In the 16th year of Zhengxing's reign, Wang Changling, who was secretary-supervisor at the time and envoy of the Jixian Academy's bachelor's newspaper and periodical academy, became an official.
This year, he lived to be seventy and nine years old. He felt that he had spent half his life buried in paper and ink. Today, his literary style was getting better and better. He, a dim-witted old man, should no longer be in charge of the newspaper. He wanted to resign and return to Songshan, where he studied Taoism in his youth. Take a look.
In late spring, in March, Prince Li Zuo led Wang Changling's horse and held the reins as a disciple, and sent him off to Baling.
Li Zuo had many teachers. Although Wang Changling only taught him poetry, the relationship between master and apprentice was deep.
Seeing that Li Zuo was reluctant to leave, Wang Changling said with a smile: "Your Highness has a heavy responsibility, so you should not act like a child. Before leaving, I have one more gift to give to Your Highness."
"Teacher, what is it?"
"Your Highness will know for himself after some time."
Having said that, Wang Changling brushed off the worldly dust, boarded the carriage, and headed towards the rising sun along the wide and flat straight road.
~~
At the same time, Shaolingyuan, Du Zhai.
Du Wulang knocked on the door and walked into the study. He saw Du Youlin with a pair of reading glasses on his nose and a pencil in his hand, writing something.
"Are you writing annotations again?"
"This time it's Wang Changling's collection." Du Youlin said.
Du Wulang couldn't help but worry: "I'd better do what you can and don't offend the prince."
Although this is not very respectful and filial piety, many literati did think that his grandpa's poetry was mediocre and he was only lucky enough to be in the prime minister's position.
Sure enough, Du Youlin immediately shouted angrily: "What are you talking about? Brother Wang personally came to visit and asked me to annotate his collection of poems."
"Why?" Du Wulang was quite puzzled.
"It's because I wrote the annotations well."
After hearing this, Du Wulang raised his eyebrows slightly, obviously not believing it.
Du Youlin was quite annoyed that his uneducated son could look down on his talent. He snorted coldly and was too lazy to talk to him, so he got down to business.
"I came to see you because of the marriage between His Highness and Ah Ren."
"Marriage?" Du Wulang said: "Who said A'zhen is going to marry His Highness? I have not agreed to this matter yet. Even Your Majesty has said it himself and respects my opinion!"
When this topic was mentioned, he became a little excited and raised his voice, showing his rare momentum.
Xue Bai did ask him privately about his children's marriage. When he refused, he said he would not interfere and left Li Zuo to find a way to impress him.
"I promised!"
Du Youlin's voice became louder and said: "Brother Changling came in person to propose marriage to my disciple. I have accepted the betrothal gift..."
"Why did Grandpa push Ah Rong into the fire pit in the East Palace?"
"My children love each other. Who else can I marry if I don't marry Your Highness?"
"Who said she must get married?" Du Wulang said, "Even if I can't get married for the rest of my life, I can still afford to raise this daughter."
"You grow potatoes to feed your family!"
Du Youlin slapped the case and scolded him angrily, showing off his father's authority and shouting: "Get out of here, I have the final say in this matter."
Because of his words, the Du family finally gave birth to a princess.
And just after the grand gift in the East Palace was completed, in the autumn of this year, Du Youlin received an invitation.
"On the banks of the Qinhuai River, at the head of Bailuzhou, the Jinling Poetry Club awaits your surrender."
Looking at the signature below, it is "You are sincerely present, Wang Changling's post".
Du Youlin immediately paid attention to it and asked about it.
It turned out that after Wang Changling retired from his official career and returned to Songshan Mountain, he suddenly missed his time as a county captain in Jiangning, so he trekked to Jiangling again in his old age.
Li Bai, who was the minister of the Ministry of Rites and a bachelor of Hanlin at that time, did not want to stay in Chang'an. He resigned and traveled around the world, saying that he wanted to go to the sea and see the scenery at the end of the world.
Wang Changling and Li Bai met in Jinling. The Jiangnan literati thought it was a great event, so they held a literary gathering in their names.
Du Youlin is now well-known in the literary world because of the emperor's poems and annotations, so he rarely goes there.
~~
October, Jinling.
The Qinhuai River is gurgling, and people's shadows are intertwined in front of the Confucius Temple.
On Wende Bridge, a man and a woman were saying goodbye with tears in their eyes.
And more people gathered in front of the Confucius Temple, craning their necks to watch the cultural gathering being held in the yard next to it.
Due to the rise of newspapers and papermaking, the literary style of the Tang Dynasty, which was already brilliant in poetry, became even more prosperous. Even ordinary people who had never read books could read a few poems and join in the fun.
"Look, the 'Four Kui' are here."
"Who is that?"
"The four celebrities who lived in Jiangning, Han Hui, Lu Dongmei, Cui Zao, and Zhang Zhengze, were all outstanding figures at that time."
"Who are the children following them?"
"It must be the son of someone among the four Kui..."
Amid the hustle and bustle, seven-year-old Han Yu would raise his neck and look curiously from time to time.
Han Yu lost his father when he was young, so he was raised by his elder brother Han Hui. He loved reading poetry and books, and today he came with his brother to gain some knowledge.
When he heard that Han Hui was greeting his friends and talking about the topic of "Will Mr. Yan come today?", Han Yu couldn't help but his eyes lit up, full of anticipation.
His favorite was the "Horse Theory" handwritten by Yan Zhenqing, who was named "Han Yu" by the emperor. He felt that the article was destined to him, and felt that it would be great if he could see Yan Gong today, so he kept the "Black Story" in his heart.
I recited the poem silently twice more, trying to show off well in front of Yan Zhenqing.
When they arrived at the venue, Han Huisui asked Han Yu to sit down aside and said, "Just watch here and don't move around."
"Yes, brother."
Han Yu agreed, sat down cross-legged, looked around, and found two women sitting next to him, each holding a three or four-year-old child.
The two children fussed with each other for a while, then turned their heads and looked at his big brother with great curiosity.
"What are your names?" Han Yu asked teasingly.
"My nickname is 'that'."
"Where's the name?"
"Juyi." The milky voice replied: "Bai Juyi."
Han Yu then asked another child: "Who are you?"
"I'm Jujuro."
The child stretched out his two little hands and wanted to sign the number nineteen but didn't know how. It was very difficult.
Bai Juyi had already replied in his waxy voice: "His name is Liu Yuxi."
"I haven't said anything yet. Let me tell you my name." Liu Yuxi was in a hurry, but his words were not as fluent as Bai Juyi's.
Han Yu couldn't help but laugh and asked: "Are you coming to the cultural gathering at such a young age?"
Bai Juyi tilted his head and said, "But you're not that big either."
Just as he was talking, a burst of cheers suddenly came from outside the door.
Han Yu turned around and looked around, and suddenly became excited because it was Yao Runeng, the editor-in-chief of "Xin Si Bao".
When it comes to poetry and poetry, there are many famous writers here who are far better than Yao Runeng. But the prosperity of newspapers gave him a stage to display, and people loved to read his documentary stories, such as "Records of Anlu Mountain" and "Yang Guozhong".
"Records", and in recent years he has turned to exposing the evil deeds of the powerful and has enjoyed a great reputation among the people.
"Mr. Yao, the ocean-going fleet has returned. What do you say to this matter?"
"This time the ocean-going fleet really came back, which is a good thing, but I still think that the court concealed the truth before..."
"Mr. Yao, may I ask Mr. Gu Yanwu if he can show up today?" Someone suddenly asked, causing a commotion.
"I would like you to know, but I have never met Mr. Gu." Yao Runeng replied.
Everyone felt disappointed and sighed.
Yao Runeng then smiled and said: "However, Mr. Gu also composed a poem for today's cultural gathering, and you should have heard it during the introduction."
Someone else asked: "Can Mr. Tangwu come?"
After hearing the words "Mr. Tangwu", even Han Yu stood up, eyes wide open, full of expectation.
He was still young and could not understand Gu Yanwu's articles, but he often heard his brother say that Mr. Gu was an unparalleled talent.
As for Mr. Tang Wu, he is another strange person who often contributes articles to "Xin Si Bao". His articles are clever but not craftsmanship, and contain great wisdom in their plainness. They are more easily accepted by Han Yu today.
Du Youlin, who was sitting at the top, frowned slightly. He stood by the emperor in everything, so he was naturally dissatisfied with Yao Runeng's article.
In addition, Du Youlin also disliked some of the content in "Xinsi Daily". He had lived in seclusion in Shaolingyuan for these years and almost never read the newspaper.
As Yao Runeng arrived, the time also came, but the literary meeting had not started yet, so the venue gradually became quiet, and some people started talking in low voices.
"Why haven't you started yet?"
"Li Taibai hasn't arrived yet."
"I'm afraid I'm not drunk. Li Bai wrote hundreds of poems about drinking wine and slept in a restaurant in Chang'an City."
"Today should be the day when the wind blows the willow flowers and fills the store with fragrance, and Wu Ji presses wine to encourage guests to taste it."
"How come Li Taibai was not included in the Qinhuai River party? Not to mention, there is the Wende Bridge in front of this gate. Because he once drank and watched the moon here, there is a saying that 'Taibai was drunk and lying down to fish for the moon'..."
While they were discussing, a man strode over and said loudly: "Prince, Duke Du, and other gentlemen, don't blame me, I'm late."
Du Youlin didn't recognize this person, but Wang Changling leaned over and whispered: "This is Cui Dong."
As soon as Cui Dong arrived, everyone turned their attention to him because they knew that he was now the richest man in the world.
There are many famous families involved in maritime affairs, but the individual who holds the most stocks is Cui Dong. Each of the certificates that were abandoned like worn-out shoes has become a gold mine that can be exploited continuously.
He can be regarded as a representative of the maritime merchants of the Tang Dynasty today. He was also the first person to transform from a wealthy landowner to a maritime merchant.
Although today's cultural gathering is held in the name of Wang Changling, it is Cui Dong who pays for it, and he is the real host.
The people present were all literati, and they always looked down on businessmen, but Cui Dong was not a complete businessman. His poetic talent surpassed that of most people present, and he still loved poetry even after he was rich.
"Du Gong, I have admired you for a long time."
Cui Dong respected Du Youlin very much.
This respect comes from his admiration for today's emperor.
It is absurd to say that the son of a direct branch of the Boling Cui family and the emperor who used ruthless methods to suppress the family should have been incompatible, but now they have the same goals and the same thoughts.
Cui Dong not only firmly believed in the future of the Tang Dynasty, but also believed in the emperor's poems, articles and thoughts, as well as his every word and deed.
Of course, the world loves Li Taibai more.
Even Du Youlin asked first: "Didn't Mr. Taibai come with you?"
"Yes, why hasn't Mr. Taibai come yet?"
When Li Bai was mentioned, everyone stretched their necks and looked at the door expectantly. Many people came here today because of Li Bai.
Han Yu also clenched his fists, his eyes were bright, and a voice kept calling in his heart.
"Li Taibai, Li Taibai!"
However, Cui Dong bowed his head and said: "Gentlemen, I'm sorry, Mr. Taibai was going to come, but..."
Wang Changling smiled bitterly when he heard this. He knew that with Li Bai's character, he might not come today, but he didn't know where he went.
"I just met a group of Baiji on the Yangtze River. Mr. Taibai became interested and took a boat to travel the Yangtze River with them."
No one would abandon so many celebrities and scholars for such a reason. No one would forgive his willful behavior.
Only Li Bai, people loved him because of his freedom and uninhibitedness.
Han Yu looked at all the "common people" on the field, as if he could imagine Li Bai and the Baiqi chasing the waves and playing in the water on the vast Yangtze River.
At the beginning of the literary meeting, everyone took out their poems and asked Wang Changling to comment on them. There were many excellent works among them.
Han Yu just watched at first, but after listening to many poems, he gradually became excited, his eyes gradually glowed with excitement, and he raised his hand high.
He was a bit frightened, but Wang Changling, who was "dazzled by old age", actually saw him and said with a smile: "Does this little friend also write poems?"
"have."
Han Yu's newborn calf was not afraid of tigers, so he responded simply: "I also wrote a poem."
As Wang Changling got older, he liked children. He stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, let me read it to the wise people."
Over there, Han Hui turned around and glared at Han Yu, but Han Yu had already walked to the court and bowed in a decent manner.
"When the boy came here just now, he saw a couple living alone in Wende Bridge. After listening to their heartfelt exchanges, he composed a poem on a whim."
After Han Yu said this, he started to chant.
"There are cattails in the green water and a pair of fish underneath."
"Now that you are going to Long, who will I live with?"
After reading the poem, many literati in the hall felt ashamed that they were not as good as a seven-year-old child.
Wang Changling nodded repeatedly, praising and encouraging Han Yu.
At this time, before the man and woman on the bridge had gone far, a good person caught up with them, presented Han Yu with this little poem, and led them in to thank him.
Du Youlin asked why they were separated. The woman cried and said that her parents thought the man's family was poor and did not allow their marriage, so the man decided to go to Chang'an to sell goods.
"Is there such a thing about family status?" Du Youlin shook his head and sighed, and said to the woman: "Let your parents come here, I will tell them on your behalf."
He was originally a rigid person who adhered to etiquette. He can say this because people's ideas have gradually changed over the years, and some voices have emerged that break the boundaries of family status.
"Du Gong, wait a moment, I'm afraid the melon won't be sweet if you twist it." Cui Dong reminded him.
Just when everyone thought that this son of aristocratic family looked down on the poor children, he went on to say: "It is better to teach them to fish than to teach them to fish. I think the jewelry the young lady is wearing is of extraordinary quality. She must belong to a high-ranking family. Your Majesty must look down on the merchant."
You pawn, if you, a young man, want to be worthy of being a daughter of a noble family like her, I will teach you two ways. One is to do ocean trade with me, and the other is to join the army in Anxi. It will not be difficult to settle down and establish a career in three to five years."
The man and woman failed to appreciate the value of his words and still shed tears, not knowing how to choose. Instead, Yao Runeng reminded: "I haven't thanked Mr. Cui yet."
Yao Runeng knew very well that today is an era full of opportunities, allowing children from poor backgrounds to rise to the level of being worthy of noble families within a few years. This was something Cui Dong would not even mention before.
The editor-in-chief of "Xinsi Bao" was quite convincing among young men and women among the people. The man then asked to follow Cui Dong, and then he and the woman withdrew with great gratitude.
This can be regarded as adding a small anecdote to Han Yu's poems.
Although several poems were published in the Wenhui that followed, they ultimately failed to make up for the regret caused by Li Bai's absence.
So Yao Runeng unhurriedly took out two pieces of paper from his arms and said: "Then I will read a poem that Mr. Gu Yanwu submitted to the cover society."
"good."
The scene suddenly became quiet, and everyone wanted to hear what kind of poem Mr. Gu, who always only liked to talk about state affairs, could write.
It was dusk now. Yao Runeng turned around and saw that the setting sun had already cast a layer of golden light outside the door.
He recited the poem naturally.
"Weeds and flowers beside Zhuque Bridge, the sun sets at the entrance of Wuyi Alley."
"In the old days, kings and queens flew into the homes of common people."
A few lines outline the atmosphere of the autumn dusk. This is a hidden and charming poem. Many people quickly realized the vicissitudes of glory and wealth that have passed away.
If we think of Mr. Gu's attitude towards the aristocratic families in his past articles, we can feel the changes of the times with the decline of the aristocratic families.
Cui Dong was thoughtful.
Although he is now a wealthy man, he has witnessed the disintegration of the entire family. In addition to the Cui family, there are countless high-ranking families that have declined due to political reforms in recent years.
Being in the torrent, he can especially feel that the general trend is beyond his ability to contend with.
"In the old days, the king Xietang was a swallow." Cui Dong sighed, pitying himself for his life experience.
Over there, three-year-old Liu Yuxi raised his head.
He heard everyone reciting this poem and couldn't help but open his mouth and join in.
"Little swallows, dressed in floral clothes, come here every spring..."
This is a children's song that came out several years ago. Bai Juyi can also sing it, and he couldn't help humming along with it.
After Cui Dong listened to the singing, an idea suddenly came to his mind.
The mysterious Gu Yanwu's writing style always seemed familiar to him, and he could also compose poetry.
"Is Mr. Gu using a pseudonym? He wrote poems and poems for Your Majesty..."
Because he was so excited, Cui Dong couldn't hold back and asked directly.
Halfway through his words, he realized something was wrong and immediately shut up.
But people had heard it, and some people had already noticed it like him, so they were all stunned.
In terms of poetry and literary attainments, I am afraid that the emperor today is the number one person in the Tang Dynasty. However, the emperor has not written poetry for a long time, so he did not expect to participate in today's literary gathering in this way.
The regret of Li Bai's absence was finally made up for, and the literati felt that their trip was worthwhile.
The literary meeting has come to an end. The poem composed by a seven-year-old boy has become a legend, and Mr. Gu, who is suspected to be the emperor's pseudonym, has sent poems from thousands of miles to describe the changes in the world. This only adds another ray of brilliance to the brilliant culture of the Tang Dynasty today.
Suddenly, someone asked: "Mr. Yao, you took two manuscripts, what is the other one?"
People who were about to leave for dinner at Baoyuelou stopped and looked at Yao Runeng expectantly.
"Are there any more poems?"
"What poem is it? Master Yao, read it quickly!"
Yao Runeng could only wave his hand and said: "This is not a poem, it is a recipe submitted by Mr. Tangwu to the Sheshe."
"New Thoughts Newspaper actually publishes recipes, but I haven't seen them before."
"In the future, the imperial court encouraged the planting of new crops, but there are many articles on how to eat these fruits and vegetables and how to make them delicious. Mr. Tang Wu is the first person in this field. Today I not only brought recipes, but also invited
Cui Gong has prepared the ingredients so that everyone can eat them at the banquet later."
"Okay! Good poems, good wine and good food, I'm in for a treat today."
"..."
The Yangtze River is vast, and the setting sun embellishes the waves with dots of gold, which is particularly magnificent.
A small boat drifts with the current.
Li Bai, with his long hair loose, stood on the boat drinking wine, letting the wind blow his robe. He was already half drunk, as if he was one with heaven and earth.
On the river not far away, Bai Qi could be seen jumping out from time to time, as if he was his friend.
"Mr. Taibai!"
Suddenly a small boat came from behind. Some people on the boat were shouting, which disturbed Li Bai's mood.
"Mr. Taibai, it's getting late and the cultural gathering is over. Alang invites you to the Baoyue Tower for a banquet."
"No, no, no."
Li Bai waved his hands drunkenly and said leisurely: "I would rather spend the month with Bai Qi."
"But there will be Mr. Tangwu's new dishes at tonight's banquet."
"Oh? Tang Wu? But that miscellaneous family member Tang Wu in the newspaper?"
Li Bai became interested, and then he was willing to let the other party hold the boat over.
Naturally, he also read newspapers, and knew that a person with the pseudonym "Tang Wu" would contribute articles of various kinds from time to time. Sometimes he talked about how to make chickens lay more eggs, sometimes he studied how to make eggs taste like crabs, and sometimes he also studied how to make eggs taste like crabs.
Will make some ridiculous remarks that are deviant from the norm.
However, Li Bai felt that this man was very insightful, free and eclectic, and he was someone he wanted to make friends with.
"Although Mr. Tangwu didn't come, he sent the recipes. There are several new dishes, spicy dry pot, boiled fish fillets, braised potatoes..."
"Walk!"
Li Bai flicked his sleeves coolly and agreed to go to the banquet.
When they arrived at Baoyue Tower, everyone was surprised when they heard that he was coming.
Wang Changling felt that he was getting old, and he only saw his friends once and less. Hearing that Li Bai was finally willing to come, he stroked his beard with joy; Han Yu's eyes shone brightly, and his gaze was locked on Li Bai and refused to look away; even with his age
Bai Juyi and Liu Yuxi, who were still young, also knew the name of Shixian, and kept mumbling "It's Shixian".
Li Bai first greeted Wang Changling, and then met Du Youlin.
He had tried to please the powerful before, but now he had become a high-ranking official. When he looked back at those past events, he suddenly felt as if his boat had crossed the Ten Thousand Mountains.
At this time, facing Du Youlin, the retired prime minister, Li Bai said bluntly: "Du Gong wrote annotations for His Majesty's poems, but it is a pity that he failed to understand the artistic conception of His Majesty's poems."
Du Youlin was stunned for a moment, and his face became a little confused.
It’s okay for others to say so, but Li Bai is the person who knows the emperor’s poems best.
The scene is inevitably a bit awkward.
"Duke Du is very knowledgeable, but Mr. Taibai's demands are too high." Cui Dong relieved the embarrassment with one sentence, and then said: "Does Mr. Taibai know who Mr. Tangwu is?"
"oh?"
When Li Bai heard this, he glanced at Du Youlin and didn't think he had that much insight.
Cui Dong said: "If my guess is correct, 'Tang' is 'Du', 'W' is the fifth number among the heavenly stems, and 'TangWu' can be interpreted as 'Du Wu', so he must be Wulang of the Du family."
Although Du Youlin did not read "Xinsi Bao", he believed that Du Wulang was ignorant and incompetent and would definitely not publish articles in the newspaper, so he shook his hand and was ready to deny it.
"Is it really Du Wulang?" Li Bai couldn't help but laugh, and said: "I think so, only Wulang can become such a master of miscellaneous studies."
Wang Changling also nodded and said with emotion: "If he can not be trapped by his official career and devote himself to learning, Du Wulang can be worthy of Taibai, the 'master of miscellaneous knowledge'."
Li Bai said: "My whole life has been to help the world, but it is a pity that I only left a few poems and essays, and presided over a few imperial examinations. In terms of benefits to the people, I am far inferior to Du Wulang."
Du Youlin didn't expect Li Bai to give such a comment. He was very surprised and said hurriedly: "It's too vain and too modest."
Cui Donglang smiled and called to everyone: "Everyone, please try Mr. Tangwu's new dishes..."
Only Du Youlin was still looking at the scene of people drinking and drinking, feeling unbelievable.
He never dreamed that Du Wulang, the least talented, unmotivated and lazy Du Wulang, would become the most promising among the Du family.
~~
The twenty-seventh year of Zhengxing, the Year of the Tiger Bingyin.
Today there are two most prestigious "Du Gongs" in the world. One is Du Fu, who single-handedly boosted Hebei's academic affairs. In the past two decades, most of Hebei's Jinshi scholars came from his sect, and are known as "Du Fanyang".
"Du Wengong"; the other one is Du Wulang. Because he lived idle in Shaolingyuan, he called himself "Shaoling Ye Lao" and was known as "Du Fanchuan" and "Mr. Tangwu" in the world.
"A sneeze."
On this day, Du Wulang sneezed heavily and was thinking about who was talking about him, when he learned that Li Zuo and Du Jing had returned to Shaolingyuan with their children.
Du Wulang felt happy after meeting his daughter and grandchildren. He went to the vegetable garden to pick fresh fruits and vegetables and made several new dishes.
As soon as he sat down, Li Zuo broke some bad news.
"My father-in-law, Gao Xianzhi came to the table and asked for an attack on Dashi to frighten the countries in the Western Regions and force them to isolate Tubo. I want to go to Anxi to take command in this battle..."
"No."
Du Wulang shook his head and objected before Li Zuo finished speaking, saying: "Gao Xianzhi can naturally fight this battle, so there is no need for you to dictate."
Starting many years ago, Xue Bai built a new military factory in Anxi to produce firearms. Later, he established a military camp in Anxi and asked his soldiers to plant high-yielding crops. Through all these signs, interested people had long realized that sooner or later, they would march to the west.
Nowadays, the early preparations have been quite effective. The Tang Dynasty is at its peak, with abundant food and grass, and strong soldiers and horses. It is the time to use troops in the Western Regions.
But Du Wulang did not expect that he would need a prince as commander-in-chief.
Li Zuo said: "I will not interfere with Gao Xianzhi's command. One reason for taking command is to gain experience, and the other is to show the determination of my father to support the Western Expedition, so that Gao Xianzhi will have no worries."
"You are already the prince, how can you lack such military merit?" Du Wulang said, "Is this your idea or Li Mi's?"
"It's my father's arrangement." Li Zuo said.
When Du Wulang heard this, he fell silent.
After Xue Bai ascended to the throne, he used his own heart to fight against the hearts of all the people in the world. What he decided was something that Du Wulang could not oppose.
"Grandpa, please support His Highness." Du Jing opened her mouth, more as if she was trying to give Du Wulang a step down.
They came not to ask for his consent, but to inform him.
After Li Zuo and Du Jing left the next day, Du Wulang thought about it, but decided to go to Chang'an in person to request an audience.
This was the first time he went to Daming Palace since he retired to seclusion.
The Daming Palace has not changed much, it still looks majestic and majestic.
But when Du Wulang arrived at the Xuanzheng Hall, the first thing he said after the ceremony was: "The running water and toilets that your Majesty mentioned back then, I have installed them in Shaolingyuan's home, but there are none in the palace."
Xue Bai glanced at Du Wulang angrily, and surprisingly found that his complexion was getting better, and said: "I have been taking good care of myself recently."
"Play the Baduanjin taught by Your Majesty in your free time."
"Are you here because of the prince's command of the Western Expedition?"
"How does Your Majesty know?" Du Wulang asked curiously, "It's really a miraculous plan."
He wanted to flatter him a bit, but he didn't take it seriously, which seemed a bit perfunctory.
Xue Bai didn't care and said: "Besides, what else can make you come to see me? You don't need to say anything about this. If he can't even control this war, how can I leave the world to him?"
Du Wulang said: "Your Majesty is like this, and the ministers will be uneasy again."
"Uneasy means uneasy." Xue Bai never feared difficulties and opposition, saying: "Be born in sorrow and die in happiness."
Du Wulang didn't know how to persuade him to take back his life. He couldn't help but look sad and regretted marrying his daughter into the East Palace.
The prophecy that the Du family would not be able to produce a queen came to mind again, and he thought that if Li Zuo had a misfortune in the Western Regions, the Du family might be involved in misfortune again.
"When children grow up, they have to let go."
Xue Bai seemed to see through Du Wulang's worries and said: "Since I asked the prince to marry your family, I have confidence in him... When he returns from the Western Regions, I plan to start giving the world to him."
"His Majesty?"
Du Wulang was greatly surprised.
In his impression, Xue Bai was a person who was always motivated and worked tirelessly to master and make good use of power, yet he would actually have such an idea.
When he looked up and saw the white hair on Xue Bai's head, he realized that time had passed and they were all old.
"I don't worry about passing away and leaving this world to a prince who has never governed the country. I would rather see if he can inherit my ambition first. If he can live up to my expectations... In fact, I have also envied you these years.
Life."
Xue Bai said, a smile finally appeared in his deep eyes.
With this smile, he seemed to be able to see the day when he would be relieved of the heavy burden on his shoulders.
But in fact, the Battle of the Western Regions lasted four full years.
By the time Li Zuo returned to the court, it was already thirty-one years after Zhengxing...
~~
The cabinet door was opened, and a neatly folded Taoist robe was placed at the bottom of the cabinet.
When the old man with white hair and beard saw it, he was slightly startled, leaned down, and stroked the old fabric with his old hands in trance, until someone called him from behind.
"Right Prime Minister."
Li Mi turned around and saw that Xianyun had arrived. The little Taoist boy back then had now become a middle-aged man with a beard.
He squinted his eyes slightly, thinking that Xianyun had not called him "Taoist Master" for more than 20 years.
"I'm looking for a dress."
"I know that Your Majesty the Prime Minister is going to welcome His Highness back to the capital today, and he took the dress to dry in the sun yesterday."
"Um."
Li Mi took another look at the Taoist robe, closed the cupboard door, and left the room where the sundries were piled.
"Let's go and see His Highness..."
There is already a lot of traffic outside Chang'an City.
The wide straight road was packed with people watching the procession of presenting prisoners.
There was a lot of noise, and everyone was talking about the war in the Western Regions.
Many years later, veteran general Gao Xianzhi once again led his army to meet the Talos army. This time, the Tang army crushed the vanguard of the Great Shi army with a crushing force. After that, the cavalry drove straight in, aiming directly at Baghdad.
The word "crush" was written on Gao Xianzhi's battle report. If it had not been a huge victory, he would not have used such an immodest word.
After this battle, all the countries in the Western Regions were shaken and surrendered one after another, and the Tang Dynasty expanded its territory thousands of miles away.
This also had a huge impact on the situation between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo. A memorial from Western Sichuan was also sent, believing that the Tang Dynasty should annex Tubo as the next step, and proposed a strategy of "peace and war".
This time the army returned to the court to present prisoners, and there was an endless stream of envoys who came to pay homage to the emperor.
"Wan Sheng!"
Amid cheers, the procession of prisoners slowly arrived outside Chang'an City.
Walking side by side in front were Li Zuo and Gao Xianzhi.
Li Zuo's originally heroic face turned dark and there was a long scar on his left cheek, but his eyes became calmer and deeper.
Gao Xianzhi has pure white hair and beard, and her handsome face when she was young had been ruined in Tongguan in her early years.
He looked up at Chang'an City, and suddenly tears welled up from his red eyes, flowing down and down on the pimpled scar.
Back then, he endured the humiliation and kept his name anonymous. He didn't let his subordinates die on his behalf to save his life, but just to wash away his shame and restore his glory.
And after he became Zhang Guangsheng, it was more than thirty years of silent persistence and tens of thousands of miles of fighting, just to prove that he was passionate about serving the country.
He did it.
When the team finally arrived in front of the Daming Palace, the once extremely brave general was trembling and had to be supported by Li Zuo to dismount.
"His Majesty."
When Gao Xianzhi saw Xue Bai, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, his legs shook and he could hardly stand.
Xue Bai then stepped forward to support him.
Holding hands with each other, Gao Xianzhi's lips trembled, not because he was reporting his achievements, but because he was filled with sadness, and said in a mournful voice: "I am returning to Beijing this time, and I will never be able to go back to Anxi again."
He is already old. He has left the vast Western Region this time and is mentally prepared to bury his bones in Chang'an.
Behind Xue Bai, Li Mi and the court officials were all looking at Li Zuo, their eyes full of joy.
"Boom! Boom!"
The drumming sounds.
Xue Bai let go of Gao Xianzhi's hand and climbed onto the Danfeng Gate Tower.
He saw the generals of the Tang Dynasty were as powerful as a rainbow, saw the 108 squares arranged neatly, and saw Chang'an City becoming the center of the world.
The envoys and prisoners lined up to prostrate themselves, and the mountains shouted long live.
But what Xue Bai heard was not "Long live", but the city of Chang'an was beating powerfully like the heart of a powerful country.
"Nine heavens open the palace, and all the nations wear their hats and worship them."
~~
Li Zuo's eyes were bloodshot.
The grand ceremonies one after another made him so excited that he could not sleep. After hurriedly meeting his wife and children, he rushed to the political hall to meet Li Mi, Zhang Xun, Cui Youfu, Yuan Jie and other important ministers.
"Your Highness."
Li Mi rarely lost his composure, but this time he stepped forward to look at Li Zuo and asked with concern: "Is everything okay?"
"Sir, don't worry, the students are very good." Li Zuo said: "The students have withstood the wind and sand in the Western Regions."
"Okay, okay." Li Bi said, "Gao Xianzhi is old. Your Highness is not purely relying on him in this battle. The subjects all see it."
Li Zuo was very humble and said: "I dare not take credit."
Li Mi nodded, turned around, and looked at Zhang Xun, looking a little nervous.
Then, he looked into Li Zuo's eyes and asked: "Your Highness, would you like to offer sacrifices to the Ancestral Temple on your behalf?"
Li Zuo was stunned and asked: "How dare I..."
"Your Majesty agreed." Li Mi's eyes were full of expectation and he asked: "Your Highness is willing to go and offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Tang Dynasty?"
This matter is quite profound.
Xue Bai did not regard himself as a descendant of the Li family and had never offered sacrifices to the Ancestral Temple. Now he agreed to let the prince do the sacrifices on his behalf. On the one hand, he had the intention of passing on the throne, and on the other hand, he did not interfere with Li Zuo's recognition of the successive emperors of Li and Tang Dynasties as his ancestors.
Perhaps a few insiders believe that this is the credit of Li Longji for bestowing the name on Li Zuo. People who really know Xue Bai know that this is the hard work of Yan Zhenqing, Li Mi and other people who care about the people of the country and have worked hard for decades.
"good."
Li Zuo nodded.
Li Bi breathed a long sigh of relief, smiled happily, and arranged for the officials to prepare for the sacrifice.
Privately, Li Zuo said: "I met my aunt in the Western Regions."
"Your Highness is talking about... Princess Hezheng?"
"Yes, I heard that the queen of a small country in the Western Regions was once a princess of the Tang Dynasty, so I asked General Feng about it, and General Feng told me everything. My father was tolerant of the clan, and he did not violate his right to do so.
The promise of becoming a general." Li Zuo said: "My father never wanted to usurp Li Tang, he always just wanted to make the Tang Dynasty strong."
Li Mi felt that Li Zuo had realized that Xue Bai was not a descendant of the Li family, and he could not help but worry that Li Zuo would no longer recognize the Li family. It was not until Li Zuo began to make sacrifices to the Ancestral Temple and call himself "descendant" in front of the emperors' tablets that he felt at ease.
The sense of identity established in Li Zuo's heart over the years will not disappear easily.
~~
"If I pass the throne to the prince, brother Changyuan won't have to worry anymore, right?"
The next year, during a duet at the Xuanzheng Hall on an ordinary day, Xue Bai suddenly asked Li Mi.
Li Mi was stunned for a moment, knowing in his heart that he had answered this, which was the grave crime of "falsely claiming prophecies, constructing the East Palace, and criticizing Cheng Yu", so he quickly stood up and denied it.
"May I ask Your Majesty, who is slandering me?"
"No one has slandered you." Xue Bai said, "I sincerely intend to abdicate."
Li Mi had been ups and downs in power all his life, so he didn't believe it and didn't dare to show his intention to support the prince.
Xue Bai was too lazy to quarrel with him and said: "Teng Kongzi has always wanted to practice Taoism in Wangwu Mountain. The queen and the concubines are also tired of life in this palace. Therefore, I plan to abdicate and practice Taoism to take care of myself."
Hearing the word "cultivation", Li Mi was in a daze.
He finally stopped fighting with Xue Bai and said in surprise: "Practice Taoism? Your Majesty has always only talked about 'studying things to gain knowledge'. When did you become interested in Taoism?"
"What? Only you, Li Changyuan, are allowed to practice Taoism? Do the famous mountains in the world belong to your family?"
Xue Bai's tone was relaxed. Rather than wanting to practice Taoism, it seemed more like he wanted to travel around.
He patted Li Mi on the shoulder and said with a smile: "As you said, 'If I ask you to take a hundred years of work, your career will spread all over the world.' I am determined to adopt your advice."
This joke made Li Mi feel a little distracted.
But when he came to his senses, Xue Bai had already walked away, and his figure was no longer as majestic and heavy as it had been for more than thirty years, showing some of the coolness of an immortal.
For some reason, Li Mi felt disappointed.
At that time, he was entrusted by Yan Zhenqing to leave the mountain. He thought he could go into seclusion in a few months. Unexpectedly, he stayed in the court for a lifetime.
The persimmon trees planted by hand in the mountains in the past may have become tall and tall, and the stone platform for meditation may have been covered with moss... He never went back to take a look.
But the Majesty who stirred up the world is about to leave?
No matter what, Li Mi finally protected the Li Tang clan.
After succeeding Yan Zhenqing, he spent more than thirty years of hard work, and finally trained Li Zuo to become a descendant of the Li family and helped him ascend to the throne.
This may be the path he wants to cultivate in his life.
~~
The first year of Yongyan.
Li Mi stood at the head of the ministers, looking at the heroic Emperor Li on the imperial couch, and felt that all his life's efforts were worth it.
After more than thirty years of governance by the Supreme Emperor, the Tang Dynasty has reached an unprecedented glorious age.
To the east, giant ships sail across the ocean; to the west, the imperial court plans to build a straight road to Baghdad within twenty years. In this territory spanning 20,000 miles, the people are prosperous, the culture is splendid, and it is changing with each passing day.
Li Mi was satisfied and had the intention of retiring after his success.
In the second year of Yongyan's reign, when the court situation stabilized, he instructed officials to submit a letter asking for the establishment of a prince. He wrote a letter in his study about retiring from old age and becoming an official, and presented it to Li Zuo personally the next day.
During this audience, Li Mi felt quite relaxed and asked Xianyun to hang up his Taoist robes to dry in the sun before entering the palace.
However,
"What did your Majesty say?" Li Mi came back to his senses and asked, "What is 'restructuring'?"
"I often think that the world is not for one person, but for everyone. If our descendants are unworthy in the future, how will we be able to govern this tens of thousands of miles of territory..."
Li Mi was very familiar with these words. Knowing that they were the words of the literati in "Xin Si Bao", he could not help but frown deeply.
He finally made the emperor recognize his identity as a descendant of the Li family, but unexpectedly, when he turned around, the young emperor Li no longer recognized his identity as an emperor.
"Your Majesty!" Li Mi had to raise his voice to interrupt Li Zuo's ridiculous remarks.
The cool breeze and white clouds in his heart gradually faded away at this moment.
For him, the struggle to defend the Li Tang Ancestral Temple has begun again.
~~
The wind blew through the mountain forest. The old man with white hair and loose posture performed a set of boxing under the tree. He calmly stopped and picked up a newspaper and read it on the recliner.
He still pays attention to world affairs.
But he has learned that changing the world does not necessarily require power, but also ideas.
This is a gentler and firmer approach, like planting seeds one by one and waiting for the flowers to bloom.
After a long time, he put down the newspaper and left.
With a wave of his sleeves, the splendor of the Tang Dynasty seemed to be sprinkled...