Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 220: Victory News Reaches Chang'an! Li Shimin Invites Jie Li to Dance! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

The news that Li Yuan and Yuan Tiangang had returned to Chang'an had not yet reached Chang'an.

But a lot has happened in Chang'an recently.

Therefore, no one pays special attention to news outside Chang'an.

Li Chengqian has recently begun the busiest time of his life.

In the morning, he practiced foreign languages ​​with Hilde, and then learned shooting with Lai Fu.

After that, he also learned political affairs from Li Gang.

In the morning, he studied calligraphy with Cen Wenben, and in the afternoon, he practiced archery and horse riding in the training ground.

It wasn't until the evening that he had time to do his own things.

For example, going to the palace to visit Empress Changsun.

Although he knew that Empress Changsun's death was not caused by any illness from childbirth, women are very vulnerable after giving birth.

So, fortunately, he obtained the "Encyclopedia" from the system, which contained the treatment methods summarized by later generations, which allowed Empress Changsun to recover well.

As long as Empress Changsun's health recovered to 80% of its pre-childbirth state, she could practice the Taixuan Health Preservation Sutra.

In this way, Li Chengqian no longer had to worry about Empress Changsun dying early.

"Mother, have you drunk the rejuvenation soup I asked the Imperial Hospital to prepare?" Li Chengqian asked with concern.

Empress Zhangsun smiled with satisfaction, then nodded and said, "Drink it. My son is thoughtful!"

"Now you are the real prince, mother is happy for you!"

"Just like I told Mother before, I will rely on my own strength to secure my position as Crown Prince. Now, I have achieved it."

"Then, what are you going to do next? Can you tell mother?"

Empress Changsun glanced at Li Zhi in her arms and asked with a smile on her face.

Li Chengqian pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Mother, I have many things I want to do, but there's no rush. I'll take my time later!"

"Well, go slowly, mother will know that you are the best, the best prince."

The smile on Empress Changsun's face became brighter and brighter, and even her face, which was a little pale due to childbirth, became a little rosier.

Li Chengqian knew what Empress Changsun was worried about.

So, he took the initiative to talk to him about his thoughts so that she could rest assured and take care of her health.

After all, all kinds of rumors have been flying around Changan recently.

Especially the gunshots at Ganlu Temple that day. I don’t know who spread it and it became known to everyone.

Although neither Li Shimin nor Li Chengqian spoke out about this matter, Empress Changsun still felt a little worried.

But then Li Chengqian continued, "I used to think that being a crown prince meant I would lose a lot of freedom and have to endure pain that ordinary people couldn't, just like my father and uncle. Later, I realized that being a crown prince allows me to do many things that others can't. I can realize my dreams."

"But Cheng Qian, although being the crown prince allows you to do many things, power is a double-edged sword. Once you abuse it, your end will not be good."

Empress Changsun couldn't help but sigh as she spoke, then continued, "So, you must not act recklessly!"

"Don't worry, mother. No matter what the rumors outside are, please believe your son. He must know the limits!" Li Chengqian said comfortingly.

Empress Zhangsun nodded in satisfaction, then called to Li Chengqian, "You haven't seen your brother yet, come here and take a look at him."

"Yes!"

Li Chengqian responded obediently, then stepped forward to check the baby in Empress Changsun's arms.

He was very fair and tender, he never cried or made a fuss, his eyes were particularly bright, especially his little head, which was round, just like a cuju.

"How about it? Do you look like your father or me, your mother?" Empress Changsun asked softly.

"this."

Li Chengqian grinned awkwardly and thought to himself, it looks like a ball!

But he absolutely could not say such a dangerous statement, so he could only say vaguely "It's all like that" and prepared to leave Lizheng Hall.

However, just as he was about to leave Lizheng Hall, the fat boy Li Tai came again.

It seems that he is competing with Li Chengqian.

No matter when Li Chengqian came to Lizheng Hall or how late he came, he would show his face.

As a result, Li Chengqian didn’t want to come to Lizheng Hall recently.

After all, out of sight, out of mind.

"Your son Qingque pays respects to mother and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Li Tai smiled and bowed, then knelt down beside Empress Changsun and Li Chengqian.

But then Empress Changsun smiled and said, "Qingque, you've come just in time. Look at Zhinu. Does she look like your father, the emperor, or like me, your mother?"

"Mother, you asked me before, and I told you, like you!" Li Tai said with a smile.

Empress Changsun suddenly looked up, then laughed and said, "Yes, Mother has already asked you. Look at my memory, it's getting worse and worse."

"It's alright, mother. You see, although my brother has always been the crown prince, there are still some differences between him before and after his coronation."

"Really?"

Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's the difference?"

"This"

Li Tai hesitated for a moment, then glanced cautiously at Empress Changsun, and said with a wry smile, "As for differences, we brothers don't feel any difference. It's you, Crown Prince, who thinks you're different, right?"

After saying this, he smiled and looked at Empress Changsun: "What do you think, mother?"

"Haha. Everything is fine."

Empress Changsun smiled awkwardly and changed the subject, "I think Zhinu looks different."

"Children are like this, they become different after not seeing them for a few days."

"Yes, when you grow up, your mother will be old too!"

"No way, my mother doesn't age at all. She still looks young and beautiful!"

The fat boy's flattery was very skillful, but Li Chengqian got goose bumps when he heard it, so he said goodbye to Empress Zhangsun directly, "Mother, please go to bed early. I will come to see you another day!"

"Well, Cheng Qian should also have a good rest when he returns. If there is anything, please discuss it with your father. You are father and son, you must trust each other, understand?"

"I know, mother!"

After saying this, Li Chengqian stood up and left Lizheng Hall.

Li Tai, who watched him leave, narrowed his eyes slightly and muttered to himself, "Teacher said that the aristocratic families will fully support me. We'll see!"

On the other side, the Ganlu Palace.

Li Shimin just received bad news.

The grain sent by the imperial court to Hebei Province was replaced with grain mixed with wheat bran, grass scraps, and even stones and sand.

The disaster victims in Hebei Province complained bitterly, and several rebellions broke out, causing turmoil in Hebei Province, which had just been stabilized.

When Li Shimin heard the news, he was furious and ordered Wei Zheng to investigate the matter thoroughly.

But investigating the case takes time, and solving the problems of the victims is the top priority.

Therefore, Li Shimin had to summon Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji to the palace overnight.

"Wuji, Xuanling, please tell me, why were the disasters in Henan and Guanzhong resolved so quickly, but the disaster in Hebei is now like this? Are my people really that useless?"

Li Shimin complained angrily, "There was a case of embezzlement some time ago, and now there's a case of misappropriation of disaster relief grain! What's wrong with my Tang Dynasty?!"

"This"

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling looked at each other in bewilderment.

But then Changsun Wuji said thoughtfully, "Your Majesty, I don't think this case is a big deal. In fact, I don't think turning grain into bran for livestock is such a bad thing."

"What? What did you say?"

Li Shimin looked at Zhangsun Wuji in disbelief.

Zhangsun Wuji smiled again and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, when I was in Shuofang, I also encountered a shortage of food and fodder. At that time, the Crown Prince suggested that I mix bran into the grain, and it worked quite well!"

"Why?" Fang Xuanling looked at Changsun Wuji with some confusion.

But then Changsun Wuji continued, "Think about it, this one portion of rations can be exchanged for three portions of bran. This is equivalent to exchanging the food that would save one person for the food that would save three people!"

"For those disaster victims who are truly on the verge of starvation, having something to eat is good enough. Being alive is the greatest gift from God. Not to mention bran, even tree bark, grass roots, and soil are edible. Being able to eat bran is already a rare treat!"

"So, I believe the problem in this matter isn't the exchange of grain, but rather whether those rebellions were exploited by someone with ulterior motives."

"This"

After hearing what Changsun Wuji said, Li Shimin's anger immediately subsided.

The entire hall fell silent.

Seeing the same expression on Li Shimin and Fang Xuanling's faces, Changsun Wuji assumed they didn't believe him, so he continued, "If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can summon the Crown Prince. He definitely shares my thoughts, because disaster relief is no different from anything else. Anyone who has personally visited the disaster area knows this: no matter how much food the court distributes, it will never be enough!"

"When the Crown Prince and the Emperor went to Nanyang, they saw the real disaster area and suggested to the Nanyang Governor to change the original disaster relief method. Only then did they control the disaster area!"

"Similarly, Ma Zhou in Henan Province and Sun Fujia in Guanzhong both adopted new disaster relief methods to effectively control the disaster!"

After hearing this, Li Shimin and the other two remained silent.

Especially Li Shimin, he subconsciously touched his face and felt very embarrassed.

Shame on him! Not to mention, he had never considered the issue from this perspective before, nor had he personally visited the people to check on their sentiments.

But Changsun Wuji's words made him reflect.

Governing a country does not mean sitting in the court and giving orders, but going among the people to understand their sentiments.

Can.
There was one thing he really couldn't understand.

But he asked thoughtfully, "But embezzling disaster relief food can't possibly be a good thing, right?"

"Yes! Our Tang Dynasty cannot tolerate these corrupt officials!" Fang Xuanling echoed.

Zhang Sun Wuji laughed: "That being said, it also depends on how much grain these corrupt officials have embezzled. We can't let innocent people suffer the consequences, right?"

"This"

Li Shimin hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes, what you said makes sense. We really can't generalize. Let's wait for Wei Zheng to find out the truth first!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling looked at each other and then spoke in unison.

Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Let's not discuss this for now. Let's talk about the candidate for the Minister of Revenue. Do you have anyone you would like to recommend?"

"The Minister of Revenue is a second-rank official in the court. Not everyone can be qualified for this position. I think it would be more appropriate for the Ministry of Personnel to recommend him. After all, they are familiar with the officials in the court!" Changsun Wuji said seriously.

Li Shimin smiled and nodded, then looked at Fang Xuanling and said, "Xuanling, you have presided over the Ministry of Personnel assessment, so you should have some recommended candidates!"

"This"

Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "I do have a suitable candidate."

"Oh?"

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask, "Who is this person?"

"Your Majesty, this man is Ma Zhou, the Left Minister of the Eastern Palace!"

"What did you say?"

When Li Shimin heard Fang Xuanling recommend Ma Zhou, his face instantly darkened.

Changsun Wuji, who was standing by, was also surprised.

Although he was a staunch supporter of Li Chengqian, he did not dare to openly support Li Chengqian in front of Li Shimin.

What's more, the person who recommended Li Chengqian was appointed as a high-ranking official of the second rank.

However, Fang Xuanling did not give up recommending Ma Zhou just because of Li Shimin's displeasure.

But then he continued, "Your Majesty, I'm sure you're aware of what Ma Zhou did in Henan Province. Furthermore, the Crown Prince approached me several times, wanting me to recommend Ma Zhou. I also think Ma Zhou is a talented person, so when Your Majesty asked, I recommended him without any selfish motives."

"Humph! What a selfless person! That rebellious son has come to you several times. Don't you have any selfish motives?"

Li Shimin snorted unhappily.

Fang Xuanling helplessly explained, "To be honest, Your Majesty, the Crown Prince asked me to recommend him because he knew you wouldn't agree to his request!"

"Then will I definitely agree to whatever you recommend?"

"This"

Fang Xuanling was completely speechless after hearing this.

Zhang Sun Wuji, who was standing by, was about to say something when he heard a voice from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, the Dingxiang Road march commander has reported the military situation!"

"Oh?"

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, and his previous displeasure was immediately swept away. He hurriedly said, "Bring it in!"

"promise!"

There was a response from outside the hall.

Soon, a palace servant came in holding a bamboo tube-like object.

Li Shimin saw the bamboo tube and was about to take it to examine it when he suddenly noticed something fishy inside. He frowned and asked, "Why is this military intelligence report not sealed?"

"This"

The palace attendant hesitated for a moment, then looked intently at the letter tube and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, when it was delivered to the Taiji Palace, it was not sealed. I even specifically asked the people at the Ministry of War, and they said that it was not sealed when it was delivered to them either!"

"Strange!"

Li Shimin was surprised when he heard the palace attendant's report. He then took the letter tube and carefully examined its surroundings. Indeed, there were no signs of sealing, nor did it look like it had been opened. He murmured, "How could it be unsealed? Could it be that the situation was too urgent and there was no time to seal it?"

After saying this, he turned his head and glanced at Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji, then smiled and said, "How about I make a bet with you?"

"What are you gambling?"

Changsun Wuji asked subconsciously.

Fang Xuanling remained silent.

But then Li Shimin said meaningfully, "How about betting on the position of Minister of Revenue?"

"This"

Zhang Sun Wuji and Fang Xuanling exchanged a glance and couldn't help but say with amusement, "I don't have any referrals. This isn't fair!"

"How is it unfair? You can also recommend it."

"But."

"Alright! It's settled!"

Before Zhangsun Wuji could finish his argument, Li Shimin interrupted him without question: "I bet that this report of military intelligence will lead to a complete victory. What are you betting on?"

"I bet on this too!" Fang Xuanling spoke first.

Li Shimin glanced at him and immediately said with a stern face: "No, you can't bet on this!"

"why?"

"You're betting on the same thing as me. What kind of bet is this? Bet on something else!"

Fang Xuanling: “.”

Zhangsun Wuji: “.”

The two looked at each other, both speechless.

It is obvious that Li Shimin was determined not to let Ma Zhou serve as the Minister of Revenue.

Even if he was being a rogue, he found a plausible excuse for himself.

Seeing that they were silent, Li Shimin continued to talk to himself, "Why, you don't want to bet with me? Then I will just tear it down."

After saying that, he took out the letter from the mailbox without saying a word and unfolded it with a smile.

The content inside was just as he expected. Li Jing not only defeated the Turks, but also captured Jie Li alive. He was so excited that the hairs on his body stood up.

It’s really great!

"Hahaha!"

Li Shimin suppressed his anger for a long time, but finally couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Good, good, good! Good Li Jing! I really didn't make a mistake about him!"

"What's wrong, Your Majesty? Is there any progress in the war with the Turks?" Changsun Wuji asked hurriedly when he heard Li Shimin's laughter.

Li Shimin looked at him with a smile, and then handed him the letter without saying a word.

Soon, Changsun Wuji finished reading the contents of the letter. He was so excited that his eyes widened and his whole body trembled.

Although Fang Xuanling did not read the content of the letter, it was not difficult to see from the reactions of Li Shimin and Zhangsun Wuji that the Tang Dynasty should have won a great victory in the war against the Turks.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Fang Xuanling quickly complimented him.

Li Shimin was in a good mood and didn't care about him recommending someone for Li Chengqian. He immediately ordered him, "Minister of the Central Secretariat, pass on my decree. On the Double Ninth Festival next month, I will hold a grand banquet for all my ministers and invite envoys from all countries to the palace to attend the banquet!"

"According to the order!"

Fang Xuanling responded with a smile.

Although he failed to help Li Chengqian recommend someone successfully, the fact that the Tang Dynasty defeated the Turks was indeed something worth celebrating.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Wuji, I remember Jie Li is a very good dancer. How about we ask him to dance for us?"

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji immediately became interested: "Great! Then let him dance in front of all the civil and military officials, and let him dance to his heart's content!"

"That's right!"

Li Shimin waved his sleeves and said, "I'll leave this matter to you! We must regain the face we lost at Weishui!"

"Yes!"

Soon, Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling left with Li Shimin's orders.

But Li Shimin's excitement still did not subside.

After only a quarter of an hour, he couldn't help but bring the good news to the harem and share it with Empress Changsun.

As for Li Chengqian's intention to make Ma Zhou the Minister of Revenue, he simply threw it out of his mind.

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(End of this chapter)