Chapter 100: Money and Food

All Li Longji wanted was a reputation to punish Zhang Jiuling. There might not be any substantial evidence for forming a clique. As long as he presented the relationship between Zhou Ziliang and Zhang Jiuling to Li Longji, Li Longji would naturally make a definition.

Li Heng paused for a moment and said, "Thank you, Minister Li, for your advice."

Li Linfu smiled and said, "I didn't say anything."

Li Heng did not refute and said goodbye and left.

After Li Heng walked away, Ji Wen said to Li Linfu, "Prime Minister Li, don't you support King Sheng?"

Li Linfu said: "It is not up to me to decide who I support. I have to support whoever the saint wants me to support."

Li Linfu supported Li Heng before because he knew that Li Longji wanted to support Li Heng and Li Ying to stalemate. Now that Li Longji changed his support to Li Heng, he supported Li Heng.

At least, on the surface, he had to do this.

As for his previous support for Li Qi, he was just watching and at the same time showed that he had not forgotten the kindness of Concubine Wu Huifei.

Li Heng walked out of Li Linfu's house with a casual smile on his face, thinking, "Li Linfu's ideas are similar to mine, but all I want is for him to give me advice."

As he spoke, he asked the guard beside him, "Did you find the person I asked you to look for?"

The guard said, "Your Highness, not yet. It is very difficult to find a woman who is not only from a famous family, but also has to be stunningly beautiful and proficient in music and dance."

Li Heng said: "Hurry up and look for someone with talent to train."

"Yes." replied the guard.

……

……

……

Li Ying was on his way to the palace.

According to Li Longji, as long as Li Heng took a concubine, he could return to Anxi.

Although there was no need to perform the six rituals when taking a concubine, this was granted by Li Longji himself. The prince still had to go through the simple procedures when taking a concubine, so it would take a few more days.

Taking advantage of these few days, Li Heng wanted to do some of the things he should do in Chang'an.

For example, asking for money.

In the battle against Tubo in Xiaobolü, due to the "rush of the matter", the money and grain consumed were basically borne by Anxi and Hexi, so some deficits were inevitable.

Although the war has been won, we still need to recruit soldiers and reorganize the armaments. The money and food consumed in Anxi must also be replenished. In addition, Li Heng is reorganizing the army and cultivating land in Anxi, so investment must be made in the early stages.

So Li Heng went to the palace this time just to see if he could get money and food.

Li Ying arrived at the gate of Xingqing Palace. Before entering the palace, he saw Zhang Jiuling kneeling outside the palace and kowtowing.

Li Ying stood aside and waited until Zhang Jiuling finished bowing before he stepped forward and asked, "Prime Minister Zhang, why don't you go into the palace?"

Zhang Jiuling saw Li Heng and shook his head, saying, "The Saint has issued an imperial decree. Because I recommended the wrong person and formed a clique, I was demoted to the position of Chief of Jingzhou. The Saint no longer wants to see me."

As Zhang Jiuling spoke, his voice was choked with sobs.

Li Ying looked at Zhang Jiuling and found that he seemed to be ten years older than a few days ago, with white hair and beard.

Li Ying asked, "Prime Minister Zhang seemed to have felt the same way before, so why is he so sad now?"

"I am no longer the prime minister. Your Highness can just call me the Chief Secretary." Zhang Jiuling corrected Li Heng, then sighed, shook his head and said, "Chang'an, Chang'an! Sometimes I really envy Your Highness for being able to give up Chang'an and go to the remote Anxi." Li Heng was slightly stunned when he heard this.

For Li Heng, Zhang Jiuling's resignation was good for him, but seeing such a wise minister fall to this point, he felt a little sad. He couldn't help but want to comfort him, so he said: "My wife and I went to Qujiang for a trip a few days ago, and I had some feelings."

"Your Highness, please give us some advice." Zhang Jiuling said.

"I dare not teach you." Li Ying said modestly, "Back then, Cao Mengde conquered Jingzhou, went down to Jiangling, and sailed eastward. His ships stretched for thousands of miles, his flags covered the sky, he poured wine by the river, held his spear and wrote poems. He was a hero of the time, but where is he now? My wife and I are on the Qujiang River, driving a small boat, toasting each other with gourds. How can I not be happy?"

"If we look at the world from the perspective of change, then the heaven and earth cannot even last a moment; if we look at the unchanging, then both things and I are endless, so why should we envy them? Between heaven and earth, everything has its own owner, but the gentle breeze on the river and the bright moon in the mountains are heard by the ear as sound and seen by the eye as color. There is no restriction on taking them and they are inexhaustible when used. They are the endless treasure of the Creator."

Li Ying borrowed Su Shi's insights from his Red Cliff Fu to comfort Zhang Jiuling.

Zhang Jiuling listened and thought for a moment, and said, "Thank you for your comfort, Your Highness. I didn't expect that Your Highness would have such deep thoughts. I really regret not having a deep talk with Your Highness earlier."

Li Ying said, "It's just random thoughts."

"Your Highness is too modest." Zhang Jiuling bowed to Li Ying and said, "I will take my leave first."

Li Ying nodded and watched Zhang Jiuling leave.

Zhang Jiuling was seen staggering, his back lonely, muttering: "Chang'an, Chang'an..."

Li Heng listened, sighed secretly, and went into the palace to see Li Longji.

Li Heng came all the way to the Purple Palace. In the palace, besides Li Longji, Gao Lishi, Li Linfu and Niu Xianke, there was also a Hu man.

This Hu man was fat, with a belly that drooped down to his thighs, but he looked quite flexible.

Although it was the first time that Li Heng saw this Hu man, he recognized who he was.

Because apart from An Lushan, who else could have such typical characteristics?
Li Longji waited for Li Heng to pay his respects to him, and then introduced him to An Lushan: "General An, this is Prince Shou."

An Lushan said: "What does the Shou Prince do? I only know saints."

Li Longji smiled when he heard this and said, "Prince Shou is my eighteenth son and is now the governor of Anxi."

This time, An Lushan pretended to have suddenly realized something, walked up to Li Ying, saluted, and said, "I pay my respects to His Highness Prince Shou."

Li Ying smiled slightly and said, "General An doesn't recognize me, but I recognize General An."

"Oh?" An Lushan pretended to be surprised and asked curiously, "I was fortunate to receive the grace of the Saint and was promoted to the military commander of Pinglu and the governor of Yingzhou. I came here today to express my gratitude. Could it be that His Royal Highness Prince Shou already knew about this in advance?"

At this time, Pinglu had not yet appointed a Jiedushi, and An Lushan served as the military commander of Pinglu, which meant he was actually the top leader of Pinglu.

Li Heng shook his head and said, "That's not the case. General An Sishun is serving in Anxi. He and you seem to be cousins, so he mentioned you to me. I wonder if you have communicated with me through family letters?"

Li Heng's words were meant to hint to An Lushan that he should not pretend to be ignorant in front of him.

"This..." An Lushan heard the hidden meaning and smiled awkwardly, saying, "I have been fighting outside recently and have not received any letters from home."

"Oh, I see." Li Heng nodded and did not dwell on it any further. Instead, he presented Li Longji with his own drafted memorial requesting money and grain.

Li Longji took a look at it, handed the memorial to Li Linfu, and said, "General An just asked about the money and grain. Prime Minister Li will call all the departments to discuss and give them what they should give."

"Yes." Li Linfu took the memorial.

Li Longji turned to Li Heng and said, "I already know about your affair with Balang. However, according to your habit, I thought you would investigate it thoroughly. Why did you handle it this way this time?"

(End of this chapter)