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Li Jian Cheng had three uncles. His eldest uncle, Dou Wenshu, had passed away early, leaving behind only a illegitimate son. His second uncle, Dou Zhaoxian, inherited the title of Divine Martial Duke and had five legitimate sons. His third uncle, Dou Zhao, was the son-in-law of the Western Wei Emperor Wen and a general during the Northern Zhou period, known as Duke of Julu. However, he passed away before the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, leaving behind six sons.
Among these cousins, the older ones had already been appointed to official positions or were serving in the military, while those remaining were about the same age as Li Jian Cheng and shared a close relationship with him.
Additionally, there was a younger aunt who married Duke Huaiyi, Pei Hongce, and gave birth to a son named Pei Xingfang.
After briefly greeting his younger sisters, Li Jian Cheng headed to the Main Hall to pay respects to his uncle and aunt.
The Main Hall of the Duke of Longxi's residence had not been renovated to remove its walls, resulting in a somewhat dim atmosphere. There were two south-facing windows on either side of the main door, and high windows on the other three walls allowed some light to filter in.
However, the Main Hall was too large and deep; while there was some brightness near the doors and windows, deeper inside it resembled night and required additional candles for illumination.
Inside the hall, Dou Zhaoxian sat solemnly in the main seat sipping tea while his wife rose to greet Li Jian Cheng. She hailed from the Lu Clan of Fanyang and was gentle and approachable but held strict adherence to etiquette.
Li Jian Cheng smiled at his aunt before respectfully bowing to his uncle and then slightly turning to bow to his aunt.
"Your nephew pays his respects to Uncle and Aunt. I apologize for my hurried arrival without changing my clothes."
"We are family; it is no trouble. Come sit down," she replied warmly.
He carried a scent of alcohol, but more prominently was the fragrant aroma from the red walls of Yang Su's residence.
Dou Zhaoxian's expression was serious, but Li Jian Cheng knew he was a man with a cold exterior yet a warm heart. Thus, he did not stand on ceremony and took a seat under his aunt's guidance while the other brothers followed suit.
Li Jian Cheng first expressed his gratitude once again for his uncle and aunt's care for his younger sisters. It was expected that the Dou family would help look after their niece; after all, she was family. However, the other sisters were purely from the Li family with no ties to the Dou family.
Dou Zhaoxian waved his hand dismissively, clearly feeling there was nothing more to discuss. Both families could easily provide for a few young ladies; he simply thought it would be better for his sister—who was pregnant and caring for her mother-in-law—to have all her sisters together rather than just one.
His aunt inquired about her little nephew before instructing him to take home a tiger-head hat and soft pillow she had personally woven when he left later. Then, at her husband's gesture, she took their sons downstairs.
The cousins naturally felt dissatisfied with this arrangement, but Dou Zhaoxian slammed his hand on the table and declared, "Once you all enter official service, you can come back here to speak!"
Without a position or salary, relying on the family for sustenance, one remains a child—such a simple notion.
Li Jian Cheng gave a helpless glance as he watched a few cousins leave. Before Dou Zhaoxian could ask, Li Jian Cheng took the initiative to say, "Uncle, the Empress intends for me to align myself with Prince Jin; it seems she is considering a change in the heir."
Dou Zhaoxian, being quite traditional, expressed some dissatisfaction. "The Crown Prince is acceptable; how can one dismiss the elder in favor of the younger without reason? As a woman, the Empress should not meddle in politics!"
Li Jian Cheng smiled and replied, "In Xianbei's old customs, women manage households, settle disputes, and handle affairs through their matriarchs. His Majesty and the Empress have been accustomed to this for many years."
"What do you think?" Dou Zhaoxian knew that advising the Queen against her involvement in politics would be futile, so he relaxed his furrowed brow.
"With the Empress's support, this position of heir will likely go to Prince Jin. If our two families do not seize this opportunity to gain merit, how will we establish ourselves in court in the future?"
"Uncle, my nephew has already had a private discussion with Deputy Minister Yang Yue at Duke of Yue's Residence; the Yang Family is also interested."
Dou Zhaoxian looked at his nephew in surprise and then stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment. "His Majesty may not have made up his mind. There are even rumors that he favors Han Wang more. Moreover, the Crown Prince has Duke of Qi's backing; it may not be impossible to wait a few more years."
If they were to wait a few more years and His Majesty fell gravely ill, then for the sake of stability in the court and ensuring a smooth transition of imperial power, it would have to go to the legitimate Crown Prince.
It was well known that the Emperor favored Han Wang. Aside from the Crown Prince, all other princes were sent out as governors by the age of eleven or twelve.
For instance, Prince Jin Yang Guang became Bingzhou Governor at twelve; Qin Wang Yang Jun was appointed Minister of Rites at eleven and then became Governor of Qinzhou the following year; Shu Wang Yang Xiu also served as Yizhou Governor at a young age.
Only Han Wang Yang Liang did not take up his post as Bingzhou Governor until he was twenty-two or twenty-three years old just two years ago. The Emperor personally sent him to Bingzhou for his appointment, overseeing territories that stretched from Huashan in the west to Bohai in the east, from Yanmen Pass in the north to the Yellow River in the south across fifty-two states.
Additionally, the Emperor granted him privileges that allowed him to act independently without being bound by regulations and even worried about his youngest son’s financial situation, permitting Yang Liang to mint his own coins.
This was an honor that even the Crown Prince had never received, leading both court and commoners to speculate endlessly. However, he had only been managing local affairs for two years; with peace across the land, there had been little opportunity for him to prove his capabilities.
"Moreover," Dou Zhaoxian frowned and said, "the Crown Prince still has Duke of Qi's support."
"You meant those words for Prince Jin," Dou Zhaoxian remarked.
Li Jian Cheng did not wish to explain that it was actually an affirmation of someone's achievements; he simply stated, "Duke of Qi stands behind the Empress. I spoke these words in her presence; she did not reprimand me, and this conversation has spread."
"Uncle, if the Duke of Qi and the Empress disagree, do you think His Majesty would still want the Duke of Qi to continue managing state affairs? No matter how great his contributions are, how noble his character, or how much trust His Majesty has in him, he has already held the position of Chancellor for too many years."
Dou Zhaoxian nodded slowly. "I still need to consult with my family, but there shouldn't be any objections. Prince Jin has a very good reputation both in court and among the people, and he is capable in both civil and military matters."
After saying this, he cupped his hands toward Li Jian Cheng and said, "Thank you in advance, Uncle. If it weren't for your willingness to lend a hand, the Dou Family might not have had the opportunity to support Prince Jin."
Li Jian Cheng stood up to return the gesture. "What are you saying, Uncle? How can we be so distant when it comes to close relatives?"
The two of them discussed for a moment. Regardless of how the Dou Family decided, there was nothing they could do at this point but wait for the right moment to rally support when it mattered most.
Gathering momentum can sometimes be simple; as long as the advantage is significant, connecting with several families that have more relatives and connections will quickly unite everyone.
Half an hour later, Li Jian Cheng led his sisters back to their residence in a carriage. His younger sister, Li Xiuning, shared the same carriage with him. As soon as she got in, she tugged at his arm and said playfully, "Brother, when can we go out of the city to hunt? I've almost forgotten how to ride after staying at Uncle's house for so long. Is my little red horse getting thin?"
Li Jian Cheng ruffled his sister's hair and replied, "Then why hasn't Mother come to pick you up yet?"
Li Xiuning pouted and said, "If I go back, they have to come with me too; it wouldn't be fair otherwise."
"Haha, that truly is a hardship for you. You should practice riding at home first. When we have a day off, I'll take you outside the city to ride and catch rabbits."
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