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

Chapter 66: Mechanical puppets, hidden chess pieces laid out early

In the Chongjiao Hall, Li Chengqian handed the atlas in his hand to Yu Zhining, then looked up at the middle-aged man in front of him who was about thirty years old, with a calm expression and long, strong fingers.

Although Yang Wulian, the craftsman, was dressed in a grey robe and looked clean, his slovenly appearance could still be seen in the corners.

"I am a small official who lives in Yangzhou. I met my two mentors when I was traveling in Wuzhou. However, at that time, they were already nearly 70 years old. After imparting what they learned for three years, they passed away one after another." Yang Wulian bowed with a gloomy expression.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded slightly, looked at Yang Wulian, and asked, "I know that the brothers Huang Gen and Huang Gun once designed a water show. Yang Guang led his ministers to watch it. It included seventy-two performances, including Dayu controlling the flood, King Wu crossing Mengjin, and Emperor Huan of Han swimming on the river. All of them were performed using hydraulic mechanisms to propel puppets..."

"The wooden figures are about two feet tall, dressed in silk and decorated with gold and jade. They are also made into various animals, fish, and birds, and they run on wheels in the water. They are colorful and varied." Yang Wulian bowed and said, "The foundation of all this is that my master imitated Zhuge Liang's wooden ox and flowing horse. He originally intended it for battlefield transportation, but Emperor Yang of Sui was only concerned with his own enjoyment..."

"The Tang Dynasty wouldn't. Your Majesty, with his great talent and foresight, has tasked me with compiling the 'Kaogong Zhi' (Records of Craftsmen'). It contains sixteen models of swords, spears, crossbows, bows, shields, arrows, armor, chariots, steamships, leather, porcelain, jade, and tiles." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian looked at Yang Wulian and said, "Puppetry is not something that can be easily fashioned. I hope you can first create a few models of four-masted sailing ships. I'll present them to your father on New Year's Eve. Is that possible?"

"Yes!" Yang Wulian's face grew slightly serious, and he saluted, saying, "It's only six days until New Year's Eve, and this clerk might need some manpower and supplies..."

"An Yan, Yang Qing will make every effort to coordinate this matter." Li Chengqian looked up at Li Anyan.

"I obey your command." Li An bowed solemnly.

"From today on, Yang Qing will be transferred from the Wuzhou Prefecture Office to the Eastern Palace, serving as the ninth-rank official in charge of engineering and security, and will participate in the revision of the 'Kaogong Zhi'." Li Chengqian looked at Yu Zhining and said, "Master Yu, you will handle the procedures at the Ministry of Personnel."

"Yes!" Yu Zhining bowed solemnly.

"Alright!" Li Chengqian looked at Yang Wulian again, nodded slightly and said: "Yang Qing, you will first go and settle down with the family order, and then go to Chongwenguan to familiarize yourself with it.

"Well, I'll take my leave." Yang Wulian bowed and left the hall.

……

"If this hydraulic stirring mechanism, like a puppet show, could be used on a warship, its speed would be greatly increased." Li Chengqian looked at Yu Zhining and said, "Master Yu, if this can be successfully implemented, the Tang Dynasty will be able to save a lot of effort in its future campaign against Goguryeo."

"Your Highness is serving the country. His Majesty will be happy when he knows it." Yu Zhining bowed slightly with an emotional look on his face.

Li Chengqian smiled and looked outside the hall.

It took nearly twenty years for Li Zhi, not to mention his father, to conquer Goguryeo after he ascended the throne.

This matter will definitely fall into Li Chengqian's hands in the future, and he is just preparing for it now.

Moreover, the most suitable place in Chang'an for warship construction is Beiyuan, and Beiyuan is the place closest to Xuanwu Gate...

Li Chengqian shook his head lightly. Why did he always think in that direction?

Several familiar figures from the Chongjiao sect appeared in Li Chengqian's sight. Li Chengqian looked at Yu Zhining and said, "Master Yu, Du He is here. He actually recommended a talented person to me this time."

Du He was close to Li Chengqian and even served as Li Chengqian's prince's chef. Last year, he was transferred to Hangzhou to serve as the chief secretary, which was already a fifth-rank official.

Of course, once he marries Chengyang, he will immediately become a fifth-rank imperial concubine, and he might be transferred back from Hangzhou immediately.

But it's hard to say. Li Chengqian has changed so much in this life, the emperor will not let Du He go back easily.

Thinking of the things in his previous life, Li Chengqian couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Du He was not lacking in ability, had amazing talent, and was decisive. His only problem was that he underestimated the emperor.

……

Du He led the way, followed closely by Dai Zhide, Helan Chushi, and Qin Huaidao who entered the hall together.

Everyone bowed in unison: "Greetings, Your Highness."

"No need to be so polite." Li Chengqian nodded and asked, "Tell me, how is the investigation going?"

Du He bowed and said, "Your Highness, the case may be a little troublesome."

Li Chengqian was stunned: "Tell me!"

"Your Highness, someone has been spotted in gambling houses, restaurants in the West Market, and on the long street outside the Left Jinwu Guard Gate. They say they saw a man wearing a ochre robe and holding a broadsword. He had a secret conversation with Zhou Cang." Du He pulled a portrait from his sleeve and handed it to Li Chengqian, then said, "Several sources have confirmed it's him. However, after two days of searching in Yongzhou Prefecture, the Dali Temple, the Jinwu Guard, and Chang'an County, we've found nothing."

"So?" Li Chengqian took a look at the portrait and confirmed that he had never seen this person before.

"Therefore, I suspect that he is either hiding or has left Chang'an City... It will be difficult to find him in a short time." Du He looked solemn.

Chang'an City often exaggerates that it has a population of one million. In fact, although it is not that many, there are still about 700,000 or 800,000 people.

In such a magnificent city, it is easy to imagine how difficult it is to find someone who is deliberately hiding in this day and age.

Not to mention that he might have already left Chang'an. Li Chengqian hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Where is Supervisory Censor Li Yifu now?"

Du He was slightly taken aback and said, "Censor Li took leave the day before yesterday and was away for a few days because he was not feeling well."

"Where is Jinwu Guard Su Dingfang?" Li Chengqian asked again.

"General of the Central Army?" Du He frowned and said, "I didn't see him yesterday."

"Where is Zhang Wenguan from the Dali Temple?"

"It was still there yesterday." Du He had realized something.

Li Chengqian looked back and asked, "Dai Qing, what do you think?"

Du He couldn't help but turn around. He knew that Dai Zhide, the son of former prime minister Dai Zhou, was quite capable.

"They may have gone to Luoyang." Dai Zhide bowed.

Li Chengqian leaned back slightly and asked with satisfaction, "Why do you say that? Even if that person left Chang'an, there are still many places he can go to, Qizhou, Chengdu, Taiyuan, even Huazhou, Shanzhou, and it's possible that he can go directly back to his hometown?"

"He wouldn't dare. It's too big a deal. Even the people behind him wouldn't dare. He must have made some arrangements." Dai Zhide bowed and said seriously, "Luoyang is the most populous and prosperous city in the world besides Chang'an. Besides, it's New Year's Day now, so he must be spending the New Year in Luoyang."

"So Li Yifu and Su Dingfang both went to Luoyang, but what about Zhang Wenguan?" Li Chengqian looked at Dai Zhide and raised his head. "Can you guess? Where is he?"

"He may need to consult with Sun Siqing." Dai Zhide smiled and said, "So walk slowly."

"Is it necessary to send someone from the Eastern Palace?" Li Chengqian asked immediately.

"That's not necessary!" Dai Zhide glanced at the surprised crowd and continued, "The Eastern Palace doesn't have many people in Luoyang. Not only are they useless, but it's also easy for something to go wrong."

"Yes, it's easy to get into trouble." Li Chengqian nodded, then his face turned cold and he looked at everyone and said, "Do you understand?"

"Yes!" Du He, Helan Chushi, Qin Huaidao and others bowed solemnly with a stern look on their faces.

"Li Yifu is a capable man in this matter, Su Dingfang is even better, and Zhang Wenguan also seems to be a qualified Dali Temple Secretary, so, if they can catch the person, we will stay in Chang'an, which will let those who are interested relax while preventing others from doing anything to us." Li Chengqian looked at everyone seriously.

"Yes!" Everyone bowed.

"Alright, everyone, relax." Li Chengqian smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's the end of the year, and I have a troublesome matter here."

"Your Highness, please give your orders." Everyone bowed in unison.

"It's the end of the year now. The hundreds of officials and guards in the Eastern Palace should have been rewarded at the end of the year. However, the cost of revising the Kaogong Zhi this year is so high. Please help me think of a method that is not expensive and can satisfy all the ministers." Li Chengqian gently pushed away the recent troubles.

"We obey your command." Du He, Dai Zhide, Helan Chushi, Qin Huaidao and others all bowed.

"Erlang, you should also attend the New Year's Eve banquet. You must pay attention to the New Year's gifts from your father." Li Chengqian's expression became serious.

"Yes!" Du He's face tightened. He might marry Princess Chengyang next year, and he might have to change his words to the emperor next year.

"Oh, there's one more thing." Li Chengqian looked up at Li Anyan and asked, "An Yan, do you know where Divine Doctor Sun is now?"

"Your Highness, he should be in the mountains east of Bashu. He may have entered Wushan, or he may have reached Jingzhou." Li Anyan shook his head and said, "Master Sun is like a dragon that can only be seen from head to tail."

Sun Simiao, a contemporary miracle doctor, did not often stay in Chang'an.

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "I had hoped that Master Sun would come to see me again to see if Doctor Li's method would work."

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian looked up at Dai Zhide and said, "Mr. Dai, you and Mr. Qin will go to the storehouse to get ten rolls of silk and go to the home of the Imperial Physician, Xie Jiqing. And by the way, ask when Divine Doctor Sun will be able to return to Chang'an."

Dai Zhide looked up in surprise for a moment, then immediately bowed and said, "I obey your command."

"Okay, let's go."

……

Even though there were people coming and going on Zhuque Street, Dai Zhide still urged the carriage to go as fast as possible.

Qin Huaidao, who was sitting on the other side, couldn't help but advise, "Slow down, there's no need to go so fast."

"We have to hurry." Dai Zhide turned sideways with a serious expression, glanced at Qin Huaidao, and continued to look forward: "Because in half an hour, the imperial physician may be off duty and go home."

After the shift, go home. Aren’t they just going to wait for Xie Jiqing to get off the shift and come home before they can talk about it?
Qin Huaidao subconsciously wanted to say something, but suddenly, he came to his senses and his expression suddenly became solemn.

(End of this chapter)