Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 247 She Won’t Let Us Go
The crescent moon was still hanging in the sky, the night was deepening, and the sky was getting darker and darker.

In the former Changqiutai secret office, only the sound of "pa pa pa" could be heard continuously.

This is not the sound of candlelight, but the sound of chopsticks hitting the porcelain plate.

Eight sumptuous and exquisite dishes were placed on the table: roasted lamb tongue, grilled bear paw, steamed lamb head, chicken with scallion and vinegar, brocade-crusted turtle, fish stuffed with milk, steamed bacon in portions, and rabbit meat soup.

They were all meat dishes, and Zhang Duohai was the only one eating. Chopsticks were flying, and the food in the eight plates was slowly decreasing.

Every time Zhang Da Hai goes out of the palace to do business, she will take the opportunity to satisfy her stomach.

On weekdays he usually only eats four dishes, and only eats more when he is particularly angry.

He is very angry now and can only vent through food.

After eating for more than an hour, his round belly could no longer hold any more, so he had to stop and lean back in the chair.

As soon as he stopped eating, a group of people came to serve him.

One woman massaged his shoulders, one wiped his mouth, and two others massaged his legs.

Zhang Quan came over with tea.

Zhang Da Hai took a sip, rinsed his mouth, spit it back into the teacup, then took another cup of tea, took a sip slowly, and then let out a long breath.

Zhang Quan saw that his mood had improved a little, so he asked, "Foster father, what happened to make you so angry?"

Zhang Duohai waved his hand, and everyone except Zhang Quan left.

"Aquan, do you know Li Junxian?"

Zhang Quan laughed and said, "Two years ago, there was a lot of commotion about the late emperor's decree. How could I not know about it?"

Zhang Duohai snorted and said, "Li Junxian's son has come to Chang'an and wants to file a complaint with the emperor."

Zhang Quan was shocked. He was always smart and of course understood that Her Majesty the Queen did not want anyone to mention the rumor of "the female protagonist is King Wu" again.

If Li Junxian's case were brought up again, the Queen would definitely be unhappy.

"Then go and persuade him to leave Chang'an."

Zhang Dahai snorted coldly: "If he is willing to listen to my advice, I won't have to work so hard."

A cold light flashed in Zhang Quan's eyes.

"Then let him disappear. I'll do it. No one will know."

Zhang Dahai glanced at him and said unhappily, "Your Highness is now the Queen, the mother of the country. Stop thinking of using the same old tricks. Use your brain!"

Zhang Quan didn't realize he was being taken out on. He really started thinking, and after a while, he said, "Foster father, why don't we leave this matter to Zhangsun Wuji?"

"Changsun Wuji?" Zhang Duohai was stunned.

Zhang Quan smiled and said, "Exactly. Think about it, Changsun Wuji was originally imprisoned in Zhaoling Mausoleum because of the late emperor's will, which angered Your Majesty. He probably doesn't want this matter to be brought up again."

Zhang Da Hai touched his round chin and said, "It seems to make sense."

"Besides, if anything goes wrong, it will be his fault. If Your Majesty imprisoned him back in Zhaoling, Her Majesty would surely be satisfied."

After listening to this, Zhang Dahai smiled and said, "Not bad, you are smart. Let's do it this way!"

On the third day of the first lunar month, it was the day for hunting in the Forbidden Garden. In the morning, the emperor selected the participating generals from the Tang Dynasty in Feilongyuan.

Changsun Quan was actually also skilled in riding and shooting. If it weren't for the corvée labor, he would definitely have run for election.

However, since he had important matters to attend to, he spent the entire morning in his study pondering the idea proposed by Changsun Wuji, so that he could raise the matter with the emperor in the afternoon.

Just as Changsun Quan was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door.

"Didn't I tell you not to disturb me?" he said dissatisfiedly.

"Husband, it's me."

Changsun Quan walked over quickly and opened the door. He saw Princess Xincheng waiting outside in a tight hunting suit. She had light makeup on her face, looking heroic.

Chang Sunquan smiled and said, "Princess, are you getting ready to go out?"

Princess Xincheng smiled and said, "Yes, I'm going hunting in Leyouyuan with my sister and several ladies from Chang'an."

Leyouyuan is a plain southeast of Chang'an. It has high terrain, lush water and grass, and has always been a favorite place for princes and nobles to enjoy spring.

Changsun Quan asked curiously, "Hunting?"

Princess Xincheng snorted, "My brother goes hunting in the forbidden garden every year, but he won't let us women go. So we'll go hunting on our own."

Chang Sunquan smiled dumbly and said, "This is organized by you again, right?"

Princess Xincheng smiled and said, "My sister agrees too. Lu Zhaolin is going too. Prince Consort, will you come with me?"

Chang Sunquan smiled bitterly and said, "You know, I have to prepare for the court meeting tomorrow, so I'm afraid I can't accompany you."

Princess Xincheng pouted and said, "Okay, then you go ahead and do your thing. I'll go by myself." Then she turned and left.

Changsun Quan watched his wife gradually walk away and was about to close the door when a guard suddenly came running over and said, "Prince Consort, someone from the Changsun Mansion is here. Please come over."

Changsun Quan originally planned to visit Changsun Wuji again before entering the palace, so he immediately went to the stable to get a horse and headed towards Changsun Mansion.

When they arrived at Changsun Mansion, as the servants entered the study, Changsun Wuji was already waiting in the room.

Changsun Wuji waved his hand to let the servants withdraw, his expression solemn as he said, "Silang, how are the preparations going?"

Chang Sunquan said, "I have thought of the words, but I am not sure whether I can convince Your Majesty."

Changsun Wuji waved his hand and said, "Just do your best and don't overthink it. I asked you to come here because I want to ask you to do something else."

"What's the matter?" Changsun Wuji asked him to sit down, and then he took a seat behind the desk. He said in a deep voice, "Li Junxian's son, Li Yiyuan, has arrived in Chang'an. During the court meeting tomorrow, he may beat the drum to file a complaint with the emperor."

Chang Sunquan was slightly startled and said, "Won't that bring up that prophecy again?"

Changsun Wuji was dismissed from office and demoted because of this incident. If this matter becomes a big deal, it will definitely not benefit the Changsun family.

Zhang Sun Wuji said slowly, "When you enter the palace later, tell His Majesty about this."

Zhang Sunquan warned, "Brother, if Your Majesty overturns Li Junxian's case, I'm afraid someone will use this as an excuse to harm you!"

Zhangsun Wuji leaned back in his chair and said leisurely, "Do you know what I've been doing in Zhaoling for more than a year, besides writing books?"

Changsun Quan shook his head.

Changsun Wuji said, "I was wondering why I lost to that person in the palace."

Changsun Quan was startled and did not respond.

Zhang Sun Wuji said slowly, "I have carefully analyzed everything she has done since becoming queen, and I discovered that she likes to use a trick."

"what?"

"She likes to deliberately use bait to lure me into making mistakes, while she sits in the center, keeping a close eye on me, using her calm to counter the dynamic. This way, she's invincible, so naturally, I can't defeat her."

Zhang Sunquan advised: "Brother, things have come to this point, let the past be in the past."

Changsun Wuji sighed, "I don't want to fight her anymore, but unfortunately, she doesn't seem to be willing to let me go."

Chang Sunquan's face changed color and he asked, "You mean?"

Changsun Wuji said in a deep voice, "Not many people know about Li Yiyuan's affairs, but I, a servant, heard about it when I went out to buy something. Don't you think it's a coincidence?"

After hearing this, Changsun Quan also understood.

Empress Wu used the same trick again and used the matter of Li Yiyuan to lure Zhangsun Wuji into making a mistake.

"Then let's just ignore it."

Zhang Sun Wuji shook his head and said, "Even if we ignore it, Li Yiyuan will file a complaint with the emperor at court. In that case, why not let us speak out?"

If Changsun Quan said it, it would be as if telling the emperor that the Changsun family had repented for what they had done and would leave it to the emperor to decide.

Perhaps the emperor will take this into consideration and no longer pursue the past.

Besides, his two brothers are serving the emperor, so the emperor will pay more attention to them.

"I understand. I will tell Your Majesty about this when we go hunting later." Changsun Quan said in a deep voice.

Just after noon, Changsun Quan went to the imperial palace and came to the Forbidden Garden through the long corridor between the Yeting Palace and the Taiji Palace.

Many officials and foreign envoys have arrived at the camp outside the forest.

Because of the war with Tubo, there were far fewer foreign envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty this time than last year.

Almost none of the Six Zhao States and Western Qiang tribes sent anyone.

However, the people from the Western Regions came in an orderly manner. The Western Region countries that were vassal states of the Tang Dynasty arrived in Chang'an in November.

Under the threat of the Arabs, the Tang Dynasty's protection of them was more important than ever, and no one dared to neglect it in the slightest.

Although Changsun Quan held a low official position, he was still the son-in-law of the emperor, so he sat on the second-level viewing platform.

Among the people from the Tang Dynasty who participated in the hunting this time, except Gao Kan, all were new faces.

They are: General of the Left Guard Liu Renyuan, General of the Right Guard Pang Tongshan, Minister of War Xiao Siye, and Commandant of the Fruitful and Resolute Army Dugu Yuanli.

Changsun Quan was not interested in hunting, but only in his own affairs.

Two hours later, the Tang Dynasty won, but the advantage was not as big as before. The first place was Gao Kan.

It was almost sunset, and Li Zhi ordered a fire to be lit in front of the camp and a fire banquet to be held.

Because the King of Yue and the King of Ji were always with Li Zhi, it was difficult for Changsun Quan to go over. After a long while, the two finally left.

Changsun Quan walked quickly over to Li Zhi and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

Li Zhi patted the mat beside him and said with a smile, "Sit down and talk."

Changsun Quan thanked him, sat down next to Li Zhi, and said, "Your Majesty, I have an idea about corvee labor. Please read it." He handed over a memorial.

Li Zhi picked it up and read it carefully. The firelight reflected on his face, flickering, which made Changsun Quan's heart tighten.

After a long while, Li Zhi finally put down the memorial and turned his head to look at Changsun Quan.

"Someone suggested this to you, right?"

Chang Sunquan bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty has a keen eye."

Li Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "This is indeed safer. I have no objection."

Chang Sunquan was secretly delighted and said, "Your Majesty, I have another matter to report."

"Go ahead."

Changsun Quan then told the story of Li Yiyuan.

After listening to this, Li Zhi was slightly surprised. He frowned and thought for a while, then waved his hand and said, "Okay, I understand."

Changsun Quan said no more and bowed as he left.

(End of this chapter)