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

Chapter 405 Now that you've met this prince, why don't you quickly pay your respects?

Inside the main hall of the Prince's residence in Gaoyang County, the incense table had already been set up.

Gao Yue, the Junior Supervisor of the Inner Palace, dressed in a scarlet eunuch's robe, stood before the incense table, holding the bright yellow imperial edict in both hands, and read it aloud in a loud voice.

"Your Excellency, I have received the Mandate of Heaven and govern the four seas. I will only appoint the virtuous and reward the meritorious. It is said that talents are not judged by age, and loyalty is not limited by family background. Those who have the strategies to govern the world and the merits to save the world and bring peace to the country will be rewarded with high titles and generous salaries to honor their efforts."

"Your Excellency Wenhe, courtesy name Jiaying, are intelligent and insightful from a young age, with aspirations to serve the country. I observe that you possess a calm and resolute character, neither flaunting your abilities nor boasting of your achievements; you are truly a pillar of the state. Therefore, in accordance with the Tang Dynasty's system of nobility, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Earl of Gaoyang County, with a fief of seven hundred households, and grant you a purple-gold fish-shaped pouch. I hope you will continue to display your extraordinary talents, diligently pursue your studies, and assist me in achieving a peaceful and prosperous era. This is my decree!"

Wen He was dressed in a blue court robe, with Wen Rou standing beside him in a pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Both of them clasped their hands in a gesture of respect and bowed their heads to receive the imperial decree.

The little girl stood on tiptoe, unable to understand the flowery language of the imperial edict, but she knew that her elder brother had been promoted.

She secretly glanced up and saw a faint smile on Wen He's lips, which made her even more certain, and her little face was full of joy.

"Your subject Wen He bows in gratitude for Your Majesty's grace and is willing to serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty and dedication."

Wen He kowtowed and stood up, his voice steady.

He just kept grumbling to himself.

There's no need for "dying until one's dying breath." A mere county magistrate, though one rank higher than a county sergeant, doesn't need to be like Zhuge Liang.

Gao Yue carefully rolled up the imperial edict and handed it to Wen He, a gentle smile on her face: "County Earl of Gaoyang, please accept the edict and express your gratitude."

Wen He stepped forward and respectfully accepted the imperial edict with both hands.

He had just put away the imperial edict when Gao Yue cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations, Earl of Gaoyang County! With His Majesty's high regard, your future is sure to be limitless."

"You're too kind, sir."

Wen He smiled and took out a purse from her sleeve, which contained some loose silver, and handed it to Gao Yue.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation; I hope the high-ranking official will accept it with a smile."

Gao Yue quickly took a half step back, waving her hands repeatedly, her tone filled with fear.

"Lord, you mustn't do this! As a palace servant, how can I accept money from an outsider? This is utterly shameful!"

He would dare to accept gifts from anyone else, even a duke, but he would never touch Wen He's.

This man is a fierce and ruthless figure, capable of investigating even nobles. If you accept this purse, you might lose your life if he catches you doing something wrong.

Besides, Wen He is deeply trusted by His Majesty. Rather than coveting this small benefit, it would be better to maintain the relationship, as there might be someone to rely on in the future.

Seeing his resolute attitude, Wen He didn't press him and took back her purse.

He wasn't trying to curry favor; he just felt that Gao Yue was always by Li Shimin's side, so it wouldn't hurt to do her a favor. Since she wouldn't accept it, there was no need to force her.

He then smiled and said, "In that case, I won't force you, Senior Official. However, I recently made some cured pork at home, using pork belly that was cured last year. The flavor is quite rich. If you don't mind, Senior Official, you can take some back to try."

Gao Yue's eyes lit up, and this time she didn't refuse.

Wen He had previously sent several strings of cured meat to the palace, and His Majesty and the Empress praised them highly. He had also secretly tasted a piece. The salty and smoky flavor was perfect with white porridge. It was just a pity that there was too little of it and he hadn't had enough.

He quickly cupped his hands and said, "Then this servant will accept it without being polite. Thank you for your kindness, magistrate."

Wen He smiled and called over the butler Zhou Fu, asking him to go to the kitchen and get two strings of smoked, glistening cured meat, wrap them in oil paper, and hand them to Gao Yue.

Gao Yue took the cured meat, weighed it in her hand, and her smile deepened.

He looked around and then lowered his voice, saying, "County Lord, before I came, His Majesty had a few private words to say to you."

"Oh? Please speak."

Wen He's heart stirred.

Gao Yue leaned closer and lowered her voice even further.

"The Emperor said that this spring, all the paddy fields in Guannei Road, Henan Road, and Hebei Road should be planted with the Huanwang Rice that you have cultivated. Guannei Road and Henan Road are guarded by the capital's garrison, so there is no need to worry about any problems. However, Hebei Road... Your Majesty is very worried."

Wen He nodded.

Hebei Province has always been a place of many troubles. Dou Jiande raised an army here, and although he later surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, many of his former subordinates remained hidden.

In addition, Li Yuan killed Dou Jiande and his control over Hebei Province was lax during his reign. Local powerful clans were deeply entrenched, and since Huanwang rice was a new crop, it was inevitable that some people would try to sabotage it.

"The Emperor has decided to send Vice Minister Wei to Hebei Province to oversee this matter. However, the situation there is complicated. Although Vice Minister Wei is an upright official, he is not good at dealing with local powerful figures."

Gao Yue continued, her tone becoming increasingly solemn.

"His Majesty specifically instructed you to send a hundred cavalrymen to secretly protect Vice Minister Wei. If anyone obstructs the planting of Huanwang rice or is detrimental to Vice Minister Wei, there is no need to report it; you can act first and report later."

Wen He understood instantly.

Li Shimin feared that if the Hundred Cavalry were to be deployed openly, it would cause panic among the officials in Hebei Province, and might even give others a handle to use against His Majesty for not trusting local officials. That is why he ordered the Hundred Cavalry to act secretly.

Ultimately, it was the mess left by Li Yuan that made Hebei a major threat to the Tang Dynasty, and any misstep could trigger unrest.

Later, An Lushan and Shi Siming set fire to Hebei, which then burned all the way to Chang'an.

This also made the once-prosperous Tang Dynasty precarious and it never recovered.

"There's also Qi Biheli. He's young, so the county magistrate can get to know him better," Gao Yue said with a smile.

Wen He understood Li Shimin's meaning.

Later, when fighting the Turks, we may need to use people from the Qibi tribe.

He heard that the Ministry of Civil Affairs had arranged accommodations for them, but how those accommodations would be arranged was still undecided.

After all, Qibiheli is only ten years old.

"I understand."

Wen He nodded in agreement.

"Please inform Your Majesty, Your Highness, that I know what to do."

Gao Yue breathed a sigh of relief, cupped her hands and said, "With the county magistrate's words, this servant is at ease. It's getting late, and this servant must return to the palace to report, so I will take my leave now."

Wen He escorted Gao Yue to the gate of the mansion, watching his figure carrying the cured meat disappear into the street before turning back to the mansion.

As soon as Wen He stepped into the main hall, she was pounced on by a pink figure.

Wenrou gripped his sleeves tightly with both hands, her dark eyes sparkling like two stars, her voice full of joy.

"Brother! Uncle Zhou just said that you are now a county magistrate! Isn't this a much higher rank than the previous county magistrate?"

"No matter how high your official rank is, I am still your elder brother."

Wen He smiled and ruffled her hair, but her mind drifted involuntarily to Hebei Province.

Li Shimin secretly sent a hundred cavalrymen to protect Wei Zheng.

However, Chang'an City also needs manpower. The experiment on the bronze cannon is stuck on the airtightness and the barrel. The craftsmen tried more than a dozen methods, but either the barrel exploded or the range did not meet expectations. More than a hundred pounds of bronze were used up. At this rate, it is unlikely that there will be any breakthrough this year.

When I read novels before, the protagonist's cannon-building seemed very simple.

Why does it become so difficult for him to get started?

On the hot air balloon side, Li Shimin named the "Air Force" "Flying Fish Guard," taking the name from the flying fish recorded in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas: Western Mountains Classic."

【Mount Taiqi, from which the Guanshui River originates, flows westward into the quicksand.】

It is a manta ray, shaped like a carp, with a fish body and bird wings, blue markings, a white head and a red beak. It usually travels in the western sea and swims in the eastern sea, flying at night.

Its cry is like that of a phoenix, its taste is sour and sweet; eating it causes madness, and its appearance foretells a great harvest throughout the land.

But this name always reminded Wen He of the flying fish robe of the Ming Dynasty.

So he copied Old Zhu and is currently designing flying fish uniforms for the Flying Fish Guards.

The Air Force does not need armor, not even leather armor; clothing is mainly lightweight and warm.

"Brother! You're daydreaming again!"

Seeing his unfocused gaze, Wenrou gently tugged at his sleeve, her little mouth pouting slightly.

"I was just telling you, Ake, Atai, and Ayou are coming back from the palace today. Can I go out with them to play in the streets at noon? I heard a new sugar painting shop opened in the West Market,"

Wen He then came to her senses, looked at her younger sister's aggrieved little face, and shook her head with a smile.

"Okay, let them take you there, but Ah Dong has to come with you. Don't run around, and don't eat too much candy, or you'll rot your teeth."

He was planning to visit Qibi Heli at the post station that afternoon.

The Turkic leader had just arrived in Chang'an. Although he had recovered from his illness, he was still a newcomer, so it was necessary to offer him some words of comfort and inquire about the current situation of the Eastern Turks.

Letting the three little ones take Wenrou out frees up some time and saves the little girl from pestering him with questions at home.

To be honest, the three little ones were living a much better life in the palace than he was here, so I don't know why they were in such a hurry to leave the palace.

He's only had a few days of peace and quiet.

"Say Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here."

Wenrou had just finished mentioning that she wanted to go out with Li Ke and the others when Zhou Fu hurriedly came in, bowing and reporting, before Wen He could give her any more instructions.

"Young master, the three young masters have returned to the manor."

Wen He raised an eyebrow. As a teacher, he was not required to go out to greet them according to etiquette. He simply nodded and told Zhou Fu to let them in.

At the entrance of Gaoyang County Government, a blue horse-drawn carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the steps.

Immediately, the carriage curtain was lifted, and four figures stepped out one after another.

That's right, there are four.

"Brother, am I really going to live here from now on?"

A child who looked about seven or eight years old was seen staring at the gate of Gaoyang County Government with a scrutinizing gaze.

She nervously gripped Li Ke's sleeve again.

Seeing his expression, Li Tai sneered.

"Whether you can stay here is still uncertain."

"Li Tai, you!" The child glared at him with displeasure.

"What are you glaring at, Sixth Prince!" Li Tai scoffed, and his use of the word "Sixth Prince" made the boy's face darken.

Indeed, this child is none other than Li Yin, the sixth child of Li Shimin and the younger brother of Li Ke.

Of the four princes, Li Ke, Li Tai, and Li You were all granted the title of king.

Moreover, on New Year's Eve not long ago, Li Ke was granted the title of Prince of Shu and appointed Grand General of Yizhou.

Li Tai was enfeoffed as the Prince of Yue and appointed Grand General of Yangzhou. Li You was enfeoffed as the Prince of Yan, appointed Grand General of the military affairs of six prefectures including You and Yi, and appointed Governor of Youzhou.

The only one who was the sixth prince was Li Yin.

"Yes, what's so great about that? I'll be made a king someday too!"

Li Yin was unconvinced. Seeing Li Tai's disdainful look, she immediately grabbed Li Ke's arm in a wronged manner.

Li Ke pulled his arm away and said calmly, "Then go ahead and bully them back. What's the use of just crying?"

Li Yin was completely dumbfounded, staring blankly at Li Ke, his eyes instantly reddening: "You... are you still my brother?"

"If you continue to be so delicate, then it doesn't have to be this way."

Li Ke's tone remained calm, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

"Pfft, hahahaha!"

Li Tai and Li You burst into laughter, and even Wen He, who was standing in the corridor, couldn't help but smile.

Li Yin stomped his feet in anger, leaving small dents in the snow, but he didn't know how to refute her, so he could only glare at Li Tai with red eyes.

Just then, a gentle, bell-like voice called out from under the eaves: "Ake, Qingque, Li You! You're finally back!"

Li Ke's previously indifferent eyes lit up instantly. Before Li Yin could react, he pulled his arm back and strode towards the corridor, his steps even faster than usual.

Li Yin was stunned for a moment, then turned to Li Tai in confusion and asked, "Why...why is he suddenly so agitated?"

"Are we that familiar, Sixth Prince?"

Li Tai rolled his eyes at him, not intending to explain at all.

Li You coughed twice, deliberately puffed out his chest, and said in an adult-like manner, "I, the Prince of Yan and Governor of Youzhou, am going to pay my respects to you, sir. Your Highness, Grand General of Yangzhou and Prince of Yue, would you like to come along?"

"Let's go! I am naturally willing to go with the Governor of Youzhou and His Highness the Prince of Yan!"

Li Tai rarely found Li You pleasing to the eye. The two smiled at each other, turned around and walked down the corridor. When they passed Li Yin, they even stopped and glanced at him.

Although neither of them said anything, Li Yin seemed to hear three words.

The mocking tone in the address, "Sixth Prince," was even more infuriating than direct ridicule.

He bit his lip, dawdling behind, secretly making a vow in his heart.

One day, I will also get a title, so that you will never dare to laugh at me again!

Li Yin stood at the foot of the stone steps of the Gaoyang County Earl's Mansion, watching Li Ke, Li Tai, and Li You walk down the corridor, feeling both angry and resentful.

He had just been mocked by Li Tai for "not having a title" and was also treated coldly by his own brother. If he were to follow along in such a dejected manner, wouldn't he be looked down upon even more?

But he can't go back.

Father said that if we cannot stay in Gaoyang County, then let us starve to death in Chang'an.

Think of this.

He bit his lips, which were red from the cold, and snorted heavily. His brocade boots stomped a small hole in the snow, and he chased after the other man with a hint of defiance.

But after taking only two steps, he suddenly stopped.

Li Ke, who had been walking briskly towards the corridor, suddenly stopped halfway down the road.

The slight upturn at the corners of his mouth had long since flattened, and the rare vibrancy on his face had vanished without a trace, returning him to his usual indifferent demeanor. His eyes were like a frozen lake, and even his gaze on the snow carried a hint of detachment, as if the person who had just walked briskly with bright eyes was not him at all.

"Brother, why aren't you leaving?"

Li Yin approached curiously, following Li Ke's gaze.

Not far away, under the eaves, hung two red lanterns. In the glow of the lanterns, a little girl in a pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) was waving on tiptoe. A matching ribbon was tied to her black hair, swaying gently with her movements. Her smile was as sweet as freshly made candied fruit. Who else could it be but Wen He's younger sister, Wen Rou?

Li Yin immediately curled his lip and snorted disdainfully: "He's just a little brat, what's so interesting about him? Brother, you ran so fast just now, I thought it was some kind of treasure."

As soon as he finished speaking, a chill suddenly came from behind him, as if an invisible ice blade was pressed against his back.

Li Yin turned around abruptly and saw Li Ke staring at him, the chill in his eyes more biting than the winter wind and snow. His originally peaceful aura instantly turned fierce, startling Li Yin so much that he subconsciously took a half step back, his voice trembling slightly.

"Brother, why...why are you looking at me like that? I didn't say anything wrong, she's just a little kid!"

"Shut up!"

Li Ke spoke in a low voice, not loud, but with an undeniable authority, like ice pellets suddenly falling in winter, hurting one's ears.

Li Yin was startled by his appearance. He opened his mouth, but the rebuttal that was on the tip of his tongue suddenly got stuck in his throat, and he could no longer speak. He could only stare blankly at Li Ke, his eyes slightly red.

Since he could remember, Li Ke had never spoken to him in such a stern tone, even though he wasn't particularly close to him. Why was he so angry over a simple "little brat"?
Seeing this, Li Tai and Li You, who were not far away, could no longer hold back and covered their mouths to chuckle, their shoulders shaking.

Li Tai laughed so hard he bent over, nudged Li You with his elbow, and whispered, "Look at the Sixth Prince's silly face. He doesn't even know that the Third Prince is protecting Wenrou. Now he's walked right into the line of fire, hasn't he?"

Li You nodded, suppressing a laugh, and replied in a low voice, "It's only because he's Sanlang's younger brother. If it were me, I would have been beaten up long ago."

Li Yin didn't hear what the two were saying, but their laughter, though soft, was still carried to his ears by the wind.

He was both angry and aggrieved, but he didn't dare to lash out at Li Ke. He could only clench his fists, stare at the snow on the ground, and curse Li Tai, Li You, and Wenrou in his heart.

"What are you all doing standing outside? It's so cold, why don't you come inside and warm up?"

Wen He's voice suddenly came from under the corridor, carrying a gentle smile, like a warm breeze dispelling the chill in the air.

Li Tai and Li You's laughter stopped abruptly. The two quickly straightened up, composed themselves, and adopted a docile and obedient demeanor.

They hadn't forgotten the time they copied the periodic table twenty times in one night until their hands were swollen. They certainly wouldn't dare to mess things up again at this time.

When Wenrou heard that Li Ke and the others were coming back, she insisted on coming out to greet them. Wenhe couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she stood with her under the eaves.

He leaned against a pillar, a hand warmer tucked into his hand, watching the four children interacting not far away, a faint smile playing on his lips.

From afar, they could see Li Ke walking briskly towards them, his eyes filled with an unusual urgency. But halfway there, he suddenly stopped, his face instantly turning cold. He couldn't help but touch his face and mutter to himself.

'I didn't have anything on my face today, so why did Li Ke's expression suddenly change when he saw me? Strange?'

"Greetings, sir!"

Li Ke, Li Tai, and Li You turned around in unison and bowed to Wen He under the eaves. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, with even the angle of their bows being almost identical, clearly indicating that they had been trained and accustomed to it in the manor.

Only Li Yin stood there, looking at the scene before him helplessly. He blinked, his curious gaze shifting back and forth between Wen He.

The boy in front of him looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old. He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe and looked like an ordinary young master from a noble family. How could he be the "bloodthirsty, three-headed, six-armed, and monstrous cavalryman" that the palace guards privately described as eating disobedient children?

He quietly stepped back and then secretly glanced at Li Ke.

When Li Ke glared at him just now, the coldness in his eyes was even more frightening than the rumors about Wen He. So, the truly terrifying one should be his elder brother?
Wen He quickly noticed Li Yin standing to the side, and her brows furrowed slightly.

The child was wearing a light blue robe with a matching ribbon tied in his hair. The fabric looked like brocade specially made for the palace, indicating that he was of unusual status, but he had never seen it before.

He turned to look at Li Ke and the other two, his tone tinged with doubt: "Who is this person?"

"Um...this..."

The three little ones looked at each other, none of them daring to speak first.

Li Ke lowered his eyes, as if studying the snow on the ground.

Li Tai touched his nose, his gaze drifting towards the red lanterns in the distance; Li You simply lowered his head and stared at the tips of his shoes.

It's all Father's fault.

The gentleman was already quite dissatisfied when Li You came last time.

Now there's one more. Sir, you're not going to kick them all out, are you?

Just then, Li Yin, who was completely unaware of the situation, straightened his chest, adjusted the jade belt around his waist, and spoke in a nonchalant manner.

"I am the Sixth Prince, Li Yin! You must be Wen He from Gaoyang County? I've heard you're quite powerful, even my elder brother and the others have to listen to you? But no matter how powerful you are, you are still a subject. Before I, why don't you quickly pay your respects?"

Seeing that Wen He looked gentle and not as scary as the rumors suggested, and seeing the panicked look on Li Tai and the other two who dared not speak, he suddenly became bolder.

Even the King of Shu, the King of Yue, and the King of Yan were afraid of him, yet I dared to make him bow. Doesn't this just show how powerful I am?
Perhaps when he returns, the people in the palace will admire him.

But he didn't notice that Li Tai and Li You's gazes towards him had changed.

'You've got guts!'

"Li Yin?"

Wen He was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

The historical records about the sixth prince instantly flashed into his mind.

A typical spoiled nobleman, he loved hunting from a young age and disliked studying. As he grew up, he became even more willful and reckless, repeatedly violating the laws of the court and even condoning his subordinates to oppress the people.

Later, he was implicated in Li Ke's case, demoted to commoner status, and exiled to Bazhou, where he eventually died in exile.

Li Shimin once angrily rebuked him in court, saying, "Even beasts and iron can be skillfully reformed, but you have repeatedly failed to change your ways; you are like rotten wood that cannot be carved."

This statement was later included in the Old Book of Tang.

He has now made a name for himself in history.

Looking at the child in front of her, who was tilting his head back, hands on his hips, and with a defiant expression, Wen He instantly understood Li Shimin's thoughts.

This is another instance of them sending their difficult son to live with me!

Damn it! Do you think this is a kindergarten?

Do you still think I'm just bored and want to take care of your son for you?

"It is indeed I, the prince!"

Seeing that Wen He didn't speak, Li Yin assumed that he was intimidated by his status as a prince, and became even more smug, raising his chin even higher and raising his voice a few decibels.

"What? You dare not bow? Or do you think I, the prince, am unworthy?"

"It's interesting."

Wen He suddenly laughed, a kind smile appearing on her face. Her eyes curved slightly, but there was a hint of playfulness in them, much like the expression of a cat when it sees a mouse.

Upon seeing this smile, Li Ke, who was standing to the side, took two steps back without hesitation, widening the distance between himself and Li Yin, and even deliberately avoided looking at Li Yin.

Then they both grinned at Wen He.

This clearly indicates that this matter has nothing to do with them.

After all, he's just a younger brother.

Anyway, there are plenty of younger brothers in the palace, losing one won't matter.

(End of this chapter)