20demayo Chapter 4 Li Chengqian: You might as well take a few plaster patches and stick them on!
Chapter 4 Li Chengqian: You might as well take a few plaster patches and stick them on!
"Brother, do you think it's appropriate for me to move to the Wude Hall?" Li Tai asked arrogantly, his hands behind his back.
Li Chengqian was surprised that Qingque, relying on his father's favor, had become so arrogant. This kind of topic was very sensitive, and people usually avoided it, but Qingque had taken the initiative to ask about it.
Does he still see me, the Crown Prince?
Li Chengqian suppressed his anger: "The palaces in the imperial palace are meant to be lived in. It would be bad if they were left idle and uninhabited for a long time."
Back in the day, didn't Prince Qi, Li Yuanji, live in the Wude Hall?
Since the King of Qi can stay here, then I believe you can too.
Li Tai was speechless.
Everyone knows perfectly well what became of Li Yuanji.
He chuckled twice: "Brother, actually, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that since Father asked me to compile the 'Kuodi Zhi' (Records of the Land), I must do this well."
But think about it, how can I possibly complete such a massive project by myself?
So I asked for help from several others: Jiang Yaqing, Xie Yan, Gu Yin, and Xiao Deyan.
This made my area feel a bit cramped.
I had considered moving to the Martial Virtue Hall, but I felt it wasn't quite appropriate. Therefore, I'd like to establish a literary museum.
Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian thought to himself, "If you want to set up a literary academy, then set it up. As long as you and the Emperor agree, why do you need to tell me?"
"Your idea is good, I support you."
I believe that we should not only invite those four, but also more, to help you compile the "Kuodi Zhi" (Records of the Land).
Upon hearing this, Li Tai's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together, asking, "Brother, is that really what you think?"
That's great.
However, public opinion is a fearsome thing. I am still worried that the ministers in the court will say that I am using this opportunity to cultivate my own faction and plot treason.
"As long as you have a clear conscience, why bother with those other people?"
"I have a clear conscience, yes! Your Majesty, you are absolutely right. You are the Crown Prince, as long as you don't overthink things," Li Tai said, sounding somewhat excited. "I heard you are about to have your coming-of-age ceremony. Do you have any requests?"
"Feel free to ask. As long as it's within my power, I'll definitely fulfill your request."
"Is that so?" Li Chengqian looked at his excited expression. "Then I won't stand on ceremony."
"We're brothers, why be so polite?"
"I don't need anything from you. When I come of age, I need a master of ceremonies. You can be my master of ceremonies then."
"This—." Li Tai hadn't expected Li Chengqian to make such a request, and his face showed difficulty.
"What's wrong? Are you having some kind of trouble?"
"That kind of occasion is extremely grand, with many civil and military officials in attendance. I have no experience in this area, so would it be appropriate for me to serve as your master of ceremonies?"
"You are the King of Yue, of noble status. What's inappropriate about that?"
"Alright then, since Your Majesty thinks so highly of me, I'll go all out. If there's anything I do wrong, I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
"That's alright."
"You get some rest, I'll head back now," Li Tai said, bowing and taking his leave.
Just as Li Tai was about to leave, he suddenly heard Li Chengqian call out, "Wait a minute."
Li Tai turned around and asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Take these two ginseng roots back with you. I'm cured, so I don't need them anymore." Li Chengqian brought over the brocade box.
Li Tai grinned: "Brother, it's already been delivered, are you going to make me take it back?"
I appreciate your kind intentions, but please take the ginseng back.
Li Tai had no choice but to take the two ginseng roots back with him.
After Li Tai sauntered away, Yun Juan came over and asked with a smile, "Your Highness, how are you feeling?"
"not bad."
"Would you like to enjoy it?"
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "That's fine too."
A moment later.
"Your Highness, are you feeling comfortable?" Yun Juan asked gently.
"Not bad, try a little harder." Li Chengqian squinted his eyes.
"Wasn't I strong enough?"
"Um."
"You're so greedy, hehe..."
"Your Highness, do you feel good?" Xiaoyue's voice was even more cringe-worthy.
"Your kung fu is not bad."
"Should I speed up?"
"You can go even faster."
"Can you handle any faster?"
"My body is quite robust; this isn't the first time."
"So, should I move up and down, or left and right?"
"First up and down, then left and right."
"Your Highness, you're really amazing! Hehe..."
"..."
Yunjuan and Xiaoyue's laughter carried far.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?"
At this moment, Du Zhenglun, the Left Vice-Minister of the Crown Prince, heard these obscene words outside the East Palace. Without permission, he covered his buttocks and rushed into the courtyard.
Li Chengqian was sitting in his wheelchair, basking in the sun with his hands tucked into his sleeves and his head resting on the backrest. He had a toothpick in his mouth. Yun Juan was standing behind him, massaging his shoulders, while Xiao Yue was squatting on the ground, massaging his legs.
Li Chengqian opened his eyes, glanced at Du Zhenglun, and then waved his hand. Yun Juan and Xiao Yue ran away laughing.
"Du Zhenglun, who let you in?"
"No, Your Majesty... Your Majesty thought you were..." Du Zhenglun looked completely bewildered.
"What do you think I'm doing?"
"Your humble servant... Your humble servant didn't think of anything."
"You weren't thinking about anything, were you?" Li Chengqian looked at his disheveled appearance but didn't hold it against him. Instead, he asked with concern, "What happened to you?"
"Your Highness, I have been wronged!" Du Zhenglun said with a bitter face.
"Where is the injustice?"
"Last night, I was sleeping at home with my concubine Chunyan," Du Zhenglun said, realizing he had let something slip. He slapped himself in the face and continued, "Suddenly, two armored warriors burst in from outside, dragged me out of bed without a word, and dragged me to the Zichen Palace. They then pinned me to the ground and beat me with forty strokes of the cane, leaving me with lacerations."
Li Chengqian asked with a smile, "What did you just say? Who were you sleeping with?"
"After the beating, Your Majesty asked me what crime I had committed and why I had been beaten."
His Majesty said, "You know in your heart what crime you have committed."
However, I truly do not know.
I was beaten up without even knowing why, and His Majesty also said that he would not give me leave and that I should come to the East Palace this morning to clock in as usual.
Your Highness, I am truly innocent…
At this point, Du Zhenglun almost cried.
Li Chengqian saw this and wanted to laugh but couldn't. He thought to himself, "You, Du Zhenglun, I have always treated you well, but you are in cahoots with Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu, constantly reporting on me to Father. Do you think I don't know?"
You deserved to get beaten! I'd rather your butt be split into eight pieces.
Li Chengqian thought this in his heart, but he couldn't say it out loud: "Old Du, what's the use of telling me this now instead of beforehand? It's all hindsight."
It was your father who hit you, not me, right?
Actually, you've already gained an advantage. They didn't punish you with a hundred or two hundred strokes, only forty. Consider it a good workout.
"Since the beating has already happened, I have a few plasters here. Take them back and apply them. In less than a month, you'll be back to your old self, and I guarantee your concubine will be satisfied."
At this point, Li Chengqian took out a few plasters from the document drawer and handed them to Du Zhenglun, continuing, "If you can't stay idle, I plan to plant some grapes in the back garden. I'm worried about who will help build the grape trellis. You can come and help, consider it exercise, and it will help you recover faster."
Of course, once the grapes are ripe, I will definitely treat you well and send you two bunches to try.
What do you think?
"what?"
Du Zhenglun thought to himself, "Should we just let this go?"
You're so heartless. I'm already so badly injured, and you still want me to do the work.
A few plasters and you think you can get rid of me? Who wants that stuff?
Sending me some deer antler velvet or something would be more like it. It seems this crown prince is just like his father, not a single good thing!
"Serving Your Highness is my wish, but alas, my buttocks are no longer intact, so I cannot comply..."
"Alright, then go back and take good care of your injuries, and while you're at it, write a few more memorials for me to see."
"..."
Upon hearing Li Chengqian's words, Du Zhenglun naturally understood that the Crown Prince was mocking him.
He bowed and went outside.
With each step he took, he grimaced in pain, thinking: You, Li Chengqian, ever since you had that serious illness, you've become a completely different person, so wicked. Just you wait!
I must get my revenge!
At this moment, the simulator's voice rang in Li Chengqian's ears again: "Ding! Host, the opponent is detected to be on the verge of rage. The opponent has broken through the defenses and the opponent's emotions are fluctuating abnormally. Simulation options are now activated:"
First, offer kind words of comfort;
Second, reward him with gold and silver;
Third, ignore him and let him go on his own;
Please select.
After hearing this, Li Chengqian thought to himself that he had barged in without permission, and that he had already been quite lenient by not punishing him. Therefore, option one could not be selected.
As for the second item, I'm short on cash, where would I get extra money to give him?
Besides, his salary wasn't low; otherwise, where would he get the money to support his concubines? Therefore, the second option is also not selected.
"I'll choose the third option."
"An incorrect answer has serious consequences. Would you like to change your answer?"
"Need not."
night.
Taiji Palace, Lizheng Hall.
A charcoal fire was burning inside the hall.
Empress Zhangsun was preparing the items needed for Li Chengqian's coming-of-age ceremony, such as a black cloth crown, a leather cap, and a ceremonial cap.
Empress Zhangsun and Li Shimin had a very deep relationship, and she understood Li Shimin's temperament and personality very well.
She understood what Li Shimin meant with just a glance or a gesture.
She and her brother Changsun Wuji made great contributions during Li Shimin's conquest of the country and his seizure of the throne.
At this moment, Li Shimin walked in from outside.
Seeing that Li Shimin looked unwell, she sensed that something had happened.
She quickly put down what she was doing, stood up, took off Li Shimin's outer garment, hung it up, and poured him a cup of hot tea.
"What's wrong with you again? You look terrible."
Li Shimin downed his tea in one gulp: "Wasn't it all because Chengqian angered you?"
Empress Zhangsun was startled upon hearing this, wondering what had happened, and asked, "What's wrong with Chengqian?"
"Take a good look at what he's been doing in the Eastern Palace."
As Li Shimin spoke, he handed Du Zhenglun's memorial to Empress Zhangsun.
After returning home, Du Zhenglun became increasingly angry. He thought that the Crown Prince was not taking him, the Crown Prince's Left Vice Minister, seriously at all. So, despite the pain, he impeached the Crown Prince again.
Empress Zhangsun unfolded the memorial and read it. The gist of it was that the Crown Prince had recently stopped reading, acted frivolously, and fooled around with the palace maids, which was unbecoming of a Crown Prince. If this continued, how would he inherit the throne in the future?
Empress Zhangsun frowned upon seeing this.
Li Shimin sighed: "Recently, I have focused my main thoughts and energy on cultivating the crown prince."
So, I hired many tutors for him in the Eastern Palace. However, Yu Zhining, Zhang Xuansu, and others frequently submitted memorials to me, reporting that the Crown Prince's behavior was improper, that he disliked studying, and especially that he often spent time with a young musician named Chengxin. How could I not be angry?
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes, he actually slept side-by-side with Chengxin, what kind of behavior is that?"
"Is this really true?" Empress Zhangsun was even more surprised.
"Chengqian himself admitted it, so how could it be false? Moreover, from my observation, he shows absolutely no remorse."
Empress Zhangsun was well-versed in classics and history, and naturally understood the importance of etiquette.
Confucianism also advocates etiquette and emphasizes the order of hierarchy.
The difference in status between Chengxin and the Crown Prince is too great; how could they possibly sleep in the same bed?
If this is true, then the crown prince's behavior is indeed quite absurd.
Empress Zhangsun could only try to persuade him from the sidelines: "Your Majesty, please don't be angry."
Chengqian was a clever child from a young age, often coming up with ingenious ideas and even doing things that were incomprehensible to ordinary people. However, it is undeniable that he was wise.
As far as I know, when you are not in the capital, entrusting some government affairs to him is always appropriate.
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's expression softened slightly.
"I believe that as a crown prince, one should not be bound by trivial matters and should not make a fuss. Wasn't Emperor Gaozu of Han also a person who was not bound by trivial matters?"
Most importantly, he must have the ability to handle government affairs.
As long as he can handle national affairs well, nothing else matters.
He has just recovered from a serious illness and is about to undergo his coming-of-age ceremony. Under these circumstances, why do you punish him?
"Empress, you've spoiled the children rotten," Li Shimin said, his tone softening considerably. "Have the auspicious day and guests been chosen?"
"No, it's just that Chengqian's health has been poor lately, so it's been delayed."
Now that he has recovered, he can begin to handle this matter.