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

Chapter 682 If someone comes to the Duke for help, the Duke should ignore them if possible (Second Update)

June has arrived in the blink of an eye, and the weather is hot and humid.

The imperial carriage departed from the Liangyi Hall and headed towards the Lizheng Hall.

Li Chengqian couldn't help but look up at the clear sky. He sighed softly and said, "This summer has been dry, and Taiji Palace is becoming unbearable to stay in."

“Your Majesty!” Zhang Anan bowed and said, “The Empress is eight months pregnant and it is not advisable for her to go to Cuiwei Palace now.”

"Have someone clean up the Daming Palace properly, and let the Empress move there; it's cooler there." Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly. The Daming Palace was located on higher ground, so it wasn't as stuffy, and there were fewer people, making it relatively cooler.

"Yes!" Zhang Anan bowed respectfully.

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian asked, "Has Guo Xiaoke started making any moves yet?"

"Yes!" Zhang Anan bowed and said, "The Hundred Cavalry Division and the Bureau of Military Affairs have already transferred relevant personnel, using the name of the Hundred Cavalry Division. This is a military secret; anyone who tries to spy on it will be killed."

“It’s good that things are moving.” Li Chengqian nodded and said softly, “If Guo Xiaoke takes action, it will be easier for the power of the Guo family of Taiyuan to be demonstrated in this matter, unlike the Wang family of Taiyuan, who are too conspicuous.”

The Wang family had a daughter who was a favored concubine in the palace. Although there was a great deal of trade between the north and south, the Uyghurs were very wary of her in secret.

Although the Guo family was not as powerful as the Wang family, its strength should not be underestimated. However, being hidden in the shadow of the Wang family, it was easier for them to be overlooked.

One important reason why Li Chengqian employed Guo Xiaoke was that he could utilize the power of the Guo family of Taiyuan, which would allow him to keep an eye on not only the Uyghurs but also the Eastern Turks.

"Keep a close eye on Guo Daifeng and investigate the people he associates with, both inside and outside the government, to prevent him from going astray," Li Chengqian said, waving his hand slightly.

"Yes!" Zhang Anan bowed, without asking a single question.

Li Chengqian smiled with satisfaction.

However, as he sat in the imperial carriage, his expression became slightly serious.

Guo is to be appointed.

In his previous life, he was the culprit behind the defeat of Dafeichuan.

Because of the emperor's favor, he dared to disobey Xue Rengui's orders, which ultimately led to the defeat at Dafeichuan.

It sounded plausible, but Li Chengqian had a nagging feeling that something was off.

In his previous life, Xue Rengui was a trusted minister of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and even his savior. He also had numerous military achievements. Moreover, he came from the Pei clan of Wenxi. With his status, official position, and the emperor's trust, he was not someone like Guo Daifeng who dared to disobey military orders.

Li Chengqian suspected that there was something unknown about this.

But he couldn't say exactly what it was.

This matter must be thoroughly investigated.

Now that Liang Jianfang is stationed in Xichang Prefecture, a war between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet is inevitable in the future. Xue Rengui will definitely participate in the war. If there are any unknown forces operating in the shadows, then they must be brought out in advance.

……

The imperial carriage landed at the Rissei-den Hall.

Li Chengqian rose and entered the hall.

Two beautiful young concubines stood on either side of Li Chengqian and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty!"

It is Xu Xuan and He Lanminyue.

This wasn't the first time Li Chengqian had met Helan Minyue; he could always see ambition in her eyes.

Li Chengqian smiled gently, then stepped into the inner hall.

Su Yi, along with Su Shu's mother, Lady Feng, the Duchess of Ji, curtsied and said, "Your Majesty!"

"Mother-in-law, please rise!" Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly, walked to the bedside, looked at Su Shu, who was eight months pregnant and lying in the red rocking chair, took her hand and asked, "How are you? Are you feeling a little hot and uncomfortable?"

Su Shu nodded vigorously, and said in a childlike coquettish tone, "The palace is hotter this year than in previous years."

“There has been little rain in Guanzhong this year, so it will naturally be hotter.” Li Chengqian lowered his head slightly and said, “I have already sent people to prepare the Daming Palace. My beloved concubine can move there in the next couple of days. It will be much cooler there.”

"Move to Daming Palace?" Su Shu hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I feel a little uneasy."

Pregnant women are often more sensitive to unfamiliar environments during pregnancy.

Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "I will have the Penglai Palace completely remodeled according to the Lizheng Palace."

"Hmm!" Su Shu nodded slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I would like to eat lotus seed soup."

Li Chengqian turned to the side and said, "Why aren't you having it brought up yet... Remember, make it a little less salty."

"Yes, sir!" A group of people bowed in unison, then turned and went about their business.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Madam Feng and said, “Mother-in-law, Changrong is eighteen years old this year. It is time for him to enter officialdom. I plan to let him first serve as the Imperial Physician.”

What do you think about accumulating some experience in officialdom first, then transferring to a local post as a deputy prefect after a few years, and gradually building your career step by step?

Changrong is Su Gui's courtesy name.

Su Gui is Su Shu's younger brother, and Li Chengqian's brother-in-law.

Su Dan is now the Chief Secretary of the Yangzhou Grand General's Office.

Li Chengqian needs to carefully plan Su Gui's career path.

Lady Feng curtsied and said, "I will follow Your Majesty's arrangements."

"Then let's do it this way." Li Chengqian smiled, then looked at Su Shu and said, "The Empress has no objections, right?"

Su Shu smiled sweetly and shook her head, saying, "I will do whatever Your Majesty says."

"In addition, I will transfer Feng Yuanchang from Jizhou to serve as the magistrate of Henan County. The Empress can meet him when I go to Luoyang this year." Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

"Is he a cousin from the Feng family?" Su Shu couldn't help but look up.

“Yes, since the death of Feng Peng, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Feng family has not had any outstanding talents. Only Feng Yuanchang is someone I can still approve of, so let him be appointed as the magistrate of Henan County.” Li Chengqian couldn’t help but sigh softly.

Feng Peng, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was also a cousin of Su Shu's mother, Lady Feng. Feng Yuanchang's father, Feng An, was also a cousin of Lady Feng. "Won't this have any impact on the court?" Su Shu asked Li Chengqian with some concern.

“It’s alright.” Li Chengqian shook his head and said, “It was the end of the term of the magistrate of Henan County, so I had the Ministry of Personnel transfer Feng Yuanchang to be the magistrate of Henan County. It just so happens that there is the Fengshan ceremony at the end of the year, and Mount Song is within the territory of Henan County, so it is just right to handle it.”

"Okay!" Su Shu nodded and gave Li Chengqian a deep look.

Li Chengqian smiled gently and nodded silently in comfort.

Zhang Anan stood to one side, calmly bowing his head.

……

Daming Palace, Purple Palace.

Changsun Wuji knelt down on the steps and then looked at Li Ji beside him and said, "Indeed, it is cooler here than in the Liangyi Hall."

Li Ji nodded slightly, watching the eunuch place the cool tea in front of him, before turning to Changsun Wuji and saying, "His Majesty will be setting off for Luoyang in another month. Has Minister Chu been properly settled?"

"Proceed according to the prescribed steps for the Fengshan ceremony." Just as Changsun Wuji was about to say something more, he saw Li Chengqian walk in from the rear hall. He immediately stood up: "Your Majesty!"

"No need for formalities!" Li Chengqian, dressed in a dark blue dragon robe, entered from the back hall, waved to Changsun Wuji and the others, and said, "Uncle, please continue!"

Changsun Wuji cupped his hands and said, "Everything is proceeding normally in Luoyang. Even if His Majesty were to perform the Fengshan ceremony, there would be nothing wrong with it. However, once news arrives from the Eastern Island, the Fengshan ceremony can be immediately suspended."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, sat down on the steps, and said, "I think we don't need to wait for news from the Eastern Island. This year's weather will probably be enough to stop the Fengshan ceremony."

"Although the country is experiencing drought this year, it has not reached the point of causing a disaster." Li Ji cupped his hands behind Changsun Wuji and said, "His Majesty has been requesting that local areas store water for many years. Under such circumstances, dealing with this year's drought should not be a major problem."

“That’s not how it works.” Li Chengqian shook his head slightly, looked at the entire Zichen Palace in front of him, raised his eyes to look at the sunlight outside the palace, and said softly, “I know the character of the officials in the court. Over the years, there have been very few who are of bad character. They would not deliberately harm the people, but I am afraid that they are lazy.”

"Your Majesty!" Changsun Wuji and Li Ji looked up at the same time.

"Asking local officials to stop flooding, have they really done it? Also, this year, has anyone diverted the water ahead of time? Has the water been used to irrigate more people's fields? These are the most important things." Li Chengqian's expression darkened slightly as he said, "If even one local official is negligent, tens of thousands of people will suffer from the disaster."

Once there is a food shortage, it's not that food prices will rise by a certain percentage, but rather that a certain percentage of people will starve to death due to the food shortage. Only then will food prices stabilize.

"Your Majesty, perhaps we should send people to inspect the entire country this autumn?" Li Ji looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "Select ten of the most difficult counties from each of the ten circuits, and have the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Secretariat send people to inspect them."

"And the Ministry of Personnel, the people in the Ministry of Personnel's Bureau of Personnel also need to be mobilized." Li Chengqian looked at Changsun Wuji and said, "Uncle, Duke of Yingguo, and Minister Sun, go together to arrange the candidates. This matter must be decided by November."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Changsun Wuji bowed solemnly, his expression grave. The emperor clearly intended to do something, but he couldn't quite figure it out.

"Furthermore!" Li Chengqian looked up and said, "Regarding the matter in Luoyang, the Fengshan ceremony will inevitably be difficult to complete this time. So, we can let the world know that the Fengshan ceremony is difficult to complete because of the civil war in Dongdao, but we cannot use this reason to explain to the world."

At that time, it doesn't matter who comes to report that I am not qualified, or anything else.

We need to find the right person.

"Your Majesty, I understand." Changsun Wuji cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, what about the Imperial Censor?"

“Cui Qing?” Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, “His resume is too shallow and he is not qualified. Let Sun Qing do it. He is the Chancellor. When Wei Gong submitted a memorial to the emperor to advise him to stop the Fengshan ceremony, he was also the Chancellor. Now the Chancellor is advising him to stop. It is a good story that the emperor and I succeed each other.

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji's eyes showed deep thought.

Li Ji glanced at Changsun Wuji from the side, then lowered his head slightly.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, "Finally, there must be something to explain to the kings and envoys of the various foreign countries who accompanied us to Luoyang."

They waited in Chang'an for a year, and in the end received nothing. It's inevitable that people would complain that I was playing them for fools, and that would be disastrous.

"Your Majesty's words are reasonable." Changsun Wuji and Li Ji nodded in unison, their expressions solemn.

"Uncle, you should discuss this matter with someone properly. Find something to do. Even if the Fengshan ceremony doesn't work out, I can still do something in Luoyang with the envoys of the various barbarian kings." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly.

"I accept the decree."

……

Under the Danfeng Gate, Changsun Wuji and Li Ji mounted their horses together and slowly headed towards the palace.

Changsun Wuji had been thinking about something when he suddenly snapped out of it, glanced around, and then waved his hand slightly.

The numerous guards around immediately scattered in all directions.

Li Ji seemed to have anticipated this scene, and calmly looked at Changsun Wuji: "Duke!"

“Duke of England.” Changsun Wuji turned around and looked at Li Ji, asking, “Your Majesty has spoken many words today, and I feel that there is a deeper meaning behind them, but I can’t quite figure it out.”

"Your Majesty is referring to the Ministry of Personnel's Bureau of Clerks, isn't he?" Li Ji sighed softly, urging his horse forward slowly, and said, "The Ministry of Personnel's Bureau of Clerks, the local officials; the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, the local officials; the Secretariat and the Censorate, the local registrars. His Majesty's purpose this time is to unite these three forces into one."

Changsun Wuji involuntarily tightened the reins.

Li Ji glanced at him and said, "His Majesty intends to appoint Sun Fujia to oversee all matters of supervision throughout the realm."

"That's why His Majesty instructed Sun Fujia to follow Wei Zheng's example and stop him from performing the Fengshan ceremony." Changsun Wuji now fully understood.

Li Ji nodded and said seriously, "Duke, there will surely be important matters at the end of the year, so if anyone comes to you for help, please ignore them if possible."

Changsun Wuji was taken aback and stopped his horse completely.

Li Ji then slowly walked away.

Changsun Wuji watched Li Ji's departing figure, a bitter expression on his face.

……

On July 29th, the Empress gave birth to a princess in the Penglai Hall of the Daming Palace.

The emperor was overjoyed and bestowed upon her the name: Princess Yongle.

Nickname: Fu Ning'er.

On the ninth day of the eighth lunar month, the emperor set off on an eastern tour to Luoyang to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Song.

(End of this chapter)