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

"Guanyinbi, disaster has struck! Disaster has struck!"

Li Shimin's panicked voice rang out from the inner palace.

Having not seen His Majesty the Emperor for a long time, the concubines in the harem, who were so distraught, all raised their heads and looked curiously toward the Empress.

When Li Shimin rushed to Empress Zhangsun's side, she was with Consort Yang and a few others, looking at several pieces of the latest fine silk that had been delivered.

Before leaving Chang'an this year, Crown Prince Li Chengqian left behind weaving techniques and policies to encourage the silk industry.

This allowed Jingchuan County in Guannei Circuit, the largest silk-producing area in the Tang Dynasty, to take the lead in making significant improvements in both craftsmanship and production capacity.

The Empress and the others were still discussing how to increase investment in the palace's businesses in this area.

Emperor Zhenguan rushed over here.

"Your Majesty, why are you in such a panic? Is there still some thief in Chang'an who dares to attack the palace?"

Empress Zhangsun's gentle face was filled with helplessness.

Recently, with the Emperor Emeritus frequently sending back reports of his victories in the Western Regions, coupled with the actions of Prince Li Ke of Han and Prince Li Yin of Liang in Japan and Silla, her imperial husband has become noticeably more anxious.

In fact, these past few nights they haven't even been taking concubines from her to serve her in bed.

"If they were thieves, that would be fine! I, alone on horseback, could chop their entire families into mincemeat. The problem is... if this goes wrong, I might become the thief in the eyes of the world!"

Li Shimin was so anxious he was about to stomp his feet.

He hurriedly recounted what was happening outside the palace.

When everyone heard that Crown Prince Li Chengqian had actually exiled Wei Zheng, even Consort Yin, who usually held the Crown Prince in the highest esteem, couldn't help but gasp in shock.

"Beihai?! That's more than a thousand miles from Taiyuan, and it's still some distance from the Eastern Turks! Isn't Wei Zheng going to lose his life there?"

"Hiss... I must say, Your Majesty, you really know how to pick people..."

Yin Fei shook her head gently, speechless and with regret.

Li Shimin glared angrily and resentfully: "What can I do? Send those two old geezers, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui?! They'll probably just stay in Taiyuan and retire for the rest of their lives!"

"It would save them trouble; Fang Yi'ai and Du He have plenty of houses over there!"

Consort Yang sighed softly and looked at Empress Zhangsun beside her.

"Sister, His Highness the Crown Prince has always disliked Wei Zheng. He almost had him beheaded back then. Now, it seems he is truly enraged."

Consort Wei sighed, "Wei Zheng is also inflexible. How could he have thought of smashing cups and banging his head against pillars in the Shou Gong Hall? Couldn't he have been persuaded with kind words?"

A look of embarrassment flashed across Li Shimin's face.

Wei Zheng, on the other hand, wanted to offer some kind advice.

Outside Yangcheng Palace, there were the Hundred Cavalry Guards I had dispatched. Every few days, they would use news of a relative of the Wei family being exiled to severely punish Wei Zheng.

Such an undeserved calamity fell upon Wei Zheng's relatives because of his negligence.

Even if Wei Zheng wanted to offer kind advice, he probably wouldn't have the time...

Noticing her husband's predicament, Empress Zhangsun immediately realized the key point and glared fiercely at Emperor Zhenguan.

Despite being angry, I had no choice but to step in and help given the current situation.

"Have someone bring Lady Wei and the other women of the Wei family to me... Your Majesty should also immediately summon back those members of the Wei family who were previously exiled to Jiannan and Lingnan, in case something happens to them on the way..."

Li Shimin was startled. After realizing what was happening, he hurriedly summoned Li Junxian, the commander of the Hundred Cavalry, and ordered him to send men to pursue them.

At the Taiji Hall of Emperor Li Shimin, the Wei clan members who had been brought there were weeping bitterly.

After receiving help from the Empress, the embarrassed Emperor finally managed to suppress his embarrassment and step forward to appease the Wei clan members.

"Ahem, the matter of Wei Zheng was my mistake. I never expected that he would disregard his own safety so much in order to fulfill my orders... I will send someone to Taiyuan Prefecture to ensure that he will not encounter any problems."

The emperor said this, but Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who were standing aside watching the whole thing, could clearly see the guilty conscience of their leader.

VIP?

They're even asking the Crown Prince for people?

This is a task that not just anyone can accomplish.

After a series of rewards, gifts of mansions, and consolations such as promotions and reassignments, the Wei family members finally quieted down.

When word came from the Empress's side that the work of appeasing the women of the Wei family had been completed.

Taiji Hall...

Li Shimin, his eyes vacant, slumped onto the dragon throne, a symbol of supreme power, with his feet propped up on the dragon table. Beside his feet was the Imperial Seal of the State, which Crown Prince Li Chengqian had previously given him.

"This emperor's throne is for whoever wants to sit on it; I... never want to sit on it again in my life..."

His eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if he were seeing himself as the King of Qin, conquering the south and the north, defeating the various feudal lords one after another, crying out for their fathers and mothers.

"I am only thirty years old... Am I really destined to be trapped on this throne for the rest of my life?!"

He took a deep breath, like an old man struggling to sit up on his deathbed, his teeth clenched, filled with a breath he couldn't swallow.

His gaze fell upon Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who stood there like wooden figures.

"You two old fools! Think of a way for me to abdicate... I'll let you retire to Taiyuan!"

As soon as these words came out.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who had been lost in thought, suddenly became alert.

They hesitated, looking at each other as if still doubting whether the emperor was telling the truth.

Li Shimin snorted coldly: "That rebellious son broke his promise. You have followed me for so many years, do you also think that I am the kind of person who breaks his word for personal gain?!"

Suddenly.

Fang Xuanling and his companion's minds immediately became active.

Retirement is great!

It would be better to retire in Taiyuan!

They have never been to Taiyuan Prefecture yet, but they have read many descriptions of Taiyuan Prefecture in their son's letters and newspapers.

“Ahem, if Your Majesty wishes to abdicate, and the Crown Prince does not return to Chang'an, then many affairs will be difficult to handle, and the people of the world will certainly not accept someone who is not the Crown Prince succeeding to the throne,” Fang Xuanling said softly.

Li Shimin glared at him: "Don't give me this nonsense! This position is only fit for that rebellious son, and even all his brothers combined are not worthy of it... Wait!"

Li Shimin suddenly sat up straighter, and his eyes suddenly lit up with a gleam in Fang Xuanling's smiling gaze.

Du Ruhui stroked his beard and chuckled, his smile wicked.

"Your Majesty, since the Crown Prince is not coming to Chang'an to ascend the throne, and Your Majesty only wants to find someone to take over these government affairs in Chang'an, wouldn't it be sufficient to find a candidate to oversee the country?"

Li Shimin blurted out almost instantly: "Fourth Prince!"

"That kid Qingque is in Luoyang right now!"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui immediately nodded with smiles.

"Your Majesty, you focus on the Crown Prince every day, but you neglect the other princes... Of the princes who have been sent to the provinces by the Crown Prince, the Prince of Han and the Prince of Wei are the most capable."

"Especially His Highness Prince Wei, he handles the many affairs of Luoyang quite well. If we can deceive His Highness Prince Wei, cough cough... invite him to oversee the country, we only need to make arrangements with the Six Ministries, and His Majesty will be safe."

"Hahahaha!"

Suddenly, Li Shimin, whose face had been gloomy just a moment ago, couldn't help but burst into laughter in the Taiji Hall.

"Very well, Kemin, you're right. I had indeed forgotten about Qingque. Truly... this rebellious son has blinded me to the rest!"

His Majesty the Emperor became excited.

Fang Xuanling quickly spoke up to remind him.

"Your Majesty, Prince Wei is quick-witted and intelligent. Having studied under the Crown Prince for so long, he has inevitably become more cunning. We must not alert him before things are settled!"

Li Shimin nodded repeatedly and waved to Fang Xuanling and the other man.

The group gathered together.

With a shared goal in mind, Fang Moudu, who had been a wooden figure for more than half a year, finally awoke at this moment.

"Your Majesty, although it's true that to catch the thief, you must first catch the king, um..."

"It's alright, it's alright, Kemin, just say it. Anyone who's obstructing my personal campaign is a traitor! If Qingque doesn't agree, then he's a traitor king too!"

"Ahem, Your Majesty, although it is said that to catch the thief, one must first catch the king, the matter of overseeing the country must ultimately be done with some dignity. Before the plan is in place, His Highness Prince Wei must not be informed. In my opinion, what we need to do is dig the canals, and the work of digging the water and spreading the waves should be done by His Highness Prince Wei's own people."

Du Ruhui devised a plan first, and Li Shimin's eyes lit up, praising it repeatedly.

"Brilliant! The Wang family of Taiyuan and the Zheng family of Xingyang wouldn't dare disobey the Crown Prince's wishes, but Qingque's men certainly don't have that kind of cunning... This is feasible!"

Fang Xuanling pondered again: "Your Majesty, Prince Wei is astute, so we must act with proper methods and leave no trace... My suggestion is to find a reasonable pretext that Prince Wei can also believe, so that you can go to Luoyang in person."

"Find another reasonable pretext that His Highness the Prince of Wei can also believe, and get him to come to Chang'an..."

Li Shimin immediately blurted out, "Then arrest that brat on the spot! Tie him up and put him on the throne as regent! Hahahaha! Brilliant! Truly brilliant!"

Li Shimin's mind began to stir.

He paced back and forth, stroking his beard as he pondered in the Taiji Hall.

Muttered to himself.

"That kid is definitely on guard when it comes to my affairs. There's only one way to lower his guard!"

The three—the emperor and his ministers—exchanged glances and spoke in unison.

"Prince!"

.......

"What? The grain hasn't arrived from Chang'an yet?! It's already been delayed for more than half a month! What are the grain transport officials doing?!"

In the Shougong Hall, Li Chengqian was, as usual, reviewing important documents sent from various places under his jurisdiction.

Looking at the urgent letter in his hand from his uncle, Sun Wuji, the chief engineer of the Yellow River Water Conservancy Project.

Instantly furious.

"Go! Bring that fellow Pei Ruocai here!"

When Pei Ruocai, who had been promoted to the position of Grand Canal Transport Commissioner of Bingzhou, was brought to the Shougong Hall, the latter knew what it was about without Li Chengqian even having to say a word.

With a pale face, he decisively knelt down with a thud.

"Your Highness! It is not that I have failed in my duties. I have already sent ten proclamations to Chang'an urging grain supplies. The ships and horses transporting grain on the Wei River and the official roads have been waiting there for a long time."

"Chang'an has not yet transferred any grain to that area!"

Looking at the other person's panicked and pitiful appearance, and their obvious dark circles under their eyes.

Thinking of the other party's consistently excellent political achievements, Li Chengqian swallowed back the question that was on the tip of his tongue.

"What happened? Has there been any reply from Chang'an?"

"This... the Ministry of Revenue says there's been some problem with the granaries in Chang'an..."

Luoyang.

"Damn it! A bunch of scoundrels, can't we kill them all? I refuse to believe we can't!"

"Go and hang the heads of all those corrupt officials who exploit the people on the city wall!"

"Tomorrow, I will organize officials from the surrounding counties and heads of local powerful families to come to Luoyang to witness the ceremony. I want to see whether these corrupt officials have more heads or I have more bullets!"

Outside Luoyang, at an execution ground under martial law by the King of Wei's musketeers.

Followed by the sound of gunshots.

Li Tai casually tossed the still-smoking flintlock musket in his hand to the musketeer officer behind him, cursing under his breath.

Meanwhile, the other soldiers in the musketeer squad, who were already used to it, skillfully chopped off the heads of the thieves who colluded with the officials.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came rapidly from the official road.

"Your Highness, Prince Wei, a decree has arrived from Chang'an. His Majesty requires a batch of grain to be transferred from Luoyang to Chang'an..."

Li Tai's eyes widened.

"Father wants grain? We have none!"