Chapter 342: Dog-footed Emperor

Although Li Jue was not afraid of Changsun Xuan, the problem was that he could beat Changsun Xuan but he had no power to punish him.

What's more, Chang Sun Xuan seemed to be a stubborn person, so Li Jue decided to leave this difficult problem to his elder brother.

After a while, Li Jue brought people to the East Palace.

Usually Li Xiang stayed in Xiande Hall, which was the largest hall in the Eastern Palace of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty, located inside Jiade Gate in the middle of the south side of the Eastern Palace.

Xiande Hall was built in the Sui Dynasty and was initially called Jiade Hall. It was renamed Xiande Hall in the early Tang Dynasty. Later, because Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian lived in the East Palace when he was the crown prince, it was renamed Mingde Hall to avoid his name.

This is the main hall of the East Palace, where the Crown Prince holds political activities.

On August 9, the ninth year of Wude, when Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan abdicated, Crown Prince Li Shimin ascended the throne in this hall.

Li Xiang used Xiande Hall as his usual office.

When Li Jue arrived at Xiande Hall, Li Xiang was sitting in the yard basking in the sun.

"Brother!" Li Jue shouted loudly.

Li Xiang took the book off his face and said, "Brother Jue? Happy birthday."

"Thank you, big brother." Li Jue said with a smile, and then looked around like a thief, and whispered: "Big brother, I'm in trouble!"

"What kind of trouble can you get into?" Li Xiang laughed: "Aren't you a bully in school? How can you get into trouble? I'm afraid you are the trouble to others."

“Oh, big brother.” Li Jue scratched his head a little embarrassedly: “I help the needy in the academy, and I’m known as the chivalrous king…”

The chivalrous king?

Li Xiang was happy. What? You also want to be the executive vice emperor?

"Yes, then our chivalrous king," Li Xiang said calmly, "what unsolvable problem did you encounter that made you want to trouble his poor elder brother?"

Li Jue: …

He ignored his elder brother who was deliberately teasing him and recounted the whole story in detail, but he omitted the name of Changsun Xuan.

"So you're saying that the dude is worse than a beast?" Li Xiang asked.

"Yes." Li Jue nodded.

"So what you mean is that you can't deal with this kid, so let me think of a way for you?" Li Xiang asked again.

"Oh, yes." Li Jue still nodded.

"Good boy," Li Xiang rubbed Li Jue's head with his hand, "Who is this guy? He's so arrogant? He doesn't even take you seriously?"

"Just tell me whether you can help me or not?" Li Jue wanted to trick Li Xiang.

Li Xiang was so smart that he didn't take the bait at all. Instead, he said with a smile, "You tell me who he is first, and then I'll decide."

"Brother is afraid." Seeing that his plan failed, Li Jue tried another one: "You have changed. You are no longer the white jade pillar that supported the sky in the Tang Dynasty and the purple gold beam that spanned the sea in Guanzhong!"

"You speak first." Li Xiang was not at all moved by the provocation and still had a smiling face.

Li Jue was still young after all. He sighed and said helplessly, "It's the second child of Aunt Changle's family, Changsun Xuan."

"Oh, it's Chang Sun Xuan." Li Xiang nodded in understanding: "I thought it was someone else... But there is a problem, Aunt Chang Le is not in good health, are you sure she can accept such a shameful thing happening to her son?"

"You have to be able to do it even if you can't." Li Jue took a deep breath: "Otherwise, let him go like this? That would be too easy for him. Looking at him like this, he is clearly a piece of meat on the chopping block! You don't know that he dared to threaten Jiang Ming in front of me. If he lets him get away, I will definitely take revenge on the Jiang family!"

"I have already allowed Jiang Ming to bring his family to live in my Prince Song's mansion. It can be considered as a temporary protection." Li Jue said again: "In my palace, his grandson Xuan will definitely not dare to be too presumptuous. He is also a little bit afraid... But my palace can only protect him temporarily, not forever..."

"I didn't expect you to be so thoughtful." Li Xiang said with a smile: "Okay, leave this matter to me, I will help you deal with Changsun Xuan."

"Brother wants to take him..." As he said that, Li Jue stretched out a finger and wiped his neck.

Li Xiang kicked him on the butt: "You bastard, do you think I'm a murderer?"

Li Jue chuckled and asked, "What should we do then? Do you think that Big Brother should go and explain this matter directly to Aunt?"

"That's not necessary." Li Xiang said, "Where is Chang Sun Xuan?"

"It's just outside Xiande Gate." Li Jue replied.

"Okay, leave the rest to me, you can go back." Li Xiang patted Li Jue's shoulder.

"So how are you going to deal with this matter?" Li Jue couldn't suppress his curiosity.

"You are so stupid." Li Xiang shook his head helplessly. "My aunt is sick, but my uncle is not. Why don't you tell him to punish Changsun Xuan and keep him under surveillance? Then Jiang Ming and his family can live in your house for the time being. You don't need a few mouths to eat."

"Ah..." Li Jue opened his mouth wide, "What if he takes revenge on the Jiang family?"

"Just like you said, the Jiang family lives in your mansion. How dare his eldest grandson Xuan break into the palace?" Li Xiang spread his hands.

"That's right." Li Jue asked again: "What if Chang Sun Xuan does something like this again and forcibly seizes a woman?"

"You also know that this incident may not happen again." Li Xiang said helplessly: "In any case, it is your guess that Changsun Xuan will not reform. Not to mention Changsun Xuan, even if it is for others, you still need evidence. You can't convict him before he commits a crime, right?"

"But..." Li Jue was about to object, but Li Xiang stopped him.

"Go, send Changsun Xuan back to the Duke of Zhao's mansion now, and let your uncle, as a grandfather, punish him." Li Xiang patted Li Jue's shoulder. "Your uncle is in the Duke of Zhao's mansion, and now Aunt Changle lives in Princess Changle's mansion. The distance between their homes is far. Tell others that the grandfather misses his grandson and keeps Changsun Xuan in the Duke of Zhao's mansion."

"Brother, great!" Li Jue gave a thumbs up. "This is really a way to kill two birds with one stone. Not only can we teach Chang Sun Xuan a lesson, but we can also prevent my aunt from getting sick after hearing about Chang Sun Xuan's bad behavior. It's really great!"

"I'll go right away!" he said loudly again, then turned around and hurriedly left Xiande Hall.

"Remember to come back for dinner in the evening!" Li Xiang reminded.

"Got it!" Li Jue answered loudly.

"This brat..." Li Xiang cursed with a smile, then lay back in his chair to continue resting.

Li Jue was very quick and sent Changsun Xuan to Changsun Wuji's residence in no time.

After hearing about Changsun Xuan's bad behavior, Changsun Wuji was extremely angry. He picked up his crutch and beat Changsun Xuan severely, and had him locked up in the woodshed to reflect on his behavior.

He was really angry, he wasn't just pretending.

The Changsun family's glory and favor have now reached their peak. As the saying goes, everything that rises must fall, and going downhill is inevitable.

What Changsun Wuji wants now is a smooth landing, and for his family to safely pass through the handover of several generations of imperial power during his lifetime. The key to ensuring the Changsun family's honor and favor lies in Princess Changle.

As the son of a princess, Changsun Xuan is a bastard. It would be fine if he didn't have ambition, but he actually did such a cruel and vicious thing. If his mother knew about this, she would be too sad, and what if her health suffered?
After thanking Li Jue, especially after hearing that this was Li Xiang's idea, Changsun Wuji immediately assured Li Jue that he would take good care of Changsun Xuan.

After getting the guarantee from Changsun Wuji, Li Jue happily left the Duke of Zhao's Mansion.

Since today is his birthday, he is going to Lizheng Hall to celebrate.

This is the rule of the Li family. Every birthday must be celebrated in Lizheng Hall with Li Shimin.

The Li family doesn't have the kind of parents who are too particular about not celebrating their children's birthdays, so this custom is quite good.

Many people participated in Li Jue's birthday party, and Li Jue even called his brothers to come together. However, he did not arrange them to eat in the Lizheng Hall. Instead, he asked them to eat in the Prince Song's Mansion first, and he would go over later to celebrate together.

"Jue'er is already quite old this year." After Li Jue left in a hurry, Li Shimin looked at his back with some regret.

"Yes, this child is just like a dog. He grows up to the point where you can't recognize him if you don't see him for a few days." Li Chengqian said while shaking his head with sleepy eyes.

Li Shimin glared at him angrily: "You are already the emperor, but you still can't control your mouth! That's your son!"

"Hey, it's because he's my son that I..."

Before Li Chengqian could finish his words, he was interrupted by Li Shimin.

"Me! Me! Dog-footed me!"

Then Old Li kicked Li Chengqian on the butt three times and left the room angrily.

Everyone present was a member of the Li family, so there was no point in pretending not to see anything, especially Li Tai, who had slumped down in his chair, pounding the table with his hands while laughing.

"Hahahahaha-"

Li Chengqian took a deep breath. After being kicked three times, he was somewhat sober.

In fact, he wouldn't say such inappropriate words normally, but today he drank too much and the strings in his brain were loose.

So if you're not careful, it will come out.

"Thank goodness the attendant is not here." Li Zhi whispered to Li Tai, "Otherwise, think about it, what would have been written down?"

Li Tai stopped laughing immediately. He thought for a moment and nodded heavily to Li Zhi: "Thank you, Zhinu, for reminding me. I will definitely visit the attendant tonight and tell him what happened in Lizheng Hall today!"

Li Zhi opened his mouth wide. He really didn't expect that his second brother would be so stupid.

I'm really convinced. Why are you thanking me for reminding you?
You really want to drag me into this, right?
Even though he was complaining, he was also thinking about how to write today's paragraph.

Hmm... The emperor shouted angrily: "I! I! Dog-footed I!" Then he kicked the emperor three times and rushed out in his clothes?

It’s not impossible, okay…

Li Xiang was sitting nearby, trying hard to hold back his laughter.

For a moment, he went over all the sad things in this life and the last life in his mind, and then he stopped laughing.

Well, it’s not that he doesn’t like to laugh, but he feels that he has to save face for his father.

I like to laugh, but I like filial piety even more!

This is the weight of the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty!

"Aye has drunk too much, don't mind it, big brother." Li Tai stepped forward and put his arm around Li Chengqian's neck: "You know, our Aye has such a bad temper, why did you provoke him?"

Li Chengqian really wanted to say that he didn't provoke him, but he swallowed the words back when they came to his lips.

"Come, drink!" Li Chengqian picked up the wine glass and took a swig: "Let's raise a toast to the distant Third and Sixth Brothers - wish them peace! Especially that brat Sixth Brother!"

"Wish them peace!" everyone responded.

“I wish my family happiness and peace!”

In the Mayan royal city of Tikal, Li Yin also raised a large wine glass and shouted in unison with his brothers.

During the three-year campaign, Li Yin led his soldiers and the Mayans he recruited, from north to south, from present-day Mexico, all the way to El Salvador and Belize in Central America.

In other words, the entire Mayan civilization has been completely unified by Li Yin.

What Li Yin didn't know was that this period was actually the most prosperous period of Mayan civilization.

But he knew that the Mayans had developed hundreds of cities in this area, and Tikal was the largest of them, no less large than Luoyang.

After counting the population, Li Yin discovered that it reached an astonishing 210,000 people.

These city-states with intensive agriculture and concentrated cities were defeated one by one by Li Yin and his troops, and finally unified. According to Li Yin's naming, they were divided into three places. The one in the north was the Indian Grand Military Governorate, the middle part was the Kuku Grand Military Governorate, and the one in the south was the Copan Grand Military Governorate.

Among the major Mayan city-states, Tikal, Copan and Palenque were the three largest, so Li Yin temporarily named the southern governor's office Copan.

After unifying the Mayan city-states, Li Yin began to feel homesick.

According to his statistics, among the more than 2,000 people he brought, more than 200 were lost in the storm at sea, more than 300 died from diseases caused by acclimatization, and more than 100 died in wars with various city-states.

There are only about 1,200 old guys left.

After questioning, more than 700 of them were unwilling to go back. They had already started families and careers in the local area, and they were alone in the Tang Dynasty. It would be better for them to stay in the local area, at least they had wives and children and a warm home.

Wife refers to the wife of at least one reinforced company; children refers to more than ten children per capita.

It is difficult for ordinary people to give up such a life that even gods would not exchange for.

The main reason was that the wind and waves at sea were too strong. We were lucky enough when we came here, as only two ships were lost. The remaining ships had been parked there for three years, and who knew if they were still strong enough.

So after careful consideration, Li Yan temporarily appointed three military governors from the chief secretary and below to various officials, and asked them to stay in the Maya region temporarily. He also promised them that he, Li Yan, would come back soon and bring rewards from the court.

Everyone was naturally extremely happy. Even though the emperor was far away, it was the royal nobles who personally led them to pacify the Maya and establish such a great foundation.

He was somewhat loyal to the Tang Dynasty, but not much; but he was extremely loyal to Li Yin himself.

After settling the local people, Li Yin took the remaining 500 people, carried maps of the Mayan region, and a variety of new crops, and set sail on the journey back to the Tang Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)