Long live Emperor Wu!

Chapter 90 Bad news

When Wu Rou heard the voice, she immediately woke up from her fantasy, put down her dazed hand, and stammered:

"Found it... No, no, not found."

Prince Li Shan did not ask her why she was panicking or stuttering. He just maintained the posture of holding the book with one hand, lowered his head deeply, and remained silent for a long time as if he was tired and weak.

After a while he said:

"Forget it, let's stop looking. I'll go find the bachelors at the Hongwen Hall ahead and ask. You can go back first."

After that, he walked straight out without looking back, and went downstairs without stopping, as if if he hesitated for just a moment, he would be swallowed up by the filth in his heart that he shouldn't have.

The Hongwen Pavilion of the previous dynasty was not a place where women in the harem could go.

Wu Rou stared blankly at his leaving figure and didn't move for a long time.

……

……

In September, the emperor's chariot finally arrived in Chang'an.

Prince Li Shan took all the civil and military officials along Zhuque Street to greet him at Mingde Gate in the outer city.

The royal chariot appeared in the distance, the flags in the team were swaying, and on the red background, the words Datang were fluttering in the wind.

In the Eastern Expedition to Goguryeo, most of the soldiers recruited from several state capitals near the northeast were recruited. After the troops were deployed, the various governors naturally brought them back to their respective state capitals.

The emperor took away not many Yulin military guards from the capital.

Even so, the troops coming off the battlefield, dusty and dusty, smelled like iron and blood, which was equally shocking.

The bell rang to welcome the Holy Emperor, and the Emperor got off the Emperor. He was still the same as before, but after not seeing him for a long time, Li Shan suddenly found that his father seemed much older than he remembered.

He was surprised, worried about his health in his heart, and bowed to salute. As soon as he bent down, the emperor gave him a bear hug and said:
"Xiaojiu, Aye misses you so much!"

If this bear hug was for his eldest brother, then according to the eldest brother's free and confident character in the past, he would definitely return the hug generously. The two of them patted each other on the back and smiled at each other like brothers.

He had seen this scene many times before, and he was very happy and relieved every time.

But when it was his turn, he felt a little embarrassed.

Although he is very happy, he has been unsmiling since he was a child, neither lively nor clear enough. Dignity and courtesy are synonymous with his behavior.

Now in full view of all the civil and military officials, being hugged by Aye was like a chicken being hugged by an eagle, a bit ridiculously reserved.

The emperor let go of him and couldn't help but feel disappointed when he saw the obvious discomfort in his eyes. The smile on his face was visibly smaller, but it was still very loving.

He reached out and pressed Li Shan's shoulder, sighed and said:
"Let Aye see if he has grown taller."

Li Shan's eyes were slightly moist and he said seriously:
"My son also misses my father very much... My father has been gone for half a year, and I can't tell even if he has grown up."

When the emperor heard this, he loosened his hand on his shoulders, looked at the civil and military officials behind him who came to greet him, and said with a smile: "Thank you for your hard work, everyone."

The ministers smiled one after another, bowed and replied in unison:
"Your Majesty has worked hard."

The emperor laughed "haha" and reached out to touch the back of his head. His thick eagle eyebrows and deep eyebrows were all easy-going and elegant. He seemed to have remembered the results of this personal expedition, and said a little embarrassedly:
"I'm getting old too. It's not like I used to. I can't accept my old age. Fortunately, the prince has been in charge of the country for half a year, and everything has been done properly. With the help of everyone, there have been no mistakes. I am very pleased that there is a successor to the Tang Dynasty."

Changsun Wuji hurriedly smiled and said: "The prince is gentle, diligent, open-minded and sensible. The courtiers all feel that the prince your majesty has chosen is not wrong. Your majesty is wise."

Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyes flashed with joy, and he reached out and pulled the prince, and the two of them walked up to the imperial chariot side by side, preparing to return to the palace together.

The emperor's chariot was extremely spacious. The two of them got into the chariot while chatting and laughing. The emperor asked him:

"Xiaojiu, Aye doesn't have to worry about anything else. I wrote a letter to chat with the imperial concubine a few days ago. She said that you have been unable to decide on the person for the crown princess. Why?"

When Prince Li Shan heard this, the image of Wu Rou reaching out to his back flashed in his mind, and he felt sad for a while, but he was quickly driven out and said:
"I don't care if I have no idea. Please let the father and the imperial concubine make a decision."

The emperor sighed and said:

"Your mother and I have a deep relationship, and I hope that your brothers can be like us, especially you. You are too good. I'm afraid that you will marry someone you don't like and suffer every day."

When the emperor said the last few words, his tone increased, and he was obviously very worried.

Prince Li Shan thought for a while and understood his father's feelings for him. In order to reassure him, he said:

"Then let's take Mrs. Wang. She has a decisive temper and can make up for her son and ministers."

The emperor thought about it after hearing this. He seemed to think that his son's answer was different from what he expected, but he didn't say anything. He said:
"Okay, let's go back and ask the concubine to recruit her, and she will be married to the palace next spring."

Prince Li Shan's face paled for a moment, and he lowered his eyebrows, but he soon drove out this emotion.

He turned the topic to what he was concerned about, the emperor's body, and the father and son went to talk about other things.

……

……

In October, bad news came from Qianzhou that the deposed prince Li Chengqian had died.

It took their whole family half a month to travel from Chang'an to Qianzhou, where they lived in a small courtyard arranged by the local government.

If it is said that the sky is huge on the road, and there are scenes everywhere that the prince in the palace has never seen before, he is still a little attached to it.

When he arrived in Qianzhou and stayed in that remote and small common people's courtyard, Li Chengqian's world began to collapse rapidly.

He was born in the Chengqian Hall of the Taiji Palace and became a prince at the age of eight. His father was loving and his mother loved him, and he was surrounded by noble people since childhood. Even though the desolate little courtyard was already much better than that of a truly poor family, it was still a big deal for him. Said, there are still two worlds.

A world that is bright and majestic, with all the nations coming to court, and there are all the manifestations of the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

Another world, remote and desolate, dusty everywhere, lonely...still lonely.

Many times, when he woke up from the magnificent dreams that he was used to, he would often doubt everything about himself, whether he was born in Chang'an, whether he had such a great father, and whether he really had such a great father. He is a prince that the whole world looks up to.

Everything is really like a magnificent dream.

He has no Aye, no brothers, and no sisters. He just woke up from the dream now.

He was a man with nothing and a disability.

So he died quietly in melancholy.

The news was reported by the local governor, and was sent to Chang'an City along with the memorial. It was then sent to the emperor's desk with trepidation. The emperor stared at the handwriting on the memorial for a long time, unable to believe that it was true.

(End of this chapter)