"Take a rest. We'll set off the day after tomorrow. You should also get ready. As for your nanny and the others, if you go straight back to Chang'an, they will go to Chang'an with your uncle."
"I understand, thank you very much, Uncle." Luo Yi had already made all the arrangements, so what else could Qin Mu say but thank him?
Luo Yi's memorial expressing his loyalty had already been sent to Chang'an after he sent a letter to Qin Qiong. Of course, he expressed himself very tactfully.
Ten days ago, at the Lizheng Palace in Chang'an.
"Haha! Haha!" Li Shimin's hearty laughter echoed in the hall.
"What makes Your Majesty so happy?" A beautiful young woman in palace attire asked with a smile, carrying a tray of food.
"Guanyinbi, why are you doing these things yourself again?" The person who came was none other than the current Empress of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Zhangsun Wugou. She and Li Shimin were childhood sweethearts and had been married for twelve years, and their relationship remained as good as ever.
Ignoring Li Shimin's feigned anger, Empress Zhangsun asked with a smile, "Your Majesty has not smiled so happily in a long time."
Seeing the distressed look in Empress Zhangsun's eyes, Li Shimin took the food from her hands, placed it on the table, and gently explained while holding her hand: "Luo Shou, the prefect of Pingzhou County in Youzhou, has submitted a memorial stating that he is old and frail and wishes to retire to his hometown. I request that you arrange for someone else to take over his post."
This other memorial was written by Luo Cheng, saying that his son was growing up and he wanted the whole family to move to Chang'an so that his son could have better living conditions.
"Luo Shou? Luo Cheng?"
"That's right!" Seeing the surprised expression on Empress Zhangsun's face, Li Shimin knew that she had understood the meaning and nodded to indicate that she had not misheard.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"I can finally rest assured about the situation in Youzhou," Li Shimin exclaimed.
Seeing her husband's brows relax, Empress Zhangsun was also in a good mood. Youzhou was right next to Luoyang, and the imperial court had always stationed a large number of troops in Luoyang, precisely because they were worried about any changes in Youzhou.
Now that Luo Yi has not only relinquished power, but also moved his only son and grandson to live in Chang'an, Li Shimin is completely at ease.
The resolution of the Youzhou issue has another special significance: it allows the country to allocate more resources to deal with other areas.
The Qin family, who guard the three northern passes, could be completely assured of security if they added Luo Yi, who had guarded Youzhou for decades, to their command. The troops in Luoyang could then be deployed southwards.
The Tang Dynasty had been established for ten years, and Li Shimin had only been on the throne for a little over half a year. The south was the area where the court's control was weakest. However, the greatest threat was still from the north, which is why Li Shimin did not have the time or strength to deal with the affairs in the south.
"Why did Luo Yi suddenly change his mind? Didn't we hear at the beginning of the year that he was actively recruiting soldiers?" Changsun Wugou asked, puzzled.
"If I'm not mistaken, Luo Yi hasn't made up his mind yet. He's just afraid, and recruiting soldiers is only a precaution," Li Shimin guessed.
"And what prompted him to make up his mind?" Presumably Li Shimin knew the reason, Empress Zhangsun played the perfect straight man, staring wide-eyed as she asked.
"This turning point also came from Shubao."
"The Duke of Yi? Although their two families are related, they don't have any dealings, do they?"
Seeing Empress Zhangsun's worry, Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "I have no intention of suspecting Uncle Bao."
“Two days ago, Uncle Bao came to the palace and told me that he had found his son who had been lost for many years and needed to ask for leave to pick him up.”
"It must have appeared in Youzhou."
"Exactly."
The couple had a great understanding; they could guess each other's next words after the first one was spoken.
"Is it confirmed that it's correct?"
"Shubao is very certain."
"That explains it. No wonder Luo Yi suddenly felt relieved."
"As long as Youzhou is stable, I have no intention of touching him, the Prince of Yan."
"Your Majesty is wise," Changsun said with a smile, showering him with compliments.
Li Shimin, however, was most susceptible to this. He forgot all about eating and pulled the little girl's hand, bringing her mouth close to his.
"Your Majesty, it's a good thing that the Duke of Yi has found his long-lost son, but now his wife is Lady Zheng. And she's given him a son and a daughter. I'm afraid that will cause some headaches." After the couple had been cuddling for a while, Empress Zhangsun said with an air of anticipation.
"Hmph! Zheng Shi! Back then, wasn't she just trying to win over the hearts of her elder brother? When Shubao's son returns, I will reward him handsomely," Li Shimin said unhappily.
"Wouldn't that be a bad idea? If that happens, wouldn't the Duke of Yi's mansion be even more unsettled?" Changsun Wugou said, seemingly worried, but with a hint of expectation in her eyes.
"Indeed! Back then, in order to win over the Zheng family, I made Shubao agree to marry a Zheng woman," Li Shimin said hesitantly. Thinking about it, it made sense; after using his subordinates, he was now going to betray them—his conscience truly ached.
However, this thought was quickly put aside, because a secret report from Youzhou arrived. Having been keeping a close eye on Youzhou, how could he possibly let his guard down? He had no idea how many spies he had deployed.
Changsun consciously avoided the meal, and seeing that Li Shimin showed no intention of eating, he picked up his bowl and left.
On the other side, Li Shimin read the secret report, compared it with Qin Qiong and Luo Yi, and quickly confirmed the facts, his face beaming with a smile.
……………
Practicing calligraphy and reading have become Qin Mu's main activities lately. He also enjoys this kind of life—it's peaceful and interesting.
Many of the books were complete. In another world, regardless of the authenticity of ancient books, it was rare to find a complete set. Even if one was found, it was usually written by later generations. His soul didn't belong to this world, so suddenly having so many antique books laid out before him was naturally irresistible.
"Purple bamboo rabbit hair brush, really good!" Qin Mu looked at the words on the table with satisfaction, then gently put down the finger-thick brush, which was one of the prizes he had received.
"Practicing calligraphy so early in the morning, no wonder you were able to write poems that inspired the heavens, Huai Dao." Luo Yi led his grandson into Qin Mu's room.
"Master, what brings you here today?" Qin Mu was quite surprised and stepped forward to greet him.
"Hehe, the inspector came a few days ago, so I had to keep him company."
Qin Mu then remembered this matter. When he returned yesterday, he was so focused on checking his haul that he had completely forgotten about Attorney Pei.
"I heard you have good handwriting?" Luo Yi put his grandson down and asked, looking at the table.
Since he has been relieved of his worries, he seems to enjoy spending time with his grandson even more, picking him up and playing with him whenever he has a spare moment.
"It's alright." Qin Mu wasn't sure if his writing was good or bad, but he knew it wasn't bad either.
"Then write a few calligraphy pieces for the young master, I'll hang them up to add some scholarly atmosphere," Luo Yi said, swaggering down and stroking his beard.
It's clear he's in a good mood lately; his expression is noticeably more relaxed than when I first met him.
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