The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 780 Preparations before departure (Part )

Li Yan nodded firmly: "As long as it is what my sister wants, I am willing to protect her. Even if it is wrong, I will unconditionally clean up the mess for my sister. I have the same idea as my father, and we both want Ankang to live a happy and worry-free life."

Li Shimin stared at Li Yan, and Li Yan responded calmly, with the determination and persistence in his eyes not wavering at all.

After a long time, Li Shimin sighed, walked to the imperial desk next to him, and picked up the brush.

Seeing this, Li Yan quickly took out a handkerchief from his arms and spread it on the table. Li Shimin looked up at him meaningfully, then pondered for a moment, wrote a line of words on the handkerchief, then put the pen aside and picked up the imperial seal on the table for reviewing official documents.

Dipped it in cinnabar red mud and printed it.

Li Shimin did not use the seal representing his personal identity, but the imperial seal for issuing imperial edicts in a very formal way. This shows that this imperial edict was very official and had strong legal effect, unlike his own seal which was as casual as his own.

Of course, the only people bound by this seal were Li Shimin and Empress Changsun. Li Shimin was very clear about Li Yan's intention of wanting this imperial edict, which was to use it to shut himself and the Empress up at the critical moment.

So, it's very thoughtful.

Li Yan immediately showed a bright smile, and the task was thus completed.

After using the seal, Li Shimin picked up the handkerchief and handed it to Li Yan, reminding her: "Don't let Ankang see this thing in advance. Maybe after two years, when her character is settled, she will know what choice she should make, and we don't have to worry about it."

"Don't worry, father. Ankang is still a child. I ask for this grace just in case. I hope she can be happy."

Li Shimin nodded, feeling a sense of loss in his heart. Since ancient times, children's marriages were decided by their parents and matchmakers. Originally, he wanted to take care of it, but today, he actually gave up the power to decide his most beloved daughter's marriage with his own hands.

"There's an emergency in the north, why don't you set off tomorrow?"

Li Shimin reluctantly watched Li Yan put the handkerchief into his arms. He shook his head and said worriedly, "After leaving the Tang Dynasty, your life will depend on yourself. Your father can't do anything. Bring more people with you, pay attention to safety, and go and come back early."

"Go and say goodbye to your mother, don't let her worry."

Li Shimin also agreed to Li Yan's "unreasonable request" because the prince was going on a long journey, leaving the Tang territory and going deep into the Turkic land, which was very risky. In order to reassure the prince, Li Shimin readily agreed to Li Yan's "unreasonable request" and let him go on his mission without any worries.

"Yes, Father!"

Li Yan's expression became solemn, and he thought of the ninth year of Wude. After thinking for a while, he realized that this time they had been separated for a long time, so he knelt down and kowtowed solemnly. When he stood up again, his eyes were filled with the sadness of separation from life and death.

"I am going to die or live, and it is hard to predict whether it will be a blessing or a curse. Father, please take good care of yourself and take good care of your body. Wear more clothes when it is cold, cover yourself with a blanket at night, and don't be too frugal when eating. My brothers are ignorant, and if they anger you, you can punish them, but don't hurt yourself."

"No matter how big the problem is, don't be anxious. You must wait for your son to come back."

Well.
Li Shimin was in a state of confusion. For some reason, he always felt that there was something in the prince's words that made him uncomfortable.

I thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
Although the concern expressed in the prince's words was not quite in line with the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects, the children of ordinary people who were far away from home would also remind their parents to have enough food and clothing and not to worry.

As an emperor, Li Shimin did not like this sad scene of parting, so he turned around and waved his hand.

Seeing that Li Shimin was no longer as easily PUA'd as he had been four years ago, Li Yan curled his lips helplessly. It seemed that he would not have many opportunities to use this trick anymore, so he had to put away the rest of his lines and left the imperial study a little embarrassedly.

After leaving Qiyun Palace, Li Yan rarely left Taiji Palace from Chengtian Gate in the south and headed straight for the East and West Markets.

I am about to go to the grassland. I heard that it is dry and waterless there, and there are disasters everywhere. I am afraid that there is a lack of everything. Although with Li Yan's status, I will definitely not suffer any loss, but if I leave the Tang Dynasty, I will no longer be the noble prince who is second only to the emperor.

You have to rely on yourself for everything.

So Li Yan started making large purchases. Anyway, the space was a vacuum and food would not spoil inside. Li Yan went directly to the restaurant and ordered more than a dozen tables of fine food, and asked them to deliver them to the private room. The waiter didn't know how Li Yan could eat so much by himself.
Later, I purchased various toiletries, spices, clothes, medicines, drinks, etc. that might be used. However, after being busy for an entire afternoon, I only filled a small corner of the space.

Thinking that he was not alone this time and might need to bring subordinates with him, everything else was easy on the grassland. Weapons could be seized and clothes could be worn repeatedly. Only food was the basis for survival.

Finally, Li Yan came to Taicang, opened the warehouse as the prince, sent the guards away in the name of inspection, and moved a thousand dan of the latest Yangzhou rice to his private space. Anyway, there were countless granaries in Taicang. A mere thousand dan, a large amount of grain went in and out of Taicang every day, and no one would check the accounts.

Besides, even if they were discovered, Hu Cheng and his team would balance the accounts and just make up some expenses, and that would be the end of it.

Li Yan's space can only hold a thousand stones of grain at most, mainly because the grain takes up too much space.

One thousand shi of grain is enough to feed one thousand people for three months, and ten thousand people for ten days.

What's more, Li Yan didn't plan to bring too many people this time. He would travel light and with only Chang Sheng and a few tutors selected at the beginning. These people were the most loyal now, and they would not object to anything he asked them to do.

After staying in the East Palace for half a year, these people have long been bored and followed me to the grassland. After a little experience, they will be able to show their qualities as famous generals.

After returning to the East Palace, Li Yan called Chang Sheng. When Chang Sheng heard that they were going to the north, he became very excited. Although he had given up his hatred, Chang Sheng still felt uncomfortable staying in Chang'an City. People who have stayed on the battlefield for a long time and can no longer hear the sound of war horses neighing always feel that life has no meaning.

After telling Changsheng to go back and prepare and set off early the next morning, Changsheng left the East Palace excitedly.

Li Yan also asked Wang Xuance to call over eight tutors, including Sun Renshi, Gao Kan, Xi Junmai, Xiao Siye, Li Jingxuan, Liu Renyuan, Pei Xingjian, and Li Jinxing. These people were the ones Li Yan had personally asked the guards to find from all over the country, and they were also the people closest to Li Yan.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Everyone bowed respectfully to Li Yan.

Although there are now over a hundred tutors in the Eastern Palace, it is the same as anywhere else, where there are people there are rivers and lakes, and there will be small circles and factions.

This is determined by human nature, and Li Yan cannot control it.

Now, the children of aristocratic families and children of meritorious officials in the group of tutors in the Eastern Palace have gathered into their own groups, and they are also secretly divided into circles based on the different positions held by their elders in the court.

In fact, among the current tutors, except for the ten tutors that Li Yan was looking for at the beginning, there are almost no children of commoner origin. The so-called commoner system means that the elders in their families are local tyrants, and those who serve in the court are low-level officials below the sixth rank.

Li Yan divided everyone into different levels according to their degree of talent and learning, but he could not stop others from getting close to anyone in private. It was just that when everyone spoke to others, they all claimed to be the tutors of the Eastern Palace. This finally made Li Yan feel a little bit like a principal.

However, no matter how everyone divided them, the ten tutors found at the beginning all huddled together tightly. In the Donggong School, they were treated like senior students. They usually helped Li Yan to maintain discipline and restrain these second-generation rich kids.

To them, they are different from others. They were invited by the prince with courtesy, while most of the others got in through their own connections. This is why these ten tutors have always been proud, and they can maintain their own dignity.

"Teacher Ren, Gao Kan, how are your studies and riding and archery practice going?" Li Yan asked happily as he looked at the energetic future generals.

Among them, Sun Renshi and Gao Kan are the oldest, both of whom are eighteen or nineteen years old this year. They are usually the most stable and are talented in both civil and military affairs, as well as brave and resourceful. After Xue Rengui went to Dingxiang, Wang Xuance followed Li Yan to manage the Jinyiwei.

Li Yan did not increase the number of the remaining eight tutors. Instead, they were still managed separately by Sun Renshi and Gao Kan in turn. They occasionally stood guard for Li Yan and spent most of their time practicing riding and archery in the Western Inner Courtyard.

Seeing Gao Kan looking over, Master Sun Ren stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, I dare not slack off. My studies are always at the top every month, and in terms of horseback archery, even the smallest practice of frugality and prudence can be achieved from a distance of 100 steps, and I can hit the target every time."

"We, the older ones, can shoot arrows at targets from 200 steps away."

"Even among the Eastern Palace guards, his riding skills are among the best. When shooting arrows on horseback, he can basically shoot within sixty steps without missing."

Li Yan nodded with satisfaction. This result was already quite good. He had been hanging out with them all day and was the one who led this group of firemen himself. He knew their abilities as well. Asking them about them was just to give them a mental preparation.

As expected, as soon as Sun Renshi finished speaking, the youngest Li Jinxing shouted excitedly: "Your Highness, I heard that the war between our Tang Dynasty and the Turks is about to begin. Are you going to send us to the battlefield?"

"Yes, Your Highness, Brother Rengui has been gone for so long, and we don't know how he is doing in Dingxiang. A real man should win fame and honor on the battlefield. We don't want to always hear others say that we only succeeded because of our relationship with the crown prince?" Pei Xingjian echoed.

Li Jinxing and Pei Xingjian were the youngest, about the same age as Li Yan, and were not as mature mentally. The others were much more stable. Although they all had an interested look in their eyes, no one responded, and they all seemed to be willing to listen to Li Yan's arrangements.

(End of this chapter)