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

Empress Zhangsun, who was in the Lizheng Hall with Consort Yin, inquiring about the affairs of Prince Chu, Li You, in Lingnan, while showing concern for him and asking about his small requests regarding the upcoming wedding, suddenly heard a palace servant rise to report.

Speaking of the Crown Prince's concubine Zheng Lizhen, she displeased the Crown Prince again.

Empress Zhangsun's eyebrows immediately furrowed in displeasure.

Consort Yin reacted even more strongly.

"The Zheng family of Xingyang is supposed to be a family of scholars and poets, a family with a history of hundreds of years. Is this the kind of woman they raised? It's one thing to be scheming, but to make matters worse, she's as stupid as a pig!"

Empress Zhangsun took a deep breath and gave instructions to the female official of the Lizheng Hall beside her.

"Take some people to the Lotus Pond Hall, go... never mind."

Empress Zhangsun, who was about to order her female official to deal with Zheng Lizhen and teach her a lesson, suddenly paused and withdrew her order.

Consort Yin looked over in confusion, while Empress Zhangsun gently shook her head.

"After all, this is a matter concerning the Crown Prince's palace. Yingying will be in charge of the harem in the future, so she will eventually have to take matters into her own hands. Let her handle it herself."

......

The Lotus Pond where Zheng Lizhen lived and the Plain Willow Pond where Wang Yuyan lived were almost adjacent to each other.

However, compared to Wang Yuyan, who usually spends her days reading and painting and is always well-behaved, the reputation of the Jiaohe Palace among the palace maids is far worse.

Furthermore, because of Zheng Lizhen's unrestrained behavior under the bed when she served the emperor, many palace maids secretly gossiped that the Jiaohe Hall was actually the "Hall of Intercourse".

This shows just how unpopular this person was in the harem.

The Liangjiang case broke out recently, and rebellions broke out in Jiangnan and Huainan. Zheng Jiang, as the Minister of Personnel, was the first to face huge accountability. But even so, Zheng Lizhen herself only slightly restrained herself.

During the time when the Crown Prince led his men to quell the rebellion, he frequently sent people out of the palace to help his father find connections and make arrangements.

The sight made even the female officials who had served in the palace for many years secretly shake their heads.

This woman, who is as stupid as a pig, is actually the eldest daughter of the Zheng family of Xingyang?

As long as matters in the inner palace did not reach the Crown Prince Li Chengqian, or involve the imperial heir, Wang De, as the personal eunuch, and the Crown Princess would personally report them.

Most of the time, Li Chengqian didn't concern himself with matters of the harem.

For example, now.

When Crown Princess Qian Yingying led her entourage to Jiaohe Palace to deal with Zheng Lizhen, who was causing a ruckus and greatly displeasing Li Chengqian, he was at that moment receiving another father-in-law in Xiande Palace.

"Your Highness, I am guilty! I have failed in my duty to raise my son, causing Your Highness to be unjustly implicated and tarnished with a reputation for misjudging people. I deserve to die! Waaah..."

Wang Ming wept uncontrollably, while Wang Qingyun, also a meritorious official, knelt beside him, his face filled with shame and remorse.

After his father finished speaking, he immediately presented his official robes and seal with both hands.

"Qingyun has failed Your Highness, neglecting the military and causing the suppression of the rebellion to nearly escalate into an even greater disaster, bringing immense suffering to the people of Pyongyang. He is unworthy to continue this great responsibility and earnestly requests Your Highness to relinquish your authority..."

Li Chengqian looked at the father and son with a complicated expression.

My heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Who would have thought that his casual poem, "If only the Flying General of Longcheng were here, the barbarian horses would never cross the Yin Mountains," would actually allow Wang Ming and the Wang family of Taiyuan to continue to this day.

What surprised him even more was that Wang Ming was getting more and more cunning with age.

Not only is he strict in managing his family, but he is also becoming increasingly cautious in his words and deeds. As a result, his son, Wang Qingyun, is now becoming more and more composed and capable.

He nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Wang Ming for a moment before falling on his son, Wang Qingyun.

"I heard that you slaughtered all the noble families except for Cui Jun and a few others, even killing all the prisoners... Don't you feel any pain?"

Wang Qingyun's gaze was firm, and his voice was resounding, as if accompanied by the background music of loyalty.

"Your Highness! I am foolish and do not understand what Your Highness means by heartache. My father, son and relatives all eat the emperor's food and wear official robes. I am heartbroken for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to quell the rebellion, for the innocent people of Pyongyang who were affected, and for Your Highness's magnanimity in pardoning the three clans of Choi, Lu and Li, only to be betrayed by those villains."

"But I don't know why I feel so heartbroken for these traitors who disregard the well-being of the people and indulge in their ambitions!"

Gee tut.

Li Chengqian couldn't help but cross his legs, looking at the father and son, his heart filled with even more emotion.

"Hehe, Minister Wang, you've not just failed to raise your son properly, you've clearly raised a pillar of the Wang family worthy of your trust. Alright, get up. I can still distinguish between merits and demerits."

Li Chengqian smiled and waved his hand.

However, Wang Ming and his son seemed to have heard some extremely terrifying words, and they knelt even more upright in fear.

Wang Qingyun raised his official seal even higher.

"I am incompetent in managing my subordinates and lack the talent to command troops. I humbly request Your Highness to strip me of my military power and hand it over to someone more capable of leading troops!"

Li Chengqian frowned and looked intently at Wang Ming beside him: "Minister Wang, is this your intention?"

Wang Ming trembled, his face showing a mixture of fear and apprehension, though Li Chengqian couldn't discern any trace of his acting.

“Your Highness is wise. The position of Prefect of Shengjing Prefecture is already too high a promotion for my son. Your Highness has also granted him military power. My son has been unruly since childhood. Although he has made contributions in suppressing the rebellion, it is more due to the strength of our Great Tang army under Your Highness’s new policies. It is not the merit of the generals.”

"If it weren't for my son, and if any general from Hebei or anywhere else were in command of the troops, the atrocities of harassing the people and plundering merchants would not have occurred. Your Highness is grateful for the great kindness bestowed upon my Wang family, but Your Highness's grace has left me and my son with no talent to offer."

"I beg Your Highness to consider that Qingyun is my only son and rescind your order. If he proves to be a brilliant strategist and a steady and reliable man in the future, I will not obstruct Your Highness from commanding troops again..."

"Your Highness, I humbly request that you reclaim military power!"

As he spoke, Wang Ming knelt down again, tears streaming down his face.

Li Chengqian: "...Oh well, it was just some looting, but you old man have made it sound so serious."

He shook his head with feigned regret and winked at Wang De beside him.

The latter stepped forward and took the tiger tally back from Wang Qingyun's hand.

But they did not take away his official seal and robe.

"The Ministry of Revenue has submitted a memorial to the Emperor, mentioning the resettlement of people in Liaodong Province. Even though the neighboring Pyongyang Province experienced war, Liaodong Province remained peaceful and prosperous, with all industries developing smoothly. The relocated people have all received their land and houses in an orderly manner. As the Prefect of Shengjing Prefecture, you have made invaluable contributions."

“I will send someone else to replace you as the General Commander of Liaodong Circuit, but you will still hold the position of Prefect and govern Liaodong Circuit.”

As soon as Li Chengqian finished speaking, the Wang family father and son, who were kneeling below, shouted their gratitude.

After Wang De saw them off, Li Chengqian looked at their backs, then at the Liaodong Circuit Tiger Tally on the table, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile, muttering a curse under his breath.

"Old fox, you're quite afraid of dying!"

Does Wang Qingyun lack the ability to command troops?

When this guy was appointed by him to take over the position of Sima of Taiyuan Prefecture, he killed a lot of landlords and powerful families according to his orders. Among his soldiers were some who had ties with these powerful families.

But what happened in the end?

He had never heard of Wang Qingyun being lax in managing his subordinates or having his orders disobeyed.

The looting and harassment of the people during the suppression of the rebellion were definitely done at his behest.

The goal was to have a reason to voluntarily relinquish military power after the rebellion was quelled.

The governor of Shengjing Prefecture in Liaodong Circuit, who lost his military power, may seem to have been demoted, but anyone with a brain knows that this is actually another favor from the emperor to the Wang family.

On that day, the sound of Wang De announcing the imperial decree once again echoed from the Su Liu Palace.

"His Highness the Crown Prince decrees that we shall stay overnight at Su Liu Palace, with Consort Wang to serve him in bed..."