Zhenguan Crown Prince Li Chengqian

Chapter 49 Li Chengqian rebelled? (1)

In the early morning, the sun had just emerged from the sky, and the soldiers guarding the northwest gate of Luoyang City—Gwanghwamun Gate opened slowly with the shouts of "opening the gate", and the sun shone into the originally dark city gate hole, guarding the gate early People outside also walked into Luoyang City in an orderly manner.

Li Shimin, Changsun Wuji and his party still quietly returned to the city under the guise of a caravan. The difference from when they left was that the [-] elite cavalry led by Li Ji were twenty miles away from them.

Luoyang Palace
"Xuanling, tell me what happened to the court after I left." Li Shimin took a sip of the tea presented by Gan Yun, and turned to ask Fang Xuanling.

"Your Majesty, a plague of locusts broke out in the 27 prefectures of Guanzhong, and the crops in many prefectures and counties were destroyed. The crown prince led the civil and military officials in the court to do their best to rescue the disaster, and the disaster has been basically extinguished. However, many officials in the court are quite critical of this." ,
Fang Xuanling raised her head and glanced at Li Shimin halfway through her words.

But just when Fang Xuanling was about to continue, Luoyang Governor Zhang Liang took over the words: "Mr. Liang, you are avoiding the important and paying attention to the minor."

Zhang Liang turned around and said respectfully to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, the locust plague in Guanzhong is true, but Luoyang has received a lot of memorials recently, impeaching the prince and taking the opportunity of disaster relief to control the sixteen guards, blockade Guanzhong, and wantonly buy people's hearts. A few officials have taken refuge with the prince. Is there something ulterior in this?"

"Duke Yun, the Crown Prince sent an urgent message to Luoyang before the disaster relief. Your Majesty is far away in the north. He did this to control the scope of the disaster. Don't you understand?"

"Even if Liang Guogong is right, so many censors who impeached him are not right. They said that the prince hunted and killed opposing officials in Guanzhong and confiscated the property of the gentry. The people don't know the emperor but only the prince. You must know that the prince is also a courtier of your majesty. , is doing so beyond the scope of his supervision of the country?"

Zhang Liang's words made Li Shimin, who had always been suspicious, hesitate a bit. After all, he became emperor only because of his father's rebellion. It is hard to guarantee that the people around Li Chengqian would not encourage him to do something stupid.

The generals of the Prince of Qin's residence in Xuanwumen became the ministers of the imperial court overnight, wouldn't those who followed Li Chengqian be jealous? Didn't they follow Li Chengqian for the sake of wealth and honor?

Changsun Wuji felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the emperor sinking into deep thought. He had been with Li Shimin for decades, and he knew that the emperor didn't trust anyone in this regard.

My nephew might not be able to get away so easily this time.Yu Gongyu himself, as an uncle, should help Li Chengqian to say a few words. Besides, in his opinion, even if Li Shimin personally sits in Chang'an to relieve the disaster, the effect of disaster relief may not be better than Li Chengqian's.

"Your Majesty, after all, His Majesty the Crown Prince is young, so it is inevitable that he will be domineering in his actions, but he will never harbor disobedience. Besides, Du Ruhui, Cen Wenwen and other ministers of civil and military affairs have followed His Majesty for many years, so how could they betray His Majesty? I think this is a decision. If there is any misunderstanding, please think twice, Your Majesty." Changsun Wuji glared at Zhang Liang, then cupped his hands and said.

"Your Majesty, I think that what the auxiliary machine said is justified. It is understandable for His Highness to take some necessary measures as a supervisor of the country because of a sudden natural disaster."

Li Shimin nodded: "I also don't believe that Chengqian will be like this, but Guanzhong has just experienced a catastrophe, and the situation in Chang'an City is not very stable.

Since Chai Shao transferred the Jinhe Army, the General of the Left Guard had been vacant, so Li Ji was ordered to return to Beijing immediately to serve as the General of the Left Guard and in charge of the Right Guard, and Zhang Liang was transferred to be in charge of the Right Guard.

I still have to meet officials from the Lower Eastern Capital in the next few days, so let Prince Xuan and King Yue come to Luoyang to meet them.I'll send all the playbooks later, I'm tired too, so let's leave them all, and leave the auxiliary machine. "

"Auxiliary machine, I know that you are not happy to hear Zhang Liang and the others say that, but I still want to listen to what the ministers say." Li Shimin saw that Changsun Wuji suppressed his unhappy words just now and knew that this little boy was on fire. .

"Your Majesty, don't you believe in Chengqian? Since he became the prince, that matter has not been considered for His Majesty and the court. When will those speech officials not participate? Even if it rains, they will be idle when they beat their children. Listen to the wind. It's rain."
Chang'an Hongwen Hall

"Your Highness, Your Majesty came back and ordered Li Ji and Zhang Liang to take over the defense of Chang'an City, and at the same time announced that you and the King of Yue will meet in Luoyang," Cen Wenwen said solemnly.

Li Shimin was able to return safely, and Li Chengqian was extremely happy, but hearing that Li Ji and Zhang Liang had taken over the defense made Li Chengqian feel something was wrong.

What kind of general should I change, oh, Li Chengqian understands, there will often be such an appearance in the court dramas of later generations.Thinking of this, Li Chengqian shook his head helplessly. It seems that between family affection and imperial power, someone like Li Shimin would definitely choose the latter.

It seems that he still believed the recent rumors. Li Shimin himself started as a rebel, so naturally he was very taboo about this aspect. Some people pinched the emperor's pulse, so it was not a sure thing.

"Okay, since it's my father's will, it's fine. Cen Zhongshu and Du Shangshu are not feeling well, and I have to go to Luoyang to meet you. Please pay more attention to the political affairs of the court."

"No, Your Highness."

After Li Chengqian returned to the East Palace, he called the right guard to lead the general Qin Huaiyu, and took him and a hundred guards from the East Palace out of the Mingde Gate to join Li Tai and then rushed to Luoyang.

On the way, Li Chengqian remembered what Zhang Xuansu once said to him. The old master said that in this court, the most powerful weapon is not a sword or gun, but a bald pen in the hands of a judge. Now I finally feel it.

He knew that many people were killed and arrested during this disaster relief process, and there was no way to count the offended people. After all, cutting off people's wealth is like killing their parents.

Niu Jinda's Ministry of Integrity and Government alone has arrested more than [-] officials who embezzled disaster relief funds. Many of these people came from aristocratic families, and their relationships in the court are also intricate.

To say that the recent rumors have nothing to do with these wealthy families, even if Li Chengqian was killed, he would not believe it.But in order to stabilize the situation in Guanzhong and protect Li Shimin's whereabouts, he had to be ruthless and act arbitrarily in the court.

Since Li Shimin left, Li Chengqian couldn't sleep well every night, and always felt that the eyes of Da'an Palace were staring at him.If this disaster relief hadn't been for iron and blood methods to suppress those people with ulterior motives, Li Yuan probably would have made a move.

Li Yuan is also the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Not to mention Lao Li's ability, there are many people who support him in the court. If you know that a waste like Zhu Qizhen can be restored successfully, don't talk about Lao Li.Alas, Li Chengqian sighed, his good intentions were still no match for the bald pens in the hands of those knife and pen officials.

No wonder Li Chengqian would say in history: "If I am an emperor, I will want to do what I want. If there are ministers who remonstrate, I will kill them. Killing five hundred is not certain."

(End of this chapter)