Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 132 The Banquet at Luoshui (Part 2)
From the clerk's self-introduction, Li Xian learned that his name was Yu Baojia.

Li Xian wasn't worried that Yu Baojia would overhear what he and Liu Jianjun were talking about. Liu Jianjun was very wary, only raising his voice when he talked about the part about going down in history.

Everyone wants to be remembered in history, so there's nothing wrong with saying it publicly.

But for some reason, after hearing that the man's name was Yu Baojia, Liu Jianjun avoided him as if he were a plague god.

He even tugged at Li Xian's sleeve and warned, "Stay away from this kid, he's got a dark aura!"

Li Xian chuckled to himself.

But he also listened to Liu Jianjun's every word.

Yu Baojia noticed that Li Xian and Liu Jianjun didn't want to talk to him, and seemed a little disappointed. Then he pulled over a minor official who was just like him and continued to discuss the matter of making a name for himself in history with great enthusiasm.

The banquet that followed went smoothly. Liu Jianjun and Li Xian huddled in a corner, drinking together. Occasionally, Liu Jianjun would offer Li Xian some food as a gesture of goodwill, which Li Xian took as a recommendation and accepted without hesitation.

The banquet ended hastily.

……

The carriage bumped slightly on its way back to the State Guest House in Shangshanfang. Inside the carriage, Li Xian rubbed his slightly throbbing forehead, feeling exhausted from the hypocritical socializing and alcohol at the banquet.

Liu Jianjun, on the other hand, acted like a seasoned drinker, frowning and pondering as he walked.

Li Xian asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Liu Jianjun finally relaxed his brows and sneered: "Wu Chengsi is a good-for-nothing. He has a loud voice but no real ability. He's not worth worrying about. Suo Yuanli and Zhou Xing are the typical vicious people. They reek of blood and are more worthy of our vigilance. But their power depends on your mother. Without your mother, they are nothing."

As for Wu Sansi…

Liu Jianjun curled his lips, "This guy's face is almost stiff from smiling so much today. Who knows what he's holding a grudge in his heart. Xia Guan Shangshu is in charge of military selection, maps, carriages, and armor. He has a lot of real power. We just need to be careful that he doesn't do anything underhanded in the future."

Li Xian was surprised that Liu Jianjun had managed to uncover so much information at the banquet.

After all, in his opinion, the group of people were just buzzing around and he couldn't understand what they were saying.

Liu Jianjun paused, then his tone became slightly more serious: "However, the biggest gain today is not who you met, but that you performed very well."

“A cowardly prince, a sycophant who favors treacherous officials, lacks ambition, and has a bit of a temper—this character is well-established. Your mother should feel more ‘reassured’ about you after receiving today’s report. At least we are safe for the time being.”

Li Xian nodded; this was precisely the purpose of their trip.

But then, Li Xian asked curiously, "Why did you say that Yu Baojia's forehead was dark?"

This was Li Xian's only impression of the banquet.

"That kid's father, Imperial Censor Yu Chengye, is the presiding judge in Pei Yan's rebellion case!"

Li Xian was taken aback: "What happened?"

Liu Jianjun paused, then asked, "Do you know why we need to help your mother quell the Yangzhou rebellion as soon as possible?"

Li Xian asked, puzzled, "Didn't you say before that they were attacking the foundation of the Tang Dynasty? The Empress Dowager may not care about the disaster that befalls the world, but we have to..."

Liu Jianjun interrupted, "That's only one reason. After arriving in Luoyang, I learned some new information: Xue Zhongzhang is Pei Yan's nephew, and he deserves half the credit for the Yangzhou rebellion!"

"He arrived in Yangzhou as an imperial censor and arrested the local officials on charges of treason. Only then was Li Jingye able to swagger into the city as the new governor of Yangzhou and release the prisoners in jail to start a rebellion."

"Therefore, although Pei Yan himself did not directly participate in the Yangzhou rebellion, he definitely harbored rebellious intentions!"

"And then?" Li Xian asked.

"Then, since Pei Yan is definitely plotting a rebellion, we can't let him succeed. It's perfectly legitimate for us to seize power from your mother, but if Pei Yan really succeeds, the difficulty of seizing power from him will increase tenfold or a hundredfold!"

"Then... what does this have to do with us avoiding Yu Baojia?" Li Xian was still puzzled.

This time, Liu Jianjun said meaningfully, "When the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away; when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked. Since your mother didn't find any concrete evidence of Pei Yan's rebellion, yet she still executed him, how will she quell public anger?"

This time, Li Xian understood.

The simplest method, of course, is to kill the person interrogating Pei Yan.

Liu Jianjun was right; Yu Baojia's face was indeed dark.

……

The carriage arrived at the State Guest House shortly afterward.

As soon as the two stepped out of the carriage, a eunuch quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Your Highness Prince Pei... a noble person from the palace has sent several newly tributed Ferghana horses and invites Your Highness Prince Pei and Chief Secretary Liu to come and see them in the courtyard."

Li Xian and Liu Jianjun exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding again.

At this time, any news coming from the palace made the two of them wary.

Liu Jianjun was the first to ask: "Someone from the palace? Who is it?"

Li Xian reacted instantly.

Why do people coming to the palace conceal their identities and act so mysteriously?
The eunuch looked troubled and replied, "Your Excellency forbade me to explain..."

"Noble?"

Li Xian frowned slightly, alarm bells ringing in his mind.

In this city of Luoyang, most of the so-called "noble people" are inextricably linked to the Empress Dowager. Having just attended the Feast at Hongmen, what new tricks are they up to now?

Liu Jianjun was even more direct. He stepped forward, almost touching the eunuch's face, and threatened in a low voice: "You won't let him explain? Do you expect His Highness Prince Pei to meet someone who doesn't even give his name, all in a daze?"
"If something goes wrong... are you going to take responsibility?"

As he spoke, he cracked his knuckles, making a slight clicking sound that was quite intimidating.

The eunuch turned pale with fright, cold sweat pouring down his face. He looked around before almost crying out in a low voice, "Your Highness, please forgive me! Chief Secretary Liu, please forgive me! It was...it was Princess Taiping who sent word. The princess specifically instructed me to give you a surprise, and therefore forbade us from saying anything more..."

"Peace?"

Li Xian was taken aback upon hearing this, and his tense nerves instantly relaxed.

Liu Jianjun's raised hand also awkwardly remained in place.

Then he immediately put on a grinning face, nudged Li Xian with his elbow, and whispered, "I thought that Wu Sansi was up to something again."

He then waved his hand at the eunuch, his tone much more relaxed: "Alright, alright, I know, you may leave. Since it is the princess's good intention, we should naturally go and see just how magnificent that Ferghana horse is!"

Then, she put her arm around Li Xian's shoulder and instructed him, "Let's make it a surprise later, so Taiping doesn't find out. If she finds out we already know she's here, she'll definitely make a scene."

Li Xian was instantly left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

The two pretended not to know anything and chatted casually as they walked to the garden behind the State Guest House, which was reserved for VIPs to enjoy and relax.

Just as I rounded a patch of meticulously manicured flowers, I heard several loud neighs of horses.

In the open space of the garden, several magnificent and tall Ferghana horses were being led by grooms, occasionally raising their heads and trotting their feet, appearing extremely distinguished.

Beside the horses, a young woman dressed in brightly colored riding and archery attire was standing with her back to them, enthusiastically stroking the mane of one of the white horses.

That figure was plump and graceful; who else could it be but Princess Taiping?
Before Li Xian could speak, Liu Jianjun exclaimed in exaggerated surprise, "Your Highness! Look! Isn't that... isn't that Taiping?! Am I seeing things?!"

……

(End of this chapter)