A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 659 Li Yi Receives the Emperor's Edict
Man proposes, God disposes.

Urged by Wei Zheng, Li Yi finished breakfast and went to the large polo field in the mansion.

Five-year-old Li Shu, nicknamed "Little Chili Pepper," pulled along her nearly four-year-old son, Li Cong, and called out "Father!" as soon as they saw Li Yi in the distance.

Li Yi saw his eldest son and daughter, one walking a large tabby cat and the other dragging a small yellow dog. The tabby cat looked familiar; it seemed to be his old pet, Zhaocai.

"Is this for attracting wealth?"

Little Chili ran over and hugged Li Yi's leg. The big tabby cat looked reluctant, and when Li Yi called it, it just looked up and glanced at it a few times.

"Father, this is Xiaohua."

At this moment, Luo Sanniang came over with several maids. Seeing the situation, she smiled and said, "Young master, this is Zhaocai, the cat we used to keep in Luo Family Fort. This cat is wild and can't be kept at home, so we sent it back to Yusu Township. Last time we went back to the countryside, Shuniang took a liking to it and played with it every day. Strangely enough, Zhaocai also likes to play with Shuniang."

When they returned to the capital, Shuniang cried her eyes out, insisting on bringing Zhaocai back with her. The eldest daughter-in-law had no choice but to agree. Shuniang even changed Zhaocai's name…

Even the unruly and freedom-loving General Fat Tiger had moments like this. However, according to Luo San Niang, Li Shu really liked the cat, and the little girl and the big cat seemed to have become good friends.

"And this dog?"

"Ping An Lang also liked Zhao Cai, but Zhao Cai only played with Shuniang, so Ping An Lang brought a Shiba Inu puppy from the countryside..."

Li Yi reached out to pet Zhao Cai, who looked reluctant but didn't refuse, which was quite polite.

“This big cat won’t let anyone touch it except Shuniang, but I didn’t expect it to still remember Ah Lang,” San Niang said with a smile.

“Father, are you going to the polo field? We want to ride horses and play polo too.” Li Shu grabbed Li Yi’s hand and shook it.

"Father has something to do today, tomorrow."

Li Shu pouted, but still nodded, "Then it's a deal, Father will accompany us horseback riding tomorrow."

Ping Anlang was also overjoyed, "Father promised to ride horses with us tomorrow."

Li Yi said to Luo San Niang, "After I leave, the mansion will be closed. You should all stay home and keep an eye on the children."

Seeing his serious expression, Luo San Niang nodded in agreement, though she didn't know why.

However, Dugu, the concubine beside Luo Sanniang, suddenly realized something from Li Yi's expression.

Li Yi picked up Li Shu and lifted her high in the air. Ping An jumped around and shouted, "I want one too! I want one too! Daddy, lift me up!"

The two children each lifted it a few times, and then Li Yi turned and left.

Dugu ran up to Li Yi and took his hand, saying, "My lord, please be careful. You are the backbone and pillar of our family."

"Don't worry, it's okay."

Li Yi and Wei Zheng left, and Dugu Shi was lost in thought.

Luo San Niang asked her, "What's wrong?"

Dugu shook her head. "It's nothing."

Her father, Dugu Huaien, was the emperor's maternal cousin, a duke and minister of work. He was executed for treason, and his family was implicated and their property confiscated.

The women were not enslaved.

Thinking back on some news I've heard recently while associating with wealthy women, I feel deeply uneasy.

On the polo field

At this moment stood a hundred brave warriors.
The fifty men were elite border troops that Li Yi brought back from Daibei. They were all veteran soldiers skilled in riding and archery, and there were also twenty-five people from various tribes such as Turks, Khitans, Sogdians, Xi, and Mohe.

The other fifty men on the field were servants and guards of the Li family, all veterans who had retired from the battlefield. They were all young and strong, though some had disabilities—some were missing arms, others were missing eyes—but they all exuded a murderous aura.

Fifty men wearing armor,
Fifty men without armor.

"Master Sikong, everything is ready." Liu Shiche stepped forward.

"Have all the brothers eaten yet?"

"We've already had a full meal: steamed white flour buns and stewed mutton."

Ma Zhou looked up at the sky and thought, "The sun is about to come out; today is sure to be a sunny day."

Song Yi brought over a soft armor. "Young master, this is a soft armor made of rhinoceros hide. It's very thin, but it provides good protection. Wear it under your robes."

Li Yi didn't take any chances; he took off his purple robe and put on soft armor underneath.

"Brothers, we are about to do something earth-shattering."

The greatest merit lies in supporting someone's ascension to the throne; once the task is accomplished, everyone will undoubtedly reap riches and honors.

With a wave of his hand, his retainer Chen Lingjiao led his men to bring over a box.

When you open it, it's dazzlingly golden.

"Each person will receive five gold ingots, and after the mission is accomplished, each person will receive five more."

The small gold ingots, each weighing one tael, may look tiny, but they are quite valuable. Now that prices in Chang'an have stabilized somewhat, the newly minted Kaiyuan Tongbao copper coins are also quite valuable, with one dou of rice costing one hundred Kaiyuan coins.

This small gold ingot can be exchanged for eight bushels of rice.
Five coins are enough to buy a plot of land in the south of Chang'an and build a small courtyard.

The reward of five taels of gold afterward, totaling ten taels, made the hundred border soldiers and servants on the polo field breathe a little faster.

not to mention,
If things succeed today, it will be thanks to your support in establishing the emperor.

Li Yi, accompanied by Wei Zheng, Ma Zhou, and Liu Shiche, led his hundred men, who were brimming with energy, out through the gate in the wall of the Prince's residence.

At this moment, amidst the sound of street drums,

The gate of the ward has not yet been opened.

Li Yi was escorted by fifty armored soldiers who led the way and brought up the rear, while fifty household guards protected him in the middle.

The soldiers on the street saw this army,

They were secretly surprised, but no one came to stop them.

The morning breeze was cool, and the guards retreated to the side of the street. "The street drum has just sounded, and the gates of the ward haven't even opened yet. Is the Prince of Dai out so early?"

“Important people are naturally very busy with many affairs, yet they can still sleep in at home.”

"I'm so envious. The Prince of Dai must only be in his twenties, right?"

"I heard that the Prince of Dai only returned to secular life in the first year of the Wude era. He was only sixteen when the Prince of Qin summoned him to join the army to fight Xue Ju. Now, in just six short years, he has already risen to the highest position among the ministers."

"Ah, a true man should be like this."

Several military officers stood by the street, watching the grand spectacle and whispering amongst themselves, their words filled with envy and admiration. After all, unlike the privileged sons of the Guanzhong aristocracy in Chang'an who were born with silver spoons in their mouths, Li Yi was famous throughout the land. Everyone knew about his background, and it was precisely because of his humble origins that his achievements were all the more admirable.

Li Yi passed by.
The martial arts officers all stood at attention and saluted Li Yi.

Li Yi smiled and nodded at them from his horse.

"The Prince of Dai is so approachable to us."

Shengyefang is located in the east of the Imperial City, very close by. Following Zhuque Hengjie, the group quickly arrived at the gate of the Imperial City.

Several groups of people, including the Left and Right Guards, the Left and Right Valiant Guards, the Imperial Guards, and the Gate Guards, were stationed here together.

Li Yi arrived with his troops.
The general on duty quickly stepped forward to greet them.

Today, the person on duty at the Vermilion Bird Gate is an old acquaintance, the Left Valiant Guard General and Duke of Xue, Changsun Shunde.

"Lord Changsun!"

"Li Sikong."

The two exchanged a single glance, and everything was understood without words.

"I was ordered to enter the capital to handle some business."

"it is good."

Changsun Shunde didn't even ask to see the imperial edict, nor did he seem to have any suspicion. He simply let them pass and even allowed Li Yi to take his hundred men inside.

"I will send a squad of Left Guards to accompany the Minister of Works in and assist him with his mission."

"Thank you."

The two settled the matter in just a few words.

The other officers, though they felt it was inappropriate, dared not step forward to stop it, as one was the Minister of Works and the Attendant-in-Ordinary with the title of Prince of Dai, and the other was the General of the Left Valiant Guard with the title of Duke of Xue, and they were also the officers on duty at the Vermilion Bird Gate that day.

Only one official from the Left Gate Guard stepped forward. "Your Highness, may I check the imperial edict? Without it, Your Highness leading troops into the capital is against the rules, and I cannot bear the responsibility."

Li Yi sized him up. He was a young military officer. Judging from the color of his official robe, he was only a seventh-rank official. He was so young that he was probably from a noble family or he was a member of the Yuan Dynasty's rebel army.

"I am acting on His Majesty's secret decree!"

"Then please wait here for a moment, Your Highness, while I send someone to inquire."

Changsun Shunde shouted, "I'm on duty here. Who do you need to consult? Get out of here!"

Before the man could argue, Changsun waved his hand, and several Left Guard soldiers stepped forward, knocking the man to the ground with their spears and dragging him aside.

"Your Highness, please enter the capital city to carry out your duties first. I will tie this man up and await his fate."

Li Yi nodded and lowered his voice to say to him, "Today, the imperial city is a no-go zone, so I'll have to trouble you, Lord Changsun."

"Don't worry," said Changsun Shunde.

He was the cousin of the King of Qin's wife and was close to the King of Qin. If the King of Qin fell, he would not escape being punished.

As a key figure in the founding of Taiyuan, he supported Li Yuan in raising an army and marching south to Chang'an to become emperor.

now,

He chose to support the King of Qin.

Just as the Zheng family of Xingyang supported the Crown Prince, the Changsun family naturally supported the King of Qin. The marriage alliance meant that they would share both prosperity and adversity.

A squad of Left Guard soldiers joined Li Yi's team, making his forces even stronger.

Upon entering the imperial city, Li Yi led his troops directly to the Imperial Secretariat and Outer Provinces.

The prime ministers' office was located in the inner palace, within the palace grounds.

However, within the imperial city, both the Secretariat and the Chancellery had an outer province where officials handled affairs.

The Secretariat was the imperial court's organ for drafting and issuing edicts, and it was imperative to control the seal immediately to prevent them from issuing any edicts that could affect the usurpation of the throne.

Li Yi led his troops into the outer provinces of the Central Secretariat before sunrise.

Most of the officials from the provinces outside the central government have not yet arrived.

"By imperial decree, from this moment forward, all government offices in the Imperial City shall be temporarily under my control."

The official on duty

Upon hearing Li Yi's words, they were greatly alarmed. As central government officials, even those of low rank were very perceptive and knew the implied meaning behind Li Yi's words.

Leading troops to control the central hub of the imperial city.

What is this going to do?
A green-robed official cautiously asked, "Your Highness, may I see the imperial edict?"

Li Yi said directly, "When the Grand Secretary and the Vice Grand Secretary arrive, the imperial edict will be shown to them; you have no right to view it."

"From now on, no one is allowed to leave. Every edict and official document drafted by the Secretariat must be reviewed by me first."

He left ten border soldiers and ten Left Guards to guard the various gates of the Central Secretariat and the outer provinces.
Li Yi then went to the provinces outside the capital.

Things went more smoothly here because he also held the position of Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Secretariat, even though he never actually came to the Secretariat to perform his duties.

But after all, he held the title of Attendant-in-Ordinary.

When Chen Shuda was not around, he, as the Attendant-in-Ordinary, was the highest-ranking official.

What the officials from the provinces under his command did not expect was that Li Shizhong would come with armored soldiers.

The Secretariat, the Chancellery, the Ministry of Personnel, and then the Twelve Guards on the Left and Right, the Six Ministries, the Nine Temples and Five Directorates, and other government offices.

Li Yi used only 150 men to take control of the central government of the Tang Dynasty.

The Right Valiant Guard General Changsun Shunde, the Left Valiant Guard General Liu Hongji, and the Left Gatekeeper General Fan Shixing were responsible for controlling the gates of the Imperial City.

The officials arrived at the imperial city early in the morning to take their duties. Everything seemed normal when they entered the imperial city gate, except that there seemed to be more guards at the gate today.

But when they arrived at the yamen, they found that there were soldiers guarding the gate and the hall, and the seals of office had been taken over by the soldiers.

Only then did they realize that something big had happened. But once they entered the government office, they were not allowed to leave. No one was allowed to leave, and neither were official documents or private letters.

One question,
The soldiers coldly replied that Prince Li Yi, by imperial decree, had temporarily taken control of the imperial city and its various departments, and that no one was allowed to leave without permission.

Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy!

Many veteran officials suspected that this might be an ongoing mutiny, but faced with those fierce armored soldiers holding swords and spears, they all fell silent in fear!
(End of this chapter)