Ever since Li Zhi could remember, Li Yuanying had been putting on airs as his “Yu Shu” (younger uncle), constantly calling him “Chi Nu” (a nickname for Li Zhi) and rambling on.
Li Yuanying was incredibly assertive.
Whenever Li Yuanying and Gao Yang (Li Zhi’s sister) met, they would stare at each other with unwavering gazes, neither yielding, as if they were about to fight.
Eventually, they did fight.
Li Zhi felt sorry for their mother. Neither child was hers, yet both were stubborn and obstinate. He couldn’t choose sides. All he could do was reason with them, just like his mother patiently did.
Sadly, their mother passed away soon after.
Li Yuanying and Gao Yang made peace, but Li Yuanying persisted in playing the role of “Yu Shu.” He took Si Zi (Li Zhi’s younger sister) and the others around, always afraid they might get hurt. He had to follow them everywhere. He wasn’t there for the fun; he was there to protect his younger sisters!
Unbeknownst to them, Li Yuanying gradually became one of their closest companions.
Their father was always occupied with state affairs. Their elder sister was married. The Crown Prince and their fourth brother were busy with their own lives. Li Yuanying was the only one who spent time with them every day.
Li Zhi had to admit that when it came to having fun, Li Yuanying was unmatched.
They played together and grew up together. Before long, they reached the age when they were to be assigned their fiefdoms. Before Li Zhi could be granted his fiefdom, he had to marry. His wife was the daughter of the Wang Clan of Taiyuan, a renowned family. She was exceptional in every way. Before the wedding, Li Yuanying pulled Li Zhi aside and asked him in a hushed voice, “Do you like her?”
Li Zhi didn’t think there was any need to like her. Marriage, since ancient times, had been arranged by parents and matchmakers. How could they decide for themselves?
Li Yuanying refused to accept this. He said, “I have to marry someone I love. I can’t just do whatever my elder brother says.”
Li Yuanying’s way of thinking was different from everyone else’s. Who knew where he came up with all those outlandish ideas? Even when he found a fossil, he gave it a new name – “恐龙” (Konglong, literally “fearful dragon,” which later became the term for “dinosaur”). He even sold model versions of it.
Li Zhi found the models pointless. After he received a few sets from Li Yuanying, he took them apart in his fiefdom. He would spend a long time putting them together whenever he had free time. It took him several months to complete all the sets. It was such a time-consuming and tedious task.
He wasn’t fond of fiddling with these childish toys. He just thought that since they were a gift from Li Yuanying, he should at least assemble them.
Li Zhi thought that their lives would just continue like this, with both of them settling down in their respective fiefdoms, only occasionally exchanging news through letters. He lived peacefully in his fiefdom, raising a family for years. But then, he received an imperial edict summoning him back to the capital.
His wife’s elder brother, a Wang Clan member, secretly came to visit him. He told him that trouble had broken out in Chang’an (the capital). His eldest brother had been taken hostage by Hou Junji, forcing their father to act. The news angered their father greatly. Li Zhi noticed that his brother-in-law’s eyes had an unusual glint. He started seeing that same glint in the eyes of many people around him.
Li Zhi was easily influenced by others. He couldn’t help but waver.
He had never entertained thoughts of the throne, but what if his father offered it to him?
Li Zhi and his wife travelled back to Chang’an with anxious hearts.
At the city gate, their carriage met Li Tai’s (his fourth brother) carriage.
Li Zhi’s burgeoning hopes suddenly froze.
He remembered the time when he felt heartbroken about the rivalry between his fourth brother and eldest brother. He had truly mourned their broken brotherhood back then.
Now, how could he harbor such thoughts?
Li Zhi felt like he had been bewitched.
He quickly dismissed those thoughts and focused on helping Li Yuanying prepare for the International Expo.
At that moment, he had no idea that this would be the beginning of his arduous journey.
For the next decade and a half, he was either stuck in Chang’an, constantly receiving letters from his brothers who were sent out on missions, or assigned to remote and rugged areas like Shu (Sichuan) to oversee road construction and the International Expo.
Li Zhi thought this was the end of his struggles. Unexpectedly, his father called him in and asked for his opinion on Goguryeo. After that, he was put in charge of dealing with Goguryeo. He was first ordered to assist Xue Rengui and his troops in the campaign against Goguryeo. After Goguryeo was incorporated into the Tang Empire, his father still kept him in charge, seemingly confident in his abilities.
Li Zhi had no experience. He had to learn everything from scratch. Thankfully, he didn’t have to micromanage everything. He just had to make sure people were assigned the right tasks. He was able to manage somehow.
Li Zhi diligently and capably governed Goguryeo. After three years in office, he returned to Chang’an to report back.
His father was no longer on the throne. It was now his eldest brother who was Emperor. To his surprise, his brother trusted him greatly and even threw a banquet for him. The next day, he assigned him a new task.
His brother grabbed his hand and said, “Chi Nu, we are brothers from the same mother. The Tang Dynasty needs us to work together for a long-lasting peace.”
Li Zhi: “…”
He looked at his brother, trying to understand. He felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. His brother had been corrupted by Li Yuanying!
**Author’s Note:**
I’m not feeling well today. I think I’ve covered everything I needed to. It’s going to be short from now on.
I recommend a novel I’m putting up for preorder. It’s called “大国医” (Da Guo Yi, Great Physician). The author is 春溪笛晓 (Chunxi Dixiao). Does this pen name seem familiar? She’s a really prolific writer. She’s already written nearly a million words in this year, which isn’t even half over yet.
You can find her collection of preorder novels by simply clicking on her author name on the web or mobile version. If you’re using an app, just click somewhere in the middle of the text, and you’ll see an ellipsis “…” in the corner. Click it, and you’ll be taken to her author page where you can find the novel. Isn’t that convenient?
Since you’re here, you might as well bookmark her author page. That way, you’ll know when her next book is released. 40,000 people have already bookmarked her, so you know people have good taste. She really writes sweet and long stories!
Here’s the blurb:
**Da Guo Yi (Great Physician)**
Lu Ze, a medical intern, unexpectedly obtains a personal TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) guru. However, he only loves scalpels.
Ye Shengshou (the TCM guru): I can make you a master of TCM!
Lu Ze: Can you do surgery?
Ye Shengshou: I can teach you lost medical formulas!
Lu Ze: Can you do surgery?
Ye Shengshou: I can teach you lost acupuncture techniques!
Lu Ze: Can you do surgery?
Ye Shengshou: …
A year later, Lu Ze gave a lecture at his alma mater. After the lecture, many students came to talk to him.
A female student: Lu Senpai (Senior Lu), can I have your phone number?
Lu Ze: Sure. Your condition might require long-term treatment.
Female student: ?????????
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