Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 144 Return, Appointment as Prime Minister

From Fangling to Luoyang, except for overnight stays at post stations, they traveled non-stop and finally entered the capital city of Luoyang on the tenth day. After their identities were confirmed by the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, Li Xian and his entourage finally returned to this prosperous place, the political power center of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which they had been away from for more than ten years.

Looking at the endless stream of luxury cars passing by, Li Xian couldn't help but feel a mix of sorrow and excitement.

"Famous cities abound with enchanting women, and the capital city of Luoyang produces many handsome young men. Their swords are worth a thousand pieces of gold, and their clothes are exquisite and bright. They cockfight on the eastern outskirts of the city and ride their horses among the tall catalpa trees..."

He couldn't help but recite a line from Cao Zijian's "Famous City Poems," recalling when his second brother, Li Xian, was still alive. They had once cockfighted together at the Prince of Pei's mansion. The room was filled with renowned young talents, and Wang Bo, known as the leader of the Four Talents, wrote a piece called "A Proclamation Against the Prince of Ying's Cock" specifically for that cockfight. It was just for a moment of fun, but unexpectedly, it reached the ears of their father, the Emperor, and became a pretext to incite conflict between the two brothers. As a result, Wang Bo was demoted, and he became cautious and dared not overstep the bounds again.

Later, his second brother was deposed, and he was made crown prince by his mother. He later became emperor. He thought that even if his mother was power-hungry, she would at most rule from behind the curtain like Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty. Once the power was transferred to him, he would be able to hold his head high and become a real emperor. However, he did not expect that because of a single sentence, his mother would depose him and make him the Prince of Luling, and exile him to Fangling.

It was from that moment that he suddenly realized that his mother's ambitions went far beyond being just an empress dowager; she wanted to be the first female emperor that no woman in history had ever dared to even dream of.

From then on, he lived in fear under the shadow of his mother's strong and domineering nature, never daring to hope that he could return one day.

Unexpectedly, he actually came back!

"Father, this is the capital! It is indeed much more prosperous than that small county of Fangling. There are so many ornately decorated carriages and so many well-dressed people. It's wonderful!"

"Father, I've heard that many noble families and scions live in Luoyang, the capital city. Our aunt often hosts banquets, inviting these young talents to compose poems. If they write good poems, they might even make a name for themselves in history, isn't that right?"

Li Xianhan smiled and said, "Yes!"

"Father, you said that we suffered a lot together in Fangling, and that when you become the Crown Prince, you will make up for all the suffering we endured, is that right?"

Madam Wei quickly covered Li Guo'er's mouth again and said, "Guo'er, this is the capital Luoyang. Your grandmother's spies are everywhere here. Don't say anything about the Crown Prince or the Emperor anymore. If this gets back to your grandmother, she might punish us again!"

Fifteen years ago, the entire Wei family was wiped out because of a single sentence. Thinking of her elder brother, Wei Xun, Wei Shi couldn't help but feel bitter.

With Wei Xun's death, her branch of the Wei family truly had no descendants left, leaving only her!

Li Guo'er saw caution and worry in her mother's eyes, and then she realized that this was not Fangling. From now on, their every word and action would be under the watchful eye of their grandmother, and they would no longer dare to speak recklessly or do whatever they wanted.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager is old and may die soon. When that happens, it will be Li Guo'er's time to shine and her world will be hers.

Thinking this, Li Guo'er pulled back the carriage curtain and looked at Xiao Muchen on horseback ahead. She thought to herself: I heard that my aunt's mansion keeps many young and talented male concubines. One day, I will make you fall at my feet and be at my service!
Just as Li Guo'er was biting her lip in thought, another ebony-canopied carriage, about ten feet long, seven feet wide, and three feet high, slowly drove towards them.

As the carriage came to a stop, a woman dressed in gorgeous red pleated phoenix-tail skirt stepped out. She appeared to be over thirty years old, but her beautiful face resembled a blooming peony, exuding a unique charm amidst her languidness. Moreover, she had a very full figure, with most of her smooth, creamy skin on her chest exposed, making her quite eye-catching.

After she stepped off the carriage, a handsome young man accompanied her as they walked towards Xiao Muchen.

Immediately afterwards, a young man dressed in black brocade robes, who appeared to be around the age of having his hair tied up, also came over.

“Minister Xiao, I have come with my aunt to welcome you at the behest of my grandmother.”

Murong Huan's gaze quickly fell on the richly dressed young man. The young man stood upright, neither humble nor arrogant, and his every move exuded elegance and nobility. However, his raised eyes did not contain the purity of a young man, but rather hid a hint of unruliness.

Prince Li Longji of Linzi!

Just as the name flashed through Murong Huan's mind, Princess Taiping walked up to her and Xiao Muchen, smiling and saying, "It's been three years since we last met, Zicheng. How have you been? Has Madam Xiao's illness improved?"

Murong Huan said "Okay," and Taiping covered her mouth and smiled, pulling the young man over and introducing him: "Come, let me introduce you. This is Li Longji, the Prince of Linzi, the third son of my fourth brother, born to Consort Dou, but..."

At this point, Taiping's expression darkened, and he added, "Enough, this is not the time to discuss this matter. Let's hurry and see the Sage!"

Xiao Muchen nodded, his gaze falling on Li Longji. He was slightly surprised, not expecting to sense such a calm and composed demeanor from this young man.

Li Longji was merely Li Dan's illegitimate son. When he was five years old, the Empress adopted him to Li Hong as her heir. By the time he was seven, he already had the power to establish his own government and appoint officials. However, because two court officials had privately visited the heir apparent Li Dan, the Empress was furious. She not only killed the two officials but also imprisoned Li Dan and his children in the palace, where they had not left the palace for nearly ten years.

Li Longji should be fifteen years old now. This boy, who has been imprisoned for a long time, actually has a composure that even Li Dan and Li Xian do not possess.

Moreover, when Xiao Muchen looked at Li Longji, Li Longji was also staring at him intently, his eyes full of admiration, but not humble or timid.

"Sanlang has met Minister Xiao. Minister Xiao's name resounds throughout the capital. Sanlang has always admired him. However, he has been living in the Eastern Palace for a long time and has not been able to go out to meet Minister Xiao. Today, I have finally met him and he is indeed worthy of his reputation."

"Your Highness is too kind. I, Xiao, pay my respects to Your Highness, the Prince of Linzi!"

As Xiao Muchen was speaking, Li Guo'er, along with Li Xian, Madam Wei, Li Chongrun, Li Chongjun, and others, walked over.

Originally, Li Guo'er was extremely impatient, but when she saw Taiping, she smiled and said, "Aunt is so beautiful. This is the first time I have ever seen such a graceful and noble beauty as Aunt."

"Oh, what a sweet talker! She must be Third Brother's youngest daughter!"

After Taiping finished speaking, she looked at Li Xian and her eyes filled with tears: "It's been more than ten years since we parted, and my brother has grown quite old."

"Yes, sister, it's been a long time. How have you been doing in Luoyang?"

Taiping's expression darkened, but she said, "Although my brother has been welcomed back to Luoyang, it's best to be cautious in everything from now on. Lai Junchen has been reinstated by Mother and is now the Vice Censor-in-Chief. Officials in the court are still terrified of him, and even my fourth brother is very careful. Not long ago, some things happened in the palace. After Longji's mother, Consort Dou, and Consort Liu went to the palace to see Mother, they never returned. They were neither found alive nor dead... Mother has not mentioned a word about this matter..."

At this point in Taiping's speech, Li Xian's expression changed drastically, and he became even more nervous. He even had an urge to return to Fangling County.

Lady Wei quickly took his hand and asked in a low voice, "Is it because of something that Consort Dou and Consort Liu suffered such a misfortune?"

"I don't know..." Taiping said, then laughed, "Why am I saying all this? Third brother and sister-in-law, and all my nephews and nieces, hurry to the palace to meet the Emperor. He has been waiting for you for a long time." Madam Wei repeatedly said yes, but her gaze suddenly flashed and turned to a handsome young man beside Taiping. She asked, "Who is this?"

“Oh, this is Cui Jiulang, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat and a member of the Anping branch of the Cui family in Boling!” After saying this, Taiping looked at Xiao Muchen and smiled apologetically, “Because you two are familiar with each other, I forgot to introduce you.”

Xiao Muchen and Murong Huan's gazes fell on Cui Shi, who stood beside Princess Taiping with a smile in his eyes, showing no shame about being a male concubine. This powerful and shameless attitude seemed even stronger than it had been five years ago.

"Minister Xiao, Madam Xiao, it's been five years. How have you been?"

Five years ago, Cui Yuan was found to have colluded with court officials to seize the wealth of merchants and the land of others, and was even suspected of privately building armor. The Anping Cui family immediately severed ties with Cui Yuan, and even said that Cui Yuan had already married into the Xiao family and that even if she divorced Xiao Hongjing, she was no longer considered a member of the Cui family.

In the end, Cui Yuan learned that she had been abandoned by her family, so she committed suicide in prison. The Cui family did not even want to take her body and just threw it into a mass grave.

Immediately afterwards, news spread from the Cui family that Cui Ying's identity was questionable and that she was very likely a spy planted in their family by another country. Cui Ying's name was then permanently removed from the Cui family genealogy.

Therefore, neither Cui Ying's old case nor Cui Yuan's old case of secretly reporting the Xiao family has anything to do with the Cui family anymore.

The Cui family of Boling remained a prominent and respected family in Luoyang, the capital city, and the head of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans. The actions of the two women had no real impact on this large family.

Their eyes met, and an undercurrent of tension was already brewing.

After a long pause, Xiao Muchen finally replied, "Very good! Take us to see the Sage!"

Cui Shi's appearance was among the best of the young talents in Luoyang. When Li Guo'er's gaze fell on him, she was momentarily stunned. However, she was only stunned for a moment before she immediately came to her senses and thought to herself: This is my aunt's male favorite, and he is a bit too handsome. He is not as good as Xiao Muchen.

Cui Shi seemed to have caught the young princess's thoughts, and with a slight smile, he hurriedly said, "Your subject, Cui Shi, a scribe in the Imperial Secretariat, requests that the Prince of Luling, the Princess of Luling, and all the young princes and princesses enter the palace to pay homage to His Majesty!"

So the group headed towards the Ziwei Palace, greeted by the Jinwu Guards and Qianniu Guards along the way.

Unbeknownst to anyone, as this group entered the Wanxiang Divine Palace, a symbol of the Empress's imperial power, three men and a woman in a certain neighborhood of Luoyang were watching everything that was happening from afar.

"Send a message to the leader: Li Xian has arrived safely in Luoyang. Although we broke our promise to one of our employers, for the other employer, the matter is settled!"

"Now, let's stay here and watch a great show!"

……

After Li Xian and his family met with the Empress, the Empress did not say anything, but the next morning at court, she issued an edict appointing Li Xian as Crown Prince and ordering him to reside in the Eastern Palace.

This imperial edict came as a complete surprise, dealing a severe blow to Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi. Wu Chengsi, who was originally imprisoned in his residence, vomited blood on the table upon hearing the news and never woke up again.

On the day Li Guo'er happily moved into the East Palace with her father, they received news of Wu Chengsi's sudden death. There were even songs circulating in the streets saying that the King of Wei had schemed all his life, but in the end, it was just like Duke Zhuang's dream of the butterfly, and he died in his own illusion.

After Wu Chengsi's death, Li Xian led his family to pay their respects. Not long after, the Empress had Li Xian, Li Dan, Princess Taiping, and a group of Wu family members led by Wu Sansi swear an oath in front of the Mingtang Hall.

In order to curry favor with the Empress and demonstrate his determination to befriend the Wu family, Li Xian immediately married his daughter, Princess Yongtai, to Wu Chengsi's son, Wu Yanji.

This is a later story.

……

Furthermore, after Xiao Muchen brought Li Xian back to Luoyang, he thought the Empress would strip him of his position as Imperial Censor. Unexpectedly, the aging Empress summoned him for a private meeting.

"Zicheng, you must be very curious as to why I summoned Lai Junchen back and appointed him as the Censor-in-Chief, is that right?"

Xiao Muchen simply said, "A sage must have his own reasons."

"I know you must harbor resentment towards me. I know your father was wronged, yet I refuse to clear his name!"

"I dare not!"

“Zicheng, back then, the head of your Xiao family did not support me becoming the empress! However, I still gave you an important position. I also know that five years ago, Cui made a scene at your wedding and revealed your mother's true identity. Did she also tell you that I kept you alive until now only because your mother is the Queen of Silla, and I need you as a hostage to keep Silla in check?”

Xiao Muchen did not answer, so the Empress leaned slightly to look at him and continued, "Silla is now an ally of my Great Zhou, so I have no need to use you to restrain it. And even if we were to go to war with Silla, would I be afraid of this small country?"
I spared your life because I truly considered you my own son. You'll probably say, "I can kill even my own son, so why shouldn't I kill you?"

"But it is precisely because of this that I find Zicheng's sincere heart all the more precious."

After a pause, the Empress suddenly said:
"Zicheng, I intend to promote you to the position of Chancellor, and send you to the Secretariat, concurrently serving as Vice Minister of Revenue. You shall remain in Luoyang!"

To become a Chancellor and enter the Secretariat means to become a Grand Councilor.

Xiao Muchen looked up at the Empress in shock, but the Empress did not give him a chance to refuse or refute. She only said, "Keep an eye on my two sons and my grandsons. After I pass away, do not let the Li and Wu families kill each other again, causing rivers of blood and unrest among the people."

Xiao Muchen could only say, "Yes!"

The following day, the Empress issued an imperial edict in the court appointing him as the Chancellor of the Secretariat and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Thus, the first and youngest prime minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty was born, which quickly became the most talked-about legendary story in Luoyang.

Meanwhile, a long-brewing bloody storm is slowly unfolding.

As summer faded into autumn and the oppressive heat of summer was about to end, on a fine, sunny day, Zhu Qiniang suddenly came to the door, saying she had important business to discuss with Prime Minister Xiao and Murong Huan.