Chapter Thirteen: Li Hong Picks Peaches

  Planting trees without seeing people, picking peaches is surprisingly quick. Be careful not to get choked by the peach! Although he hasn't seen the prince's face yet, Li Xian has already guessed his intentions. Despite a slightly displeased expression, he was secretly coldly laughing inside - The person most frustrated with Empress Wu's manipulation of power wasn't actually Emperor Gaozong, but the crown prince. The reason is simple: Emperor Gaozong feared his wife and had long been controlled by her, so although he had grievances, they weren't too deep. But it was different for the crown prince - he should have taken advantage of handling state affairs to solidify his own position, yet he encountered a mother who interfered with every little thing. He had grievances but couldn't express them, and over time, they accumulated into a towering resentment. Now that he finally had an opportunity to turn things around, how could he not take it? Of course, whether the crown prince came or not was actually of no consequence to Li Xian - it only made a difference in whether the water was murky or clear. Either way, it wouldn't affect Li Xian's plan to fish in troubled waters.

  "We have seen His Highness the Crown Prince!"

  Li Hong had always been kind to others, and didn't put on the airs of a crown prince. He quickly got down from the golden chariot, smiled and accepted the greetings of the officials. Finally, he slightly raised his hand and calmly said: "Everyone please relax."

  "Thank you, Your Excellency."

  All the courtiers were not foolish, and they generally guessed the intention of Li Hong's visit. So, after thanking him for his kindness, no one was willing to come forward to report the matter. After thanking him for his kindness, they all slipped aside, leaving Li Xian and his brother exposed.

  What a great help to the old fox! Li Xian originally wanted to make a fortune in silence, but he didn't expect that all the courtiers were more cunning than one another. When he tried to dodge, it was already too late. Looking around again, Li Xian had already turned his face away with a stern expression. Calculating carefully, apart from himself, it seemed like no one else could face the prince's smile directly anymore.

  "Crown Prince, you've finally arrived. We were just about to report to you, and here you are. What a coincidence!" Everyone was silent, and Li Xian, feeling helpless, had no choice but to force a smile and walk forward, exchanging pleasantries with them.

  "Oh? But I don't know if Seventh Brother has anything to report, it's okay to say it and let your brother know, don't be anxious, take your time, the palace is listening." Li Hong had always been good-natured, although he was dissatisfied with Li Xian and his brother for causing such a big commotion behind his back, but he didn't show a bad face to Li Xian, only the smile on his face had some other meaning.

  "Let the Crown Prince know that today, coincidentally, is a holiday. My younger brother was getting restless at home and thought of inviting Sixth Brother to go out for a stroll. Who would have thought that just as we brothers were gathering, we heard news of a disturbance at the Imperial Prison? After investigating carefully, we discovered that the Supervising Secretary, Cui Xianzhe, had actually forged an imperial edict in an attempt to harm the entire household of Duke Shang! My younger brother was shocked and bewildered, but Sixth Brother was wise and decided to capture the villain, upholding justice for our dynasty. Fortunately for Great Tang, my younger brother and I rushed to the Imperial Prison and barely managed to rescue Duke Shang from the jaws of death. We also received a tip-off and, following the trail, captured the wicked slave who had framed Duke Shang. We obtained conclusive evidence that proved Duke Shang was wrongly imprisoned. My younger brother and I knew this was a matter of great importance and did not dare to be negligent. We rushed here in haste, just as we were discussing going to invite Crown Prince to take charge of the situation. How fortunate that Crown Prince arrived at just the right moment! This is truly heaven's will!" Li Xian spoke with grandeur and passion, piling all the credit for solving the case onto Li Xian's shoulders, portraying him as a bold and powerful figure. He also didn't forget to curry favor with Li Hong, making it seem as though he and his younger brother had really intended to invite Li Hong to take charge of the situation. It was truly a masterful performance, with both sides benefiting - not only did Li Hong listen with satisfaction, but Li Xian also had nothing to say in response.

  "Oh? Such a thing has happened? The palace cannot ignore it, and must seek justice for the Duke. This matter should not be delayed, I will immediately request an audience with the Emperor, and my sixth and seventh brothers will also attend. " Li Hong stopped speaking here, looked around at the ministers with different expressions, bowed his hands in respect and said: "Your Excellencies, this is a major event, and only the Emperor's wise decision can be followed. Please accompany me to see the Emperor, I beg of you."

  Li Hong has been gradually participating in court politics over the years, although he hasn't achieved anything particularly remarkable, nor has he made any major mistakes. Moreover, his kindness and humility have earned him a reputation for wisdom among the other high-ranking officials. With this attitude, it's natural that they wouldn't raise any objections. Furthermore, the officials had long been oppressed by the eunuchs and were eager to teach them a painful lesson. Upon hearing Li Hong's words, they all chimed in with approval, some expressing their support, others praising him, and for a time, public sentiment was stirred up.

  On this side, the group of officials was stirred up, and on that side, Li Xian's face didn't look very good - what Li Hong said wasn't particularly special, similar words had been spoken by Li Xian before, but he hadn't seen the officials get so excited, the difference was so great that it made Li Xian feel suffocated, and at this moment, he couldn't even vent his anger, so he could only silently seethe.

  Poor kid, who made you not the crown prince? Alright, let's comfort him quickly. Li Xian's eyes were very sharp, although he didn't turn his head, but the corner of his eyes had already taken in Li Xian's expression, and although he was amused, he couldn't show it on his face. Not only that, for the next step in the plan, he still needed to coax him a bit, to prevent Li Xian from messing things up in a fit of anger.

  "Sixth brother, at this time there are many people around, don't let those young ones take advantage of you. That evil slave, Eunuch Fu, still needs to be watched closely." Taking advantage of the moment when Li Hong and the other officials were responding, Li Xian quietly moved a few steps closer to Li Xian's side and whispered a reminder.

  The drum beats without needing to be struck again, Li Xian was originally a clever person, and as soon as he heard it, he already understood the hidden meaning in Li Xian's words - no matter how Li Hong acted, the first achievement of this reversal was all due to Li Xian. This is something that anyone cannot erase, and although the various ministers did not say it out loud, they all had a number in their hearts! Li Xian slightly stunned, his eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded with a smile, but didn't make any other gestures, silently standing shoulder to shoulder with Li Xian, waiting for the emperor's summons.

  Time was passing minute by minute, and in the blink of an eye, nearly half a time had passed. The memorial had long been submitted, but Emperor Gaozong's summons never came. As time went on, more and more officials gathered at the Chengtian Gate, until there were almost a hundred people present. Everyone's face was filled with anxiety, yet no one dared to make a loud noise. The atmosphere in the small square became increasingly oppressive, just like the darkening sky.

  "Look, it's coming, it's coming!"

  Just as everyone was getting impatient, the eunuch Liu Fuming led two young eunuchs out of the Chengtian Gate in a hurry. The originally silent crowd suddenly became lively, and the low voices merged into one piece. Li Hong and his brothers were all invigorated, and they went forward to greet them, with one in front and two behind.

  "His Majesty decrees: Proclaim, Crown Prince Li Hong, Lu King Li Xian, and Zhou King Li Xian to pay respects at the Taiji Hall!" As soon as he saw Li Hong and his two brothers approaching, the plump Liu Fu Ming hastily took a few quick steps forward, then stood still with an air of composure, waving the feather duster in his hand, and proclaimed in a drawling tone.

  "Huh?" Li Hong bowed his head in gratitude, then raised it and looked at Liu Vice-Ming with a puzzled expression. He slightly furrowed his brow and said: "Vice-Minister Liu, all the ministers have been waiting for a long time. Is there any other instruction from His Majesty?"

  "Not yet, Your Highness, His Majesty is already waiting in the Taiji Hall. Please don't delay any further." Upon hearing Li Hong's inquiry, Liu Fuming's chubby face twitched a few times, but he didn't offer much explanation, only slightly shaking his head and reminding them with a sentence.

  "This..." Li Hong obviously didn't expect Emperor Gaozong to summon only the three brothers, and he was taken aback for a moment, hesitated, opened his mouth, but still didn't say much, just nodded and said: "Alright, I'll go into the palace first." After saying this, he looked back at Li Xian and Li Yuan, who were silent, then bowed to the officials and said: "Please wait, Your Majesties, let me report to His Majesty first, and we will make a decision later."

  Something's off, absolutely off, there must be some ulterior motive here. Could it be that Wu Hou has already made his move? Damn it, looks like trouble is brewing! Li Xian glanced at Liu Fu Ming with a strong sense of unease in his heart, but at this moment, he couldn't say anything more and could only suppress the anxiety in his chest, quickening his pace to walk alongside Li Xian, following behind Li Hong towards the Taiji Hall.

  The Taiji Hall, also known as the Zhongchao, is the main hall of the palace. It is not only where the emperor holds court and meets with his ministers, but also where grand ceremonies such as sacrifices and coronations are held. The atmosphere is naturally solemn and majestic. Even ordinary officials who come to this place rarely fail to be intimidated. When Li Hong and his two brothers arrived at the hall, they too slowed down their pace without realizing it, their faces all showing a serious expression. None of them seemed to have any interest in talking to each other, and they all silently stepped onto the steps leading into the hall. As soon as they entered the grand hall, they saw two people sitting on the high platform at the front. Apart from Emperor Gaozong, the other person was wearing a phoenix crown and a cloak with a radiant aura - it was none other than Empress Wu Zetian! The three brothers' bodies all stiffened in unison!

  It's indeed true, she arrived so quickly! Li Xian had expected Wu Zetian to intervene early on, but he never thought that Wu Zetian would disregard the rules of confinement after childbirth and personally rush to the Taiji Hall. After a shock in his heart, a burst of anger also surged up from the bottom of his heart, countless old and new grievances churned and surged in his chest, making it difficult for him to control himself, and a pair of eyes instantly shed fine blood tears.

  Calm down, must calm down! Although the resentment in his chest was hard to quell, Li Xian, with memories of three lifetimes, deeply knew that this was not a place where he could act willfully. He quietly clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed all the emotions that were out of place. Lowering his head, he followed behind Li Hong, walking quickly into the grand hall...