The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 75 The storm rises again
East Palace.

Crown Prince Li Ying, Prince of E Li Yao, and Prince of Guang Li Ju sat together drinking and watching dance.

Seeing that Li Ying was still calm, Li Ju couldn't help but ask, "Second brother, didn't you hear about what happened in the palace today?"

Li Ying took a sip of wine and asked, "What's the matter?"

Li Ju said: "Zhang Jiuling spoke for Li Heng."

"I know." Li Ying nodded.

Li Ju asked, "Since you know this, how can you not get angry?"

"Why am I so angry?" Li Ying looked at Li Ju, "Do I blame Zhang Jiuling for speaking for Li Ju?"

"Shouldn't it be?" Li Ju asked back.

Li Ying shook his head and said with a smile: "Eighth brother, don't just think about who is whose. Zhang Jiuling supports me in legal terms. If he doesn't agree with Li Heng today, he is not Zhang Jiuling anymore."

"Humph!" Li Ju's mood did not ease. "But I think the mother and son of the Wu family are really unhappy. Not to mention the bad things the Wu family did in the past, just talk about Concubine Wu Hui. She has been the most favored concubine in the harem over the years and has done so many evil things. Now her son has to guard the border and serve the country and the people. It's ridiculous!"

Li Ying had the same idea in his heart. He also wished that Wu Huifei and Li Heng would die quickly, but he had not been the crown prince for many years in vain. He suppressed his inner impulse and said, "Eighth brother, if I were not the crown prince and you were not the Prince of Guang, we might be able to vent our dissatisfaction to our heart's content, but we are. In this vortex of power, the most taboo thing is to act on impulse."

"Second brother is right." Li Yao interrupted and said calmly, "Now that Li Heng is ill and has gone to fight against Tubo in Xiaobolü, it is still unknown whether he can come back alive. Even if he wins the battle and comes back alive, he can't return to the court."

"Why can't you return to the court?" Li Ju asked hurriedly.

Li Yao said: "His current position among the princes is only below that of my second brother. If he makes merit again, my father will call him back to the capital to reward him. What will he be rewarded with? General of Heavenly Strategy?"

The title of General of Tiance was the highest reward given to Li Shimin by Li Yuan, but in the end Li Shimin staged a coup.

Li Longji himself came to power through a coup, so he would certainly not appoint another General of Heavenly Strategy to threaten him in Chang'an, so the best reward for Li Heng was to send him to another place.

Li Ju understood and said with a smile: "He is digging a hole for himself."

Li Yao said: "You can't say that. Other princes are not allowed to be sent out. From this perspective, he has already received the supreme honor."

Li Ju sighed and said, "But to be honest, this Li Heng is quite capable. In just one year, he investigated two major cases, drove the troops away from the Arabs, and now he is going on another expedition."

Li Yao nodded and said, "The more capable he is, the less likely he is to return to Beijing. So no matter whether he is dead or alive, he is no longer our enemy. Now we have only one enemy, and that is Prince Zhong Li Heng."

Li Ju said: "Li Heng is quite good at hiding his ambitions. It was not obvious that he had such ambitions before. But he does not have a favored mother, power in the court, and no wings, so he is not to be feared."

"No." Li Yao shook her head. "If he didn't have wings, Father would protect him. No matter how many wings we have, can they be as good as one finger of Father?"

"That makes sense." Li Ju agreed with Li Yao's statement again, "So what's Fifth Brother's plan?"

Li Yao said: "I originally wanted to get rid of Li Heng, killing two birds with one stone, but I didn't expect to fail. In this case, why don't we learn from Li Heng."

"How to learn?" Li Ju asked hurriedly.

Li Yao said: "I don't believe that Li Heng can be so cautious as not to make a mistake. Even if he doesn't make a mistake, can his relatives avoid making a mistake?"

The two brothers were discussing on the side, but Li Ying remained silent because, firstly, Li Yao was their think tank and Li Ying only needed to decide whether to use her or not.

Secondly, when Li Yao mentioned the General of Tiance, it reminded him of what Emperor Taizong had done in the past. If Emperor Taizong could kill his brothers and take their wives, why couldn't he, Li Ying, do the same?

……

……

...The residence of Prince Zhong Li Heng.

Li Heng and He Zhizhang drank new tea together.

He Zhizhang sipped his tea and asked, "Your Highness Prince Zhong, have you read any books recently?"

"Teacher, I read every day." Li Heng replied respectfully.

"Great, great!" He Zhizhang was very happy. "This tea tree grows in the wild mountains and among thousands of trees, but its leaves can leave a lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth. Your Highness, do you know why?"

Li Heng said: "Please teach me, teacher."

He Zhizhang said: "Because it faces the sun and walks the right path."

When Lu Xiang and Huangfu Bin arranged for people to take action against Li Heng, they did not inform He Zhizhang.

So He Zhizhang's words were to remind Li Heng to act in the right way and not engage in any conspiracies or intrigues.

Li Heng understood what He Zhizhang meant and said hurriedly, "I will remember this and tell others about your teachings."

The second half of Li Heng's sentence was obviously an attempt to shirk responsibility, implying to He Zhizhang that those things were not instigated by him.

He Zhizhang did not delve into it, but asked, "Do you remember the 22nd verse of the Tao Te Ching?"

"I remember." Li Heng nodded and recited: "Bend to be whole, bend to be straight, hollow to be full, old to be new, less to gain, more to be confused. Therefore, the sage embraces oneness as a model for the world... Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him. The ancient saying of "bend to be whole" is not empty words! Be sincere and complete and return to it."

He Zhizhang nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile: "I hope Your Highness can understand the deep meaning of this. It is getting late, so I will take my leave first."

"Students see their teachers off." Li Heng stood up and escorted He Zhizhang out the door.

When Li Heng came back again, Huangfu Bin and Lu Xiang came out from the inner hall.

Huangfu Bin said: "Your Highness, don't be trapped by the words of the sages! The words of the sages can be read, but they are useless when used to do things."

Li Heng did not refute because he also had his own concerns.

For Li Heng to succeed, he needed people like He Zhizhang to support him, and he also needed people like Huangfu Bin and Lu Xiang to do some "unavoidable" things for him.

So Li Heng nodded and asked Lu Xiang: "Lu Gong, Wang Zhongsi still didn't accept our gift?"

Lu Xiang said: "I gave him gifts once last year, but he didn't take them. He didn't even look at the gold and silver I gave him last year, or the authentic paintings and rare treasures I gave him this year."

Li Heng looked into the distance and said, "I was not thoughtful enough about this matter. Back then, he and I exchanged gifts when we were both young. Now he has become a governor, and I have become..."

Li Heng paused before continuing, "In a situation like this, even if there is no other intention, it will be misinterpreted."

Lu Xiang said: "Does he really have nothing to ask for?"

"He wants credit and fame." Li Heng gave the answer, then thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry about Wang Zhongsi for now. I will find a way to give him what he wants."

Lu Xiang replied: "Yes."

Li Heng said: "I think you all know what happened in the palace today."

Lu Xiang and Huangfu Bin replied: "I have heard something."

(End of this chapter)