Datang: Starting from a fortune-telling stall, Wu Zetian was suddenly abducted

Chapter 81
The group returned to the Hou Mansion.

Hou Junji, who was having an affair with Queen Gaochang during the day, left resolutely, his face full of resentment.

Hou Junji smiled and teased her a few words, and came to the living room.

Seeing Zhongqing drinking tea calmly, he smiled and asked: "Taoist Priest, do you think you've given me such bad breath?"

Zhongqing put down the tea bowl, shook the whisk in his hand, and said with a sigh: "Reporting to the Lord, Pindao did not demolish the Taoist temple. I think the reason is that the time is not there."

Then he repeated what he said to the guards to Hou Junji, and finally added:

"When the time comes when the Marquis becomes a highly respected minister, wouldn't it be nice for you and me to go to Beiming Mountain together and demolish the Taoist temple in front of you?"

During this period of time, Hou Junji would not listen to other people's opinions at all, nor would he allow anyone to disobey him.

Halfway through listening to Zhongqing's words, his brows were already furrowed and he felt a little unhappy.

But when Zhongqing finally mentioned that he was an extremely popular minister, he couldn't help but feel happy.

Especially when Zhongqing said that the Taoist temple should be demolished in front of his face, it was in line with his character of vengeance, and he nodded repeatedly.

"The Taoist Master has done a great job. Just wait for a few more days and we will settle his accounts in the future."

"Come here, give the Taoist Master a reward of 200 taels of silver."

Zhongqing declined and put the money into his pocket, feeling secretly proud in his heart:

You, Yuan Shou, are sharp-tongued and sharp-tongued, while I, Zhongqing, am also very eloquent.After these three words, I got 200 taels of silver.

When I just thought about this, I suddenly remembered Yuan Shouwei's comments on his hexagrams. I felt a little palpitated for no reason, so I excused myself to Hou Junji and came to his residence.

He took the sign and thought about his own interpretation of the hexagram and Yuan Shouwei's explanation. Suddenly he felt that what Yuan Shouwei said made sense.

But the problem is that everyone can now see Hou Junji's upward trend.

This made him a little at a loss, and he thought about it again and again, and decided to treat Hou Junji's affairs as a snake for now and not get involved too much.Let’s wait and see what happens.

Imperial Palace, Yanying Hall.

Li Shimin was correcting the memorial when suddenly the guards came to report that the prince wanted to see him.

After the father and son met, Li Chengqian said with a worried look:
"Father, I heard that you awarded Hou Junji a second reward?"

Li Shimin, who was busy in front of the case, raised his head and said, "Cheng Qian, if you don't come to me about this matter, I will come to you."

"What do you think of my arrangement like this?"

Li Chengqian knew that Li Shimin was testing him, so he told the truth:
"From my perspective, this seems a bit inappropriate."

"When Hou Junji came back this time, his character became even more surly."

"Father, when you first awarded a reward, there were many officials who had objections. This second reward is more likely to arouse the dissatisfaction of the officials, and I'm afraid it will make Hou Junji even more arrogant."

After hearing this, Li Shimin's eyes narrowed: Cheng Qian is becoming more and more like a king, very good, very good.

After thinking of this, he also said:
"Cheng Qian, actually the reward given to Hou Junji really gives me a headache as a father."

"It wasn't until I went to see Taoist Priest Yuan Shouwei that I got a clue."

After he said this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile, "Yuan Shou must have an excellent way as Taoist priest. I am willing to listen to him."

Li Shimin gently uttered two words from his mouth: "Praise and kill!"

Looking at Li Chengqian's surprised expression, he explained again:

"I was going to keep this Hou Junji to assist you. But no one expected that he would become so surly and arrogant after returning from the battlefield this time." "In this case, I can only temporarily give in." Praise and kill him."

"It's just that this promotion has to be divided into two aspects."

He picked up the tea on the table and took a sip, moistened his throat and then said:

"When Hou Junji is here, he is already unblockable. And if he continues to be so violent, he will definitely have evil intentions. Then you can imagine his fate. As a father, I will get rid of him in advance for you."

Li Chengqian couldn't help but gasped, "Father, do you mean that Hou Junji is planning to rebel?"

Li Shimin said: "It depends on him. In fact, he has a second way to choose."

"If he restrains himself, after a while, I will find an excuse to get rid of his official position and let him go home to retire. After you succeed to the throne, I will re-enable him."

After hearing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but let out a long breath, "My father's plans are under control, and my son and ministers are really not as good as him."

Li Shimin looked at the humble Li Chengqian and smiled and said: "Learn slowly, and one day you will be like me."

The father and son chatted a few more words, and Li Chengqian excused himself absentmindedly.

He left Yanying Hall and pondered as he walked.

It is good that the father gave Hou Junji two paths, but judging from Hou Junji's current situation, it is very likely that he will slowly embark on the first path.

Can I just watch him slide into the abyss and ignore it?

No, let alone his vassal, if he is just an ordinary person, I still want to save him.

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian quickly returned to the East Palace and called Hou Junji's son-in-law Helan Chushi over.

Helan Chushi was on duty today, and when he heard the prince calling him, he hurried to the palace.

Li Chengqian asked: "Chu Shi, do you know about Gaochang Hou's request for a title?"

Why does the prince ask this?Could it be that they want to investigate me? Helan Chushi's heart tightened, and he said bravely: "This subordinate knows a little about this matter. I wonder what your highness means by asking this?"

"Let me ask you, why did Marquis Gao Chang ask for the title for the second time?" Li Chengqian did not answer his question, but continued to ask.

It seemed that the prince didn't know what was going on. Helan Chushi's eyes were darting around, and he cautiously said:

"It should be some officers under my father-in-law. They felt that their rewards were too small, so at the wine table, they asked my father-in-law to ask for another reward for them."

Li Chengqian pondered, "It shouldn't be. The military merits of the Tang Dynasty have always been fair. Besides, this has been verified by the Ministry of Household Affairs over and over again. Is there any hidden secret in this?"

At this time, Helan Chushi was relieved that the prince was not investigating him for falsely claiming military merit.

He frowned and said, "There seems to be something fishy here. It's just that I am on duty in the East Palace every day, so I don't know much."

"That day at the banquet, a man named Pu Hongyun drank too much and said that His Majesty had taken away his reward."

"Later I heard from an old servant in the courtyard that the Ministry of Household Affairs had moved a lot of black boxes from the house. I don't know exactly what they were."

Li Chengqian saw that he was really in trouble, so he let him go down.

It was just the clues provided by Helan Chushi that gave him a vague understanding:
Your Majesty took away his reward.
Tobe
black box.
He immediately ordered his confidants to investigate secretly. What did the Household Department move from Hou Junji's house that day?
In the evening, the confidants reported back.

After asking people in the Ministry of Finance about this matter, it was confirmed that the Ministry of Finance took away a large amount of gold, silver and jewelry from Hou Junji that day.

But from Hou Junji's place, a lot of the confidants who went to Gaochang with him to fight were also taken away.

The source of the property is unknown.

(End of this chapter)