Chapter 89

Fang Xuanling's expression did not change, and he sat down slowly:

"It seems that the Emperor already knows what the Crown Prince is going to do and has also made countermeasures. In this situation, does the Crown Prince still want to continue the original plan?"

"Of course! Opportunities are not to be missed, and time will not come again. If I don't do it now, I will regret it for the rest of my life."

"Then when does Your Highness plan to announce the edict?"

"It's late today, so I'll announce it tomorrow. It also gives me time to think about how to stab the General of Heavenly Strategy."

"Your Highness is truly filial!"

"I think so too."

Li Chengqian really didn't expect the move of Xiao Yu becoming the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor. Everyone knew that Xiao Yu was the Prince of Wei's person.

But Xiao Yu also truly saved Li Chengqian once. In addition, Xiao Yu was originally the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor. In this way, those officials who didn't know the truth would be confused, and the Buddhist and Taoist religions would also be confused.

'One cannot underestimate anyone! Zhangsun Wuji hasn't exerted his strength yet. Perhaps he also sees his plan.'

'And those people from the aristocratic clans, maybe some of them see it clearly. Even if they don't see it clearly, they will think of it after Xuanzang returns.'

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian laughed at himself. Li Shimin hit his seven inches with one move, making him at a loss.

At the same time, Xuanzang finally returned to Weizhou of the Great Tang after seventeen years, only two or three months away from Chang'an.

After packing up the Buddhist sutras he brought back and the customs and conditions he recorded along the way in the temple, Xuanzang was preparing to go to bed when a knock on the door sounded.

"Master Xuanzang, I am from Chang'an and would like to see the Master to resolve the confusion in my heart."

Xuanzang didn't think much and opened the door to invite this person in:

"Donor, please sit down. I don't know what confusion you have that makes you come in the middle of the night."

"I heard that the Master brought back a large number of Buddhist sutras and insights from the journey from Tianzhu. I don't know if this is true?"

"That's right! If the donor wants to see them, I'm afraid you will have to wait for a few more days. They haven't been sorted out yet."

Hearing this, the visitor's expression froze. After standing straight, he took out a token from his arms:

"I am Lin Shan of the Eastern Palace Brocade Guard, ordered by His Highness the Crown Prince to escort Master Xuanzang back to Chang'an."

"How does His Highness the Crown Prince know about this poor monk?"

"I don't know!"

Lin Shan said in a deep voice: "His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered that whether it is people or books, they must be sent back safely."

"Accommodations have been arranged along the way. Master, please rest here tonight. From tomorrow on, all food, clothing, housing, and transportation will be arranged by the Brocade Guard."

"His Highness the Crown Prince said that on this journey, the Master must not contact any monk, and the Buddhist sutras learned in Tianzhu must not be discussed with others."

"After arriving in Chang'an, His Highness the Crown Prince will hold a grand assembly for the Master to discuss Buddhist scriptures with the monks of the world."

Hearing this, Xuanzang guessed a bit of Li Chengqian's thoughts. After a long silence, he nodded:

"Thank you, General! Please thank His Highness the Crown Prince on behalf of this poor monk."

"Master, please rest well!"

Xuanzang also knew that returning this time would likely be the same as when he was in Tianzhu, being besieged by other sects.

The struggle for faith and status is sometimes more cruel than swords. He felt that Li Chengqian was afraid that he would encounter danger, which was why he asked him not to contact other monks for the time being.

Li Chengqian didn't know that the Brocade Guard had already found Xuanzang and successfully contacted him.

At this time, he was still thinking about how to crack Li Shimin's move and pull Li Tai in again.

Looking at Li Chengqian lying on the bed with a worried face, Su Xi asked curiously:

"What's wrong?"

"Father asked Qingque to return to Longxi to sacrifice to his ancestors, and also moved Xiao Yu to be the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor."

"Did you give the public notices to Xiao Yu?"

"Yes! It's too insidious. Knowing what he is going to do, I don't know how to defend."

"Then don't defend!"

Su Xi sat slowly on the edge of the bed: "Just like you said, follow the trend. As long as you let the Prince of Wei write a book to praise Confucianism, it will be the same no matter where he is."

"Eh?"

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up: "That's right! Qingque doesn't know what I'm going to do, so it's still possible to send him a gift."

As soon as the words fell, Li Chengqian shook his head repeatedly:

"No! Qingque has become smart. He doesn't want to accept gifts recently. He doesn't accept anyone's gifts. I have to find a way to make him write it himself."

"This kind of insidious and vicious scheme is easy for you. I'll rest first, you think slowly."

"The heart sees everything as dirty!"

"Everyone has the right to say this, except you."

"Who doesn't praise my mother, Zhangsun Shi, for being virtuous? I am her son, can I not be a gentleman?"

"Shut up! Aren't you afraid that the Empress will entrust you with a dream?"

"Rebellious! Do you know that I am the Crown Prince and your husband?"

"Yes, yes, yes, everything you say is right!"

"..."

"Can you stop using my words to refute me?"

"It's easy to use! You bite me!"

"..."

Early the next morning, Li Chengqian walked into the Liangyi Hall with a relaxed face.

Seeing this scene, Fang Xuanling's heart skipped a beat. No way, the Crown Prince thought of how to break the situation so quickly?

Li Chengqian walked slowly to the desk, picked up the edict, and said loudly to the ministers below:

"Father sent two edicts yesterday. Execute them immediately after listening, and no objections are allowed."

"Yes!"

"Edict: To promote education by the order of the monarch, starting from today, the Secretariat will add a Xuancheng Department, responsible for promoting the imperial court's policies, governance concepts... guiding public opinion, stopping rumors in various places, issuing gazettes, and other responsibilities."

"Special Envoy Xiao Yu will serve as the Xuancheng Minister and concurrently as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor. Censor Yu Zhining will serve as the Xuancheng Left Vice Minister..."

After reading the edict, Li Chengqian paused and looked up at the people below:

"By the way, the gazette is the public notice after the reform. Now it is called the 'Great Tang Gazette'."

"I know you are very anxious, but don't be anxious yet. There is another edict to be read."

Saying this, Li Chengqian picked up another edict and looked at Li Tai with a smile:

"Edict: The Prince of Wei, Tai, will return to Longxi to sacrifice to his ancestors in the first month of the 19th year and inspect Zhaoling. The Household Department Right Vice Minister, Su Jun, will accompany him."

"Qingque, you should accept the edict!"

"This subject accepts the edict!"

Li Tai's face was a little ugly. Xiao Yu became the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, and he had to go to Longxi again.

Why he was driven out of Chang'an at such a critical moment was what he couldn't understand.

Not only could he not understand, but the ministers present, including Xiao Yu, also couldn't understand.

If you don't understand, ask. Xiao Yu stepped forward and asked:

"May I ask Your Highness the Crown Prince, does the Emperor have any regulations for the establishment of the Xuancheng Department?"

Li Chengqian took a roll of paper from his sleeve and threw it over directly:

"It's all inside, including the Chang'an headquarters and the Xuancheng Divisions in various places."

"If you don't understand anything, go ask Qingque. No, Qingque is leaving Chang'an soon. You should come to the Eastern Palace to ask me."

"Do you have any other questions?"

"What is the meaning of the imperial court policies mentioned in the edict? Can Your Highness clarify?"

"Do I still need to teach you what should be said and what should not be said?"

"What about governance concepts?"

"The people are water, the monarch is the boat. This is the main point. Let the people of the world believe that the Great Tang is protecting them, not harming them."

"..."

Time passed quickly in the question and answer. When it was almost noon and about to end, Zhangsun Wuji finally took action.

"The first public notice must be trusted by the people. Did the Emperor issue an edict on what to write?"

"No! Uncle, do you have any suggestions?"

"Why not promote the disaster in the Shannan Circuit and the Prince of Wei's compilation of the 'Wude Encyclopedia'?"

"Absolutely not!"

Li Tai hurriedly stopped him: "The 'Wude Encyclopedia' needs time to compile after all, so it cannot be promoted at this time."