211 Chapter 211
◎Leaving Beijing and moving.◎
As summer passed and autumn came, the cotton had not yet been harvested, but Sun Simiao was about to leave Chang'an. Li Shimin rewarded him with gold, silver, brocade, medicinal herbs and other items, while Li Chengqian asked for an imperial decree to send him out of the city.
Li Shimin thought it would be a good opportunity for his eldest son to relax, so he agreed and personally arranged guards for him.
On the day of his departure, Li Chengqian learned that the Khan had arranged more than twenty guards for him. Li Chengqian muttered, "Why not just put out the Crown Prince's guard of honor?"
Even if more than 20 people all changed into casual clothes, they would still attract attention when walking on the street. However, passers-by only dared to whisper a few words, after all, these people were not good people at first glance.
In the tea stall at the city gate, Sun Simiao said with a smile, "Your Highness, you have worked hard."
Li Chengqian propped up his chin and said, "Mr. Sun, you seem to be laughing at me."
Sun Simiao smiled and said, "The Saint has a kind fatherly heart. Your Highness should understand this."
"There are many people in the world who sympathize with him, why doesn't he show some sympathy for others?" Li Chengqian said.
Sun Simiao paused and said, "Your Highness, the Saint is the Son of Heaven."
The emperor sits high in the Mingtang, overlooking all living beings. Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all the emperor's grace.
Li Chengqian rubbed his brow and said, "Thank you, sir. I know you don't want to say such things."
Sun Simiao did not want to stay in Chang'an for a long time because he was afraid of getting involved in the power struggle among the royal family or the powerful. It was an exception for him to say these words to Li Chengqian.
Sun Simiao bowed and said, "I have been in Chang'an for over a year. Thank you for your care, Your Highness. However, I have nothing to offer you in return."
Li Chengqian hurriedly helped the man up: "The reason why you came to Chang'an was also my instigation."
"I have benefited a lot from this trip to Chang'an," Sun Simiao continued.
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Then I won't exchange these polite words with you, sir. If you need my help in the future, just send a letter to the glass shop and I will do my best to help you."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Sun Simiao didn't bow again this time. He also said, "Although I have no fixed place to live, if Your Highness still needs me, just post a notice looking for me. I will come immediately when I hear."
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Thank you, sir. It's getting late, so I won't keep you here in vain. I wish you a safe journey."
Sun Simiao stood up and said with a smile, "I wish Your Highness a safe journey as well."
Sun Simiao took the two little children who had followed him when he came and got into the carriage. The driver whipped the carriage, and the newly built cement road no longer stirred up dust.
Li Chengqian rubbed the cement floor with his toes. This was the new Chang'an City.
A quarter of an hour later, the leading guard came over and asked, "Your Highness, are you going back to the palace?"
Li Chengqian glanced at the two untouched tea bowls on the table and asked, "Do you have any silver on you?"
The leader was stunned and replied, "Your Highness, I...don't have any silver."
He went out to work with a mission, not to go shopping, and had no preparation for using money.
"I should have asked Mr. Sun to keep some..." Li Chengqian muttered as he searched his body to see if there was anything valuable.
Fortunately, the other guards who were accompanying him had some silver with them. After the leader signaled with his eyes, they gathered a purse of small change and presented it to the prince.
Li Chengqian said, "Whose name is it if you register it? I'll give it back to you when I get back."
The leader said hurriedly: "It's not worth anything. It's my duty to serve His Highness."
"Two different things." Li Chengqian finished drinking the tea in his bowl and then said, "If you won't let me return it, I'll ask my father-in-law to go find your father-in-law. Does your father-in-law hold an official position in the court?"
The leader was stunned. He didn't expect this to happen. He subconsciously replied, "In..."
Li Chengqian poured out the entire purse of silver and gave it to the tea stall owner: "Sorry to have delayed your business."
The boss accepted it with great trepidation and was about to kneel down to express his gratitude when Li Chengqian stopped him. He smiled and said, "I wish your business will prosper."
After Li Chengqian and his men left, the boss counted the silver in his hand. This...how could it be more prosperous than today!
Li Chengqian returned the purse to the head guard and reminded him, "Don't forget that I owe you money."
The guard said with a bitter face: "I obey your order."
Afterwards, Li Chengqian went to the glass shop for a walk. Although the crowd of more than 20 people following him definitely affected the business, it was also good to let people see the background of this shop and deter the villains who were ready to make trouble.
Li Chengqian, feeling relieved, gave each of the guards a gift, and asked Li Ying to pay off his previous debt.
Li Ying, who was keeping accounts, said, "Your Highness, do you know why accounting is so difficult? It's because of bosses like you."
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "At least you can rest assured about one thing. I definitely won't need you to go to jail for me."
"Thank you." Li Ying took out his money box and counted out enough change for him. He took note and said, "Your Highness, it's a good habit to carry money when you go out. You must remember it next time."
Li Chengqian went out and asked the leading guard to divide the silver. When he came back, he said, "If something happens to me one day, you'll probably be looking forward to going to jail."
If something happened to the prince, Tian Khan would be reluctant to kill his own son, but he would not be reluctant to kill someone else's son.
Li Ying: “…”
"Look at the eldest son and Crown Prince Wei, how positive they are. Your Highness, don't always have negative thoughts." Li Ying advised earnestly, "Instead of always thinking about how bad the future will be, why not think about how to live well today!"
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Chicken soup for the soul is good. I'll drink it."
"Oh, and by the way, Fusu and Liu Ju are both the heir apparent in their father's eyes, but I'm not. My father has two backup candidates."
Li Ying sighed, "You still haven't drunk the chicken soup."
"I really drank it." Li Chengqian laughed, "You haven't seen how hard I've been working lately."
Li Ying knew what Li Chengqian had been doing recently. Since the cotton was about to be harvested, the tools for processing the cotton and the tools needed for subsequent spinning had to be prepared in advance. He had been busy with these things with Changsun.
"This batch of cotton should have a good harvest, Your Highness. Can we expand the planting area next year?" Li Ying asked following his words.
Li Chengqian said, "This is beyond my jurisdiction. This is the responsibility of the Khan of Heaven."
Li Ying encouraged him, "You can also participate, Your Highness. After all, you were the one who brought up this matter first. You can accumulate resources for yourself in advance."
Li Chengqian fiddled with his abacus twice and said, "I know clearly what I should do and what I shouldn't do."
Li Yingtou nodded halfway and collapsed: "How can you mess with my plans so easily!"
Li Chengqian was stunned: "What's wrong? Are you still using an abacus?"
"Of course I will!" Li Ying roared.
Li Chengqian thought it was just a decoration, but now he knew he had gotten into trouble, so he quickly raised his hand and said, "I'm sorry."
Li Ying said tiredly: "Forget it, it's not a big deal."
"How about you find another accountant?" Li Chengqian touched his nose and suggested embarrassedly.
"No matter how much work there is for me to do, I still have to do it." Li Ying sighed.
Li Chengqian had no choice but to use his ultimate weapon: "I'll double or triple your year-end bonus."
"Wow!" Li Ying couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, her eyes sparkling. "Three times? Is that true?"
Li Chengqian nodded and smiled, "How about I give you four times the amount next year?"
Li Ying cheered: "You are the best boss!"
…
Before the cotton harvest in August, Li Chengqian wanted to move back to the Eastern Palace. Previously, he stayed in Lizheng Palace under the pretext of attending to the sick. Now that Sun Simiao had left Beijing, Li Chengqian felt that he should return to his own territory.
Of course Li Shimin disagreed, but Changsun nodded.
Li Shimin was puzzled and asked her privately. Zhangsun said, "Erlang, Chengqian said he wanted to return to the Eastern Palace. That's his place. In Lizheng Palace, he's living with his parents. He's not comfortable there."
If Changsun had not noticed her eldest son's attitude, she would certainly not have agreed to let him move out of Lizheng Hall.
Li Chengqian felt a sense of belonging to the Eastern Palace, but not to the Lizheng Palace.
Even though there was no one else in the Eastern Palace except him, all his relatives were in the Lizheng Palace.
Li Shimin understood what his wife meant. He sighed slowly and said, "Cheng Qian is suffering from a mental illness. It would be better if he felt more at ease."
The high wall in Cheng Qian's heart still stands tall, rejecting everyone.
Li Chengqian moved back to the East Palace as he wished, and he felt a lot more relaxed. The East Palace was his territory, and now there were no Yu Zhining, Kong Yingda and others watching his every move and word. If he wanted to grow garlic, tell stories and play games with eunuchs and palace maids, wear beautiful clothes, or renovate his house, no one would point at his nose and scold him.
His bedroom in Lizheng Hall couldn't tolerate him tossing and turning. Li Chengqian lay sprawled on the soft couch and said with emotion, "My own bed is still the best."
The wet nurse led the palace maids to bring snacks. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "Your Highness must be tired. Take a good rest today."
"Yeah." Li Chengqian wiped his hands and picked a piece of osmanthus cake to eat.
The nurse continued, "Your Highness, I just took a look around. You've been away for a lot of time..."
Li Chengqian interrupted her, "No need to add or change. The prince's allotment is what it should be. Don't mention anything else to my mother, it will only make her worry."
Seeing his serious expression, the nurse didn't dare to say anything more, so she bowed and said, "Yes."
There was another person who was also very happy about Li Chengqian moving out of Lizheng Hall, and that was naturally Li Tai. Regardless of other times, when his father came back at night and there were only three children left in Lizheng Hall, Li Tai could naturally occupy more of his father's time. Moreover, there was no need to compare him with Li Chengqian, so he was in a very good mood.
In contrast to him are Li Lizhi and Li Yuxiu, who are still not used to their elder brother's absence.
Changsun comforted them with freshly made milk cakes and promised that she would let them play with her eldest brother during the day tomorrow.
The little girls were immediately happy, but one adult was not very happy.
Li Shimin thought about it and calculated that once Cheng Qian moved out of the Lizheng Hall, apart from greeting him twice a day and some other necessary matters, the times he saw him were very few.
This won’t do!
The next afternoon, after playing with his two little sisters for a while, Li Chengqian was called to the Tai Chi Hall just as he was about to go to martial arts class.
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