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

"The old footprints of Changmen Palace are neglected, but suddenly, I am bathed in the Emperor's grace at the Ling Pavilion."

"Her morning makeup was just finished, and the jade steps were shrouded in dew, when she saw the king with his hands in his sleeves, looking dejected."

"The incense in the jade censer has burned out, leaving only embers; the pearl-beaded curtain shimmers, reflecting the patterns on the sword."

"Wanting to open her lips, she remained silent; the past seemed like a dream, warm only at her fingertips..."

As Li Chengqian read through the poem written by Wang Yuyan, a slight smile crept onto his lips. The poem, titled "Longing for the Emperor's Favor," was likely written after he had favored her recently.

And similar poems can still be seen hanging in several places in the Su Liu Palace.

Some poems are written with a poignant and delicate touch, while others present a deliberately carefree and unrestrained mood. Reading one poem gives you one feeling, but reading two poems gives you yet another.

Wang Yuyan was thoroughly exhausted by him last night. After more than a month in Jiangnan, Li Chengqian, this masculine man, naturally had his share of pent-up frustration.

This was tough on Wang Yuyan; last night she even begged her personal maid to help her with the load.

However, Li Chengqian might just be it.

Despite being stuffed, Wang Yuyan was still fast asleep even as the sun was high in the sky. Li Chengqian didn't let anyone disturb her. He looked around her study, observing the books she was reading, the poems she was writing, and the paintings she was creating. She seemed quite at ease.

"Does Wang Liangyuan stay in the study all day long?" he asked.

The personal maid hurriedly and respectfully replied, "Your Highness, Consort Liangyuan has no other hobbies. Every day, besides visiting the Crown Princess, she plays shuttlecock in Suliu Palace for exercise. The rest of the time, she is in this study."

Li Chengqian glanced at the maid and naturally understood what she meant by Wang Yuyan's subservience to the Crown Princess.

But he just smiled faintly.

He glanced at the sky outside, said a few words, and walked straight outside.

"Have Consort Wang prepare dinner tonight and have her personally deliver it to me at Xiande Hall. Prepare a generous amount..."

"Yes! I obey your command!"

Upon arriving at Xiande Hall, Li Chengqian immediately instructed Wang De to summon Prince Wei, Li Tai, Prince Chu, Li You, and his teachers.

When Li Tai and Li You received the summons from Crown Prince Li Chengqian, they didn't think much of it.

however.

The officials, who had been neglected since Li Chengqian returned to the palace two days ago, couldn't help but feel excited and expectant when they learned that Li Chengqian had summoned Li Gang, Kong Yingda, and Yu Shinan.

"Your Highness summoned me; have you perhaps already decided how to handle the aftermath of the Liangjiang case?"

"Grand Tutor Kong, you must put in a good word for His Highness on this matter. Many people have already been purged from the court. If this continues, the country may not survive!"

"Yes, yes, Young Master Yu, please put in a good word for us..."

When the palace eunuchs arrived at Kong Yingda and Yu Shinan's residences, the two men were already annoyed by the visiting officials and naturally wanted to keep their doors closed to guests.

But as these officials have demonstrated, the court is now in a state of panic because of the Liangjiang case.

Many officials were so preoccupied with their duties that they were afraid they would be taken away by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and thrown into prison at any moment.

Therefore, as the prince's teachers, the two had no choice but to step in and temporarily calm these people down.

After seeing these people off without comment, he followed the eunuchs towards the palace. On the way, he encountered several ministers at the palace gate, all of whom bowed and hoped that the ministers would help persuade the crown prince.

Yu Shinan and Kong Yingda: "..."

"These guys really think too highly of me. My whole family risked their lives to cause such a major event as the rebellion in Liangjiang. How dare I interfere in such a matter?"

Kong Yingda sighed.

He had been dismissed by the Crown Prince as the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, and now that he had regained his position, he cherished it greatly and protected his reputation with utmost care.

When the two arrived at the East Palace, Li Gang, the eldest of the Crown Prince's tutors, had already arrived at Xiande Hall and was drinking tea and chatting with the Crown Prince.

Every now and then you can hear hearty laughter.

A fishing rod and a fish basket were placed at the entrance of the palace. Clearly, Li Shaobao, who had been personally permitted by the Crown Prince to fish in the palace, was fishing in the lake pond again today.

Yu Shinan and the other man exchanged glances, and Yu Shinan couldn't help but sigh again.

People who have lived to be over eighty years old are able to take everything in stride.

"This old minister, Yu Shinan (Kong Yingda), greets Your Highness..."

Li Chengqian smiled and gestured for them to dispense with formalities. He then had Wang De serve them tea and snacks. After a short while, the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Chu also arrived, at which point he dismissed his attendants.

His expression turned serious, and he began to talk about serious matters.

He made a startling statement.

"I want reform! Drastic reform! Utter reform!"

Listen to his familiar "do or die" tone, and look at Li Chengqian's resolute and unquestionable manner as he speaks, just like Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, who burned his boats.

My heart skipped a beat, and my hand, which was holding the teacup, trembled as well.

"Your Highness..." Yu Shinan instinctively wanted to say something like, "Let Li Chengqian consider this carefully."

Upon hearing this, Li Gang, the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, smiled and spoke up as if chatting casually, looking at Li Chengqian with anticipation.

"It seems that Your Highness has already made up your mind by summoning us old folks. Do you have a detailed plan?"

Li Gang took it all in stride.

Even if the Tang Dynasty were to unfortunately perish after only two generations, Li Gang's name would still be recorded in history because he served as the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince Li Chengqian. As for matters such as his descendants, Li Gang had long since stopped caring about them.

What intrigued him even more was what kind of reforms could be described as "major reforms, drastic reforms" by this ambitious and decisive crown prince.

Li Chengqian smiled slightly.

He took out the booklet that he had started preparing on the carriage when he returned from Jiangnan Road.

Li Gang took it, and Kong Yingda and Yu Shinan immediately joined in.

Li Tai and Li You, on the other hand, already knew what their elder brother was planning, and remained calmly sitting there drinking tea.

"hiss......."

The three of them looked at the booklet.

The above content is actually not much, but many details are clearly not included.

The first thing they saw, "cabinet system," didn't surprise them. In the early years of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, when Taiyuan Prefecture began its reforms, the Eastern Palace had something similar, which could be considered the prototype of the cabinet.

However, this title is currently only used at the level of the Six Ministries and the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Imperial Court.

The cabinet was more like Li Chengqian's secretariat.

However, it now appears that His Highness the Crown Prince is preparing to truly implement this system at the national level.

For civil officials, this is a good thing to some extent. After all, in a court managed by the cabinet, officials would face fewer obstacles when doing things and implementing policies, once they had the monarch's permission.

The position of "Grand Secretary" will undoubtedly become the highest position that civil servants pursue throughout their lives.

but.

If the crown prince had only withdrawn from the cabinet system, why would he call it a "major overhaul, a drastic change"?

As everyone looked down.

Even the usually cheerful Li Gang's face, which had been showing signs of age, became serious and solemn.

"Tian Ce Mansion... Hall of State Affairs... Privy Council... Censorate..."

"The Grand Council..."