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

Chapter 749 Epilogue 3: Li Yifu
In the twenty-second year of Yongwei, the winter was cold.

Huainan Circuit, Luzhou.

Chaohu Lake, with a circumference of 500 li, is located southeast of Hefei County.
Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted from the once quiet northern foothills of Laoshan Island.

Three hundred soldiers clad in black armor, armed with crossbows, swords, shields, and countless spears, charged coldly into an ordinary camp at the foot of the mountain.

Suddenly, shouts of killing arose, and dozens of burly, ferocious men rushed out of the house in a panic, while most of the women and children inside hid inside, trembling with fear.

A few women and older children also gripped their knives tightly.

However, the black-armored soldiers carried out the killing in a very orderly manner.

Crossbows cleared the way, followed by swords and shields, and long spears thrust and stabbed, taking turns to kill. In a very short time, all these strong men were slaughtered.

They rushed into the houses, but most of the women inside knelt down and began to weep.

Immediately, all the houses were pushed open, revealing the minting furnace hidden deep within them, disguised as a chimney, and the mine shaft hidden at the very back.

A figure dressed in black armor appeared on a hillside not far away, calmly observing everything with his hand on his sword. His features were clearly visible under the winter sun, and this person was none other than Li Jia.

Immediately, his gaze turned to the distant lake.

A dozen or so ships of various sizes had already appeared in the distance.

The small boat arrived quickly.

Hundreds of local officials and soldiers had already disembarked, and the leader of them was none other than a county magistrate in a light green official robe.

Li Jia calmly descended from the mountainside. Dozens of black-armored soldiers had already gathered around him, their faces indifferent, their hands on their long swords.

The two groups of people approached quickly. The local magistrate, who had just landed, looked at the people coming down from the mountainside and wanted to shout something, but in the end, he didn't.

Only his right hand kept trembling.

The county constable glanced at the county magistrate, then stepped forward from the side and shouted, "Stop! State your identities and lay down your weapons, or you will be charged with treason!"

Li Jia ignored the county constable and calmly walked forward, his expression indifferent, but he did not draw his sword. The county constable sensed something was wrong and stopped in his tracks.

As soon as he stopped, everyone else stopped too.

Soon, Li Jia had already walked up to the crowd.

The magistrate took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and said, "Zhang Shuhui, the magistrate of Hefei County, greets Your Excellency. May I ask where Your Excellency comes from and why you have not informed the local authorities of your actions?"

"Are you saying you weren't notified, or that the Prefect of Luzhou, Han Bao, wasn't notified?" Li Jia glanced indifferently at Zhang Shuhui, then threw the token in his hand into Zhang Shuhui's arms, whose expression had changed drastically. He said calmly, "The Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Guard, and the Coinage Bureau have been ordered to investigate illegal money-making activities. Someone has been found to be privately manufacturing a coin-making furnace. According to the law, their entire family will be executed."

And you, Magistrate of Hefei County, you have been dismissed from your post. The official document from the Ministry of Personnel should be sent to the county office now, and the County Assistant Magistrate will temporarily act as Magistrate, while the County Commandant will temporarily act as County Assistant Magistrate.

Zhang Shuhui was completely stunned, and he couldn't help but look at the county constable beside him.

The county constable had already taken a step back, then cupped his hands to Li Jia and said, "Your subordinate obeys." His expression revealed barely suppressed joy.

Zhang Shuhui, pale-faced, looked up and asked, "Prefect, Prefect Han?"

"Han Bao, the Prefect of Luzhou, is dismissed from his post and imprisoned." After saying this, Li Jia turned around and headed towards the mountainside.

Zhang Shuhui trembled uncontrollably, and finally looked at the county constable beside him.

Face to face, a cold killing intent flashed in the county constable's eyes.

……

The twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Chang'an, Liangyi Palace.

The steps rise high, and a bronze crane stands alone.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a crimson-yellow dragon robe, sat indifferently on the imperial couch, looking at the memorial in his hand. His gaze swept over the contents quickly and simply, then he raised an eyebrow and looked at the three important officials standing or sitting.

Zhao Yuankai, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Lai Ji, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; and Li Yifu, Minister of Personnel.

Zhao Yuankai, with his white hair, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the tax revenue of the empire in the twenty-second year of Yongwei has been properly calculated. Compared with the twentieth year of Yongwei, the tax revenue has increased by half a percent, which is stable and continuous. In addition, the officials of the empire have checked and found that five governors were in the wrong, and they have been dealt with."

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian glanced at Li Yifu behind him and said, "The Ministry of Personnel should submit a list to me. On New Year's Day, at the grand court ceremony, the successor will be announced."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Li Yifu bowed solemnly.

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian glanced at Li Yifu and nodded with a satisfied expression.

Six years have passed since Li Chengqian performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Song. Great changes have taken place in the court. Two years ago, Li Ji requested to retire. Although he held the position of Minister of Works, he, like Changsun Wuji, no longer participated in court affairs.

Du Zhenglun, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was dismissed from his post and transferred to Xichang Prefecture after his son was convicted of murder. He was appointed as a third-rank official in the Secretariat and Chancellery.

When Liang Jianfang retired, Su Dingfang was transferred to the position of Grand Protector of Fanzhou, holding the rank of Third Grade Official in the Secretariat and Chancellery.

Zhao Yuankai was promoted to the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

After serving as Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel for two years, Sun Fujia, the Grand Secretary, requested to retire.

Li Chengqian then transferred Lai Ji back from the position of Protector-General of Anxi and appointed him as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Li Qianyou, the Minister of Personnel, was promoted to Grand Secretary.

Imperial Censor Cui Yixuan was promoted to the middle position.

Li Yifu, who was appointed Minister of Personnel and concurrently held the rank of Third Rank Official in the Secretariat and Chancellery, was transferred to the position of Minister of Personnel. Jiang Ke, the Left Guard General, was then transferred to the position of Minister of Personnel.

Yin Jun, the Minister of Justice, was transferred to the position of Imperial Censor.

Dai Zhide, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Li Jingxuan, the Assistant Minister of Personnel, was promoted to Minister of Personnel.

……

Li Chengqian pulled himself out of his thoughts and asked, "Minister Du, you've been in Xichang Prefecture for two years now, how is it?"

Zhao Yuankai cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Du has acted with prudence and integrity in Xichang Prefecture. Xichang Prefecture has developed extremely rapidly in recent years, and his contributions are immense."

"Yeah!" Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

Two years ago, Du Zhenglun's son accidentally killed someone in the street. Du Zhenglun was implicated in the crime, dismissed from his post as prime minister, and demoted to the position of governor of Xichang Prefecture, with the rank of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin.

Although many people in the Tang Dynasty held high-ranking positions in their respective regions, such as Grand General, Grand Protector, or Third Rank Official, it was generally known that they had virtually no opportunity to return to the capital to serve in their posts.

The reason Du Zhenglun retained his position as prime minister was because his son's case was too suspicious.

On West Market Street, he got into an argument with someone, and then a chaotic scene ensued, and he died. The knife that killed him was in his son's hand.

A thorough investigation later revealed that the deceased and Du Zhenglun's son had never met before and had no prior grudges. There was only one suspicious matter: the deceased's mother had passed away five years ago and was originally unable to afford a proper burial due to debts. However, someone paid a sum of money to bury her.

The deceased had no children, no relatives after her mother's death, and even her friends had gradually drifted away over the years. Two years ago, she suddenly died at the hands of Du Zhenglun's son.

Although there is suspicion of suicide, there is absolutely no evidence to support it. Even if there is an element of framing, three years is enough time to obliterate some evidence.

Everyone knew it was a setup carried out by assassins, but it still succeeded.

There is no evidence that could overturn the verdict.

Li Chengqian could only deal with Du Zhenglun's son. Although Du Zhenglun had not covered up the murder because of his son, he was no longer suitable to sit in the position of Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Therefore, Li Chengqian could only transfer him to Xichang Prefecture and appoint him as a third-rank official in the Secretariat and Chancellery.

However, many things, although they cannot be found out immediately, will eventually reveal some clues over time.

Although all the clues about the deceased's mother had been buried due to the passage of time, a major event happened in Chang'an around the time the man received the money to bury his mother.

Duqu was chiseled open.

The person who broke through him was Du Zhenglun.

Du Zhenglun came from the Huanshui Du clan, which shares the same ancestor as the Jingzhao Du clan, but their branches are quite distant.

In his early years, he requested to be included in the same genealogy as the Du family of Jingzhao, but was refused. Later, he was transferred to Jiaozhou for leaking forbidden words.

Since his return, he has been busy with affairs of state.

However, just six years ago, after he was promoted to the position of Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he opened a waterway directly in Duqu under the pretext of dredging waterways.

A waterway was carved directly into the ground.

The Du family of Jingzhao lived in Duqu. It is said that the prosperous land energy of Duqu enabled them to live in high positions for generations. However, after this excavation, the river flowed like blood and it took ten days to stop. From then on, they never recovered.

A month later, the man's mother passed away, and he had no money for her burial, as if someone had deliberately chosen that particular person.

This was a revenge that had been brewing for three years.

Three years have passed, and all evidence has been buried, making it difficult for Li Chengqian to turn the tables. He can only transfer Du Zhenglun out of Chang'an.

This kind of approach is very typical of aristocratic families.

Officials in the court who know the inside story are now acting very cautiously, both for themselves and their families. At the same time, if they offend someone, they will definitely try to destroy them.

I will never give anyone the chance to "take revenge after three years".

……

"Let's leave it at that for this year." Li Chengqian looked up at Zhao Yuankai and said, "Minister Zhao, please visit the Ministry of Agriculture these next few days and see if they have enough timber left."

"Yes!" Zhao Yuankai couldn't help but smile and cup his hands in a gesture of respect.

He was impeached because of this incident, which caught the emperor's eye. The emperor, who was still the crown prince at the time, stood up for him, which enabled him to rise step by step from Minister of Agriculture to Minister of Ceremonies, and then to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, reaching the highest position in the court.

However, now that he is retiring, he can return to his old home and take a good look around.

He wasn't the only one who was to retire; Xu Jingzong was also among them.

Xu Jingzong was also at the point where he was to retire.

With both the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Attendant-in-Ordinary in vacancy, the officialdom in Chang'an will inevitably be thrown into chaos for a while, but only for a short time, as Li Chengqian has accumulated enough talent over the years.

"Go back now. The palace will send a batch of New Year's gifts to your residences at the end of the year." Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Now that the world is prosperous, you have finally got a break during the New Year, so take a good rest and come back to court."

"Yes!" Zhao Yuankai, Lai Ji, and Li Yifu bowed and said at the same time, "May Your Majesty enjoy a peaceful and healthy New Year. We will take our leave."

Zhao Yuankai, Lai Ji, and Li Yifu bowed in unison and then left the main hall.

Li Chengqian looked to one side and said, "You should all go back too."

"May Your Majesty enjoy a peaceful and healthy New Year. We will take our leave." Lu Dunxin, Shangguan Yi, Pei Yan, and Liu Yizhi rose and then left the hall.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and sighed softly, "Another year has passed."

……

The imperial carriage slowly made its way towards the Ganlu Palace.

Li Chengqian looked up, his breathing gradually becoming lighter.

Six years have passed since the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Song. During these six years, he has not slackened at all. He has developed the economy, improved people's livelihoods, and especially pursued efforts to win over and divide the Eastern and Western Turks, Khitans, Tuyuhuns, Tibetans, Dangxiangs, and even the various ethnic groups of the Five Swamps.

The most important thing is infiltration.

The Tang Dynasty's greatest fear regarding foreign tribes was unfamiliarity. It was unfamiliar with their leaders, their internal workings, and the crux of their interests and conflicts. In such cases, the only recourse was to launch a direct assault, a method that ultimately depleted the nation's strength.

Only by achieving the greatest goal at the lowest cost can a country be considered truly well-governed.

Over the past six years, the people's livelihood in the Tang Dynasty has flourished, and the population of the Tang Dynasty has also grown rapidly.

Only when the people are wealthy can they have the extra energy to have children. As the population grows rapidly and spreads to the surrounding border regions, it brings a large amount of wealth back to the Tang Dynasty, creating a positive cycle.

In recent years, there has only been one thing that has truly hindered the Tang Dynasty from reaching its peak.

Those are copper coins.

Even with the presence of Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, and copper mines in the Kunlun Mountains, the demand for copper coins continued to grow as large amounts of foreign wealth flowed into the Tang Dynasty.

Some people are already calling for war against Japan.

Even bad money is starting to proliferate again.

Li Chengqian was not in a hurry, because the Tang Dynasty was only superficially short of copper. In reality, the slow pace of copper mining was due to the backwardness of the mining technology. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty actually had enough copper reserves and did not need to seek copper from outside.

Although ill-gotten gains were cracked down on a few years ago and were relatively plentiful in previous years, they disappeared for a while. Now they have suddenly reappeared, which shows that some people still have ulterior motives.

Let it run rampant for a while, then thoroughly expose the forces behind it all. With enough copper coins in the court, even the most deeply hidden individuals will suffer heavy losses this time. At the same time, all that ill-gotten money will be confiscated to replenish the national treasury.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, his expression becoming somewhat solemn.

In recent years, as trade has flourished across the country, the counter shop business has also developed rapidly, spreading from Anxi to Lanzhou, Chang'an, Luoyang, and even to Yangzhou, Hangzhou, Youzhou, Taiyuan, Chengdu, Jingzhou, and Guangzhou, covering all corners of the country.

The foundation for the development of money exchange shops has gradually been laid.

However, after careful consideration, Li Chengqian ultimately rejected the plan to fully implement the bank system before his abdication.

While money exchange shops were indeed convenient, if they were not controlled, they could easily become tools for the imperial court or even powerful nobles to exploit the people. Therefore, it was better to let them develop freely in the manner of traditional money exchange shops, while the government would guide and integrate them in the manner of official money exchange shops.

This would minimize the risk of social unrest caused by excessive radicalism, while also regulating the use of copper throughout the country.

The more one controls the world, the more one understands that the grand strategies of the world cannot be changed arbitrarily, because a single wrong change can lead to the destruction of countless families and the loss of lives.

Ganlu Hall was just ahead. Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile slightly. Sometimes, being able to hold back is also a skill.

As for Japan, six years have passed since then, and the Tang Dynasty's blockade of Japan remains in effect. However, smuggling and trade activities continue unabated, which has made many people in the Tang Dynasty aware of Japan's wealth.

However, to this day, Li Chengqian still firmly guards the blockade line and turns a blind eye to the smuggling of goods in secret. His purpose is to wait for these people to become so greedy for the wealth of Japan that they can no longer control themselves. When the Tang Dynasty is strong enough, he will wipe out the entire Japan in one fell swoop and completely resolve the crisis on the east side of the Tang Dynasty.

But this was the last thing Li Chengqian did before his abdication.

That's roughly ten years away.

……

The imperial carriage alighted before the Ganlu Hall.

"Your Majesty!" A female official dressed in a red and blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a beautiful face, stepped forward and curtsied. She was none other than Xu Rou, who had been transferred to the palace as a female official and was the daughter of Xu Jingzong, the Chamberlain.

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian nodded to Xu Rou, then stepped into the inner hall. Xu Rou quickly followed and helped the emperor take off his coat.

Sitting down on the long couch, Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and asked, "Have there been any unusual occurrences with the Left and Right Thousand Bull Guards lately?"

Xu Rou placed a cup of hot tea on the table, then said, "In the capital, the various noble families and the princes' residences are all relatively quiet."

“Yes, after all, the New Year is just around the corner.” Li Chengqian picked up the hot tea, took a sip, and then gently reached out his hand.

Xu Rou nestled obediently into Li Chengqian's arms.

Li Chengqian held Xu Rou in his arms and looked into her eyes, then said softly, "After the New Year, your father will retire. Perfect timing, I can now bestow upon you the title of Consort."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xu Rou couldn't help but bite her lower lip, leaning against Li Chengqian's chest, looking at him with excitement, her eyes already glistening with tears.

Because Xu Jingzong was the prime minister, Xu Rou had been with Li Chengqian for almost ten years, but she still did not have a formal title and only stayed in the palace as a female official.

Now that Xu Jingzong is about to retire, Xu Rou will be able to officially become Li Chengqian's concubine and have children.

Xu Rou had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Li Chengqian smiled, then picked up Xu Rou, whose face was flushed, and walked towards the bed.

Moonlight shone on a crimson porcelain vase on one side.

Slender and graceful!
……

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year grew stronger.

In the Liangyi Hall, Li Chengqian sat on his imperial couch, looking at the memorial in his hand. He squinted at Cui Yixuan, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, Yin Jun, the Grand Censor, and Gao Zhizhou, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and asked with icy eyes: "Han Bao, the Prefect of Luzhou, sent 10,000 strings of cash to Li Yifu to change this evaluation and proposed to appoint Han Bao as the Prefect of Shanzhou!"

"Yes!" Cui Yixuan cupped his hands and said, "The news sent back from Luzhou by the Hundred Cavalry Division has confirmed this matter. We have thoroughly investigated all matters in Luzhou this year. Even without the matter of the ill-gotten gains, Han Bao's performance evaluation over the past five years is at most above average. A lateral transfer is sufficient, but a promotion is not necessary."

“Evil money, inadequate evaluation, buying official position, appointed as the Prefect of Shanzhou.” Li Chengqian sneered coldly, “It seems that my Minister of Personnel has changed.”

Cui Yixuan, Yin Jun, and Gao Zhizhou bowed in unison.

In recent years, when the emperor appoints officials outside of the Ministry of Personnel, the Secretariat, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review all send people to review the appointments. These past few years have only just begun, and the reviews are only for officials of the fourth rank and above. Even the Minister of Personnel is unaware of the details involved.

"Go and investigate first. Review all officials of the fourth rank or above involved in the Ministry of Personnel over the past two years. Remember, only those of the fourth rank or above." Li Chengqian raised his head slightly.

"Your Majesty, why not carry out a comprehensive purge?" Cui Yixuan asked, bowing with some confusion.

“It will take time for new people to take over, and for those below the fifth rank, the Secretariat, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review should conduct a thorough investigation. This could easily escalate the matter. We should investigate those above the fourth rank first. As for the rest, let Li Jingxuan investigate. He is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and he knows a lot about things.” Cui Yixuan and the other two bowed respectfully.

Although Li Jingxuan was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he was not from the same faction as Li Yifu. He was recommended by Ma Zhou and was related to the Li clan of Zhao County. The emperor's placement of him in the Ministry of Personnel was partly intended to balance Li Yifu's influence.

This also means that although Li Yifu has run into trouble this time, the scope of the incident will not be too large.

"Furthermore, now that things are settled, prepare yourselves. At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) on the first day of the Lunar New Year, send troops to surround Li Yifu's residence." Li Chengqian stood up and walked out indifferently: "He doesn't need to attend the grand court ceremony on New Year's Day, but I will let him pass through New Year's Eve."

"Yes, sir!" Cui Yixuan and the others bowed respectfully.

……

On the sixth day of the first month of the twenty-third year of Yongwei.

Chunming Gate.

Li Yifu, dressed in a coarse linen robe and only wrapped in simple clothes, was escorted by two Imperial Guards and left Chang'an City.

Just as they reached the entrance of Wannian Post Station, a figure dressed in a dark purple robe stepped out of a carriage beside them. He looked at Li Yifu and said, "Brother Yifu."

Li Yifu looked at Xu Jingzong for a long time before bowing and saying, "Prime Minister Xu."

“Just call me brother.” Xu Jingzong waved his hand and had a pot of clear wine brought over. He said, “I have already retired from officialdom and no longer concern myself with court affairs. I have come today to see you off, brother, based on our friendship of more than twenty years.”

"Alas!" Li Yifu sighed softly and said, "It's all my fault. I was blinded by greed and failed His Majesty's trust."

Xu Jingzong poured himself two cups of wine, handing one to Li Yifu and keeping one for himself, before saying softly, "You know His Majesty's temperament these past years. He'll give you money and official positions as long as you work diligently, but... in any case, His Majesty has already shown leniency. After two years as the magistrate of Guilin County, you'll be promoted to Prefect of Xiangzhou..."

"His Majesty sent you, brother?" Li Yifu suddenly looked up at Xu Jingzong, then exclaimed, "I almost forgot, brother, your daughter has been granted an official title, hasn't she?"

“Talented Lady!” Xu Jingzong nodded and said, “If you have an heir, you will be granted the title of Jieyu. In any case, this is in accordance with the court system. As for you, my brother… His Majesty is unaware of what is going on. You have ultimately been set up by someone.”

Li Yifu suddenly paused, and said softly, "Like Du Zhenglun?"

Xu Jingzong nodded slightly.

Li Yifu clenched his fist tightly, nodded forcefully, and gritted his teeth, saying, "That's right. For many years, you and I have been influenced by His Majesty, but suddenly, ten thousand strings of copper coins were placed right in front of us... If it weren't for someone's scheming, how could this have happened!"

Seeing Li Yifu's resentful expression, Xu Jingzong's eyes flashed with pity. He then lowered his gaze and said, "Go, go to Guilin and do a good job for a few years. His Majesty will take care of you as he should. At the same time, you should also keep an eye on the various tribes in Lingnan and the local areas of each prefecture. The court has always paid little attention to those places."

"I understand." Li Yifu turned to look in the direction of Taiji Palace, and earnestly cupped his hands, saying, "Your subject Li Yifu thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

Xu Jingzong nodded and said, "Let's get going. Be careful on the way."

Li Yifu's eyes widened, and he bowed, saying, "Thank you, Prime Minister Xu. I understand."

"Hmm!" Xu Jingzong turned around and watched Li Yifu, half escorted and half protected by two Qianniu Guards, walk along the Wei River towards Guilin.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Just getting to Guilin would have taken half his life from the hardships of the journey, not to mention the miasma there.

Turning around, Xu Jingzong looked in the direction of Taiji Palace and bowed slightly.

……

Lizheng Hall.

Li Chengqian sat on the bed in the inner hall, and Su Shu sat opposite him.

The couple were quietly playing Go.

"Father, you're not really going to let Li Yifu off the hook like this, are you?" Li Xiang stood to the side, somewhat surprised by Li Chengqian's handling of Li Yifu.

“Of course not. Three cases of his corruption have already been uncovered in the court, and there will be more.” Li Chengqian did not turn around, his gaze calm as he looked at the chessboard. “I will first demote him to Guilin, then transfer him to Zhenzhou. With all the cases uncovered, I will order his execution.”

According to the Tang Code, the crime of corruption was not punishable by death.

Therefore, the only options were exile or demotion.

Demotion is better than nothing; it leaves a glimmer of hope.

Once exiled, they might have other ideas.

Li Yifu knew far too much.

These past few years, the aristocratic families have been much more peaceful, but that's because Li Chengqian is sitting on the throne. Once Li Chengqian abdicates, it's hard to say whether Li Xiang will be able to sit on the throne securely.

That's why he had to abdicate first, and then stabilize the country.

Otherwise, no matter how long he reigns, once he dies, the world will inevitably descend into chaos.

For the sake of a stable and lasting dynasty, this abdication is necessary.

Otherwise, it wouldn't just be the powerful families of the world that would be unstable.

With a single move, Li Chengqian brought the game to a complete end. Only then did he look at Li Xiang and say, "Regarding Li Yifu, once he began his corrupt practices, there was no turning back."

That's just his personality. Once the dynasty falls into darkness, it will be difficult for him to turn back. I can give Du Zhenglun a chance, but it will be difficult to give Li Yifu a chance.

"Your Highness, you must remember this."

"Your subject will remember your teachings, Father." Li Xiang bowed respectfully.

Li Chengqian nodded, looked at Su Shu opposite him, and said, "Issue the decree to transfer Liu Rengui back to the capital and appoint him as Minister of Personnel. His experience in Andong is sufficient."

In addition, Di Renjie was transferred to take over the post of Governor of Jiangnan Prefecture.

"The matter of Andong will be handled by Di Renjie from now on."

"Yes!" Li Xiang bowed and breathed a sigh of relief. His position as the Crown Prince's tutor was finally about to return to court.

Li Chengqian paid no attention to Li Xiang, but looked up gently at Su Shu, who was tidying up the chessboard. The morning light fell on the window frame and reflected on Su Shu's face.

A radiant glow.

Li Chengqian smiled quietly. (The End)
(End of this chapter)