Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 409 What? You think I did something wrong?

"Young master, you're finally back!"

As soon as Wen He stepped into the mansion, Zhou Fu rushed up to her, clutching a towel to wipe his sweat, his face full of anxiety.

But when he saw Qibi Heli following Wen He, he paused, a hint of puzzlement in his eyes.

Why did the young master bring back a half-grown child after going out?
But now is not the time to dwell on this, Zhou Fu quickly stepped forward and said in a low voice.

"The Sage has arrived! He's currently in the backyard with several young men; you'd better hurry over!"

"Come on, it's not like it's your first time here."

Wen He chuckled lightly, unconcerned, and reached out to smooth the wrinkles in her brocade robe.

"Xiao Langjun!"

Zhou Fu was so anxious that he stamped his feet and lowered his voice even further.

"Have you forgotten? When you left this morning, you specifically asked Liu... to have Li Liu clean the pigsty and feed the pigs! The Sage is in the backyard now, and he might have already seen it!"

Wen He certainly hadn't forgotten.

That kid Li Yin, if we don't teach him a lesson, he'll never know his place.

But he knew in his heart that since Li Shimin dared to send his son to him, he must have been mentally prepared. If he was really unhappy, he could have taken the man back. Why did he have to come all the way here?
He secretly grumbled to himself.

Do you really think my Gaoyang County Earl's Mansion is a reformation base for spoiled brats?

Isn't the idea simply to completely marginalize Li Ke and Li Tai, so that even if they have ambitions in the future, no courtier will dare to support them?

After all, with a teacher like him around, the noble families would only stay far away.

It was precisely because he understood this that he was willing to accept Li Yin.

It's just adding another person to the table, and incidentally finding a caretaker for the pigs in the backyard.

"Haven't you always wanted to see the Emperor of Tang?"

Wen He turned to look at Qi Bi He Li, who was still in a daze beside her, and spoke in a relaxed tone.

"You'll see him soon."

"His Majesty the Emperor is staying at your house?"

Qibi Heli's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with disbelief.

“I heard from my clansmen that the emperors of the Tang Dynasty lived in palaces, which were larger and more magnificent than the Khan’s tent on the grasslands. Why would they come to your house?”

Wen He chuckled and explained helplessly as she walked towards the backyard.

"Living in the palace for too long can get boring. It's good to come out for some fresh air. After all, even prisoners can't stay in jail forever. His Majesty can't stay in the palace all day reviewing memorials, can he?"

Qibi Heli nodded as if he understood, but muttered to himself inwardly.

It turns out that the emperors of the Tang Dynasty were similar to prisoners on the grasslands, and they even had to go out for fresh air.

This was not quite the emperor he had imagined.

As the two passed through a crescent-shaped gate carved with lotus scroll patterns, they heard a piercing wail from not far away, filled with deep grievance and accusation: "Father! You must stand up for me! That Wen He is inhuman!"

Zhou Fu, who was following behind, turned pale instantly. He quickly gave Wen He a meaningful look, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

Well, the Sixth Prince has directly complained to the Emperor in front of him!

Wen He simply smiled faintly, put her hands behind her back, and strode toward the source of the sound, her steps steady and without the slightest panic.

"The gentleman has arrived!"

A crisp sound rang out, and Wen He looked up, momentarily stunned.

It was Li Chengqian who spoke! Why is the Crown Prince here too? He turned to look at Zhou Fu, who immediately looked embarrassed, scratched his head, and whispered.

"Young master, I was in such a hurry that I forgot to tell you... His Highness the Crown Prince came with the Emperor."

Upon hearing the voice, Li Shimin slowly turned his head, his gaze calmly sweeping towards Wen He.

When he saw Qibi Heli beside Wen He, his slightly furrowed brows relaxed.

It seems that Wen He has gained a lot from this trip.

"Your humble servant Wen He greets Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince."

Wen He quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, her movements precise and her tone courteous.

Qibi Heli stood aside, staring blankly at the man in front of him, dressed in bright yellow casual clothes, with a heroic face and a dignified demeanor.

Is this the emperor of the Tang Dynasty?

It is even more imposing than the bravest warriors on the grasslands.

Li Shimin did not immediately respond to Wen He's greeting. Instead, his gaze swept back and forth between Wen He and Qibi Heli, as if he were sizing something up. He deliberately remained silent, and the scene became somewhat tense for a moment.

“Father, the gentleman is bowing.”

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Li Chengqian quickly whispered a reminder, fearing that his father and Wen He would have a conflict.

Li Shimin gave a light snort, his tone somewhat indifferent, and finally spoke: "Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Wen He straightened up, her expression calm.

"Aye!"

As soon as Wen He stood up, Li Yin rushed over impatiently, grabbed Li Shimin's sleeve, his eyes were red, and his face was covered in mud, making him look extremely disheveled.

"It's him! Wen He won't give me any food, and he makes me feed the pigs! That pigsty is filthy and smelly, and there are so many flies. Dad, look at my hands!"

As he spoke, he stretched out his right hand, which was indeed covered in dirt and had a shallow scratch, as if it had been scraped by the edge of a pig trough.

Wen He stood to the side, sighing inwardly.
He knew Li Yin wasn't smart, but he never expected him to be so naive.

If your father truly cared for you, he wouldn't have sent you here.

"Is this Qibi Heli?"

Li Shimin's gaze fell on Qibi Heli, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

That gaze seemed to carry a weight, making Qibi Heli's heart tighten. He forced himself to remain calm, placed his hands together in front of his chest, and bowed in accordance with grassland etiquette.

Before I came, my mother repeatedly told me that the Qibi tribe was living under the roof of others, and now they were like lambs that had lost their protection. When facing these shepherds, they must lower their proud heads.

"Qibi Heli greets His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty."

His voice was a little strained, but still quite steady.

As he straightened up, Wen He whispered a reminder: "This is His Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, Li Chengqian."

Qibi Heli raised her eyes and quickly glanced at Li Chengqian.
The Crown Prince was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a gentle face, and looked no different from ordinary noblemen. However, he had just clearly heard the Crown Prince address Wen He as "sir".

'Wen He is actually the tutor of the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty?'

This realization shocked Qibi Heli, and his eyes showed disbelief as he looked at Wen He.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and bow!"

Wen He glared at him, her tone urging him on.

Qibi Heli snapped out of his thoughts, gave a faint "Oh," and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"No gifts."

Li Chengqian waved his hand gently, his gaze sweeping over Qibi Heli from head to toe, his eyes full of curiosity.
This was the first time he had met the son of the chief of a grassland tribe, and he was naturally curious about how the other man differed from himself.

However, he knew the occasion was inappropriate, so he didn't ask any further questions.

Seeing this, Li Shimin spoke first, his tone softening somewhat.

"Having just arrived in Chang'an, are you settling in well? If there's anything lacking in the residence, or any inconvenience, please feel free to tell Wen He, or have someone report directly to the palace."

Qibi Heli kept his mother's teachings in mind and replied respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Everything is fine in the manor. The Earl of Wen County has also been very helpful, and there has been no inconvenience."

His answer was impeccable, expressing gratitude without revealing any dissatisfaction, which made Li Shimin nod in approval.

"Ah That's good."

Li Shimin nodded and turned to Wen He.

"Let's make sure Qibi Heli is settled first, and then we can discuss other matters later."

Wen He responded with a "Yes," then turned and handed the matter over to Zhou Fu, who was standing to the side: "Take He Li to the east courtyard."

Zhou Fu quickly agreed and led Qibi Heli to the backyard.

When Qibi Heli passed by Li Yin, he took a special look at this prince who was also "forced" to stay in the Wen residence, and felt a sense of sympathy for him.

After Qibi Heli left, Li Shimin said to Li Chengqian, Li Tai, Li Ke, Li You, and Li Yin, "You may all leave now. I have something to say to Wen He."

Upon hearing this, Li Yin's eyes lit up instantly, and he secretly felt smug.

It must be that Father wants to stand up for himself and teach Wenhe a lesson!
Before leaving, he deliberately turned around and gave Wen He a provocative look, as if to say, "You'll be punished soon."

Li Ke and Li Tai exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.

Li Yin, with his temperament, probably hasn't understood his father's thoughts yet. After bowing, the group withdrew from the main hall, leaving only Wen He and Li Shimin.

Once the footsteps had completely disappeared, Li Shimin finally couldn't hold back his expression and let out a soft snort, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.

"I sent Liu Lang here to learn some useful knowledge from you so that he could become a talented person in the future. But what you've done is send him to raise pigs!"

Wen He curled her lip dismissively: "Your Majesty, didn't Qingque raise pigs before? Raising pigs isn't shameful, it's better than letting him be lazy and good-for-nothing in the palace."

He paused, then said with a hint of grievance.

"Besides, you sent Li You here before without consulting me, and now you've suddenly sent Li Yin here. You've certainly saved yourself some trouble, but this place is practically a prince's care center. How can I manage all this by myself?"

"What? Do you think I've done something wrong?"

Li Shimin's eyes darkened as he stared at Wen He, his tone carrying a hint of pressure.

Wen He pursed her lips noncommittally, not answering directly, but her expression clearly showed that she thought Li Shimin was wrong.

Upon seeing this, Li Shimin abruptly raised his hand, as if to strike.

Wen He reacted extremely quickly, immediately dodging behind a pillar and shouting loudly.

“Your Majesty, please be reasonable! Did I say something wrong? Li Ke and Li Tai have historically threatened the position of Crown Prince. You sent them here to me so that I would keep an eye on them.”

“I understand that Li Youlai is here because he will later rebel, and you want to educate him in advance.”

"But what about Li Yin? At most, he was just a spoiled brat. In the end, he was only exiled to Bazhou because Li Ke was implicated by Changsun Wuji..."

"Hey! Your Majesty, calm down! Calm down! Put the broom down first!"

Before Wen He could finish speaking, Li Shimin grabbed a broom from the corner of the wall.

The broom was still covered in dry grass and dirt, clearly taken from near the pigsty in the backyard. Wen He felt a chill run down her spine and retreated several steps.

"Your Majesty! Let's talk this out! Using a broom is so unseemly!"

He's quick to speak again.

Li Shimin glared at Wen He, gritting his teeth for a long time, but in the end he could only sigh helplessly and throw the broom aside.

"I was worried that he would end up like that in the future, so I wanted him to learn some manners from you. If he can have the protection of the Crown Prince and you in the future, he might be able to escape a calamity."

His expression darkened, and his voice carried a hint of weariness.

He wanted all his sons to become Wen He's students.

In this way, these brothers formed a bond of kinship within the same sect.

With Wen He suppressing them in the future, they probably won't have any disloyal thoughts.

However, as long as it's not a rebellion, Gao Ming will not kill him out of consideration for the bond between the sect.

As for brotherhood?
If brothers can turn against each other, how much more so half-brothers?

"I don't think I can provide protection."

Wen He spoke the truth.

"Given Li Yin's character, he never learns from his mistakes. Even with the Crown Prince's protection, if he doesn't study hard, he'll get into trouble sooner or later. Even you said he's worse than a beast..."

"Snapped!"

Before Wen He could finish speaking, he received a slap on the back of the head. It turned out that Li Shimin had taken advantage of his distraction, quietly circled around behind him, and caught him off guard.

Wen He staggered from the blow, and almost instinctively shouted, "Li..."

"Li what?!"

Li Shimin's eyes widened instantly, his voice filled with disbelief and fury.

That brat actually called him by his surname!

Where did he get the audacity to do that?!
"Oh no! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I misspoke! I misrepresented something!"

Wen He immediately realized what she meant and quickly changed her words, waving her hands as she backed away.

"Please be magnanimous and don't hold it against me! I was just stunned by the beating and my mind isn't clear!"

"Holy crap, you're really hitting me!"

"If you hit me again, I'll hit you back!"

"Kick me gently!"

After an incense stick had burned, Wen He's wailing came from the main hall.

Li Shimin stood to the side, flexing his slightly sore wrists, his expression becoming much more relaxed.

Wen He sat on the ground, patting the footprints on her body, her face full of gloom.

All I did was almost call him Li Er.

He didn't say it out loud.

Why kick so hard?
After Li Shimin left, he was determined to vent his anger on Li Yin and make that kid feed two more pigs!

Li Shimin calmed down after his anger subsided, but still asked in a somewhat unfriendly tone.

"Did I really say that Liu Lang was 'worse than a beast'?"

Wen He rubbed his arm and said sullenly, "You haven't finished speaking yet. You said he's 'worse than beasts and iron stones,' because beasts and iron stones can be reformed, but he never changes his ways."

"History doesn't say he made any major mistakes. In the end, he was exiled to Bazhou by Changsun Wuji because of Li Ke's case, and he died not long after. But the good news is that Changsun Wuji died before him."

Upon hearing the name "Changsun Wuji," Li Shimin's expression instantly darkened, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. After a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"Auxiliary machine operator... is too suspicious."

Wen He felt that there was another meaning hidden in those words, but she didn't dare to ask any further questions.

Ancient people always spoke in roundabout ways, especially emperors. A simple sentence could contain countless calculations, so it was best for them to stay out of it.

"Oh, that's all."

Li Shimin shook his head, as if giving up arguing with Wen He, forcing himself to suppress the helplessness in his heart, and continued: "Now that Liu Lang is with you, I believe you can teach him well. As for what you said about being busy... I will give you half a year of rest. Apart from the duties of the Flying Fish Guard and the research and development of the gunpowder workshop, you can put everything else aside for the time being and concentrate on teaching them."

so generous?

Wen He's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with astonishment.

When did Li Er become so easy to talk to?
Before, it was harder to get him to mind his own business than to get him to eat less. Now he's actually voluntarily giving me a six-month vacation. The sun must have risen in the west.

He instinctively asked, "Your Majesty, is this paid leave?"

What is paid leave?

Li Shimin frowned and asked in confusion.

Wen He's lips curled up instantly, a sly glint in her eyes, as she explained.

"Will I receive a salary during my six-month vacation?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was taken aback at first, then glared at him with a wry smile.

You good-for-nothing, all you think about is money.

But he still nodded: "Yes, your salary will be paid as usual, and you won't be shortchanged on rewards."

"Then this humble subject thanks Your Majesty!"

Wen He immediately laughed loudly.

As long as he gets paid, he'd gladly accept any six-month break, or even teach a few more princes!
Seeing his money-grubbing expression, Li Shimin shook his head in annoyance, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Wen He fell for this, otherwise it would have been really difficult to appease him.

"Besides these matters, I have another important matter to discuss with you today..."

Just as Li Shimin was about to speak, a sudden burst of shouts and the clanging of objects broke the silence from outside.

Li Shimin frowned instantly and looked at Wen He.

"Is your Gaoyang County Earl's residence always this noisy?"

“If your precious sons don’t come, this place is very peaceful.”

Wen He rolled her eyes without any politeness.

Seeing that Li Shimin habitually raised his leg as if to kick, Wen He quickly quickened her pace and walked towards the door.

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment. Your humble servant will go and see who is causing this trouble!"

Just as Wen He walked out of the corridor.

They saw Zhou Fu jumping up and down anxiously not far away.

He seemed to have noticed Wen He as well, and hurriedly came forward, his face full of anxiety as he spoke.

"Young master, something terrible has happened! That Turk is fighting with several young masters."

(End of this chapter)