The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 175 Gossip
"General Gao, you are too kind." Li Heng shook his head and smiled, then changed the subject and said, "By the way, the two generals don't have to worry. My father ordered me to wait for the result of the embezzlement of grain and money in Chang'an. With me here, the investigators dare not act recklessly. The two generals can stay in my mansion for a while and enjoy Chang'an and wait for the result."

Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing did not refuse and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

After saying this politely, Feng Changqing said, "I'm not very familiar with Chang'an either, so I don't know where to go for fun."

Feng Changqing said this to show that he was upright and not afraid of false accusations. The only thing he was worried about was how to play it.

Li Heng smiled and said, "Hongyue is in Chang'an now. If General Feng doesn't know where to go for fun, you can let her arrange it."

"That's fine." Feng Changqing agreed.

Li Ying and the other two returned home, rested for a while, saw Hong Yue, and then went into the palace to see Concubine Wu Huifei.

When Concubine Wu Hui saw Li Ying, she was startled at first, then smiled and said, "I thought you would come to see me again tomorrow."

Li Ying bowed to Concubine Wu Huifei and said, "I am sorry for making you worry."

"I'm not worried." Concubine Wu Hui led Li Heng into the house. "After you went to Dingrong City, you reported every few days. The war in Shibao City spread throughout Chang'an. I didn't need to receive your letters to know your every move in Shibao City."

All of Li Ying's previous letters to Concubine Wu Huifei were written by Yang Yuhuan. After parting with Yang Yuhuan, he was in a hurry all the way and had few opportunities to write letters home.

Therefore, after hearing what Concubine Wu Hui said, she felt a little guilty and said, "It is my son who is unfilial."

"I don't blame you." Concubine Wu Hui pulled Li Heng to sit down and said, "Mother knows your hardships. You have made great achievements in the war outside, so mother has an easier time in the palace. Since your father favored Concubine Mei, people in the palace have gradually distanced themselves from me. Now that you are famous outside, your father has come to my palace more often, and those people have come to curry favor with me again."

Li Ying smiled and said, "That's all my mother's charm, it has nothing to do with my son."

Wu Huifei smiled knowingly when she heard this. She did not refute Li Ying and continued, "Your father told me before that he wanted to posthumously honor Prince Ning as Emperor Rang and Shi Yuan as Empress Gong."

Prince Ning was Li Longji's elder brother and Li Heng's adoptive father, and his name was Li Xian.

In the first year of the Civilization Period, 684 AD, Li Dan ascended the throne and appointed Li Xian as the crown prince. Later, Li Dan was demoted to the position of heir to the throne, and Wu Zetian appointed Li Xian as the emperor's grandson.

So at the beginning, Li Xian had a good chance of becoming emperor.

Later, when Li Dan ascended the throne again, Li Xian repeatedly declined and wanted to give up the position of crown prince to Li Longji. Li Longji also said that Li Xian was the eldest brother and the crown prince should be Li Xian.

After some tug of war between the two brothers, Li Longji finally became the crown prince.

After Li Longji ascended the throne, he was also very fond of Li Xian. When someone slandered him, Li Longji said, "Emperor Wen of Wei once wrote in a poem: 'How high is the Western Mountain? There is no limit to its height. There are two fairy children on it, neither drinking nor eating. They gave me a pill, shining with five colors. After taking the pill for four or five days, my body will lighten and grow wings.' I always think of taking the pill to get wings, but how can it be compared to the wings that are born from my flesh and blood brothers! Chen Si has extraordinary talent and can assist in the affairs of state affairs, but I stopped him from visiting the court and finally made him die of worry. The Wei Dynasty was not over yet, but it was taken away by Sima Xuanwang. Is it the effect of the magic pill..."

From this sentence, we can not only see that Li Longji did have deep feelings for Li Xian, but also that Li Longji was very clear that Wei was weakening the royal family and usurping the throne with powerful ministers.

Li Heng thought of this and suddenly said, "I heard that Prince Yong often goes to the palace to see my father recently."

"Yes." Concubine Wu Huifei nodded, "He also wants to go out and make achievements like you."

Li Ying asked, "Did the emperor agree?"

"I'm still hesitating. The other day your father asked me whether we should let Prince Yong leave Chang'an." Concubine Wu Hui said, shaking her head and smiling, "I think Prince Yong has great ambitions but little talent. If he really leaves, he may not be able to achieve much. But since your father asked me, I can't say much. I can only let your father make the decision for himself."

Li Ying felt a little emotional as he listened to Concubine Wu Huifei's words.

From an emotional point of view, Wu Huifei was Li Longji's closest wife, but Wu Huifei did not dare to tell the truth to Li Longji.

However, this cannot be blamed on Concubine Wu Huifei.

If there is any blame to be given, it is because Li Longji was in such a high position, too self-righteous, and too selfish, that the people closest to him dared only say what he wanted. Fortunately, he and Yang Yuhuan were not like that.

Li Heng thought for a moment and then asked, "Is my mother okay?"

"Very good." Concubine Wu Hui smiled slightly. "You don't write much, but Princess Shou has always been in decline. She often writes to me and asks me to take care of my health. She cares about me so much, so I naturally have to take good care of myself. You really married a good princess."

"That's true." Li Ying also laughed.

Wu Huifei said: "But I am taking care of my body like this because of you."

"Because of me?" Li Heng asked in confusion.

Concubine Wu Huifei nodded and said, "When Yuan Shi and Prince Ning passed away, you didn't even have the chance to see them for the last time. If I don't take good care of my health, I'm afraid I won't be able to see you for the last time."

"I..." Li Heng sighed, wanting to say something to comfort her, but didn't know where to start. After thinking for a while, he simply smiled and said, "My son is in poor health. He might die before my mother."

"Nonsense!" Concubine Wu Hui patted Li Ying's shoulder, "How can you be so mean, kid?"

No matter how great his achievements were, Concubine Wu Huifei always treated him as a child.

Li Ying said politely, "My son knows he is wrong."

Concubine Wu Huifei said: "Your father had Prince Ning and Yuan Shi buried together beside the Qiao Mausoleum, but they have not yet been buried. Prince Ning is your adopted father, you should go to guard his spirit and bury him."

"Yes."

Li Ying agreed and started chatting with Concubine Wu Huifei about family matters.

The next day, Li Heng went to Prince Ning's Mansion.

Li Ying paid tribute to King Ning and personally kept vigil for him.

Li Jin, the eldest son of Prince Ning, had been accompanying him. Seeing that Li Jin was very sad, Li Jin comforted him, "Your Highness Prince Shou, don't be too sad. Before Grandpa passed away, he seemed to have some feelings."

"Really?" Li Heng asked in confusion.

Li Jing said: "This winter in Chang'an was unusually cold, and frost froze the trees. When Grandpa saw it, he said, 'Trees scare officials, and I'm afraid I'm going to die.' Since that day, Grandpa called us all back to his side. The night before he died, Grandpa was still lamenting that he had a child he didn't get to see for the last time."

"I am unfilial." Li Ying sighed.

Li Jing said, "Your Highness must not say that. My master is very happy to know that Your Highness has made great contributions in Helong. He asked us to help Your Highness as much as possible."

Upon hearing this, Li Ying bowed to Li Xian's coffin, and then said to Li Ying, "Thank you, brother."

Li Jing said, "It should be my Highness. The Saint posthumously named my grandfather as Emperor Rang. I submitted a petition to decline the title, stating my grandfather's intention and not daring to take the title of emperor, but the Saint did not allow it. The Saint was impressed by my grandfather's character and righteousness, and mentioned how he raised your Highness."

Li Heng was slightly startled when he heard this.

Li Ying guessed that Li Longji probably just mentioned it casually, but because he was in the limelight at the time, it was inevitable that Li Ying and others would think that Li Xian's raising him was a great achievement for Li Longji.

However, Li Ying did not delve into it further and just reminisced about their childhood with Li Jing.

(End of this chapter)