The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 122 A Mental Illness? (Seeking monthly votes!!! Seeking subscriptions!!!)

His world consisted only of the Eastern Palace, his father's joys and sorrows, the threats from his brothers, and his own disability and anger.

Li Yichen opened a window for him, allowing him to see a broader and more complex world, full of suffering and injustice, but also containing infinite possibilities.

That world needs an emperor to govern it.

But emperors, besides power and fear, seem to have other pursuits as well.

Why did he want to become emperor?
Is it merely to avoid death?

Or... could it be to do something?
He looked at Li Yichen, his eyes slowly regaining their energy.

But it was no longer the exhilaration driven by power struggles and fear, but a calm, heavy, and thoughtful light.

He was still exhausted; the huge emotional ups and downs had taken a toll on his energy.

But his brain was racing, trying to process this disruptive shock.

"I..." He opened his mouth, his voice still hoarse, but much calmer.

"I... need to think about this carefully."

Seeing the renewed light in his eyes, Li Yichen knew that the seed had been planted.

Whether it can take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree still requires time and more guidance.

But at least, Li Chengqian was no longer just a prisoner driven by fate and fear.

"Your Highness's ability to think this way is the most difficult step you have taken."

Li Yichen bowed slightly.

"Defying fate is not something that can be accomplished in a day. First and foremost, one must have the will, then the will to act. With a settled mind, one's direction will be clear; with steadfast action, one can achieve anything."

"There's still plenty of time; we can think things through and discuss them at our own pace."

Li Chengqian nodded slowly and said nothing more.

He leaned against the brocade cushion and closed his eyes, but his slightly trembling eyelids showed that his heart was far from calm.

Li Yichen quietly left the side hall.

Outside the palace, the moonlight was cold and clear.

He took a deep breath of the cool air, feeling the slight sweat seeping from his back.

The conversation just now, though seemingly calm, was actually fraught with danger.

If Li Chengqian's delusions cannot be shattered in one fell swoop and he cannot be guided in a new direction, the consequences will be unimaginable.

He looked up at the starry sky, feeling uncertain.

Instilling ideals and beliefs may sound noble, but in the brutal struggle for imperial power, it may be a more dangerous gamble than political maneuvering.

But he had no choice.

Only by finding a goal that transcends personal life, death, and lust for power can Li Chengqian possibly forge a different path under the pressure of Li Shimin and the covetousness of various forces, and thus secure a glimmer of hope for his survival.

Just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), with only a sliver of light on the horizon, the imperial city of Chang'an was still immersed in the tranquility before dawn.

A series of hurried and panicked footsteps shattered the tranquility of the Eastern Palace. Soon after, news that Crown Prince Li Chengqian had suddenly fallen ill last night, suffering from a persistent high fever and delirium, spread like a stone thrown into a still lake, quickly creating ripples throughout the palace and reaching the Liangyi Hall at top speed.

Li Shimin had just gotten up and was washing and grooming himself with the help of palace maids when he heard this news. His hand holding the towel and comb paused in mid-air for a moment.

His brows furrowed suddenly, his face revealing little emotion, but Wang De, the eunuch who knew him well, keenly sensed that His Majesty's aura had become heavy and somber in an instant.

"When did this happen? What were the symptoms? Who was on duty at the Imperial Medical Bureau?"

Li Shimin's voice was steady, but a series of questions revealed his inner turmoil.

The palace eunuch who came to report knelt on the ground, his voice trembling.

"Your Majesty, His Highness began to feel unwell around midnight last night. At first, he just tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, but around 1 AM, he suddenly developed a high fever, sweated profusely, and seemed to be muttering in his sleep. Physicians Zhang and Qin from the Imperial Medical Bureau came to examine him overnight and are currently administering acupuncture and medicine."

Li Shimin asked no more questions, waved to dismiss the palace servants, and hurriedly headed to the East Palace with only Wang De and a few personal guards.

The morning breeze carried a chill, fluttering the hem of his dark robe. His strides were large and hurried, and Wang De almost had to jog to keep up.

Upon entering the East Palace Chengen Hall, a strong aroma of medicinal herbs wafts towards you.

The palace was brightly lit with candles, and the palace maids and eunuchs all held their breath and lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.

Two imperial physicians were kneeling before the prince's bed, their foreheads covered in sweat, clearly having been busy all night.

Li Chengqian lay in the brocade quilt, his face flushed, his lips chapped, and his breathing rapid and heavy.

His eyes were tightly closed, and his eyelashes trembled violently from time to time, as if he were trapped in a very unsettling dream.

Occasionally, he would utter a few indistinct murmurs from his throat. Upon closer listening, they seemed to contain fragmented words such as "why," "the world," and "the people," but most of them were indistinguishable, chaotic sounds.

Li Shimin walked to the bedside and leaned down to gaze at his eldest son.

He reached out and touched Li Chengqian's burning forehead; the intense heat made his brows furrow even more.

He didn't ask any questions immediately, but stood quietly, his eyes sharp, carefully observing Li Chengqian's every subtle expression and movement.

"How is the situation?" After a long while, Li Shimin straightened up, turned to the two imperial physicians, and asked in a low voice.

The imperial physician, Physician Zhang, quickly kowtowed and replied cautiously.

"Your Majesty, His Highness's illness came on suddenly. The pathogenic heat invaded the body, disturbing his mind and causing him to have a high fever and delirium. We have already used silver needles to reduce the heat and administered decoctions, but... the fever has not yet subsided significantly."

"The cause of the illness?" Li Shimin uttered two words.

Physician Zhang exchanged a glance with Physician Qin beside him, hesitated slightly, but finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"Your Majesty, His Highness's pulse is floating and rapid with a hint of hesitancy, which may be due to an external cold, but... judging from his condition, his mind is not focused, and he is sometimes delirious, which seems... seems to be a sign of internal heat and excessive worry."

"This illness may not be entirely caused by external pathogens, but may be related to... a mental illness."

"A mental illness?" Li Shimin's gaze suddenly sharpened, fixing on Physician Zhang's face like that of a hawk.

"The Crown Prince has been busy with the development of bonds in Xizhou recently. Although he is busy, things are going smoothly. Why is he worried?"

He was genuinely puzzled.

Just yesterday, the Crown Prince was in the Xiande Hall discussing the final details of the bond issuance with his officials. Although he looked a little tired, he was in good spirits, and one could even sense a suppressed excitement belonging to a controller in his conversation.

How could one night become so worried that one falls ill and even become bedridden?
What about the "mastermind" behind him who could devise strategies, foresee the future, and manipulate events?

Are we just going to sit idly by and watch the Crown Prince do this?
Or is it that even that "expert" is helpless?

Li Shimin's gaze returned to Li Chengqian's face.

At this moment, Li Chengqian seemed to quiet down a little and stopped muttering, but his brows were still furrowed, as if he was under tremendous mental pressure.

His eyes also gave people a strange feeling—not completely unfocused or absent-minded, but something seemed to be struggling to gather behind that chaos.

Something heavy, unlike the pure anger, rebellion, or fleeting excitement of the past, was struggling to break through the soil.

Li Shimin couldn't understand it; he had never seen this expression on his eldest son's face before.

"Who was the last person to see the Crown Prince when I was away?" Li Shimin's voice broke the silence in the hall, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

The head eunuch in charge of taking care of the crown prince's daily life hurriedly knelt down a few steps and presented a list.

"Your Majesty, last night His Highness was reading in a side hall. Around 7:45 PM, he summoned his study companion Li Yichen and several officials. After that, His Highness rested until midnight when he felt unwell."

Li Shimin's gaze swept over the few names on the list, finally lingering for a moment on the name "Li Yichen".

He remembered the name. The secret report mentioned a member of a collateral branch of the Li family in Longxi. His background was clear, but his past was mediocre. He had already removed him from the list of suspects.

But at this sensitive moment, when the crown prince suddenly fell ill, the reappearance of this name stirred something within him.

"Issue my decree," Li Shimin ordered, his tone calm and even, "From yesterday until this morning, all those who have had contact with the Crown Prince shall proceed to the side hall in turn to await questioning."

"Also, summon Li Chunfeng to the palace."

He did not go to the side hall immediately, but remained in Chengen Hall, watching the imperial physicians change the prince's dressings and administer acupuncture.

Li Chengqian's condition seems to have stabilized temporarily, but his high fever has not subsided and his consciousness remains clouded.

Li Shimin sat on the couch beside the couch, his fingers unconsciously stroking the jade pendant at his waist, his deep eyes filled with turbulent thoughts.

The Crown Prince has changed too much and too quickly lately, from being eccentric and tyrannical to being calm and receptive to advice, to offering bonds and jade salt, and even the "heavenly dog ​​divination" coming true. Each and every one of these things exudes an unusual aura.

Now, at this crucial juncture when the bonds are about to be issued, the Crown Prince has suddenly collapsed due to "heart disease." Is there something else going on behind this?

Is that "expert" among the last few people who met the Crown Prince?
What exactly did he say or do to the Crown Prince?
About an incense stick later, Wang De quietly reported that Li Chunfeng had arrived, and the person to be questioned was already waiting outside for the imperial decree.

Li Shimin then got up, took one last look at Li Chengqian on his sickbed, and turned to walk towards the side hall.

The atmosphere inside the side hall was somber.

The number of officials, guards, and eunuchs summoned was only seven or eight. They all stood with their hands at their sides, looking uneasy.

Li Shimin entered the hall and sat down in the main seat. Li Chunfeng stood quietly to his side, dressed in a Taoist robe, with a thin face and a calm gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall.

The questioning began.

Li Shimin's questions were simple: what was the Crown Prince's expression like when he met him yesterday? Was there anything unusual? What did they talk about?

His tone was calm, yet it carried an imposing air.

The first person to be questioned was a guard on duty.

He nervously recalled that when he saw the Crown Prince yesterday, the Crown Prince seemed somewhat absent-minded, his steps were slower than usual, and his gaze... seemed to be searching for something, or waiting for something.

Next came a palace maid who served tea.

She said that His Highness was sitting at his desk at the time, and even when the tea got cold, he didn't ask anyone to replace it. He was just staring blankly at the shadow of the pillar, his eyes somewhat vacant, which was completely different from his usual focused demeanor when reviewing documents.

Following them were two low-ranking officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices responsible for delivering documents.

Their accounts differ slightly.

One person felt that when the Crown Prince received them, although he seemed a little tired, his mind was clear, he answered fluently, and there was nothing obviously wrong with him.

The other person vaguely sensed that during the intervals between listening to the reports, the Crown Prince's gaze would occasionally drift outside the hall, carrying an indescribable solemnity, as if he were pondering an extremely important issue, to the point that he seemed somewhat... distracted.

These descriptions are fragmented and vague, but when pieced together, they outline an image of the crown prince that is different from his usual self.

A person who is troubled by some deep thoughts, restless, and even somewhat confused.

Li Shimin listened expressionlessly, his gaze occasionally meeting that of Li Chunfeng beside him.

Li Chunfeng shook his head slightly, indicating that he had not detected anything unusual or consistent with the characteristics of a "master" from these people's words or complexion.

"Announce, Li Yichen." Li Shimin's voice rang out.

Li Yichen responded and walked in from outside the hall, his steps steady and his posture respectful.

Dressed in a blue robe for a tutor, he walked a few steps away from the emperor, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a clear and steady voice.

"Your subject, Li Yichen, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities." Li Shimin sized him up.

He was a very young man, with a face that still retained some of his childishness. His behavior conformed to the norms of an ordinary low-ranking official, and he showed no signs of being unconventional or having a hidden talent.

"I ask you, yesterday at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), you entered the Eastern Palace to accompany the Crown Prince in his studies. What was the Crown Prince's state at that time? What did you talk about with him?"

Li Shimin's problem was no different from the previous ones.

Li Yichen stood up, still bowing his head slightly, and replied respectfully.

“Your Majesty, yesterday I entered the palace to accompany Your Highness in your studies as usual. Your Highness seemed weary at the time. After I presented you with the books, Your Highness did not open them immediately as usual, but sat quietly for a while.”

He paused slightly, as if recalling something, then continued.
"Your Highness, at that time, your brows were deeply furrowed, as if you were troubled by some problem and your mind was elsewhere. As for what you were thinking about, I... I really don't know. During my time accompanying Your Highness, I saw that Your Highness's expression was strange, but I dared not say anything more."

His answer was clear and logical, and his tone was sincere.

And he limited his role to that of an ordinary reading companion who was dutiful and dared not overstep any boundaries.

This vaguely matches the descriptions given by the previous people.

As Li Yichen answered, Li Chunfeng's gaze also fell on him.

At first, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, as if he sensed some extremely faint and elusive fluctuation of energy. That fluctuation was not the usual official or noble aura, but carried a quietness and aloofness that was out of place with the others in the hall.

However, when he focused his attention on it, the feeling vanished like smoke.

The young man before me had a calm demeanor, an ordinary official career, and an unremarkable destiny. There was nothing extraordinary about him, nor any indication that he could be associated with "divine insight" or "a genius of governance."

Li Chunfeng shook his head slightly in his heart, attributing it to his momentary misperception or the disordered Qi in the Eastern Palace due to the Crown Prince's illness.

Li Shimin stared at Li Yichen, trying to find even the slightest flaw in his calm face and submissive demeanor.

But he failed.

The young man's answer was impeccable, his emotions completely calm, as if what he said was the whole truth of what had happened the night before.

"Ah."

Li Shimin gave a noncommittal reply and waved his hand.

Li Yichen bowed respectfully and steadily withdrew from the side hall, showing no sign of anything amiss from beginning to end.

Afterwards, Li Shimin briefly questioned the last two eunuchs responsible for turning off the lights and closing the door. The answers he received were similar to those before, except that the Crown Prince was sitting alone with a solemn expression, seemingly preoccupied with something on his mind.

After all the questions were answered, everyone in the hall was dismissed.

Only Li Shimin and Li Chunfeng remained in the side hall.

"how?"

Li Shimin looked at Li Chunfeng with a deep gaze.

"Did you notice anything?"

(End of this chapter)