Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 202 A ghost, a ghost from Xuanwu Gate, wandering in Taiji Palace
"I can also support Your Highness, and I can also talk."

Lizheng Hall, Li Ming's study.

Xiao Yu, the Right Prime Minister of the Shangshu Province, Fang Xuanling's old enemy and an old minister of the previous dynasty, now tries to cling to the thigh of the prince who is the regent.

Old Xiao is really screwed. The four sons' fight for the throne has nothing to do with an old antique like him from the Li Yuan dynasty.

Just like other old partners, he just needs to watch the show and wait until retirement. He does not need to get involved in the risky game of taking sides.

Who would have thought that his arch-enemy Fang Xuanling, with the help of Li Ming, would actually have a second spring in his career, surpassing Changsun Wuji and becoming the chief civil servant.

Moreover, with the promotion of His Highness Li Ming, Fang Xuanling's power still has room to increase!
Thinking back on the grievances between him and Fang Xuanling, Xiao Yu felt that he had not done anything excessive.

It’s just that the old house faces east and he faces west, and when he goes out of the old house, he locks the door.

Well, the magnanimous Fang Xuanling shouldn't...

"Your Highness! The lives of my family and their children are all in your hands!"

In order to avoid being held accountable by Fang Xuanling later, Xiao Yu chose to join the Fourteen Traitors Party instead of resisting Li Ming or begging for his own life.

The gray-haired old minister prostrated himself and cried bitterly, which scared Li Ming.

Li Ming also knew a little about the purpose of Lao Xiao's visit and the minor friction between him and Lao Fang.

Regardless of whether he is sincere in his surrender this time, as long as he is willing to make up for his mistakes, he can still be taught.

"Your Excellency is too kind. This is my first time as regent, and I don't know if I can live up to the trust of Your Majesty and the world. I am trembling with fear, and I hope you will assist me in the court."

Li Ming said some nice words, which was considered as half accepting Xiao Yu's application to join the partnership.

In a word: it depends on your performance.

Xiao Yu was worried and left trembling with fear.

"Huh..." Li Ming let out a long breath, feeling his mouth dry, so he picked up the teapot and poured it into his mouth.

Ever since he was entrusted with the important task of regent, officials have been coming to express their loyalty.

The threshold of the Lizheng Hall was almost flattened.

Although His Majesty Li Shimin has not yet led the army to fight in person, Li Ming is strictly speaking still an idle prince without a job.

But this did not prevent the power apparatus in the court from extending an olive branch to him.

Completely regarded him as the winner of this competition.

As for those who seek to curry favor with the powerful, Li Ming adheres to the political principle of "the more friends you make", and does not offend those who smile at him, and welcomes all of them to join.

Although he himself was far less optimistic than those court officials about whether he could win.

Li Ming is still very clear about himself.

Let’s not talk about abilities for now.

If his political practices in Liaodong were copied to the Tang Dynasty, war would probably break out the next day, with a group of people going to Luoyang to explain the pros and cons.

Overthrowing the aristocratic families, cracking down on the local tyrants and dividing the land, what a horrible behavior.

This is no longer just a blow to the economic foundation of the ruling landlord class.

This is definitely digging up the ancestral graves of the ruling class.

He even included his own ancestral grave.

Therefore, although Li Ming is no longer so extreme, he has no plans to promote the "Liaodong Model" throughout the Tang Dynasty and temporarily suspend the process of counter-urbanization.

But his political stance meant that he was destined to be targeted by the aristocratic families and local landlords.

However, now that Li Shimin was suppressing them, these opposition factions temporarily lay dormant in the court, avoiding the limelight.

As soon as Li Shimin left, these insects would almost certainly break out of the ground and oppose him openly or secretly.

In addition, the party of legitimate sons headed by Zhangsun Wuji, Li Shiji, Cen Wenben and others is still too powerful to be eliminated.

Therefore, the next role as regent will be a real test for him.

The opposition must be out for revenge and grievances, and will frantically try to trip him up and sabotage him.

At the very least, he will achieve nothing.

In serious cases, it will seriously disrupt domestic production order and even affect the war logistics on the front line.

Let him lose the support of the people and the emperor, fall from the altar, and then the crown prince will be replaced.

After all, Your Majesty is still in good health, and there are still many years before the handover of power.

During this long standby period, anything can happen.

Didn’t it only take Li Ming a year to rise on his own?

"Li Er's high-profile move to get me to the position of regent may not necessarily be a good thing.

"A tall tree attracts the wind, and dormant insects will surely attack me in droves.

"Or is it Li Er's intention to make me the target of public criticism? He wants to increase my strength and see if I can overpower everyone?"

Li Ming sat at the table, thinking and snapping his fingers.

He had some doubts that "Regent" might be a sugar-coated bullet.

The actual gain to him might be worse than if he returned to Liaodong and put Goguryeo under his control.

After all, the fame given by the emperor is virtual and cannot be grasped.

As a staunch materialist, territory, population, and resources are what are real.

"In troubled times, heroes emerge from all directions, and anyone with a gun can become a king..."

Li Ming hummed a little tune from his hometown and strolled out of the study.

He ran into Pheasant Brother Li Zhi and Rhino Sister Li Mingda head-on.

The two competitors looked at each other and the atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment.

It is impossible for Li Ming to act arrogant in front of Li Zhi, and it is impossible for Li Zhi to be envious, jealous and hateful in front of Li Ming.

It's not an online novel.

The two of them had to pretend that everything was normal.

"I... went to the side hall. I didn't plan to... eavesdrop." Li Zhi's smile was full of reluctance.

"What? Oh, no, no, don't think like that." Li Ming also tried hard to curl the corners of his mouth.

Li Zhi: “Really? Hahaha…”

Li Ming: “Hahahaha…”

Li Zhi: "…Have you eaten?"

Li Ming: "I had tea, how about you?"

Li Zhi: "I was just about to go eat."

Li Ming: “Oh.”

Li Zhi: “Oh.”

The two brothers looked at each other in silence, each picking their toes.

Li Shimin's open bid for the throne, in a sense, was also utilizing the market competition rule of "survival of the fittest", which was of great benefit to the future of the Tang Dynasty.

Another episode where Ha Sun won.

However, it is extremely cruel to the participants in the competition.

Especially since Li Zhi was still a mentally developing adolescent boy, and he lived under the same roof with his rival Li Ming, so they saw each other every day.

Especially since Li Ming was about to win the game, he was almost going to eliminate his brother Li Zhi.

The two of them were neither depressed nor happy. They didn't know whether to hide or not. They were extremely embarrassed.

"Well! What are you two brothers doing!?"

Li Mingda's clear voice was like the sound of nature:
"We are just about to go to the side hall to have some snacks. Brother Xiao Ming, are you coming?"

Li Zhi nodded quickly:

"Yes, yes, yes, your Highness...Xiao Ming, come with us?"

"Haha, then you're welcome."

Li Ming also put on a fake smile and nodded repeatedly.

The three of them walked all the way to the side hall where they would have their meal, and the two Meiji brothers remained silent all the way.

"Hmm!" Li Mingda was very dissatisfied with the two awkward brothers. He frowned and pinched Li Ming's little face:
"Little Ming, have you lost weight?"

You sleep with me every day, so you don't have to pretend that you just saw me today... Li Ming complained in his heart, but cooperated obediently on the surface:
"Yeah, a little tired."

"You've worked hard for state affairs. Thank you for your hard work." Li Zhi said sourly.

Li Mingda ignored the sinister Shan Ji and said to Li Ming enthusiastically:
"You can eat as much as you want in a while. Brother Crown Prince brought a lot of snacks."

Am I not the crown prince...Oh, you are talking about Li Chengqian?
Li Ming, who had been a little bit out of control recently, took a while to realize who was who and looked at Li Zhi awkwardly:

"Then...Isn't that inconvenient for me?"

You two brothers are discussing how to deal with me behind my back, so it’s not convenient for me to attend, right?

Li Zhi understood Li Ming's meaning in a second. As if to prove that he was innocent and open-minded, he immediately clamped Li Ming's arm:
"What's inconvenient? It's very convenient. Come on, let's go put on some weight for the autumn with your brother Pheasant!"

Li Mingda wiped away his tears with relief as he looked at the brothers whose relationship had returned to normal (?).

…………

The side hall is located in the southeast corner of Lizheng Hall and is connected to the main hall by a corridor.

As soon as he approached the place where he ate every day, Li Ming shuddered for no apparent reason.

"Xiao Ming, what's wrong with you?" Li Mingda asked anxiously.

"Hiss...didn't you hear any strange sounds?" Li Ming asked.

Li Zhi and Li Mingda pricked up their ears and listened for a while, then shook their heads:

"No." "Did I hear it wrong?"

Li Ming scratched his head and followed his brother and sister to the door of the side hall.

Mei Niang...

"Listen! Listen!" Li Ming shouted excitedly:

"Did you hear that? It sounds like someone is talking!"

Li Mingda and Li Zhi looked at each other.

"It seems like there was, but Emperor Cheng Qian is inside, so it's normal to have sounds." Li Zhi explained.

They have never dealt with Wu Meiniang, so they are not sensitive to those two words.

Li Ming has been tortured to the point of becoming neurotic. Being the regent must be under a lot of pressure. It's not easy for this kid... Li Zhi couldn't help but feel some sympathy for him.

The three of them pushed open the door and entered.

Li Ming couldn't help but shudder again.

For some reason, the side hall that was originally full of the atmosphere of fireworks now became gloomy and eerie.

In the middle of the hall, there sat a long-haired woman dressed in white, emitting bursts of coldness.

The "woman" slowly turned her head and saw Li Ming. She was slightly startled and smiled:

"I didn't expect two royal brothers to come."

For some reason, the negative energy seemed to dissipate, and the side hall returned to its original state.

Big Brother's resentment is too strong... Li Ming swallowed calmly and put on a smile:
"Hey, um, meeting Li Zhi by chance..."

"Come on, come on, please take a seat!"

Li Chengqian was quite enthusiastic and very friendly, inviting his brothers and sisters to sit down, and there was no sign of falsehood in his expression.

"The chef of the East Palace made some snacks. There are too many to finish, so I thought of inviting my brothers to taste them together."

He deftly set out four sets of bowls and chopsticks and served the snacks from the paper bag.

He had already gotten used to life without the service of palace servants, and his hands and feet had become much more nimble.

"Well, okay, thank you." Li Ming felt very uncomfortable, watching the elegant prince talking and laughing as he worked.

To be honest, the current crown prince is only in name only.

But he still holds the title of crown prince and lives in the East Palace.

But in fact, he was no longer the treasure of His Majesty and the ministers.

However, the matter of changing the crown prince has always been a major one, and because of the influence of the eldest grandson's family, no formal decision has been made, and Li Chengqian continues to serve as the crown prince for the time being.

But everyone knows that this situation will not last long.

Perhaps when His Majesty the Emperor returns from the Northern Expedition, he will begin to deprive Li Chengqian of his privileges and title of crown prince.

Which lucky person will wear the dragon robe that was taken from Li Chengqian?
Li Ming is really confused...

"Come, my brother, this snack is delicious."

Li Ming was in a daze when a plate of golden snacks appeared in front of him.

It is fried spinach coated with a layer of egg batter, added with fennel, pepper and other Western spices, and soaked in cooking wine.

It exudes a scent of oil that is not from vegetables.

"This is..." Li Ming widened his eyes in surprise.

Isn’t this Japanese food, tempura, that originated from Portugal?

It turns out that it was invented by our brother Cheng Qian?
"Try it. This is a fried dish that I asked the chef to improve."

Li Chengqian's smile was full of pride, as if he was really proud of this innovative fried vegetable dish.

Li Ming gave a forced smile:
"I... I just drank tea and I'm full. I can't eat."

"Hahaha, can you be full from drinking tea? When did my brother become so petty?"

Li Chengqian saw through Li Ming's concerns at a glance, picked up the fried spinach from Li Ming's plate without hesitation, and stuffed it into his mouth in front of his younger brother.

Crunchy, chicken flavor.

"Look, everything is alright?" Li Chengqian said with a hearty smile.

"No, I really can't eat." Li Ming defended palely, still with no intention of picking up his chopsticks.

"Mmm, delicious!"

Li Mingda almost had stars in his eyes:
“It’s crispy, fragrant, and has the freshness of vegetables!”

Li Zhi took a bite and his eyes immediately opened wide:

"Indeed... my brother's cooking skills are truly amazing."

Li Chengqian smiled modestly:

"I just provided an immature idea. The chef is the one who does the cooking."

The three siblings, who were born of the same mother, chatted and laughed while enjoying the food, and the atmosphere quickly became harmonious.

The three of them were chatting animatedly, reminiscing about every detail of their mother's life.

At this awesome party hosted by the descendants of Empress Changsun, guess who's the most out of place.

That’s right, it’s Li Ming.

He didn't eat a single bite, and couldn't get into the topic of Empress Changsun. He just sat there awkwardly but politely.

"You really don't want to eat anything?" Li Zhi tried to pull Li Ming in.

"Forget it. Brother Ming was just assassinated two months ago. It's understandable that he is careful." Li Chengqian said with some sarcasm and self-mockery.

Ha, you still have the nerve to say that you are the biggest suspect in the assassination case... Li Ming snorted in his heart, and said calmly:

"I have something else to do, you guys go ahead."

"Hey Xiao Ming..."

Li Mingda wanted to stop him, but Li Ming had already disappeared.

"What is he doing in such a hurry..."

Li Chengqian said lightly:
"He should be busy with state affairs. He is very busy right now."

Li Zhi's calm eyebrows suddenly trembled violently.

He immediately buried his head in the bowl and chewed hard in big mouthfuls.

…………

Back in his study, Li Zhi took off all his disguises and buried his head on the desk.

"Why, why did it have to be him...

"If it were the two elder brothers, it wouldn't be so hard to accept..."

He clenched his teeth and his body shook violently, as if he was suppressing the strong emotions surging in his heart.

After a while, Li Zhi raised his head calmly, took out paper and pen, and began to write a letter.

It was sent to Cheng Zhijie.

Jin Wang Sima Li Shiji is now busy preparing for the Northern Expedition, and Cheng Zhijie is the pillar of Jin Wang's party.

At the same time, it is also an important bridge for Li Zhi to win over other former members of the Wagang Camp.

“I have heard that Zhang Liang, the former Minister of Works and current Supervisor of Hebei Province, was your comrade in arms in Wagangzhai.

"I admire the heroes of Wagangzhai, and I beg you to introduce me to them. If we can communicate through letters, I will have no regrets."

Li Zhi carefully sealed this secret letter, which was modest in wording but very clear in intention, with wax and sent it to the Duke of Lu's mansion by an envoy.

"Father is still strong, there is still time, everything is still uncertain..."

Li Zhi talked to himself and took out another piece of paper from his pocket.

The paper was wrinkled, obviously having been taken in and out of his arms and read over and over again.

This was a note that King Wei Li Tai asked someone to pass to him from Luoyang.

The note was sent on the day when Li Ming was officially announced as the regent.

In this note, Li Tai changed his previous habit of writing in a roundabout way and asked concisely:

"Ninth brother, shall we unite?"

Li Zhi thought about it for a long time, his eyes became stern, and he seemed to have finally made up his mind.

Throw the note into the incense burner and watch it burn to ashes.

Then, he decisively picked up the pen and wrote a bold and unrestrained character on the paper:

"good"!
"Send it to the Prince of Wei's palace in Luoyang."

Li Zhi handed the paper to the servant.

…………

East Palace.

Li Chengqian sat in the dim Jiade Hall, his head slightly tilted, as if listening to something, with a happy smile on his face.

“Mei Niang, your recipe is indeed effective.

“My brothers and sisters like it very much.

“That man must be irresistible.

“Yeah… you’re right.

"We are about to rule the world."

(End of this chapter)