Chapter 324 Li Chengqian: Can’t I make the decision?
Li Chengqian's behavior is understandable. After all, it was the first time in his life that he became an emperor, and he always felt a sense of mission.

It's just like when you get a new car. Even if you are not that interested in driving, you still have to sit in it and experience it carefully for a few days.

This has nothing to do with likes or dislikes; it’s human nature.

"I bet his popularity can last for half a month." Li Tai said to Li Zhi and others with a hint of jealousy.

Li Zhi thought about it, shook his head and said, "Second brother, what you said is too far-fetched. How can the eldest brother hold on for a month?"

"What do you think?" Li Tai turned around and asked Li Ke.

Li Ke raised his head and said firmly, "Three months."

"Based on my brother's usual personality, I think he will come over to play cards with us in two or three days." Li Shu said with a smile.

"How could you do this!" Li Mingda angrily defended Li Chengqian: "How could you think of my brother like this?"

"Then Sizi, how long do you think you can hold on?" Li Tai suddenly asked.

"Two months." Li Mingda said subconsciously, and then immediately shook his head: "No, don't change the subject..."

However, it was useless for her to say anything now, after all, she had subconsciously joined the team of these bad brothers and sisters.

"Sure enough, Sizi doesn't believe that big brother can stick to it to the end." Li Su smiled like a little fox. She stretched out her arms to embrace Li Mingda and said with a smile: "Don't worry, big brother won't be angry with you..."

Li Mingda puffed up his cheeks and said nothing, but he felt a little remorseful in his heart.

No, how can I think of my brother like this?
Li Chengqian certainly didn't know what his brothers and sisters thought of him in Daji Hall.

As the saying goes, power is the best beauty medicine for men. Li Chengqian is now full of energy and vigor, and there is no trace of the decadent look he had eight years ago.

He held reports from various counties in Guannei Road in his hand, and his emotions were rising and falling like waves.

"Haven't we already made coal and stoves popular? Why is it that people are still dying of starvation and cold under the emperor's feet?"

Du He and Zhao Jie looked at each other, lowered their heads and did not answer.

Don't blame anyone else. We all just came here, and it's good enough that we can understand the information about Chang'an.

What Li Chengqian is talking about now is the affairs of Jingyang. Nowadays, coal, a new energy source, is only popular in Chang'an. As for the Jingyang area, it is still some distance away from Chang'an, so it is far-fetched to say that it is under the feet of the emperor.

However, Li Chengqian's sense of mission came up and he couldn't bear to see his own people suffer.

The emperor is the parent of all the people in the world, so he must always take responsibility.

The two capitals and fifteen provinces of the Great Tang Dynasty are the responsibility of my shoulders!

"And this, take a look." Li Chengqian took out the memorial from the Anxi Protectorate again: "Last year when I was regent, I had already repeatedly stressed this issue. Why hasn't the Anxi Protectorate corrected it yet?"

"I think the Anxi Protector should be replaced," Li Chengqian put down the memorial, rubbed his temple, and then said, "Guo Xiaoke is greedy, but look at what he did. Qiuci was just recently conquered, and Guo Xiaoke is still plundering Qiuci's treasures. Isn't this just handing the people over?"

Hearing this, Du He finally couldn't help it.

He felt that he had to say something, otherwise he didn't know what his brother-in-law might do.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say."

"Speak." Li Chengqian glanced at Du He. After all, he was his brother-in-law, so Li Chengqian was still very tolerant towards him.

Du He organized his words a bit, and then said: "Guo Xiaoke is the emperor's favorite general after all. He is now the Protector General of Anxi and he made contributions in resisting the Western Turks. Although he behaved in an unruly way this time, he did not cause any trouble. If he is dismissed rashly, I am afraid people will not accept it."

Li Chengqian frowned. He was not the kind of person who would not listen. After thinking about it, he felt that it made sense.

"According to you, how should we do it?"

"I think that everything should be done at the Taiji Palace first, and only after asking the Emperor for permission can it be implemented," Du He reminded indirectly.

The meaning of those words was almost as if they were saying "What you say now doesn't count. You still have to ask your father first."

Li Chengqian could of course understand what Du He meant. He frowned and asked, "Can't I make the decision?"

At this moment, Du He's brain was working in overclocking mode. If he said this directly, it would be too hurtful to him. If he didn't make it clear, what if His Majesty didn't understand the spirit of this? After thinking it over, Du He decided to give a reason that would allow Li Chengqian to back down.

"Your Majesty, this is filial piety." Du He said seriously.

As soon as these words came out, Li Chengqian retreated tactically.

Well... this filial piety... is really a hurdle that cannot be avoided.

Li Chengqian said with emotion: "If it weren't for Runlian (Du He's pen name), I would have almost failed in filial piety!"

You know what, after being enlightened by Du He, he became more and more scared.

Yes, although he is the emperor now, this emperorship is completely an empty title - whether in terms of popularity or appeal, he is not as good as Li Shimin, who has now stepped down as the emperor.

If I replace the Anxi Protectorate without his permission, would it violate Aye's taboo?

If the father and son have a rift again because of this, then...

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

"There is no time to lose, Meng Shu, prepare the sedan chair for me!" he said again.

Soon, Meng Shu prepared the sedan chair. Li Chengqian sat on it and headed leisurely towards the Taiji Palace.

Since leaving office, Li Shimin's life has become more and more leisurely.

He was in a good mood today, so he didn't play with Li Tai and the others, but watched the snow alone in the Lizheng Hall.

Although the Lizheng Hall is not as big as the Daming Palace and there is a Taiye Lake next to it, it is still a royal scenery.

When Li Chengqian arrived at the Lizheng Hall, Li Xiang happened to come over from the Daji Hall, intending to get some food with Li Shimin.

"Aye?" Li Xiang looked up and saw Li Chengqian coming from the door.

"It's Xiang'er." Li Chengqian asked someone to stop the sedan chair, stepped down, smiled and patted Li Xiang's shoulder: "Let's go, since we have met, let's go together to see your grandfather."

When he arrived at the Lizheng Hall, Li Chengqian first paid his respects to Li Shimin, and then explained his purpose.

After stating the facts, Li Chengqian continued: "Father, I think that Guo Xiaoke is no longer suitable to be the Protector General of Anxi." Thanks to the suppression of the Western Turks, Guo Xiaoke, who was supposed to die in the Turkic Rebellion in the 22nd year of Zhenguan, is still alive today.

In the 22nd year of Zhenguan, the Tang army broke through the capital of Qiuci, and Qiuci King Bushipi led a group of light cavalry to flee westward. Ashina She'er led his army to pursue Bushipi and asked Guo Xiaoke to stay in Qiuci.

Soon, Bushipi was captured, and Prime Minister Nali escaped alone, secretly leading more than 10,000 troops from the Western Turks and his own country to counterattack Guo Xiaoke's troops.

At that time, Guo Xiaoke believed that the remaining forces of Qiuci had not yet been pacified, so he set up camp outside the city, but he did not listen to the advice of the Qiuci people and did not take precautions against Nali.

Nali secretly colluded with the surrendered soldiers in the city, sneaked into the city, and made loud noises. Guo Xiaoke then noticed it, so he led more than a thousand of his troops into the city and fought with the enemy.

At this time, the surrendered soldiers in the city responded to Nali and attacked Guo Xiaoke, shooting arrows at him.

Guo Xiaoke fought desperately and led his troops out of the city. Unexpectedly, he was shot and killed at the west gate, and his son Guo Daizhao died in the battle with him.

After learning of Guo Xiaoke's death, Old Li blamed Guo Xiaoke for not being vigilant, which led to his death, so he stripped him of his official position.

Later, he felt pity for him because he died on the battlefield, and mourned for him.

After Li Zhi ascended the throne, he posthumously awarded Guo Xiaoke the title of Anxi Protector General and Duke of Yangdi County.

Now that the Western Turks have been pacified at the speed of light, the people of Kucha naturally dare not have any second thoughts, so Guo Xiaoke is still relatively safe for the time being.

Li Shimin's expression did not change at all. He just said gently: "Gao Ming, you are the emperor now. If you think Guo Xiaoke is not suitable, just replace him with someone else according to your wishes."

Li Chengqian:......

Just now on the road, he was even prepared to be scolded by Lao Li, saying that he was childish and so on. He never expected that after meeting Lao Li, he would agree so easily.

No, wait, Aye, what did you mean just now?
Ah, are you serious? You really want me to decide for myself?!
So, Li Chengqian's confidence returned.

"Father... Guo Xiaoke is your trusted and beloved general after all." Li Chengqian tried again.

Li Shimin smiled indifferently: "What kind of trusted and beloved general? Now he is so unruly in the Western Regions. Do we have to wait until he causes a disaster before dealing with him?"

"Yes, Aye." Li Chengqian bowed.

Old Li picked up the teacup and looked at Li Chengqian: "I still say the same thing. Now you are the emperor. As long as you have thought carefully and think that a policy is feasible, you don't have to come to me for instructions, and you don't have to ask me for instructions on everything. I am old and now I am just the emperor."

What I mean is, don't bother me with these trivial matters.

"Yes, Father." Li Chengqian responded again, and then asked: "Then Father, after Guo Xiaoke leaves office, who do you think is suitable to serve as the Protector General of Anxi?"

Li Shimin put down his teacup and looked at Li Chengqian with an unfriendly look.

"You are the emperor, don't you know who will take over?"

Li Chengqian took a deep breath. He now understood that his father did not want him to be a puppet emperor as he had imagined, but wanted him to be a real emperor with real power.

"I understand."

After saying this, Li Chengqian turned his gaze to Li Xiang.

"Xiang'er, if I remember correctly, your uncle is still in Chang'an?"

Li Xiang's heart was filled with alarm. Why did he mention my brother-in-law for no reason?
"That's true."

"In that case, let Pei Xingjian take over as the Protector General of Anxi." Li Chengqian said, "I don't know much about the others, but I've often heard you say that Pei Xingjian has great strategies, and now is the time to use him."

Li Xiang looked at his father in surprise. He never expected that his father could actually recognize people?
This time Li Chengqian could be said to have hit the jackpot by accident, after all, in history during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Pei Xingjian was indeed the Protector-General of Anxi.

Today, Guo Xiaoke is cruel, but in history, Pei Xingjian was known for his benevolence and righteousness. He even attracted many neutral or hostile Western Regions countries at that time to submit to him, which shows his personal ability.

"If Aye needs to keep his promise, then it would be fine to let him serve as the Protector General of Anxi." Li Xiang said with a smile.

After getting the answer he wanted, which even exceeded his previous expectations, Li Chengqian planned to leave Lizheng Hall.

However, before he could say goodbye, he saw Li Tai and his siblings walking in from outside.

"Oh, isn't this His Majesty?" Li Tai's words were somewhat sarcastic.

"Hello, big brother." The others bowed and saluted Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said nonchalantly: "We are at home, why should we be so polite?"

Then he looked at them again: "What are you doing..."

"Now that my eldest brother has become the emperor, he naturally has no time to play with his younger brothers and sisters." Li Tai said with a smile: "So I called my third brother and Shu'er to go to Daji Hall to play with Sizi."

Hearing Li Tai's words, Li Chengqian suddenly felt a little envious.

Ah, they can actually play together.

But if you want to be a good emperor who will be remembered in history, you must make some necessary sacrifices, such as your own entertainment time. Li Chengqian is aware of this.

"Sizi is indeed lonely in Daji Hall. With you guys accompanying me, I, as your elder brother, feel relieved."

Li Tai rolled his eyes imperceptibly and said, "Don't worry, you don't take it to heart at all, okay?"

When we brothers played together before, did you ever bring Sizi with you?

After all, Li Chengqian is now the emperor, so he naturally cannot say such words that would hurt others' reputation. Li Tai thought about it and decided to say it out loud as soon as possible.

If someone else were the emperor, he would definitely not have such a low EQ - but now it is his elder brother who is the emperor, and I, Li Qingque, will definitely get this honor!
"I didn't see you bringing Sizi with you when you asked me and Zhinu to play football a few years ago." Li Tai said with a groan.

Li Chengqian smiled and put his hand on Li Tai's fat shoulder, squeezing it without leaving any trace, and said calmly: "Sizi is a girl, so she is naturally not suitable to play football with us men."

"What are you doing? Ouch——" Li Tai felt pain and jumped to the side.

Everybody laughed. They all saw Li Chengqian's action of putting his hand on Li Tai's shoulder. Combined with Li Tai's reaction, it was not difficult to wonder if Li Chengqian had added some hidden strength.

"Just now I was talking to you brothers." Li Su held up Li Tai, who was running a little crooked, and said with a smile: "Third brother is enfeoffed in the Western Regions. The country's name is still Wu, but it is a bit inappropriate, so we plan to come to Lizheng Hall to discuss and give Third Brother a new title."

Li Chengqian knew about Li Ke's enfeoffment. When he heard Li Su say this, he also said, "It is indeed inappropriate. Wu is in Kuaiji, and A Ke was enfeoffed to the west of the Western Regions. If he is still given the title of King of Wu, it is indeed inappropriate."

"Then according to your opinion, what title should Ke'er be given?" Li Shimin asked with a smile, holding a handful of pistachios in his hand and stuffing them into Li Xiang's arms.

(End of this chapter)