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

Chapter 84: The Book of the Later Han, The Crown Prince is Not Allowed to Edit (Part )

On the second day of the first lunar month, the warm sunshine shone on the golden carriage with red canopy pulled by four tall black horses, and the sky was clear.

Li Chengqian was sitting in the car. Through the shaking curtains, he could clearly see the Eastern Palace guards walking outside the car.

Walking in the front were the Crown Prince's servant Dugu Dabao and the Crown Prince's right guard commander Dai Zhide.

On both sides were countless Chang'an citizens who retreated cautiously and bowed solemnly.

It is not uncommon for royal families to travel during the New Year holidays, and they are used to it.

"Your Highness, is it really okay not to go to the southern suburbs for sacrifice today?" Su Shu's voice sounded in Li Chengqian's ears.

Li Chengqian turned around and saw Su Shu holding Li Xiang and Li Jue in her arms, her face full of worry.

"It's fine." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "When offering sacrifices to the heavens and the earth, Father always ascends the altar alone. It doesn't matter who else goes. And today, Father didn't even bring Zhinu with him, only the King of Wu and the King of Han. It's clear that everything is fine."

Li Ke, King of Wu, and Li Yuanjia, King of Han.

Li Ke was the son of Concubine Yang and the grandson of Yang Guang. Given his status, the first person he couldn't get past when he wanted to ascend the throne was Zhangsun Wuji. Others like Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, Hou Junji, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong would also not agree.

We have finally overthrown the Sui Dynasty, but now you have made Yang Guang's grandson the crown prince. Those heroes of the past will not be happy about this, and neither will the aristocratic families who have reaped countless vested interests from the Sui Dynasty.

Therefore, the emperor might use Li Ke to maintain the balance, but he would never think of using him as the crown prince.

Of course, the emperor thought so, but no one knew what Li Ke would think, not to mention Li Tai.

It would be interesting if these two started fighting first.

……

The carriage slowly emerged from the Jinguan Gate, then gradually accelerated and headed towards Wugong County.

More of the Crown Prince's left and right guards began to gather from all directions.

The guards of the Eastern Palace each led three to five military offices. Among the ten military offices of the Eastern Palace, except for the Prince's Left and Right Gate Guards' Office and the Prince's Left and Right Internal Affairs Office, which did not command office soldiers, each of the other military offices had about a thousand people. The total number of the six military offices of the Eastern Palace was around 20,000 to 30,000.

Of course, there are only 6,000 people in the ten Donggong Mansions rotating in Chang'an City now, and the rest are in the local areas.

However, even among these 6,000 people, apart from taking turns to guard the Eastern Palace, the others spent most of their time in the military camp outside Chang'an City.

They obeyed the emperor's orders more because the fish tokens needed for mobilization were in the emperor's hands.

These six thousand people were basically all under the control of the emperor.

Li Chengqian didn't care about this.

Because although these six thousand people were named after the Eastern Palace, in fact, their military pay and personnel were all in the hands of the emperor.

Unless one day Li Chengqian can get the fish token to mobilize these 6,000 troops, it will be useless.

Moreover, even if he obtained the fish token to mobilize troops, the time he could mobilize the troops would be very short. Once the Ministry of War and the Council of State reacted and he could not produce the imperial edict to mobilize troops, he would probably be arrested immediately even if he had the fish token.

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly. Although he knew that this method was not advisable, he still couldn't help but think in that direction.

Li Chengqian looked at the fields outside the window.

The fields in winter were all withered and yellow, and on the second day of the Lunar New Year, there was not a trace of human beings.

It was precisely because of this that the emperor allowed Li Chengqian to visit the Wugong Su family.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the emperor offered sacrifices in the southern and northern suburbs. All the military forces in Chang'an were on alert and were under the emperor's control.

In addition, Su Shu was pregnant, so Li Chengqian was able to take her to Wugong to visit her parents.

Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll have to go to Princess Nanchang's Mansion in Chang'an City.

……

Before they knew it, the convoy had entered Wugong County.

The convoy began to turn and headed northwest of the county town.

Li Chengqian's expression became serious, and the Su family's martial arts and a lot of information in it quickly flooded into Li Chengqian's mind.

Su Wei, the former Shangshu of the Sui Dynasty, was the ninth-generation grandson of Su Ze, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue of the Western Wei Dynasty. Su Wei was a famous family with military achievements, so he married Princess Xinxing, the daughter of Yuwen Hu, the Prime Minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

Later, Yang Jian replaced the Zhou Dynasty with the Sui Dynasty. Su Wei fell into obscurity for a while, but was soon re-employed by Yang Jian and eventually became the Shangshu Zuo Pushe, a position he held until Yang Guang's death.

Afterwards, Su Wei passed through the hands of Yu Wenzhi, Li Mi and Wang Shichong until the fourth year of Wude, when he returned to the Tang Dynasty. However, he died of illness in the sixth year of Wude.

However, at that time, Su Wei's eldest grandson Su Xu began to rise and became one of the eighteen scholars in the Qin Palace.

Under such circumstances, the entire Wugong Su family would gradually rise, and Su Xu might even have the ability to become prime minister.

But soon, the emperor ascended the throne and married Princess Nanchang to Su Xu, making him the son-in-law of the emperor.

This is good. As long as he is sent out, he will immediately become a provincial governor, or even an important official of the governor-general.

But the emperor made him the Sima of Li Tai's Wei Palace, and he was deeply involved in the struggle for the throne.

It was at this time that Li Chengqian married Su Shu as his crown princess.

Su Shu's father, Su Tan, did not hold a high position at that time. He was a secretary of the fifth rank. As soon as he became the Prince's Yue, he was immediately promoted to the governor of Taizhou.

Li Chengqian, Li Tai.

Su Tan, Su Xu. The entire Wugong Su family had unknowingly split apart.

The Su family did have mansions in Chang'an City, but most of them were close to Su Xu or even Li Tai. Li Chengqian would not go there to bring bad luck.

Even if he had something in mind, he wouldn't do it now when the emperor was watching him so closely.

……

Flags are waving and long spears are standing in rows.

A carriage with a golden chariot and a red canopy, pulled by four tall black horses, drove slowly on the red silk-paved avenue of Sufang Town and stopped in front of the gate of the Su family's old house.

Two middle-aged men in light crimson robes stood in front of the wide-open central door with serious expressions.

Behind them followed a dozen Su family members in green robes, and even more people lined up on both sides of the gate, standing respectfully with their hands hanging down.

A red carpet leads directly to the depths of the inner courtyard.

The curtain was lifted, and Li Chengqian carefully got off the carriage alone.

Su Shu, Li Xiang and Li Jue all stayed in the carriage.

"Your servants, Su Cheng, the Minister of Rites, and Su Xian, the Doctor of the Imperial College, pay their respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess." Su Cheng and Su Xian, dressed in light crimson robes, bowed solemnly.

Su Cheng, the younger brother of Su Xu and Su Tan, was the Minister of Rites, and held the rank of fifth grade lower; Su Xian, Su Cheng's cousin, was the Doctor of the Imperial Academy, and held the rank of fifth grade upper.

Li Chengqian didn't recognize many of the people behind him, including Su Xu's three sons, Su Jun, Su Gan and Su Yu, Su Cheng's two sons Su Xin and Su Zhang, and the censor Su Liangsi.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Crown Princess." Su Jun, Su Gan, Su Yu, Su Liangsi and the others all bowed.

"No need to be so polite, we are all family." Li Chengqian smiled gently, his eyes gently passing over Su Liangsi.

Among the younger brothers of the Su family, the one with the highest official position is Su Jun, the son of Princess Nanchang. He is now a secretary of the sixth rank, not much worse than his uncle Su Cheng.
Behind these few people, there were many other officials, including local chief secretaries, county magistrates, Yongzhou assistant officials, imperial censors, and even the Wugong County magistrate.

There are only three people at the level of governor in the entire Su family, including Li Chengqian's father-in-law, Su Tan, the governor of Taizhou.

However, Su Tan was far away in Taizhou, and could not return because of the long journey and the lack of the emperor's edict.

Others are in a similar situation.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Everyone stood up together, and Su Xian and Su Cheng made way.

Li Chengqian then slowly walked into the Su family's ancestral home, with the yellow-covered carriage slowly following behind him.

……

In the main hall of the Su Mansion, Li Chengqian and Su Shu, along with Li Xiang and Li Jue, solemnly paid a visit to their mother-in-law, Lady Feng of Jiang County.

Because Su Shu married into the Eastern Palace, Su Tan was granted the title of Duke of Jiang County, and his mother-in-law Feng was also granted the title of Lady of Jiang County.

But because Su Xu was now the Sima of the Prince of Wei's Mansion, the son-in-law of Princess Nanchang, and the uncle of Li Chengqian, and Princess Nanchang happened to have caught a cold these days, he did not come back.

In fact, since Li Chengqian married Su Shu, his mother-in-law Feng often lived in Wugong County, and Su Xu and Princess Nanchang basically never returned to Wugong County.

There is a strong sense of avoidance between the two families.

Seeing Su Shu bringing Li Xiang, Li Jue, her younger brother Su Gui, and a group of Su family women into the back hall, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Chengqian was invited to sit in the middle hall, and the Su family members then sat on both sides.

Dugu Dabao sat on the left side of the lobby, Su Cheng and Su Xian sat on the right side of the lobby, and Dai Zhide stood behind Li Chengqian on the left.

The other people in the hall either held official positions or were Su Shu's blood relatives. The Wugong County Magistrate could not even enter the hall.

"I heard that many people in the clan are taking part in the imperial examination this year?" Li Chengqian put down the tea bowl in his hand and looked at everyone curiously.

"Yes, Your Highness." Su Cheng nodded and said, "Silang is of the right age this year and is taking the imperial examination for the first time, along with several other members of the clan."

Su Yu quickly stood up and said with a youthful innocence, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"No need to be so polite. How is your study going, cousin?" Li Chengqian nodded gently. Su Yu was the third son of Su Xu and Princess Nanchang.

Although it is not convenient for Su Xu to come back today, his three sons have all returned.

Princess Nanchang was the emperor's fifth sister, and her three sons were naturally Li Chengqian's cousins.

"Let's give it a try this year." Su Yu bowed a little embarrassedly.

"The imperial examination is a matter of accumulation. Silang is still young, so there is no need to rush. Just keep a calm mind, and you may pass it in one try." After Li Chengqian said this, Su Yu visibly relaxed.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Su Jun stood up and said to Su Yu, then looked at Li Chengqian and bowed with Su Yu, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly and said, "It's not a big deal. The imperial examination is ultimately the responsibility of the Ministry of Personnel. The Eastern Palace can do very little. Unfortunately, the Eastern Palace is currently compiling the "Kaogong Zhi", so it's not convenient for Silang to get involved.

But a few days ago, someone suggested that I edit another book... No, no, no, I was wrong, I just wanted to simply edit a book."

Su Jun couldn't help but breathe lighter, and he bowed and said, "May I ask, Your Highness, what book is it?"

"Book of the Later Han." Li Chengqian nodded with a smile, and Su Jun breathed a sigh of relief. It was a history book compiled by Fan Ye of the Southern Song Dynasty, so there was no problem in editing it.

"That's not very appropriate." Su Liangsi frowned and looked up from the back. He stood up and looked at Li Chengqian, then bowed and said, "I don't know who suggested this to Your Highness, but the Book of the Later Han cannot be edited."

(End of this chapter)