affected, but is the Hongnong Yang family willing to use their own losses to offset the court's losses?
"I obey your command." Wu Meiniang bowed immediately.

"I have said everything that needs to be said. As for those things that cannot be said, I will talk to them in person after they make a decision." While Li Chengqian was speaking, he had already put on the black dragon robe and the Tongtian crown.

Wu Meiniang stepped aside meekly.

Li Chengqian calmly grabbed the Qianniu Knife on the side, then strode out of the hall.

The handling of some matters must be reported to the late emperor and Emperor Gaozu.

……

The imperial carriage slowly moved towards Ganlu Gate.

Li Chengqian sat on the imperial sedan chair and asked sideways, "Have arrangements been made for the Imperial Ancestral Temple?"

"It has been arranged." Xu An nodded.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and said, "As for Concubine Wu, assist her in delivering the letter from the palace to the Yang residence. At the same time, assist Yang Sizhi in returning to Hongnong from Chang'an smoothly and handle this matter thoroughly."

"Yes!" Xu An bowed seriously.

"Also, issue an order to have Pei Shuang, the Duke of Jiangxia, go to Chenzhou and wait for orders." Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, and Xu An bowed his head to accept the order.

The imperial carriage passed through Ganlu Gate, Liangyi Gate, Taiji Gate, Chengtian Gate, and went straight out of the palace city. Then it followed the palace road, turned east, and entered the Taimiao.

The guards cleared the way in advance.

The officials from the six ministries and nine temples who were walking on the palace road all stood on one side and bowed solemnly.

Ever since the day before yesterday when Fang Yiai, Li Yuanjing and Yang Sina were dealt with at court, the emperor had been staying in the deep palace without coming out and had not met any court officials.

Anyone who came to the palace to ask for an audience could only see the queen.

Now it seems that a decision has to be made.

Indeed, half an hour after the emperor entered the Taimiao, the news from the palace was delivered to the residence of Wannian County Magistrate Yang Sizhi.

Afterwards, Yang Sizhi left the house alone. He first met Yang Shidao, and then rode his horse back to Hongnong.

He also took away the tension among the people as they left Chang'an.

In the Taimiao, Li Chengqian inserted the tall incense sticks deeply into the incense burner and looked at a series of tablets from Emperor Xianzu Li Xi, Emperor Yizu Li Tianxi, Emperor Taizu Li Hu, Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan, and Emperor Taizong Li Shimin.

After Li Chengqian bowed three times, he knelt down on the cushion.

Taimiao Ling Li Fengci stood on one side, and Xu An stood on the other side.

Li Chengqian stood up, looked at the ancestral tablet in front of him, and said softly, "Father, the threat from the Hongnong Yang family will be lifted soon."

Although Li Chengqian had resorted to some tactics, the current situation was already extremely appropriate. Li Ke was now staying at home and had not been implicated.

This is especially true for Li Yin.

Xue Wanche was safe and sound and even made some contributions.

Fang Yiai was not dead. He was still thoughtful at the critical moment and did not write to Fang Yizheng and Chai Lingwu.

Therefore, Chai Lingwu, Princess Baling, and Chai Zhewei were not implicated at all.

Fang Yizheng, Fang Yizhe, and Fang Yiyi were just minor punishments for serious offenses.

Li Daozon, Zhishisili, Xue Wanbei and others did not appear in this case at all.

The biggest injustice since the founding of the Tang Dynasty was settled with his careful planning.

It is precisely because of these people acting as a buffer that the conflict between Li Chengqian and Changsun Wuji is almost impossible to break out.

Changsun Wuji would not have been almost wiped out by Li Zhi like in his previous life.

Father, Emperor, Mother, Empress.

I have done my best to live up to your expectations.

Li Chengqian muttered something in his heart, then kowtowed heavily to the ground.

Although the Hongnong Yang family has not been completely dismembered, after this incident, it is probably difficult for them to regain their status as the top powerful family in Guanzhong.

Even though it still remains one of the six families in Guanzhong, it is almost at the bottom.

Just like the Zheng family back then.

As expected, a major case is the most appropriate means to destroy a noble family.

From then on, the noble families in the world no longer dared to join forces with the royal family to covet the throne.

Today, after three generations of Tang Dynasty, the trend of female warriors replacing Tang Dynasty has come to an end.

The Tang Dynasty will never be usurped again.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, turned sideways and said, "Send an order, have the Crown Prince enter the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

"Here!"

……

The candle is burning.

The aroma lingers.

Li Chengqian stood on the side of the altar, and he felt a little relieved when he saw Li Xiang, dressed in a black dragon robe, kowtowed to the ancestral tablet.

"Father!" Li Xiang finished his greeting and then looked up at Li Chengqian.

"Get up." Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly, and Li Xiang stood up.

Li Chengqian waved his hand to the side, and two ushered in new cushions were placed on both sides of the altar.

Li Chengqian knelt on the left cushion, and Li Xiang walked to the right cushion and knelt.

Li Chengqian looked at the childish Li Xiang and asked, "Prince, you witnessed the entire Jing Prince's rebellion with your own eyes. What are your thoughts?"

Li Xiang raised his head slightly, looked at Li Chengqian, and said, "Father, I don't understand why this kind of thing always happens."

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Thirty-four years after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, when your great-grandfather, Emperor Gaozu, launched his rebellion in Taiyuan, the world still belonged to the Sui Dynasty."

Li Xiang nodded silently. The Tang Dynasty succeeded the Sui Dynasty, as recorded in history books.

"Yang Guang abused the people's power to build the Grand Canal and the eastern capital Luoyang. He frequently waged foreign wars, especially the three disastrous expeditions against Goguryeo, which caused wars across the country and everyone rebelled. Emperor Gaozu inherited the Mandate of Heaven, raised an army in Taiyuan, then attacked Chang'an, and finally established the Tang Dynasty." Li Chengqian turned sideways to look at the tablet of Emperor Gaozu on the side.

In establishing the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan indeed inherited the Mandate of Heaven.

"However, throughout this entire process, your royal grandfather contributed the most, to the point of Emperor Gaozu, and even the vigilance and jealousy of then-Crown Prince Li Jiancheng." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Originally, your royal grandfather was about to leave Chang'an and take up his post in Luoyang, but they refused to let him go and wanted to kill him, which led to the Xuanwu Gate Incident."

Li Xiang nodded slightly. This was the official explanation of the Xuanwu Gate Incident in the court today.

It was Li Jiancheng who first mobilized the troops. It can even be said that he was the first to rebel, and then the late Emperor Taizong came to restore order.

This is the most official statement.

"After your royal grandfather ascended the throne, there was the case of Yi'an County Prince Li Xiaochang's rebellion because he was dissatisfied with his reward. At that time, you were not yet born." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian continued, "When you were born, you faced your royal grandfather's favoritism towards your uncle, the Prince of Wei, which eventually led to his rebellion."

Li Xiang gritted his teeth and nodded vigorously.

During that period, not only Li Chengqian had a broken leg, but even Li Xiang could feel the solemn atmosphere in the palace.

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Later, the Prince of Jin led his army to besiege Mount Li, but that wasn't a threat; it was just a poor imitation of the Xuanwu Gate attack."

"Yes!" Li Xiang nodded in agreement.

"As for the occasional rebellions by Liu Wenjing, Liu Lancheng, Hou Junji, and others, they were all driven by the same insatiable greed and dissatisfaction with their rewards. That's nothing." Li Chengqian raised his head calmly and said, "Humanity is like this, and no one can avoid it."

"Yes!"

"Then there's the rebellion of Prince Jing and Princess Gaoyang after my father ascended the throne." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Gaoyang's problems are her own. As for Prince Jing, it's because my father just ascended the throne and doesn't have the prestige of your grandfather, so he can't suppress the people's sentiments. That's why he's being used by the Hongnong Yang family."

"Where is the Yang family of Hongnong?" Li Xiang couldn't help but look up.

"The Yang family is an aristocratic family, but they don't have any royal collusion, and it just so happens that the army is heading east. Otherwise, they wouldn't be worth mentioning." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "The aristocratic family itself is actually undermining the foundation of the empire. Their actions are not big, but they have been continuous for a hundred years. The threat is indeed not small, but the direct threat to imperial power is still from our own people, especially since you lack ability and prestige. Therefore, you must improve your abilities in all aspects."

"Yes!" Li Xiang bowed seriously.

Li Chengqian looked up outside the temple and found that it was already dark before he knew it.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, "Alright, let's stop here for today. You can go back and rest. Tomorrow, your father will start teaching you."

"Yes!" Li Xiang bowed and accepted the order, then stood up and said goodbye.

……

A copy of "Tao Te Ching", a copy of "Spring and Autumn Annals", and a copy of "Kao Gong Zhi".

Li Chengqian taught Li Xiang how to read in three days.

In this way, Li Xiang's studies would not fall behind during the few years when Li Chengqian was away from Chang'an.

Before I knew it, three days had passed.

Light footsteps were heard outside the Taimiao gate.

Xu An stood at the door and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Majesty, the Minister of Works, Duke of Ju, Prime Minister Yu, Duke of Pengcheng, Minister of Yin, and the Imperial Censor request an audience."

Li Chengqian looked at Li Xiang opposite him and waved his hand slightly.

Li Xiang stood up and stood aside.

Li Chengqian looked to the side and saw Zhangsun Wuji, Tang Jian, Yu Zhining, Liu Dewei, Yin Jun, Sun Fujia and others walking in from outside the Taimiao.

A little further away, they all knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded and asked, "Has there been any result on Yang's matter?"

"Yes!" Zhangsun Wuji bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Hongnong Yang family removed the three brothers Yang Sina, Yang Siyi, and Yang Sixun, as well as all male descendants of their lineage, from the family tree yesterday."

"You're very quick!" Li Chengqian said lightly.

Changsun Wuji lowered his head with a serious expression.

Chu Suiliang and Liu Shi led the newly formed government troops of Shanzhou and the soldiers from Hangu Pass, a total of 3,000 people, to approach Hongnong.

In this situation, how could Yang not be happy?

Not to mention, the Sixteen Guards of Chang'an are ready to make a move.

There were also signs of mobilization of troops stationed in Luoyang.

Once you really start killing people, you can't stop.

"In that case, let's deal with him." Li Chengqian looked up and said, "Pass the decree down. Former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Yang Sina, for forging the late emperor's will and instigating treason with ill intentions, shall be beheaded immediately. His sons shall be exiled to Zhenzhou, and all their property shall be confiscated.

His brothers, Yang Siyi and Yang Sixun, were implicated in the case and demoted to the positions of magistrate of Jiaozhi and Nanping counties, respectively. All of his sons and heirs were demoted to commoners and ordered to settle in Jiaozhi and Nanping. Their grandchildren were allowed to participate in the imperial examinations, and all their property was confiscated.

"Your Majesty is benevolent." Everyone bowed in surprise.

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "I have to give some face to Yang Shi's cooperation. As for Yang Siyi and Yang Sixun, as long as they are alive, the Hongnong Yang Shi will also cooperate with many things."

"Yes!" Everyone bowed in unison, but lowered their heads with a look of deep thought.

The emperor would definitely not be so kind as to let go of the two brothers Yang Siyi and Yang Sixun and their descendants. There must be a deeper calculation behind this.

"From now on, all the sons of the Yang family, there is no need to stay locked up. Please report to duty. There are still many matters to be dealt with at court." Li Chengqian took a deep breath, looked to the side, and said softly, "I also have matters concerning Gaoyang that need to be dealt with."

When the ministers saw this scene, their expressions changed slightly.

They finally understood why the emperor had been visiting the Taimiao these days.

(End of this chapter)