The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 2 "Human Fat"

Back then, Li Shimin killed many of the remnants of the Eastern Palace and probably buried them on the spot, becoming "human fertilizer", so the soil of the Eastern Palace was very fertile.

Emperors all like to kill people, so when the emperor wields the butcher knife, from a certain perspective, they may no longer be "people" at that time, but have become remnants, traitors, thieves, and other things.

It's just killing something, so there's not so much guilt.

Ning'er walked beside the prince, half a step behind His Highness. As she was the head of the Eastern Palace, she was naturally closest to His Highness. If His Highness fell or bumped into something here, he would be blamed for the crime.

The two palace maids walked in front of the prince. They would use their feet to help his highness take a step ahead to make sure there were no stones or potholes ahead.

Li Chengqian put his hands in his sleeves, his neck touching the wool at the collar of his cloak. He suddenly stopped and looked at a palace.

"How far have I walked?"

Ning Er said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has walked three hundred steps and just left the East Palace."

Li Chengqian looked at a large hall in the distance. Is that the Taiji Hall?

Ning'er looked at His Highness's back and thought to herself: I'm just one step away from leaving the East Palace.

Then, His Highness raised one foot and was about to step forward. Ning'er's heart was in her throat, but then His Highness took his foot back.

Then he walked back quickly and returned to the hall.

When I went back, it was still three hundred steps, but the pace was even faster.

Walking back into the hall, I heard a faint, "Well, the walk is over."

The palace maids inside and outside the palace were speechless for a while.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince walked back into the palace and continued reading a book, which was "Qimin Yaoshu". Ever since his condition improved, His Royal Highness could not put the book down and had read it several times.

"Qimin Yaoshu" mainly records contents such as agriculture, livestock raising, and brewing. This book has been passed down since the Northern Wei Dynasty.

There are many books in the Eastern Palace, but the prince prefers this one.

Ning'er was afraid that His Highness would feel cold, so she often went to test the temperature of the heater. If she felt cold sitting next to the prince, then His Highness must also feel cold.

When you get closer, you can hear His Highness's gentle breathing. Ning'er also tied up her long hair to prevent it from touching His Highness.

Serving so carefully is a necessary task for Ning'er on a daily basis, because the Queen has instructed her to do so, so she has to be attentive to every detail.

Even if His Highness feels cold again now, she will take off her coat and keep Him warm.

Guanzhong is very cold after the snow, and every gust of wind makes people shiver uncontrollably.

Li Chengqian put down the book, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of hot water, thinking to himself that the king is the boat and the people are the water. For thousands of years, the ancients have clearly explained the importance of the mass line.

So the current emperor, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, is his father. What is this emperor thinking now?

As a crown prince, he had to ascend the throne and become emperor, but being a crown prince in the Tang Dynasty was extremely risky. For example, his predecessor Li Jiancheng had become a "fat man" among the people.

Furthermore, if he had to face the open and secret struggles in the court, the support of the court that he needed as the crown prince would be equally important.

In some ways, as an emperor, I might, perhaps, probably should be wiser than him?
Then I have to gain the support of more people and seize power from my father. Does this count as treason?

Or, according to the records in history books, Li Chengqian rebelled and usurped the throne, and finally became a "fat man".

Or should he just lie down and let Li Tai jump up and down, and finally let him seize the throne? Wouldn't that just make him fat?

If he continued to struggle like this, Li Chengqian felt like he was going crazy.

What a barbaric and unreasonable world this is. How does it feel when a person is driven crazy by the whole world?

Haha, this feeling should be very pleasant.

Li Chengqian suddenly smiled and whispered, "It's a very complicated question."

Hearing His Highness's distressed complaint, Ning'er asked, "If Your Highness has any questions about the book, you can ask Confucius."

"Are you talking about Kong Yingda?"

Ning Er quickly added: "Perhaps others can do it, too."

The other palace maidens looked stern. From just one or two words from His Highness, they could get the message: Does His Highness dislike Master Kong Yingda?
In fact, Li Chengqian didn't think so at all. He just asked casually. The prince also wanted to maintain his mystery, so he should keep silent if he could. Otherwise, if the prince was replaced by a cat, he would become a fat man.

With his chin supported by one hand, Li Chengqian planned to take a nap while listening to the whistling wind outside the hall.

In my dream, I was back in front of the hospital. The road in front of the hospital was always congested with cars, and the sounds of shouting and sirens mixed together, making people so anxious that they wanted to destroy the world.

Li Qian wore a three-layer mask and held a hot water bottle as he hurried downstairs to buy a pack of toilet paper.

"You are so handsome, young man."

Hearing this, Li Qian stopped and confirmed that there was no one around and that the old man was indeed talking to him.

"Come here." He waved his calloused hands and greeted in Guanzhong dialect.

Li Qian walked forward with a stern face because he was in a bad mood. The evil boss didn't even sell toilet paper for one dollar a pack.

The old man stroked his beard and said, "Wait, you look a lot like an old friend."

He was a street vendor with pieces of jade placed on a cloth spread out on the ground. Normally, security guards would come and drive the vendor away in such a situation.

However, inside and outside the hospital, there are always a few familiar-looking vendors who can set up stalls here.

Li Qian needs to stay in the hospital for 25 days every month, which means he gets intravenous drips on the first two days of the week, is observed on the next two days, and has blood tests on the next two days. If the situation is good, he can go home on the last day.

I grew up like this and lived to the age of twenty.

So he is more familiar with the situation inside and outside the hospital than the doctors. "Is this how you usually sell jade? I don't have the money to buy your jade."

"Hahaha, do you think a certain family values ​​money?"

The old man spoke in a strange way. He took out a piece of jade and said, "My child, you and I are destined to be together. This piece of jade is for you."

The jade looks very warm.

Li Qian was reluctant to take things from outsiders at first. He walked with his head held high, holding the hand warmers in his hands. Then he changed his mind and somehow, the jade came into his hands.

When I returned to the ward, I felt sleepy as soon as I lay down.

After waking up, he became the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, and Li Qian became Li Chengqian. Although he still had a weak body, at least he was much stronger than in his previous life. It felt good to not be afraid of the cold, so he wanted to walk into the heavy snow.

When I opened my eyes again, the quaint building was still in front of me, and the gurgling sound of water boiling came from the kettle on the stove.

My parents and brothers and sisters from my previous life no longer have to save money for my medical expenses.

That's good too.

A maid brought a scroll of bamboo slips and bowed, saying, "The monk at Shengguang Temple said that Popo was grateful for the bean sprouts Your Highness had given him. He would use Your Highness's name to teach the residents of Chang'an how to grow bean sprouts in the winter at Shengguang Temple, so that the people of Guanzhong could have an extra dish and eat bean sprouts in the winter."

"I cannot thank Your Highness on behalf of the whole world, but I wish to name it Zhenguan Dish to express my gratitude to Your Highness and to remember this day. I hope Your Highness will approve it."

Li Chengqian poured himself another bowl of boiling water, "Bean sprouts are just bean sprouts, why should we..."

Halfway through his words, he suddenly realized that bean sprouts might be known to everyone in Chang'an, so he stopped talking.

The maid continued, "This is the scripture sent by Popo. It is said that Xuanzang often read it before he left the retreat. Perhaps Your Highness will also gain some insights."

Li Chengqian looked at the bamboo slips in silence.

This Indian monk first tricked Xuanzang into leaving the country and traveling west, and now he wants to trick me.

Popo often talked about his hometown, India, but he was not very good at deceiving people, otherwise Xuanzang would not be the only one willing to travel west to bring his scriptures to the Tang Dynasty.

"Hehe..." Li Chengqian smiled faintly, looking at the accumulated black mud on the edge of the scripture, and said slowly: "Put it on my bookshelf."

"Here."

Li Chengqian added: "Put it on the top layer."

The maid brought a stool and only by standing on it could one reach the top shelf of the bookshelf.

In fact, bean sprouts are edible, but they are not considered a formal dish now. This is because the Eastern Palace is too poor. They are so poor that they need to use some soybeans to grow bean sprouts to make a living.

I read books for a whole day, catching up on the knowledge needed by the cultural people of the Tang Dynasty.

In fact, I also loved reading in my previous life. For a patient, reading is a good choice to pass the time.

After the Indian monk left the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian felt much more comfortable with everything here.

Looking at the limited amount of charcoal and heating wood left in the East Palace, I felt a little worried.

The night enveloped the world. A group of maids watched the charcoal burning in the stove as they took it into the prince's bedroom.

Li Chengqian sat on the edge of the bed with his hands in his pockets. His fourteen-year-old face was still childish and he had a conflicted look on his face.

The charcoal bestowed by Ganlu Temple was only enough for me to keep warm for one night.

Ning Er was like an older sister, taking care of the prince's daily life. She whispered, "I will make the bed for His Highness."

Li Chengqian was still sitting on the edge of the bed, with no intention of moving away.

Ning Er frowned, looking somewhat curious, and asked again: "Your Highness, don't you want to rest yet?"

"Let them all go to sleep in the palace."

"Huh?" Ning'er was very surprised, and her eyes became more serious.

"The heavy snow just stopped this morning and is melting now. It will be freezing cold tonight."

"Yes, it will be very cold tonight." Ning'er nodded and replied, "If Your Highness can't sleep well, I can put the stove closer and let them take turns watching it at night to prevent Your Highness from getting burned."

Li Chengqian continued, "My intention is to let them rest in the palace, and sleep around the stove."

After saying that, Li Chengqian turned over and lay down on the bed.

Seeing this, Ning'er covered her mouth and smiled. She was already old enough to understand the world, and thought that His Highness was indeed just a child and didn't understand anything yet.

From the conversation between His Highness and the Indian monk, Ning'er actually understood everything and knew the deep meaning behind it. Moreover, His Highness is a kind-hearted child. The girls in the East Palace are so blessed. They will be more loyal to His Highness because they are grateful for his kindness.

This is nothing. Since entering the Eastern Palace, Ning'er has been willing to treat His Highness as her own relative or brother, and has been teaching him how to treat others and deal with things for five years.

It would be better if all the other girls in the East Palace were like me.

His Highness was young and ignorant before, but now he has experienced a serious illness and his mind has matured a lot overnight. His Highness has also begun to think about himself.

His Highness's consideration is not about the father-son relationship of the royal family, nor is it about the behavior of being the crown prince, but only about what is good for himself.

As the female official in charge of the Eastern Palace, she felt inexplicably gratified.

It seems that from now on, Your Highness will need more loyal people around him.

She was about to give the order when she heard another voice from the couch, "Don't shut the window."

Ning Er bowed again to His Highness's back, "Yes."

(End of this chapter)