Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 2: Be close to virtuous ministers and stay away from villains, that's why it is like this
In the Jiade Hall, there were stoves surrounded by cloth, colorful silks spread all over the floor, and heavy curtains.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, lay on the couch, his eyes calmly looking at the purple-robed old minister, Yu Zhining, the Crown Prince's Secretary, who was knelt on the ground behind the curtain.

Yu Zhining, with his temples gray and a handsome face, slowly lowered his head and stared at the vague figure of the Crown Prince behind the curtains. He said in a heavy voice, "Your Highness, the Eastern Palace was built during the Sui Dynasty and was already known for its extravagance. How can you allow such lavish decorations to be placed there now? I beg you to leave."

Looking at Yu Zhining who kowtowed again, a complicated look flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

This Eastern Palace Chancellor is undoubtedly a capable official and a smart man.

Among his officials in the Eastern Palace, only two escaped accountability for the failed rebellion two years later.

One of them was Yu Zhining, the Prince's Secretary.

Even after Li Zhi ascended the throne, Yu Zhining was still highly valued by Li Zhi. If Li Chengqian had not known him well, he would have really suspected that he had been bribed by Li Zhi... But it seems that Li Zhi does not have this ability now.

Yu Zhining was undoubtedly an extremely useful person to Li Chengqian.

So, let’s start by soothing the heart of this old minister.

Li Chengqian suddenly calmed down, looked outside the curtain, and said softly: "I am sick."

……

Outside the curtains, Yu Zhining was slightly startled, his heart sinking. He then kowtowed and said, "Your Highness is ill, so just call a doctor and ask for medicine. Why should you be imprisoned in the Eastern Palace? The craftsmen, officials and slaves are all criminals and fugitives. They use pliers, chisels, hammers and pestles, and go in and out. The gatekeepers, the palace guards, the chiefs and the thousand cattle are not allowed to question them harshly. With minions outside and servants inside, how can they not be worried?"

Li Chengqian looked at Yu Zhining, a hint of sneer in his eyes.

Since he woke up, he has begun to gather the guards scattered outside the East Palace.

Seeing them coming in and out of the East Palace, outsiders can't help but feel worried.

Li Chengqian turned sideways to look at Yu Zhining and spoke again, "I fell ill in February. In March, my father, the emperor, visited the Qingque Mansion and pardoned prisoners and exempted taxes. He also gave gifts to the Qingque Mansion's officials and the elderly people in the same village."

Yu Zhining fell silent, and the prince made his words very clear.

He fell ill in February, and in March, the emperor had already begun to get close to the King of Wei.

Soon, the King of Wei began to recruit retainers and compile the "Guodi Zhi".

Prince, he felt threatened.

Yu Zhining bowed solemnly and said, "Your Highness, people say that if you have a loving mother at home, you will raise her with warmth and kindness, or if you have a young child in your family, you will raise him without fail. If you are in the cabinet, you will always be close to her and everyone will respect you. Your Highness, are you okay?"

Li Chengqian pondered every word Yu Zhining said.

His Prince's Secretary was known for his virtue, and was able to escape unscathed even during the turmoil of deposing Wang and enthroning Wu.

Extremely rare.

The meaning of Yu Zhining's words was very clear. The prince was indeed in crisis now, but the emperor was your father, and you had younger brothers at home. If you respected the elderly and raised the young, there would be no loss. Even Emperor Taizong could not depose you.

A hint of gloom flashed across Li Chengqian's face, and his eyes swept across his left leg.

If it were not for the memory of the lonely soul in later generations, perhaps he would agree with Yu Zhining's words, but the psychology of later generations has clearly told him that his father, who delayed his treatment due to personal mistakes during the process of his left leg disability, was the person who least wanted to see him again.

From then on, it was always his father who wanted to depose him as the crown prince!
Li Chengqian lowered his head slightly, then suppressed his anger. He looked up at Yu Zhining and said with a helpless sigh, "The Chief Secretary is absolutely right. I will obey your orders. However, my leg is still a problem. If it can't be cured, I'm afraid it will be crippled for life. There is no such thing as a crippled prince in the world. I really have to resign the position of crown prince."

"Your Highness..." Yu Zhining suddenly became anxious. In the third year of Zhenguan, he was the Prince's Left Secretary.

He had mentored the Crown Prince Li Chengqian for eleven years, so how could he so easily say he was crippled? "Hmm!" Li Chengqian reached out to stop Yu Zhining, then spoke, "Chief Secretary, Divine Doctor Sun has examined me many times. Unless we can find Hua Tuo's technique of scraping the meridians and removing the bones from the late Han Dynasty, my leg will be completely crippled. Divine Doctor Sun has traveled the world searching for it, but to no avail. However, I've heard that there's a unique method in India..."

"I will go find it for Your Highness!" Yu Zhining immediately bowed solemnly, even standing up anxiously. "I will go now. I'll take my leave."

"I'll leave everything to you, Chief Secretary. I'm not feeling well, so I won't see you off. Goodbye, Chief Secretary." Li Chengqian lay on the couch, nodded gently, and looked sincere.

Yu Zhining then bowed again and left, as if he had forgotten that he had come to advise Li Chengqian.

……

"Thump thump thump..." A burst of hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall and then went straight into the hall.

"Your Highness." Li Anyan, the Prince's household official, walked in with two guards. Li Anyan bowed and asked with concern, "Your Highness, did the Minister Yu embarrass you?"

Li Chengqian suddenly looked at Li Anyan with a gloomy face, as well as the two guards Zhang Sizheng and Hegan Chengji behind him.

Seeing Li Chengqian's expression, Zhang Sizheng couldn't help but say, "If Your Highness is angry, I will beat that old slave on Your Highness' behalf."

"Or kill him." Hegan Chengji's sinister words made Li Chengqian look up in surprise.

The uncontrollable excitement in Hegan Chengji's eyes appeared in Li Chengqian's eyes.

With a "bang", Li Chengqian suddenly slammed his palm on the couch, staring at Hegan Chengji and roaring: "Slap him in the face, slap me in the face."

Hegan Chengji was suddenly stunned. Li Anyan, who was standing beside him, quickly stepped forward and slapped Hegan Chengji hard in the face.

With a "slap" sound, Hegan Chengji felt a sharp pain on his face and quickly knelt down: "Your Highness, I know I was wrong."

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, looked at Li Anyan, and said coldly: "Drag him out, drag him to the courtyard, let everyone watch, slap his mouth, hit him until his mouth is broken."

"Yes!" Li Anyan winked at Zhang Sizheng, and the two of them immediately grabbed Hegan Chengji's arms and dragged him out.

The sound of "pa pa pa" kept coming, and Li Chengqian smiled softly.

Two years later, it was Hegan Chengji who betrayed him, which led to the failure of his plan.

This man deserves to die.

……

"Your Highness!" Li Anyan stood alone in the hall and bowed solemnly to Li Chengqian, saying, "The person outside has fainted."

"If he faints, let him stay unconscious. No one is allowed to move." Li Chengqian looked at Li Anyan and said softly, "Be close to virtuous ministers and stay away from villains, that's why it's like this."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed solemnly.

"But!" Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes and spoke again, "Hegan Chengji is just an impulsive fighter. He is not the kind of person who can keep secrets."

"So it's Zhang Sizheng." Li Anyan couldn't help but take a breath.

Li Chengqian nodded grimly and said, "Use the men you've hidden to keep a close eye on everyone Zhang Sizheng comes into contact with. Whether we can turn the tables depends on him."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed solemnly.

(End of this chapter)