Li Hong was born when Ah Wu was in trouble, because of his birth, Ah Wu was named Zhaoyi, and since then his fate has been reversed, so Ah Wu always looks at Li Hong differently and loves him very much.

In the first month of the first year of Xianqing, the four-year-old acting king Li Hong was made the crown prince. The imperial court held a grand ceremony for the establishment of the crown prince. Under the guidance of the courtiers, the young Li Hong assiduously learned various etiquette.

He has read classic works such as "The Book of Filial Piety", "Four Books", "Zhou Li", "Etiquette" and "The Book of Rites".

In the blink of an eye, in the first year of Longshuo, Li Hong was nine years old. Li Zhi ordered Xu Jingzong, the prince's right concubine, Xu Yushi, the prince's right concubine, Shangguanyi, the prince's middle housekeeper, Yang Sijian, the prince's secretary, Meng Lizhen, and the prince's horse washing Guo Yu and other scholars to edit books in the Wensi Hall of the East Palace.

The scholars gathered in the Wensi Palace, collected ancient and modern anthologies, copied English words and beautiful sentences, divided them into categories, and compiled 500 volumes of "Yaoshan Yucai".

So many bachelors went to the East Palace to compile books, do you think Li Zhi really likes books and has a book fetish?

No, the so-called red one who is close to Zhu, and one who is close to ink is black, Li Zhi's real purpose is to create a rich learning environment for the crown prince Li Hong, so that he can study with many bachelors, and naturally improve his studies.

In February of the third year of Longshuo, all 500 volumes of "Yaoshan Yucai" were compiled, Li Zhi rewarded 30,000 pieces of five-color silk, and all the bachelors who participated in the editing work were promoted to the salary level.

Li Hong has also been tempered and promoted during these two years, Li Zhi said to Xu Jingzong and other courtiers: "The prince studied with you, he was able to sympathize with the people's feelings, greet him in bed, be very benevolent and filial, and receive ministers in accordance with etiquette, and never made mistakes!" Hehe, I'm very satisfied! ”

Xu Jingzong said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent, filial piety and humility, and can receive the doctor with courtesy, and the hearts of Chinese and foreign people!" Congratulations! Li Zhi smiled.

The crown prince washed the horse Guo Yu was promoted to the prince rate and tutored Li Hong to study "The Biography of the Zuo Family in the Spring and Autumn Period".

When Li Hong read the story of King Chu Cheng's crown prince Mi Shangchen killing King Chu Cheng, he couldn't help but sigh and said: "The courtiers really can't bear to hear about such a thing as killing the king!" The classics should record the good deeds of the sages and sages in the future generations, why should they record these ugly things that are rebellious? ”

Guo Yu said: "The purpose of Confucius's revision of the Spring and Autumn Period is to praise and disparage the ancients, so whether it is good or evil, it must be written down. Praise the good, so that the future generations can carry it forward, and depreciate the evil, so that the future generations can be vigilant and guarded. In this way, the evil deeds done by the merchants can be manifested for thousands of years, so as to warn future generations! ”

Li Hong sighed when he heard this: "Hey, the matter of killing the king is not only unspeakable, but also the ears can't bear to listen to it, please Mr. change to another book!" ”

Guo Yu bowed down excitedly and congratulated loudly: "Zeng Zi does not enter Shengmu Lane, Mozi returns to Geyi, and the saint can stick to his ideals and beliefs!" ”

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's sincerity, filial piety, wisdom, and fierce deeds, exempt from hearing and hearing, can follow the sound of Fengshou, it is really worth cheering and congratulating!"

"The minister heard that changing customs and customs, don't be good at music, govern the people in peace, don't be good at courtesy! If you don't learn etiquette, you can't do anything with the gods of heaven and earth, and if you don't learn etiquette, you can't distinguish the position of monarchs and ministers, so the first kings attached great importance to etiquette! Please stop "Spring and Autumn" and read "The Book of Rites"! ”

Li Hong nodded in agreement and said, "Mr. has won the award, and I like to read "The Book of Rites" the most!" So he changed to "The Book of Rites", Guo Yu taught it seriously, and Li Hong also studied it tirelessly.

A month after Li Zhong was given to commit suicide, in the first month of the second year of Lin De, Li Hong wanted to be "good brother and brother right" in accordance with the teaching of human righteousness in the "Book of Rites", drafted a seal, played it to the emperor, and asked to send someone to the former residence of Li Chengqian in Qianzhou to collect the remains of the emperor's brother Li Zhong and bury them properly!

After Li Zhi reviewed it, he agreed, and praised Li Hong.

Empress Wu had just completed the great cause of the Second Holy Dynasty, and was very unhappy when she learned that her biological son's arm was turned outward.

Empress Wu privately educated Li Hongdao: "My son, since you learned the Book of Rites, you only know etiquette, and you don't know anything else!" Don't you know that etiquette is the biggest iron rope that binds women? ”

Li Hong said: "Confucius said, if you don't learn etiquette, you can't stand!" An Shang governs the people, don't be good at etiquette, A-Niang Yili should also retreat to the harem to govern yin and morality, don't go out to listen to foreign affairs! ”

Empress Wu said angrily: "The boy's wings are stiff, I think A-Niang is in the way of you, right?" Li Hong bowed and said: "Don't dare!" Empress Wu sighed: "My son only knows etiquette, but I don't know A-Niang's hard work!" ”

After this incident, Empress Wu felt that the three rites of Confucianism were not suitable as teaching materials for future generations, and asked the teachers in the East Palace to teach more about the practice of governing the country and less about the three rites, and advised Li Hong not to be rigid and mechanical, but to be flexible!

In the following month, Li Hong took a golden chariot to Luoyang, the eastern capital, with Emperor Luan Yu to participate in the Dongyue Fengzen ceremony. After the successful completion of the Dongyue Zen ceremony, Li Hong set up a banquet to entertain the ministers.

In February of the first year of the general chapter, the sixteen-year-old crown prince Li Hong held a grand memorial ceremony at the Sichengguan (Guozijian) in the west of Chang'an Wuhonfang.

According to the ritual procedure, the cattle, sheep and pigs of the Tai prison sacrificed to the ancestor of Kong Xuan's father, with the ancestor Yan Hui and Zeng participated in the enjoyment, the prince released the foundation for the first offering, the Guozi sacrificial wine for the sub-offering, the Guozi Siye for the final offering, and the Guozi Doctor praised the etiquette.

Chen Yale was played with a song, and the dancers and dancers in the workshop danced the dance of the six gods, and hundreds of officials watched the ceremony. The Taiguan Department of Guanglu Temple provided meals for the participants. A total of 3,000 students, including the children of chiefs of various countries, attended the ceremony.

After the memorial ceremony, Li Hong sent someone to report to Li Zhi, who was recuperating in Jiucheng Palace, and asked for Yan Hui to be the young master of the prince, and he had participated in the young protection of the prince, and Li Zhi agreed.

At that time, the imperial court was using troops against Liaodong, and generals such as Li Tao, Xue Rengui, Pang Tongshan, Gao Kan, and Qibi He Li led the army to storm Goguryeo, preparing to complete the unfinished business of Tang Taizong.

In order to enforce discipline in the army, the imperial court has an order: soldiers who flee from the border and do not surrender within the specified time limit or continue to flee after surrendering, they will be beheaded, and their families will be confiscated into the official palace as slaves.

The crown prince Li Hong gave advice on this, saying: "In this way, the number of criminals is too many!" Some of them could not catch up with the team because they were sick, and fled in fear; Some were captured by the enemy for going up the mountain to cut wood and collect grass; Some fell into the water and disappeared while crossing the sea; Some of them were killed or wounded in deep enemy positions and couldn't come back! ”

Because of the strict military law, the soldiers of the same team were afraid of being convicted together, so they reported them for fleeing. In the army, there was no time to investigate and verify, and directly according to the captain's report, he told the local government to which the sergeant belonged that their wives and children were confiscated into the official mansion as slaves, and the situation was indeed pitiful! ”

"The Book says: Rather than killing innocent people by mistake, it is better to be lenient and not follow the usual law. Therefore, I earnestly hope that the fugitive family will be exempted from the punishment of not being a slave or maid by the government! Li Zhi agreed again.

In the first month of the second year of Xianheng, many state capitals across the country suffered from drought, locust plague and frost, and the emperor and queen led a team to the eastern capital to chase food.

The crown prince Li Hong was left in Chang'an to supervise the country, and was assisted by the prince's left concubine, Dai Zhide, Zhang Wenjun, and his right concubine, Xiao Dezhao, Li Jingxuan, and other ministers to handle state affairs.

Li Hong saw that there was a famine in the area of the Guanzhong Plain, so he ordered his servants to take the food eaten by the soldiers guarding the city to observe, and found that the existing soldiers were eating elm bark and gourd, so he hurriedly asked people to distribute the rice and grain in the granary of the East Palace to the soldiers to eat.

Li Hong was often ill and had to put aside some general affairs to recuperate with peace of mind, and entrusted the administration to Dai Zhide to deal with it.

One day, Li Hong recovered from his illness and heard the magpie outside the window, so he got up and went out for a walk, and by the way, he inspected the safety of the palaces, and did not take a car or sit in a chariot. Wei Shuxun took eight palace maids to follow.

The inspection team walked through the city gate, entered the Yeting Palace, passed through the Plum Garden, the Cuizhu Garden and the Pine and Cypress Garden, and marched along the Qingming Canal. There are strange flowers and plants on both sides of the canal, and the field of vision is broad, which makes people feel refreshed!

Li Hong saw a few locust trees in the distance, and under the shade of the locust trees, there seemed to be a relatively remote courtyard behind them. Li Hong said: "Let's go, let's go over and have a look!" ”

Wei Shuxun swept the dust in his hands and accompanied the palace maids. When I came to the locust tree, I saw a courtyard, and even Wei Shuxun, who was very senior in the palace, couldn't call the name of the courtyard.

Li Hong stepped forward and knocked on the door, knocked nine times, and the door opened, and a sister came out, dressed as a palace maid.

Li Hong asked, "What is the girl's name?" What identity? Why did you live here? ”

The sister looked at Li Hong carefully, and when she saw him wearing a public uniform, she bowed down excitedly and said, "The slave maid greets His Royal Highness the Prince, His Royal Highness is not Wulang?" ”

Li Hong helped her up and asked strangely, "Who are you?" Did you know the widow before? ”

My sister was choked up and speechless, Li Hong looked back at Wei Shuxun and said, "Shuxun, what do you think about this matter?" Wei Shuxun arched his hand and replied: "The minister thinks that there must be a big secret behind this matter!" ”

At this time, another palace maid came out and bowed down to Li Hong and said: "The slave maid visits His Royal Highness the Prince, the slave maid is the second daughter of Concubine Xiao Shu, and she is imprisoned here because of A-Niang's offense!" ”

Li Hong was shocked and said: "It turns out that you are the second sister Princess Xuancheng, and she is the eldest sister Princess Yiyang!" Hurry up, please get up! ”

Li Hong sighed: "Hey, how can there be such a big grievance hidden in the palace? Fortunately, the widow personally checked it, otherwise the sisters might have to grow old, it's too miserable! ”

Princess Yiyang said: "The slave maid is 25 years old this year, and my sister is 22 years old, and she has been living here for 15 years!" I used to study with Helan Minyue! ”

Li Hong said: "Since you are a princess, you must not call yourself a slave. Speaking of Helan Minyue, she passed away five years ago, what a beautiful girl, it's a pity! Shilang Li Sujie changed the title of King Xun, went out of Beijing to serve as the assassin of Shenzhou, and wrote a volume of "Treatise on Loyalty and Filial Piety" the year before last, which made the queen unhappy! ”

Princess Yiyang said: "The concubine doesn't know anything about the Yeting Palace, but I didn't expect that the outside world has undergone vicissitudes of life!" ”

Li Hong nodded and said, "Yes!" The vicissitudes of life, a small change in ten years, a big change in a hundred years, and in a blink of an eye, we have all grown up! ”

Princess Xuancheng said: "Actually, the concubine doesn't want to grow up, and there will be no fairy tales in the world when she grows up!" The concubine would rather be stupid and stupid forever. ”

Princess Yiyang also said: "The concubine doesn't want to grow up, there is no sorrow and no trouble in her childhood, how beautiful!" ”

Li Hong said excitedly: "Sister, let's put aside the secular etiquette rules, from now on, there are only fairy tales here, only innocence, okay!" ”

The crowd applauded in unison, clapped and cheered!

Li Hong and his two sisters, Wei Shuxun, and the palace maid played a game of eagle catching chickens together, reminiscing about the good times of childhood and having a good time.

When they were tired of playing, the palace maids went to Shangshi's kitchen to pass on the meal, and set up a lunch in the remote courtyard, where Li Hong and his two sisters drank happily, tasted delicious food, and told their childhood stories.

Talking about the future, Li Hong said: "Since ancient times, men have rooms and women have families, and according to Tang law, women who do not marry when they reach the age of 17 will be forcibly married by the government. The sisters have long exceeded the upper limit of the age of marriage, and the widow must find a way to let the sisters out and help you find a good family! ”

The two princesses jumped up for joy and cheered in unison, "Yes, yes, thank you Goro!" Come, sister Keigoro three cups! Li Hong smiled and drank it all.

After returning to the East Palace, Li Hong immediately drafted a seal, asking for permission for the two sisters to marry, and hoped to lend the land of Shayuan to the poor to cultivate in order to increase production and income. Then send an expedited stagecoach to send the watch seal to Luoyang.

After Li Zhi personally reviewed it, he handed it to Empress Wu and said, "I didn't expect that there was such a big secret hidden in the palace!" ”

When Empress Wu saw it, she blushed all of a sudden, and replied: "Back then, when the python clan and the Xiao clan were criticized, the whole palace reached a unanimous opinion, so the concubine imprisoned her daughter." Later, because of the busy affairs in and outside the palace, I forgot about it! ”

Li Zhi said: "They were born to the Xiao family, but they are also my dragon girls, and now they have violated the law, if they can't be properly handled, how can the lady be the mother of the world?" Empress Wu replied: "The concubine will do it!" ”

"Knowing that you can change, good is great! Please take care of this matter as soon as possible! Li Zhi said. In this round of the contest, Li Zhi added ten points to Li Hong, and Wu Hou subtracted ten points.

Empress Wu selected two Yi Wei Quan Yi and Wang Miao, who were standing guard on duty, to worship as the captain of the horse, and promised to marry the two princesses.

Quan Yi, Wang Miao and the two princesses are of the same age, they are all tall and handsome, and they are talented, which shows that the martial queen is not a casual match, but a heart.

After becoming the lieutenant of the horse, Quan Yi first served as Zuo Guoyi of Qichuan Prefecture in Qizhou, and soon transferred to Yuanzhou Assassin Shi. Wang Miao did not serve at first, and later served as the assassin of Yingzhou. It shows that the Empress Wu is still playing with caution.

When the two families left the capital, Princess Yiyang and Princess Xuancheng went to the East Palace to meet Li Hong, and Li Hong held a banquet to entertain them. The two princesses thanked the prince for their kindness, and finally said goodbye reluctantly.

It's a pity that the sweet days of the two princesses only lasted twenty years, which is a story for another time.

After seeing off his two sisters, Li Hong was very happy and felt that he had done a great deed, and held a banquet in the East Palace to celebrate.

At the banquet, Li Hong ordered the courtiers of the East Palace to play a throwing game to help the fun, and the throwing game was similar to somersaults, handstands and other acrobatics.

At the banquet, the drums are beaten and the flowers are passed, and when the drums stop, whoever is in the hands of the flowers will play and throw them down!

It was Zuo Fengyu's turn to lead Wang Heshan to the field, Wang Jishan got up and arched his hand and said: "The knockdown game has its own official performance, if the minister is ordered, I am afraid that it will violate the duties of His Royal Highness Yuyi." Li Hong said that he was good and stopped throwing down.

When Li Zhi heard this, he was very happy, and rewarded the king with a hundred horses. Wang Jishan was later promoted to General Zuo Qianniuwei, wearing a horizontal sword to guard Li Zhi's side, majestic!

Two years later, Li Hong was twenty-one years old, and the emperor urged him to choose another crown princess.

Li Hong didn't want to bother the world anymore, and said to the emperor: "I had an audition three years ago, and at that palace banquet, I met five beauties, among which the younger Pei Xiaolian has grown up, beautiful and virtuous, smart and clever, I like her very much and want to make her a concubine!" ”

Li Zhi smiled and said to Empress Wu: "My son is already interested in someone, has the lady seen Pei Xiaolian recently?" Empress Wu said: "The concubine hasn't noticed her yet, let's go see it another day!" ”

The next day, Empress Wu personally visited the house of Zuo Jinwu General Pei Judao, and had a cordial conversation with Pei Judao and his wife.

Pei Xiaolian showed a talent show to Empress Wu at the banquet, and Empress Wu was more satisfied with her, and after returning to the palace, she and Li Zhi determined Pei Xiaolian as the crown princess. The next step is to perform the Six Rites procedure.

In the morning, the ceremonial officer said: "It is most auspicious to take the white goose as a gift!" "In the afternoon, the hunters of the Western Regions captured a white goose in the upper garden and presented it to the emperor.

Li Zhi said happily: "The Han Dynasty captured Zhu Yan, so it was Yuefu, and today the capture of Bai Yan has to be Nacai." The achievement of the rite of the ballad, the achievement of this ceremony, the Han and Tang dynasties look at each other, auspicious and presented, the national fortune is prosperous, I have no shame! ”

In the early summer of April, the emperor went to Jiucheng Palace as usual to escape the summer, and ordered Yousi to build the new palace of the prince in Jiucheng Palace for use in the prince's wedding ceremony.

In July, the construction of the new palace of the prince was completed, and the emperor and empress Li Hongzhao Wupin had officials and their families to attend the banquet in the new palace of the prince, watch the music, dance and acrobatic performances, and stop with great joy.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Zhi was bitten by mosquitoes while walking on the mountain and contracted malaria, so Li Hong accepted the notice of the division in the Yanfu Hall of Jiucheng Palace.

On October 14th, the ceremony of the crown prince and concubine was held in Jiucheng Palace, after the ceremony, Li Hong and Pei Xiaolian both entered the cave room of the prince's new palace.

On the second day, the newlyweds visited Tiantai Mountain in Weibei together, and saw the mountains and mountains in the distance, with beautiful scenery, green water and green mountains, open weather, and a clean mind.

The high pavilion is built nearby, the corridor is all around, the building is glued, and the pavilion is uneven. When I returned to the palace, I saw a stone tablet standing next to a spring, which turned out to be the "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Ming" written by Ouyang Xun.

Pei Xiaolian loves calligraphy, and when she saw the power of the pen on it, she couldn't help but draw it in her hand. Li Hong said with a smile: "I have Ouyang Xun's calligraphy, as well as his "Theory of Using the Pen" and "Eight Tips", if you want to learn his calligraphy, I can teach you!" ”

Pei Xiaolian was overjoyed and said, "Okay! As long as the concubine learns half of the skill of this monument, she will be satisfied! ”

After returning to the study, Li Hong found the "Pen Array Diagram" of Mrs. Jiawei, a female calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Li Si's "Pen Wonder", Ouyang Xun's "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Ming", "Theory of Using Brushes" and "Eight Tips" to Pei Xiaolian to see.

Pei Xiaolian watched tirelessly all day, and she was still unsatisfied, and her calligraphy level has greatly improved since then!

Pei Xiaolian is familiar with the etiquette rules in the palace, abides by women's etiquette, and takes care of the housekeeping of the East Palace in an orderly manner. Li Zhi happily said to the courtiers: "The internal affairs of the East Palace are taken care of by Concubine Pei, and I don't have to worry about it!" He gave Li Hong another ten.

Although Li Hong kept scoring and won the emperor's love, he had a fatal bruise - tuberculosis! He himself knew this very well, so he didn't plan to compete with the queen mother at all, but tried his best to do good deeds and accumulate merit for his future life! Of course, if there is an afterlife, it must be right to do so.

Because Li Zhi often compared his wife and son on the scales in his heart to decide who would be in charge of the country behind him, he forced Empress Wu to constantly find ways to consolidate his position and suppress the crown prince.

And in the end, Li Zhi always defended the Empress Wu, which created a strong queen and a weak prince! This political situation lasted until Li Zhi's death, so the crown prince Li Hong and his successors will face the same problems, and they will both feel lost and confused!