Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

( ) April, Chang'an.

Inside the magnificent palace in the city, a middle-aged man sat high above, his face flushed red and then turning blue, and shouted, "Li Daozong, how dare you!"

“Every word I have said is true!”

"Every word is true?! You're telling me there are people in this world who are invulnerable to swords and spears and can fight against ten thousand men? Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?!" Li Shimin was furious as he looked at Li Daozong's stubborn refusal to admit his mistake.

“Your Majesty does not trust me, but would thousands of armored soldiers and other craftsmen and servants deceive Your Majesty? Besides, Your Majesty, why don’t you take a look at these things before making a decision?” Li Daozong did not even raise his eyebrows, clapped his hands a few times, and several eunuchs walked in carrying several boxes.

"Fine! Let's see what else you have to say to fool me!"

Li Daozong took the box, opened one of the boxes, and a huge human head was revealed!

"Your Majesty, who is this person?"

When Li Shimin saw the head, he frowned slightly, feeling that it looked somewhat familiar. He examined it closely, but when he clearly saw the appearance of the head, he was startled and said with doubt, "This...this is the Tibetan king?!"

At this moment, the other boxes were opened one by one, revealing heads with braided hair and rosy cheeks. Li Shimin looked at them one by one, and several of them seemed familiar. Finally, his eyes settled on a box containing the head that belonged to the Tibetan ambassador, Lu Dongzan.

On Lu Dongzan's head, two eyes were wide open, looking extremely terrified, as if he had encountered some kind of demon or monster!

Li Shimin was very familiar with Lu Dongzan and knew that he had the composure to remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before his eyes. But seeing his expression, he was shocked and said: I wonder what happened to make him so surprised and fearful before his death!

He examined each of the heads in the box. Then he stared intently at Li Daozong, noticing the exceptional clarity in Li Daozong's eyes, and began to believe him to some extent. In truth, if Li Daozong's words hadn't been so unbelievable, Li Shimin would likely have believed him long ago. After all, such a momentous event, under the watchful eyes of so many, couldn't be kept secret for long!

Although Li Shimin was unwilling to believe that such a powerful figure existed in the world, he had no choice but to believe it at this moment. His expression changed several times before he finally said to Li Daozong, "What do you think of that person? Is he suitable for use?"

"In my opinion, that person is not the kind of person who can submit to others," Li Daozong said with a wry smile.

Upon hearing Li Daozong's words, a sharp glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes, startling Li Daozong. He hurriedly said, "This man is carefree and indifferent to fame and fortune. If we use force, I'm afraid... Moreover, by now, the Li family members have probably already left Chang'an City."

Li Shimin glanced at Li Daozong, his eyes revealing undisguised sharpness, and said, "I have my own plan for this matter. You may leave now, my dear minister!"

Li Daozong sighed inwardly. Without saying anything more, he bowed and withdrew.

Soon after, an armored general entered the hall.

Li Shimin looked at the general before him and said, "You shall lead five thousand Thousand Bull Guards and quickly head south to pursue the Li family..." Watching the general's departing figure, he sighed, "Such an extraordinary man. It's a pity he's not mine. I only hope he won't become a scourge to my Great Tang!"

Not long after, a monk hurried in.

Li Shimin's heart tightened, and he asked, "What urgent matter is there in such a hurry?!"

The eunuch replied in a shrill voice, "His Majesty previously ordered the search for a man named Wang Erlang in the military camp. I just arrived at the camp and met a general who mentioned this matter. However, it turns out that the man deserted a month ago with a battalion of soldiers!"

"Bang!" Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "How dare you!! Investigate all those involved thoroughly!"

The eunuch's expression froze for a moment, then he said softly, "The general said that the entire battalion of soldiers, along with their families, have all disappeared!"

Li Shimin's face turned ashen. By this point, how could he not know who had done this? In the entire Tang Dynasty, only one person had such audacity! Even those self-important aristocratic families dared not directly provoke him!

"What a cunning Li Dalang! Little did I know that such a tiger was hiding in my very city of Chang'an!"

At this moment, the Zhou family was surrounded by a group of armored soldiers. The Zhou family servants trembled, afraid to move. The Zhou patriarch paced back and forth in the main hall, thinking about the Li family's move from Chang'an. He deeply regretted not agreeing to move with them, and cursed Li Dalang in his heart, thinking: "What terrible disaster have you committed to warrant thousands of guards blocking our door?! Now look what's happened, you've caused trouble and just walked away, leaving my Zhou family in misery!"

In truth, Li Xingzhi had his own considerations. In his view, Li Shimin wouldn't dare to punish the Zhou family unless he, the culprit, was caught. Moreover, he might even have to treat the Zhou family well, lest Li Xingzhi cause trouble again if something happened to them…

……

To the south lies a vast lake called Dongting. Small hills rise from the smooth, mirror-like green lake, like giant green snails floating on the water.

In the water, there is a small island, about one kilometer in circumference. The island is covered with towering green trees, and the water flows gently, with countless migratory birds, including cranes, flying leisurely by. Hidden among the green trees are rows of simple and elegant houses.

It was midday, the weather was getting hot, and the occasional chirping of cicadas could be heard. Inside the house, apart from the quiet breathing of people, there was complete silence.

Just then, a house creaked open, and a woman in red stepped out, walking along the path. After a while, the mist gradually rose, the terrain flattened, and a clear, emerald-green surface of water became visible. Many tender, round lotus leaves floated on the water, like carpets. Beside the water stood a pavilion.

The woman walked into the pavilion, looked around, and saw a large tree jutting out from the island, its dense shade reflected on the lake. Under the shade, a small boat drifted gently. A young man, barefoot, dressed in soft hemp clothing and wearing a straw hat, lay on the boat.

A mischievous glint appeared in the woman's eyes. She took off her shoes, pushed off with her feet, and burst out of the pavilion. She stomped on the water several times, then used her strength to step onto the edge of the small boat.

The small boat was already very light, and it couldn't withstand her stomp. Instantly, the entire boat lurched on the water, tilted, and flipped over in mid-air. It looked like it was about to capsize on the water! But the person inside had somehow woken up. Seeing this, they remained calm and composed, their back pressed against the boat, one hand gripping their straw hat, and the other hand forcefully slapping the water's surface. The reaction force of the water then flipped the boat back over.

Li Xingzhi looked up and saw a girl sitting on a tree branch with a smug smile on her face. Just as he was about to speak, a small boat with a black awning sailed to a small dock next to the water pavilion.

Li Xing slapped his hand forward, and the small boat shot off like an arrow toward the waterside pavilion! Ignoring the girl's anger, he went ashore. There he saw a middle-aged scholar disembarking from the boat.

The middle-aged scholar came down and said, "Young master, this time you... sigh."

"Could something have happened at the inn?" Li Xingzhi raised an eyebrow and asked.

"It's not just the inn! Even the library has been sealed off by those barbarian soldiers!" After all, it was the culmination of many years of hard work, and Wang Xiucai couldn't help but feel heartbroken at the mess.

"They're all sealed off? So be it. You can rest for a few years; you'll have plenty to do later. Have all the other matters been resolved?" Li Xingzhi said.

Wang Xiucai didn't take Li Xingzhi's words to heart, thinking he was just trying to comfort him, and added, "But the library in Tanzhou City is still there..."

……

In the fifteenth year of the Zhenguan era, Empress Zhangsun's eaves fell, and the Emperor was deeply grieved. Following this, the Crown Prince was exiled, and the Prince of Wei was moved far away, leaving only a young son by his side. Then, three campaigns against Goguryeo failed. From this point on, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, gradually declined, distancing himself from state affairs and indulging in extravagance within the palace.

……

In the twenty-second year of the Zhenguan era, a figure drifted into the inner palace.

A young girl with a delicate, phoenix-like neck and arched eyebrows was resting under a tree. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling her and quietly woke up to see a young man standing there gracefully. Startled, she suddenly giggled and said, "So it's big brother who came to see me!" as if she were not surprised at all.

Oh, you remember me?

"Of course I remember you, big brother." The girl smiled sweetly, her charm naturally radiating. "May I ask what brings you here, big brother?"

Li Xingzhi laughed and said, "It's nothing. I just caused someone a little trouble, and by the way, I'm doing you a favor so I can see you again in the future. I wonder if my little sister would like to accept this favor from her brother?"

The young girl's eyes sparkled with allure as she giggled sweetly, "I'm so happy, how could I dare refuse?"

……

After a secret record (prophecy) circulated in Chang'an for three generations, the female ruler, King Wu, came to rule the world.

Li Shimin asked Li Chunfeng, "Is what the 'Secret Records' says true?"

Li Chunfeng said, "The mandate of Heaven cannot be defied by man. It only leads to the killing of many innocent people."

Li Shimin harbored suspicions. At that time, there was a general named Li Junxian. One day at a banquet, the generals played a drinking game using their nicknames. Li Junxian introduced himself as "Fifth Sister." Li Shimin was shocked and exclaimed, "What kind of woman is this, so brave!" Because all of Li Junxian's fiefdoms contained the character "武" (wu, meaning martial/military), he deeply resented him and later had him killed!

……

In the twenty-fourth year of the Zhenguan era, Gaoyang became increasingly arrogant and indulged in an affair with Bianji. Emperor Taizong was furious and wanted to have Bianji beheaded in the marketplace.

Princess Gaoyang sent a message to the south, and soon after, a giant crane landed in the princess's residence.

The princess knelt down and said sadly, "It was indeed wrong of me to meet with Bianji. But I have always regarded Brother Li as my elder brother. I beg you, brother, to save his life for my sake."

Li Xingzhi sighed deeply. He had only assumed that Gao Yang was as recorded in official history, but he never expected her to have such a devoted side.

That night, both Gao Yang and Bianji disappeared from the capital.

Emperor Taizong was furious, vomited blood, collapsed to the ground, and his health gradually declined.

In the same year, Emperor Taizong passed away, and Li Zhi succeeded to the throne, changing the era name to Yonghui.

In the fourth year of the Yonghui era, Fang Yi'ai was executed for plotting a rebellion. Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, who had long been at odds with Emperor Daozong, submitted a memorial stating that Emperor Daozong had connections with Fang Yi'ai, and were exiled to Xiangzhou.

According to official historical records: He died of illness on the way.

On a boat on Dongting Lake, a middle-aged man with a long, beautiful beard suddenly appeared, brewing tea and wine, and fishing while wearing a straw hat in the drizzle...

In 690 AD, the Wu Zhou dynasty replaced the Li dynasty. Wu Zetian used the Shandong gentry to suppress the Longxi nobles who opposed her rule, while secretly promoting scholars from humble backgrounds! She established the Longmen Pavilion, enabling poor scholars throughout the land to access education. The power of the aristocratic families was fundamentally weakened. Although their influence remained significant, it was no longer what it once was.

In the first year of the Chang'an era, in spring, a baby was born in Dongting Lake. At that time, the pear trees on the mountains were full of white blossoms, and someone, on a whim, named him: Li Bai.

……

I don't know how, but it suddenly ended. Writing the words "ending" made me feel an emptiness in my heart, and a sudden sense of relief.

I'm a little tired.

A book, six or seven hundred thousand words—it may not seem like much, but it's a lot for me. I've never written so much before!

This book was started unprepared, written with a head full of enthusiasm. Then various things happened, causing errors in the writing process. Coupled with the immaturity of my first time writing a book, it has many flaws. But I really have no intention of revising it.

I will continue writing books in the future; it's my hobby. However, I'll probably save up several hundred thousand or even millions of manuscripts before uploading them. That way, I won't encounter any problems.

Finally, thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. A special thank you to "轮回", "reamaker", and my first fan whom I haven't met yet, "黑夜2002", as well as "我如此想", "紫莲玄心", and other friends. I also thank all the other friends whose names I haven't mentioned or who have supported me silently. Please forgive me for not being able to name everyone, especially some of you who use letters or numbers—your presence is really weak!

Lastly, I want to say that I was actually thinking of getting a perfect attendance record this month, but I didn't expect it to end so quickly.

Actually, I've been wanting to ask why I can't log in to my two Qidian accounts normally. Every time I try, it's through the book review section. *cries* (To be continued.)

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