Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Yin De Fei saw Li Yuan deep in thought and seized the opportunity to speak. "Your Majesty, did you know that during the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, everyone was joyful, but Li Shimin was there crying?"
"Really? Is that so? Why was he crying?" Li Yuan feigned surprise. He had been sitting high above, facing everyone that night, so he had naturally seen Li Shimin's sorrowful tears. However, he understood his second son; he must have been missing his mother.
After all, his legitimate wife, Empress Tai Mu, had given him four sons, and the one she cherished the most was her second son, Li Shimin. The third son had died young, and the fourth son, Li Yuanji, had been abandoned by Empress Tai Mu due to his unattractive appearance, only to be raised by a maid.
However, as Li Yuanji grew up, he showed no gratitude and even killed that maid. This made Empress Tai Mu dislike him even more. The eldest son, Li Jiancheng, appeared weak and ineffectual from a young age and also failed to win Empress Tai Mu's favor.
As a result, both Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji had little affection for their own mother. Only the second son, Li Shimin, had a deep bond with Empress Tai Mu since childhood. It was natural for him to think of his biological mother on such a family-oriented night like New Year's Eve. Empress Tai Mu had passed away before Li Yuan ascended the throne and never enjoyed the privileges of being an empress. Therefore, it was understandable that Li Shimin felt sad.
But Yin De Fei brought this up clearly intending to speak ill of Li Shimin, and Li Yuan couldn't be bothered to explain.
"Yes. When Li Shimin was crying, Sister Zhang Jieyu also saw it. She said that Li Shimin was upset because everyone was toasting the Crown Prince but not him," Yin De Fei imagined aloud without knowing what Li Yuan was thinking.
"So you're saying that Li Shimin is jealous of his elder brother Li Jiancheng?" Li Yuan asked.
"Absolutely. And it's not just ordinary jealousy; it's intense jealousy. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cried. Didn't Your Majesty just say he wasn't content with not becoming the Crown Prince? It seems that's indeed the case. Your Majesty should think of a way to prevent him from harming the Crown Prince!" Yin De Fei added fuel to the fire.
Li Yuan couldn't help but want to laugh. Was it possible for someone to cry out of sadness and jealousy? But he didn't want to argue with his beloved consort and simply said, "Hmm, I indeed need to take precautions. After the Lantern Festival, I will send him to Jiangnan!"
"To Jiangnan?"
"Yes. During the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, didn't I mention sending Li Yuanji and Li Shimin to Jiangnan for a private visit after the new year? If they are not in Chang'an, they won't be able to harm the Crown Prince."
"Oh, Your Majesty already had this plan in mind! I worried too much!" Yin De Fei said happily upon hearing this.
"Then let's get up!" Li Yuan said to himself: I'm not trying to prevent Li Shimin from harming the Crown Prince; I'm afraid he might use force to seize my power!
Ever since those poems reached Li Yuan's ears, he had been contemplating how to weaken Li Shimin's military power! Although he had felt some apprehension before, he never imagined that Li Shimin would have such high popularity among the people.
"No, let me serve you one more time!" Yin De Fei began to act coy again.
"...Alright!" Though it seemed reluctant, Li Yuan eventually agreed.
On the Third Day of the New Year, many officials would go visit their fathers-in-law for New Year greetings, and the princes should do likewise. Among Li Yuan's sons, only the three born of Empress Tai Mu were married; the other princes were still young.
Although Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, and Li Yuanji, the three princes, all had consorts, none of them had fathers. This shared circumstance highlighted the harshness of life during the chaotic times of the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Consort Li, Zheng Guanyin, had a father who was a high-ranking official in the Sui Dynasty, but he ultimately fell victim to the blade of a rebel leader, along with the rest of his family. Concubine Lu Lingling's father was a military official in the Sui Dynasty, who perished in the flames of war. Consort Qin, Changsun Wugou, lost her parents at a young age and was raised by her uncle, Gao Shilian, alongside her brother Zhangsun Wuji. Consort Qi, Yang, was originally a daughter of a royal family from the previous dynasty. With the fall of that dynasty, many royal families were also purged by the rebels, resulting in the loss of both her parents.
On the Third Day of the New Year, only Li Shimin could take Consort Qin to visit their uncle Gao Shilian for New Year greetings. Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji made their own arrangements.
On the morning of the Third Day of the New Year, Li Jiancheng chose to visit a blacksmith shop to pay his respects to several blacksmiths. Although blacksmiths held a low status, Li Jiancheng relied on them for manufacturing new weapons and needed to keep their work confidential; thus, he treated them with kindness. Indeed, when the Crown Prince came to wish them well for the New Year, the blacksmiths were naturally excited. In ancient times, there was a sentiment that "a scholar would die for his confidant." Seeing how much importance Li Jiancheng placed on them inspired each blacksmith to resolve to work diligently for him.
At noon, at a nearby restaurant to the blacksmith shop, Li Jiancheng treated several blacksmiths to a meal. Accompanying him were Ma Qiang and Niu Fu, as well as Hua Ying and Yu Minjie. At the table, Li Jiancheng displayed no airs whatsoever. The blacksmiths had already sensed this from spending many days with him.
Everyone drank freely; as a result, most of the blacksmiths ended up quite drunk while Li Jiancheng remained unaffected. He helped them back into the blacksmith shop and laid them down before leaving. The blacksmiths could afford to relax today since they would start working again tomorrow after only five days off—two days before New Year's Eve and three days off during the holiday itself.
Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, considering that he had mentioned playing Mahjong recently to Li Shimin, he decided to make several sets of Mahjong for everyone in the Eastern Palace to enjoy. Thus, Li Jiancheng spent an afternoon in the workshop crafting two sets of Mahjong. That evening, he taught many people how to play.
Zheng Guanyin could not kick a shuttlecock due to her pregnancy but found Mahjong enjoyable and was among the first to learn. Next was Lu Lingling. Ma Qiang already knew how to play and took this opportunity to teach Niu Fu.
With this addition of Mahjong as a game in the Eastern Palace—contrasting with kick-the-shuttlecock as an active game—there was now a balance between movement and stillness that enriched their leisure activities.
Li Jiancheng himself did not partake in these games; he taught others but had no time for play himself. As soon as Chu Si began, officials started coming individually to pay their respects for the New Year. As Crown Prince, many officials sought his favor.
Li Jiancheng welcomed everyone without exception. Individual visits from officials were easier for him to remember; however, they were mostly civil officials. Where were all the military officials? They were with Li Shimin! They were more familiar with him! Even though Li Jiancheng was Crown Prince, military officials did not feel inclined to curry favor with him.
Comment 0 Comment Count