Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 349 Let's give this hot potato to Changsun Wuji.
"Leaving aside the future, if the matter of Zheng County were to be reported back to the court, it would likely cause a great uproar."

Changsun Wuji's face gradually darkened, and his tone carried a hint of coldness.

He had just been transferred back to the Ministry of Personnel and was the chief liaison for this study tour for scholars. If someone were to impeach him on the grounds of "the successive tragic deaths of scholars," he would surely become the target of public criticism.

Thinking back on everything that had happened, he couldn't help but have doubts.

Could it be that someone is deliberately framing someone behind this?

However, what worried him more at this moment was Li Chengqian.

During this incognito trip, Li Chengqian's cover identity was also that of a traveling scholar. If the other party dared to target even ordinary scholars, it was hard to guarantee that it wouldn't be detrimental to the Crown Prince.

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. He immediately said, "I think this place is no longer safe. We should return to Chang'an first and make further plans."

Wen He didn't reply, but turned to look at Li Shimin.

Ultimately, the final decision on this matter rested with the emperor.

Li Shimin lowered his eyes in thought, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. After a moment, he turned around, his gaze falling on Li Chengqian, and asked in a deep voice, "Is Gaoming afraid?"

Li Chengqian shook his head vigorously without hesitation, his little face full of seriousness: "I am already nine years old. When Father was nine, he could ride a horse and gallop. I am not afraid!"

Although he was young, he knew the purpose of his father's trip and did not want to be treated as a child who needed constant protection.

"Excellent! Truly worthy of being a son of the Li family!"

Li Shimin was overjoyed and suddenly slapped Li Chengqian on the shoulder with such force that Li Chengqian's face contorted slightly in pain, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent. Wen He watched from the side, frowning inwardly.

The force was so great, it was as if they were afraid of not breaking the prince apart.

After the meal, Wen He told Li Chengqian to go back to his room to read, and specifically instructed him not to go out unnecessarily.

As soon as Li Chengqian's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, several dark figures suddenly sprang up from the roof, each dressed in night clothes and moving as lightly as cats.

The leader lowered his voice and solemnly instructed, "Remember, protect His Highness at all costs, and absolutely no mistakes can be made!"

The others nodded and then dispersed, disappearing into the shadows of the rooftop.

It was the hundred riders who had been secretly following them who had quietly set up a protective barrier.

As soon as Wen He returned to the courtyard, Li Shimin called her into his room.

As soon as he entered, Li Shimin gestured for him to sit at the table and asked bluntly, "Who do you think did it?"

Wen He chuckled upon hearing this and retorted, "Who do you think would dare to do such a thing, and do it so discreetly?"

Besides those powerful families who were wary of scholars traveling for study and afraid of the rise of children from humble backgrounds, who else could it be?
After all, once the trend of scholars traveling abroad to study took hold, the biggest impact would be on the five clans and seven powerful families that monopolized officialdom. This doesn't require much evidence; a little deduction is all it takes to understand.

Li Shimin's expression turned completely somber, and his fingers tapped faster on the table, clearly having considered this possibility as well. He remained silent for a moment before asking, "Are there any countermeasures?"

Are you trying to 'boil the frog in lukewarm water'?

Wen He raised an eyebrow and asked.

Seeing Li Shimin frown in confusion, he put it more bluntly: "So, you want to use appeasement to avoid making a big fuss and slowly find out who is behind this?"

Li Shimin raised his eyes to examine Wen He, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.

That's really what he was thinking.

Wen He had anticipated this response and couldn't help but sigh: "Investigating a case requires evidence, but dealing with such a force that blatantly harms scholars sometimes doesn't require evidence, just swift and decisive action. They dare to kill scholars directly, and you still think about appeasement? Just bring a hundred cavalrymen to their door, arrest the mastermind, and interrogate them. What can't be found out then?"

"The court still needs people to operate it. If it is too forceful, it may backfire."

Li Shimin's expression grew more serious, and his tone carried a hint of helplessness.

"Do you know why Yang Guang was so eager to conquer Goguryeo after he ascended the throne? He wanted to break the status and power of Guanzhong."

"But what was the result? Most of the Sui Dynasty's army was in the hands of Guanzhong. His eagerness for quick success and instant benefits ultimately led to a disastrous defeat and accelerated the demise of the Sui Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Wen He thought to herself, 'Actually, his idea isn't wrong; it's just that his micro-management skills are terrible.'

Li Shimin was unaware of Wen He's thoughts. He paused, his gaze falling on the night outside the window, his voice low.

"The current situation is actually no different from that of back then."

Wen He certainly knew.

The current situation is simply that the Guanzhong Plain has been replaced by the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families.

The Five Clans and Seven Noble Families were different. Although they did not have military power, they were academic cliques who monopolized knowledge and officialdom.

“If I were to eliminate them now with swift and decisive measures, the operation of the court would immediately come to a standstill. Most of the officials in various regions and the staff of the Six Ministries come from these powerful families. Without them, who will handle government affairs? Who will govern the local areas?” Li Shimin asked.

It's less that he was asking Wen He, and more that he was asking himself.

Li Shimin understood a principle even more clearly.

If the five noble families and seven prominent clans were eliminated...

Even if it ultimately benefits the people, the Li family's empire may be destabilized as a result.

If this world doesn't belong to the Li family, then what does it have to do with them?
Wen He fell silent.

He knew that Li Shimin was telling the truth.

In the early Tang Dynasty, the power of aristocratic families was deeply entrenched and had already infiltrated all aspects of the court, making them difficult to eradicate.

If they were to be dealt with rashly, at best the government would be paralyzed, and at worst it would trigger a rebellion, which was something Li Shimin absolutely did not want to see.

"But what about those scholars who died?" Wen He pressed.

"Are we just going to let their deaths go like this?"

“Of course not.” Li Shimin’s eyes turned cold.

"I will investigate the truth and give those scholars and their families an explanation, but not now, and not in a way that would cause turmoil in the court."

Li Shimin looked at Wen He with a burning gaze and an unquestionable tone.

"I still grant you the right to act as you see fit, but remember, you must keep everything under control. You must not let the situation get out of control, and you must not implicate Gao Ming."

Wen He, however, seemed somewhat disheartened. He scratched his head and simply waved his hand, saying, "Why don't you hand this matter over to Vice Minister Changsun? I think he's definitely good at it."

He knew in his heart that this was a hot potato.

How can we find the murderer while also protecting the reputation of the aristocratic families, preventing the matter from escalating, and giving an explanation to the families of the scholars? There's no such thing as a perfect solution.

Besides, given his temperament, if he really found the mastermind behind it all, he wouldn't care about the "scope of control" at all. He would have led a hundred riders to storm their door long ago, instead of being so restrained as he is now.

Li Shimin's gaze instantly darkened. He stared at Wen He for a moment, but finally sighed helplessly, "Fine, since you're unwilling, then forget it."

He also knew Wen He's personality. Making him investigate the case with his hands tied would really be a waste of his time. It would be better to let him rest for the time being, so as not to cause any uncontrollable trouble.

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Wen He's eyes widened in disbelief.

This time, Li Er didn't force him?
Is the sun going to rise in the west tomorrow?

He had prepared himself to be lectured by Li Shimin for a long time, but he never expected that the other party would agree so easily.

Seeing his startled appearance, Li Shimin was immediately furious and raised his hand to slap the back of his head.

Wen He reacted quickly, ducking down and instantly moving aside, not forgetting to grin and say, "Young master is still reading in his room. I'll go check if he's slacking off, so I won't chat with you, coachman!"

After saying that, without waiting for Li Shimin's response, he took off running outside, afraid that if he was too slow, he would really get hit.

Wen He had only run a few steps out of Li Shimin's room when she bumped into Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji's face was gloomy and his brows were furrowed, clearly he had just returned from outside. As soon as the two met, he immediately stepped forward and said to Wen He in a low voice, "I will personally investigate the matter of the scholar from Zheng County. You must not interfere. If you get involved, things will only get worse."

Wen He blinked, and immediately understood.

It seems that Changsun Wuji and Li Shimin were thinking the same thing.

They all guessed that the mastermind might be a powerful family, and they were also afraid that their fiery tempers would ruin things. So one of them openly gave them leave, while the other secretly warned them, just to prevent them from getting involved.

Having figured this out, Wen He readily nodded and replied with a smile, "Okay, no problem! During this time, I will focus on watching the young master study and will not concern myself with anything else."

This was exactly what he wanted.

Why not avoid the hot potato and accompany Li Chengqian around?
Changsun Wuji was somewhat surprised that he agreed so readily, and looked at him suspiciously, as if to confirm whether he was sincere.

Seeing that Wen He's face showed no abnormality, he didn't say anything more, just nodded and turned to walk towards Li Shimin's room.

He still needs to discuss tomorrow's exploration plan with His Majesty.

Wen He looked at Changsun Wuji's retreating figure and couldn't help but smile.

The two, ruler and minister, are quite in sync. But that's fine, it saves him from being caught in the middle and having a difficult situation.

He stretched and turned to walk towards Li Chengqian's room.
The next morning, the morning light shone through the windows of the Lin Family Inn and onto the simple wooden table.

After Wen He finished washing up, she arrived at the main hall and saw Li Chengqian carrying a small cloth bag, standing formally and respectfully in front of Li Shimin to greet him.

The little guy was dressed in a clean blue cloth outfit, and his hair was neatly combed.

Li Shimin patted his head and said with a smile, "When you go out with Wen Da, be obedient, don't run around, and come back early."

After Li Chengqian replied "I understand," Wen He took his hand and walked out of the inn.

As soon as she turned the corner, Wen He keenly sensed three faint presences behind her.

Although her footsteps were light, she deliberately made them heavy, not even concealing the sound of her clothes brushing against the corner of the wall.

It was obvious without even thinking that the Xuanjia Guards had caught up.

He sighed inwardly, "These people will all need retraining when we get back. Their tracking skills are just terrible; it's like they're completely undetectable."

Li Chengqian was already curious about Wen He's sigh before leaving, and now seeing his calm yet subtly helpless expression, he couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Wen Da, why did you sigh just now? Did something happen?"

"It's nothing." Wen He smiled and shook her head, deliberately changing the subject. "Let's go to the county government to report first, and then I'll take you out of the city. I've already chosen a place for your study tour." At the mention of the study tour, Li Chengqian immediately forgot to ask any further questions. His eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly, "Okay!"

He had always longed to be addressed as "sir".

The two chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at the Zheng County government office.

Two stone lions stand in front of the county government office gate. Although they are not very tall, they still exude a sense of majesty.

On the stone steps at the entrance, two clerks dressed in short black jackets leaned against a pillar, looking at the passersby with disdain.

Seeing Wen He and Li Chengqian, two teenagers, walking straight inside, the burly clerk on the left immediately stepped forward, reached out and stopped them, shouting gruffly.

"Hehehe, stop right there! Don't you see where this is? This is the county government compound, a place where two little brats like you can just barge in?"

He looked Wen He and Li Chengqian up and down in their plain clothes. Seeing that they were dressed simply, his disdain deepened, and his gaze drifted to the heavens.

"Get out of here, get out of here! Don't get in the way. If you startle the officials inside, you'll be in big trouble!"

No one had ever dared to speak to Li Chengqian in such a tone before, so he frowned and was about to retort when Wen He quietly tugged at his sleeve.

Wen He stepped forward, a perfectly timed smile on her face, and quietly slipped two copper coins from her pocket into the clerk's hand.

“Sir, we are not here to cause trouble. We are scholars who have come to study and would like to report to the clerk. We would be grateful if you could make an exception for us.”

The clerk held the copper coin in his hand, weighed it a couple of times, and the fierce look on his face softened a little, but he still didn't move. He asked with a sidelong glance, "A scholar traveling for study? Do you have any credentials? Or are you just a swindler here to freeload?"

Having spent a long time in front of the county government office, he had seen many people trying to gain benefits under the guise of "study tours," so he naturally didn't believe Wen He's words.

"This is the proof we have been waiting for."

Wen He quickly gestured to Li Chengqian, who took out the certificate issued by the Ministry of Personnel from his cloth bag and handed it over.

The clerk took the certificate, squinted at it for a long time. Although he didn't recognize many characters, he recognized the bright red seal of the Ministry of Personnel on it and knew that it couldn't be fake.

He returned the certificate to Li Chengqian, then slipped another copper coin into Wen He's hand, his tone softening: "Alright, go in. The clerk is in the side hall. But let me remind you, the county office is busy lately, so don't wander around. Once you've reported, leave quickly."

Wen He smiled and replied, "Thank you for reminding us, sir. We understand."

After saying that, he led Li Chengqian into the county government office.

As soon as they rounded the screen wall in the front yard, Li Chengqian couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Wen Da, why did we give him money just now? We have proof that he should have let us in."

In his eyes, the tokens were issued by the Ministry of Personnel and were much more useful than copper coins.

Wen He patted his head and patiently explained, "These clerks work hard every day and earn little money. Giving them some copper coins is to make things easier for them. We're here to study, so it's better to avoid trouble. Don't bother with them, or you'll save yourself a lot of trouble."

Li Chengqian nodded as if he understood, but secretly he remembered Wen He's words.

Wen He saw the emotions in his eyes clearly, and immediately lowered her voice to remind him again: "Don't forget, you are just Li Dalang, an ordinary scholar from Zheng County, just a poor family. When you're out in the world, you need to control your temper to avoid trouble, understand?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the slight grievance in Li Chengqian's heart.

A hint of embarrassment crossed his face, and he quickly nodded, "I understand, Wen Da, I won't do it again."

The two walked along the cobblestone path of the county government office and asked two passing constables for directions. Finally, they found the side hall where the clerk worked.

When I pushed open the door, I saw a middle-aged clerk wearing a blue cloth robe and with a goatee, who was engrossed in his work, writing rapidly with his brush. He only looked up when he heard the noise.

"You are……"

The clerk's gaze swept over Wen He and Li Chengqian, noticing that they both looked like teenagers and were carrying simple cloth bags.

After Wen He and Li Chengqian explained their purpose, he immediately showed a look of astonishment.

"You two little kids, are you here to register your studies as traveling scholars?"

He put down his brush, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, his face full of doubt: "What was the Ministry of Personnel thinking? Sending such young children out for study tours? Could it be..."

He swallowed his words, but his eyes held a hint of speculation.

Could it be that these two children's families have offended some powerful person, which is why they were sent out to suffer?

Wen He had anticipated this reaction and immediately stepped forward, explaining with a smile, "Shangguan, you may not know this, but this study tour was originally intended to enlighten the village children. Don't underestimate my young master because of his young age; he has already begun his education and can now recognize a thousand characters. He can also read most of the Analects and Mencius, which is more than enough for him to teach the village children to read."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, the clerk's eyes lit up, and his astonishment turned into surprise. He put down his brush and looked at Li Chengqian with a more scrutinizing gaze.

"To be able to read Confucian classics so well at such a young age? That's truly remarkable."

He stroked his goatee and nodded silently, clearly more convinced of Wen He's words.

Afterwards, the clerk carefully examined Li Chengqian's official documents and, after confirming that the seal was correct, took out a string of copper coins strung together with hemp rope from the drawer and handed them over: "This is your initial expense for studying in Zheng County. The county government will advance the payment first, and the county will continue to pay you based on your teaching of children. You can receive 100 coins for each child you teach to recognize 100 characters."

"If you can teach someone to be well-versed in the Analects or to be able to do addition and subtraction within 100, you can receive another string of cash."

Wen He understood.

This method of distributing money based on teaching results was something he had originally suggested to Li Er.

Unexpectedly, the Ministry of Personnel not only adopted the proposal, but also refined the standards.

It seems that Changsun Wuji is not too stubborn.

Li Chengqian accepted the heavy string of copper coins with both hands, and a sense of solemnity arose in his heart.

This was the first time he had received money for "teaching," and he quickly bowed to the clerk and said earnestly, "Thank you, sir."

A sense of accomplishment unexpectedly arose in my heart.

The clerk was amused by his precocious demeanor and his gaze softened considerably. His initial suspicions vanished, replaced by a sense of pity for the two children traveling alone.

Seeing that they had finished collecting their coins and were preparing to leave, the clerk suddenly called out to them, "Wait!"

Wen He and Li Chengqian stopped and looked back at him in confusion.

The clerk stood up, walked up to the two of them, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of seriousness, "I have something to remind you. Zheng County has not been peaceful lately. A few days ago, a traveling scholar was killed in a fire at the inn. There are also bandits outside the city who specifically target scholars. You two are alone outside."

"Be extra careful and try not to go to remote places. If you encounter trouble, come to the county government office immediately to find the culprits. Don't take any risks on your own."

Upon hearing this, Wen He's heart stirred slightly.

He knew that clerks had no obligation to do this; it was purely out of kindness on his part.

He hesitated for only a moment before bowing and smiling at the clerk, saying, "Thank you for the reminder, sir. We will keep it in mind and be careful in the future."

The clerk nodded and said nothing more, only waving his hand: "Go ahead. If you can't find a place to teach, you can come to the county office and ask me. I'll keep an eye out for you."

After thanking them again, the two turned and left the side hall.

As Li Chengqian walked out of the county government office, he held the copper coin in his hand and whispered to Wen He, "Wen Da, this clerk is a really nice person."

"Yes, he's a kind person." Wen He nodded with a smile, but her eyes held a hint of seriousness.

Hu Da was just arrested by Zhang Daguang yesterday, but the clerk said that "there are still bandits outside the city," which means that Hu Da and his gang were not the only ones who were intercepting and killing scholars.

He rubbed his forehead and sighed inwardly.

However, upon further reflection, he realized that the matter had already been entrusted to Changsun Wuji and he didn't need to worry about it for the time being. So he suppressed his heavy heart and led Li Chengqian towards the south of the city.

Before setting off, he had secretly sent a hundred riders to scout ahead.

There is a village called Chenjia Village in the south of Zheng County. It has more than 30 households and the people are simple and honest. There are more than 20 children under the age of ten. It is suitable for Li Chengqian to train and teach. It is also close to the county town, only a dozen miles away, and its safety is guaranteed.

Not far from the county town, beads of sweat appeared on Li Chengqian's forehead, and his small steps slowed down.

He squeezed Wen He's hand and asked softly, "Wen Da, why don't we take a carriage? Walking is so slow."

Wen He knew perfectly well that he was tired, but the little guy was too proud to admit it directly, so he came up with this excuse.

He deliberately teased Li Chengqian: "Because you are now a traveling scholar, traveling for study, how can you ride in a carriage? Didn't you say before that you wanted to 'read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles'? You're already tired after walking less than ten miles?"

Li Chengqian's face flushed instantly, and he quickly puffed out his little chest, striking a stubborn pose: "Not tired! I can still walk!"

As he spoke, he took a deep breath, shook off Wen He's hand, and strode forward as if to prove that he was really not tired.

Wen He looked at his defiant back and shook her head helplessly.

This child has a stubborn temper, just like Li Shimin.

He hurried after him, thinking to himself: with Li Chengqian's pampered body, he would surely collapse if he walked another two miles.

Sure enough, after walking for a short while, Li Chengqian's steps became heavier and heavier, his breathing became rapid, and his face turned as red as a ripe apple.

Wen He stepped forward and grabbed him, saying, "Alright, if you're tired, take a rest and have some water before you go."

Li Chengqian stopped, but still stubbornly insisted, "I'm not tired, I just... I just wanted to look at the flowers by the roadside."

He glanced at the wildflowers beside him, not daring to look Wen He in the eye.

"Yes, yes, I want to see flowers."

Wen He suppressed a laugh, took out a water bottle from her cloth bag, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to him.

"Drink some water first, then look at the flowers."

Li Chengqian took the water bottle and gulped down several mouthfuls before he recovered. He sat on a roadside stone, looking at his dusty shoes, and muttered to himself, "Wow, walking is so tiring... I never walked this far before in the palace."

"So this is what studying abroad means."

Wen He sat down beside him. “Scholars should not only study, but also know how ordinary people live. Farmers have to walk several miles to fetch water, and peddlers have to walk dozens of miles to go to the market. They are much more tired than you.”

Li Chengqian nodded as if he understood, and handed the water bottle back to Wen He: "Then let's continue on our way and get to Chenjia Village as soon as possible. I want to teach those children to read as soon as possible."

The two rested for a while and then continued on their way. After walking about a mile, they suddenly heard a light footstep behind them.

Wen He and Li Chengqian turned around at the same time and saw a young man dressed in gray cloth standing on the dirt road not far away.

The young man was about twenty years old, carrying an old cloth bag on his back and holding a wooden cane in his hand. When he saw them turn around, a look of doubt appeared on his face, and he stopped in his tracks.

(End of this chapter)