Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5066: The Supreme Being
Fang Jun stood where he was, watching several maids quickly walk up to Princess Jinyang and escort her away. Her back was slender and her waist was swaying. It seemed that he had just realized that the young girl from the past had grown up, and she inadvertently revealed the charm of a woman.

With a light sigh, he quickly walked into the palace and returned home.

*****
Inside the side hall of Shujing Palace, the cool evening breeze blew through the branches of the flowers and trees and softly into the carved windows. On the mat in front of the window was a table with a pot of iced rice wine, a few fruit plates, and a few dishes of cakes. Changle and Gaoyang knelt opposite each other, coaxing Lu'er to sleep. The two sisters were in a good mood and sat by the window again, sipping their drinks slowly and talking in low voices.

Soon, Princess Jinyang walked in from outside, went straight to the table and knelt down, picked up the pot and poured herself a cup of rice wine, put it to her lips and drank it all, then let out a sigh of satisfaction.

Changle frowned: "Why are you learning to drink at such a young age?"

Princess Gaoyang disagreed: "If you get married, you can have children, and you are not young anymore."

Changle glanced at Gao Yang and said unhappily, "The one in your family dotes on her. She has always been always willing to grant whatever she asks for. Are you trying to do the same with her? Be careful not to spoil her!"

"Sister, what you said is slandering Erlang. At least this girl cried and begged to marry him, but he refused."

"Oh, he doesn't want to? He just doesn't dare!"

Princess Changle was disdainful.

Princess Jinyang was dissatisfied and said with a stern face: "Am I the one I should be on guard against now?"

Princess Gaoyang curled her lips and said, "I'm not on guard against anyone. As long as he likes me, it doesn't matter. Even if I give birth to a son outside, I can just take him home to raise him!"

Princess Changle's pretty face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth and scolded, "I don't know where you learned this skill of making indirect accusations."

Princess Jinyang covered her lips and smiled: "Are we going to have an internal conflict? We should unite and face the outside world together!"

"Oh," Princess Gaoyang sipped the rice wine and sneered, "You are the one I should be most wary of. Other women are just passing clouds. They are just for fun. You can just look at them, taste them, and never get involved. But you are different. The affection we have had for you over the years is not fake. If you are really determined to marry me and keep pestering me, I'm afraid that guy will not be able to reject you outright."

"Oh, sister, why are your words so harsh? I am so attached to you, and I can't do anything about it."

Princess Jinyang blushed and acted coquettishly. She moved towards Princess Gaoyang and took the initiative to pour wine.

The three sisters laughed for a while, and Princess Gaoyang became worried again. She whispered, "Do you think... Is the Queen really so shameless that she would do such a thing as committing herself to a minister?"

Whether she is a princess or a queen consort, it doesn't really matter under the open atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty. But the queen is different after all. Once she is contaminated, she will inevitably break with Your Majesty.

Is it necessary for the whole family to rebel just to have a taste of the queen's beauty?

Princess Changle shook her head and said, "The Queen is not a frivolous person. Even if there is such a day, the situation will be so bad that she has to use such means to win over Erlang."

Princess Jinyang was worried: "Will there really be such a day?"

The so-called "the situation has deteriorated beyond repair" can only happen in one situation, that is, His Majesty dies and the prince seizes the throne...

The brother and sister have a very close relationship, how could they bear to see such a situation?
Princess Changle sighed softly, "The imperial power is supreme in the world, and everyone covets it. As long as there is a slight opportunity, they will burn their boats and go all out. Fathers and sons can become enemies, and brothers can turn against each other. Nothing is impossible."

Gaoyang and Jinyang remained silent.

Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the succession to the throne has been accompanied by betrayal and killing, and the feelings are deep.

*****
The palace lanterns under the eaves emit a soft light, outlining the contours of the palaces. The upturned eaves and brackets are like birds flapping their wings, about to take off, flying from the light to the dark night sky.

In the imperial study, the slightly tipsy Li Chengqian drank some sobering soup and asked the eunuch to make a pot of strong tea, which cheered him up a little.

Just facing the mountain of documents on the desk, he sighed and felt a little exhausted...

The eunuch chief Wang De walked in quietly, bowed beside the imperial desk, and reported a few words in a low voice.

Li Chengqian put down his brush, rubbed his sore wrist, and frowned slightly: "The Queen summoned Fang Jun in the side hall?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what they talked about?"

"This slave doesn't know."

Li Chengqian's face darkened. "You mean, the two of them were talking in the side hall, and there were no servants or maids around?"

Wang De lowered his head and said carefully: "That's right. The queen sent the accompanying maids away in advance and had a secret conversation with the general in the palace. No one heard the content of the conversation."

Although it was in the Taiji Palace, the Queen, who was the mistress of the six palaces and the mother of the country, met privately with the young ministers who came to the palace for a banquet at night, and avoided the maids, which was indeed against etiquette.

If it was a tyrannical king, he might even kill a lot of people...

Li Chengqian didn't think about it, but he clearly felt a huge pressure.

Of course he knew why the Queen wanted to meet with Fang Jun in private despite etiquette and slander. As the Prince's most staunch supporter and his teacher, when the Queen felt that the Prince's position was unstable, she naturally wanted to see Fang Jun first.

Li Chengqian had a headache and finally felt the anger that Emperor Taizong had felt when he wanted to depose him as the crown prince but was repeatedly blocked by Fang Jun.

But the problem is that he has no intention of changing storage!

Although she was dissatisfied with the prince's character and talents, Shen Jieyu was not sure whether she was pregnant with a boy or a girl. How could she have the idea of ​​changing the crown prince at this time?

Of course, taking a step back, even if he really wanted to change the crown prince, it would not be possible to implement it smoothly as long as Fang Jun supported the Eastern Palace with all his strength.

At that time, Fang Jun was still a young and inexperienced person, yet he was able to speak out and make suggestions in front of Emperor Taizong, win over the military to oppose the emperor's will, and force Emperor Taizong to be cautious and take long-term measures. How much more so now that he is so powerful and influential?

After thinking for a long time, he slowly said: "Move Concubine Shen to Daji Palace. You personally arrange for people to serve her. She must be strictly guarded and not the slightest mistake is allowed!"

"This……"

Wang De's heart trembled. He certainly understood what His Majesty's move meant.

Daji Hall is just separated by a wall to the west of Wude Hall. Moving Concubine Shen to live here is not only a display of favor, but also a precaution in advance.

As for which one to guard against...it goes without saying.

But if this happens, how will the queen feel?
As the mistress of the six palaces, Your Majesty actually took strict precautions against her when her concubine was pregnant. Doesn't this declare to the world that the Queen is unvirtuous, bad, jealous and vicious?
Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows: "Hmm?"

Wang De was trembling with fear, but still reminded: "Your Majesty, this move... may not be appropriate. Please think twice."

"Ah!"

Li Chengqian laughed in anger: "Even you doubt my words?"

"It's not that I dare to question Your Majesty, but this action will bring criticism to the Queen. The Queen is the master of the six palaces. Once her prestige is violated, the harem will be unstable and the royal family will be in turmoil."

In a sense, the queen's majesty is as inviolable as that of the emperor, otherwise it will inevitably lead to great turmoil.

What's more, the queen is gentle, virtuous and kind. We can't undermine her dignity just because of the slightest suspicion, right?

Really innocent.

Li Chengqian snorted coldly, took a sip of tea, and said slowly: "I know what I am doing, and I have thought of a countermeasure. You don't need to say more, just go and handle it tomorrow morning."

Wang De hesitated for a moment, not daring to say more, and could only accept the order: "Yes."

"Back off first."

"Then I will bring people to clean up the Daji Palace tonight, and Concubine Shen can move in tomorrow."

"Ah."

Li Chengqian responded, thought for a moment, and stopped Wang De who was about to leave, and asked, "I want to upgrade Concubine Shen's rank. What do you think?"

Wang De lowered his head and eyes, not daring to express his opinion on this issue: "Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, and you can make the final decision. I dare not interfere."

How could it be his turn as a eunuch to interrupt in such a matter?

If he said no, this move would push the Queen to the forefront and further intensify the conflict, and Concubine Shen would probably bear a grudge against him; if he said yes, when he was opposed by the Queen and the court officials in the future, His Majesty, who was unwilling to take responsibility, would probably push him out to avoid disaster, and he would die without a burial place with just one sentence, "This is what the old slave said...

Li Chengqian remained silent, clearly sensing Wang De's resistance.

After thinking for a moment, he waved his hand and said, "Okay, let's get to work."

Wang De did not leave immediately, but hesitated and asked carefully: "Should we inform the Queen?"

Not only did Concubine Shen change her residence, but she also received a promotion in rank. Logically, the Empress should have been informed and even consulted. After all, the Master of the Six Palaces was not just an honorary title. In theory, the Emperor governed the front dynasty and the Empress managed the harem. The Emperor and Empress were like the sun and the moon, and they controlled the inside and outside of the palace.

Li Chengqian was unhappy and a little irritated: "Shen Jieyu is pregnant with the dragon seed, so it is reasonable for me to take care of her. Why do I need to consult the queen's opinion? I can't let the mother of my prince be just a third-rank Jieyu, right? Just go and do your job, don't worry about the rest, I will take care of it."

"Here."

Wang De lowered his head and responded, then took three steps back before turning around and leaving quietly.

Li Chengqian took a sip of the strong tea and found that it had become lukewarm and very uncomfortable to drink. He then put the teacup aside, called the eunuch outside the door in to make a new pot of tea, and sat in front of the imperial desk to review memorials.

He just stared at the memorial, his mind still uneasy, so he simply threw down the brush, stood up and walked to the window, standing with his hands behind his back.

Outside the window, the halo of the palace lanterns split the near and far into two worlds of light and dark. The eaves and corners of the roof are layered, and the roof ridge is hidden in the dark night, leaving only vague outlines, like a huge stone pressing on the heart.

He is the supreme being in the world, but when he is in this densely packed palace, he can only feel endless pressure from all directions.

The pressure was so great that he couldn't breathe.