Chapter 36 The rain is coming

When Li Shimin returned to Hongyi Palace, he immediately summoned Yu Chigong, Duan Zhixuan, Cheng Zhijie, Qin Shubao, Liu Shili, Pang Qingyun, Gongsun Wuda, Du Junchuo, Zheng Rentai, Li Mengchang and other ten generals to the square in front of Hongyi Palace , announced Li Yuan's imperial edict without hesitation.After finishing speaking, he smiled faintly, and said leisurely: "The imperial edict is like this, and I have nothing to say. You are all members of the imperial court. When the enemy is in front of you, you should serve the imperial court and share the worries of your father. Go back and get ready, His Royal Highness King Qi will set off at noon three days later, and you should go to Kunming Pool outside Anhua Gate to meet and receive orders before the 3:30 of the fifth day at the latest, otherwise you will bear the military law yourself."

After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked into the main hall without further ado, ordered the left and right sides to close the door, and ordered his personal servants to say: "Quickly ask the auxiliary machine to come over and let him wait for me in the main hall." The servant just went out from the side door of the main hall, but saw the main entrance of the main hall divided into left and right, and Yu Chigong walked in from outside the hall.He closed the door with his backhand, went to the hall and knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, they just push the end of the future..."

Li Shimin interrupted him with a wave of his hand: "You don't have to talk about it, now is not the time to talk about it, this king has something for you to do." Yu Chigong didn't say much, he kowtowed and said, "Please give me your orders, Your Majesty." Li Shimin nodded, and said: "You go to Fangdu Ergong's residence immediately, and ask Ergong to come over to discuss the matter. This matter must be kept secret, and no one should know about it, otherwise you will come to see him." Yuchi Gong replied "The last general takes orders" but didn't ask any more questions, and walked out from the back of the hall in big strides, regardless of the generals who were waiting for him to reply outside the hall.

Li Shimin secretly stabilized his mind, sat on the throne and sipped a sip of tea. Before he could recover, Hou Junji, the chariot and cavalry general of Zuoyu Hou of Tiance Mansion, walked in from the gate of the right side hall.He stood his body and finished the ceremony, and said in a deep voice: "I have heard about it, what does your majesty want to teach, but just do what you say!" Li Shimin glanced at him, laughed, and said flatly: "Don't worry, it's not the last time to see Zhenzhang. At this moment, the most important thing for us is not to get flustered. When the enemy is in front of us, we are in a mess. How can we be invincible?" ?The situation is dangerous, so of course you can't underestimate the enemy, but it doesn't take a moment to defeat the enemy. There is one thing that you have to do yourself, and you can't pretend to be someone else."

The corners of Hou Junji's eyes and brows were filled with joy: "Your Majesty, just take orders!" Li Shimin didn't notice the change of expression on his face, and said to himself: "Go to Lingling Temple in the east of the city immediately, and leave a secret note in the Daxiong Palace that you want that person to come to the mansion. Don't wait for him, go straight to Chang He's mansion to ask for him." I will go to the government to discuss matters tonight. I won't give you any other instructions, but the word 'confidential' is something you are good at, so you should be especially cautious this time."

Hou Junji also knelt down on one knee to salute like Yu Chigong, said "Your servant takes orders", turned around and walked out from the side hall without asking a word. After Hou Junji left, Li Shimin pondered for a moment, stood up long, and left the Hongyi Hall from the side hall, without taking anyone with him, walked westward along the corridor in the palace, passed through the imperial garden, and came to the side concubine Yang's bedroom. Concubine Yang was the princess of Emperor Yang of the former dynasty and the aunt of Emperor Yining. She was fourteen years old when Tang Jun conquered Chang'an, and was accepted by Li Shimin in the first year of Yining.At this time, she had given birth to a son named Li Ke for the Li family. In the third year of Wude, she was named the king of Shu and led the governor of Yizhou.In terms of ranking, although Li Ke is a concubine, he is the third son of King Qin.Because Li Kuanyao, the second king of Chu, passed away, even though Li Ke was not yet eight years old, he was the elder brother of most of the princes in the palace, and he was always favored by Li Shimin. The eldest son born and raised under King Li Chengqian, the son of King Qin.

As soon as Li Shimin approached, the servant standing at the gate of the palace had already seen it, and shouted in a shrill voice: "The king is here!" Concubine Yang hurriedly arranged her clothes and dragged the little Shu king to the gate of the palace. Stepped in. He picked up little Li Ke, and said to Concubine Yang who was squatting and about to salute: "Forget it, don't be too polite. I'll take a look and leave. You greeted and saw off again. Pretend to kneel again, and all the time is wasted on these useless etiquette." Little Li Ke stared excitedly at Li Shimin with two black bean-like eyes, clasped his hands and shouted: "Father Wang Ankang! Father Wang Ankang!"

Li Shimin's gloomy mood was swept away by his son's crisp call. He laughed and said, "Ke'er is being naughty again, isn't it? Let's see how the father punishes you!" A kiss was made on the snow-white and tender little face, and the stubble of his beard made Li Ke twist his face and giggle. Concubine Yang, who was standing by the side, couldn't help laughing and said, "Your Majesty is in a very good mood! Why are you free to come to my concubine today?" While teasing Li Ke, Li Shimin said, "Passing through here, come here and take a look. I run outside all day, and I'm still bored. Your mother and son stay here all day, are you afraid you'll die of boredom?"

Li Ke stretched his arms and shouted: "Father takes Ke'er out, Ke'er wants to ride a horse!" Li Shimin gently twisted Li Ke's face to tease him and said, "When the weather cools down, my father will take you to Beihai Pool for boating and the Royal Stables for horseback riding, okay?" Li Ke was very excited and shouted: "Good! Good!" Concubine Yang smiled and said, "Going to Taiji Palace to go boating and horseback riding, there must be His Majesty's edict." Li Shimin smiled: "How can there be so many rules? When the old man saw his grandson, he laughed crookedly. He didn't care about the rules."

Concubine Yang thought for a while and said: "The concubine must first tell the concubine whether the other princes will go or not..." "Since I'm going, I'll go, otherwise someone will accuse me of being biased behind my back." Li Shimin interrupted Concubine Yang with a smile.There was a look of fascination on his face, and he sighed, "I haven't been to Beihai Pool for many years. I can't remember what it looks like there." Concubine Yang smiled: "The concubine still remembers." Li Shimin glanced at her and said with a smile, "I almost forgot that you grew up in the Taiji Palace. I remember that there was a temple next to the Beihai Lake, but I never entered it. The name of the temple was... What's the matter? Alas, it seems that I am old, and I can't even remember the name of the temple!"

Concubine Yang smiled and said: "That is the Linhu Palace, which is separated between the Changsheng Palace, the Imperial Garden and the Beihai Pool. The ministers who enter the palace from the Xuanwu Gate must pass by the Linhu Palace, otherwise they will have to go to the lake. The large forest that bypasses the Imperial Garden and passes through the Beiye Court from the small road of Hongyi Palace is too time-consuming. Chenqie remembers that Linhu Palace was opened once in the early years. On the second floor, from there you can see the military office in the Xuanwu Gate to the north, the Changsheng Hall to the west, the Ganlu Hall and the Shenlong Hall to the south, and you can even see the Liangyi Hall according to the agreement. Three sea pools Not to mention, standing upstairs, you can have a panoramic view! It's a pity that the Linhu Palace was only opened once during the father's reign. Later, the courtiers and concubines committed themselves to the king and never entered the palace again. What is the state of Dianna Pavilion now? Maybe it was opened later, but the courtiers don't know it!" Li Shimin looked at Li Ke with a smile in his eyes, but he answered Concubine Yang's question: "The main hall has been sealed since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, and has never been opened. But I went up to see the Zichen Hall to the north of it." According to the height, the Zichen Hall should be right in front of the Linhu Hall, so you can't see the Xuanwu Gate." Concubine Yang blinked, and said with a broken smile: "Your Majesty has never been there before, so naturally I don't know that Zichen Hall and Linhu Hall are actually not on the same line. From the northeast corner of Linhu Hall, you can just pass through the cornice at the southeast corner of the top of Zichen Hall. The situation at Xuanwumen." Li Shimin put Li Ke on the ground, and breathed out: "Okay, I will go up and have a look if I have a chance, but I am afraid that there must be an imperial edict to open the Linhu Palace. Let's not talk about these things. It's useful. Take a good look at Gu Ke'er, and when autumn comes, I'll take you into the palace and go boating in the Beihai pool!" Concubine Yang pursed her lips and smiled again: "What's the matter, Your Highness? The water in the Beihai pool is shallow, and only a small boat for two people can be used. If you need a large boat with more than a dozen people, you have to go to the Donghai pool in the southwest of the Hall of Eternal Life. That is the inner city within the inner city, and there is no imperial edict from His Majesty, but one would never dare to trespass." Li Shimin patted his head, laughed and said: "Yeah, I was confused!" He sighed: "There are a lot of troublesome things outside, it's rare to linger here for a while, relax your body and relax your mind. The weather is too hot these days, you and Ke'er don't go out, be careful if you catch the heat Just kidding. Besides..." An inexplicable smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "The situation in Chang'an City is strange and the government is complicated. There is no more peaceful paradise than this Qin Palace..."