Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Yangcheng Palace.

When Li Chengqian finally returned from the Imperial University.

It was already night.

As Li Chengqian alighted from the carriage, he encountered Xiao Rui, who had come to report the news.

They talked as they walked, and he began to explain what had happened that day.

"The government can begin collecting the medicinal materials needed for the Major and Minor Blue Dragon Decoctions. The price should be appropriately high, but not too high. I do not want the people of Bingzhou to be safe while the people of other surrounding areas suffer undeserved disasters."

"Have officials in all counties and prefectures prepare so that once the medicinal herbs are ready, disease prevention measures can be implemented immediately in all prefectures, counties, towns, and villages. Every household, especially those with infants and pregnant women, must take these herbal decoctions..."

Xiao Rui nodded, quickly following in the footsteps of His Highness the Crown Prince.

However, he looked somewhat worried.

"Your Highness, this move has far-reaching consequences, and if someone with ill intentions were to sabotage it, they could easily succeed..."

"Then we'll send someone to keep a close eye on them!"

Li Chengqian interrupted with a cold snort.

"Such a major matter, how can we throw the baby out with the bathwater?! Notify local officials that the next month is the peak season for colds, and all prefectures, counties and districts should treat this matter as their top priority. The factories and businesses of the Commerce Department in Bingzhou should take the lead."

"If any treacherous people cause trouble... I wouldn't mind sending their entire clan, men, women, and children, to perform meritorious deeds along the Yellow River!"

Xiao Rui nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Just then, several figures appeared in front of the Shougong Hall, which Li Chengqian did not expect.

"Your subject Xiao Rui greets Her Majesty the Empress! Greetings to all the other empresses..."

Xiao Rui quickly bowed in greeting.

Li Chengqian, however, was taken aback when he saw Empress Zhangsun, who had clearly been waiting there for quite some time.

He hurried forward.

"Mother, why are you waiting here? If there's anything you need, just have that old bastard Wang De inform your son. Quickly, come into the palace..."

Empress Zhangsun smiled, despite the red fruit.

If she were to don a general's armor now, she could be a heroine like Princess Pingyang.

Now his physical condition is so strong that he shows no signs of getting sick at all.

But at this moment, she still quite enjoyed Li Chengqian's different treatment of her and Li Er.

"You, do you think I don't know you? You're always busy with this and that."

“You weren’t here for breakfast this morning. Sun Yi said you were at the Imperial University Medical School, having a meeting with Master Sun and the others. I was thinking of having someone bring you some food, but Gao Hai said you went to the herbal medicine warehouse in Taiyuan Prefecture.”

"Sigh, and then I inspected all the clinics in the city..."

As Empress Zhangsun spoke, her eyes were filled with heartache and worry.

He gently stroked Li Chengqian's head.

"Gao Ming, you are still a young man who is growing. You haven't slept all night and have been so busy all day. How can your body take it?"

Li Chengqian smiled.

How could he not know the hardships?

However, the current status of the Tang Dynasty in the world civilization, and the vast amount of "unclaimed land" waiting to be developed, make him constantly driven by greed.

He gently shook his head: "Mother, you are overthinking it. The new policies have just been implemented, and I need to personally oversee and adjust all aspects. In a few years, the talents who have passed the new imperial examinations will have all grown up."

"Then I wouldn't have to work so hard."

Empress Zhangsun felt even more distressed.

As the crown prince, Chengqian was so sensible, while Emperor Li Er was so utterly incompetent...

Upon seeing his mother, he sighed again, then noticed the evasive gazes of Consort Yang and the others beside her.

Li Chengqian immediately understood.

He took a deep breath, his heart filled with dissatisfaction with his increasingly outrageous father, Emperor Li Er.

Seeing Empress Zhangsun like this, he pondered for a while.

In the end, she turned to look at Wang De beside her.

"How is the emperor doing in prison these days?"

Wang De's expression tightened. The Crown Prince addressed him as "Emperor" instead of "Father Emperor," indicating that his anger had not yet subsided.

At this moment, he became much more cautious in his reply.

"This... His Majesty was worried about the Duke of Yi's condition and inquired about it many times, but due to Your Highness's instructions, even Commander Qian was not informed."

"His Majesty is now extremely restless and suffering greatly..."

After Wang De finished speaking, he lowered his head and stood obediently to the side.

Li Chengqian let out a cold laugh.

"Even Li Shimin would be this anxious?"

Feeling the warmth emanating from her mother's hand, and looking at her almost pleading gaze.

Li Chengqian opened his mouth, wanting to say several times that Li Shimin had secretly accompanied him to the Heaven on Earth in the afternoon before planning to sneak into the military factory that night.

In the end, I could only sigh in my heart.

He waved his hand.

"Have someone release him..."

As he spoke, he seemed to have thought of something and let out a cold snort.

"Tell him to behave himself and not to appear before me again, and not to let me hear any more bad news, or else... I'll make sure he has a Martial Virtue Hall in Taiyuan!"

Wang De was terrified at the thought of the rebellion between the Li Tang royal family and their son.

On the surface, he hurriedly bowed and rushed out to handle some business.

Empress Zhangsun smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, Chengqian, your mother will keep a close eye on him and make sure your father doesn't cause any more trouble..."

Li Er is out of prison!

However, he only stayed in the Jinyiwei prison for one day.

An unmistakable sour smell emanated from him.

Just as he was about to board the carriage, he was blocked by two of Empress Zhangsun's personal maids.

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress has instructed that you please board the carriage at the back."

Li Er: "???"

Turning to look at the motionless curtain of the carriage in front of him, he looked heartbroken and incredulous.

"Guanyinbi, are you looking down on me?"

The mournful voice contained all the grievances that His Majesty the Emperor had experienced in Taiyuan Prefecture these past few days.

The people of Bingzhou only knew the Crown Prince, not the Emperor.

The officials of Bingzhou showed no respect for the emperor or their father, yet they revered the crown prince as if he were a god.

Now even my empress despises me?

Empress Zhangsun's calm voice came through.

"If Your Majesty does not board the carriage, then you may remain in this prison. I have also obtained a pledge from Gao Ming that during your stay in Taiyuan, Your Majesty will be kept under strict watch and will not be allowed to do anything that would be contrary to the ways of a ruler!"

Li Shimin's eyes widened: "I...you, an empress, are asking the crown prince for a military pledge, and Guanyinbi...you..."

Li Shimin was so shocked that he didn't know what to say next.

however.

The next moment, the once peaceful carriage curtain was suddenly lifted by Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun stared at him intently, as if he were a stranger.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince in Bingzhou is first and foremost the official in charge of the people of Bingzhou, and only then is he my son, Gao Ming. But Your Majesty... could it be that you, upon returning to Taiyuan Prefecture, have reverted to being the second young master of the Li family of Taiyuan Prefecture, who spends his days roaming the streets and mingling with wandering knights?"

Li Shimin opened his mouth, but had no words to reply.

Empress Zhangsun shook her head in disappointment and sadness.

"My second brother finds my actions strange, and thinks that it's unconventional for a mother to make a solemn pledge to her son?"

"Second Brother, do you think everything you've done since you ascended the throne has been in accordance with propriety and morality, and has never been absurd or laughable?"

"Chengqian feels sorry for me, his mother, and he can't bear to tell me about your affair with Princess Qi. Does His Majesty think... I don't know?"

After Empress Zhangsun finished speaking, she was already heartbroken and tears were about to fall.

Without giving Li Shimin a chance to comfort him, the carriage curtain was lowered immediately.

The sound came from inside the carriage.

But it was even colder.

"If Your Majesty does not board the carriage, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will escort Your Majesty back to Chang'an. I miss Chengqian and the others, so I will not go back with you."

Li Shimin: "!!!"

He turned around and looked around, looking embarrassed and awkward.

Empress Zhangsun, who was always virtuous and kind and cared about her emperor husband's reputation, surprisingly exposed his shameful deeds in front of so many people.

This shows just how much harm his absurd behavior caused to the other party.

"Wait, wait, Guanyinbi, I truly know I was wrong this time. I didn't mean it. I'll go to the carriage in the back. Don't upset yourself..."

The carriage continued along the way.

When Li Shimin and his entourage were led into a palace in Yangcheng Palace, Li Shimin had just stepped off the carriage.

He looked at the palace maids and eunuchs who had already prepared to bathe him.

He frowned slightly.

He looked at Fan Qi, the personal eunuch who was waiting there.

"Where is the Crown Prince? Why haven't we seen him?"

He feigned authority, yet his eyes, just like those of Fan Qi before him, nervously observed his movements, clearly demonstrating just how much he feared his own crown prince.

Fan Qi immediately started stammering.

"This, Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is busy..."

Before he could finish speaking, Empress Zhangsun, who was stepping down from the carriage, showed no intention of indulging him at all.

He snorted coldly.

"Does Your Majesty really want to see the Crown Prince? Does he think that everything is fine as long as the Duke of Yi was pulled back from the brink of death and the military factory suffered no losses?"

Empress Zhangsun frowned, her eyes exuding an imposing aura despite her lack of anger.

At this moment, Li Shimin, disheveled and in disarray, does not look like an emperor, but he is adorned with phoenix patterns and auspicious clouds, exuding the aura of a dignified empress, and has Empress Zhangsun as his son, the crown prince, as his support.

But she was the real Empress herself.

"The Crown Prince has state affairs to attend to right now and doesn't have time to deal with the disgraceful things His Majesty has done, but that doesn't mean His Majesty can just get away with this today!"

Before the palace, Cui Xiaoguo, commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stepped forward solemnly and bowed.

"Your Majesty, by order of His Highness the Crown Prince, Your Majesty is free to move about in Yangcheng Palace, but... do not appear before the Crown Prince!"

"This is good for both His Majesty and the Crown Prince!"

"These are the Crown Prince's exact words!"

Li Shimin: "......"