Man Tang Huacai

Chapter 124
Shangshan Pool, Zhongshan Spring and Stream are gurgling.

The green bamboo forest nearby is moving with the wind, and the Zhongnan Mountain in the distance is undulating and hazy.

"You have suffered too much these years." Li Cong sighed and patted Xue Bai on the back, "I heard that the third brother almost buried you alive?"

Previously, when Xue Bai was falsely accused of constructing the East Palace, he explained the matter to Chen Xuanli and released rumors, so Li Cong also heard about it.

This sentence can be regarded as entering the topic.

"That's right, I'm afraid I have formed a grudge with Donggong, can uncle resolve it for me?"

Li Cong shook his head with a wry smile, pointed to his own face, and said, "I look like this, and I live in seclusion in the ten king's house, how can I interfere with the prince?"

Xue Bai pondered: "What if the case of the three common people is rehabilitated?"

"You want to vindicate the case of the three common people?" Li Cong asked tentatively.

"Yes."

Xue Bai was straightforward and made his attitude clear.

"I have a grievance with Li Heng, thinking that he is not a king, and the state reserve should be the benevolent eldest son."

Li Cong's expression changed, he was surprised by this straightforward sentence.

But also rewarded.

If you want to seek great things, how can you spare yourself?It should be so aggressive, direct and powerful.

And if the case of the three concubines is rehabilitated, then his heirs will no longer be an obstacle for him to become the crown prince. On the contrary, his four sons will become the biggest help.

"Difficult, extremely difficult." Li Cong took a few steps and said slowly, "It is absolutely impossible for a sage to vindicate this case."

Xue Bai asked, "Why?"

He was not in a hurry, waiting to see how much Li Cong knew about the Caozhao, but Li Cong gave another explanation.

"Do you know the king and queen?"

"Know a thing or two."

Xue Bai had heard about Li Longji's original wife, Queen Wang.

Queen Wang's name is Wang Ling, and she is the daughter of the Wang family in Taiyuan. She married Li Longji, the king of Linzi, very early, and shared joys and sorrows with him during the most difficult period of the Wu Zhou Dynasty, and gave him considerable support behind the scenes.

She didn't give birth to a son, and she fell in love with each other. Li Longji empathized with Concubine Wu Hui after he became the throne.

Li Cong had been favored by the Queen when he was young, and when he mentioned it now, his tone was somewhat respectful.

Some words were not clearly stated, but the implication was that the deposed prince Li Ying was once raised under the name of the queen, and he could be called a legitimate son.

This is the premise, after mentioning this matter, Li Cong looked around with some unease, confirmed that he was in the empty mountain pavilion, and then opened his mouth.

"Mr. Zhang Qujiang is too honest to be a prime minister."

"What does that mean?"

"Since the sage ascended the throne, he has forged ahead and appointed the four virtuous prime ministers of Kaiyuan to govern the prosperous Tang Dynasty. It's just that in the few years after Mr. Zhang became prime minister, Mr. Zhang was a little too conceited and lofty, and he often disobeyed the saint."

Afterwards, Li Cong gave several examples of Zhang Jiuling's stubbornness.

In the 23rd year of Kaiyuan, Zhang Shougui, governor of Youzhou, defeated Khitan. The sage wanted to appoint Zhang Shougui as chancellor, but Zhang Jiuling insisted on obstructing it; Unable to stay in Luoyang, he decided to return to Chang'an. Zhang Jiuling was worried that the crops would be trampled when he set off during the busy farming season, so he tried hard to stop him...

"This is the last time the saint went to Luoyang. After more than ten years, the saint never left Chang'an again."

There was some other meaning in Li Cong's words, Xue Bai understood and nodded.

For the sage, this is no longer a matter of dismissing Zhang Jiuling alone.

If it was Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Zhang Shuo, would it be all right?The four sages of Kaiyuan all have the same virtue, pointing fingers and meddling in other people's affairs.

This group of courtiers all have problems.

When the Tang Dynasty was in its prime, and the sages were in their old age, such constraints were no longer needed.

"Just think about what happened back then. The sage wanted to make Concubine Wu Hui the empress. The crown prince, as the adopted son of the empress, naturally opposed it. Duke Zhang also strongly opposed it out of fear of Wu Zhou."

At this point, Li Cong didn't continue, but Xue Bai understood.

This passage talks about the cause of the case of the three concubines... It should be said that Li Cong, the eldest son of the emperor, has observed the cause of the case of the three concubines for many years.

A threatening prince and a group of civil officials who obstructed the imperial power colluded with each other.In Li Longji's view, what should he think?
"That year when the saint was in Luoyang, something happened."

Li Cong took a deep look at Xue Bai, and beckoned him to come forward.

"The thirteenth Lang Ying Wang Li Yan once played a secret to the sage, and the prince asked him for two thousand armors and weapons. The sage was very angry and asked Zhang Gong for advice. Zhang Gong replied, "It is a crime for a son to fight his father's soldiers, and Kuang Yuan is a good country." Ben, can you move?'"

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the prince Liu Ju failed in his rebellion and Tian Qianqiu quelled the incident. That's what he said.The son was naughty and ignorant, so he played with his father's soldiers and horses, and just gave him a beating.

"And then?" Xue Bai asked.

Li Cong shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"How did uncle know about this?"

"The son-in-law Zhang Jie once told me in private."

Xue Bai vaguely realized that this was the key to the case of the three common people. The fact that Concubine Wu Hui tricked Li Ying to go to Miyagi to get the thieves was obviously too suspicious.How could an emperor like Li Longji be easily deceived?

"The question is... where did King Ying Li Jian get the two thousand armors?"

"He definitely doesn't have it, not even me." Li Cong said firmly, "But Shisan Lang was in a similar situation to the crown prince at that time, both his birth mothers were left out in the cold, and they had a deep relationship. Therefore, the saint would like to believe Thirteen Lang's words."

"This matter is too suspicious." Xue Bai said, "How did Zhang Yi know?"

"Zhang Jie is very close to everyone."

Xue Bai asked many more questions, but Li Cong didn't know, he had already told him everything he knew.

"Then, does uncle know about the Cao Zhao?"

"I heard that the prince made a false edict that night to deceive the palace gate."

Xue Bai took a few steps, and asked tentatively, "What if it proves that King Ying falsely accused the Crown Prince?"

"Rehabilitation is impossible." Li Cong rolled his eyes quickly and said in a low voice, "But it may change the mind of the saint."

He suddenly realized a problem - no one can prove Ying Wang is a false accusation, because the saint has never mentioned this matter with anyone.Then, whoever goes to take the initiative to prove to the saint, it shows that whoever secretly speculates on the saint's will will die.

It can be seen that as long as the saint is still there, it is easy to die if the case of the three common people is rehabilitated.

But Li Cong didn't say it.

Xue Bai kept his composure and asked, "The son-in-laws Zhang Yi, Yang Hui, Princess Xianyi, Ying Wang Li Jian, Shou Wang Li Juan, and Li Linfu all know about this?"

"That's right." Li Cong's eyes flickered, he nodded, and said, "Since Zhang Yi knows, Princess Ningqin should also know."

"Princess Ningqin, the eighth daughter?" Xue Bai had heard Princess Tang Chang mention her a few days ago, and asked, "Is she Li Heng's younger sister?"

Li Cong has never thought about this level, he was stunned...

~~
Princess Yuzhen looked back, and from a distance, Xue Bai saluted Li Cong solemnly.

Royal children are not easy, this is just a private matter, a trivial matter, if there is something she can help, she will help.

Not long after, Xue Bai came over from the Bajiao Pavilion.

"Let's go."

Princess Yuzhen didn't ask too many questions, regardless of these mundane matters.

A group of people walked down the winding mountain path again, but saw an official in green robes standing under the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree in front of them, it was Lu Xuan.

Same as last time, these princes and princesses met with people, no matter how secretive they were, they were still being targeted.

~~
Huanuquan Daoist Temple.

Li Tengkong paced in, but saw Li Shiniang chatting with Princess Xianyi.

"Xiaoxian is here."

Princess Xianyi Li Niangdang waved her hand and said, "This is the first time I've seen you since you became a monk. This Taoist robe is so beautiful, I'll cut one too."

"Does the princess also want to practice Taoism?"

Li Niang couldn't help laughing when she heard the words, and said, "What way should I practice? Do you also practice your Jade True way?"

Li Tengkong heard what she meant and was slightly unhappy.

"Just now I was chatting with Eleven Niang, but you still have something to do with that Xue Pingzhao?" Li Niang said, "You know I was severely scolded by the saint because of him."

"He never admitted that it was Xue Pingzhao, did the princess... admit it wrong?"

"I wish I was wrong, but look at what he did."

After speaking, Li Niang was even more unhappy, and said worriedly: "Nowadays his name is being passed around everywhere in Chang'an City, I would go crazy after hearing the word 'Xue Langcai'. , will become a scourge sooner or later. And you, you are obsessed with ghosts, you know? Eleven Niang, you don’t even mention him.”

Li Shiniang smiled and said, "Why didn't I say that? I got tired of persuading her to play a long time ago. Who would have expected her to be honest."

"Hey, Xiaoxian, can you do me a favor?" Li Niang grabbed Li Tengkong's hands and said, "Think of a way, help me kill him, okay? What kind of beautiful boy do you want that I can't give you?"

Li Tengkong was stunned for a while, then suddenly pulled out his hands, turned around and left.

She walked to the door, stopped, calmed down her emotions, and said: "Pindao is already a foreigner, ignore these mundane things, the sisterhood in the past, if you think about it, listen to Pindao's persuasion, if you don't Thinking about it, forgetting it is... the world knows that the beautiful is beautiful, so it is evil, and everyone knows that the good is good, and then it is not good."

Li Niang froze for a moment, quite at a loss.

"what did she say?"

"Don't pay attention to her." Li Shiniang said: "She has a weird temper since she was a child."

"Being fascinated, except for Xue Pingzhao, she will be fine sooner or later."

As they said that, some sarcasm appeared on the faces of the two of them.After a while, a servant girl came in and said something in a low voice.

"Princess, he met Princess Tang Chang a few days ago, and today he met King Qing..."

~~
All the way out of Zongsheng Palace, Li Tengkong kept his head down, looking preoccupied.

After entering Yuhua Temple, Princess Yuzhen returned to her residence, and she tugged on Xue Bai's sleeve.

"Come with me, I have something to tell you."

The two threw Li Jilan away and rushed to the bamboo forest beside the main hall. Li Tengkong said in a low voice, "Princess Xianyi wants to harm you."

"I know."

Li Tengkong couldn't say more, and was momentarily stunned.

Seeing her appearance, Xue Bai smiled lightly and shook his head instead.

"Mundane things are nothing more than power struggles. They don't feel troubled, and I don't feel troubled by it. Why are you the only one caught in the middle and feel restless?"

"I... I'm not restless, but I feel a little out of place with them since I was a child."

"Oh, you have high moral standards." Xue Bai walked inside.

Hearing his words, Li Tengkong relaxed and felt better. He followed his footsteps and said, "Because I read "Tao Te Ching"?"

"Is this a joke?"

"Ah."

"It's not funny." Even though he said that, Xue Bai smiled and said, "Don't worry, she won't hurt me, maybe I can still make friends with their husband and wife."

"To make friends?"

"There are no permanent enemies, nor are there permanent friends."

Xue Bai didn't answer, and fell into thinking again.

What he saw and heard at Zhongnan Mountain this time has greatly changed his mentality and situation.

Bigger goals made him more willing to endure.

He knew that sooner or later he would not be able to hide the two meetings, and he was almost about to be involved in the aftermath of the case of the three concubines.

Although Li Niang is not smart, she is Li Longji's daughter after all, and she has been persistently attacking indiscriminately.With so many flaws at once, there is really a possibility of being knocked down by her.

Even if he won't be killed by this woman, it will be very troublesome if he is delayed.For the time being, it will not be easy to get rid of her.

At this time, many people watched secretly, they must have thought that Li Ying's remnant, Xue Pingzhao, was going to fight with Concubine Wu Hui's daughter, Princess Xianyi, right?
Some people are waiting to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight...

Thinking like this, Xue Bai turned his head and said, "Introduce me?"

Li Tengkong was stunned when he heard that.

"what?"

"Isn't Princess Xianyi your friend? Take me to meet her tomorrow?"

"You... are you for me? Actually, you don't need to..."

Halfway through the speech, Li Tengkong suddenly woke up, waved his hands again and again, and said, "I'm not thinking about it, I'm a Taoist priest. I mean... I'll introduce you tomorrow."

It was not until later that she regained her calm tone, made a salute and turned to leave.

However, when he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Li Jilan holding a scroll and standing on the steps of the guest courtyard waiting for Xue Bai, looking very beautiful.

Li Tengkong decided to discuss opera with them.

After all, the sage likes both Taoism and opera, which shows that the two have something in common.

……

In the guest courtyard, Yan Yan just woke up from a nap, and she is jumping leather rope with Qing Lan and Mian'er in the courtyard.Jiaonu was also playing, but seeing someone coming, she put away her smile and walked away.

When Yan Yan saw Li Tengkong, there was a sly look in her eyes, as if she was a little proud.

Li Tengkong didn't know why she looked at him like this, and explained for no reason: "We are going to discuss articles and poems."

"Oh, articles and poems." Yan Yan nodded, and recited crisply: "Although it will become a good match after a long time, why don't you cry in time."

"Stop talking."

On the contrary, Li Jilan didn't have as many careful thoughts as they did. She just stared at Xue Bai with a pair of peach blossom eyes admiringly, and devoted herself to discussing the article.

"Xue Lang said that he wanted to show the little girl the lyrics and music of each lyrics, but so far he hasn't given any of them."

Xue Bai's mind has been full of conspiracies to usurp the throne recently, and he really didn't care about them.

At this time, he was also a little ashamed, secretly thinking that coaxing Li Longji is the most important thing right now, so he took out the few poems he had written before and handed them to Li Jilan.

"Let's see, Ji Lanzi, if you can get some inspiration..."

~~
It was night, and Li Tengkong hadn't slept well.

In Yuhuaguan, she and Li Jilan lived in the same room, and could hear Li Jilan's rustling all night long.

In the middle of the night, when I got up to look, I saw Li Jilan was still holding the paper and looking at the moonlight, looking a little mesmerized.

Li Tengkong was very disturbed by this.

She always felt that she no longer just admired Xue Bai's poems, but also began to admire him as a person, but there was no evidence, so she could only secretly feel depressed, and also worried that it would damage her Taoism.

Turning over, I tried my best not to think about it, but Xue Bai's poem came to my mind...was it for me?It happened to be written on the night when Ziyun Temple was misunderstood as a tryst.

"It's annoying."

Stuffed in the bed, he muttered something like this, and he didn't know if he fell asleep or not. When he woke up the next day and looked at the bronze mirror, his eyes were already swollen.

No matter how the Tao follows nature and the cultivation base is advanced, there is nothing to do about it.

"Seventeenth Mother." Mian'er ran over excitedly, "Mr. Xue Lang came to look for you early in the morning, right outside the door."

Li Tengkong tied up the lotus crown, looked at the bronze mirror again, couldn't help but pouted, and muttered in a low voice: "It's usually so late, and I'm still on my back. It's so early to see Princess Xianyi, it's a ghost."

"Seventeen Niang, you are not what a Taoist priest should say."

"Outside the house is a Taoist priest, you can control me inside."

When they went out, they saw Xue Bai standing in the morning sun, looking very energetic.

"Don't worry." He smiled, "Princess Xianyi will be my friend smoothly."

He could tell at a glance that her eyes were swollen.

"I'm not worried." Li Tengkong waved his whisk, turned sideways, and said calmly: "I watched the stars last night, and I just forgot myself for a while."

　Ask for tickets at the end of the month~~Thank you everyone~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)