East Palace Ningxin Palace, here is the place where Li Chengqian usually reads, the area of the palace is not very large, but it is very elegant, even if he does not read, Li Chengqian also likes to sit here and drink a cup of tea, so that his irritable heart can get a moment of peace.

However, sometimes Li Chengqian will also entertain guests in the Ningxin Palace, of course, they are some particularly important guests, because it is relatively quiet here, and it is convenient to discuss some things that he does not want others to know, for example, today, he received a guest here.

"Prince, how did you think about the matter that the old man told you last time?" I saw an old man with a white beard sitting opposite Li Chengqian, holding a teacup in one hand and tasting it, and then staring at Li Chengqian with blazing eyes and asking.

"I haven't thought about this matter yet, let's talk about it later!" I saw that after Li Chengqian heard the other party's words, he frowned and said impatiently, as if he didn't want to discuss the topic proposed by the other party.

"Hehe, this matter really has to be put to a later date, after all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime good time for His Majesty to leave Beijing before, but you gave up, the prince, which really makes the old man feel a pity!" I saw the old man shaking his head and saying again, and there seemed to be endless regret in his tone.

"Didn't I say I'll talk about it later, if Gong Cui came to discuss this matter today, then please go back!" Li Chengqian frowned again when he heard the other party's words, and the impatience on his face became more obvious, as if he was going to drive the other party away if he didn't agree.

This old man with white hair is none other than Cui Gan, who was born in the Cui clan of Boling, before he resigned and went to Nanshan to run the first private academy in the Tang Dynasty, that is, Nanshan Academy, but Li Shimin immediately set up a Zhongnan Academy next to Nanshan Academy, which led to the two academies beginning to compete with each other, from the origin of students to the imperial examination, they are the focus of competition between the two sides, but no one knows, he has already hooked up with Li Chengqian in secret.

Seeing the impatience on Li Chengqian's face, Cui Gan also chuckled at the moment, and no longer used the topic just now to stimulate Li Chengqian, but changed another topic and said: "Since the prince doesn't want to listen, then let's talk about another thing, this year, His Majesty went on an expedition to Goguryeo, and even Li Xiu went with him, the prince is a prisoner, as long as we give us a little convenience, we can surpass Zhongnan Academy in the imperial examination, but the result is a big victory for Zhongnan Academy, and more than half of the people who are admitted to the Jinshi are students of Zhongnan Academy, Now the reputation of our Nanshan Academy has been completely suppressed by Zhongnan Academy, which is much worse than the promise that the prince made to the old man! ”

When Cui Gan said in the end, his two eyes were also staring at Li Chengqian, originally Li Shimin and Li Xiu were not in Chang'an this time, and he reached a secret cooperation with Li Chengqian, thinking that he could take this opportunity to win Zhongnan Academy in one fell swoop, but he didn't expect to lose even worse in the end, not only Jinshi was suppressed, but even several other subjects were also suppressed, and now Zhongnan Academy has been ranked above Nanshan Academy among scholars.

Hearing Cui Gan's words, I saw that Li Chengqian couldn't help but show an embarrassed look, and after a while, he explained: "Originally, I also wanted to help you, but I didn't expect the eldest grandson Wuji to take power, and he didn't let me interfere in such an important matter as the imperial examination, and even the people who read the papers were arranged by him, so I really couldn't do anything in the end." ”

When mentioning the eldest grandson Wuji, Li Chengqian's face also showed a bitter hatred, and he even stopped calling "uncle", but called the eldest grandson Wuji's name, which shows that he no longer has half of respect for the eldest grandson Wuji.

"The prince's words are wrong, no matter how authoritarian the eldest grandson Wuji is, he is just a courtier, and you are the supervisor appointed by His Majesty, if the prince insists on interfering at that time, I'm afraid no one will dare to stop you!" Cui Gan was displeased again, no matter how Li Chengqian explained, he felt that the other party did not pay attention to the promise he made to him at all.

"Cui Gong's words are a bit excessive, the eldest grandson Wuji's prestige in the court is already high, and there is his father behind him to support him, and in the matter of the imperial examination, if I insist on interfering, everyone will know that I am on your side in the future, and if I let my father know my relationship with you, then do I want to be the crown prince?" Li Chengqian is also an arrogant character, and at this time he also snorted coldly and retorted, although he secretly formed an alliance with Cui Gan, he would never harm his own interests for the sake of the other party.

Seeing that Li Chengqian was angry, Cui Gan also knew that his words were a little heavy, and their family was now forced to a dead end by Li Shimin, and now the only hope was all on Li Chengqian, so he didn't dare to offend the other party too much.

"Okay, the old man won't talk about this matter, I hope that the next imperial examination, the prince will remember his promise to us!" Cui Gan sighed at this time and spoke again.

"Don't worry, as long as I have the opportunity, I will definitely not forget you!" Li Chengqian also nodded at the moment, but his words were still a little vague, only saying that he would help Cui Gan if he had a "chance", and did not say that he had to help, and Cui Gan didn't care too much about this, because he knew that with Li Shimin and Li Xiu coming back, Li Chengqian's chances of interfering in the imperial examination were even smaller.

"By the way, I heard that some people in your family are very close to my good fourth brother, and even voted under him as guests, do you mean that your family wants to bet on both ends?" At this time, Li Chengqian suddenly remembered another thing, and he couldn't help but ask.

Since the last time Li Tai almost lived in the Wude Palace, the relationship between Li Chengqian and Li Tai has completely broken up, coupled with the death of the eldest grandson empress, the two brothers have no possibility of reconciliation, especially Li Tai also showed his ambitions, and wanted to compete with Li Chengqian everywhere, which led to the rapid deterioration of the relationship between the two brothers, and even Li Shimin had a headache for it.

"It's a misunderstanding, we have a big family and a large number of descendants, especially some people born in the side lineage, most like to put gold on their faces under the banner of the family, and some people don't like to be bound by the family, and only take care of themselves, and the King of Wei has been recruiting talents with a lot of money, so it is inevitable that some people from the family will be recruited in the past." Cui Gan said with a wry smile at this time.

Although the reputation of the family is high, not all people from the family are willing to listen to their orders, especially the more the population, the less influence the family has on the individual, such as the Taiyuan Wang family, for example, the population of the Wang family far exceeds that of several other families, but the Wang family is the loosest family, the whole family is divided into multiple factions, and they are fighting with each other, and some of them simply break with the family and completely surrender to the imperial court, which is also one of the biggest problems faced by their family.

When Cui Gan said this, he found that Li Chengqian's face was still not good-looking, and he hurriedly spoke again: "But you don't have to worry, prince, it is also a good thing for King Wei to recruit talents, we have sent a few people to mix with King Wei's side, and then his every move will be known, and even we can influence King Wei's actions through these people, and then set a trap for him, with King Wei's character, it is not difficult to let him be trapped!" ”

Hearing Cui Gan say this, Li Chengqian's face finally looked better, but at this moment, he suddenly heard a sound of footsteps outside, and then an inner servant walked in, and just wanted to open his mouth to report, but was interrupted by Li Chengqian in annoyance: "Who let you in, don't you know that Prince Ben is meeting guests?" ”

Li Chengqian was angry, and the chamberlain was also frightened, but in the end he said tremblingly: "Qiqi...... The prince of Qiyu, the slave maid...... The slave didn't dare to come in, but a letter was sent from the Yanguo Mansion, and it had to be handed over to the prince, so the slave didn't dare to delay, so she had the courage to come in and ask the prince for forgiveness! ”

Hearing that it was a letter sent by Li Xiu, Li Chengqian couldn't help but be stunned, and the anger on his face subsided suddenly, but he was replaced with a more complicated expression, he used to have a lot of respect for Li Xiu, but because of Qi Niang's matter, it made him have a little hatred for Li Xiu in his heart, and now although it has decreased a little, his feelings for Li Xiu are still very complicated, and even he can't tell himself.

Cui Gan, who was sitting opposite Li Chengqian, heard that it was a letter from Li Xiu to Li Chengqian, and he couldn't help but show a curious look at the moment, he also knew the complicated feelings between Li Xiu and Li Chengqian, so he looked at Li Chengqian at this time, and then turned his head to look at the letter held in the hand of the waiter, and then waited to see how Li Chengqian made a decision?

After a long while, I saw Li Chengqian take a long breath and say, "Put the letter down!" ”

Hearing Li Chengqian's words, the chamberlain was also relieved, walked quickly to Li Chengqian's front and put down the letter, and then quickly retreated, and Li Chengqian looked at the letter in front of him at this time, especially when he saw the four big words "Chengqian personally opened" written on the envelope, which made the expression on his face even more complicated.

In the past, when Li Chengqian was studying with Li Xiu, Li Xiu never called him the prince, and usually called him by his first name Chengqian, but I don't know when Li Xiu called him "prince" like other people, and then the rift between their teachers and students became bigger little by little, Li Chengqian thought that he and Li Xiu would never be able to return to the previous relationship, but he didn't expect that the letter written by the other party still called him by his name as before, which made him not only feel offended, but also felt a little kind.

It's just that soon Li Chengqian thought of the matter of Qi Niang at the beginning, and the quarrel between their teachers and students later, which made the expression on his face a little cold again, and then took the letter and opened it, and did not avoid Cui Gan, but when he saw the content of the letter, he couldn't help but show a surprised expression on his face, and only after a while did he raise his head and say to Cui Gan with a confused face: "He wants to invite me to come over the house?" ”