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墨書 Inktalez
Since Li Jian Cheng rose to prominence and Li Yan returned to the capital for his official duties, the influence of the Li Family Main Line has significantly increased. Although within the family, Li An still holds the highest official position and enjoys the most trust from the Emperor.
However, his status was gained through the harsh act of executing a family member for the greater good. The family may understand him, but that does not mean they are willing to follow him blindly. In fact, a considerable number of younger members look down on Li An; otherwise, so many relatives would not prefer to remain unappointed rather than seek his recommendation for official positions.
There was no need for Li Jian Cheng to take any special action; family members naturally went to persuade Li An. In the end, he had no choice but to yield. Without achieving a position of power, he could not counteract the will of the entire family unless he wanted to become a lonely ghost without roots or kin.
Although he said nothing openly, Li An sent his three sons—Li Xiaogong and his fourth son, Li Yan—to be close to Li Jian Cheng. His eldest son had already started a family and was serving in an official capacity outside, and he also wrote a letter to inquire about their well-being.
This is how families operate: when the main line does not err and begins to rise, the direct descendants will flock together to support him as an arm in building their shared legacy, Glorify the Ancestors.
Among the younger members of the Li Family, Li Jian Cheng naturally valued Li Xiaogong the most, keeping him by his side every day.
As for uncles like Li Shentong, Li Shenfu, Li Shuliang, and Li Deliang, after Li Jian Cheng sought favor with the Crown Prince, they were all assigned to lower provinces as military recorders or administrative officers. Starting from the eighth rank is already quite commendable.
Moreover, it is rare for them to receive direct orders from the Crown Prince; once they arrive in their respective locations, no one would dare oppress them. Additionally, since the Li Family still holds some prestige, they are bound to have a bright future ahead.
For those mediocre uncles who wish to pursue an official career, positions such as legal scholars in the Dali Temple or clerks in various schools can be arranged—these are barely acceptable ranks.
For those uninterested in an official career, there are plenty of industries within the Li Family that need management after consolidation.
Thus passed the Kaihuang Nineteenth Year amidst colorful clouds welcoming dawn and countless red candles lighting up the Spring Festival. Li Yan and others were in the palace congratulating the Emperor and Empress's Crown Prince while feasting and enjoying performances.
Meanwhile, Li Jian Cheng led a group of young people observing an Exorcism parade at Western Market. In a long procession, performers wearing old man masks danced ahead.
Following them were hundreds of attendants wearing child masks, along with those dressed in red robes and hats wielding whips. There were also masked figures draped in bear skins and performers holding wooden sticks who sang and played music as they walked and danced.
Where there is righteousness, there is also wickedness; over a hundred individuals either bare-chested or barefoot donned various ghostly masks acting as evil spirits. They occasionally pretended to charge at the dancers but were driven away by attendants and performers.
As the saying goes, the Exorcism was accompanied by the sound of flutes and drums, with thin ghosts painted in white and red feet. Arrows shot from peach bows, and the sound of whips echoed as mice scurried away, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The onlookers cheered enthusiastically, and not far away, firecrackers occasionally went off, filling the air with a festive spirit. As more people gathered, the performers began to sing: "From afar to the palace gate, behold a group of ghosts. Among them is a black figure, squatting atop a roof, with a gas bag and a fire basin, eyes glaring red, dressed in scarlet shorts. The azure clouds blaze fiercely, and the green warmth remains."
The courtyard was bustling with excitement, chaos reigned in the yard. They called for Zhong Kui to block the door. "Cut off their heads, let out the gas, break their ribs, pull out their tendons, extract their tongues, cut off their lips. Head south for a thousand miles; head north without further discussion!"
Amidst the thunderous applause, the performers continued with the Exorcism chant: "From afar to the palace residence, behold the ghosts laughing menacingly... Stuff their mouths, slap their faces, grind them down, boil them in pots, burn them in hot oil, roast beans in vinegar, set fire to them. With guns and knives, slice their flesh. Today we exorcise demons and welcome good fortune without disaster!"
Li Jian Cheng watched with great interest while Li Xiaogong grew somewhat impatient. He tugged at Li Jian Cheng's sleeve and said, "Brother, they will dance until midnight. We might as well go set off some firecrackers first."
"If you don't mind the cold, then go ahead."
The surrounding townsfolk mostly wore sheep and dog fur coats, rubbing their hands together while enjoying the show. In contrast, Li Jian Cheng and his companions were clad in warmer fox fur, mink fur, leopard fur, and rabbit fur coats of various styles. They also carried specially made hand warmers.
These hand warmers were crafted from precious materials that burned fragrant spices with an open flame. They not only emitted heat but also released delightful aromas. Inside were two concentric rings connected by a movable axis to keep the incense bowl balanced while it rotated; thus preventing any burning spices from spilling out.
They were quite expensive—not only due to high manufacturing costs but also because they required daily use of costly spices. Ordinary officials would hesitate to provide such luxuries for their children; typically only family heads would carry one when going out to avoid losing face among peers.
However, Li Jian Cheng had commissioned dozens from his family's shop to give away as he pleased. If anyone ran low on spices, they could simply go to the Li Family shop to replenish their supply. His reputation for generosity was well-known.
Some elders in the family felt that although their Lord was admirable in many ways, he could be a bit too extravagant.
Seeing Li Xiaogong shake his head in disapproval led him to let the younger ones play with firecrackers while he took the others into a tavern for food and warmth.
...
At the beginning of the twentieth year of Kaihuang's reign, everything seemed perfect. Li Jian Cheng's mother was pregnant again, and Li Yan had also taken on the title of Left Assistant to the Crown Prince. Although it was an honorary position, it marked his entry into the fourth rank of nobility.
The Emperor seemed to have regained his former wisdom, and the Crown Prince was humbly learning and making progress. Unfortunately, everything came to a halt in February when urgent reports arrived from six hundred miles away about a rebellion led by Li Yinglin from Xizhou.
This left Yang Jian, who now prided himself as the wise emperor of a prosperous era, feeling quite displeased. His suppressed temper, which he had managed to control for several months, flared up again. He did not send anyone to investigate the reasons behind the rebellion or whether it was a case of the officials oppressing the people.
Instead, he decisively ordered Sima Zhangheng, the Governor of Yangzhou, to lead an army of fifty thousand troops to quell the uprising.
The court officials paid little attention to this seemingly insignificant rebel who had suddenly emerged. The Sui Dynasty was currently at its peak in terms of national strength; a mere nameless rat could easily be dealt with using such a large force.
However, Yang Jian could not tolerate it. He inexplicably believed that this was a deliberate provocation against him.
He suspected that the person behind this was Duke He Ruobi of Song, the Right Martial General. This suspicion arose because He Ruobi had composed several poems during a New Year's Day banquet that contained resentful sentiments.
Yang Jian thought that He Ruobi harbored grievances for being overlooked after he had previously appointed Gao Shan and now promoted Yang Su to be the Prime Minister while neglecting him.
As a result, a distinguished general with outstanding achievements was imprisoned unjustly. Even Yang Su could not help but plead for his release, but the Emperor continued to dwell on He Ruobi's past disrespect.
He recalled how He Ruobi had advised Gao Shan during the campaign against Chen: "Chen Shubao can be subdued; why would you want to shoot all the birds and hide your good bow?"
He also remembered how He Ruobi had once told the deposed Crown Prince Yang Yong, "Between you and me, there are no secrets; I will speak freely. You can trust me and rely on my influence; why not speak honestly?"
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