For the past two years, Li Yuanying has been diligently on “parental leave” in Huating, only to be constantly pulled back into the thick of things whenever crucial matters arose. He wasn’t the first to know about his wife’s pregnancies, and he wasn’t the first to know when the babies were born!
To avoid the humiliation of not being the first to hear his two children call him “Father,” Li Yuanying shamelessly delegated his official duties to Wei Jiu, while he stayed home to play with his children. He barely paid attention to affairs in Lingnan Road.
Meanwhile, Li Chengqian, having tasted the pleasures of travel, no longer worried about the stability of his position as Crown Prince after his departure. He spent his days gallivanting about, dabbling in this and that, only sending tribute of local delicacies to Emperor Li at the end of the year (as a subtle form of advertising).
With the Crown Prince firmly in place, the development of Lingnan Road progressed smoothly.
Of course, there were obstacles. Within the short span of two years, Xue Rengui had led troops in seven campaigns against the mountain tribes, driving them out of their hiding places in the vast mountain ranges.
In stark contrast to Xue Rengui’s thunderous approach, Tang Xuan and Tang Guan treated the defeated mountain tribes with warmth, like a spring breeze. They combined stern measures with gentle persuasion, bringing a surprising influx of new residents to Lingnan Road.
Although a scholar by profession, Tang Xuan was remarkably adept at personnel management. He deftly arranged for the integration of the three thousand captives brought back from the Western Regions by Xue Rengui, as well as the mountain tribes he had driven down from the mountains. Many of his strategies left Li Chengqian feeling refreshed and enlightened.
Li Chengqian couldn’t help but admire Li Yuanying’s ability to spot talent. Both Xue Rengui, chosen by Li Yuanying from the Eastern Palace, and Tang Guan and Tang Xuan, whom Li Yuanying had befriended at the Imperial Academy, were exceptional individuals. In time, they would surely become pillars of the state, both in military and civil affairs!
Over the past two years, Xue Rengui and Tang Xuan, a formidable combination of military prowess and intellectual brilliance, had “cleaned up” Lingnan Road all the way to the Annam Protectorate, carving out a path through mountains and rivers that led directly to Zhanpo.
Zhanpo had indeed become an agricultural hub, bustling with more Tang people than locals.
With support from both the sea and land, the Queen of Zhanpo sat firmly on her throne. Any ministers harboring rebellious thoughts had been effectively subdued, and the entire kingdom of Zhanpo was peaceful and stable. Its people only needed to focus on cultivating new varieties of crops using hybridization techniques to supply the Tang Dynasty.
Beyond the peaceful borders, the daily lives of the people in Lingnan Road had also undergone significant changes. Li Chengqian, bringing with him customs from the north and the Jiangnan region, greatly enriched the everyday life of Lingnan.
Li Yuanying, citing the heavy miasma in the region and the risk of contracting diseases from sitting directly on the floor, suggested promoting the use of raised furniture in the south to reduce the chance of infection.
This initiative was first implemented at the Fengtai Tower branch in Lingnan Road. Many people initially struggled to adjust to sitting on chairs, but when they saw Crown Prince Li Chengqian leading the way, they followed suit, even if it was simply to express their support for the prince.
Once accustomed to raised tables and chairs, people found that their legs no longer ached, their backs no longer hurt, and writing became less strenuous. It was far more comfortable than before.
Some officials returning to Chang’an after completing their terms found that after experiencing the luxury of stretched legs, sitting cross-legged or in a formal upright posture became incredibly uncomfortable. While they couldn’t indulge in such privileges in public, they specifically commissioned carpenters to build raised tables and chairs for their private studies.
This trend of raised furniture, blowing from the north to the south, soon reversed its direction and spread among many scholars in the north.
While Li Yuanying had been engrossed in writing letters and bragging to Li Chengqian about his son, he had largely ignored Lingnan affairs. Now, hearing reports of Li Chengqian’s successful endeavors, he felt a sense of pride, thinking that his nephew had finally come of age and learned to take matters into his own hands!
Li Yuanying excitedly approached Emperor Li with a request to join him on a trip to Lingnan this year, bringing his wife and son along. He wanted to see the flowers blooming in full glory for an entire spring and summer, and go on elephant rides with everyone.
His son was now one year old and ready for a trip. Education, he believed, should start early!
Emperor Li neither agreed nor disagreed with Li Yuanying’s request. Instead, he turned to his older sons, discussing who should stay behind.
Li Zhi felt that it was his turn for a change of scenery, considering the rotation system. However, Li Tai and Li Ke, displaying remarkable cunning, suggested drawing lots.
Emperor Li found the idea of drawing lots acceptable. After all, someone had to stay, and it didn’t really matter who.
Having had the experience of the previous trip to the Jiangnan region, Emperor Li wasn’t worried about any trouble during his absence from the capital.
The princes gathered to draw lots, with Li Yuanying gleefully acting as the referee. The results were soon revealed: Li Zhi drew the “stay-behind” lot.
Li Yuanying patted Li Zhi on the shoulder and said with a sigh, “Zhinu, have you read *Mencius*? There’s a passage in *Mencius* that says, ‘Heaven will bestow a great responsibility upon a man, it will first test him with hardship, toil his muscles and bones, starve his body, and confuse his plans. In this way, it stirs his spirit, toughens his will, and enhances his abilities.’ Therefore, this is Heaven’s test for you!”
Li Zhi ignored Li Yuanying.
The next day, Li Zhi’s children delivered another blow to his spirit. They joyfully ordered their servants to pack small trunks, eager to join their uncle in Lingnan for a trip.
Children, unburdened by worries, were simply thrilled at the prospect of fun. They tugged at Li Zhi’s hand excitedly, saying, “Father, don’t be sad. We’ll write you letters telling you about all the delicious food and exciting things we find!”
Li Zhi felt like giving up on life.
Li Yuanying sympathized with Li Zhi, but unfortunately lacked the fortitude to share in his hardship. Once the trip to the south was finalized, he excitedly began to gather his friends, eager to enjoy the wonders of Lingnan Road.
To Emperor Li’s surprise, there were far more objections to this trip to Lingnan than to the previous trip to the Jiangnan region. The most vocal opponent was Changsun Wuji, who argued that the miasma in Lingnan was severe and that Emperor Li, while in good health in recent years, shouldn’t risk such danger.
What if Emperor Li and the Crown Prince both fell ill? Even the poorest people knew not to put all their eggs in one basket. Changsun Wuji genuinely worried about Emperor Li traveling to Lingnan, with its endless mountains and tribes.
Changsun Wuji’s genuine concern caused Emperor Li to waver slightly. Li Yuanying, however, remained unconcerned, cheerfully suggesting that if Emperor Li stayed behind, Li Zhi could go instead!
Upon hearing that he was to be the one remaining in Chang’an, Emperor Li immediately expressed his disapproval, forcefully arguing that he must go to Lingnan.
All under heaven was the king’s soil, and every inch of the land was ruled by the king’s subjects. Since he was the Son of Heaven, there was no place in the Tang Dynasty he couldn’t visit.
If Lingnan Road was truly so dangerous, so prone to illness, why hadn’t the court exempted the people of Lingnan from taxes?
Once Emperor Li’s stubborn streak emerged, nothing could stop him, not even ten oxen. Even Wei Zheng was left with no recourse, resorting to scolding Li Yuanying when he came knocking, accusing him of constantly encouraging Emperor Li and the Crown Prince to travel away from the capital.
Li Yuanying felt unjustly accused. What did their desire to travel have to do with him?
While everyone’s attention was focused on the momentous event of Emperor Li’s southern inspection tour, Li Yuanying secretly maneuvered a small scheme: he nominated Wu Mei for the position of Prefect of Suzhou.
According to the official promotion system, local officials couldn’t remain in the same post indefinitely. Wu Mei had served in Tengzhou long enough, achieving remarkable feats. However, her association with the Teng Wang Fu kept her from truly standing out.
Li Yuanying felt that it was time for Wu Mei to be promoted, to showcase her own abilities to the world. He discreetly contacted the relevant officials, hoping to finalize the matter quietly while everyone was arguing about the southern tour. However, Fang Xuanling was the first to notice his intentions.
Fang Xuanling believed it was inappropriate. Wu Mei had already been exceeding her bounds by meddling in the Teng Wang’s affairs, and now she was vying for the position of prefect?
Fang Xuanling took the nomination document secretly submitted by Li Yuanying to Emperor Li, lodging a complaint.
Emperor Li had heard whispers of Wu Mei’s name over the years. She had been one of his concubines, but he had largely stopped paying attention to her after gifting her to Li Yuanying.
When Fang Xuanling informed him that Li Yuanying had not only entrusted her with Tengzhou but was now pushing for her appointment as prefect, Emperor Li picked up the recommendation document Li Yuanying had written and began to read.
Li Yuanying had showered Wu Mei with praise in the document, calling her a role model for Tang women, and listed her accomplishments in Tengzhou. He insisted that she was perfectly qualified for the position of prefect. He then launched into a fawning flattery, proclaiming that the Tang Dynasty should embrace its own magnanimity, breaking new ground for a millennium to come. Suzhou, being a city of openness and inclusivity, was undoubtedly ready to welcome the first female prefect in Tang history.
Emperor Li swiftly discarded the document.
He feared that if he continued reading, he would either be persuaded by Li Yuanying’s arguments or feel the urge to give him a good thrashing.
Over the past few years, there had been a gradual increase in the number of female Jinshi graduates, most of whom were assigned to Tengzhou, as many places were not receptive to women in positions of authority. However, there was a notable number of women who excelled in the Mingzi and Mingjing examinations, taking up clerical positions in Chang’an.
These changes were subtle and not widely noticed. Gradually, various government offices became accustomed to the presence of women.
If one were to delve deeper, one would discover that many of these women were closely connected to the Tengzhou Academy.
Exceptional individuals were rare, and even rarer were those who excelled among both men and women. While Wu Mei was indeed exceptional, even men rarely held the position of prefect in their early twenties, unless they were from the royal family like Li Yuanying and his brothers.
Emperor Li suppressed Li Yuanying’s recommendation document.
Li Yuanying was not discouraged. One took things one step at a time.
He soon submitted another recommendation document, this time nominating Wu Mei to be County Magistrate of Huating, with concurrent responsibility for the affairs of Huating Port.
Although Huating Port had suffered a disaster, timely government relief efforts and a swift response from the people had kept the losses relatively low. The county, just emerging from the post-disaster reconstruction phase, needed a capable, decisive leader.
Li Yuanying believed that Wu Mei, who had been involved in the port construction project in Tengzhou, was a natural fit for the job.
Huating County was essentially a project of Li Yuanying and Li Chengqian, so assigning Wu Mei to the position wasn’t a major issue. Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng, after discussing the matter, decided to approve Li Yuanying’s second nomination, eager to prevent him from making a nuisance of himself.
The agreement was quickly reached.
After securing Wu Mei’s next posting, Li Yuanying felt quite pleased with himself. He went to the Cih’en Temple to discuss life and aspirations with Xuanzang. He had been diligently practicing the martial arts Xuanzang had taught him for several years and was eager to test his skills.
Xuanzang had been leading the translation work of Buddhist scriptures, spending day and night with the sutras. His spirit had grown weary. Having a visitor who wished to spar with him was a welcome change, and Xuanzang agreed to Li Yuanying’s request, escorting him to a clear space for a demonstration.
Li Yuanying, clearly lacking any natural talent for martial arts, was quickly defeated after a few exchanges.
Li Yuanying, a man who never reflected on his own shortcomings, accepted a cup of tea from Xuanzang after the defeat, grumbling that he suspected Xuanzang was holding back.
Xuanzang replied, “Some things can only be honed through real combat. Your Highness is of noble birth, and no one would dare to fight you seriously.” He assumed an expression of dignified serenity. “And I am not as strong as I was years ago.”
Li Yuanying found this explanation plausible and stopped complaining. After finishing his tea, he left.
The young monks behind Xuanzang couldn’t help but remark, “Master, you wouldn’t believe that Teng Wang is already the father of two young masters.” Li Yuanying had been a frequent visitor to the Cih’en Temple years ago, and now, as he stood before them, he seemed little changed, just taller and more handsome.
Xuanzang smiled. “His Highness has a good heart. Perhaps he will live a life free from worry.”
**Author’s Note:**
Update!
I think the first side story is coming to an end!
Little Prince: What about my daughter?!
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