Chapter 218 The Empty Master of Wubenfang
Li Yi returned from Chu Suiliang's residence.
I saw many more soldiers at the doorstep.

Zhao Yongan recognized them at a glance, "They are the Lu Bin Army."

The Twelve Guards and Four Prefectures of the Tang Dynasty, as well as the Six Commanderies and Four Prefectures of the Eastern Palace, all had military titles. The Left and Right Guards were called Xiaoqi, the Left and Right Xiaowei were called Baoqi, the Left and Right Tunwei were called Yulin, while the Left and Right Commanderies of the Eastern Palace were called Chaocheng, and the Left and Right Imperial Guards were called Luben.

"The prince is here?" Li Yi was a little surprised.

Come in,

Sure enough, Crown Prince Li Jiancheng was sitting in the living room drinking tea.

"Yigang went to the residence of Chu Xueshi in the neighborhood to thank them for their help this morning. I didn't expect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come. I apologize for not welcoming him."

Jiancheng stood up and waved his hand, "I'm just here to check on your injuries. No need to be polite."

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness,"

"You are also from my East Palace, so naturally I have to care about you."

Li Yi is currently the Inspector General of the White Deer Palace and the Left Guard of the Crown Prince. He is an official of the Eastern Palace and according to the rules, he must call himself a subject when facing the Crown Prince.

But he still called himself that, but in fact he did not consider himself a subject of the Eastern Palace.

"I specially brought the Crown Prince's physician from the Eastern Palace Pharmacy Bureau with me, and also selected the finest ginseng, deer antler, donkey-hide gelatin and other supplements."

As Li Jiancheng said this, he waved his hand, and a white-bearded prince's physician brought a sandalwood box. When he opened it, he found a ginseng lining with brocade inside.

"This is a ten-liang piece of Lu Codonopsis pilosula, which replenishes the middle qi and strengthens the body."

The prince's physician praised this ginseng as the king of ginsengs, which was worth a fortune.

Li Yi also knew that in the Tang Dynasty, ginseng generally referred to Codonopsis pilosula, while Liaodong Mohe ginseng and Goguryeo ginseng were of medium and low quality.

This ginseng looks long and slender, with yellow skin and red flesh, bright color, and the whole thing looks like the heart of a lion's head chrysanthemum.

This thing is completely different from the Codonopsis pilosula of later generations.

Shangdang pays tribute of 200 taels of ginseng every year.

It is indeed a very rare thing and is highly respected. Good ginseng is directly tributed to the court. Without a certain rank or title, you cannot enjoy it even if you have money.

The Lu Codonopsis pilosula that Li Jiancheng sent was indeed the king of ginseng.

Today he came to visit in person again, and also took action against King Lu Dangshen. This method of winning people over is a bit simple and crude.

"Doctor Liu, change the medicine for Marquis Qianshui." The prince ordered.

Jiancheng sat on Li Yi's fire pit and said, "Your kang is really nice. It's very warm and more comfortable than a fire wall."

A palace maid made tea.
The tea sets, tea leaves, and even water used were all brought by the East Palace.

There was also a group of eunuchs, palace maids, and guards standing in the room.

Taking over the host.

It was clearly in the living room of Li Yi's house, but it seemed as if Li Yi was meeting the prince in the East Palace.

After the imperial physician personally changed Li Yi's medicine, Jiancheng asked about the situation.

"The arrow wound was treated with medicine in time, so the injury is not serious. It will scab over and heal after some time, but it will leave a scar."

"Wuyi, you must take good care of yourself. I still need your assistance. I have news for you. The emperor has decided to let me lead 20,000 troops out of Yuanzhou to destroy Li Gui, who usurped the throne of Hexi. The emperor has appointed you as my military secretary.

It will take some time before the troops are dispatched, so get well soon."

Li Yi was stunned by the news. Why was he appointed as a recorder in Jiancheng Army?

Also, the Tang Dynasty had many capable and skilled generals, so why did it still need Crown Prince Jiancheng to lead the troops personally?
Besides, isn’t it said that there is an internal strife in Hexi under Li Gui? There is no need to send any troops at all. An Xinggui can solve it alone.

Li Shimin previously wrote to the emperor,
He said that Liu Wuzhou was ready and could collude with the Turkic army to march south and invade Bingzhou at any time, and asked the emperor to strengthen the defense of Taiyuan.
Why are we sending the crown prince to lead elite troops to Yuanzhou now?

Isn't this the opposite?

Good steel must be used on the blade. But at this critical moment, Li Yuan transferred the precious elite troops of Guanzhong Prefecture to the west?

"I have specially dispatched fifty soldiers to reinforce your protection today.

There's also good news: the six assassins who attacked you in the neighborhood early this morning have been found."

"found it?"

Li Jiancheng nodded. "It's a pity they're all dead. They were found in a store in the East Market. All six of them were poisoned. I guess they were silenced by Du Yan's men."

The bodies of six assassins were found.
Qian Jiulong, who was in charge of investigating the case, also found some clues on the assassin's body, pointing to Wei Ting.

However, Qian Jiulong believed that this might be the person who poisoned the assassin and deliberately framed him, which was too obvious. Li Yuan also agreed with this judgment. Compared with the token of Guo Liudi Inn found earlier, the Du Yan exposed this time was not so credible.

After all, Mi San was killed on the spot, while the six people were poisoned by their own people and their bodies were left behind.

Knowing that the six escaped assassins were killed, Li Yi did not feel relieved, but felt heavy in his heart.

This shows that in the dark,
There is also a person behind the scenes directing the operation.
This person is cruel and decisive.

Those who failed in the assassination and escaped were actually poisoned to death.

Those were six people, six elite and brave fugitives who dared to assassinate the court ministers in the early morning of New Year's Day in Chang'an.

But even these six assassins were poisoned and abandoned.

The other party is not only cruel,

There may even be a more powerful force at hand.

With such an enemy lurking in the dark, how could Li Yi feel at peace?

New Year's Day,

Prince Jiancheng was actually very busy, but today he stayed on the kang in Li Yi's house and chatted endlessly. As it got dark, the prince showed no intention of leaving.
Do you want to stay for one night?
"I've heard that Wu Yi is both civil and martial. He can write the Three Character Classic as a disciple's rule, and he also writes the fine muscle style calligraphy that founded the school. He can also make plans and strategize on the battlefield, and he has the Five Thunders Righteousness Method, which can injure people from a distance and stun opponents from a few steps away.

He also knows medicine and recipes, and can cook.
I must try your cooking skills today, Wuyi."

Li Jiancheng acted like he was coming to your house and was willing to eat the food you cooked, which meant he really appreciated you. Li Yi was very upset. He had been busy all day and was even shot by an arrow.
He just wants to eat something now and then go to bed early.

How could he have the energy to cook for others? But since Li Jiancheng had already ordered the dishes, he had no choice but to agree.

back kitchen,

Li Yi felt pain in his left shoulder, so he asked the cook to wash, cut and cook. However, an official from the Eastern Palace stepped forward.

"How can the prince's meals be prepared by a lowly servant? Please ask the Shallow Water Marquis to prepare them himself."

Li Yi looked up at him and asked, "Who are you?"

"Your humble servant is Ren Can, the Minister of Food of the Eastern Palace."

"What rank is this official?" Li Yi asked.

"An eighth-rank official," Ren Can replied.

Li Yi nodded. "Oh, so you are just a small official. I have injured my left shoulder. So, I say, you will wash, cut, fry and stir-fry."

Ren Can said, "I am the Prince's Chief Steward, not a cook, and I don't know how to cook. My brother is the Prince's teacher and currently serves as the Governor of Guzhou, with the title of Duke of Guan."

"You are in charge of the prince's meals, but you can't cook. That means you are not qualified for this position. I am a third-rank founding marquis who has been awarded gold and purple. I ask you to cook for me, and you are not willing?" Li Yi didn't care whether his brother was the prince's teacher, a governor, or a duke.

Ren Can's face flushed red after being refuted by Li Yi.

Li Yi was also furious. "Either you let my kitchen cook it, or you do it yourself, or you let His Royal Highness go hungry."

Ren Can opened his mouth and finally agreed to let the cook do it for him, but he wanted to watch the whole process from the side.

"What dish will the Shallow Water Marquis prepare for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Since we're in a hurry and haven't prepared anything, let's just make a few home-cooked dishes: a stew with dried bean curd sheets and three fresh delicacies, boiled tofu, stir-fried meat, scrambled eggs with Chishui scallions, and spinach soup. Four dishes and one soup."

"This is too simple. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is dining at your house, and this is all he has to offer?"

Li Yi glared at the guy, "How many dishes do you want me to make? One hundred and eight dishes for the Burning Tail Banquet?"

"If not one hundred and eight, there must be eighteen, right?"

"You can do it, come?"

Ren Can was speechless after being blocked by Li Yi. He wanted to send someone to call the chef from the East Palace to bring the ingredients, or directly ask the chef from the East Palace to prepare the dishes and send them over.
But the prince has already said that he wants to eat the food cooked by Li Yi.

"What kind of meat is this stir-fried pork?"

"pork."

Ren Can screamed, "How can His Royal Highness eat pork? That's cheap meat, not worthy of being on the table. His Royal Highness can only eat mutton and venison."

"The kitchen is out of mutton and venison today, only some pork."

"No, that's cheap meat. How can a prince, a noble prince, eat cheap meat? Absolutely not."

Li Yi really wanted to pick up a kitchen knife and chop him to pieces, then cut off his flesh and fry it for Li Jiancheng to eat.

How can you go to someone's house as a guest, stay mainly for the meal, and then be picky about the dishes you order?

Is the prince so noble?
Li Shimin had eaten dishes cooked by Li Yi many times. Every time, there was pork and even pig offal. Li Shimin ate it every time and never said that he disliked the meat and refused to eat it.

It's not that pork is cheap, it's that people are cheap and pretentious.

"Then let's not make stir-fried pork, just three dishes and a soup." Li Yi got angry and decided to eat it or not.

After the cook prepared three dishes and a soup according to Li Yi's instructions and sent them to the living room,

Li Jiancheng sat on the kang, feeling quite satisfied.

After he tasted it, he praised it several times.

Ren Can, on the other hand, stood aside with a constipated look on his face.

Wubenfang,
Not far from the Imperial College,
Du Yan's house.

This is a house covering an area of 17 acres. It occupies a considerable area in Wubenfang, which is close to the imperial city, where high-ranking officials and nobles gather and every inch of land is valuable.

This is a house with a garden.
The entire house faces south and has two courtyards in the front and back. On the south side is a garden area with a lotus pond covering several acres, and a waterway connected to the canal flowing through Wubenfang.

This is a carefully built mansion, especially the South Garden, which has a pond of several acres and was once Du Yan's proudest feature.

There are three small islands in the pond, like three immortal mountains.

Waterside pavilions, terraces, towers, various trees and rocks,
Du Jingai strolled through the garden where he had lived since childhood. Everything seemed so familiar, yet strange.

I remember chasing dragonflies, catching butterflies, fishing for frogs, and catching cicadas with my brothers and sisters, playing on the swings and hide-and-seek, and my father gave them ponies and helped them ride them.
In the blink of an eye, it all became a thing of the past.

The little sister who used to cry a lot has now married without asking her parents.

The Du residence was very quiet.

This place has been sealed off, and the Du family members who originally stayed here have also been taken away.

This house and garden, which carries countless childhood memories of him, has now become the property of my younger sister's husband.

That farmer not only stole his sister, but now he has also stole his childhood home.

He really deserves to die!

The cold wind blows,

Du Jingai started coughing. The maid handed him a handkerchief. He took it and covered his mouth with it. He couldn't stop coughing, as if he was going to cough out all his internal organs.
After a long time, he finally stopped coughing. His face was pale and his forehead was covered with sweat.

He took away his handkerchief,

The originally white handkerchief was stained with bright red blood.

"Sir, it's cold and windy, your body can't handle it."

"Let me take another look," Du Jingai ignored the blood on the handkerchief.

(End of this chapter)

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