Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

The Eastern Palace Study.

"Have all the people left?"

Li Chengqian looked at Xiao Shunzi who had come in and asked.

"Your Highness, they've all been sent away. I've already told the commander of the palace guards that we won't see anyone today."

Xiao Shunzi replied respectfully.

Li Chengqian nodded.

Since the start of today's court assembly, representatives from various families and officials have been arriving one after another.

They all had only one request: to allow Li Chengqian to send his own family members to Liaodong.

Li Chengqian outwardly agreed to everything.

Just then, a man in black silently emerged from the corner of the study.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects."

This is the head of Qin Qiong's Shadow Guard stationed in Chang'an, codenamed Night Owl.

"How's things going in Liaodong lately?"

Li Chengqian looked at the owl and asked.

The owl replied:

"Your Highness, everything in Liaodong is proceeding according to plan."

Lord Du has taken over all the administrative affairs of the Andong Protectorate, and the distributed slaves and land have won the hearts of the local people.

As for the blast furnaces and gunpowder workshops, General Qin personally oversaw their construction, selecting the most remote valleys and deploying three layers of hidden sentries around them.

"What about Chang'an? Has Father's Hundred Cavalry Division noticed anything?"

"Your Highness, rest assured. Our people have basically kept a close watch on all the spies from the Hundred Cavalry Division in Liaodong."

All the messages they sent back were what we wanted them to know.

Li Chengqian nodded.

Only by stabilizing his base in Liaodong can he have the confidence to overturn the table in Chang'an.

"Good job. Keep an eye on the Hundred Cavalry Division, especially Li Junxian's side."

After receiving the order, Night Owl turned and left immediately.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Xiao Shunzi and asked:

"Where is Changsun Chong? Where did he go after the court assembly?"

"Your Highness, you don't know."

Xiao Shunzi actually laughed.

"After leaving the capital, the young master Changsun walked home in a daze."

However, they were stopped halfway by young master Cheng Chumo.

"Were you stopped by Cheng Chumo?"

Li Chengqian asked in confusion.

"Yes. Young Master Cheng insisted on dragging Young Master Changsun out for drinks. But Young Master Changsun had no interest in drinking and absolutely refused to go."

As a result, Young Master Cheng simply carried him on his shoulder and took him directly to the tavern in Pingkangfang.

This matter has become the talk of the town in Chang'an today.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian smiled and shook his head.

Only Cheng Chumo would do something like that.

"and then?"

"Then Young Master Cheng managed to get the young master Changsun completely drunk. In the end, it was Young Master Cheng's servants who found a door panel and carried the young master Changsun back to the Duke of Qi's mansion."

"I didn't expect that after so long of training in Liaodong, Changsun Chong's alcohol tolerance is still so low."

Li Chengqian's thoughts were already on Lady Changsun.

Changsun Chong pleaded for Changsun Wuji's life in court today, but the Qi State Duke's mansion has now completely fallen into ruin.

The proverb "when people leave, the tea grows cold" is a timeless idiom.

The Changsun family, once second only to the emperor, plummeted to rock bottom overnight.

Cheng Chumo probably realized this, which is why he dragged Changsun Chong out for drinks.

After all, providing timely help in times of need and adding to someone's already good fortune are not the same thing.

Li Chengqian picked up a parchment scroll delivered by the Shadow Guard from his desk.

This is a relationship diagram of the aristocratic families of Chang'an drawn by the Shadow Guard.

The document is densely marked with the intricate relationships between the five prominent families and seven powerful clans, the noble families of Guanzhong and Longxi, and various high-ranking officials in the court.

Li Chengqian picked up the vermilion pen on the table and drew a circle over the three characters "Changsun Chong".

"Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

Xiao Shunzi asked cautiously.

"Although Changsun Wuji is crippled, the foundation that the Changsun family has built up over so many years in the court and among the people is still there."

Li Chengqian stared at the red circle and said coldly.

"Those former students and officials, those intricate family ties, cannot be completely erased by a single imperial edict demoting them to commoners."

Xiao Shunzi nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Changsun Chong is now the only hope for the Changsun family."

"Once I can completely win him over, the remaining strength of the Changsun family can naturally be used for my purposes."

When Li Chengqian was in Liaodong, he deliberately promoted Changsun Chong, which was to lay the groundwork for today.

He wanted to extend this olive branch when Changsun Chong was at his most desperate.

Let him understand who his only support is right now.

Although Changsun Chong was a playboy, he was also a person who valued relationships.

Today, in the imperial court, he was willing to give up his future for his father, which says it all.

"Xiao Shunzi".

"This servant is here."

"Go to the storeroom and prepare some gifts for me. Tomorrow morning, I will personally pay a visit to my dear uncle."

"Your Highness, please give your orders, and I will prepare immediately. Should we send some of the finest ginseng and deer antler, or some calming tonics?"

"Ginseng and deer antler? Does he deserve to eat those now?"

Li Chengqian sneered.

Write it down.

Xiao Shunzi quickly picked up his pen.

"The first thing is to go to the East Market and buy the most dilapidated birdcage, and put a molting pheasant inside."

The second thing is to go to the Imperial Hospital and get a few packets of medicine residue for treating insanity.

On the third page, go to the kitchen and get a piece of moldy, rotten wood. Carve it into a memorial tablet, and don't write anything on it.

Xiao Shunzi broke out in a cold sweat as he read what Li Chengqian was saying.

If these three things were sent over, wouldn't Changsun Wuji be so angry that he would die on the spot?

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Xiao Shunzi swallowed hard.

"Isn't this gift list a bit... a bit too much? Changsun Wuji is, after all, your maternal uncle. What if he gets really angry and something bad happens to him..."

"He deserves to be so angry."

Li Chengqian waved his hand dismissively.

"If he's still fantasizing about turning things around now, then he doesn't need to live."

His existence would only be an obstacle to Changsun Chong. I will use these things to shatter his illusions.

Let Changsun Wuji know that the future of the Changsun family depends solely on Changsun Chong.

Xiao Shunzi hurriedly said:

"This servant will take care of it immediately."

As soon as Xiao Shunzi opened the door, Night Owl rushed in from outside.

"Your Highness, something has happened."

"What's the panic? Tell me, what happened?"

Night Owl said with a solemn expression:

"We just received news that Cui Mingan, the head of the Cui family in Qinghe, left the city overnight."

"Leave the city?"

Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment.

Where did he go?

"Judging from the direction, they're heading towards Luoyang. And..."

The owl paused.

"When he left, he took most of the Cui family's loyal followers who had been left in Chang'an with him, and also secretly transported away dozens of cartloads of goods."

Judging from the tire tracks, the item was very heavy.

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes.

Cui Mingan was tricked by me in court today and didn't gain any advantage in Liaodong, so why did he rush off in the evening?

Luoyang is the stronghold of the powerful families in Guandong. What does he want to do by returning to Luoyang at this time?

"Dozens of truckloads of heavy goods..."

Li Chengqian tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"Could it be money and provisions? Have you sent someone to follow them?"

"Our men have caught up. But Cui Mingan is very vigilant, and the assassins he brought are all highly skilled. Our men dare not get too close."

Li Chengqian stood up and began pacing back and forth in the study.

Cui Min, that old fox, never does anything without a profit.

He rushed back to Luoyang overnight; he must have a bigger plan.

Connecting this to Cui Mingan's undisguised greed in the court today, a thought suddenly flashed through Li Chengqian's mind.

"not good!"

Li Chengqian suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"That old bastard is aiming for Liaodong."

Xiao Shunzi and Ye Xiao were both stunned.

"Your Highness, he's heading to Luoyang, why would he be heading towards Liaodong?"

Xiao Shunzi asked, puzzled.

Li Chengqian said coldly:

"He was outmaneuvered by Gu today. He doesn't dare to send anyone to Liaodong openly anymore, but he can take action in secret."

Luoyang is a hub for water and land transportation; he is going to cut off Liaodong's trade routes.

Once trade routes in Liaodong are cut off, Liaodong alone simply cannot develop rapidly.

"Pass on my order. Immediately send a letter to Du Ruhui, instructing him to thoroughly investigate all merchant caravans entering Liaodong."

Especially those claiming to be from aristocratic families—I'll just rob them on sight. I want to ensure that there are no aristocratic families left in Liaodong.

"Yes."

Night Owl hurriedly accepted the order and withdrew.

Xiao Shunzi also hurriedly went to complete Li Chengqian's arrangements.

Li Chengqian's gaze sharpened as he looked at the empty study.

Cui Mingan, you'd better not try anything underhanded with me.

Otherwise, after I deal with Changsun Wuji, I'll target your Cui family of Qinghe next.