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

A letter from Wei Zheng?

Li Chengqian felt a chill run down his spine.

Could something have happened in Baikal County?

Without thinking twice, he quickly had someone bring the letter over and tore off the sealing wax.

Wei Zheng's calligraphy, as firm and unyielding as his personality, came into view.

"Your subject, Wei Zheng, bows twice in respect."

"The winds and snows of the northern frontier are fiercer than swords, yet whenever I gaze at the Southern Dipper, I cannot help but feel moved by Your Highness's grand strategy for governing the world. Now, Baikal County has achieved great success in five years, with its military farms yielding 300,000 bushels of grain, its iron foundries producing a thousand new 'ice field plows,' and its livestock numbering in the tens of thousands—all thanks to Your Highness's past policy of 'using war to sustain the borders.' However, I have words from the bottom of my heart, which I must risk my life to speak out..."

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow.

This wasn't the first time Wei Zheng had written to him. Returning to Chang'an from Baikal County was not only dangerous but also took up a lot of time. Wei Zheng often wrote letters to Li Chengqian, such as work reports.

Just when Li Chengqian thought it was just a letter reporting on the current state of construction in Baikal County.

What followed, however, caused Li Chengqian's expression to gradually freeze.

"Although Princess Gaoyang is dressed in red, her bloodline is inherited from His Majesty's divine strategy and martial prowess. Moreover, it was the year that the new policies in Taiyuan were initiated, and she followed His Highness to establish his own government and learn about governance. Her archery, horsemanship and military strategy are the best among all the students. I have read her study notes. When discussing the Salt and Iron Treatise, she understands the advantages and disadvantages. When studying Sun Tzu's Art of War, she subtly combines the orthodox and unorthodox methods. Such wisdom is not limited by gender."

Is Wei Zheng asking me for Gao Yang?

Li Chengqian's expression stiffened. Ever since that girl sent a letter to Wei Shuyu and then the latter made no further move, he had stopped taking the matter seriously.

I never expected... It seems I've been tricked by that girl Gao Yang.

In her letter to Wei Shuyu, she must have not only called for reinforcements, but also informed him in advance to delay sending the message by a few days...

Li Chengqian couldn't help but shake his head and let out a complicated chuckle, feeling a sense of absurdity, as if his daughter had secretly plotted with her friends to run away from home, even resorting to scheming.

He took a deep breath and looked at Wei Zhengxin's subsequent praise of Gao Yang.

Li Chengqian was somewhat surprised when he read the contents of the letter.

Gao Yang, one of the royal representatives who ruined the reputation of the Li Tang dynasty in history, has undergone earth-shattering changes since his appearance. This is something that even Li Chengqian was surprised to realize at this moment.

"The princess possesses a temperament as cold as iron and a face as proud as the sun. She once had a corrupt eunuch beaten to death with a rod, and recently, I heard of her angrily beheading a powerful servant who oppressed the people. Such a heart that hates evil is perfectly suited to the northern frontier, a land of eagles and wolves. If a gentle and benevolent ruler were to govern the icy plains, it would only invite the contempt of the Kyrgyz; only the princess's thunderous methods and compassionate heart can truly awe the nine tribes of the Tiele. Though I am old and frail, I am willing to offer my remaining body as the princess's vanguard. I only beg Your Highness to grant this fine steed a stretch of grassland, and this old minister will certainly not let the Ferghana horse be confined to its stable..."

Li Chengqian: "......"

It must have been really tough on that old fellow Wei Zheng. Not only did he have to send a message from so far away, but he also had to rack his brains to come up with words of praise and flattery.

He couldn't help but sigh and shake his head.

Perhaps it's really fitting for me to sigh at this moment, "A daughter grows up and leaves home"?

Yushu Hall.

In the palace, which is completely out of step with Princess Gaoyang's personality, the princess, who is currently under house arrest, is dressed in a heroic manner and has just finished sparring with a female guard.

He then had the targets set up and pulled out his well-maintained sidearm.

Amidst the "bang bang bang" sounds, Li Chengqian looked up at the empty bird nests in the trees surrounding the Jade Palace. He wondered if any birds would return to the nests around the Jade Palace once the weather warmed up.

After all, having such a dangerous and noisy neighbor...

Upon entering the Jade Palace, the palace maids and guards, seeing the sudden appearance of the Crown Prince, instinctively tried to bow, but he silently stopped them.

Standing quietly behind Gao Yang, I watched as this younger sister, dressed in a smart short-sleeved outfit with her hair in a ponytail, held a revolver.

He pulled the trigger repeatedly.

The smell of gunpowder smoke swept across the face that bore a striking resemblance to his father, the emperor.

Six bullets, almost all of them hit within the seventh ring.

Gao Yang was completely unaware that her elder brother, Li Chengqian, was quietly watching her practice shooting. After six shots, he skillfully took out a replacement magazine from a small pouch at his waist.

"Click," the bomb loading is complete.

Gao Yang raised his gun again.

"Bang bang bang..."

This time there was significant improvement, with most of the runs kept within the eighth ring road.

Seeing her go round and round, Li Chengqian couldn't help but cross his arms and carefully examine this younger sister.

"Are you trying to shoot a target at the emperor?"

The mocking voices startled Gao Yang, who turned around instantly and instinctively prepared to raise her gun, but fortunately she managed to restrain herself.

She looked in surprise at her elder brother, who had appeared behind her at some unknown time, and then at the palace maids and guards on her left and right.

"Brother, when did you arrive?"

"While someone was gritting their teeth in hatred for their elder brother..."

Li Chengqian's ambiguous smile and his words made Gao Yang blush instantly.

"Oh dear, brother, what nonsense are you talking about? How could I possibly hate you? I love you the most!"

Hearing her sweet, coquettish words, Li Chengqian pursed his lips, not giving her a chance to make a joke.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter that Wei Zheng had given him.

It unfolded before Gao Yang.

"Hehe, so my most beloved sister Gaoyang~ don't you want to explain why that old bastard Wei Zheng actually wrote me a letter personally, and even praised you like a flower?"

"Let alone Chang Le, even I, Wei Zhengxin, have never used so many words of praise before, tsk tsk tsk..."

Gao Yang stared at the letter with wide eyes in surprise, took it from Li Chengqian's hand, and couldn't suppress a smile after reading it.

Li Chengqian vaguely heard: "You've got some skill, huh? I thought you hadn't succeeded..."

Li Chengqian smiled faintly: "Wei Shuyu is indeed quite capable. Even my Imperial Guards didn't find out how he sent the letter, which means he didn't use anyone from the Wei family, and even Madam Wei didn't know."

Gao Yang's face stiffened, and she turned her head stiffly and awkwardly, just in time to meet her elder brother's sly smile, which was just as petty as their father's.

"This, Your Majesty, I... I can explain..."

"Explain? Go explain to the Empress Dowager!"

........

Lizheng Hall.

Empress Zhangsun watched as the father and son, unusually, sat at a table, cracking melon seeds and peeling peanuts, looking like they were watching a show.

Then look at her daughter, Gao Yang, kneeling on the ground, looking pitiful and stammering.

I couldn't help but feel a little tempted to quit and retire.

If Chengqian had ascended the throne earlier, Yingying would have been able to take charge of the affairs of the harem sooner, which would have saved her, his mother, some trouble in the future.

Li Shimin loved watching the drama unfold.

"Guanyinbi, why don't we summon that brat Wei Shuyu as well? I'm quite curious how he came up with the idea of ​​circumventing the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

He glanced sideways at his son, his smile growing even wider.

"Those are the Crown Prince's Imperial Guards!"

Li Chengqian: "......"