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

"you sure?!"

"Are you sure it's a pregnancy test?!"

Li Tai's voice was hoarse, his gaze almost sorrowful and desperate as he stared at the imperial physician who had just finished taking his pulse, speaking slowly and deliberately.

Seeing the expression on Prince Wei's face, the imperial physician, who had originally hoped to say a few auspicious words and ask His Majesty or the Empress for a reward, now felt only unease and tension.

"This, Your Highness, Prince Wei, your subject..."

If it were anyone else, upon hearing that the Empress was pregnant, they would surely offer their congratulations.

But this Prince Wei, who has recently become almost universally known as being driven to the brink of madness by political affairs...

The imperial physician stammered, not daring to utter a single answer for a moment.

They could only helplessly turn to Emperor Li Shimin and Empress, who had just arrived, for help.

"Ahem, Qingque, Imperial Physician Jiang has been a physician for many years; he certainly has some skill. Your mother must have it, hahaha..."

Li Shimin stroked his beard, looking quite pleased with himself.

However, he did not notice that the Fourth Prince slowly turned his head and looked at him with an unusually gloomy gaze.

"Father, you must take on another 30% of the government affairs!"

One sentence instantly froze Li Shimin's smile, which had been full of a sense of accomplishment.

She stared at Li Tai with wide eyes, her face filled with shock and confusion.

"Why?!"

"Just because Father Emperor has boundless energy!" Li Tai gritted his teeth, and seeing his father's expression as if the sky had fallen, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

He glanced at his mother, a hint of regret flashing through his mind.

Originally, he planned to ask his mother to help with some political affairs. Although the empress dowager was not allowed to interfere in politics, Li Tai did not want to die young.

Before coming to the Lizheng Hall today, he had already made up his mind.

Anyone who dares to stop him from doing this, he'll treat them to a bullet for breakfast!

however.

Now that my mother is pregnant, even though it has only just been discovered, it is clearly unrealistic to expect her to shoulder such heavy political responsibilities.

Li Tai wouldn't do such a thing.

However... looking at his father's unpredictable expression, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

"Father, you have no objections, do you? As the Emperor of the Great Tang, you should use the energy you spend on the harem on state affairs, which will also allow Mother to focus on her pregnancy. What do you say?"

Li Shimin: "......."

"Thirty percent is too much... I've already taken over most of the responsibilities of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue for you, you..."

"Father, what you're saying makes no sense! What do you mean by helping me? Father, I am the Prince of Wei, and you are the Emperor! Even if you say you're helping, wouldn't you be helping my elder brother who's out there having a great time traveling and enjoying himself?"

Li Tai directly interrupted Li Shimin's sophistry.

He smiled coldly.

"Thirty percent! No discussion. Starting tomorrow, I will have people send all the government affairs requiring approval from Taiyuan Prefecture to your Ganlu Hall..."

"What?!" Li Shimin jumped up instantly, his face flushed with excitement.

"Qingque! The affairs of Taiyuan Prefecture are far more than 30%! No, that's too much. Even if you sent them to me, I wouldn't be able to handle them all... At most, I can help you with the matters related to the Prince of Yan's railway construction. The affairs of Taiyuan Prefecture are still yours."

Li Tai frowned: "Then I'll leave the matter of allocating this year's military pay for Taiyuan Prefecture to you, Father..."

"No! I don't have the energy for that!" Li Shimin refused to back down, his attitude resolute.

Li Tai, however, continued to press on relentlessly, refusing to give in.

"Father, you're joking. You don't have the energy? I'm afraid you'll have Imperial Physician Jiang go check the pulses of other concubines. Who knows if Mother is pregnant... This is my bottom line! If you don't agree, fine... Forget about the Mount Tai sacrificial ceremony. I'll have the Ministry of Rites halt all procedures!"

Li Shimin immediately flew into a rage: "You, you're threatening me?!"

Li Tai: "Hmph! Your subject is exhausted, so what if I threaten you?! If you're not satisfied, just wait and see whether the officials of the Ministry of Rites listen to you or to me!"

Beside her, Empress Zhangsun watched the father and son, who were glaring at each other like bulls butting horns, neither willing to give way.

She couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

"Alright, Qingque, your request has been granted on behalf of your father..."

Li Shimin was instantly shocked: "Guanyinbi, you..."

"Your Majesty, state affairs come first. At worst, I will help you with some matters. If all else fails, Sister Yang and the others can also help, just like the secretariat of Chengqian Taiyuan Prefecture back then."

"We have enough people, and with the cabinet's help, we won't be unable to handle it..."

Seeing this, Li Tai thought for a moment and finally nodded in agreement.

However, I couldn't help but remind Empress Zhangsun.

"Mother, you mustn't overwork yourself. Just do it for one or two hours each day, and let Father and the others handle the rest..."

Li Shimin watched his fourth prince's departing figure with a look of utter frustration.

He couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

"What the hell is going on?!"

The Empress's joy at being pregnant was completely swept away at this moment. The thought of the political affairs he would have to face tomorrow made Li Shimin feel like he could faint on the spot.

"Li Junxian! Send out the entire Hundred Cavalry Division! To Lingnan Road. I don't care if you're lying or kidnapping, I want that rebellious son back here immediately!"

"He still has the mood for a honeymoon... Make that unfilial son get back here right now!"

"Ayawn!"

A sudden sneeze amidst the sound of the waves startled Wang Yuyan and the others who were picking up seashells on the beach. They turned around and saw Li Chengqian wearing only a pair of shorts, lying on a beach chair enjoying the sea breeze.

He simply rubbed his nose casually and didn't overreact.

"Hehehe, as expected, Salmana is definitely more suited to blue and white stripes..."

Li Chengqian chuckled softly.

With a wave of his hand, Chunyi, the maid brought by Wang Yuyan, immediately handed Li Chengqian chilled coconut juice. On the small table next to him, there were also various kinds of candied fruit and dried fish and other snacks.

The comfortable days in Lingnan Road caused him to postpone his original return trip again and again.

This gave the officials in Lingnan Circuit, who were vigorously promoting reforms and various construction projects, confidence, and they all worked overtime at the government offices and construction sites.

However, this caused great trouble for Li Junxian, Fan Qi, and the others who were personally sent by him.

Outside the beach, at the outpost of the Donggong Liu's soldiers, Li Junxian and Fan Qi were like ants on a hot pan, with the latter even developing mouth ulcers due to internal heat.

"Lord Jingshui, please do me a favor. I have already failed the Emperor's order. His Majesty has ordered us to bring His Highness back within half a month, and now... it has been almost twenty days!"

Fan Qi was already truly about to kneel down before Lü Shiheng.

Despite his predicament, the latter remained resolute, supporting Fan Qi to prevent her from kneeling while immediately shaking his head in refusal.

"Eunuch Fan, it's not that I'm unwilling to help... I'm only responsible for guarding the outer perimeter. The inner area is guarded by the palace's female guards, and even Eunuch Wang and his men aren't allowed to enter..."

"Eunuch Fan, just wait. Anyway, the time has already passed. If His Highness the Crown Prince finally agrees to set off back, your head may not be lost. But if you anger His Highness the Crown Prince, your head will be lost today."

Fan Qi wanted to cry but had no tears.

Li Junxian could only sigh from the sidelines.

His Highness the Crown Prince has expanded the scope too much. Although all the decisions were prepared in advance, the approvals for various departments and major projects still require approval from relevant personnel.

Just thinking about how Emperor Li Shimin and Prince Wei were almost driven mad before they set off...

Li Junxian and the others couldn't help but shudder.

Fortunately, Wang De arrived in a carriage shortly afterward.

He came to deliver fresh lychees to Li Chengqian.

"Eunuch Wang! You must help me, otherwise my head will really be thrown to the dogs, waah..."

Fan Qi felt as if she had seen her second parents and rushed over to them instantly.

Such behavior startled Wang Dedu, who couldn't help but be taken aback.

"Fan, Fan Qi? When did you arrive?"

After saying this, Wang De seemed to realize something and sighed.

Clearly, this must be another urging from Chang'an.

After reassuring the two men for a few moments, a female official soon emerged from the beach with several maids, taking the lychees from Wang De's side.

Wang De also took the opportunity to quickly recount the incident to the others.

Then, along with the fresh lychees that were delivered.

Two imperial edicts, one from the Regent Prince Wei and the other from the Emperor Zhenguan, were placed before Li Chengqian.

"Sigh...really, I've finally had a few days of peace and quiet..."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, instructing someone to notify the concubines who were still playing on the beach to come ashore and change their clothes.

He unfolded the imperial edict in his hand and began to read it.

The Regent Prince of Wei said, “Your Majesty has broken your promise and is enriching yourself. You said you would return in two months, but three months have passed. Why have you not returned yet?! How are the affairs of state? How are the new policies of the dynasty? If you have not returned from Chang'an by the winter solstice, I will immediately resign from my position as Regent and go on a sightseeing trip! Do not say I did not warn you!”

Li Chengqian: "......"

Goodness, his words are already so sharp; it seems Qingque is really angry...

Li Chengqian smacked his lips. Despite his reluctance, he had no choice but to decide to return to Chang'an.

Then he produced an imperial edict from Emperor Zhenguan.

Li Shimin: "The Empress is already pregnant, but there are many affairs in the court, and Qingque and I are overwhelmed. If the Crown Prince does not return to court soon, I am worried that your mother's health will suffer from the burden."

Li Chengqian: "Tsk... Little Sizi~"

He tossed the imperial edict aside and watched as the Crown Princess Qian Yingying and others, dressed in their finest attire, emerged from a newly built seaside bathhouse a short while later.

With a helpless sigh, she said, "Yingying, I'm going back to that damned cage again."

"If we don't go back soon, my father and younger brother will probably send troops to arrest us."

Upon hearing this, Qian Yingying, who had been subtly urging Li Chengqian to return to the capital more than once in recent days, visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

I've been enjoying a leisurely time lately, spending every day having fun and feeling quite carefree.

But as the Crown Princess, she understood that such a leisurely life might belong to wealthy young men without ambition, but it absolutely could not belong to the heir apparent of a nation...

"Your Highness, my sisters and I have all lost interest in Lingnan Road. Even I am starting to miss Chang'an and Taiyuan."

As Qian Yingying spoke, Wu Shun, Wang Yuyan, and the others beside her nodded in agreement, regardless of whether it was true or not.

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly. He had never felt anything about it in the past few years, but now, thinking about going back to face the mountain of government affairs, this workaholic finally felt the terror of the early morning.

He glanced at the two imperial edicts from Chang'an placed to the side.

"Tsk, let's go back! They've already issued twelve decrees to get me to return. If I don't go back soon, who knows what my younger brother and father might do..."