My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 148 Li Chengqian: Are you sure you want me to write a poem?

Yanfufang, Prince Qi's Palace.

After Li Tai left, Li You couldn't bear it any longer and took another nap.

Didn't wake up until the afternoon.

After waking up, I thought about what happened in the morning and felt very conflicted.

Do you really want to backstab Big Brother?

Li You recalled what Li Tai had said before and suddenly realized.

Now that the eldest brother’s power is so great, he is asking for military power and giving me more titles.

It is obvious that the fourth brother can no longer defeat the eldest brother.

Am I really just my elder brother's abandoned child?

But it seems that my brother has no reason to give up on me.

Even if it is just to set an example and show the brotherhood of the eldest brother, if he follows his father's example and launches the Xuanwu Gate Incident again.

Shouldn't I care more about family ties like my father does?

It was impossible for him to participate in the coup launched by the prince.

Li You wanted to find someone to talk things over, but the current situation was that all the people he could trust had been sent to prison.

In fact, the person he wanted to find most was his uncle Yin Hongzhi, but unfortunately he was imprisoned in the Dali Temple Prison and it was impossible for him to get in.

Now he is on his own.

Is my elder brother really plotting a rebellion?

Fourth brother said he was sure, but he didn’t tell me anything.

All in all, it's all speculation, without any evidence at all.

Fourth brother wanted to use me as a scout, let me slander eldest brother, and then conduct a thorough investigation and look for evidence of eldest brother's rebellion.

The question is, can you find it?

If I can't find it, then I will have to take the blame.

I have been accused of treason and slander, and my elder brother won't protect me. I hope my father will not sentence me to death.

Thinking of this, Li You shuddered.

Previously, at most I was exiled to Lingnan. Although it was a bit hard, at least I could still survive.

Now that Fourth Brother has treated me like this, I might die.

Better to die than live.

Who the hell wants to die?

Li Tai certainly doesn't understand what "the longer the night, the more dreams you have" means.

When Li You thought about it, he immediately felt that he could not go with his fourth brother, as that was a dead end.

I was saved by my eldest brother with great difficulty and was not sentenced to death by our father for treason. Now I want to seek death. Isn't that crazy?

Thinking of this, Li You had an idea in his mind.
-
East Palace.

As the sun sets, Li Chengqian also prepares to attend the Lantern Festival Poetry Festival.

Furong Garden is located in the southeast corner of the entire Chang'an City. There is still some distance from the East Palace to Furong Garden.

The Eastern Palace's motorcade will go together with the Harem's motorcade.

Because of the Lantern Festival, there are not many sections of the road that are strictly prohibited in order not to disturb others.

Starting from Yanxi Gate, go to Tonghua Gate on the east wall of Chang'an.

Then follow the city wall next to Tonghua Gate all the way south to Furong Garden.

This will bypass other neighborhoods and avoid overly affecting people's livelihood.

"Your Highness, there's news from Concubine Yang. She's already at Jiafu Gate," the eunuch Wen Zhong reported.

Although Concubine Yang had a noble status and was a princess of the previous dynasty, her status was not as high as that of Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

Now in the entire Tang Dynasty, Li Chengqian only has Li Shimin above him.

In the true sense, he is second to none.

Of course, the Queen should actually be counted.

However, since the death of Empress Changsun, Li Shimin never appointed another empress.

Li Chengqian called the Crown Princess Su Yuer and little Li Jue to set off.

As for the emperor's eldest grandson Li Xiang, he had already arrived there.

But he was not attending the Lantern Festival Poetry Festival. Instead, he followed Su Dingfang and guarded the outskirts of Furong Garden.

Among the Jinwu Guards, only a few people knew that Li Xiang was the eldest grandson of the emperor. To outsiders, he was Su Dingfang's distant cousin and disciple.

After getting on the carriage, the carriage drove to Jiafu Gate, met up with Concubine Yang's convoy, and then set off.

Along the way, Xiao Li Jue was very excited.

He rarely left the palace and lived in the East Palace on a daily basis.

Having seen the world outside the palace, he jumped up and down in the carriage and looked around.

Unfortunately, due to the martial law, apart from the hanging lanterns, there were only soldiers accompanying and enforcing martial law.

When the prince's carriage was driving here.

Over at Furong Garden, things were also starting to get lively.

The garden is decorated with lights everywhere, and colorful lanterns are dotted like stars on the branches, corridors and the lake.

The red lanterns swayed gracefully and the lotus-shaped lanterns bloomed in the pond, complementing their reflections in the water, creating a beautiful sight.

The lanterns carefully carved by the craftsmen have various shapes, including lifelike auspicious beasts, graceful fairies, and palaces and pavilions displaying the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, making people feel as if they are in a dreamy fairyland.

The maids and servants in charge of preparing for the poetry meeting were busy moving around the garden.

Some of them were arranging the venue, placing exquisite tables and chairs, and laying out gorgeous brocade cushions. Others were organizing the brushes, inkstones, and preparing the best rice paper and the finest ink blocks.

Green smoke rose from the incense burner, and a light fragrance filled the air.

The musicians were tuning their instruments, and melodious music could be heard from time to time. The crisp sound of the guzheng, the graceful sound of the pipa, and the melodious sound of the flute were intertwined together, as if playing the movement of the poetry meeting in advance.

The dancers were also rehearsing intensively. They were dressed in gorgeous costumes and their movements were as light as swallows.

Outside Hibiscus Garden.

Men of letters and scholars are already queuing up to enter.

All roads outside the gate have been strictly controlled by the left and right Jinwu Guards.

The people in charge of the security work this time were General Lu Tong of the Right Jinwu Guard and General Su Dingfang of the Left Jinwu Guard.

Because the crown prince participated, and both of them were members of the crown prince's party, a total of 5,000 Jinwu guards were mobilized this time.

All entrances and exits of Furong Garden will be strictly guarded by Jinwu Guards to verify the identities of guests.

There are mainly two groups of people who participate in the Lantern Festival Poetry Festival.

One group is the contestants, who will compose Lantern Festival poems on the spot.

The main sources are Hongwenguan, Chongwenguan, and the Literature Museum of the Prince of Wei's Palace.

Most of them were students from the Imperial College of the Tang Dynasty.

A small number of them were poets or officials with a reputation for poetry, with a total number of about 800 people.

The other part is the guests.

It is mainly composed of royal family members, court officials, literati, noble families, envoys from various countries, etc., with a scale of about a thousand people.

After all, the Lantern Festival poetry meeting hosted by the imperial concubines could be said to be the highest-level feast in the Tang Dynasty, and ordinary people didn't even have the chance to enter.

"You servant, why are your hands and feet so clumsy? Hurry up and put the tables and chairs in place."

"Idiot, don't you see the dragon carved on the chair? That's the prince's throne."

"Idiot, who can be more honorable than the prince at the Lantern Festival poetry gathering today? Why did you put the prince's throne aside?"

"You useless idiot! In the Tang Dynasty, the left is respected. How can you put Concubine Yang's seat on the Crown Prince's right hand?"

"Who arranged for someone like you to come here? You are a hopeless case. Are you trying to attract the attention of some prince by spending money?"

"She is pretty and has a nice figure, but the princes are so noble that they have seen all kinds of beauties. Put away your little thoughts."

Shan Yao was scolded terribly.

The person behind the scenes used his connections to arrange her to join the group of maids responsible for serving the crown prince and other royal relatives.

However, the people who were responsible for arranging affairs were the eunuchs from the palace.

The rules in the palace are the strictest, and everything must be taken seriously.

Shan Yao had been practicing martial arts since she was a child, so she had never done the work of a maid. After just a few moves, she was constantly criticized by the eunuchs, who immediately saw through her little thoughts.

There are too many people who want to become a phoenix by being noticed.

Shan Yao's teeth were almost broken, but she could only endure it.

A little impatience can ruin a great plan. He thought to himself that after assassinating the prince, if he had the chance, he would definitely kill the eunuch.

Outside Hibiscus Garden.

Luo Hui is queuing nervously.

Each of the people around him is a noble or aristocratic family.

Normally she wouldn't even look at him, but now she can only follow him.

Servants and servants will not be allowed to enter, but members of the royal family and ministers above the third rank do not need to queue here.

The occasion was not so grand in previous years. This time the crown prince was given a higher title and attended the Lantern Festival Poetry Festival in person, so many people who wanted to come were cramming in to attend.

The design and promotion of the curved plow has created a huge wave throughout Chang'an.

The streets and alleys are filled with praises of the prince's merits.

It can be predicted that this year's grain output in the Tang Dynasty will inevitably reach a new level due to the comprehensive promotion of the curved plow.

All farmers who have used the curved plow will sigh at the prince’s kindness.

This is absolutely politically correct. If anyone is stupid enough to become a black fan, he will be thrown directly into jail, unlike the moral condemnation in later generations.

Therefore, being able to participate in the Lantern Festival Poetry Festival is undoubtedly a symbol of status.

There are many more people who want to see a virtuous saint like the prince, and if they get closer, they can also be blessed.

What Luo Hui didn't notice was that behind him was the head of Goryeo's spies, Kim Yun-ho.

Listening to the discussion about the prince of the Tang Dynasty, Jin Yunhao seemed to be smiling, but in fact, there was a cold light in his eyes. He thought he had been overestimating the prince, but he didn't expect that he still underestimated him.

The reputation of the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty is really too great.

And the most important thing is that he was too unfriendly to Goryeo.

How could Kim Yun-ho allow this to happen if he wanted to build his own achievements on Goryeo's corpse?

Today, he has secretly sent the manufacturing process and function of the curved plow to Goryeo to his boss Yeon Gaesomun.

The people of Goryeo could also use curved plows.

It’s a pity that we may not be able to catch up in this year’s spring ploughing.

But even if Goryeo could use it, it was still far behind the size of the Tang Dynasty.

If the size of Goryeo increased from ten to twenty, then the size of Datang would double from one hundred to two hundred.

The gap here is that Goryeo can only be considered a fraction of the Tang Dynasty.

"Brother Chen, what are you in a daze about?"

The voice of the person next to him pulled Jin Yunhao out of his thoughts. Naturally, he was not called Jin Yunhao in the Tang Dynasty, but changed his name to Chen Hao.

"I was just thinking about today's grand occasion." Kim Yun-ho replied casually.

The friend sighed, "It's a pity that we are so poorly educated. It would be a great honor if we could write a good poem for the prince to judge."

Jin Yunhao nodded: "It's a pity indeed."

I was thinking to myself that I must kill the prince tonight.
-
When Li Chengqian and Concubine Yang arrived at Furong Garden.

Everything has been prepared here.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a purple robe and wearing a golden crown, sat in the center of the upper pavilion with an imposing manner.

Next to her is Concubine Yang, the Crown Princess.

All the princes are here.

"Your Highness, Crown Prince Nongze Shengrui, is here to pay his respects to you."

"No gift."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The process had naturally been arranged long ago, including the speech.

The prince is naturally the absolute protagonist of this Lantern Festival Poetry Festival.

Concubine Yang bowed slightly. Nominally she was the host, but since the Crown Prince had arrived, it was naturally not her turn to give the opening remarks.

This was also the reason why she invited the prince, in order to give him greater prestige.

Li Chengqian walked to the front of the stage and looked at the people below.

Among the envoys from various countries closest to the right, the one with the most eyes is undoubtedly the Roman princess.

At this moment, those blue eyes were staring at him closely.

On the left are the aristocratic families and court officials.

Important officials like Li Jing, Zhangsun Wuji, Chu Suiliang and Fang Xuanling would naturally not participate.

The top ones are the heads of each department.

Further back were various nobles, students of the Imperial Academy, or more famous men of letters and poets.

"Tonight is the Lantern Festival, the sky is full of brilliance, and all of you are gathered here to attend this Lantern Festival poetry gathering."

"The Lantern Festival is a time for all people to celebrate. The lanterns are bright, like stars falling to the ground, and the fireworks are gorgeous, like fairies scattering flowers. This grand scene is truly the glory of our Tang Dynasty."

"This poetry gathering is full of talented people, all of whom are well-educated. I hope you can express your aspirations through poetry and express your feelings through lyrics, so as to show the prosperity of the literary fortune of our Tang Dynasty."

"I will also appreciate the excellent works and discuss knowledge with you."

"I hope you will use your talent as a pen and your emotions as ink to write a beautiful chapter that will be passed down through the ages."

Everyone shouted: "Congratulations to the prince, congratulations to the Tang Dynasty!"

The competition process of the Lantern Festival Poetry Festival is relatively simple.

The first round is the audition. Anyone who has something in mind can go to the table in the middle and write his or her own poem.

This process will be completed in about half an hour.

Next, famous scholars and officials from all sides will review and select thirty of the better poems.

Then it will be handed over to the final jury, and the Crown Prince, Concubine Yang, and many other princes will review them and select the top ten poems of the night.

Finally, the ranking was decided by the Crown Prince and Concubine Yang.

The whole process takes about one hour, or about two hours.

There will also be performances, singing and dancing, etc.

A variety of Lantern Festival delicacies and drinks are also free to enjoy.

Shan Yao was in the audience, looking stunned.

This was completely different from what she had imagined.

"Little girl, you are dumbfounded. You still want to get close to the princes. You don't even know the rules."

The eunuch who had scolded Shan Yao before sneered and mocked her when he saw her look.

"You think you can get close to the princes by spending some money."

"If we go forward, it is possible, but this time the prince is here, there is no place for you lowly servants to get close to him."

"Not to mention the maids and servants, even the food and drinks were all brought from the East Palace."

Shan Yao's face was filled with despair.

The pavilion was surrounded by guards, and the people in charge of serving were all palace maids and eunuchs from the East Palace.

The maids and servants of Hibiscus Garden didn't even have the chance to get close.

The food enjoyed by the prince and others was also transported from the East Palace and guarded by special personnel.

No matter how good Shan Yao's martial arts were, how could she get past the hundreds of armored East Palace guards and assassinate the prince?

This guard is too strict.

On the pavilion, Li Chengqian was chatting with Concubine Yang and others.

After chatting for a while, he went to the tea table at the back and asked the eunuch Wen Zhong to call Luo Hui over.

Hearing the prince's call, Luo Hui climbed up the pavilion amid the envious looks of the people around him.

"Your Highness Crown Prince Nongze Shengrui is here to see you."

"No gift."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Chengqian gave him a cup of tea and briefly asked about Luo Hui's situation.

Luo Hui would be very nervous. After all, he was not even as good as the lowly merchants and was doing the most menial business.

Now in front of the prince, his teeth are chattering.

On the other side, Crown Princess Su Yuer gave instructions to the palace maid beside her.

"Let the Roman princess come up and speak."

Theodosius was delighted and somewhat disappointed.

Because the person who summoned her was not the Crown Prince, but the Crown Princess.

With the help of the Sogdian female translator, the Crown Princess also started chatting with Theodosius.

The princes were chatting and discussing the famous talents in Chang'an this year.

Prince Li Tai of Wei turned his gaze to the crown prince from time to time.

After the opening, Prince of Jin Li Zhi went to check on the guards in various places in Furong Garden. He also held the position of General of the Right Jinwu Guard.

In fact, there is no need to go. Maybe people feel that there will be conflicts at that time, so they avoid it on purpose.

In a corner somewhere in Furong Garden, Jin Yunhao was exchanging information with his men who had been lurking in for a long time.

"Shangguan, there are probably a thousand people guarding Hibiscus Garden, and the Crown Prince has hundreds of guards."

"We have five hundred people in total, including the people who sneaked in earlier and the three hundred people outside."

"All it takes is one order from our superiors, and we'll rush forward and hack that dog prince to death."

Jin Yunhao stared gloomily at the pavilion where the prince was, thinking about the best time to act. "Let's wait and see until the poetry meeting reaches a critical moment and everyone's attention is distracted. That will be the best time to act."

On the pavilion, the conversation between the prince and Luo Hui continued.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, with a hint of admiration in his eyes: "Although you are engaged in menial business, if you have a heart to serve your country, you can also contribute to the Tang Dynasty."

Luo Hui was flattered and immediately knelt down to express his gratitude: "I will serve the Tang Dynasty with my whole heart and soul, even if I die."

At this time, the song and dance performance was going on brilliantly. The graceful dance and melodious music intertwined together, making everyone intoxicated. However, under this surface peace, there was an undercurrent.

Shan Yao was extremely anxious in the audience. The difficulty of the assassination had increased dramatically, but she was unwilling to give up. She quietly observed the situation around her, trying to find a chance to take advantage of.

As time went by, the audition phase of the poetry contest was about to end. Literati from all sides submitted their works one after another, hoping to stand out. The jury also began to get busy, carefully selecting each poem.

At the poetry gathering, everyone was immersed in the appreciation of excellent poems.

Prince Wei Li Tai's eyes flickered, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, he stood up and walked towards Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

Li Tai bowed and said with a smile: "Brother, today's poetry gathering has brought together many talented people and produced many excellent works. Everyone hopes to see the literary talent of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I wonder if you can write a poem to add brilliance to today's poetry gathering?"

In Li Tai's opinion, the prince might have some literary talent, but he was naturally inferior to the many talented people in Chang'an City.

And the prince's poems, even if they were not very well written, would be ranked first.

By then the news will spread throughout Chang'an, and everyone will be concerned and will naturally gossip that the prince is unfair and uses his power to oppress others.

Li Chengqian raised his eyes slightly, a barely perceptible expression flashed across his eyes, and then he smiled calmly and said, "Fourth brother, you are too kind. My literary talent is no match for the talented people present here."

As soon as these words were spoken, the many princes on the pavilion stopped talking and watched the fight between the King of Wei and the Crown Prince.

Li Tai said: "Brother, you are too modest. Even our father has praised your talent. Today, I will surely let everyone enjoy the feast for their ears."

Li Tai was determined to put the prince on the fire.

The prince is too famous now. If he continues like this, it will inevitably affect the entire Wei Wang Party.

Li Tai is still very confident in poetry.

Of course, he was not confident in himself, but in his own Wei Wang party.

No matter how powerful the prince is, he can't write a masterpiece that will be passed down through the ages and surpass all the talented people in Chang'an.

(End of this chapter)