News from Tengzhou continued to reach the capital regularly, and inevitably, some people thought Li Yuanying’s disregard for the curfew and his indulgence in pleasure with the people was inappropriate. Emperor Li’s authorization for Li Yuanying to mint currency was also brought up again for discussion.
Emperor Li’s habit of delegating power to others genuinely made many people apprehensive. From the current perspective, Li Yuanying seemed to have no ambition, preoccupied only with eating, drinking, and reveling in frivolous activities. Yet, he was only fifteen or sixteen years old, significantly younger than the Crown Prince. Who could say what his thoughts would be when he grew up?
Everyone felt Emperor Li was too indulgent towards Li Yuanying. Even if he was wronged, such a precedent couldn’t be set! Look, Li Yuanying had already started causing trouble.
Emperor Li had not received a private letter from Li Yuanying recently. Li Yuanying, following protocol, sent official reports to Chang’an, meticulously crafted with exquisite language and precise terminology – clearly not written by him.
Emperor Li, in turn, responded with the same formality, reprimanding when necessary, and delivering his instructions without hesitation. He didn’t hinder the impeachment by the court officials, forwarding the reports to Tengzhou, allowing Li Yuanying to read and absorb the teachings of his elders.
Emperor Li’s demeanor was composed, his mood seemingly unaffected. Changsun Wuji and the others, however, felt a sense of unease. When Emperor Li boasted to them about his younger brother Li Yuanying, they found it repulsive – how could he be so shameless? Now that Emperor Li and Li Yuanying had a rift due to the assassination attempt, maintaining a formal distance and communicating solely through written correspondence, they found themselves feeling uncomfortable. They had followed Emperor Li throughout his journey, and while they couldn’t claim selfless devotion to their ruler, the years of shared experiences had forged a genuine bond between them.
How could two brothers who were so close suddenly be at odds with each other?
It wasn’t just Changsun Wuji and the others who felt uneasy, Li Chengqian also sensed something amiss. Li Chengqian was already showing the bearing of a future emperor. This year, Emperor Li was going to the Cuiwei Palace to escape the summer heat, leaving Chang’an in Li Chengqian’s care. The elderly Wei Zheng, who was usually in attendance, did not accompany the Emperor this time.
Li Chengqian, knowing Wei Zheng and Li Yuanying were close, invited him to the East Palace and inquired about Li Yuanying. Sensing Li Chengqian’s genuine concern, Wei Zheng pondered for a moment before saying, “His Majesty is testing.”
He didn’t elaborate further on what he was testing, leaving it for Li Chengqian to ponder.
After bidding farewell to Wei Zheng, Li Chengqian sat alone, reflecting on Wei Zheng’s words.
Who was Emperor Li testing?
Was it Duke Xun Guo, or Li Yuanying?
Perhaps both.
Li Yuanying had grown up, reaching the age of settling down and establishing a career. He could no longer be treated as a child. So, he was being pushed to see what he was capable of, tested to see if he would remain steadfast in his character.
Emperor Li was also testing Duke Xun Guo, to see if he truly harbored no ill intentions.
Emperor Li had spared Duke Xun Guo from execution, allowing them to fester in this animosity. Li Yuanying might understand, but what did it matter? Both reward and punishment were the Emperor’s grace. Emperor Li had made his decision, and they had to accept it.
As for how they chose to act in private, that was up to them.
Emperor Li simply wanted to witness this “ability.”
Testing inevitably inflicted pain. On one hand, there were his trusted companions who had followed him from the beginning, and on the other, his own younger brother, raised by his own hand. Emperor Li didn’t hesitate to pour oil on the fire between them. It was no wonder Li Yuanying was angry and refused to write letters anymore.
Li Chengqian understood, and he was about to write a letter to try and persuade Li Yuanying, when a knock on the door, a steady thrum, thrum, thrum, echoed from outside. It was his son Li Xiang, who had come running.
Li Xiang was always free to come and go in the East Palace. However, noticing Li Chengqian lost in thought, he politely knocked first, giving him a heads-up.
Li Chengqian invited him in.
Li Xiang, with a light and quick step, trotted to his father’s side and sat down. Being in the palace and still young, he was less informed, only getting wind of Li Yuanying’s assassination attempt after it was all over.
Li Xiang was furious. He had pondered for days, unable to come up with any good way to protect his “little one,” only to find himself running to the training ground every day to watch the imperial guards train. He had done this for a whole month, personally selecting ten people he thought were the strongest, and he held their names in his heart, carrying the list with him to find his father.
Li Chengqian, seeing Li Xiang sit beside him with pleading eyes that mirrored those of his own “little one” whenever he had something to request, asked, “What is it?”
Li Xiang handed the list to Li Chengqian, saying, “If you’re sending someone to Tengzhou with a message, send these ten people along too. I’ve checked them out, they’re the best!”
Li Chengqian said, “No problem, but you need to tell your grandfather.”
The imperial guards in the palace had a fixed number, even those who followed Li Xiang could not be arbitrarily transferred to Tengzhou.
Li Chengqian asked Li Xiang if he wanted to tell Emperor Li himself or have him do it.
Li Xiang said, “I’ll go myself!” With that, Li Xiang turned and ran again, his footsteps as light and quick as they had been when he arrived.
Li Chengqian watched as his son’s small figure disappeared into the shadows cast by the sunlight outside, a strange feeling washing over him. He felt keenly that some things were definitely changing.
Over the past year or so, he had experienced this feeling intermittently, as if he shouldn’t have this peaceful state of mind, as if he shouldn’t be so securely established as the Crown Prince.
This feeling was utterly illogical.
He was still the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.
Yes, he was the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, the heir apparent, the future emperor of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Chengqian’s heart settled, and he wrote a letter to Li Yuanying. However, it was not as he initially intended, to persuade his younger brother to swallow his pride and endure. Instead, he wrote down his thoughts directly:
“I watched as Duke Xun Guo, kneeling before Father, wept with his head against his leg, confessing his mistakes and reminiscing about the past. A man of his age, sobbing with tears streaming down his face, it was truly shameful. You’re always taking the opportunity to act sweet and charming, how come he outdid you this time? If you feel wronged, then curse him out! If you’re unhappy, then beat him up! You’re a prince of the Tang Dynasty, you don’t need to put up with this. If anything happens, your nephew will have your back!”
Li Chengqian felt a sense of satisfaction after finishing the letter. He stood up and walked to the window.
It was a time when spring was meeting summer, the sunlight outside was bright and warm, and the flowers were in full bloom. Li Chengqian stood there for a while, feeling happy and lighthearted before returning to his desk and taking a look at the documents lying there.
Since he had made a grand promise to be his “little uncle’s” support, he should become a worthy Crown Prince, adding more weight to his words in the court!
At this moment, Li Xiang also succeeded in seeing Emperor Li.
Li Xiang, no longer afraid of Emperor Li, ran up to him, plopped down next to him, and told him about his plan to send ten of the best imperial guards to his “little one.” He said, “Grandfather, just let me send them!”
Emperor Li said, “What, do you think recruiting two thousand elite soldiers won’t be enough to protect your ‘little one’?”
Li Xiang said, “No, it’s not that! Don’t they say the imperial guards are the strongest in the world? Those newly recruited ones can’t compare! I still want to send them.”
Emperor Li nodded his consent.
Li Xiang, mimicking Li Yuanying, leaned in to flatter his grandfather, bustling about with this and that, refusing to leave.
Changsun Wuji and the others came to discuss matters, and seeing this scene, felt as if they were looking at Li Yuanying from back then!
Emperor Li, however, seemed to be enjoying himself, letting Li Xiang flit around him. This child used to always try to be close to Li Yuanying, and while he hadn’t learned much else, he had picked up most of the art of flattery!
…
News reached Xiangzhou a bit later. After all, it involved a prince and an important official, so the news didn’t spread beyond Chang’an.
Li Tai found out from his son, the “little round ball.”
Li “Little Round Ball” had grown a few years older and wasn’t quite so round anymore. After receiving Li Xiang’s letter, he was also fuming and went to rummage through his own treasure hoard. He couldn’t offer people, so he could only see if there were any precious items in his collection that he could send to Li Yuanying.
His actions caught Li Tai’s attention, and he couldn’t help but ask what was wrong.
Li “Little Round Ball” then told Li Tai about Li Yuanying’s assassination attempt.
Li Tai, who never expected to be a jinx, didn’t dare to laugh in front of his son, so he simply generously ordered his servants to open the treasury and let Li “Little Round Ball” pick whatever he wanted, promising to have it delivered.
Li “Little Round Ball,” overjoyed, went to the treasury to choose his treasures.
As soon as his son was out of sight, Li Tai couldn’t help but let out a couple of laughs, feeling that Li Yuanying had finally met his match. But his good mood didn’t last long. He heard the steward whisper that his son had selected two entire carts full of calligraphy and paintings from the treasury!
Li Tai’s face turned ashen.
What a prodigal son!
Li “Little Round Ball,” thrilled with his selection, brought the inventory to Li Tai and asked, “Father, can I take these?” His tone and expression were careful and respectful, he would immediately return them if Li Tai said no.
Li Tai, meeting his son’s bright, round eyes, could he possibly say no? So he said, “You can, I’ll arrange for someone to deliver them.”
Li Yuanying spent a month leisurely exploring the mountains and rivers of Tengzhou, accompanied by a group of students studying painting, capturing every scenic spot with a special focus. Since he stayed within Tengzhou, he had no need to ask for permission, and no one stopped him from going out.
Li Yuanying returned to Tengzhou city with a stack of paintings piled high on camel backs, just in time to receive the tokens of affection from Chang’an and Xiangzhou.
Li Zhi and the others had already sent gifts. Li Yuanying wasn’t surprised to hear that Li Xiang had sent people to deliver things.
Only when he saw the contents of both gifts did he stand before the two carts piled high with treasures and burst out laughing, saying to Wei Jiu, “This kid brought so much stuff, won’t Qingque be furious!”
When he learned that the ten imperial guards sent by Li Xiang were handpicked by him, and it took him a whole month to do so, Li Yuanying felt a warmth in his heart. Everyone was kind to him, even Emperor Li had promptly sent both gifts and people. It was just that he was so accustomed to being pampered that he couldn’t stand any injustice.
Li Yuanying excitedly inspected the treasures sent by his two nephews, before finally opening the letter from Li Chengqian.
After reading it, he could almost see his good nephew’s ambitious demeanor. Good, his elder nephew had his back!
Li Yuanying, inspired by Li Chengqian’s grand words, was also filled with enthusiasm. He summoned his attendants and marched into his study, where he took up his brush and wrote a letter of reproach to Emperor Li:
“Am I not your favorite brother? This wife’s brother of Duke Xun Guo tried to kill me, and you protected him! You didn’t punish him! Yet you keep writing letters to scold me! You don’t care about me, fine, but you made me read those impeachment reports and reflect!
Li Yuanying finished his scathing remarks about Emperor Li before informing him that he had sent Dai Ting to Luoyang. He simply wouldn’t accept this! Of course, they wouldn’t stoop to murder and frame someone, they were reasonable people, at most, they would just give Duke Xun Guo a taste of his own medicine.
Li Yuanying had finished what he wanted to say and, fearing he might change his mind, immediately ordered his servants to send the letter by fast horse to Chang’an.
After finishing the letter, Li Yuanying stood up and paced around his study for a few turns, noticing the two young maidservants, Huangying and Huanghui, turning their heads to follow him. He laughed with amusement and teased, “Xiang’er sent me ten imperial guards, all young and unmarried, if you have your eye on any of them, tell your princess.”
Huangying and Huanghui looked at each other and replied in unison, “Your Highness, we’re too young!” They were both lively and energetic, like two flower buds about to bloom, and they looked exactly alike. Hearing them speak in unison was quite charming.
Li Yuanying said, “Then you go and observe them first, and when you find someone you like, go ahead and make your move.”
Huangying and Huanghui blushed and didn’t reply further.
Li Yuanying’s frustrations, which had lingered for a month, had completely dissipated. He began selecting his favorite sketches and meticulously refining them, ultimately deciding on three different coin designs, one for each year.
These coins would not be minted in large quantities, only 3,000 gold, silver, and copper coins of each design, symbolizing the beautiful mountains, rivers, and scenery of the region.
For the chosen locations, roads and post stations would be prioritized. He would personally lead a team to reside there for three months, bringing with him renowned teachers and scholars, as well as various technical experts. If these areas were chosen again in the future, they could paint a record of their transformation!
To accompany the new currency, there would be postage stamps for sending letters. The stamps would be cheap and plentiful, costing only one copper coin each, and simply by attaching them, letters could be sent to the designated locations.
In those days, it was very inconvenient for ordinary people to send letters. For those living far away, they lacked the privilege to use the postal service and could only rely on acquaintances to deliver, often waiting for months. Those living closer would have to make the trip themselves, wasting a whole day, and why bother writing a letter when you could just go yourself?
Therefore, the postal service was largely irrelevant to ordinary people.
But now, Li Yuanying was saying that for just one copper coin, someone would specifically deliver their letters to the designated locations. No exorbitant fees, no need to wait for acquaintances, they could easily communicate with people in their surrounding villages and towns. And the post stations, which were usually only accessible to officials and dignitaries, were now willing to run errands for them!
The people of Tengzhou were thrilled, eager for Li Yuanying to choose their region, so they could have their own currency and postage stamps. And to top it off, road construction, bridge building, and the establishment of post stations would follow!
Compared to the excitement of ordinary people, the wealthy landowners of Tengzhou were not so calm.
If roads and bridges were built, and Li Yuanying’s village-to-village communication was realized, it would only bring convenience to the common people, but it was a golden opportunity for them! The value of their estates and workshops would double, even triple!
Most importantly, renowned teachers and scholars would come to teach, bringing benefits to their children that money could not buy!
Those who were eligible to visit Li Yuanying began sending him invitations, while those who were not eligible worked hard to ingratiate themselves with his staff, praising their region’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and scenery, or volunteering to donate funds for roads and bridges.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Li Yuanying announced that he would invite elders from each region to vote. Everyone should stop trying to find backdoor deals and come forward openly.
Instead of wasting money on backdoor dealings, everyone should openly write down how much they were willing to contribute, so they could confirm later that the funds had been used properly!
Although everyone felt like they had fallen into a trap, they had already taken the bait, and the lure was so tempting, that no one was willing to let go!
So everyone began diligently inquiring about each other’s bids, checking with neighbors and even those from adjacent counties, determined to outbid them. At least their combined total should be higher than the neighboring county!
**Author’s Note:**
Little Prince: I’m so ruthless I’ll even sell myself!
Years later, a box of letters belonging to Prince Teng was unearthed, shocking the archaeological world.
Emperor Li: My brother blablabla
Li Chengqian: Little Uncle blablabla
Li Xiang: Little One blablabla
Li “Little Round Ball”: Little One blablabla
Future generations: Are you all from the Li family this cheesy? (Pointing fingers)
Today!
Heading back south!
This chapter was written on my phone on the high-speed train! A full six hours on the high-speed train! A whopping four thousand two! Diligent as ever!
Tell you a secret! Little Prince is soon going to hit 670,000 words! Then everyone can get another ten bottles of nutrient liquid! Don’t forget to keep them for Little Prince! (Heavy hints)
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