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

Chapter 3: The Betrayer: Death

As dusk fell, guards were led into the East Palace one after another and then registered under the name of the Crown Prince's Right Guard.

Li Chengqian lay calmly on the bed, flipping through the list in his hand.

These people will emerge from the dark into the light.

In reality these people are of little use at all.

They were the death squads and assassins that Li Chengqian gathered from outside using Zhang Sizheng and Hegan Chengji. Most of these people were later sentenced to death.

Only a few survived.

Putting aside Hegan Chengji who betrayed him, these people who survived were all his father's spies.

Quality is more important than quantity.

Just like his East Palace.

The Prince's Junior Tutor Fang Xuanling and the Prince's Junior Preceptor Gao Shilian.

The Prince's Secretary Yu Zhining, the Prince's Junior Secretary and Acting Prince's Left Assistant Zhang Xuansu, the Prince's Middle Assistant Kong Yingda, and the Prince's Right Assistant Li Baiyao.

Li Anyan was the Prince's Household Manager, and Changsun Xiang was the Prince's Chief Guard Officer.

The Prince's Left Guard was Li Ji, the Prince's Right Guard was Zhang Liang, and so on.

Even the legitimate sons of officials of the third rank and above served in the Eastern Palace, including Li Jing, Yuchi Jingde, Cheng Zhijie, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng and other important officials of the time, all of whom had sons like this.

But among them, the vast majority of people would choose his father when faced with a critical moment.

Because they are all his people.

Because of the emperor, they serve him as the prince.

Li Chengqian can use these people, but he cannot trust them. The only person he can trust is Li Anyan.

Because he was once an official under Li Jiancheng, and like Li Jiancheng, he married a daughter of the Zheng family.

Although Li Anyan was still valued after the Xuanwu Gate Incident, in fact, he was still subject to heavy suspicion.

If Li Chengqian rebelled, Li Anyan would have no choice but to follow him to the end.

As for others like Du He, Li Yuanchang, and Zhao Jie, they are all useless.

Especially Helan Chushi, the Prince's Thousand Oxen Guard Commander of the Eastern Palace, he is the weakest of the weak.

Li Chengqian calmly sorted out all the people inside and outside the East Palace, and couldn't help feeling a little funny in his heart. Last time, he used such people to rebel. He was really blind.

But fortunately, this time, he hasn't started yet.

Even he, who should have indulged himself because of the pain, stayed in bed and rested. The only thing he did was to gather and arrange the staff inside and outside the East Palace.

The plan of rebellion had not yet been discussed, and he had not even tried to win over Hou Junji.

However, Li Tai had already started to move. He started to move from the moment he compiled the "Guodi Zhi".

No, even Li Chengqian's broken leg was Li Tai's plan.

He was keeping a close eye on Donggong, watching Donggong's every move, calculating, framing, and even taking direct action.

His younger brother really wished he would die immediately.

Li Chengqian's breathing suddenly calmed down, and a figure appeared in his mind.

A figure as deep as the abyss, a figure that even his father was afraid of, the Prime Minister, Duke of Zhao, Changsun Wuji.

The first meritorious official in the Lingyan Pavilion.

Li Chengqian couldn't help but wonder what his uncle was planning. Was he interested in Li Zhi now?
And his father, the current Li Chengqian, has not become crazy because of his guilt and deliberate indulgence, so what will happen to him next?

Will he continue to paralyze him, indulge him, force him to rebel, and finally depose him?

Survive, survive first.

Only by keeping his position as crown prince can he plan for other things.

……

A light sound of footsteps was heard outside the hall, waking up Li Chengqian who was lying on the bed.

Two people were standing outside the hall, Li Anyan, the prince's household manager, and Gao Zhenxing, the prince's messenger.

Gao Zhenxing was the fourth son of Gao Shilian, the Prince's Grand Tutor and Shangshu You Pushe.

Gao Shilian was the uncle of Li Chengqian's mother, Empress Changsun, and personally raised Empress Changsun and Zhangsun Wuji. Later, it was he who decided to marry Empress Changsun to Li Chengqian's father.

When facing Gao Zhenxing, Li Chengqian also had to call him cousin in private.

Seeing the two people stand up, Li Chengqian was a little surprised: "What's the matter?"

Gao Zhenxing bowed solemnly, "Your Highness, the Secretariat has sent a report that the Tibetan king has sent his chancellor, Lu Dongzan, and his son, Gar Qinling, to lead an embassy with gifts to request the hand of a Tang princess. Your Majesty will summon you to the Taiji Hall in three days. The Secretariat is inquiring whether Your Highness would like to attend the court."

"Attend the court?" Li Chengqian chewed on the two words. He knew that although this document was sent by the Ministry of Personnel, it might actually be the intention of his father.

Li Chengqian had been recuperating in the Eastern Palace for more than half a year, but his father, the emperor, had never come to visit him once.

Apart from sending words and herbal medicine to famous doctors, there has never been any face-to-face comfort.

Originally, the matter of Li Chengqian could have been left alone, but in two months, it would be the fifteenth year of Zhenguan.

The first day of the first lunar month is the grand court session.

The whole country came to congratulate and all officials presented gifts, and as the crown prince, he had to show up.

Li Chengqian's leg disease was no secret, and even the news of his broken leg and disability had already spread throughout the entire Chang'an City.

If he, the crown prince, appeared with a limp at the New Year's court, it would inevitably cause an uproar.

Therefore, this storm must be resolved in advance.

Li Chengqian knew that his father would never joke about state affairs.

Rather than letting Li Chengqian embarrass himself in the court, it would be better to let people accept this reality little by little, and let Li Chengqian accept this reality as well.

As for the Tubo marriage proposal three days later, his father might not really want him to show up.

But if Li Chengqian really didn't go, there would be many similar situations in the future, and maybe he wouldn't have to go on New Year's Day.

At that time, the person standing at the bottom of the imperial steps might have been his younger brother, Li Tai, the Prince of Wei.

Li Chengqian raised his head, looked at Gao Zhenxing, and said, "I have indeed rested for a long time. I will go to the Secretariat the day after tomorrow."

"Your Highness!" Li Anyan couldn't help but advise.

Li Chengqian waved his hands and said with a smile, "I'm much better now, aren't I?"

Li Anyan was stunned, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, and then he bowed and said, "Yes!"

Li Chengqian turned to look at Gao Zhenxing and said gently, "Uncle, please go and write the reply and then ask the family official to stamp it."

As soon as the seal was stamped, Gao Zhenxing immediately bowed solemnly and said, "Yes!"

……

As soon as Gao Zhenxing left, Li Anyan couldn't help but step forward and whispered, "Your Highness, are you really going? Your Highness's situation cannot be hidden from the court officials."

People like Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, Gao Shilian, Yang Shidao, Li Jing, and Cen Wenben have all experienced hardships and battles, and their eyes are terrifyingly sharp.

Once they see Li Chengqian's true situation, they will be even less likely to support Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian looked at Gao Zhenxing's receding figure and said calmly, "An Yan, what do you think my cousin is thinking right now?"

Li Anyan was slightly stunned. At this time, he heard Li Chengqian sneer and said, "Do you think he is wondering if my leg is not as serious as the imperial physician said?
He returned home and told my uncle. Would he think that I wouldn't show up in three days and was just spreading rumors?"

"Your Highness!" Li Anyan's expression became more and more nervous.

"An Yan, I'm going to draw something. You should find a craftsman to make it yourself and don't let anyone know." Li Chengqian turned around abruptly and stared at Li Anyan.

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed seriously. He would be willing to die if he could allow the prince to appear safely in front of the ministers.

……

In the East Palace, Hegan Chengji had been kneeling on the ground for a whole day, motionless.

As the night fell, snowflakes slowly drifted down from the sky.

Hegan Chengji's body was gradually covered by the snow.

There was no sound.

No one cares either.

　I am used to writing 3,000 to 4,000 words, and it is not easy to master the rhythm of 2,000 words. Please forgive me.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)