The autumn weather was clear and bright, and the Cuiwei Palace was bathed in a soft glow of sunlight.
For older people, the mountain path leading up to Cuiwei Palace was still too rugged. But Emperor Li, now the Taishang Huang (retired emperor), would walk along this path every day, climbing up to gaze at the distant view, hoping to see Chang’an, which was not far from Cuiwei Palace, through the layers of verdant greenery.
On this particular day, Emperor Li took a nap after lunch. He didn’t wake up for a long time, and his attendants dared not disturb him. It wasn’t until Prince Tang, Li Yuanying, arrived that someone finally, and without any hesitation, went to wake him up.
Emperor Li opened his eyes, feeling completely disoriented.
He remembered being buried in the Zhao Mausoleum, floating above it every day, watching the world change. He had seen the rise of Wu Zhou, replacing the Li Dynasty. He had witnessed the An Lushan Rebellion, watched his descendants flee Chang’an like stray dogs, and seen the once prosperous Chang’an and Luoyang reduced to ashes by the hands of those of humble origins.
He often felt that he wasn’t a true Son of Heaven, that he didn’t possess the Mandate of Heaven. But during the Zhenguan era, he and Wei Zheng had constantly discussed how to govern the country well, how to ensure the long-lasting prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Seeing the incompetence of his descendants, witnessing their misfortunes, Emperor Li felt immense pain but was powerless to do anything.
Perhaps there was no dynasty that could prosper forever.
With the demise of the Li Tang dynasty, his soul was inexplicably swept away by a beam of light.
Then he woke up on this comfortable and soft bed.
Emperor Li surveyed the young man standing in front of the bed. Even though he hadn’t seen him for many years, he vaguely recognized him as his younger brother Li Yuanying, whom he had raised for many years.
He hadn’t seen his brother since Li Yuanying was sent to his fiefdom. He vaguely remembered that his brother was a long-lived individual with many descendants, several of whom were killed for their involvement in overthrowing Wu Zhou. He didn’t pay much attention to the rest.
Before he could speak, Li Yuanying exclaimed excitedly, “Brother, why are you still sleeping? We’ll be late! You know how hard it is to get rid of Old Wei. Come on, come on, let’s go to the back mountain!”
Emperor Li, without moving, allowed his attendants to help him dress. When he turned around, a bright mirror appeared before him. It was taller and wider than a person. Standing in front of it, his reflection was clearer than the purest lake in the world.
In the mirror, Emperor Li saw a white-haired old man. He could still faintly discern his own features in his eyes and nose. However, he wasn’t entirely certain, as he had never looked into a mirror this clear before, not even after the fall of the Tang Dynasty.
Judging by his white hair, he seemed quite long-lived.
Although Emperor Li was unsure what was happening, he followed Li Yuanying to the back mountain. From Li Yuanying’s nonstop chatter, he gradually understood what they were going to do. Li Yuanying had used his son to tie down Wei Zheng and made an appointment with him to do something on the back mountain that Wei Zheng would absolutely disapprove of!
When they arrived, they found people already waiting for them. Li Yuanying introduced the person in charge of the hot air balloon, saying that he was Li Junxian’s grandson, a young man with excellent martial skills and a high aptitude for invention. This hot air balloon was his invention. Today, the wind was just right, neither too strong nor too weak, perfect for them to go up and have a look. With the inventor controlling the hot air balloon, it was definitely safe!
When he heard Li Junxian’s name, Emperor Li became slightly absentminded. Once, during a banquet, they happened to mention their childhood nicknames. Li Junxian said his nickname was “Wu Niangzi.” After recalling Li Chunfeng’s prediction, Emperor Li found an excuse to have Li Junxian killed. Later, it was confirmed that Wu Zhou had indeed replaced the Li Tang dynasty, but the “Wu” wasn’t the “Wu” of “Wu Niangzi,” but the “Wu” of Wu Zetian!
Li Junxian had died unjustly.
Li Yuanying noticed Emperor Li’s distraction and pulled on his hand, saying, “Brother, you wouldn’t back out at the last minute, would you? I went through a lot of trouble to get rid of Old Wei!”
Emperor Li looked at his younger brother, who didn’t seem to have much respect for him. He felt a strange sense of helplessness, thinking, “What can I do? It’s my own fault for spoiling him.” He looked at the contraption Li Junxian’s grandson was tinkering with, a large, round cloth balloon on top and a large basket below that could accommodate several people.
Li Yuanying excitedly pulled him into the large basket.
As the hot air rose, the balloon became increasingly inflated and round, and the basket they were in slowly lifted off the ground. They were already on a mountain, and as the balloon rose higher and higher, their field of vision became increasingly wide. Emperor Li turned to look at the mountains, their color a vibrant green, with trees piled on top of each other, a breathtaking sight. Looking further into the distance, Chang’an City seemed less distant.
Li Yuanying handed him a pair of binoculars.
Emperor Li watched how Li Yuanying used this strange device and followed suit, lifting it to his eyes to look into the distance.
Chang’an City quickly came into clear view.
Compared to the city in his memory, Chang’an seemed larger and more prosperous. The rivers extending in all directions were filled with cargo ships and passenger boats carrying tourists. On the well-developed roads, ox carts, carriages, elephant carts, and camels from all over the country were bustling about. In the direction of Luoyang, he saw many exotic buildings. Inside, there were Tang people as well as many foreigners with different skin tones and hair colors, as if leaving Chang’an City would directly lead to other countries.
Yet, all these “small countries” were mixed together, appearing remarkably harmonious.
Emperor Li was deeply engrossed in observing the scene when he heard someone anxiously shouting from below, “Father, come down quickly!”
Looking down with his binoculars, Emperor Li suddenly saw a face that had caused him immense pain.
It was Li Chengqian, his eldest son. He had early on established Chengqian as Crown Prince, but Chengqian was instigated by others to rebel.
After the incident was exposed, he stripped Chengqian of his title and saved his life. Ultimately, however, he still had to see his son die. Although his third son, Chi Nu, was also a good son, the eldest child always held the most of his parents’ hopes and dreams.
The Chengqian before him was wearing a dragon robe, clearly the emperor. This meant he must have become the Taishang Huang.
How did he become the Taishang Huang?
Emperor Li’s mind raced with questions, but he couldn’t fathom what had happened. After all, the changes before him were too immense. He couldn’t imagine how everything had transpired.
Li Yuanying, however, didn’t notice Emperor Li’s unusual behavior. He was still having too much fun. But seeing Chengqian arrive, he didn’t want to continue causing trouble. He told Xiao Xiao Li, the boy controlling the balloon, to listen to Chengqian and bring the hot air balloon down. Li Yuanying sighed, “I thought I could avoid Old Wei, but I couldn’t avoid Chengqian. It will be hard to go up again next time!”
Emperor Li also felt a bit of regret. However, he wanted to get a good look at Chengqian and the Tang Dynasty before him, so he wasn’t too disappointed. After landing, Wei Zheng arrived. Though he was quite old, his hair completely white, he still had plenty of energy and immediately started to scold Li Yuanying and Emperor Li.
Li Yuanying was clearly used to it, taking the scolding with a serious expression.
Emperor Li listened intently. When Wei Zheng had passed away, he was heartbroken. Later, he had the stele he erected for Wei Zheng demolished and the Heng Mountain he promised to Wei Zheng’s son was given to someone else. He felt guilty towards Wei Zheng.
However, was Nascent Soul’s wife Wei Zheng’s granddaughter?
Emperor Li noticed that Li Yuanying had the most inconsistencies among everyone. He calmly accepted everyone’s advice, sincerely promising to never go on such a dangerous hot air balloon ride with Li Yuanying again. Then, he accompanied Chengqian and the others to the towering Teng Wang Pavilion for tea and conversation.
As a son, Li Chengqian couldn’t directly scold Li Yuanying like Wei Zheng did. He could only politely advise his father to avoid such risky behavior in the future.
Since becoming emperor, he had truly experienced the difficulties of being an emperor. He could no longer indulge in whims like he used to, organizing elephant and horse battles with Li Yuanying. Although Wei Zheng had retired, there were countless other Wei Zhengs in the court!
While advising his father, Li Chengqian felt that Emperor Li was somehow different today. He occasionally looked at him with a strange gaze, sometimes with a hint of scrutiny, sometimes with a hint of kindness. Having been on the throne for several years, Li Chengqian had become much more perceptive than before, and he soon realized something was amiss.
Li Chengqian considered for a moment, thinking that perhaps Emperor Li was unhappy because he had been brought down from the air so quickly.
No matter how much the father messed around, the son would always be the one in the wrong.
Li Chengqian simply stopped advising his father and turned his attention to Li Yuanying, who was being lectured by his eldest son.
Li Yuanying saw his nephew looking at him and hurriedly said, “Chengqian, don’t nag me. This little guy has been nagging me non-stop.”
He glanced at his two sons. The younger one was fine; he was just upset that his father had gone on a hot air balloon ride without him. The elder one, however, was not. His personality was like Old Wei’s, and he was as persistent as Old Wei when it came to lecturing people. He didn’t know how he had read so many books at such a young age, constantly quoting scriptures and trying to persuade his father to stop messing around.
Li Yuanying now just wanted his son to pass the imperial examinations and enter the court, so he could pester Li Chengqian instead!
Li Yuanying sighed, “When I was your age, I had already passed the imperial examinations. When will you two pass the exams and bring me some glory?”
The younger son resolutely refused, “I don’t want to pass the exams. It’s too tiring.”
The elder one had higher requirements, “I don’t think I’ve learned enough yet.”
In recent years, the academic atmosphere in the Tang Dynasty had flourished, with talented people emerging from everywhere. It was no longer as easy to pass the imperial examinations as it had been for Li Yuanying.
His older son felt that if he was going to take the exams, he not only wanted to pass, but also to get a good ranking. After all, his parents were both jinshi (successful candidates in the imperial examination), and he would be laughed at if he performed poorly! Besides, there were now girls who passed the imperial examinations every year. If he ended up with a lower ranking than his future wife, how could he face anyone?
Li Yuanying was helpless against his two sons and could only think of other ways to divert the topic. First, he talked to Li Chengqian about the latest news, then he asked Li Chengqian if there was anything particularly noteworthy in the court recently, gradually steering the conversation away from the hot air balloon incident.
Emperor Li also learned a lot from their conversation.
In recent years, the treasury had been overflowing, and the court had begun construction of the Daming Palace. It was originally intended as a summer retreat for the Taishang Huang, but he passed away before construction was completed.
After “he” abdicated, Li Chengqian immediately proposed building the Daming Palace to make it more comfortable for him to live in. Cuiwei Palace was still quite far from Chang’an, and Li Chengqian had to go back and forth himself or send people whenever he needed to consult him, which was very inconvenient.
Now, the Daming Palace had been built, and Li Chengqian had come to take him back to Chang’an. He also said that Li Chunfeng had indicated the day after tomorrow was an auspicious day, so they would leave for the palace tomorrow and could officially move into the Daming Palace.
Emperor Li had seen the Daming Palace before and didn’t find it particularly remarkable. He only remembered how it was consumed by fire.
Perhaps this time would be different?
After nightfall, Emperor Li fell asleep quickly. In his dream, he saw another “self.” This other self glared at him and said he had taken his opportunity to go on a hot air balloon ride.
He replied that he didn’t know how it had happened.
Perhaps he had too many regrets in his heart, and Heaven had sent him here to see a different Tang Dynasty.
Perhaps touched by his words, the two Li Er sat facing each other and sighed as they shared their experiences. Talking about the future of the Tang Dynasty, both felt a deep sense of sorrow.
The next day, the imperial procession returned to Chang’an. Emperor Li, now the Taishang Huang, suddenly felt like going on an incognito trip. He asked Li Yuanying to accompany him on a tour of the city. They went to see the bustling markets of Chang’an and the foreign exhibitions outside the city. They also went to see the young men, both his own and those of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Yuanying didn’t know why Emperor Li suddenly felt like going out to play, but even on streets he had walked countless times, he could find hundreds of different ways to have fun. He never got bored and took Emperor Li on a spree until the moon was high in the sky.
Chang’an had implemented a curfew, but the city was still brightly lit at night. Emperor Li walked along the street, seeming quite cheerful.
Before returning to the palace, Emperor Li suddenly raised his hand and touched Li Yuanying’s head, as if looking at his long-lost child.
After sending Emperor Li back to the palace, Li Yuanying returned to his own government office and couldn’t help but confide in Wei Jiu, “I feel like something is off about Brother today. When I was sending him back to the palace, he even touched my head.” Li Yuanying was a bit dissatisfied, “I’m so old, and he still touches my head, as if I’m a child!”
Wei Jiu ignored him.
She only found out after her son returned home that Li Yuanying had taken Emperor Li on a hot air balloon ride. She had planned to scold him today, but he had gone out to play with Emperor Li and had been gone all day.
Li Yuanying realized that Wei Jiu was angry and immediately began to make a sincere apology for his behavior, hoping for her leniency.
Every time he made a mess, Wei Jiu was powerless to stop him. She sighed helplessly, “You’re so old, and you still act like a child…”
The night breeze gently swept by, dispersing the intimate whispers in the room.
The author has something to say:
Little Prince: ? I still haven’t seen my daughter today.
Update!
There should be a few more side stories about the girls and the future!
Do you have any other side stories you’d like to see?
“Pranking the Three Kingdoms” will probably start in early July. If there aren’t any other side stories you’d like to see, I can finish writing this one and take a half-month break (bushi).
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