The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 313

Li Shimin nodded. He was determined to cultivate Prince Xu Tian. If Xu Tian was willing to listen to him, he could become regent after a few years of training in the officialdom.

Li Er couldn't help but recall the secret message Yuan Tiangang had given him yesterday: the imperial star was dim, but if someone surnamed Xu could assist him, then the foundation of his Tang Dynasty could be passed down steadily for three generations.

Seeing Xu Tian standing quietly below with his hands at his sides, Li Shimin recalled the friendship between the two and softened his expression, saying, "Your Highness, I hope you understand that the relationships between court officials are different from those between teachers. Do you understand my good intentions?"

"I had no intention of going to the west to develop the country ahead of schedule, but since Your Majesty has brought it up, then I will go."

Seeing that Xu Tian agreed so easily, and considering that Xu Tian had always known about him, Li Shimin felt a little reluctant, and then coughed lightly.

"If Prince Rui does not wish to go, then I will send someone else."

The court was immediately thrown into an uproar, as no one expected the emperor to go back on his word in public. But who dared to stand up and criticize the emperor? Tang Jian's face turned red and then pale.

The civil officials had thought he had suppressed Prince Rui and were giving him a thumbs up in their hearts. Some of the lower-ranking officials were even preparing to join the Ministry of Rites and rely on Tang Jian as their backer. However, they did not expect the emperor to change his mind so quickly and immediately gave up the idea of ​​joining Tang Jian.

Xu Tian cursed inwardly, "Does it have to be so sentimental?" He immediately stepped forward and knelt on the ground, his expression resolute, like a general about to die.

“The Emperor has given the order, and when the Emperor commands a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. Although the West is difficult, the Emperor has already told me that we must overcome difficulties! As a subject, I must be willing to sacrifice myself for the Emperor and give my life for the eternal foundation of our Great Tang Dynasty.”

Li Er was immediately moved to tears. He looked at his virtuous brother Xu Tian, ​​who was different from the good-for-nothings in the court.

Li Shimin immediately stepped down from the dragon throne, causing another uproar among the ministers. They had never seen the emperor personally see someone off before. Now, before the court session had even ended, the emperor was holding Prince Rui's hand, looking so reluctant to part. Even if these ministers had ten or eight times the courage, they wouldn't dare to offend Prince Rui.

Everyone was waiting to see Tang Jian, the Minister of Rites, make a fool of himself, thinking he could frame Prince Rui.

Little did they know that they had handed this murder weapon to Prince Rui. When their heads would roll was entirely up to Prince Rui.

Strangely, after waiting for a long time, everyone saw Xu Tian and the Emperor holding hands, their eyes filled with tears.

The court officials waited for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and then they saw that Prince Rui was obviously impatient, but the Emperor was still holding his hand reluctantly, clearly regretting it.

Reluctant to exile Prince Rui to the west, the court fell silent for a moment.

“Your Highness, I just spoke carelessly. I didn’t really want you to go to that remote place to suffer. I was wrong.”

"Your Majesty, I am also reluctant to part with you, but you should let go now."

Now he's reluctant to part with it, but where was he before? When Xu Tian returned to the mansion, he didn't forget to bring Dongfang Tingyun and the steward with him. Then, Eunuch Kou brought over a box of silver notes.

Eunuch Kou's lips twitched: "The prince left in a hurry, and the emperor didn't even have time to give instructions. He only packed a portion of the silver notes."

Xu Tian nodded, thinking to himself that if Li Er truly considered him a brother, he would definitely put on a more elaborate act.

Eunuch Kou said, "A full one million taels. Your Highness, please be careful on your journey."

Xu Tian simply nodded, then set off with his steward carrying a box of silver notes. Sitting on the oxcart, Xu Tian opened a map of the Tang Dynasty. Along the way, they changed their route from Chang'an to Luoyang, then from Luoyang to Yinshan, and finally traveled south along the Yellow River to Dunhuang.