Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5326 Prince Jin Leaves the Capital
North of Xianyang, at the end of the vast plain, there is a mountain range stretching from east to west. The mountains are undulating and majestic, with nine dragon-like ridges evenly distributed around them, as if the nine dragons are gathering together, arching it high. It is called Jiuzong Mountain because of the saying "one peak stands out and nine ridges surround it".

Zhaoling Mausoleum was built on the southern slope, nestled against the mountain. The above-ground buildings were laid out in the style of Chang'an City, with four gates and corner towers, creating a magnificent atmosphere.

Spring rain is as smooth as oil.

The trees all around are bursting with new green leaves, and the flowers and grasses along the roadside are in bud.

Li Zhi, dressed in a purple python robe and court boots, held an oil-paper umbrella in his hand and walked along the sacred path lined with sculptures of mythical beasts on both sides until he reached the offering hall and pushed open the door to enter.

The other officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs all stopped in front of the gate.

The hall was very grand and spacious. Li Zhi looked up at the portraits of Emperor Taizong and Empress Wende hanging in the center. For some reason, his mind was in turmoil, and two streams of hot tears flowed down his face in an instant.

He took two steps forward and knelt down, his forehead hitting the ground hard.

With tears streaming down his face, Li Zhi gritted his teeth and murmured in a hoarse voice, "I have committed a grave mistake. Now, there is no place for me in the vast Tang Dynasty. I have been granted permission by my elder brother to go to sea to take up a fiefdom and establish a state. In this life, I will never have a day to pay my respects to my parents. I can only build a temple and shrine on a remote island tens of thousands of miles away to pay my respects to them from afar."

"But... I am not reconciled!"

At this moment, Li Zhi burst into tears.

Given a choice, who would willingly travel across the ocean to that southern island to live among savages and wild beasts?

But it was you, Father Emperor, who personally promised to make me the Crown Prince!

If it weren't for your promise, why would I have launched a coup after your untimely and unloving death?
The world believes that I was misled by Changsun Wuji and committed the crime of treason, but I know that the reason why Father Emperor died suddenly was not because of poisoning from taking elixirs. Even if there is no evidence, it must be related to my brother!

The reason I launched this coup was not only to seize the throne, but also to avenge my father!
It's a pity that my brother had Fang Jun to assist him, which caused me to fail at the last minute...

The pain and regret in my heart turned into tears that flowed endlessly.

The officials outside the hall heard Prince Jin wailing loudly inside. Li Yuanjia glanced around and whispered, "You all wait here. I'll go in and try to persuade His Highness."

"Here."

Everyone sought it but could not obtain it.

His Highness Prince Jin is about to set sail, and he will probably never be able to return to Zhaoling to pay homage to the late emperor in this lifetime. Who knows what shocking words he might say in front of the late emperor's spirit.

This man was, after all, a ruthless figure who had once launched a mutiny and attempted rebellion; every word he uttered was a grave danger…

Li Yuanjia pushed open the door and entered, then turned around and closed the palace door behind him.

The main hall was dimly lit, with only a single eternal lamp before the spirit tablet emitting a soft, gentle glow.

He stepped forward and knelt behind Li Zhi, whispering, "Your Highness, please control your emotions. Since you are about to leave the Tang Dynasty and go to your fiefdom overseas, you should uphold your aspirations before the spirit of the late Emperor. Why be so sorrowful and act like a child? Your Highness is an outstanding person, unparalleled throughout the ages. I imagine you are most unable to bear such parting."

Li Zhi was still in pain: "I know my father's earnest hopes for me, but I am so saddened that I don't know if I will have the chance to pay my respects to my father's spirit again in this life."

Li Yuanjia sighed and said no more.

Today's farewell is our final goodbye. I will never have the chance to return to the Central Plains of the Tang Dynasty, let alone come to Zhaoling to pay my respects.
Unless one day Li Zhi is able to lead an army to counterattack the Tang Dynasty and sweep back to Chang'an with unstoppable momentum... but that is impossible.

They couldn't even get past the naval challenge alone.

"Now that things have come to this, Your Highness should look forward. A great man does not necessarily need fine clothes and a life of luxury to stand between heaven and earth. Going overseas may be arduous, but the world is vast. With Your Highness's abilities, there is certainly much you can do. You can establish a great foundation, make unparalleled achievements, and still be respected and remembered in history."

"Then let's take Uncle's auspicious words as a sign..."

Li Zhi wiped away his tears and forced a smile: "I've made Uncle Wang laugh at me."

Li Yuanjia shook his head and said, "Your Highness is a man of deep feelings and true character, so why be coy? Emperor Taizong and Empress Wende would surely be pleased with Your Highness."

Li Zhi looked up and gazed deeply at the silhouettes of Emperor Taizong and Empress Wende, then kowtowed once more.

"Your unfilial son bids farewell to his parents!"

Then he got up, turned around, and strode away.

Crisp and neat.

Li Yuanjia also looked at the divine figure above and sighed softly, somewhat understanding why Emperor Taizong wanted to change the heir back then.

Judging solely from personal qualities, Prince Jin is intelligent, insightful, and decisive, making him indeed more suitable to be an emperor than the Crown Prince.

But for the country, for the ministers, and for the people, perhaps Li Chengqian was the better one...

……

Following the Sacred Way out of Zhaoling, Li Zhi arrived at the foot of the mountain, boarded a carriage, and did not return to Chang'an. Instead, he crossed the Wei River from Xianyang Bridge, walked along the riverbank, bypassed the ruins of Han Chang'an City and the outer wall of Daming Palace, and came directly to Ba Bridge in the east of Chang'an City.

He didn't even go to the palace to say goodbye to His Majesty...

Li Yuanjia quickly spurred his horse to catch up, and said with difficulty, "Why doesn't Your Highness go to the palace to bid farewell to His Majesty? His Majesty is kind and benevolent, and has shown you subtle care. It would be improper to leave without saying goodbye."

Li Zhi pursed his lips, his expression calm and his gaze resolute, urging his warhorse on without uttering a word.

Li Yuanjia had no choice but to understand Li Zhi's meaning.

I will immediately set sail to take up my fiefdom and cross the ocean. It will be a journey of 100,000 miles, and there will be no hope of returning to the Tang Dynasty. Why would I mention "not in accordance with propriety"?
who cares!
In the past two years, Li Zhi, who had been low-key, patient, humble and refined, finally returned to the Prince of Jin who had once boldly raised an army and stormed the palace when he was freed from his cage!

Rigid and upright, sharp and shrewd!
In the spring rain, Baqiao Bridge can be seen in the distance. The rows of willows along the embankment have sprouted tender green buds. The slender willow branches sway gently in the drizzle and breeze, and strings of raindrops fall.

Outside the pavilion at the bridgehead, countless carriages and horses gathered in a bustling and noisy place. Among them, a large apricot-yellow banner stood tall in the wind and rain, fluttering in the breeze, causing Li Zhi to subconsciously slow down his horse and squint his eyes slightly.

It's actually His Majesty who has arrived?
He had originally planned to leave without saying goodbye after paying his respects at Zhaoling, but he never expected that His Majesty would anticipate his actions and personally escort him out of the city...

For a moment, I had mixed feelings in my heart.

Moved, ashamed, indignant, unwilling...

Li Yuanjia rode forward two steps to ride alongside Li Zhi, reached out and grabbed his reins, and said in a low voice, "All land under heaven belongs to the emperor. Although Your Highness is stationed in a territory thousands of miles away, you are still a vassal of the Tang Dynasty and a subject of His Majesty. Your words and actions should be in accordance with propriety."

Li Zhi turned to look at this uncle, and without saying a word, nodded solemnly.

He naturally understood Li Yuanjia's good intentions. This was a reminder that even if he went to sea to take up his fiefdom, he would still have a navy to coordinate things. Although the island in the south was far from the emperor's reach, it was not a secluded paradise. There would be plenty of times in the future when he needed the Tang Dynasty's help. Why do something foolish for the sake of a moment of anger and cause difficulties in the future?

On a deeper level, it's a warning to him not to think that leaving Chang'an and the Tang Dynasty would make him completely safe.

While in Chang'an, one might need to cultivate an image of "generosity and benevolence" and thus be quite lenient, displaying brotherly affection and respect through an attitude of forgiveness. But once out at sea facing a perilous environment, it means there are no more scruples, and one can act at any time...

Li Zhi rode his horse to the pavilion, dismounted, and quickly walked into the pavilion. He saw Li Chengqian standing in the center, dressed in casual clothes, with all his other brothers and sisters present.

"I am here to see you, Your Majesty."

"No need for such formalities, Pheasant!"

Li Chengqian stepped forward and reached out to grasp his shoulders. Seeing him help up, he looked him up and down, patted his shoulder, and said with displeasure and reproach, "What, if I don't leave the palace to see you off, does Zhinu intend to leave without saying goodbye?"

Li Zhi was filled with shame, his voice choked with emotion: "It's not that my younger brother is ignorant, but he simply couldn't bear the pain of separation and only wanted to escape."

Upon hearing this, Princesses Chang Le, Nan Ping, Yu Zhang, Dong Yang, Qing He, and Gao Yang all had tears in their eyes. Princess Jin Yang even came to Li Zhi's side, hugged his arm, looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, and choked with sobs.

Li Zhi forced back his tears, patted her hand, wiped away her tears, and said softly, "If there is a chance in the future, I will ask my brother-in-law to send a ship to escort you to Tiannan Island to see me. Don't leave me there alone, lonely and helpless."

Princess Jinyang could no longer hold back and burst into tears along with Princess Chengyang, who had come close to her. The other princesses also couldn't help but shed tears. For a moment, the wind and rain swayed inside and outside the pavilion, and the sorrow of parting was palpable.

Li Zhi was indeed an extraordinary man. He suppressed the bitterness in his heart, broke free from the hands of Jin Yang and Cheng Yang, knelt down and kowtowed to Li Chengqian: "Your humble servant is going far away. May Your Majesty's might prevail throughout the world and live a long and prosperous life!"

Having said that, he stood up, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his loved ones in the pavilion, imprinting each face he was destined never to see again in his heart. Then he turned and strode out of the pavilion, leaping onto his warhorse and shouting, "Farewell!"

They rode ahead on horseback.

The remaining wives, concubines, servants, and personal guards quickly followed, their carriages and horses swarming across the Ba Bridge amidst the wind and rain...

Li Chengqian stood inside the pavilion with his hands behind his back, staring at the departing convoy. He remained silent and motionless for a long time until his vision was blurred by the rain and the convoy was no longer visible. Only then did he let out a soft breath.

Looking at his brothers and sisters beside him, he hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "I know that you probably harbor some resentment towards me, thinking that I am heartless and have driven away my brothers. But in my opinion, rather than being locked up in this cage of Chang'an, scheming against each other and killing one another, it would be better to let us go out and make a name for ourselves and achieve something great. That way, we wouldn't have lived in vain. Resentment or hatred, I still believe that this is the best fate for us brothers."

Having said that, he took the reins from Li Jingye after leaving the pavilion, mounted his horse, and galloped towards Chunming Gate amidst the wind and rain, surrounded by the "Hundred Cavalry" and the Imperial Guards.

The princes stood in the pavilion, looking at each other, and all sighed in unison...