Ang Lee only had the nominal position of the eighth-level official, and Yan Zhenqing's official position was also the eighth-level official. With their ranks, they could totally not attend Li Xian's funeral. However, in order to show their respect for Emperor Rang and to cater to Li Longji's wishes, Yan Zhenqing still forced Ang Lee to attend the funeral.
"Uncle, you see, Emperor Rang's house is already overcrowded. No one will notice whether we go or not."
Two miles away from Li Xian's mansion, Li An saw the dense crowd in front of him. He really didn't want to join in the fun.
Yan Zhenqing looked unhappy and scolded softly, "Don't worry. His Majesty respects Emperor Rang very much and specially decreed that all officials above the fifth-level in the capital must attend the funeral. Although our ranks are not high enough, if His Majesty knows it, he will be unhappy. Uncle, you may not attract His Majesty's attention, but you are different. You have made many contributions to the Tang dynasty, and His Majesty has already noticed you, so you must attend Emperor Rang's funeral."
Having been an official in the capital for ten years, Yan Zhenqing more or less had some understanding of Li Longji. He knew that Li Longji liked obedient officials. Any official who followed his footsteps and did things according to his wishes could be promoted quickly. For example, a panderer like Li Linfu had already reached the high position of Prime Minister.
Li Longji conferred the title of Emperor Rang to Li Xian, which was enough to show his great respect for Li Xian. The person whom the Emperor respected was also the person whom all the officials respected. The officials who knew what was good for them would naturally attend Li Xian's funeral. If any official did not attend, it would be leaked by people with ulterior motives, and it would certainly have some impact on his official career.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way, get out of the way!"
A group of soldiers and horses surrounded a carriage, rushing from Li Xian's mansion and wantonly driving away the pedestrians who blocked the road.
Yan Zhenqing took Ang Lee's hand, took the initiative to retreat to the side of the road, and stood there respectfully with a nod.
Ang Lee could tell that the person sitting in the carriage must be someone of high status. Otherwise, there wouldn't be as many as a hundred guards.
However, Ang Lee was from the future. He wouldn't be like Yan Zhenqing, who nodded and stood properly. Instead, he boldly looked at the approaching carriage.
The person in the carriage was none other than Li Linfu, the head of the Prime Ministers of the Tang dynasty. He had already paid his respects in front of Li Xian's coffin. At this moment, he was preparing to go to the imperial palace.
The Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty was not one person, but many people. Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the Prime Minister system had been implemented. It could also be said that the Prime Minister system was a group of Prime Ministers. The Prime Ministers were all appointed by the high-ranking officials in the capital.
All the high-ranking officials in the capital, as long as they were conferred the title of Lower Three Ranks of the Secretary of the Central Secretariat or Lower Three Ranks of the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, would officially become the Prime Minister of the Tang dynasty.
Of course, due to the different official positions of the Prime Ministers themselves, the status of the Prime Ministers was also different. Li Linfu was the head of the Central Secretariat, the highest official in the decision-making body of the Tang dynasty. Therefore, he had the highest status among the Prime Ministers.
Any official who became a Prime Minister was qualified to enter the Political Affairs Hall of the imperial palace to discuss the most core secrets of the country and help the emperor deal with the most important and urgent affairs of the country.
The Political Affairs Hall could be simply understood as the office of the Prime Minister. Its original location was in Menxia Province, but it was changed to the Secretary of the Central Secretariat after Zhongzong. Among them, the Political Affairs Hall had the right to draft edicts. Originally, the Prime Ministers took turns writing the edicts. However, since Li Linfu took the throne, he tried every means to firmly grasp the right to write the edicts. For this reason, Li Linfu completely controlled the right to write the edicts in the Political Affairs Hall and became the most powerful Prime Minister in the Tang dynasty.
In the closed carriage, the air was relatively stuffy. Li Linfu gently lifted the curtain on the side of the carriage and looked at the side of the street.
The pedestrians on the street obediently nodded and made way. No one dared to raise their eyes to look at his team. This made him feel a sense of superiority in his heart. This was also the feeling he wanted, the feeling of being under one person and above tens of thousands of people.
However, Li Linfu's sense of superiority was soon challenged. In the crowd on the side of the road, there was a Young Master who stared at him closely. He even looked him in the eyes without any intention of avoiding his gaze.
Who is so bold to look me in the eyes?
A trace of dissatisfaction welled up in Li Linfu's heart as he glared at the Young Master. However, even when the carriage whistled past, the rude Young Master did not avert his gaze.
Forget it, entering the palace is more important. I can't waste time on such a trivial matter.
Li Linfu closed his eyes and lay in the carriage. Although he was very unhappy, he knew that there were more important things to do. He could not waste precious time on an untactful brat.
"Uncle, who was the person in the carriage just now? He was so arrogant that he even had more than a hundred elite guards."
Watching Li Linfu's team walk away, Ang Lee asked with a smile.
Yan Zhenqing sighed. "He is the current Prime Minister Li Xiangguo, the most powerful minister in the Tang dynasty."
Ang Lee was stunned. "Uncle, he is Li Linfu?"
"Wuyang, don't be presumptuous."
Yan Zhenqing was so scared that he looked around to prevent Ang Lee's casual words from being heard by people with ulterior motives.
Ang Lee grinned and leaned close to Yan Zhenqing's ear. "Uncle, when the carriage passed by just now, Li Xiangguo kept staring at me. He is a shriveled old man."
Yan Zhenqing's eyes widened. "Wuyang, you are so bold to look directly at Li Xiangguo. Fortunately, we are next to the Emperor's mansion. Li Xiangguo must have some scruples and did not argue with you."
Li An nodded his head. "So, this nephew is really blessed by the Emperor. Then this nephew really made the right decision to come here. I have to cry a few times to express my sadness."
"Come on, follow me. Don't be presumptuous anymore."
Yan Zhenqing warned and took Ang Lee to Li Xian's mansion.
####
In the Zichen Hall of the Daming Palace, there was a record of the Crown Prince's daily life on the imperial table in front of Li Longji.
The so-called record of the Crown Prince's daily life was a booklet that recorded the Crown Prince's daily activities, including what the Crown Prince said, what he did, and who he met. It must be recorded one by one without any omission.
The reason why Li Longji paid so much attention to the Crown Prince's words and deeds was that he was old and worried that the Crown Prince would usurp the throne. In order to ensure the stability of his throne, he not only let the Crown Prince live in the other courtyard of the Imperial Palace, but also placed his trusted subordinates around the Crown Prince to keep abreast of the Crown Prince's latest activities.
"Yan Zhenqing has been rather diligent in meeting with the Crown Prince. I presume that the Crown Prince's handwriting skills have made great progress."
Li Longji casually commented as he looked at the record of the Crown Prince's daily life.
"Everyone is wise. His Highness the Crown Prince's handwriting truly is becoming more and more neat."
The old eunuch Li Jingzhong standing to the side agreed.
Li Jingzhong was a eunuch who attended to the Crown Prince's daily life and was Li Heng's personal subordinate. At the same time, he was a spy that Li Longji had placed at Li Heng's side, responsible for reporting on the Crown Prince's movements.
However, Li Jingzhong was an old fox. Only he knew whether he was truly loyal to Li Longji or Li Heng, or perhaps he wasn't loyal at all.
"What? Yan Zhenqing brought Ang Lee to see the Crown Prince and even delivered a letter? What was the content of the letter?"
Li Longji deeply frowned as he looked at Li Jingzhong.
Li Jingzhong had already guessed that Li Longji would have such a reaction. He hurriedly said respectfully, "Reporting to everyone, this old servant has taken a look at the letter. It's written in Tubo."
Tubo? How could the Crown Prince be related to the Tubo people?
Li Longji was filled with doubts. He even suspected that the Tubo army gathering at the border of Kuozhou had something to do with the Crown Prince.
Could it be that the Crown Prince wants to join hands with the Tubo people to usurp my empire? No, the entire world is under my control. The Crown Prince doesn't have the strength to do so.
Seeing Li Longji's doubtful appearance, Li Jingzhong's lips curled into an imperceptible sneer. He had seen through Li Longji. This great emperor who had created the Kaiyuan Age was actually an emperor who lacked a sense of security. He didn't even trust his own son. A small letter was enough to make him so suspicious.
"Everyone, Li Xiangguo requests an audience."
Yu Chaoen rushed in and bowed respectfully.
Li Longji was taken aback. "Quick, let Xiangguo in."
"Your humble servant, Li Linfu, greets Your Majesty."
"Xiangguo, there's no need to be so courteous. Quickly rise."
Li Linfu stood up gently and said, "Your Majesty, your humble servant just came from the Emperor's Residence. I didn't go to the Political Affairs Hall and came here directly."
"Oh, quickly tell me about the Emperor's funeral. Is it grand enough?"
Li Linfu said respectfully, "Your Majesty, all the officials of the fifth rank and above in the capital are here. In addition, almost all the officials below the fifth rank have been there. Prince Qing, Prince Shou, Prince Yong, and other members of the imperial family are here as well. Only one person is missing."
"Only the Crown Prince didn't go, right?"
Li Longji's expression was furious. His chest was heaving up and down.
Li Linfu was shocked. He didn't expect the Emperor to be so angry. Of course, this was also the situation he liked to see the most.
"Your Majesty, only the Crown Prince didn't go."
Li Linfu answered truthfully and looked sideways at Li Jingzhong and Yu Chaoen. However, their eyelids were drooping and they didn't respond to him. Yu Chaoen slowly left the hall.
Li Longji stood up angrily from the throne and shouted, "All the members of the imperial family are here, but the Crown Prince still isn't here. This is outrageous."
Seeing that Li Longji was so angry at the Crown Prince, Li Linfu was very happy. At the same time, he was also very surprised. The Crown Prince had always been filial and steady. The Emperor was Li Longji's Big Brother. How could he not attend the funeral? This was too strange.
Something big must have happened. But what could be more important than attending the Emperor's funeral?
The doubts in Li Linfu's heart were no less than Li Longji's.
"Everyone, His Highness the Crown Prince requests an audience."
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