Chapter 110 (Extra Chapter 2) Emperor Taizong Returns: The Proud and Powerful Zhu Family...
The candlelight in Huaqing Palace flickered in the night breeze, illuminating the dragon patterns on Li Shimin's black armor as if they were alive. Yet, no one in the entire hall dared to look directly at him.
Li Shimin saw that Li Longji was unmoved by either soft or hard tactics, grabbed his collar, and glared at him angrily: "I'm asking you one last time—"
Do you know how utterly immoral it is to forcibly take a daughter-in-law? Do you know what kind of disaster will result from allowing Li Linfu to wield absolute power?
"Is this how you ruined the glorious Tang Dynasty?"
Every word and phrase consumed Emperor Taizong's energy.
He released his grip on Li Longji's clothes, letting the reigning emperor collapse to the ground.
"Issue my decree."
Li Shimin's voice wasn't loud, but it stirred a chilling atmosphere in the hall: "Effective immediately, Li Linfu is hereby removed from his position as chancellor and exiled to Lingnan. Zhang Jiuling is summoned back to the capital at once and reinstated as co-champion."
Gao Lishi, hiding behind the beaded curtain, trembled, nearly dropping his whisk. He stole a glance and saw Emperor Taizong's gaze, sharp as lightning, sweeping across every corner of the hall.
They then identified one person.
"And you, Gao Lishi."
Li Shimin said calmly, "I know you have been quite dutiful these past years. From today onwards, the Inner Palace Secretariat shall not interfere in state affairs. Anyone who violates this rule—" He glanced at the trembling Li Longji, "will be punished for treason."
"This old servant... obeys the decree." Gao Lishi knelt down with a thud, his forehead pressed against the cold gold brick.
No one dared to disobey, because this person was Li Shimin. Even if someone did dare to disobey, Li Shimin had made thorough preparations. He brought the people of Lingyan Pavilion, ready to suppress them by force if they disobeyed.
Li Shimin turned and walked towards the desk, his black armor clanging. He picked up a memorial, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. "In the fourth year of Tianbao, there was a famine in Hebei, and people were even resorting to cannibalism, yet the court is still spending tens of thousands of taels of gold on Yang Guifei's 'Rainbow Feather Dress Dance'?" He abruptly threw the memorial to the ground.
"Li Longji, is this how you become emperor?"
Li Longji curled up on the ground, his dragon robe covered in dust. His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word. He had lost even the will to resist; long-term indulgence in wine and women had emptied his body and his courage.
"Your Majesty," Wei Zheng stepped forward and took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve, "According to my investigation, there are already tens of thousands of refugees outside the city, while the powerful and wealthy inside the city are still engaged in cockfighting and horse racing."
Li Shimin took the bamboo slip, his fingertips turning slightly white. He suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing: "Yuchi Jingde!"
"Your subject is here!"
"Immediately lead troops to seal off all the mansions of nobles, confiscate their ill-gotten gains, and set up soup kitchens to provide relief to the disaster victims." Li Shimin's voice was like the clang of metal. "Anyone who oppresses the people again, regardless of whether they are kings or generals, shall be dealt with according to the Zhenguan Law!"
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Yuchi Jingde clasped his hands in acceptance, turned and strode away, his armor gleaming coldly in the night.
A commotion suddenly arose outside the hall. Qin Shubao drew his sword and went out, returning moments later to escort in a fat official. "Your Majesty," he said, "this man has been lurking suspiciously outside the hall, claiming to be Yang Guozhong."
Li Shimin coldly sized up the oily-faced man. "You're Yang Guifei's cousin? I've heard that you climbed from a street ruffian to the position of Censor-in-Chief in just a few years through nepotism?"
Yang Guozhong knelt down with a thud, beads of sweat forming on his forehead: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is innocent!"
"Injustice?" Li Shimin recalled Yang Guozhong as depicted in the TV series. "Don't you know how many bribes you accepted?"
Yang Guozhong turned ashen-faced and collapsed to the ground.
"Drag him out and execute him at noon tomorrow." Li Shimin waved his hand as if shooing away a fly. "His head will be hung on the city gate for three days as a warning to others."
As the imperial guards dragged the wailing Yang Guozhong out of the main hall, Li Longji finally broke down. He crawled to Li Shimin's feet, embracing them and pressing them to his chest: "Great-grandfather... your grandson knows his mistake... please give your grandson a chance to make amends..."
Li Shimin looked down at the emperor who had once ushered in the Kaiyuan era of prosperity, a trace of regret flashing in his eyes. He slowly squatted down, meeting Li Longji's gaze at him: "Didn't you do a very good job at the beginning?"
If Li Longji hadn't done such a good job at the beginning, Li Shimin wouldn't have been so disappointed. He thought that he finally had a descendant who could surpass Zhenguan.
Li Longji looked up blankly.
"And now?" Li Shimin suddenly sprang to his feet, sweeping the gold plate of lychees off the table. "You're feeding this woman with the blood and bones of the people!"
Did Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, really feed Yang Guifei with his own blood and flesh?
Actually, that's not the case.
Yang Guifei was merely a symbol of his breaking through the established social norms. As the emperor, he possessed the wealth of the four seas and ruled the world. Why couldn't he do whatever he wanted?
Yang Guifei's sobs came from behind the screen. Li Longji instinctively tried to turn his head, but Li Shimin grabbed his chin: "Look at me! How did you swear an oath in court after you dismissed Princess Taiping?"
A single, murky tear slid down Li Longji's cheek.
"From this day forward, you will remain here in Huaqing Palace to reflect on your mistakes." Li Shimin stood up, his black armor gleaming coldly in the candlelight. "When you have figured things out, come back to see me."
Having said that, he strode out of the hall. Wei Zheng, Qin Shubao, and others followed closely behind, leaving only Li Longji slumped on the ground and the palace servants who were silent with fear.
Li Shimin did not hesitate in dealing with Yang Guifei.
After Emperor Taizong left, Yang Guifei seized a trusted palace maid and recounted:
"The way he looked at me..." The imperial concubine suddenly shivered, "...it was so light and airy."
A eunuch's shrill voice rang out from afar: "By imperial decree—the Imperial Concubine is stripped of her rank and immediately relocated to Ganye Temple!"
—-
The night was as dark as ink. Li Shimin stood on the high platform of Huaqing Palace, overlooking the sleeping city of Chang'an. This was still his Chang'an, though nearly a century had passed; Chang'an was still the same Chang'an.
Wei Zheng stood silently beside him, holding a stack of memorials in his hands.
"Your Majesty, this is a report on An Lushan's recent activities." Wei Zheng handed over a secret report. "This man appears honest and simple, but he is actually very ambitious. The troops he controls in Fanyang and Pinglu garrisons have exceeded 150,000, far exceeding the court's regulations."
Li Shimin received the secret report, his brow furrowed. "I established the military governorships to defend the borders, but now they've become a major threat." He slammed the report shut. "Immediately issue an edict appointing An Lushan as Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, ordering him to enter the capital immediately. If he dares to disobey—"
“Treat him as a traitor.” Wei Zheng understood immediately.
"Also, summon Guo Ziyi to the capital." Li Shimin's gaze turned north. "I remember he was the top military scholar in the third year of the Tianbao era. Where is he now?"
Wei Zheng looked pleased: "Your Majesty is wise. Guo Ziyi is currently the Deputy Military Governor of Shuofang, but because he refused to bribe Li Linfu, he has never been given an important position."
"Issue an imperial decree to promote Guo Ziyi to Minister of War and commander of the Imperial Guards." Li Shimin turned to look at the gradually brightening eastern horizon. "The Great Tang Dynasty should return to the right track."
Three days later, on Zhuque Street in Chang'an City.
A troop of imperial guards slowly escorted dozens of prison carts. Inside the carts were corrupt officials whose property had been seized recently. In the lead cart, Li Linfu was disheveled and no longer the imposing figure he once was.
The streets were packed with people; some sobbed softly, others cheered loudly. An elderly woman with white hair tremblingly raised a bowl of turbid wine: "Emperor Taizong has appeared to us... the prosperous Zhenguan era is returning..."
The people cheered in unison, their faces streaked with tears. They had waited for this moment for far too long, whether a hundred or a thousand years had passed, the Tang Dynasty was still the Tang Dynasty of Emperor Taizong. The people of the Tang Dynasty still loved Li Shimin above all else.
The old prime minister felt as if the world was spinning, as if he were in a dream.
"Who did you say came back?"
The courier knelt on the ground: "It's absolutely true! Emperor Taizong has appeared at Huaqing Palace, and Li Linfu has been arrested!"
Zhang Jiuling looked up at the northern sky and laughed out loud for the first time in three years since his exile, startling all the birds in the trees into flight.
Meanwhile, inside the Hanlin Academy, Li Bai paced anxiously. He had just finished writing "Qingping Diao" for Yang Guifei yesterday, and today he heard the news of Yang Guozhong's execution. He was frantic with worry, not knowing anything about it, and decided to take a sip of wine first.
The door was suddenly pushed open, and Du Fu hurriedly walked in.
"Brother Taibai, pack your things quickly!" Du Fu said solemnly. "The imperial court has issued an edict that all officials who are on good terms with the Yang family will be sent to other posts. You have been demoted to Yelang, so set off immediately."
Li Bai's wine cup clattered to the ground: "What...what do you mean by this?"
"Emperor Taizong is back," Du Fu said in a low voice. "He's reforming the court, and I heard even His Majesty... Sigh, anyway, you'd better hurry."
Li Bai's face turned deathly pale, and he staggered, grabbing the table for support. He suddenly remembered his poems praising Yang Guifei, and a chill ran through him.
"Zimei, what about you?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
Du Fu shook his head and took out a scroll of poems from his bosom: "I don't know why Emperor Taizong summoned me to the palace tomorrow."
His voice was filled with unbelievable hope.
Seven days later, at the Hanyuan Hall of the Daming Palace.
Li Shimin sat upright on the dragon throne, his black armor replaced by a bright yellow dragon robe, but the stern look between his brows remained unchanged. His Highness was flanked by civil and military officials, while the newly appointed Chancellor, Zhang Jiuling, was proclaiming the new policies:
"...From this day forward, the hereditary system of military governorships is abolished, and the military strength of border garrisons shall not exceed 30,000; the equal-field system shall be restored, and land annexation shall be restricted; the Zhenguan Granary shall be established, and each prefecture shall store grain and fodder in preparation for years of famine..."
A commotion suddenly arose outside the palace. A palace guard rushed in: "Your Majesty, An Lushan refuses to enter the capital and has already raised an army in Fanyang in rebellion!"
The courtiers were in an uproar. Li Shimin, however, smiled slightly, as if he had expected this. He looked at the newly appointed Minister of War, Guo Ziyi: "Minister Guo, are you ready?"
Guo Ziyi stepped forward with his fists clasped, his armor clanking: "Your Majesty, I have already mobilized 100,000 elite troops from Longyou and Shuofang, awaiting only Your Majesty's command." He greatly admired Emperor Taizong, who was practically his idol, and never imagined that he would one day meet Emperor Taizong.
My heart is surging with emotion.
"Very well." Li Shimin stood up, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials. "I want the world to know that the Tang Dynasty's empire cannot be shaken by a few clowns."
He descended the steps and stood before the sand table in the center of the hall. On the sand table, the vast territory of the Tang Dynasty was depicted, with its mountains and rivers rendered with lifelike detail.
"Issue my decree: order Geshu Han to lead his army out of Tongguan, Gao Xianzhi to advance eastward from Anxi, and Guo Ziyi to command the central army." Li Shimin drew three arcs on the sand table with his finger. "A three-pronged encirclement is necessary to quell the rebellion within three months."
Wei Zheng suddenly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, this old minister has something to say. Although An Lushan rebelled, many of his subordinates were coerced. Could we issue an edict that those who abandon the darkness and join the light should be pardoned for their past actions?"
Li Shimin nodded: "What Minister Wei said is absolutely right. Let me add one more thing: anyone who presents An Lushan's head will be enfeoffed as a marquis with ten thousand households!"
After the court session ended, Li Shimin ascended the Xuanwu Gate alone. In the distance, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of Chang'an, and the streets were bustling with activity. He recalled standing here just like this during the Zhenguan era, looking down upon the prosperous age he had created.
"Your Majesty," Wei Zheng's voice came from behind, "This old minister has just received a new poem by Du Fu, entitled 'Thoughts on Hearing of Emperor Taizong's Restoration.'"
Li Shimin took the poem scroll and read it softly: "Suddenly news came that Emperor Taizong had returned to Chang'an, and upon hearing it, tears filled my clothes..." He paused slightly, "A fine poem. Issue an imperial decree to promote Du Fu to the position of Left Reminder, and have him accompany the army to record the events of suppressing the rebellion."
That's too much flattery. You should go and experience it for yourself; maybe you can write a few more poems like "The Three Officials" and "The Three Separations".
Wei Zheng bowed in agreement, but then hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, regarding Li Bai..."
He couldn't bear to see someone with such great talent wasting time, and he always tried to persuade him.
“Li Bai is exceptionally talented, but too unrestrained.” Li Shimin sighed. “Let him calm down in Yelang for a few years. Once the world is at peace, we can summon him back.”
As the sun set, it cast a long shadow of Li Shimin. Gazing at the evening glow on the horizon, he suddenly asked, "Minister Wei, do you think my return this time can truly change the fate of the Tang Dynasty?"
Wei Zheng was silent for a moment, then solemnly said, "Your Majesty, the will of Heaven is unpredictable, but human effort can be regulated. At least today, Chang'an has already been changed because of your arrival."
Li Shimin nodded, his gaze as firm as ever, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Where are the others?"
He brought back more than just Wei Zheng; where are the others?
"Your Majesty, they have all gone home." Wei Zheng suppressed a smile. After all, it had only been a century since they last met, and he might even see his grandson when he got home.
Changsun Wuji stood before the mansion, only to see a desolate wasteland overgrown with weeds. There were no servants, no lights, and not even birds nested there.
The brass rings on the vermilion gate were long rusted, thick and mottled like scabs. He pushed it, and the hinges groaned harshly; it had been a long time since anyone had oiled them.
The weeds were knee-high, rustling in the wind.
He remembered what this place should have looked like—during the Zhenguan era, the carriages and horses of the Duke of Zhao's mansion blocked the streets all day long, and the visiting cards from governors from all over the country could fill three tables.
And now...
During the Tianbao era, Du Fu once passed by the residence of Changsun Wuji and sighed, "How magnificent are the red gates, yet they ultimately become the dwelling place of wild foxes."
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Author's Note: The next side story will be about Zhu Di returning to the Ming Dynasty and beating up the Oirat students studying abroad. [doge][doge]
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