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

Chapter 1736: Pass the throne to Li Chengqi, Li Chengqi refuses and passes the throne to King Peng
"Have those people at the palace gate not dispersed yet?"

In Ganlu Palace, Zheng looked calmly at Lu Yuanfang, Li Yiyan, Ouyang Tong and other prime ministers.

"Yes!" Lu Yuanfang bowed with a solemn expression and said, "All officials gathered at the palace gate. This has never happened before in our Tang Dynasty."

"If we capture the leader and beat the others away with sticks, will peace be restored?" Lu Yuanfang's face changed when hearing Zheng's words.

"Queen Dowager, if this is the case, then Your Majesty will lose the hearts of the people." Lu Yuanfang stepped forward and said seriously, "In my opinion, it would be better for Your Majesty to go to the palace gate and I will read the edict of apology on your behalf, and then everything will be settled."

"This confession of guilt must be written." Zheng looked straight at Lu Yuanfang.

"The Lingyan Pavilion was destroyed, the Zhaoling Mausoleum collapsed, black springs gushed out of the wells in Chang'an, and black crows circled around the beams. These are all ominous signs. I again request Your Majesty to issue an edict of repentance." Lu Yuanfang bowed solemnly.

The ministers behind him also bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I ask you to issue an edict of apology."

Zheng fell silent.

As the ministers bowed their heads, they couldn't help but frown. They didn't understand why Zheng still refused to bow his head even now.

It's just a self-criticism edict. If it issues this edict, the world will be stable. Why don't they do it?

"You say, is this Taiping's trick?" Zheng explained the reason in one sentence, and looked at the ministers and said, "They are very likely taking the first step now, and there will be a second step, a third step, and even more steps, until the end, forcing the emperor to abdicate... to the Prince of Xiang?"

"Queen Mother..." Before Lu Yuanfang could finish his words, Zheng waved her hand and said, "How about letting Prince Peng come back and let him handle these matters?"

"No!" Yao Lingzhang immediately stepped forward and bowed to Zheng: "Queen Mother, Prince Peng has assembled his troops in Luoyang and is preparing to go to Hebei. If he returns rashly, it will be detrimental to the overall situation."

"Then how about letting Prime Minister Yao handle the current matter?" Zheng asked directly.

"I will deal with it now." Yao Lingzhang turned around and was about to leave, but Zheng did not stop him, so the others just watched him leave.

A moment later, Xu Lu came back from outside and bowed, saying, "Queen Mother, Prime Minister Yao's head was hit."

"Finally, blood was seen." Zheng looked at Lu Yuanfang and asked, "Left Prime Minister, why can't we kill people?"

Lu Yuanfang's eyes changed slightly, and he cupped his hands and said, "Queen Mother, if Your Majesty kills someone today, then in the future, Your Majesty will probably have a hard time facing the ministers in the court. The world will be in chaos, which is not good for the Tang Dynasty. I ask Your Majesty to issue an edict of guilt again."

Zheng fell silent again.

Ouyang Tong watched from the side and couldn't help but frown.

One is to ask the Queen Mother to immediately issue an edict of repentance.

The other one refused to issue a confession of guilt.

Things froze like this.

Ouyang Tong sighed helplessly in his heart. He knew that the fundamental purpose of those people outside was to force the emperor to abdicate.

The Queen Mother also saw it very clearly, but now the only way to deal with it properly is to issue an edict of repentance first and then slowly plan other things.

Killing people, what is the use of killing people?
Treason?

So far, the Qianniu Guards have not found any evidence of any connection between Tang Jianri and Prince Xiang.

You can't frame someone.

All the ministers just stood there, no one spoke, and Zheng, who was sitting in the front, also didn't speak.

At this moment, there was a sudden "wow" sound, and the emperor sitting next to him couldn't help crying.

Zheng hurried to hug the emperor, but the little emperor subconsciously dodged at this time.

Seeing this scene, Zheng was slightly stunned.

Her eyes couldn't help but fall on the little emperor's neck.

For a moment, the image of Princess Taiping strangling Li Chongjun tightly appeared in Zheng's mind again.

After a moment, Zheng slowly turned around and looked at Lu Yuanfang, saying expressionlessly, "They want the emperor to issue an edict of guilt. This is impossible. The emperor has done nothing wrong, but since Princess Taiping's rebellion, the emperor's health has been poor. If the world continues to be in turmoil, the emperor's health will probably be completely ruined."

"Empress Dowager!" Lu Yuanfang looked up with horror on his face.

Zheng waved her hands and said, "The emperor can abdicate to the prince of Xiang. This I can agree to. However, the emperor's throne is inherited from Emperor Zhongzong. If the prince of Xiang wants to succeed, he can be adopted by me and Emperor Zhongzong, and succeed as the emperor's brother and become my son. I will continue to rule behind the scenes. This way, I can also ensure the emperor's future health."

Empress Wu rebelled and killed Emperor Zhongzong. Later, Li Xuan recovered Luoyang, and finally Li Chongjun succeeded Li Chongzhao to the throne.

The court had already reached a conclusion regarding this past succession of the throne.

Emperor Gaozong passed the throne to Emperor Zhongzong, Emperor Zhongzong passed the throne to Emperor Sukjong, who disappeared in a storm at sea and the current emperor succeeded to the throne.

Among them, Li Dan was posthumously named Emperor Ruizong.

Although he was called emperor, it was a posthumous title, just like the posthumous title given to Emperor Li Hong.

When he ascended the throne during the reign of Empress Wu, he was not recognized by the court.

The current succession to the throne is Gaozu, Taizong, Gaozong, Zhongzong, Suzong, and Li Chongjun.

Li Chongzhao and Li Chongjun were both sons of Emperor Zhongzong, Li Xian.

Li Xian's succession to the throne was approved by the Emperor Gaozong's will and recognized by the world.

Li Chongzhao and Li Chongjun inherited Li Xian's throne, which was also recognized by the world. Then whose throne did you, Li Chengqi, inherit?

As for Li Dan's, that goes against the etiquette and law. As for Li Xian's, that's great. Then you can be adopted by Zheng and call her mother. Li Chongjun will be your biological brother.

What Zheng said was right. As long as this was the case, she would still be the queen, and she could ensure Li Chongjun's survival to the greatest extent.

However, there are sinister hidden forces.

Once Li Chengqi loses his moral integrity or dies young, the throne will still return to Li Chongjun.

Zheng is confident enough to do this.

"Now that things have been decided, let's do it this way. Let Prince Xiang go to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices first, and let the Zongzheng revise the record, and then come to this palace." After a brief pause, Zheng said, "In that case, let Prince Peng come back, even if it's only for a few days, so that he can witness this matter first." "Empress Dowager!" Lu Yuanfang was still a little confused. How did things evolve to this point?

"Go away, go away!" Zheng waved her hand and drove everyone away without any courtesy.

……

At the side of Liangyi Hall, Lu Yuanfang looked up at Wang Dezhen and asked in a low voice: "Why is it so?"

"Your Majesty is not in good health." Wang Dezhen thought for a moment and explained, "Although there is a way to solve the problem of not attending court now, the emperor is still not comfortable and it has affected his health. The queen mother is also a little bit unable to bear it. Therefore, for the sake of the emperor's health, the queen mother will step back and let the prince ascend the throne as his son to protect herself and your majesty."

"What do you think?" Lu Yuanfang looked at the others, especially Ouyang Tong.

Ouyang Tong understood what he meant, nodded, and said: "This is the best way now."

"So what about King Peng?" Lu Yuanfang followed with a serious look.

Now, the prime ministers are most wary of Li Xuan suddenly returning to Chang'an to seize the throne.

Although there was no trace of Li Xuan in Lingyan Pavilion, Zhaoling Mausoleum, and behind Tang Jianri, Lu Yuanfang still believed that it was Li Xuan who was behind it.

"I'll go and convince him." Ouyang Tong sighed. In the end, he would have to go.

"So that's it?" There was a hint of confusion in Lu Yuanfang's eyes. He didn't know why things had come to this point.

The recent series of events happened so fast that they were unable to react.

"The emperor is in poor health. Prince Xiang will adopt Emperor Zhongzong. If he has sons in the future, we will choose one of them to inherit the throne of Emperor Ruizong. That's it. There is nothing else to do." Zhang Da'an suddenly spoke.

All the ministers reacted immediately and nodded at the same time: "Good!"

……

Kaihuafang, Prince Xiang’s Palace.

Dou Lu Qinwang looked at Tang Jianri in front of him, stood up and said, "What did you say? Are you here to welcome the Prince of Xiang into the palace to ascend the throne?"

"Yes, Lord Dou Lu." Tang Jianri suppressed his excitement and said, "Zuo Xiang, Li Xiang, and Zhang Xiang are all outside the door. They are welcoming the Prince of Xiang into the palace according to the Queen Mother's decree."

After a brief pause, Tang Jianri cupped his hands and said, "The emperor is in poor health. Prince Xiang will succeed Emperor Zhongzong, and the empress dowager will be the heir, and the emperor's brother will succeed to the throne. This is the best condition that Tang can strive for."

"What do you mean by fighting for it?" Dou Luqinwang's face changed, and he could not help but stepped forward, grabbed Tang Jianri by the collar, and suddenly asked, "Who asked you to fight for it? Who asked you to rebel? Tell me?"

"Wasn't it this humble official who was sent by the palace to contact him?" Tang Jianri looked confused, wondering what Dou Lu Qin was doing now.

"No, the palace has never contacted anyone." Dou Lu Qinwang let go of Tang Jianri, and said in a daze, "We have all been plotted against."

"Ah!" Tang Jianri was stunned, then his face changed and his body trembled.

"What about Prince Xiang? Will he ascend the throne?" Tang Jianri looked at Dou Lu Qinwang cautiously.

"Why not? He has pushed us to this point." Dou Lu Qinwang suddenly raised his head and looked at Tang Jianri with gritted teeth: "He forced us to take this step. If we don't, he will force us to take this step again."

"You mean Prince Peng?" Tang Jianri's face changed slightly, but he immediately said, "It's impossible. The emperor is in poor health. The empress dowager allowed Prince Xiang to ascend the throne as the heir of Emperor Zhongzong. The whole court agrees. So what if he leads his troops back to fight?"

"Haha!" Dou Lu Qinwang sneered, then looked towards the backyard calmly: "It all depends on your decision, Your Highness."

……

The yellow-covered carriage swayed into the palace. Li Chengqi slightly lifted the curtain and looked outside.

There are countless guards, with swords and spears standing in line.

"Uncle, has the situation really come to this?" Li Chengqi turned to look at Dou Lu Qinwang and asked in a low voice, "Is the emperor's condition really that serious?"

Dou Lu Qinwang nodded slightly and said, "The emperor was pinched by Princess Taiping in Luoyang and almost died. After that, he dared not meet people too much no matter what. He has not held a grand court for three times, and it is unlikely that he will hold one in the future."

"What about my uncle?" Li Chengqi looked up at Dou Luqinwang. The precocious man said softly, "Does my uncle agree to my succession?"

"The Queen Mother nodded, and all the officials agreed. Let them convince Prince Peng." Doulu Qinwang didn't know how the situation would develop next, but he believed that Li Xuan would have a backup plan. Now they can only move forward step by step.

The Imperial Ancestral Temple was right in front of us, and the carriage slowly stopped.

Li Chengqi stepped down from the carriage, and all the officials stood in awe to greet him: "Your Highness."

Li Chengqi walked through the crowd of ministers with a serious expression and went straight up to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Dou Lu Qinwang followed closely.

In front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Li Yuangui looked at Li Chengqi calmly and bowed first, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Great uncle!" Li Chengqi bowed slightly.

"Please!" Li Yuangui walked into the Taimiao first, and Li Chengqi followed closely.

Dou Lu Qinwang, Lu Yuanfang, Li Yiyan, Ouyang Tong and others all stopped outside the door.

Seeing Li Chengqi kneeling on the cushion, Li Yuangui looked at the tablets of Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Taizong, Emperor Gaozong, and Emperor Zhongzong in front of him, and bowed and said: "According to the order of the Empress Dowager, the Emperor is in poor health. It is difficult for him to inherit the old order and be ignorant. Only Wang Mingsheng is wise and sage, so I will let Prince Chengqi succeed Emperor Zhongzong to complete the imperial cause..."

"Great uncle." Li Chengqi suddenly interrupted Li Yuangui and asked, "If Chengqi is adopted by the emperor's uncle, then if Chengqi dies young in the future, who will offer sacrifices to my father's incense?"

"This!" Li Yuangui was stunned for a moment. After Li Chengqi came of age, it would be natural for Li Chengqi's son to pick the incense stick. But if Li Chengqi did not come of age and had no offspring, then...

"In that case, Chengqi does not want to be adopted by his uncle tomorrow. Please ask the Queen Mother and the ministers to choose another wise man from the royal family and establish a new king." After Li Chengqi finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily.

Li Yuangui was slightly stunned, and then a voice appeared in his mind.

Li Xuan.

It's Li Xuan's turn.

(End of this chapter)