eurekapd Chapter 1185 Li Che Returns to the Capital (Part 2)
Chapter 1185 Li Che Returns to the Capital (Part 2)
Li Che didn't turn around, so he was unaware of the exchange of glances behind him.
He just smiled and reached out to rub Li Yue's head, then pinched Li Hao's arm, before finally walking up to the youngest, Li Tong.
He crouched down and looked at his young son, whom he hadn't seen for two years.
The little one looked up at him with his bright, dark eyes, neither shy nor timid, but simply observing him with curiosity.
Li Che reached out and gently picked him up.
It's soft, warm, and smells like milk when you hold it in your arms.
After being picked up, Li Tong didn't struggle. He just tilted his head to look at him and suddenly grinned, revealing a few small teeth.
Li Che's heart was incredibly soft.
He stood up, holding the child, and looked at the assembled officials once more.
"Gentlemen."
Everyone obeyed solemnly.
"Go back for now," Li Che said. "I have not seen you all for two years and I miss you very much. I will return to the palace to wash and tidy up before I come to see you all again."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the familiar faces:
"Tonight, a banquet will be held in the palace. We will not discuss state affairs, but only reminisce about old times."
The ministers all bowed their heads and responded in unison:
"The ministers obey the order."
Li Che nodded, picked up Li Tong, and turned to walk towards the city gate.
Upon entering the city, the people spontaneously lined the streets to welcome them.
Li Che slowed down on his horse.
The street was crowded with people, young and old, men and women, all with undisguised joy on their faces.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty has returned!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"We've been waiting for His Majesty to return!"
"Your Majesty, how is the South?"
Shouts rose and fell, merging into a surging wave of sound.
Li Che waved as he walked.
His smile was genuine; these were his people, the people he wanted to protect after conquering the country.
They lined the streets to welcome him, asking for nothing in return, simply out of joy that the emperor had returned.
Cheers followed his horse all the way from the city gate to the very edge of the imperial city.
As they passed the Qin residence, Li Che deliberately tightened the reins and looked in that direction.
The Qin residence's gates were tightly shut, and no one came out to greet them.
His gaze peered deeper into the doorway, but naturally he couldn't see anything.
Madam Qin did not come.
Li Che frowned slightly.
That old lady was a respected elder of his. After he ascended the throne, she would always come to the palace to pay her respects during festivals. Why was she like this today...?
Just then, Huai En leaned closer and lowered his voice:
"Your Majesty, Madam Qin is not in good health. She has been bedridden since last winter and has not been able to get up since, so she was unable to come to greet us today."
Li Che frowned even more deeply: "Has Mr. Hua been allowed to take a look?"
“I saw it,” Huai En said. “Mr. Hua went there in person and came back saying that the old lady is old and frail and her lifespan is coming to an end.”
"Even if he takes action, he can only alleviate some of the pain, not cure it completely."
Li Che remained silent for a moment.
He stared at the tightly closed door and suddenly sighed deeply.
Time waits for no one.
The old lady who used to be upright and incorruptible, leaning on a cane, has now reached this point.
"I understand." He withdrew his gaze and looked at Huai En. "Remember this. Once these busy days are over, I will personally visit him."
Huai En bowed: "This servant will remember."
Li Che nodded, spurred his horse, and continued onward.
The imperial city is now in sight.
Several figures were already waiting outside the palace gates.
Leading the procession were two elegantly dressed women, one gentle and dignified, the other radiant and beautiful.
Behind them stood a valiant female general.
As Li Che's horse drew near, the three of them bowed gracefully in unison.
Li Che dismounted and strode forward.
I've missed you all, it's been two years since we last met.
If it were his past life, he would have rushed over and cuddled up to her long ago.
But now he is the emperor, and in front of so many people, he has to maintain a certain demeanor.
He could only suppress the warmth in his heart and go forward to help each of them up and comfort them one by one.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Chang Ningxue smiled and shook her head, Yan Fei lowered her head and wiped the corner of her eye, and Yang Xuan just smiled slightly, everything was understood without words.
Li Che turned around again and called Yelü Xian, who was following behind the group, over, and asked her to introduce Zhuoma to the three women.
"This is Droma, the eldest princess of Tibet. You should get closer to her in the future."
The three women greeted each other, and Zhuoma returned the greeting, and for a time they were very harmonious.
Seeing this, Li Che felt a little more at ease.
Passing through the many palace gates, we entered the back garden.
The garden in autumn is gradually turning yellow, but it has a unique desolate charm.
As Li Che was walking, he suddenly heard a tiger's roar, which startled the birds in the treetops into taking flight.
Then came another roar, deep and resonant, like muffled thunder rolling across the ground.
Li Che paused, then a smile crept onto his lips.
From the depths of the garden, two enormous creatures were charging toward them!
One orange, one white.
The orange one is Xiaosong, and it runs with great speed, its colorful fur shimmering in the autumn sun.
The white one is Xiaotuan, with a round body, but it runs quite fast, its four legs moving swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, the two 'little' guys had rushed up to the front, and only then did they manage to stop.
The tiger rolled on the spot, its four paws in the air, revealing its soft belly, and its big head nudged towards Li Che's feet.
The polar bear circled around to his side and rubbed his thigh with its broad back, so hard that Li Che took two steps back.
Li Che was jostled so hard he almost lost his balance, but he laughed heartily.
He reached out and slapped the two large, furry creatures hard.
"Xiaosong! Xiaotuan!"
"Was he obedient in the palace?"
The tiger responded with a gurgling sound, a satisfied tremor emanating from its throat.
The polar bear rubbed against it even more enthusiastically; despite its weight of several hundred kilograms, it clearly acted like it was being affectionate.
Not far away, another large, striped tiger was slowly standing up.
It was a size bigger than the pine tree, and although its fur still had tiger stripes, it was no longer as shiny and glossy as it had been when it was young.
Da Hu walked over with steady steps and stopped in front of Li Che.
It sniffed Li Che's scent and recognized that familiar aroma.
After confirming, it lazily lay down and squinted its eyes in the sunlight at Li Che's feet.
Li Che looked down at the pine tree, and his heart suddenly sank again.
He didn't know exactly how old Da Song was. When he rescued it in Northeast China, it was already an adult tiger, but it was injured and on the verge of death.
If you think about it, he must be over ten years old.
He remembered that the lifespan of Siberian tigers is fifteen to seventeen years, while those in captivity might live to twenty or twenty-five.
Da Song suffered a serious injury years ago, which weakened his body. Now his fur has lost its luster, and he moves slowly. Most of the time, he just lies there lazily basking in the sun.
Li Che reached out and gently stroked the enormous tiger head.
Da Song squinted, making a very soft, low snoring sound in his throat.
Li Che sighed, hoping that the big tiger could stay with him for a few more years.
After returning to the palace, Li Che first washed up and changed his clothes, talked with the concubines for a while, and then hugged the younger ones.
He then changed into casual clothes and headed towards the main hall.
As darkness fell, the lights under the eaves gradually came on.
The coolness of the autumn night seeped in from all directions, yet it made his mind exceptionally clear.
The main hall was brightly lit.
Those who were supposed to disperse have dispersed. The large group of officials that had gathered during the day have now returned to their residences, awaiting the start of the court session the next day.
The few people who could remain in this hall were either important officials or trusted confidants.
As Li Che stepped through the door, his gaze swept over the familiar faces.
Yang Zhongsi stood on the left, his hair and beard had turned even whiter, but his back was still ramrod straight.
Huo Duanxiao stood on the right, looking thinner than he had been two years ago, but his eyes were still as clear and bright as ever.
Following them were Zhuge Zhe, Du Fuchen, Wen Zaiyin, Wang Chongjian, Zhang Qian, and others.
They were either senior members of the cabinet or heads of the six ministries—people who had been supporting the country for him in the past two years.
Li Che walked to the throne but did not sit down. He stood there, looking at the faces below, a hint of relief slowly rising in his eyes.
“You have done a good job while I was away.”
"It's even better than I imagined."
The ministers replied, "It is our duty, and we dare not accept Your Majesty's praise."
Li Che waved his hand, interrupting these polite words.
“You are all pillars of the nation,” he said, his gaze sweeping over each of you. “I know you all well, and you will all receive the rewards you deserve.”
He paused, then changed the subject: "But next, I will need your help."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Everyone could tell that His Majesty had something important to say.
Li Che looked at them, his expression gradually becoming solemn.
"Next," Li Che said, enunciating each word clearly, "I intend to allow Daqing to recuperate and rebuild."
The hall became even quieter.
Yang Zhongsi slightly raised his eyes, his gaze somewhat complicated.
He was a military general who had fought half his life. Now that His Majesty said he wanted to recuperate, it meant putting away weapons and letting horses graze freely.
These generals are likely to have a much quieter life from now on.
The civil officials remained silent, waiting for Li Che to speak.
"I made a vow in the south."
"Five years to expand the world, five years to nurture the people, and five years to bring peace."
"I have already conquered the world. The next five years are the time to nurture the people."
He stepped down from the throne and walked step by step into the hall, getting closer to those people.
What does it mean to "support the people"?
He asked himself and answered: "Let farmers harvest more grain, let weavers exchange for more silk, let students learn more characters, and let merchants travel far and wide with peace of mind."
"Let there be less crying and more laughter in this world."
He stopped, his gaze sweeping across each person's face:
"I have said these words before in the south, and I am saying them again today for your benefit."
"You are my right-hand men, the backbone of Daqing. This matter cannot be accomplished without you."
Everyone bowed their heads and said, "We are willing to share Your Majesty's burdens."
Li Che looked at them, and a smile finally appeared on his face.
"it is good."
He turned and walked back to the throne, finally sitting down.
"I will formally issue the edict at the court assembly tomorrow, but I'm informing you all today..."
"For the next five years, any war should not be initiated unless absolutely necessary."
"The troops in the border towns and prefectures should be reduced or withdrawn as appropriate."
"The national treasury's funds should be invested in water conservancy, road construction, and schools."
He looked at Zhuge Zhe: "Ziyuan, you are in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, you need to come up with a plan on how to spend this money."
Zhuge Zhe bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."
Li Che nodded and leaned back.
The lamplight flickered, and the hall was quiet.
After a long silence, he sighed softly:
"After so many years of fighting, I am tired, and you are tired too."
"The world is getting more and more tiring, it's time to take a break."