Li Yuanying’s anger came and went quickly. He was bouncing around with boundless energy every day, almost forgetting that he had written a scathing letter to Emperor Li.
By now, the messenger had already delivered the letter to Chang’an. Emperor Li, after finishing his official duties, finally had time to open the letter and read it. Li Yuanying listed Emperor Li’s past history of “grabbing things”, claiming it was a bad habit and demanding an explanation. Then, he launched into a verbal tirade, accusing Emperor Li of being shameless for treating his younger brother so poorly. Even through the letter, one could feel Li Yuanying’s simmering rage, as if he were ready to storm back to Chang’an and give his brother a piece of his mind.
Emperor Li snorted and tossed the letter aside, ignoring Li Yuanying’s fiery words. A few days later, he summoned the official who had recently been inspecting Henan Road to the palace for a meeting, mainly to inquire about Li Yuanying’s current activities.
Upon learning that Li Yuanying was still alive and kicking, busy organizing another grand event under the banner of the Crown Prince, inviting surrounding nations to participate with their treasures, Emperor Li dismissed the official and summoned Chu Sui-liang to draft an imperial edict.
Emperor Li planned to recall Li Yuanying back to the capital. He wanted Li Yuanying to assist the Crown Prince in organizing this International Expo. If it was a success, Emperor Li would grant Li Yuanying and the Crown Prince permission to hold similar expositions in different locations every two years.
The Tang Dynasty was vast and rich in resources, with many unique products unsuitable for long-distance transportation. Holding the Expo in various locations would better showcase the beauty and prosperity of different regions. These ideas were all Li Yuanying’s, and it wasn’t out of line for him to co-host the Expo with the Crown Prince.
This would also allow the Crown Prince to travel and learn about the lives and conditions of the people in different parts of the empire. He would no longer be clueless when facing issues and problems beyond the capital.
Chu Sui-liang, upon hearing Emperor Li’s plan, was secretly surprised. If Emperor Li was trying to train the Crown Prince, why include Li Yuanying? Despite his current distance from the capital, Li Yuanying’s importance in Emperor Li’s eyes seemed to have diminished instead of grown.
When the edict reached Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, they both felt it was inappropriate. Last time, Emperor Li recalled Li Ke and the others, causing unrest in the court. Now, why recall Li Yuanying? Li Yuanying was the youngest son of the Taishang Huang, his mother merely a Lady of the Palace. Even if he cycled through all the princes and kings, the throne would never reach him.
Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling went to Emperor Li to discuss the edict’s necessity.
Emperor Li had already anticipated their reaction and had prepared a summary of Li Yuanying’s accomplishments in Tengzhou for Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.
The facts spoke for themselves. Since Li Yuanying arrived in Tengzhou, the city had expanded, the population had grown, roads had been paved and widened, and a harbor had been built. More importantly, Li Yuanying had not neglected agriculture. Every year, he personally visited the fields to encourage farming. The “Qi Min Yao Shu” (Important Arts for the People’s Welfare) had introduced new farm tools that greatly benefited Henan Road, saving labor and animal power. The long-term cultivation of crops through selective breeding had also ensured stable harvests.
Ignoring the parts where he had messed up, Li Yuanying was a capable leader from all angles. His only flaw was his restless nature, which needed to be tempered. Seeing that Tengzhou had become too small for his ambitions, shouldn’t he be placed in a more suitable environment?
Emperor Li said in a persuasive tone: “Perhaps if we send him to other places, he’ll build roads there too, without the court having to pay a penny.”
Even though Changsun Wuji didn’t manage the imperial treasury, he was intrigued. It was quite advantageous to have roads built across the empire without spending a penny. And with the Crown Prince leading and Li Yuanying assisting, it would be highly beneficial for the Crown Prince. This would enhance his public image and facilitate a smooth succession.
As for Fang Xuanling, he was naturally swayed by Emperor Li’s argument, as he was the one who worried most about the court’s lack of funds.
Fang Xuanling readily agreed, “Your Majesty is wise.”
After passing the scrutiny of the Zhongshu, the edict went to the Menxia province. The Menxia was headed by Wei Zheng and now included Chu Sui-liang. The first feeling they both had upon seeing the edict was the same as Changsun Wuji’s: what was Emperor Li up to this time?
Concerning his own son-in-law, Wei Zheng’s brow furrowed as he looked at the three signatures already on the edict, feeling like Emperor Li and the others were digging a pit for Li Yuanying to fall into. However, Wei Zheng knew that even if it was a huge pit, Li Yuanying would happily jump right in.
Li Yuanying was an restless individual. He’d be overjoyed at the opportunity to travel far and wide.
Wei Zheng and Chu Sui-liang went to Emperor Li to discuss the edict. Facing Wei Zheng, Emperor Li didn’t use the “Li Yuanying will find a way to build roads without spending a penny from the court” argument. He was afraid Wei Zheng would criticize him for wanting to drain his younger brother’s coffers.
Emperor Li sighed and told Wei Zheng he wasn’t keen on holding expos in two locations simultaneously. It would be too expensive and burdensome for the people, and it would be difficult to make the event grand and successful. Unexpectedly, when Li Yuanying learned about this, he wrote a letter filled with harsh words, calling Emperor Li a “dog.” Emperor Li felt guilty for being inconsiderate and came up with the idea of rotating the Expo location.
Li Yuanying, the one who came up with the idea for the first International Expo, couldn’t possibly be absent. Therefore, he decided to have Li Yuanying return to co-organize it. As for letting Li Yuanying and the Crown Prince oversee future Expos in different locations, it was of course for their training!
Emperor Li’s words were sincere and passionate. He even used Li Yuanying’s fiery letter, filled with thousands of harsh words, as evidence. Even Wei Zheng couldn’t find fault with his argument. If Li Yuanying were present, he would surely readily agree and show no reluctance.
For someone as restless and adventurous as Li Yuanying, the chance to travel and explore was the most appealing thing in the world!
Wei Zheng sighed internally, but said no more. He went back and added his signature, following Emperor Li’s instructions to send the edict to Tengzhou.
Li Yuanying was enjoying a carefree life. His messengers were all out, and when they returned, they might bring foreign envoys with them. He could then sit in his government office, indulging in all kinds of exotic objects and delicacies. The very thought made him happy!
When the imperial eunuch arrived in Tengzhou with the edict, Li Yuanying was puzzled. Previously, Emperor Li’s edicts and letters were informal. This one, however, looked very official, making Li Yuanying suspect that his shameless brother was setting him up for a fall.
Li Yuanying received the edict with utmost caution. After listening to a long string of flowery praise, he finally grasped the main point: Emperor Li, while forbidding him from holding the International Expo in Tengzhou this year, allowed him to do so in the future. Furthermore, Emperor Li summoned him back to the capital to co-organize the Expo, and he would also be allowed to co-host future events with the Crown Prince in different locations.
Li Yuanying’s eyes lit up. He still couldn’t quite believe it. He grabbed Wei Jiu and the others and asked, “My brother means I can travel anywhere, right? Can I go wherever I want?”
Wei Jiu and the others all nodded. This edict was quite unexpected. After a prince was enfeoffed, they were usually confined to their territory for life. Emperor Li’s edict was essentially granting Li Yuanying freedom to travel!
In those days, most people weren’t eager to travel long distances. Roads were rough, and bandits were a constant threat. But Li Yuanying was different. Being stuck in one place was torture for him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have secretly gone on a sea voyage with Li Dejian and the others.
Nothing could make him happier than the permission to travel.
Li Yuanying was genuinely thrilled. He immediately changed his opinion of Emperor Li from “scoundrel brother” to “the best brother in the world.”
That night, Li Yuanying couldn’t sleep. He dragged Wei Jiu and asked her if she would like to join him on his travels. The academy had nurtured many capable individuals. Wu Mei had gradually stepped back from administrative duties, focusing on major decisions. Wei Jiu no longer needed to be tied down to the academy.
Wei Jiu and Wu Mei were different. Wu Mei was ambitious and was striving for the position of Prefect. Wei Jiu preferred academic research. Since childhood, she had been fond of calligraphy, and she was responsible for the women’s academy and calligraphy studies at the academy.
Li Yuanying thought that with time, Wei Jiu’s calligraphy skills might even surpass those of Chu Sui-liang and the others. He enthusiastically described his vision for the future to Wei Jiu: “We’ll travel around, seeking out calligraphy, paintings, and murals. You’ll learn calligraphy, and I’ll learn painting. In the future, all my paintings will bear your inscriptions, so posterity will know how talented we are!” As for troublesome matters, they could leave those to others. At this point, Li Yuanying felt a tinge of regret, “If we had been born a hundred and eighty years earlier, many paintings wouldn’t have been destroyed.”
Wei Jiu nodded.
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties and the end of the Sui Dynasty, calligraphy and paintings had suffered three major catastrophes. The first happened when Emperor Liang Yuandi, to prevent his collection of books and paintings from falling into enemy hands, burned all of his treasures in a fire. The other two times occurred when Emperor Sui Yangdi and Emperor Li, while transporting their collections of paintings and precious objects by boat, lost entire ships, leaving numerous masterpieces beyond recovery.
Those were priceless treasures!
Li Yuanying wanted to take her around to find authentic calligraphy, paintings, and murals. Naturally, she would agree. These treasures might be lost to natural disasters or man-made calamities in the future, so it was important to see them with their own eyes.
Wei Jiu said, “My grandfather wrote a letter saying that organizing this International Expo in different locations might not be easy. Not every place has convenient transportation like Tengzhou. We’ll have to repair roads and waterways, both land and water. It might take a lot of manpower and resources.”
This responsibility would likely fall on Li Yuanying’s shoulders.
Li Yuanying wasn’t worried at all. “We can think about that later. Let’s agree first!” After all, his brother’s shameless behavior wasn’t a new phenomenon. If his brother wanted him to contribute money and ideas, so be it. He had money to spare, so he’d just consider this a payment for the opportunity to travel.
Li Yuanying and Wei Jiu discussed this for the entire night. The next day, he called Wu Mei and the others to a small meeting. Tengzhou was his territory, his foundation. Even if he had to travel far and wide, he couldn’t neglect Tengzhou. Li Yuanying assigned various tasks to Wu Mei and the others according to their preferences, entrusting them to hold down the fort and securely manage the gold-producing harbor.
The saying goes, “Don’t doubt your subordinates, or don’t use them at all.” Li Yuanying gave Wu Mei and the others complete authority, putting the entire city of Tengzhou, including the harbor, in their hands.
News of Li Yuanying’s return to the capital spread quickly through Tengzhou. The people’s first reaction was one of reluctance. Since Li Yuanying arrived, their lives had improved, and the atmosphere had become vibrant and lively. They felt a newfound motivation every day. Now, Li Yuanying was going back to Chang’an, and it wouldn’t be long before he returned. How could they bear to part with him?
Even the wealthy and powerful families, who were occasionally “fleeced” by Li Yuanying, felt this news was too sudden. Although they often gathered behind Li Yuanying’s back to criticize him, now that he was leaving, who would provide them with new ways to spend their money? Holding onto their wealth without spending it felt empty. The process of parting with money was so pleasurable and exciting. Now that Li Yuanying was leaving, they might not have new opportunities for lavish spending for a long time.
For a time, the entire city of Tengzhou was abuzz with talk about Li Yuanying’s departure to Chang’an. Merchants and artisans, officials and nobles alike, were reluctant to see him go. On the day Li Yuanying left, the people spontaneously lined the streets to see him off. Many bold young women rushed forward to offer him flowers, making his procession look like a wedding party, surrounded by colorful blossoms.
Li Yuanying was surprised and touched by the affection shown to him. He refused to ride in his carriage. He got off with Wei Jiu and summoned someone to lead his horse to him. The couple mounted their horses and waved to the people lining the road as they departed.
They rode far out of the city before the crowds thinned. Li Yuanying and Wei Jiu rode side by side, admiring the verdant fields along the way. Their hearts were full of joy. Li Yuanying was particularly excited, repeatedly praising his brother’s wisdom and brilliance.
Wei Jiu couldn’t help but laugh as she listened to him gush about Emperor Li.
These two brothers were alike in many ways. They would sometimes praise each other to the skies and then, at other times, consider the other to be an utter villain.
**Author’s Note:**
Little Prince: My brother is the best today!
Update!
Sweet Spring is still hard-working today!
What should I say about today’s note? Continuing the advice from last chapter, it’s serious. Aside from the “Playing Song” story in my column, the other stories all contain more or less some kind of “scoundrel personality.” If you click on them, you might experience physiological discomfort and impact your mood. It’s best not to try them randomly (x). You can go ahead and bookmark “嬉闹三国” (Frolicking in Three Kingdoms) and “盘秦” (Pan Qin). These two are safe! Others are not guaranteed! (serious face)
Note: The content related to calligraphy and paintings is based on the article “Several Major Catastrophes in the History of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting.”
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