People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1524: The Tang Dynasty Father and Son, Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Taizong, Emperor Gaozong

Sitting on the throne, Li Xian could feel the angry gazes coming from behind him, but unusually, his expression was terrifyingly calm.

He glanced gently at Wei beside him. Wei, who was sitting on the throne for the first time, looked excited and uneasy.

Li Xian gently stretched out his hand and held Wei's white and tender little hand tightly. Wei immediately relaxed and looked at Li Xian with soft eyes.

Only she knew how Li Xian became so decisive.

This is your Majesty's family affair, why ask outsiders?

This sentence gave Li Xian an epiphany.

Back then, his father was moved by these words, and he resolutely and decisively deposed Queen Wang and made his mother the queen.

Now, Li Xian wanted to make Wei the queen. Even if his mother did not allow it, Li Xian would still do it.

He has already reached adulthood, which, in the words of ordinary people, means he has already established his own household, not to mention that he has already ascended the throne and rules the world.

What's wrong with making the woman you love the queen?

What's more, she is his own Crown Princess, who has given birth to two sons for him and is now pregnant with a third child. If he doesn't make her the Queen, who else can he make Queen?

In this regard, Li Xian believed that he was no worse than his father.

……

Among the ministers, Li Xuan bowed solemnly.

Although he didn't look up, he could feel the determination in Li Xian's expression.

Father, this role will always be a very special role in the inheritance of the Tang Dynasty's imperial power.

Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, and Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi.

Just writing about the entanglement between these two pairs of fathers and sons could take up millions of words.

Now a new emperor, Li Xian, has emerged.

Emperor Taizong's lifetime achievements were greater than those of Emperor Gaozu.

Emperor Gaozong worked hard throughout his life and finally became better than Emperor Taizong.

If there was no Empress Wu, it would definitely be a good story in history.

Of course, this is getting off topic.

The person sitting on the throne now is Li Xian.

For Li Xian, the most important thing in his life is to surpass his father in achievements.

This is a difficult task, but it can all start now.

The late emperor could use this sentence to directly make Empress Wu the empress, and Li Xian could also use this sentence to directly make Empress Wei the empress.

Everything is just a cycle.

Li Xuan could imagine how angry Empress Wu was now. Thirty years ago, Li Zhi had done everything for her, and now it was Li Xian's turn to do it for his woman.

But when this sentence was put forward again, Empress Wu couldn't even refute it.

Also unable to refute was Qi Yu, Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Household.

The ministers had not noticed anything before, because it was normal for the emperor to make the Crown Princess the Queen.

But Su Liangsi came forward to impeach and immediately exposed everything.

Countless people among the ministers looked at him with strange eyes.

Especially those who were descendants of the Jingzhao Wei family, their eyes were filled with hatred.

The Wei family finally had a queen, but now they are being obstructed by him. I even want to kill him.

Fortunately, Li Xian made his position clear with just one sentence and exposed the matter.

At least he won't make things difficult for Qi Yu on this matter.

……

Li Xian's eyes fell on Pei Yan, and Pei Yan's expression was still a little ugly.

Li Xian looked deep in his eyes and said, "Pei Qing!"

"I'm here." Pei Yan restrained his expression and bowed deeply to Li Xian.

Li Xian nodded calmly and said, "My father left me the will that I will gradually take control of the affairs of the palace, but as the regent, you still need to do your best in matters of the court."

Pei Yan raised his eyebrows, and then said solemnly: "I respectfully accept the order of the emperor."

"Yes!" Li Xian turned to look at Wei Daijia and said, "Mr. Wei, let Mr. Pei read the imperial edict."

"Yes!" Wei Daijia bowed, then handed the last imperial edict in his sleeve to Pei Yan.

Pei Yan's face was solemn. He took the imperial edict and opened it, and his expression suddenly became solemn.

Turning around and looking at the ministers, Pei Yan opened the imperial edict and said loudly: "In the first year of the Sisheng era, on the first day of the first month of the year Guiwei, on the first day of the first lunar month of the year Guichou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

The great treasure is called the throne, which actually comes from the great successor; all nations rely on their integrity, which is established by the wise.

I have inherited Ning's great cause and am only concerned with long-term plans. I respectfully submit to the Lord of the Seven Changs, how could I abandon the hopes of humans and gods?

The Grand Commander of Jizhou, the Crown Prince Chongzhao, was gifted with intelligence and born with the knowledge of benevolence and filial piety. He was in harmony with his ruler and his parents, and was filial and brotherly.

The virtue of gentleness and politeness is in line with ancient teachings; the spirit of respect and love is known throughout the world.

A father who knows his son is one who is loyal to his parents and good people; he follows the elder son and is obedient, and conforms to the old rules.

He should be given the task of choosing a successor so that he can be promoted to crown prince.

He can be made the crown prince.

Choose a day for the coming month and issue an order, and the relevant department will follow the procedure.

Admire this. "

The ministers bowed again and said, "I accept your order. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health."

Crown Prince Li Chongzhao did not enter the palace.

The emperor's edict made it very clear that the date for the enthronement would be chosen next month, not today.

After all, the Queen's seal has not been prepared yet. If the Crown Prince is allowed into the palace today, it would make people feel that the Emperor's control over state affairs is somewhat unstable.

Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. The emperor had appointed a crown prince, and only then could Li Xuan, the crown prince's guardian, come in handy.

……

Li Xian looked at the ministers who were bowing to him with satisfaction, nodded, and said, "Everyone, please stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The ministers bowed, and then stood up. The time when the emperor received the imperial decree, appointed the empress dowager, the queen, and the crown prince, and the ministers had to kneel down collectively and worship him, was over. What remained was to reward the ministers.

Sure enough, at this time, Li Xian spoke again.

"Seven days ago, the late emperor passed away. All the officials worked hard to come back and forth. I am very grateful. Today I am enthroned. It is also the first day of the first lunar month. The whole world is paying attention. Therefore, I will reward all the officials today." Li Xian looked up at Pei Yan and said, "Mr. Pei, let's start."

"Yes!" Pei Yan bowed solemnly, then turned to look at the ministers, opened a long imperial edict in his hand, and said loudly: "In the first year of Sisheng, on the first day of the first month of the year of Guiwei, on the first day of the first lunar month of the year of Guichou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

Now that I have just been appointed, I have thanked you for your hard work and your best efforts in assisting me. Since ancient times, there have been many cases of kings rising from adversities. You have been loyal to the royal family, caring about the country, stabilizing the country, and working hard. I am very grateful.

故！
The king of Han Yuanjia was given the title of Taiwei, the king of Huo Li Yuangui was given the title of Situ, and the king of Shu Li Yuan was given the title of Sikong.

The Prince of Lu, Lingkui, was promoted to the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and the Prince of Ji, Li Shen, was promoted to the title of Grand Protector to the Crown Prince.

Prince Teng Yuanying was given the title of Kaifu Yitong Sansi.

Peng Wangxuan was promoted to the title of Prince's Guardian.

Prince Ze Shangjin was appointed as the governor of Suzhou; Prince Xu Sujie was appointed as the governor of Jiangzhou.

All the princes and dukes of the royal family will be given an additional 100 households, and princesses will be given an additional 50 households..."

As Pei Yan finished speaking, one by one, the princes of the royal family stood up and kowtowed in obeisance.

Taiwei, Situ, and Sikong are all honorary titles of the first rank, but they are indeed the highest positions in the official system of the Tang Dynasty.

On the same list as General Tiance.

The Prince's Grand Tutor, the Prince's Grand Guardian, and Liu Rengui's Prince's Grand Preceptor, together with Liu Rengui's Prince's Grand Tutor, were the three teachers of the Eastern Palace, all of the first rank.

Li Xuan was the only Prince's Guardian, a second-rank Prince's Guardian, but everyone looked at him with far more respect than ordinary people.

Because he has the late emperor's last will in his hand, the prince will have to respect him as the most respected person in the future.

This time the court rewarded its officials, and the emperor and Empress Wu were very generous. Even Concubine Xiao Shufei's Prince Ze, Prince Qi, Princess Yi Yang, and Princess Xuan were included.

All the royal family members who received rewards bowed solemnly.

However, the person they were more grateful to was the emperor.

Li Xuan felt relieved. Empress Wu's methods were truly fierce.

If these rewards were given before Li Xian was enthroned, then they were all rewards from Empress Wu, and the princes of the royal family would inevitably be grateful to her.

If one day in the future, Empress Wu deposed the emperor, there would not be much of an obstacle from the royal family.

In fact, although the royal family received many rewards, they had no real power. Empress Wu could overthrow them all with a flip of her hand, and the one who was best at this method was the previous emperor.

……

"The Minister of the Central Secretariat Pei Yan is the Minister of State Regents, so the Political Affairs Hall is moved from the Menxia Province to the Zhongshu Province and is presided over by the Minister of the Central Secretariat Pei Yan..." When the imperial edict was read out, even Pei Yan's own voice sounded extremely shocked and nervous, and he subconsciously looked at the emperor and Empress Wu.

This item was not included in the reward edict drafted by the Secretariat.

The Emperor and Empress Wu looked unusually calm, and Pei Yan immediately knew that this was the result of a joint discussion between the two.

Pei Yan suddenly felt bitter.

Although he stated that the Queen's affairs were none of his business, no one would believe him if he said so.

Before long, he was tricked by both the Emperor and Empress Wu.

As a regent, Pei Yan had the power to preside over the Council of State Affairs, and even whether the Council of State Affairs held a meeting was under his control.

Even Liu Rengui is inferior to him.

Therefore, moving the Political Affairs Hall from the Menxia Province to the Zhongshu Province would not bring him any more benefits except for bringing him some nominal authority.

There are even disadvantages.

None of the real central government officials will be influenced by this false authority. Instead, they will begin to fear the power he possesses.

If things go wrong, Pei Yan would end up facing all the ministers alone in the Council of State.

……

Li Xuan knelt on the ground with a serious expression.

Empress Wu’s methods were truly too cruel.

If Li Xuan had not helped Li Xian to make a comeback today, with the emperor being weak and Empress Wu rewarding his ministers to win people's hearts, and Pei Yan being powerful at this time, it would be natural that Empress Wu and Pei Yan would form an invisible alliance.

Balance, balance, you must be strong enough to stand on the stage of balance.

If Li Xian's strength was not enough, he would be crushed by Empress Wu and Pei Yan in an instant.

Your life and property are all in the hands of others.

"…The Prince's Tutor, Liu Rengui, Duke of Lecheng County, is the Acting Minister of the Left, and is also a third-rank official in the Secretariat." When Pei Yan said this, he paused naturally.

All the officials in the court were stunned at the same time. Why did Liu Rengui go back to be the Shangshu Zuo Pushe?

At this time, Li Xian said, "Chang'an is the capital of the Tang Dynasty and cannot be left alone for long. In May, I will carry the late emperor's coffin back to Chang'an. Before that, Crown Prince Chongzhao will stay in Tokyo and the left prime minister will assist in the administration."

"I accept your command. Thank you." Liu Rengui stood up and bowed to accept the order.

The eyes of the ministers fell on Liu Rengui, but many of them also looked at Li Xuan unnaturally.

If they remembered correctly, it was Li Xuan who suggested that the emperor carry the coffin of the late emperor back to Chang'an.

Li Xian nodded to Pei Yan, and Pei Yan continued to read the imperial edict: "... Shangshu You Pushe Xue Yuanchao..."

Xue Yuanchao, Li Yiyan, Wang Dezhen, and Liu Jingxian were all promoted to the first rank of officials, and those below the third rank were given an additional level of nobility.

Although this was the content of the late emperor's last will, when the emperor's decree was issued, the ministers were grateful to the late emperor as well as the emperor.

Behind the pearl curtain, Empress Wu's gaze fell on Li Xuan.

All her plans these days were thwarted by Li Xuan. Although it seemed that the thwarting was intentional or unintentional, it was so precise that Empress Wu couldn't help but wonder if Li Xuan had spies around her.

"…Yao Lingzhang, the Crown Prince's Secretary, was promoted to the Crown Prince's Left Assistant and the Inspector of the Secretariat."

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace." Yao Lingzhang immediately stood up with gratitude.

He originally thought that he would be the Prince's Secretary and the Inspector of the Secretariat, but unexpectedly the emperor promoted him to the Prince's Left Assistant.

You know, the Prince's Left Secretary is Xue Yuanchao's position.

However, Xue Yuanchao's Prince's Left Assistant was assisted by Li Xian, while Yao Lingzhang's Prince's Left Assistant was assisted by Li Chongzhao.

This also shows how much trust the emperor placed in Yao Lingzhang.

It can be said that only one step is needed to become the prime minister.

(End of this chapter)