The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 74 What right does a lame and eccentric man have?
"The most urgent task is for Your Highness not to let this matter distract you and cause you to lose your composure."

Li Yichen's gaze was sharp.

"Your Highness must immediately submit a memorial to His Majesty, expressing shock, grief, and anger over this matter! He must strongly demand that the court thoroughly investigate the murderer to uphold the law and comfort the loyal soul! The gesture must be clear and the stance unequivocal. At the same time, Your Highness must focus your main energy on the 'listening to the emperor' power granted to you by His Majesty, and on important national affairs such as the development of Xizhou and the relocation of people to the border regions! He must show His Majesty and the court officials that Your Highness has the nation's well-being at heart, cares about the common people, and has neither the time nor the inclination to engage in such slanderous acts!"

Li Chengqian pondered Li Yichen's words, his eyes growing brighter and brighter, before finally slamming his fist heavily on the armrest.

"Very well! As you say! I will draft the memorial now! In addition, the selection of the envoy for promotion and demotion in Xizhou is about to be discussed, and I must not let a small matter cause me to lose sight of the bigger picture!"

Seeing Li Chengqian quickly recover from his rage and refocus on the core of the power struggle, Li Yichen nodded slightly in his heart.

This prince has indeed made progress in learning to control his emotions and grasp the key points.

Compared to the undercurrents beneath the feigned calm of the Eastern Palace, the atmosphere in the study of the Prince of Wei's residence was far more stagnant and oppressive.

Li Tai's obese body sank deep into the cushioned sandalwood chair, his once plump and round face now so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

He held a secret report in his hand about Ryu Seok's death.

"Dead? Liu Shi just died like that?"

Li Tai's voice carried an unbelievable sense of frustration.

"Who did this? Did one of our people act without authorization?"

Faced with Li Tai's questioning, Du Chuke showed little panic, only a slight frown as he slowly put down his teacup.

"Your Highness, please calm down," Du Chuke said in a steady voice.

"As far as I know, this was not done by our people. His Majesty's investigation of the Eastern Palace has not even begun. This move is extremely foolish, like playing with fire, and could easily backfire."

"Who could it be?" Li Tai asked irritably.

"Could it be that madman Li Chengqian? He's really capable of doing something like this!"

Du Chuke slowly shook his head.

"Although the Crown Prince is eccentric, he has been advised by a wise advisor and would not do such a foolish thing now. With the corruption case still unresolved and His Majesty keeping a close eye on the Eastern Palace, what benefit would he gain from assassinating the censor who just impeached him? It would only bring him shame and solidify his reputation for tyranny, without helping to secure his position as heir apparent. I believe that the Crown Prince and those behind him would not resort to such a clumsy scheme."

"Who could it be?" Li Tai suddenly raised his voice.

Du Chuke pondered for a moment, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"Your Highness, this matter is suspicious. The person behind it is very well hidden. Their purpose may not be simply to frame the Crown Prince, but more likely to disrupt the entire court and fish in troubled waters. His Majesty is wise and will surely investigate with all his might. At this time, we need to be patient and observe the situation. Acting rashly or drawing hasty conclusions may fall into someone else's trap."

"Patience? You always make me patient!"

Li Tai could no longer suppress his anger and anxiety. He suddenly stood up, his obese body trembling slightly with excitement.

"That cripple has now opened the Eastern Palace and gained the power to listen to government affairs. He speaks eloquently to his uncle and the Chancellor in the Xiande Hall! His position as Crown Prince is about to be firmly established! How can I, the King, be patient with him?"

He pointed in the direction of the palace, his voice tinged with resentment and bitterness.

"I compiled the 'Comprehensive Gazetteer' and recruited many scholars, earning a reputation that spread throughout the land. Why can't Father Emperor see my talent? And what makes Li Chengqian, that lame and eccentric man, worthy of such recognition?"

Du Chuke looked at Li Tai, who was losing control of his emotions, and sighed inwardly.

King Wei was exceptionally intelligent, but sometimes he was too eager for quick success and lacked the composure and patience that a ruler should have.

He waited until Li Tai had calmed down before speaking slowly, his voice still calm. "Your Highness, although the Crown Prince has changed, his foundation is not yet stable, and His Majesty's suspicions have not been dispelled. Especially with the death of Liu Shi, no matter who the real culprit is, the Eastern Palace will not escape involvement and will inevitably be impacted. This is one reason."

He stood up, walked to the map of the Tang Dynasty hanging on the wall, and his gaze fell on the Xizhou region in the northwest.

"Secondly, and this is the opportunity we should seize most right now—the position of the Xizhou Development Commissioner!"

Li Tai's attention was drawn to this, and he frowned, saying, "This position? Didn't that lame man already petition for its establishment, and have the Ministry of Personnel and the three ministries agree on the candidate? How can we get involved?"

"It is precisely because it was handed over to the court for discussion that we have this opportunity."

Du Chuke turned around, his eyes gleaming.

"Your Highness, please consider this: this position oversees the resettlement of people, land reclamation, water conservancy, trade, and even the coordination of some military towns in Xizhou. It is a powerful local official with immense authority. If we can control it, we can not only get a share of the future prize of Xizhou, but also use it to cultivate our own power and infiltrate the border regions. No matter how the political situation changes in the future, it will be a brilliant move!"

He approached Li Tai and lowered his voice.

"Although the Crown Prince proposed this position, he feigned indifference, claiming 'there is no one suitable,' thus passing the buck to the Ministry of Personnel and the court. This is precisely our opportunity! Your Highness can secretly contact the powerful families in Guanzhong and Shandong who support us, and work together to recommend one of our people! For example, Your Highness can recommend capable officials within the Prince's Palace who are also knowledgeable about border affairs, or contact prefectural governors and military commanders who have a long-standing relationship with us. If handled properly, it is not impossible to succeed!"

As Li Tai listened to Du Chuke's analysis, the anger in his eyes was gradually replaced by greed and calculation.

He strolled to the map, looking at the vast area of ​​Xizhou, as if he could already see countless fields, caravans, and potential sources of soldiers.

“Indeed… Xizhou is a key point.”

Li Tai murmured.

"If I can secure the position of Commissioner for Promotion and Removal, I will be able to get ahead of the Crown Prince, not only sharing his credit but also hindering him!"

He turned around abruptly, looked at Du Chuke, and his face regained its determined expression.

"We will follow your plan, sir! You should immediately contact the Wei family of Jingzhao, the Pei family of Hedong, the Xue family, and those people in Shandong... Make sure they support the candidate we put forward! As for the gold and silver needed for bribery, just take it from the treasury!"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Du Chuke bowed and accepted the order, but then added, "However, Your Highness should also be aware that His Majesty will certainly pay close attention to this position. The candidates we recommend must have a clean record and be truly capable. At least on the surface, they must meet the standards set forth by the Crown Prince: 'knowledgeable in agriculture and water conservancy, understanding of border affairs, and being honest and capable.' They cannot give others any grounds for criticism."

"I understand." Li Tai waved his hand, a cold smile appearing on his face.

"It must conform to the rules, and it must also be of use to us. I'll trouble you to take care of this matter."

Du Chuke nodded in agreement, but he wasn't entirely confident.

The Crown Prince certainly wouldn't remain inactive, and His Majesty is also observing from the shadows.

This struggle over the appointment of the Xizhou envoy is destined to be anything but peaceful.

The chaos caused by Liu Shi's death may have provided them with cover and room to maneuver.

He left the study, leaving Li Tai alone with the map, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of ambition and anxiety.

Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened, and an even heavier atmosphere of conspiracy seemed to permeate the twilight of Chang'an.

Liu Shi's death stirred up a huge storm in the imperial court.

(End of this chapter)