Chapter 72: Sending the Gentlemen into Reincarnation

Li Chengqian glanced at the dense black dots outside Chang'an City, then walked down toward the city wall:

"Xuanzang will be back soon; I must make some preparations. Do not worry, Doctor Fang; since I have already promised Emperor, I will not go back on my word."

Li Chengqian had never thought about letting Great Tang fall into chaos while acting as regent, even though Li Shimin had clearly intended to push Li Tai to the throne; he had never considered it.

Unless absolutely necessary, he would not think of rebelling, killing his father, or murdering his brother; at most, he would make Li Shimin begrudgingly write an imperial edict of abdication.

Just like the incident at Xuanwu Gate, the impact went far beyond just Chang'an.

Power was lost in the regions, Buddhism and Taoism grew strong again, local clans rose once more, and the governing policies of Li Yuan were altered.

In other words, because of Xuanwu Gate, years of Li Yuan's arrangements were all destroyed in an instant.

Dou Dan, Li Yuan's son-in-law, had also once been a part of Li Yuan's plans; this National University Libationer of the Wude Period had students spread all over Great Tang.

Due to the incident at Xuanwu Gate, this National University Libationer could only become the Liangzhou Regional Inspector, and his students gradually faded from the imperial court.

It was not until the ninth year of the Zhenguan Era, after Li Yuan passed away, that perhaps because Li Shimin finally discovered the utility of the Dou family, or perhaps because of a reminder from Li Yuan on his deathbed, that Dou Dan became the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court.

The Imperial Clan Court had been the government office managing the imperial family and maternal relatives since the Han Dynasty; it appeared to have little power.

But in the Tang Dynasty, the Imperial Clan Court gained an additional duty: managing the Taoists of the world. This was the power Li Yuan had bestowed upon the Imperial Clan Court.

Li Chengqian sought out Dou Dan for exactly this reason, and now that he had seen Dou Dan, the next step was to proceed according to plan.

Seeing Li Chengqian return, Dou Dan followed the other officials in bowing to Li Chengqian:

"We pay our respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Rise!"

Li Chengqian said expressionlessly: "From today on, I shall handle the state affairs of Great Tang on behalf of Emperor. The eastern expedition, the disaster, and the border are the top priorities. No matter the time, they must be submitted via memorial immediately."

"Yes!"

The moment the voices of the crowd fell, Dou Dan stepped out of the ranks and spoke to Li Chengqian, who was facing south:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Prince of Bohai requests that his illegitimate offspring be entered into the Genealogy."

"Because there is no evidence to prove it, I truly do not know whether I should agree."

"Again?"

Li Chengqian looked astonished: "Wasn't it already investigated last time? Those matters were all baseless."

Dou Dan looked embarrassed: "The problem is that the Prince of Bohai admitted it! He said he never forced any woman, but that woman did indeed have intimate relations with him, and the timing matches up."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the hall:

"Did I hear that right? This actually happened? Isn't this a slap in the face to the imperial court and Emperor?"

"The Prince of Bohai is truly daring; his crimes are simply unforgivable."

"..."

"What are you arguing about?"

Li Chengqian swept a cold glance below: "Even the East Market isn't as noisy as you lot."

After speaking, Li Chengqian fixed his gaze on Dou Dan's face:

"Go tell him, don't even think about it. The imperial family cannot enter children of unknown origin into the Genealogy."

"He wants to register this child under the name of Gong Wang, to avoid the incense of Gong Wang being cut off in the future, and he has also found many witnesses to prove the child is his."

"Enough!"

Li Chengqian was somewhat irritable: "Every day it's witnesses and evidence; you can have as much of that as you want.

Bring the Prince of Bohai and those witnesses to the Eastern Palace to see me tomorrow. I will make a decision after I have seen the witnesses."

Without waiting for Dou Dan to react, Li Chengqian continued:

"The epidemic in Luzhou has yet to be contained. Can you gentlemen think of a way?"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Prefect Su is already on his way back to Chang'an. With his talent, he will surely have a way to handle the epidemic. Why not have him divert to Luzhou?"

Hearing this, Li Tai jumped out immediately:

"Chu Daifu, that is an epidemic, not a famine. Does Prefect Su understand medicine? What use is it if he goes?"

"Qingque!"

Li Chengqian never expected Li Tai to jump the gun so quickly. Someone else makes a move, and you, this commander, just charge out—what is the meaning of this?

"Emperor asked you to assist me in handling state affairs, not to come here to debate."

After a word of warning, Li Chengqian ignored him:

"Chu Daifu, the epidemic is coming on fiercely. Even if Prefect Su has heaven-shaking and earth-shattering talent, without physicians and medicinal materials, he cannot quickly prevent and control the epidemic.

Do you have a specific epidemic prevention plan?"

"My talent is shallow and my learning is meager; I have no specific plan."

"Then what the hell are you talking about?"

Li Chengqian did not give Chu Suiliang any face at all:

"I beg you to be better prepared next time, okay? I want to help you but I can't; you really are mud that cannot be plastered onto a wall.

Only with a proper name can one speak with authority; only with a reputation can one launch an expedition. If you had even said Su Jun could collect grain and medicinal materials, others would have nothing to say.

I give you an opportunity and you still can't use it."

After roasting Chu Suiliang, Li Chengqian placed his hope in Ma Zhou:

"Ma Yushi, you are a minister of statecraft. How do you think we should prevent and control the Luzhou epidemic?"

"Gather those with medical skills and medicinal materials from around Luzhou to fully support Luzhou in preventing and controlling the epidemic.

Order the Prefect of Luzhou to build a Leper Workshop to isolate the sick, and quarantine all patients and those who have had contact with them."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly: "Doctor Fang, Uncle, what do you think!"

"Ma Yushi's words have substance; I think it is feasible!"

"I second that!"

Seeing that Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji both agreed, Li Chengqian looked at Li Tai with a smile on his lips:

"Qingque, what do you think? Your responsibilities are the same as those of your uncle and the others; don't forget your position."

Li Tai's expression changed slightly; only then did he remember that Li Shimin had asked him to handle national affairs to prepare for the future, not to vie for power with Li Zhi.

Thinking of this, the gaze Li Tai directed at Li Chengqian carried gratitude:

"I also think what Censor Ma said is very good!"

"Since that is the case, then as Censor Ma suggested, from this day forth, summon physicians and Daoists from all areas around Luzhou to go to Luzhou to prevent and control the epidemic.

In the name of the imperial court, purchase medicinal materials from medicine merchants and herb gatherers around Luzhou."

Li Tai was a bit bewildered; he could not figure out why they needed to find Daoists, and he asked aloud:

"Big Brother, finding physicians is correct, but why find Daoists? To learn from the Taiping Dao and use talisman water to treat illnesses?"

"Foolish!"

Li Chengqian rebuked: "Do you think it's that easy to be a Daoist? If they don't know medicine, don't know the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, don't know Astronomy and geography, and don't know fortune-telling, what kind of Daoist are they?"

"No! Zhang Jiao was also a Daoist; Big Brother, aren't you afraid those Daoists will shout 'The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise' in Luzhou?"

"Then who do you suggest we find? Find Buddhism?"

"That's not impossible!"

"Impossible my foot!"

Li Chengqian said irritably: "Buddhism doesn't have many people who study medicine, and even if they did, why aren't you afraid they would rebel too?

What if they came out with: In the Jia-Chen year, the plague rages, princes and nobles hoard medicine and grain, burning grain fields to seize profit, causing thousands of commoners to lie exposed in the wild;

Abandoning this aggregate to return to another, the karmic retribution created by the Li Clan of Great Tang has arrived; I, the humble monk Daoyan, by the order of the Buddha, hold the position of the Six Paths, and send you lords to reincarnation!

How about that? Are you afraid or not?"

"Hiss!"

Li Tai looked at Li Chengqian with a face full of terror: "B-Big Brother, you've even thought of the slogan for rebellion?"

"Get lost! I even have 'The sky-piercing scent of the array permeates Chang'an, the whole city is covered in golden armor'; do you want this one?"

Li Tai shook his head repeatedly: "No! No! Big Brother, don't scare me; I can't handle being scared!"