Chapter 62: CH 62

Li Yuanying said and promised a lot but when facing so many people, he’s not sure how to arrange them properly. For now, he could only take them to Sunflower Garden and a few nearby villages to rest. He’ll have to figure out where to settle these people for long term.

Coincidentally, all the crops were harvested and the fields were empty.

Knowing that the troops were returning triumphantly, the welcoming crowd was huge. Originally they thought that the group following behind were prisoners but this group actually separated from the army outside the city and instead went towards Sunflower garden. The crowd was a little confused by this. Afterwards, many recognized Li Yuanying and murmured to themselves: Did Prince Teng also join the expedition to Gaochang?

After watching the excitement, Yuanying returned to the palace. He decided to seek Li Zhi and the other children’s opinion on how to settle all the treasures and talents. The girls were still young so they didn’t understand why some people are considered as talents. Li Zhi who has been brainwashed by Li Yuanying since young had quite an opinion.

“I will be 13 after the new year. I’ll either have to set up my own residence or move to my own fief. Give me some people.”

Li Yuanying had no objection and gave more suggestions: “I heard that Jin prefecture is suitable to grow grapes. I’ll send a group who knows how to plant grapes and brew wine. If I were you, I would move to my fief earlier. Jin prefecture is not far away and can be reached by boat. When you go there, we will have an excuse to go out and play. We will come look for you!”

Li Zhi didn’t speak. He was reluctant to leave Chang’an. He grew up in here and everyone he knows lived in Chang’an.

“Even if I wanted to go, father might not allow me to leave.”

Yuanying sneered: “I think you don’t want to leave. If you tell him your intentions in person, he will definitely let you go.”

Li Er cherishes his children. When Chengqian was little, he didn’t like to read.  When Li Tai was an adult, he did not want to leave Chang’an. The Emperor gave in to both sons. If Li Zhi learns from example and refuse to leave, the Emperor will not force him to. After all, who wouldn’t want their children to be with them for a long time?

Li Zhi’s inner thoughts were revealed by Li Yuanying. His face blushed in embarrassment.

“I can’t bear to part with you guys.”

Li Zhi is not a person with strong opinions. Even if he wanted to leave, he finds it hard to confess.

“I think you should marry a princess with strong character, so that she can make up your mind on your behalf for everything!”

Li Zhi blushed.  “I’m only 12!”

“That’s almost it, Changle married into the Zhangsun family at 13.”

Mentioning Changle, he continued.

“I got a list  from Dai Ting which listed all good items for health. You bring some to Changle. I checked her pulse last time and found that she’s a little weak. We need to take good care of her. Go advise her to rest and relax more. Don’t always worry about her family. Health is the most important thing.”

When Li Zhi heard this he became worried too and promised to visit Zhangsun’s residence soon to bring good things to his sister.

Li Yuanying also distributed some treasures to the other girls, saying that these are part of their dowry.

Chengyang was a little embarrassed but Gao Yang pulled Li Yuanying and said, “Young uncle, I don’t want to marry that second son of Fang.”

The last time Gao Yang and Fang Yi’ai met was at Wancui Mansion and this news got spread widely. Someone even joked that they were a match made in heaven. When Gao Yang heard this, she was tempted to confront and beat up that person.

“I heard that whenever Fang Yi’ai is drunk, he speaks badly about me!”

Li Yuanying is also aware of this but he actually sides with Yi’ai.

“When did he talk bad about you? I think they are all truth. Feisty, reckless and so on, aren’t these all truth?”

Gao Yang was offended and so she turned away to ignore Li Yuanying.

“We are people who dare to act and so we are not afraid of criticism. Don’t worry! If you really don’t like him and vice versa, I’ll definitely help you and mess things up!”

Gao Yang felt a little sad: “Aren’t you leaving to you fief?” Once a vassal prince leaves, he can’t casually return to  Chang’an  unless summoned. Every time Li Yuanying excitedly make future plans to leave, she gets upset in private. It’s like uncle doesn’t really care about them! Once Li Zhi leaves and then young uncle too, no one will be left to play with them.  

Li Yuanying said in full confidence: “Even if I leave to my fief, I’m still capable of messing up your plans if you ask me to.”

“When you leave, you won’t even be able to make it back in time for our marriage ceremony.”

This is indeed a problem. After all, a vassal prince’s destiny is such. The land given to them is an act of grace by the Emperor and also an act of restriction.

“The date of your marriage will not be set simply. Just send me a letter and I will persuade the Emperor to allow me to send you off in person. I will help you to beat your future husband so that  they will not dare to bully you ever!”

Gao Yang hummed: “As it is, no one dares to bully me!”

The group discussed and divided up their yield yet there were  leftovers. Yuanying went to look for Chengqian to discuss what to do with it.

Back then, he was not very friendly with Chengqian yet. Therefore he was not invited as part of the group.  Li Chengqian is ignorant to the fact that young uncle sent a group to follow Hou Junji.

Chengqian found out that Yuanying made a ton of money and had to admire his boldness to even attempt such risky business for fortune! The boy told him that he couldn’t accommodate everyone and even boasted about Dai Ting’s good eye for spotting talent.

“What’s so difficult about this? Useful people are useful wherever they go, I’ll help you get places for them to live.”

“Once relationships are built and the people settled, lets watch them sing and dance together! I heard that Gaochang people are very good at dancing.”

Chengqian agreed.

It was getting late and Chengqian had to return home. He didn’t manage to meet the victorious Hou Junji and didn’t find out that Li Yuanying stole from the tiger’s mouth and was especially hated!

At this moment, the Emperor personally met with Hou Junji and Xue Wanjun who were enjoying their victory welcome.

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How Gaochang had been seized were reported to him earlier and so he didn’t dive into the details. He only asked both generals if Gaochang would be a suitable place to locate the Anxi Protectorate office.

The two naturally agreed. If Gaochang was turned into part of Anxi Protectorate, it would truly become part of Tang Dynasty. Everyone will then remember their achievements whenever this place was brought up in the future!

As they chatted, they inevitably brought up the topic about the treasure haul from this expedition. Gaochang has good wine, talented singers and dances and many good crops.

When this was mentioned, both generals gave a weird expression.

“What’s wrong?” (Li Er)

Hou Junji told in full what he was asked.

In terms of fine wine, they got it. All were of good quality and has been handed over to the palace. However, the best wine in Gaochang is not in the palace but in the cellar of an ancient family.

Although the Emperor is not addicted to alcohol, he still likes drinking. “Then why didn’t you get it?”

“I did but it’s too late.” (Hou Junji)

“Yes, it’s too late. Prince Teng’s men emptied the wine cellar.”    ( Xue Wanjun)

The Emperor ‘s face twitched.

As for singers and dancers, they brought a group back but the best ones were taken away by Dai Ting.

They not only took good wine and beautiful women but also many kinds of grapes, wine making craftsmen and weavers. Anyway, all the top skilled craftsmen in Gaochang were deceived by them.  The group brought back nearly a thousand people from Gaochang!

The Emperor originally thought that Li Yuanying was just fooling around wanting to get some money or something. He never thought that they were so capable and even managed to be a step ahead of Hou Junji and took away all the good things!

The Emperor  wondered out loud: “I remember the people sent by Yuanying were all temporarily selected from the Imperial Army. The group leader is only a teenage servant, why were they ahead of you in everything?”

Dealing a blow to Prince Teng, Hou Junji felt a little more at ease. He said objectively: “That boy is young but his methods are not simple. I have no idea how he won over the hearts of a hundred men.  The Gaochang people are ignorant, when they heard the names of princes and princesses they are of course easy to fool.”

Li Er didn’t have much impression of the servants around Li Yuanying. He only remembered that he was a boy with feminine features. In terms of appearance, he was first-class but he didn’t talk much. He didn’t notice any special abilities in him.

I didn’t expect that such a small servant could travel thousands of miles with the army and perfectly execute Prince Teng’s orders!

“That kid knows how to choose people.” (Li Er)

Since they seized an entire country, the Emperor wouldn’t find fault over a few jars of wine and talents, these are all trivial matters.

In the next few days, His Majesty was busy with discussion over the acquisition of Gaochang. Many think that Gaochang was too far away from Chang’an and it would be hard to rule over it. Since we have taught them a lesson, we should continue to let Qu Zhisheng (current ruler) to manage it. There really is no need to change it to a Tang state, set up a new government and then dispatch ministers and soldiers to manage a place so far away.

But the Emperor insisted that Gaochang be transformed into a Western state where the Anxi Protectorate is at. Gaochang should be officially incorporated into part of Tang Empire’s territory as it  is an important trade route between Tang and the western regions. Only by firmly controlling it in our hands can trading be smooth where travelers and caravans will not be cut off again!

At the Emperor’s insistence, Gaochang became a Western State of Tang. Li Er was very satisfied and carefully selected a few capable men to escort Qu Zhisheng back and took the opportunity to build and take over the city!

The Emperor felt relieved and prepared a banquet.

It was only now that the Emperor had time to deal with his younger brother and children who were all particularly eager in sharing the spoils of war.  

Li Er asked that Li Yuanying be brought over.

“I heard from Hou Junji that you have robbed him from the best wine, singers and dancers?” (Li Er)

Li Yuanying argued, “How can you say I stole it? They came back with Dai Ting voluntarily!”

He also bit back at Hou Junji, “This old Hou brought the best and elite soldiers from Tang Empire. How can he be so shameless to accuse that a mere 100 men stole from him? If so, isn’t he useless? Is he not a general? It seems that he won Gaochang by luck, he’s far worst that Old Lee!”

Li Er glared at him.

Li Yuanying knew that his older brother is a shameless person too and so he didn’t insist on withholding and refusing to spit out what he had eaten. Hearing that Li Er planned a feast for the ministers, Yuanying proposed to share his wine and beauties with everyone. Let them decide if it’s really better than the ones Hou Junji brought back. After all, he has already tasted the wine,and didn’t like it very much. Let’s just keep a few jars. If he wants more, he can always ask for more to be brewed again!

His children has already showed off to him the list of items they acquired. Knowing that Li Yuanying didn’t hoard everything by himself, he decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that Li Yuanying made a lot of money .

Li Yuanying got the Emperor’s consent for his actions. At the same time, many got to know about Hou Junji’s wrongdoing in Gaochang.

Gaochang surrendered with the city gates wide opened. But Hou Junji still led his army and wantonly looted the city. This practice of not showing benevolence and robbing the innocent didn’t go well with many. Those who cannot accept it all rolled up their sleeves and wrote in their criticism!

Notes from the author:

Little Prince: You dare snitch on me? You are finished! ! !

Prince Teng is a real person in history, he is the 22nd child and the youngest son so everyone just assumes that he was born after the former emperor abdicated. When I was picking out a character to write about I looked around and thought that this little prince was the best. He is the subject matter in <<Preface to Prince Teng’s Pavilion>>. He is so rich and good with money that one time Li Zhi after becoming Emperor gave him and another prince a cart of ropes for New Year. This meant that the Emperor thinks that they lack nothing and so gave them ropes to chain their money (coins in Tang dynasty had a hole in the middle, so people carried stash of money using ropes). How crazy!

When Li Er first sent him away to Tengzhou he built his first Prince Teng Pavilion where he called friends to eat, drink and have fun every day. After Li Zhi ascended to the throne, he disliked him and demoted him to another place. There he built another Prince Teng Pavilion. Sent him somewhere else, he rebuilt…(and so on)  Anyway, he lived a very happy life with many children until Emperor Wu ascended to the throne!

So now you will find that there are Prince Teng’s Pavilion here, there and everywhere; not aligned with his original fiefdom! Because he builds wherever he goes, and plays wherever he goes!

[The above is purely a summary from the author wearing rose-tinted glasses]

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