Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 306 The Kingdom Doesn’t Belong to Him Alone

After King Huainan was sentenced to death, many princes of the uncle generation, led by King Zheng, submitted memorials to plead for King Huainan.

Li Zhi ignored them all and rejected them all.

At the end of December, Prince Zheng claimed to be ill at home and did not attend several royal family banquets.

That evening, there was another royal family banquet, but Prince Zheng ignored it and sat alone in the warm room in the back garden, drinking to drown his sorrows.

Luo served carefully on the side.

A family member suddenly came to report that King Han Li Yuanjia wanted to see him.

King Zheng waved his hand and said, "No."

Just as the servant was about to leave, King Zheng called out to him again, saying, "Who do you say wants to see you?"

"Replying to Alang, it's the King of Han!"

King Zheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Bring him in."

Luo stood up and was about to leave.

But King Zheng grabbed her hand and said, "Don't go. I don't want to see him alone."

Mrs. Luo was slightly surprised, smiled at him, and sat back down.

After a while, King Han came in led by his servant, holding a pot of wine in his hand.

King Zheng looked at him and said, "Eleventh brother, are you here to laugh at me?"

King Han glanced at Luo and said solemnly, "Tenth brother, we are in the court now. We share the same suffering. Why are you saying such venomous words?"

King Zheng snorted and said, "Then what are you doing here?"

King Han raised his hand and said, "I know you are unhappy. Come over and have a drink with you."

King Zheng glanced at him and said, "No wonder others call you the Wise King."

King Han smiled bitterly and said, "Brother, please don't ridicule me." He sat down next to King Zheng and nodded to Luo.

Luo was about to take the wine and pour it for the two of them, but King Han picked up the bottle first and poured a glass of wine for King Zheng.

King Zheng said nothing, picked up the wine glass and drank the wine.

The King of Han poured another cup of wine and sighed, "I have heard about Mao'er's affairs. He was indeed wrong, but his crime was not punishable by death. It is a pity."

King Zheng drank the wine in the cup again and still said nothing.

King Han continued to pour wine and said, "Brother, please do not be too sad. The court is in turmoil, and we brothers need to work together to overcome the difficulties."

King Zheng finished his third cup of wine and said, "Okay, you've finished your drink. You can go now."

The King of Han was stunned for a moment, then he looked directly at the King of Zheng and said, "Brother, why do you have to keep people at a distance?"

Prince Zheng said slowly, "Eleventh brother, although you and I are not brothers from the same mother, don't I know what you are thinking?"

The King of Han was silent for a moment, then said, "Since you know, could you please have a few words with me in private?"

King Zheng raised his hand and said, "No need. I'm not interested in anything right now. Please do as you please."

King Han sighed and said, "I dare not disturb you anymore. If you want to have a drink with someone, you can come to me anytime." Then he stood up and left.

King Zheng waved his hand, signaling everyone in the room to leave, leaving only Luo.

"Guanzhao, do you know why the King of Han came?" asked the King of Zheng.

Luo shook his head.

King Zheng said slowly: "He is the one with real ambition."

Luo's face paled slightly as she asked, "Since you know, why don't you tell His Majesty?"

Prince Zheng shook his head and said, "Imperial affairs are not as simple as you think. Although he has ambitions and is open with me, His Majesty is suspicious of me. If I report him now, I will be cut off from the court."

Luo said softly, "Although Chang'an City is prosperous, it hides various crises. Ah Lang, I want to return to Zhengzhou."

Prince Zheng glanced at her and said, "I'd love to return to Zhengzhou and live a leisurely life as a vassal king. But unfortunately, Chang'an is currently embroiled in a crisis. As a member of the royal family, how can I stay out of it?"

Luo said quietly, "Your Majesty is so heartless, why are you still worried about him?"

Prince Zheng shook his head and said, "I am not doing this for him alone. The Tang Dynasty does not belong to him alone. I simply do not want the legacy passed down by our ancestors to be destroyed in our hands."

Luo looked at him and said, "So what are you going to do next?"

King Zheng shook his head, picked up the wine glass and continued drinking.

Although he wanted to help the emperor stabilize his rule, the emperor did not trust him, nor did he remember their friendship, and was merciless to his son.

This cooled down his passion.

At this time, a servant came in again and said, "Alang, the King of Yue wants to see you!"

King Zheng said coldly: "No!"

Luo suddenly grasped his hand that was holding the wine glass and said, "Ah Lang, since you are so hesitant, why don't you meet him? Perhaps he can help you make a decision."

King Zheng and Luo looked at each other for a moment, took a deep breath, and said, "Let King Yue come in."

Like King Han, Li Zhen did not come empty-handed. What he held in his hand was not a wine bottle, but a small notebook.

King Zheng looked up at him without saying a word.

Li Zhen sat down, put the booklet on the table, drank by himself, and didn't say a word. He seemed very comfortable.

King Zheng did not scold him. He picked up the booklet, looked at it for a while, and then his forehead veins popped out and he slammed the booklet on the table.

"I don't believe it!" he said angrily.

Li Zhen said calmly, "This is Li Mao's confession. If you don't believe it, go to the Dali Temple and ask. Why would I lie to you?"

Luo picked up the booklet curiously, and after reading it, his face turned pale.

It turned out that there were many crimes recorded on it, all of which were committed by Li Mao. The number of evil deeds recorded on it was simply outrageous.

Li Zhen said slowly, "He's only eighteen, and he's already done so many evil things. If we keep this evil thing around, who knows how many people he'll harm in the future. If Uncle Ten continues to protect him, what's the difference between that and committing evil?"

King Zheng was stunned and speechless.

Perhaps as Li Zhen said, if it were not for the protection of him, the King of Zheng, Li Mao would not have been able to do so many evil things.

Is it really because I am not a good parent?
Li Zhen stood up and said, "That's all I have to say. Uncle Shi, take care of yourself." Then he stood up and strode away.

However, after Li Zhen left Prince Zheng's Mansion, he went straight back to Prince Yue's Mansion.

After the afternoon, Li Chong returned home from school at Chongwenguan, and Li Zhen sent someone to call him to the study.

Li Chong saw his father looking at him solemnly, and lowered his head a little uncomfortably.

Li Zhen's face was gloomy. He asked, "When Li Mao left Chongwenguan, did you humiliate him?"

Li Chong hurriedly said, "It's not a humiliation, it's just that he bullied us before, so we gave him a little punishment!"

Li Zhen snorted coldly, "Punishment? Then let me ask you, when you humiliated Li Mao, was it the Crown Prince's idea, or your own?" Li Chong lowered his head and said, "The Crown Prince was still young at the time and didn't know about it. I only told him about it afterward."

Li Zhen slammed the table and shouted, "Kneel down!"

Li Chong was shocked and quickly knelt on the ground.

Li Zhen stared at him and said, "Do you know what evil consequences your behavior has brought?"

Li Chong shook his head.

Li Zhen said coldly, "Have you heard about Li Mao's situation?"

Li Chong nodded.

"say!"

Li Chong muttered, "I know."

Li Zhen said, "Have you ever considered that it's very likely you were the one who caused him to end up like this?"

Li Chong's face turned pale and he said, "Father, I just peed on him. How can you blame me for everything?"

Li Zhen said, "I also saw Li Mao when he was little. He wasn't a particularly bad person, but when he arrived in the countryside, he started bullying men and women, killing people and setting fires, without missing a single thing. Why is that?"

Li Chong shook his head palely, then quickly said, "I don't know."

Li Zhen glared at him and said, "Because he's scared, his temperament has changed drastically!"

Li Chong was stunned and asked, "Afraid?"

Li Zhen said in a deep voice, "He's offended the Crown Prince before, how could he not be afraid? And when he left Chongwenguan, you brought people to retaliate against him. He thought it was the Crown Prince's intention, which made him feel that the Crown Prince would not let him go. So, subconsciously, he is full of fear for the future, which is why he has become more and more reckless!"

Cold sweat began to appear on Li Chong's forehead.

Li Zhen said, "Now you understand, don't you? Just because you acted under the guise of the Crown Prince and forced a prince from the royal family to this point, don't you have any guilt?"

Li Chong said anxiously, "Father, I didn't use the prince's name!"

Li Zhen said sternly, "As the Crown Prince's tutor, and one deeply trusted by him, others will assume that your every move is directed by the Crown Prince. Don't you understand this?"

Li Chong sat down on his legs, looked sad, and said, "I know I was wrong."

Li Zhen snorted, "Your Majesty has been magnanimous in not pursuing you. You should prepare yourself and leave the capital for your new post."

Li Chong said anxiously, "Father, I won't be sixteen until next May. Can you let me stay with the prince for another year?"

Li Zhen shook her head and said, "Even though His Majesty will not pursue this matter, we must know our place! Even the Queen has been punished for this matter. Do you still think you can get away with it?"

Li Chong cried, "My child doesn't want to be a barbarian yet!"

Li Zhen's anger, which had just subsided, flared up again. He sternly said, "You don't want to surrender? This is a rule passed down by the late emperor. Everything is done to maintain the stability of the country. How can a brat like you disobey it?"

Li Chong wept silently.

Li Zhen's face darkened as he said, "I will ask His Majesty to grant you the same title of Prince as Li Mao. When you get to your place, behave yourself and serve the people. If you dare to imitate Li Mao, don't blame me for not caring about our father-son relationship!"

Li Chong cried, "I understand."

Li Zhen waved her hand and said, "Go away and stop crying. Later in the evening, come with me to the palace to attend the royal family banquet."

Around the hour of You, Li Zhen brought her son into the palace and came to Chengqing Hall to attend the banquet.

He arrived quite late, but when he looked around, he could not see Zheng Wang Li Yuanli. It was obvious that his persuasion had no effect.

Li Zhen sighed and walked to a chair and sat down, while Li Chong and the younger generation including Li Ji sat on the south side.

Li Zhen had just sat down for a while when Prince Ji Li Shen sat down next to him.

Prince Ji was a clean person by nature. Before sitting down, he wiped the chair three times with a silk handkerchief. After sitting down, he asked Li Zhen about Prince Zheng.

The other princes did not know as much as Li Zhen, and when they heard Li Shen's question, they all pricked up their ears.

Li Zhen wanted to save some face for King Zheng, so he said, "Come to my house later, and I will tell you in detail."

Prince Ji did not ask any further questions.

At this moment, a fat man suddenly walked in from outside. He had a fair complexion but slightly dark eye sockets, as if he had suffered from long-term insomnia.

When Li Zhen saw the man, he stood up and said with a smile, "Seventh Brother, why are you returning to Chang'an so late this year?"

The fat prince was named Li Yun, the seventh son of Emperor Taizong of Tang. He was granted the title of King of Jiang and had always had a good relationship with Li Zhen and Li Shen.

He forced a smile and said, "I encountered something on the way and took a long detour."

He walked a few steps closer, patted Li Zhen's belly with the back of his hand, and grinned, "Old Eight, I heard that you managed to get the King of Zheng's son. How did you do it? Tell me."

Li Zhen smiled bitterly and said, "Seventh brother, don't believe the rumors. I was also slightly involved in this matter. It's complicated. After the banquet, you and Shi Lang will come to my house together and I will explain it to you in detail."

Li Yun smiled and said, "That's great, it's a good opportunity for the three of us to have another drink together."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye and suddenly looked towards the northeast corner, where he saw a man sitting and reading a book.

He attended the banquet with a book in his hand. Among all the princes, only Prince Deng Li Yuanyu would do such a thing.

Li Zhen saw Li Yun looking at King Deng with a bad face and asked him, "Seventh Brother, do you have any grudge against King Deng?"

Li Yun smiled and said, "It's nothing serious. I just think that our group of uncles like to put on airs. What kind of occasion is this? They're actually reading a book!"

His voice was loud and everyone present heard it, which immediately attracted many people's attention.

King Deng pretended not to hear, King Han glanced at Li Yun, King Lu Li Lingkui glared at them, and King Guo Li Feng sneered.

Although Li Zhen, Li Shen and other younger princes are more powerful at present, they usually give some face to their elders.

It is rare for Li Yun to ridicule someone in person so mercilessly.

Li Zhen hurriedly pulled Li Yun and whispered a reminder: "Seventh brother, they are the elders after all."

Li Yun smiled and said, "Okay, I was just saying it casually." He stopped discussing the topic and started chatting with Li Zhen and Li Shen.

A quarter of an hour later, Li Zhi finally arrived, and all the royal family members except Prince Zheng also came.

In the past few years, Li Zhi was not interested in clan banquets and usually only attended the regular banquets at the beginning of the year.

Now he thinks differently.

The royal family members of the Tang Dynasty were an extremely important force. They supported the imperial power silently and invisibly.

However, if this force cannot be controlled, it may become a threat and hidden danger to imperial power.

Therefore, it will never hurt to deal more with these royal family princes, no matter whether they will become your helpers or opponents in the future, it will always do you good to know more about them.

As usual, at the banquet, the princes were still divided into two camps and ignored each other.

Li Zhi did not take the initiative to mediate their relationship. He drank and chatted with everyone while silently observing everyone.

After the banquet, Li Zhi went straight to Lizheng Hall.

(End of this chapter)