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

Chapter 706 Imperial Decree: Di Renjie Summoned Back to the Capital, Appointed as Censor (One update today)
On New Year's Eve, red lanterns are hung high.

The streets of Suzaku were bustling with people.

Parents, leading their children, dressed in new clothes, revel in the streets.

Inside the carriage, Luo Binwang's gaze swept across the curtain, warily watching for anyone who might approach.

“You’re too cautious.” Zan Xiruo watched Luo Binwang all night and knew that although he was bold enough to enter Chang’an on New Year’s Eve, he still kept an eye on the outside of the carriage every moment.

“After all, we are talking about treason, so it’s not unreasonable to be careful.” Luo Binwang withdrew his gaze and looked at Zan Xiruo, saying, “Whether it’s the Wu family or the Xu family, they both have businesses in Tibet. But if nothing unexpected happens, there will be far fewer merchants traveling to and from Tibet next year, and the year after that… those who leave will all be those with ulterior motives.”

“Yes!” Zanxi nodded. From the moment Danzeng Zhaxi came to the Tang Dynasty on behalf of the Zanpu to ask for the marriage of Princess Yongkang of the Tang Dynasty, the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet was destined to begin to decline.

"Therefore, immediately send a message to Luoxie to win them over, bribe them, threaten them, and even completely turn some of the Wu and Xu family caravan members into spies." Luo Binwang looked up and earnestly said to Zan Xiruo, "Use their relationship with the royal family to smuggle ironware."

"Smuggling ironware?" Zan Xiruo was taken aback and said, "If it's just a shop assistant, I'm afraid he can't smuggle much, right?"

"The first time, ten knives; the second time, twenty knives; the third time, forty knives." Luo Binwang said coldly, "It depends on their luck. Whoever gets caught first is unlucky. Then you have the other side report to the authorities how many times they smuggled and how many weapons and ironware they smuggled, multiplying the amount tenfold."

“Ten times.” Zan Xiruo’s brow twitched, then he said in a low voice, “Just that, and the two families will probably become mortal enemies in an instant.”

"Isn't this exactly what we wanted?" Luo Binwang sneered at Zan Xiruo.

Zan Xiruo nodded slightly, then asked, "So what should we do next? How can we implicate the harem and even more people by involving these two families?"

"Don't even think about the harem." Luo Binwang shook his head and said, "The Hundred Cavalry Command of the Tang Dynasty is not just sitting there doing nothing. If your hands show even the slightest sign of interfering in the palace, you will soon be discovered by the Hundred Cavalry Command, discovered by the Emperor, and all your plans will be completely ruined."

"Then what should we do?" Zanxi Ruo stared intently at Luo Binwang.

“That’s not simple.” Luo Binwang shook his head somewhat boredly and said, “The Wu family is backed by the Yang family, and the Xu family has good relations with the Zhang and Xiao families. Just send some money over when you’re trying to build connections.”

“This could indeed implicate the Yang, Zhang, and Xiao families, but that’s not enough.” Zan Xiruo shook his head directly and said, “What we need is to implicate the entire Guanzhong aristocratic families and the entire Jiangnan gentry as much as possible.”

Luo Binwang looked intently at Zan Xiruo and suddenly asked, "Do you still remember Prince Li Zhi of Jin?"

Zan Xiruo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at Luo Binwang in disbelief: "This is your trump card?"

"That emperor is as terrifying as Emperor Taizong, as wise as Emperor Taizong, and as cold-blooded and ruthless as Emperor Taizong. If it were just about the methods at hand, he would decisively kill Wu Meiniang, kill Xu Hui, dismiss all the people from the Wu and Xu families in the officialdom, and then put an end to the turmoil in the shortest possible time."

Luo Binwang leaned back and said coldly, "So, if you want to escalate things indefinitely, then you have to involve Li Zhi."

“Can’t Li Xin do it? He’s Li Tai’s son, and he’s in Chang’an.” Zan Xiruo shook her head with some difficulty. “Li Zhi is in Qianzhou, and it’s not easy to make a move there!”

“It is precisely because Li Xin is in Chang’an, right under the emperor’s nose, that it is difficult to make a move against him.” Luo Binwang shook his head and said, “Li Xin is just a pawn that the emperor placed in Chang’an to attract others. Only Li Zhi, the son of Emperor Taizong, who is far away in Qianzhou, can completely disrupt the court.”

“I’ll say it again, Li Zhi is in Qianzhou, it’s not easy to make a move!” Zan Xiruo said with a solemn expression.

“There’s nothing wrong with taking action,” Luo Binwang said calmly. “I know you have close ties with the Five Zhao. Send three hundred elite troops, along with my men, from the Five Zhao to Qianzhou, and then from Qianzhou back to the Five Zhao. After that, you can take him to Luoxie and let him meet Princess Wencheng.”

Luo Binwang's men were all Tang people, which made things much easier for them than for the Tibetans in some areas.

The number of Tibetans compensated for Luo Binwang's shortage of manpower.

Three hundred Tibetan soldiers traveled through five Zhao states to reach Qianzhou.

In quickly, out quickly.

No one can stop it.

"That's a brilliant move!" Zan Xiruo remarked with some emotion, then looked up and asked, "But how does this relate to what happened before?"

"It's very simple. Just leave a nearly burned letter at Li Zhi's residence, signed 'Wu Meiniang'," Luo Binwang replied calmly.

Seeing Luo Binwang's confident and composed demeanor, Zan Xiruo knew that Luo Binwang had already planned everything from beginning to end.

“When Li Zhi plotted the rebellion, there were some details in which Wu Zetian was involved,” Luo Binwang explained. “Back then, Xu Hui had already been banished to the Cold Palace, and she had no contact with Li Zhi, so only Wu Zetian could be implicated.”

Luo Binwang was by Li Zhi's side back then, and he was involved in many things.

Many of his current judgments are based on events from back then, and are made using his exceptional intelligence.

To say he was almost supernaturally intelligent is a bit of an exaggeration, but he was Luo Binwang!
……

“Li Zhi fled from Qianzhou, and Wu Meiniang smuggled ironware to Tibet. You wanted to set a trap to make people think that Wu Meiniang was colluding with Li Zhi to rebel, which is why she smuggled ironware to Tibet.” Zan Xiruo pondered for a moment and looked at Luo Binwang, saying, “In this way, the emperor will suspect that there might be more involved, especially the Yang family of Hongnong, and even the entire Guanzhong aristocratic families?”

"That's right." Luo Binwang nodded calmly.

Zan Xiruo looked at Luo Binwang and frowned, saying, "Your plan is meticulous, but for some reason, it always seems to have something lacking. Or are you holding something back?"

Luo Binwang's expression calmed down before he spoke, "What can I gain?"

Zan Xiruo was taken aback and subconsciously asked, "What did you say?"

"What will I get in return?" Luo Binwang repeated, then said, "I will help the Tibetans drive the Tang Dynasty out of the plateau, and then what will I get in return?"

Zan Xiruo stared straight at Luo Binwang, never expecting that Luo Binwang would say such a thing.

We are all enemies of the Tang Dynasty. If we join forces to weaken the Tang Dynasty, wouldn't everyone benefit from it?

Seeing Luo Binwang's still indifferent expression, Zan Xiruo calmed down.

He knew that Luo Binwang wanted more.

Tibet gained control of both Eastern and Western Tuyuhun, while Luo Binwang was merely a result of the Tang Dynasty's weakened efforts to pursue him.

In fact, if it weren't for the Tibetans finding him, Luo Binwang would still be hiding very well.

Of course, Luo Binwang gained a lot by taking advantage of the Tang Dynasty's great defeat on the plateau, but what did those things amount to compared to the entire Tuyuhun Kingdom?
After thinking for a long time, Zan Xiruo finally shook her head and said, "You can just tell me what you want. If I can agree, I can give it to you."

“You can’t give it to me.” Luo Binwang looked at Zan Xiruo, then raised his head and said, “I want Li Zhi.”

“Li Zhi?” Zan Xiruo frowned slightly and said, “Didn’t you say you wanted Li Zhi to go to Luoxie?”

“Yes, afterwards, I want you to send Li Zhi to Anxi.” Luo Binwang narrowed his eyes and looked at Zan Xiruo, saying, “Some things require a long-term perspective, not just focusing on the present.”

"Go ahead," Zan Xiruo said, taking a deep breath.

"The Western Turks rebelled, the Tanguts rebelled. If you can join forces with the remnants of the three kingdoms, and add the internal strife in Chang'an, it would indeed be enough to drive the Tang forces down from the plateau. But..." Luo Binwang sat up straight and said, "But what about afterwards? The Tang will definitely retaliate, and will definitely retaliate with all its might."

Zan Xiruo's eyes turned solemn.

“What kind of person is the emperor? He is the kind of person who is indomitable and will never give up.” Luo Binwang sighed and said, “If something happens in Xichang Prefecture, he will quell all the disputes in the court at the first opportunity, even if it means killing everyone.”

Zan Xiruo nodded slightly; the emperor was indeed that kind of person.

"Furthermore, the Tanguts of Songzhou are not difficult to deal with. After the Turks in the Western Regions rebel against the Tang, their first action will definitely not be to cross the vast desert and march on Dunhuang. Instead, they will engage in internal strife for a while, elect a Great Khan, and then recuperate." Luo Binwang chuckled coldly and said, "They would love for Tibet to draw away the Tang's anger for them."

Zanxi Ruo's breathing had become heavier.

"Furthermore, Xichang Prefecture is merely a plateau, not deep within it. The high-altitude miasma there isn't as severe as in the deeper parts of the plateau. If the Tang Dynasty launches a counterattack, it won't need to worry too much about the high-altitude miasma. Therefore, the upcoming battle will be extremely bloody and brutal." Luo Binwang's expression turned serious as he asked, "Are you sure Tibet wants to bear this alone?"

"Then what do you want Li Zhi to do?" Zan Xiruo asked directly.

“Establish a kingdom.” Luo Binwang gritted his teeth and said, “I want to establish a kingdom in Xizhou and Tingzhou, with Li Zhi as emperor, inheriting the throne of Emperor Taizong, and competing with Li Chengqian for the legitimacy of the Tang Dynasty. If we can do this, the Tang Dynasty will inevitably have to devote half of its energy to the Western Regions, while I can use the desert as a barrier to resist the Tang Dynasty.”

"Can you stop them?" Zan Xiruo's eyes became serious.

Luo Binwang chuckled softly and said, "If the Western Turks are not afraid that the Tang Dynasty will destroy me and then directly attack the Western Turks, then they would better borrow some of my troops, as well as yours."

“Indeed, if you can establish a foothold in the Western Regions, we will indeed be able to alleviate a lot of pressure on Tuyuhun.” Zanxi Ruo looked up and said, “Okay, I can agree to give Li Zhi to you.”

Luo Binwang laughed, a hint of contempt in his smile, and said, "No, your promise doesn't count. I want Dama Rinchen's promise, I want the Zanpu's promise."

"So, what's your last trump card?" Zan Xiruo asked. "You have to give me at least one answer."

“Li Zhi, Wu Zetian, along with the Yang family of Hongnong, the Xu family of Huzhou, and the powerful families of Jiangnan, can indeed throw the Tang Dynasty into chaos for a while, but only for a short time.” Luo Binwang looked up and said, “But it is difficult to shake the emperor’s foundation. What I have is something that can severely damage his foundation.”

“Okay, I’ll go and persuade the Zanpu.” Zanxi Ruo nodded vigorously.

"I await good news," Luo Binwang said, bowing. "All other matters can now proceed."

“Okay.” Zan Xiruo nodded.

Beyond the carriage, we were already in Dunyi Ward.

Luo Binwang nodded to Zan Xiruo, and in a flash, he disappeared into the carriage.

Zanxi sighed softly, raised his eyes, and looked in the direction of Tibet.

It's unlikely that Tibet will easily agree to Luo Binwang's request, since they aren't exactly the ones who have the final say.

But in the end, it will definitely pass.

Unless they don't want to defeat the Tang Dynasty.

A series of firecrackers crackled and popped outside the car.

Zan Xiruo glanced at it lightly.

The tranquility and bustle of Chang'an City suddenly came into view.

Deep within the bustling street, Luo Binwang, with his back to Zan Xiruo, let out a cold smile.

Is it the prosperous Tang Dynasty before him, or the shrewd and calculating Zanxi Ruo in the carriage?
……

It is the first day of the first lunar month in the twelfth year of Yongwei.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the emperor appointed Cui Renshi as the chief secretary of the Andong Protectorate and made him prime minister, holding the rank of a third-grade official in the Secretariat and Chancellery.

This marks the first time since the founding of the Tang Dynasty that a scion of a top aristocratic family in Hebei has truly been appointed as prime minister.

Previously, neither Gao Shilian nor anyone else were among the five prominent families of Cui, Lu, Zheng, Wang, and Li in Hedong. This means that by now, the Tang Dynasty's attitude towards the Hedong gentry had made significant progress compared to the founding of the dynasty, and even during the Zhenguan era.

The emperor's words of a sage ruler spread like wildfire throughout the land.

However, many more people followed closely behind Choi In-seok when he took up his post in Andong.

Cui Renshi knew best what the emperor wanted, so when he went to Andong, countless prominent families from Hebei were taken along by the Cui family.

Of course, their trip to Andong was definitely worthwhile.

There is an unknown amount of wealth waiting for them to discover in Andong.

The most important reason why the Guanzhong aristocratic families were able to become the most powerful in the world was that they had the entire Silk Road behind them. The Jiangnan aristocratic families had access to the Silk Road in the South China Sea. Even the Henan aristocratic families used to travel the maritime trade routes from Dengzhou to Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla in their early years.

Only the aristocratic families of Hebei were firmly under control; they could only deal with the Turks and engage in some smuggling with the Goguryeo people.

But now, this trade route has completely unfolded before them, and they may even be able to occupy the other side of the route.

In this situation, who wouldn't be tempted?

……

On the third day of the first lunar month, in the Zhenguan Hall.

Li Chengqian held the memorial in his hand and finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

The fact that Hebei families are starting to invest in Andong means that their exploitation of the local people in Hebei will be reduced, and it will be easier to continue the land survey. The lives of the people in Hebei will finally be a little better.

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, and Li Anyan quickly appeared inside the hall.

Li Anyan bowed respectfully to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Majesty, Luo Binwang has entered the city."

Li Chengqian suddenly looked up and asked in surprise, "When?"

"On New Year's Eve," Li Anyan said, cupping his hands in greeting, "the message had been circulating for a while, so it was only just delivered to me."

"How many people did he bring into the city?" Li Chengqian asked immediately.

“Three.” Li An’an calmed down a bit and said, “Three people. One went into the city first to deliver the message. The other two, after confirming that it was safe, welcomed Luo Binwang into the city. Finally, they took him to Yongning Ward, and then a carriage took Luo Binwang away. The other three were ordered to go out of the city to meet him outside the city.”

"Did he suddenly decide to go to the city?" Li Chengqian pondered.

“Yes!” Li Anyan bowed.

“He’s checking to see if news of his arrival in Chang’an has been leaked.” Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said, “He doesn’t trust the Tibetans.”

“Yes!” Li Anyan nodded and said, “After all, the Tibetans have been in Chang’an for so long and have been under constant surveillance, so it is easy for their information to be leaked.”

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Our people, are they alright?"

"No, we are always cautious in our actions. Even in Chang'an, it took three days for the news to reach us." Li Anyan bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty's teachings are something we never dare to forget."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Do you know who Luo Binwang met when he entered the city?"

"I don't know." Li Anyan said with a solemn expression, cupping his hands in greeting. "They didn't follow that carriage, so they don't know who was in it. As for the Tibetan side, I checked the records from the night of the 30th, and the entire Tibetan delegation was under surveillance."

"In other words, someone who wasn't on the list of Tibetan envoys was responsible for meeting with Luo Binwang." Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

“Yes.” Li Anyan bowed and said, “That carriage was later abandoned deep in a neighborhood. The Yongzhou Prefecture investigation found that it was lost by a family the day before yesterday.”

"New Year's Eve!" Li Chengqian sighed softly.

Throughout the New Year period, the curfew was lifted in Chang'an, so people could move freely in most places, making it very difficult to investigate.

"Forget it, it's difficult to investigate the Tibetan side. Investigating Luo Binwang's side is enough." Li Chengqian turned to the side and asked, "Have you figured out the route of Luo Binwang's carriage?"

“It’s all cleared up.” Li Anyan nodded and said, “Wu Yuanqing’s residence is in Yongning Ward, and Wu Yuanshuang was at the Duke of Ying’s residence on the night of the 30th.”

"They've started working on that line," Li Chengqian said, closing his eyes slightly. "They're investigating whether Wu Yuanshuang's involvement is a trap."

"You can tell just by looking at him?" Li Anyan asked, somewhat surprised.

“Yes, it is possible.” Li Chengqian nodded and said, “If this is a plan targeting Tibet, then Wu Yuanshuang will not be able to go anywhere on New Year’s Eve. He should be being watched at all times.”

"I see." Li Anyan suddenly realized.

"Luo Binwang is still in Wugong County, right?" Li Chengqian looked up.

“Yes!” Li Anyan nodded firmly.

“Wu Yuanshuang has passed the test for now, which means that their plan against Wu Yuanshuang is about to begin.” Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, “It will probably be the Tibetan side that makes the move, but here in Chang’an, they also need someone to push things along at a crucial moment.”

"Does such a person exist?" Li Anyan's expression turned serious.

“To find something to hold against someone, and then do something unimportant, and then pull it out at a crucial moment, can be quite deadly.” Li Chengqian shook his head and said, “It’s also possible that someone who knows nothing could be ruthlessly exploited by them at a critical moment.”

"Hmm!" Li Anyan's expression was solemn.

"Where is Di Renjie now?" Li Chengqian suddenly looked up.

Li Anyan cupped his hands and said, "Di Huaiying has been in office for five years. He has just been promoted from the county magistrate of Kaifeng to the assistant county magistrate. If nothing unexpected happens, he will become the county magistrate of Kaifeng in a few years."

Di Renjie entered officialdom through the Mingjing examination and was among the top ranks, so he started his career as a county lieutenant. After one term, he was transferred to the position of county assistant. If he could be transferred to the position of county magistrate, then his career would be truly on track.

Li Chengqian initially didn't interfere much because he hoped Di Renjie could have enough opportunities to hone his skills so that he could go further in the future.

Without hesitation, Li Chengqian said directly, "Issue an imperial decree to recall Di Renjie to the capital and appoint him as a censor."

"Yes!" Li An solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Chengqian relaxed and said, "They need someone with a stubborn personality who can withstand the pressure and disrupt the situation at crucial moments. People who can be coerced and bribed by them will cause problems at crucial moments. Therefore, an upright and honest person is the most likely to disrupt the situation."

“So, it is Di Huaiying.” Li Anyan nodded slowly.

Although Di Renjie was not the top scholar in their examination, he was the one with the best performance in the Ministry of Personnel's examination.

Within three years of his appointment, all major and minor criminal cases in Kaifeng County were thoroughly investigated and resolved.

In his last year as county magistrate, not a single case occurred in the entire Kaifeng County.

Originally, such a talent was to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, but the governor of Bianzhou insisted on keeping him. In the end, he was promoted from the ninth-rank county lieutenant of Kaifeng to the eighth-rank county assistant, and now he has been transferred to the position of censor. I'm afraid this will cause a great stir in the entire city of Chang'an.

Unfortunately, they will know that Di Renjie is strong, but they will not know exactly how strong Di Renjie is.

"Let Yan Lide handle it, but don't say it's my order." Li Chengqian looked up and said, "Luo Binwang and the Tibetans have joined forces. This time it won't be so simple. Carefully review the information we've retrieved from Luo Binwang. When Luo Binwang wants to get things done, he relies most on our people."

"Yes!" Li Anyan nodded. No matter what Luo Binwang wanted to do, if he wanted to take action, the most trusted people he could use were still the secret guards. No matter what he wanted to do, the news would eventually reach Li Chengqian.

"And then there's the Tibetan side." Li Chengqian chuckled coldly and said, "Since they have people who aren't on the list, let's casually investigate carefully. I need to know who in Tibet has this ability."

"Yes!" Li An solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Tibet has never been easy to deal with. Their threat to the Tang Dynasty is greater than that of the Eastern and Western Turks and Goguryeo. This time, if they want to disrupt the Tang Dynasty, they will definitely start from a place we cannot imagine."

Although Luo Binwang had intelligence, he was ultimately a step behind. In the end, we analyzed the situation ourselves and figured out where they were going to make their move.

"Your subject obeys." Li Anyan cupped his hands, and seeing that Li Chengqian had no other arrangements, he bowed and withdrew.

Li Chengqian sat alone on the main couch, pondering all aspects related to Tibet.

Just then, Xu An's voice rang out from the front: "Your Majesty, Consort Helan has arrived outside the palace."

Li Chengqian was slightly taken aback. Just as he was about to look up, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in his mind.

Li Chengqian stood up abruptly and said, "Let her go to the inner palace first; I have some other matters to attend to."

"Here!" Xu An didn't understand what had happened, but he still turned around and went outside the hall to escort Helan Minyue, who was dressed in a red and green wedding gown, into the inner hall.

Li Chengqian had already arrived at the hidden study in the rear hall.

A dark figure stepped out from a nearby corner, calmly cupping his hands and saying, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded and asked, "Where is the Prince of Jin now?"

"At the foot of Hongdu Mountain in Qianzhou!" A hint of surprise flashed in the dark figure's eyes.

Li Chengqian's expression hardened, and he said, "Send someone to Qianzhou."

The shadowy figure looked horrified, but quickly calmed down and respectfully cupped his hands in greeting.

“Send someone to Qianzhou to secretly move the Prince of Jin’s family to Chengdu and place them under the care of Li Daozong, the Grand General of Yizhou.” After a slight pause, Li Chengqian said, “But make arrangements in the original location. Find someone who resembles the Prince of Jin in build, along with his concubines, to impersonate his family and prepare them for trouble.”

"Your subject obeys the decree." The figure bowed, then quickly left the Zhenguan Hall through the secret passage of the hidden study.

Li Chengqian walked behind the desk and sat down, letting out a long sigh of relief.

If he has any flaw in this world, it is only in Li Zhi.

Given Luo Binwang's status, it was perfectly normal for him to start with Li Zhi.

The thought of Li Zhi falling into the hands of the Tibetans and being with Princess Wencheng sent chills down Li Chengqian's spine.

With the methods of the Tibetans, they could make a big fuss about this matter.

Li Chengqian looked at the front hall and then smiled faintly.

Fortunately, someone reminded him of this.

(End of this chapter)