Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

In front of the gate of Chang'an City.

As a messenger arrived on horseback, it was reported that the emperor and the crown prince were less than thirty li away from Chang'an.

At this moment, the officials of the Tang Dynasty who had been waiting in front of the gates of Chang'an hurriedly began to tidy their clothes, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites began to prepare flags or other items to welcome the emperor.

Fang Xuanling tugged at Du Ruhui beside him.

"If His Majesty doesn't bring it up later, neither of us should divulge the matter of the imperial treasury. But if His Majesty does bring it up..."

Du Ruhui didn't need Fang Xuanling to say anything more, but he already nodded knowingly: "Don't worry, it's just for show. I'm quite skilled at it now. Anyway, at most we'll cry at the city gate. If His Majesty returns to the palace... hehe."

He was left in Chang'an by the emperor and worked at a high intensity every day, without a day off for six months in a row.

This has caused Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who now hold high positions of power in the Tang Dynasty, to harbor deep resentment.

As they whispered to each other, their tone was filled with schadenfreude about what the emperor was about to face.

"Father, why are you panicking?"

At His Majesty's repeated request, the carriage slowed down once again.

Li Chengqian crossed his arms and looked at his father, who was sitting uneasily as if he had a nail stuck in his buttocks, with a half-smile.

"Nonsense! Why would I panic? Why would I panic?"

"Then why did Father Emperor order the caravan to slow down?"

Li Er's face flushed red: "I'm worried that the carriage is going too fast and might hit the common people passing by!"

Li Chengqian's lips twitched slightly.

Such a ridiculous reason could only be conceived by Li Er, who was clearly somewhat flustered at the moment: the royal carriage.

Not to mention Li You, there were also princes and princesses like Li Yin and Chang Le among them. With the emperor, empress, and him as the crown prince, the six guards of the Eastern Palace and the Embroidered Uniform Guard dared not relax their vigilance in terms of security.

Let alone hitting some ordinary people, it's absolutely impossible to bump into a bird that just happens to fly by on this official road, or a hedgehog or rat that suddenly darts out.

Empress Zhangsun smiled as she looked at Li Shimin and his son Li Chengqian.

These days, the closer they get to Chang'an, the more Li Chengqian, as the son, tries to tell his father, Emperor Li Shimin, stories of fathers disciplining their sons.

His own husband, the emperor, couldn't do anything to him, the crown prince. Now, as Chang'an draws closer, he realizes that he can't do anything to the retired emperor either.

Even considering his advanced age, you still insisted on pulling him out to oversee the country for half a year, handling so many affairs of state without causing any trouble.

Faced with the Emperor Emeritus's reprimand, Li Shimin could only accept it respectfully.

Even... if the retired emperor were to use a riding whip to lash him.

Even Li Shimin couldn't think of a solution for the time being.

"Father, if all else fails, then rebel. With your strength, even if Grandpa is old and frail, even if he were possessed by ten Cheng Yaojins, and with the royal family's discipline, he still wouldn't be a match for you!"

Li Chengqian was giving him mischievous ideas from the side.

This prompted Li Er to glare at him again: "Do you think I'm like you, a rebellious son! Would I lay a hand on my own father?!"

Just as he finished speaking, Li Chengqian tilted his head back and bumped the back of his head against the carriage.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Hey, historian outside, take note! His Majesty the Emperor said that when you return to the palace, you must not fight back or talk back to the Retired Emperor!"

Outside the carriage, the historian sitting with Fan Qi on the front side of the carriage said, "..."

Even those who could serve as historians were first-rate experts in writing and recording, but when faced with the voice coming from inside the carriage, they were momentarily at a loss for words.

Li Shimin looked at his son, who was clearly ready to see him make a fool of himself, and couldn't help but glare angrily at Empress Zhangsun beside him.

"Guanyin's maid~"

Empress Zhangsun gently supported one cheek with her jade hand, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes as if dozing.

Li Chengqian's smile immediately became even more unrestrained.

"Gah gah gah... Father, you are the dignified General of the Heavenly Strategy, cheer up! So what if you haven't attended court for half a year? So what if you've been observing the people's conditions in Bingzhou for half a year?"

"What's wrong with that? Doesn't it just prove that Father Emperor loves his people like his own children?"

"My grandfather only deals with some documents, he's sheltered from the wind and rain, how can that compare to your hard work in the fields and wandering the streets?"

Li Chengqian wore a sly smile, his face revealing the treacherous and wicked nature of a national villain, which he portrayed vividly.

This caused Empress Zhangsun, who was dozing off, to open her eyes slightly.

Li Shimin: "...Hmph! That's my father, my very father. What do you think my father would do to me? You unfilial son, how dare you sow discord between me and the Emperor Emeritus..."

Emperor Taizong of Tang also bumped his head against the carriage behind him.

"Bang bang bang!"

"The historians outside, have recorded all the treacherous words the Crown Prince uttered. Once you return, make a copy and send it to the Censorate!"

The historian: "..."

I have read extensively in historical records, including many unofficial histories and miscellaneous accounts.

But the emperors and crown princes of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty were so abstract that the historians, who were bewildered by the names of the emperor, his ministers, and their sons, had truly never heard of such a thing before...

Beside him, Fan Qi winked and shook the reins with one hand while holding them tightly with the other.

He mouthed the words to the historian silently.

"His Highness the Crown Prince fought alongside His Majesty at Xuanwu Gate. If you don't remember, just pretend you didn't hear that..."

this day.

The emperor finally returned to his Great Tang Dynasty, Chang'an.

The officials also welcomed the Crown Prince, whom they had been longing for day and night.

"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress!"

"Your Highness, we respectfully welcome you! May Your Highness enjoy peace and well-being!"

Zheng Jiang, the head of the Zheng family of Xingyang and the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, is the minister under Zhang Gongjin, who is currently just going through the motions as the Minister of Rites.

Upon seeing Li Chengqian alight from the carriage, he immediately and without hesitation bowed to the emperor and empress.

They hurriedly came closer.

Li Chengqian smiled and waved his hand. Looking at the large group of officials in Chang'an, he immediately noticed the resentment they harbored towards Emperor Li Er, which they could not quite hide.

A slight smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He grabbed Zheng Jiang.

"Lord Zheng, my grandfather, the Emperor, did not come out to greet my father. What grand show is being prepared in the palace?"

Zheng Jiang was startled, and then instinctively glanced in the direction of Emperor Taizong of Tang.

When they saw that the other side was surrounded by Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Pei Ji, Xiao Yu and other old ministers, and had no time to pay attention to this side.

She hurriedly moved closer to Li Chengqian, covered her mouth, and lowered her voice, revealing a rare hint of excitement.

"Your Highness...that will surely be absolutely spectacular!"

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up: "How exactly is it so spectacular?"

Zheng Jiang coughed twice, barely managing to suppress his gleeful laughter.

"The Emperor Emeritus recently summoned Li Xiaogong, the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court..."

Zong Zhengqing?

Isn't that the department responsible for managing the daily affairs and property of the royal family and their relatives?

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Li Chengqian pointed sharply in the direction of the palace with a look of astonishment.

Zheng Jiang nodded.

The two exchanged a glance and instantly understood the key point.

Immediately, Li Chengqian couldn't help but gasp.

At this moment, looking at his father, who seemed to have gained a lot from his time in Bingzhou and had benefited greatly from understanding the people's conditions, he spoke eloquently to Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and others about what he had learned in the administration of Bingzhou.

We are still trying our best to make amends.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Father Emperor, may you have good fortune..."

As Emperor Taizong felt he had temporarily intimidated the officials who had come to his aid, he ordered the convoy to enter Chang'an and return to the palace.

Emperor Li Er, sitting in the carriage, felt a chill run down his spine from the sight of his Crown Prince staring at him with a strange smile.

Why do you look at me like that? Did Zheng Jiang say something to you?

Li Chengqian shook his head and smiled without saying a word.

Then, as the carriage traveled along Zhuque Avenue and officially entered the palace gates, Li Shimin immediately lifted the curtain and looked outside with alarm.

There was no angry figure as expected, nor any ambush.

however.

He had just breathed a sigh of relief and stepped off the carriage when it stopped in front of his Ganlu Palace.

But then, they were so shocked by the appearance of Ganlu Palace that they opened their mouths wide.

"Where are the windows of my Ganlu Palace?! No, wait..."

Li Shimin took two quick steps and lay down in the hall where the doors and windows had vanished, leaving the cold winter winds howling through it.

The entire hall was completely empty.

Not to mention the study desk, even the oil lamp, curtains, and dragon bed had all vanished without a trace.

Aside from the clean blue brick floor, the only other thing in the main hall that could be considered a decorative element was the painted pillar...

"Where is my Ganlu Palace?!" Li Shimin exclaimed in disbelief.

Just then, a eunuch who served the retired Emperor Li Yuan suddenly rushed over and respectfully bowed to the Empress and Consort Yang.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellencies... The Emperor Emeritus has decreed that he has been dreaming of Empress Dowager Dou in his dreams recently, saying that things are uneasy and cold there. He requests that Your Majesty and Your Excellencies accompany the Emperor Emeritus for the next five days to fast and pray for Empress Dowager Dou."

Li Chengqian shook his head, making clicking sounds.

He crossed his arms and walked over to his father, who was now completely stunned.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Father, if that's the case, won't you have nowhere to sleep tonight? How about I lend you a hand? Ten thousand strings of cash, and I'll let you stay at the East Palace for the night?"

In the Wude Hall, Li Yuan brandished his long sword amidst the empty hall.

A lone swordsman dances, his hair and beard flying wildly.

"Zheng!"

With a sudden thrust of his sword, and a sword hum, a teacup that had been used for half a year to drink ginseng tea was instantly knocked away by his sword.

With a loud thud, it smashed against the wall and shattered into pieces on the floor.

"My dear Erlang, I truly miss you dearly!"

"Go and convey my imperial decree: if the emperor has nowhere to rest tonight, why not come to my Wude Hall... so that I, the emperor, can have a good talk by candlelight!"