Chapter 33 third quarter

General Li's grand feast is set on the north bank of Qujiang Pond, next door to Longhuani Temple.There is a very spacious and luxurious villa owned by General Li. The weather in June is mild and refreshing, and the flowers are lively. This is the best time of the year to visit Qujiang.If it is during the two festivals of Zhonghe and Shangsi, the high-ranking officials and ladies in Chang'an City will all be dressed in colorful costumes, with horses and high carts, and the Qujiang Pool will be crowded with pits and valleys.Even the current emperor will take the prime minister, three envoys, officials from the northern provinces, and Hanlin scholars to visit the Furong Garden on the south bank of Qujiang Pond at this time, and have a big feast on the colorful boats in the pool. Accompanied by music and dance, it is called "watching customs".

Although it is not as hot as it was during the two festivals, the people of Chang'an also cherish this short and beautiful time, and the Qujiang River is still full of tourists. General Li didn't invite many guests today, but they are the most noble figures besides the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor. These are the seven prime ministers and one princess of the current dynasty.In fact, there is only one real guest, the youngest daughter of the Queen of Heaven, who led the execution of Webster three years ago and helped Princess Taiping, who is now the Supreme Emperor enthroned. This Princess Taiping inherited the strong personality of her mother Empress Wu Zetian. She was always at the core of the central government in her mother's later years, as well as in the series of power transfers and political turmoil between Zhongzong, Wei Empress, the current Supreme Emperor, and the current Emperor. At the critical moment, it is she who uses iron will and ingenious means to maximize the interests of the winning party.

People in Chang'an, who are very politically sensitive, know that Princess Taiping has a heart problem, that is, the current emperor.The current emperor Li Longji won the crown prince from his elder brother Li Chengqi for his great achievements in supporting his father's ascension to the throne.This is not in line with Princess Taiping's wishes. Princess Taiping wants an honest prince, so that she will not lose the power in her hands before she dies.Even she had the idea that she would one day reproduce the glory of her mother's great Zhou dynasty. In the past three years, the battle between the prince and his aunt Princess Taiping can be said to have won and lost.Princess Taiping successfully demoted the prince's two most powerful assistants, the former Zhongshuling Yao Yuanzhi and the official minister Song Jing, out of the capital, but the emperor unexpectedly gave up the throne to the prince Li Longji in advance.

In the political struggle, the contest between Princess Taiping, who turned her hands into clouds and rain, and the current emperor, who was only a small official in Luzhou four years ago, and who is sometimes heroic and decisive, sometimes weak and incompetent , No one in the court dared to say who would win.For the common people, the best thing is peace in the world; and for the ambitious and good-for-nothing, this may be their opportunity to prosper, so many people in Chang'an City think this is an opportunity to show their talents. In General Li's villa, six of the seven prime ministers have already arrived, and the feast can only be held when Princess Taiping and her favorite minister Dou Huaizhen arrive.At this time, several prime ministers were leisurely gathering beside the peony bushes, talking about a pipa song by Gu Sanniang, the chief singer of Pingkangfang, which they heard at the residence of Dou Huaizhen, the left censor last night.

"I heard that Xiao Li also invited Gu Sanniang today, but he didn't invite him, hahaha..." Cui Shi, the school secretary, was the most famous good son in Chang'an City when he was young, and he was deeply loved by Princess Taiping. "The song of Gu Sanniang's Qing song is worth ten prizes. I'm afraid Xiao Li can't afford it..." Cen Yi, the governor of the province and the secretary of the household department, is known as the "God of Wealth". He is a rare talent in financial management. Of course, he did not wrong himself. "Xiao Li is also pitiful. Since last autumn, the princess has not cared much for Xiao Li. Today's play, Xiao Li is also in vain. Dou Laosan will never give him a chance." Chinese who was also born under Princess Taiping Shuling Xiao Zhizhong was born in Tsinghua University, he has a noble family background, and he has learned from the past and the present, so he despises Dou Huaizhen, who has climbed to a high position by means of luck.

Lu Xiang, who stood on the side and looked into the distance, was not interested in such womanly gossip.Although he was also recommended by Princess Taiping, and was given the rank of Tongping Zhangshi by the slightly lower-ranked Zhongshu Minister, he was able to become a prime minister, but he did not come from Princess Taiping's family, but relied on his own talent, knowledge and outstanding political achievements Gradually promoted up.What he is worried about now is that the conflict between Princess Taiping and the emperor can no longer be resolved, and judging from the current situation, this is not a problem that can be resolved by launching a small-scale coup like in previous years.The emperor has the imperial power in his hands, which is the destiny of heaven, and Princess Taiping relied on the favor of her mother, Empress Wu Zetian, and more than half of the important ministers were cultivated and promoted by her. What's more, she seemed to be valued more by the emperor than the emperor.Once the two broke up publicly, it might turn into a chaotic situation at the end of the Sui Dynasty, which made him worry about Datang Foundation.

Now that people are disturbed, the powerful Tang Empire has been ruled by women for nearly a hundred years, and it is no longer as indestructible as it seems on the surface. The two prime ministers who are loyal to the current emperor, Wei Zhigu and Minister of the Ministry of War, and Guo Yuanzhen, who are in charge of Pingzhang, have very different personalities. Among the nobles, they are more comfortable than Lu Xiangxian who is called Princess Taiping. Princess Taiping's convoy finally arrived. Dou Huaizhen rode an extraordinary Dawan white horse to follow behind Princess Taiping's gorgeous pheasant carriage. The current price of such a horse is about five thousand or more, which is equivalent to the entire price of a middle-class rich man in Chang'an City. family property.

The car stopped in front of the door, but Dou Huaizhen's sixtieth year's body showed the vigor of a young man, he flew off the horse, walked to the door with a few brisk steps, took off the step stool and put it in place, and then opened the door handle The fat hands of Princess Taiping's nails that have been painted with impatiens juice.At this moment, Princess Taiping's servants retreated to the side in a calm manner, as if this was supposed to be Dou Huaizhen's duty.There was only a bright and beautiful girl standing on the other side of the car door, but she didn't reach out to grab Dou Huaizhen's credit.

Everyone knows this girl, she is the most powerful maid beside Princess Taiping, but she has a strange name, Qi'er. Among the prime ministers standing with their arms crossed, Xiao Zhizhong and Lu Xiangxian all turned their mouths away when they saw this scene.In order to get this good job, Mr. Dou spent a lot of unjust money on Princess Taiping's servants. General Li knelt in front of the carriage in an unusual way, and when he saw Princess Taiping's plump body struggling to squeeze out the door twice as wide as an ordinary carriage, he said loudly: "My little nephew welcomes my aunt to drive."

This shows General Li's unique scheming.If he uses his official title in official rituals, he will be too alienated, and he has a small official position and a low position, so it is difficult for him to be respected by the princess.He only talks about family etiquette here, which not only looks kind, but also raises his status in front of the prime ministers. Princess Taiping seemed to be in a good mood today, she nodded with a smile to the prime ministers who came to greet her, and said to General Li who was still kneeling on the ground: "Chong Huan, get up and talk." It turned out that General Li was called Li Chonghuan, and he was a son of the royal family who was of the same generation as the current emperor.

Li Chonghuan stood up, crossed his hands beautifully to Princess Taiping, and then rushed forward, holding Princess Taiping's other arm. Although the princess is over 60 years old and surprisingly fat and bloated, she is in good health and walks like flying. Li Chonghuan seemed to follow Princess Taiping's brisk walk more and more out of nowhere during the distance of several tens of feet from the door to the hall. Hurry up, but Dou Huaizhen on the other side couldn't keep up, I saw garlic on his feet and beads of sweat on his forehead. Seeing this scene, Princess Taiping's heart is like a mirror.This little Lizi is indeed a ghost, no one would have thought that he would embarrass Dou Huaizhen in such a trivial matter. Princess Taiping originally liked her distant nephew very much, and she had also shown great kindness to this nephew's family.More than ten years ago, when her mother Empress Wu Zetian sent Li Chonghuan's family to Lingnan, this little guy was only in his twenties at the time. After being rescued from Lingnan, Li Chonghuan was given an important position in Zuo Jinwu Guard. What's hateful is that this kid doesn't know how deep he is. After killing the Wei family, he even flirted with Li Longji, the new crown prince, and Li Longji seemed to appreciate this kid very much.Now seeing that the major event has been decided, and Bengong's status and power are higher than before, he turned his head to please himself. Under the strict training of Empress Wu Zetian, Princess Taiping fought for most of her life in the center of power in the Tang Dynasty. She had seen too many juniors like Li Chonghuan, and she was just another celebrity.The difference is that, compared to those weak and incompetent princes and grandsons of their Li family, this kid is extraordinarily clever, resourceful, and extraordinarily vicious. In the coup against Empress Wei in June last year, Princess Taiping herself led the then Linzi King Li Longji and some officers of the Habayashi Army to carry out the coup in the palace. The siege was carried out by Li Chonghuan, the essence of the imperial guards, known as the "Wanqi" troops.Who would have imagined that Li Chonghuan would actually bring a massacre to the Wei family, and he himself was injured in this battle. Princess Taiping knows very well that this is a rare talent, especially in this extraordinary period, she must have a bold and ruthless character to serve herself in order to achieve great things.Concerning Li Chonghuan's arrogance, Princess Taiping ignored him. She neither promoted him to rank, but also avoided killing and wounding more than a hundred members of the Du clan under the pretense that he strayed into Du Qu during the massacre of Webster's family. The reward he deserved, when he came to please himself today, when he bowed his head and bowed his head, give him a little sweetness, so that he will not give up and follow him.