Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

"Your Highness, shall we return to the palace?"

Xiao Shunzi asked from outside the carriage.

"Go to Da'an Palace."

Li Chengqian leaned back on the cushion and rubbed his temples.

The carriage drove all the way into Da'an Palace.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of Taiji Palace, this place appears exceptionally quiet.

As soon as Li Chengqian stepped through the moon gate in the back garden, he heard a sarcastic, cold snort.

"Oh, isn't this our Crown Prince who has returned from the destruction of his kingdom? What brings you to this old man's place?"

Li Yuan was lying in a rocking chair basking in the sun, with two pretty palace maids massaging his legs beside him.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian immediately understood.

I've been back in Chang'an for three days now, busy putting on a show in the court, busy filing a complaint at the Lizheng Hall, and busy dealing with Changsun Wuji.

They forgot about their own grandfather.

The old man is finding fault with this.

He quickly moved closer with a fawning expression.

"Grandpa, I just finished dealing with some troublesome matters outside. Please don't take it to heart."

Li Yuan glanced at him but ignored him.

Li Chengqian quickly waved to the palace maids beside him, signaling them to step back.

He personally massaged Li Yuan's legs.

"Grandpa, when I was in Liaodong, I thought of you every day. Look how thin I've gotten."

"You've lost weight?"

Li Yuan sneered.

"I see your skin has grown quite thick. In the Taiji Hall, you used a feigned retreat to almost embarrass your father. You played that trick quite well."

Li Chengqian chuckled:

"Isn't that all thanks to Grandfather's excellent teaching?"

Stop flattering me.

Li Yuan sat up, looked Li Chengqian up and down, and asked,

"Speak, what brings you to me?"

"There's really nothing else, I just came to see you."

Li Chengqian hurriedly shouted outside,

"Xiao Shunzi, quickly bring in the gifts I brought for Grandfather."

Xiao Shunzi, accompanied by several eunuchs, carried in two boxes.

When the box was opened, it was filled with dazzling jewels.

"Grandpa, look."

Li Chengqian pointed to the contents of the box.

"This is a thousand-year-old blood ginseng from the Goguryeo royal palace, this is the luminous pearl worn by the Queen of Baekje, and these are some pieces of top-quality warm jade. As soon as I got them, I thought of sending them to you."

Li Yuan glanced at the treasure in the box, and his expression softened slightly.

"At least you have some conscience."

Li Yuan snorted, casually picked up a piece of warm jade and played with it in his hand.

"However, I have seen plenty of these pieces of scrap metal when I was conquering the world."

"You've amassed so many benefits in Liaodong, and you think you can fool me with this little bit?"

Li Chengqian hurriedly continued:

"Grandpa, these are all public knowledge."

"Your grandson has left you a private stash of one million strings of cash in Liaodong. Once the money exchange there is established, I'll open an account for you, and you can spend it however you like."

Li Yuan couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, alright, stop trying to sweet-talk me."

Li Yuan waved his hand, signaling Xiao Shunzi to carry the box away, then pointed to the stone bench beside him.

"Please sit down."

Li Chengqian quickly and obediently sat down.

After taking a sip of tea, Li Yuan suddenly looked at Li Chengqian very seriously and asked:

"Are you ready to follow in your father's footsteps, you little brat?"

The smile on Li Chengqian's face froze instantly.

He looked at Li Yuan, his mind racing.

Following in Dad's footsteps?

The Xuanwu Gate Incident?

What did the old man see?

"Grandpa, I don't understand what you're saying."

Li Chengqian began to feign ignorance.

Li Yuan reached out and poked him on the forehead.

"Keep pretending! Keep pretending for me."

Do you think I spend all my time in this Da'an Palace just loafing around and waiting to die? Do you think I know nothing about the petty affairs of the court, or what you've been up to in Liaodong?

Li Chengqian didn't dare to reply.

Li Yuan continued:

"Do you really think I'll be as foolish as those idiots and be fooled by your excuse of finding a scapegoat regarding Qin Qiong's matter?"

Li Chengqian's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

He thought he had done everything perfectly in Qin Qiong's case.

Even his father was fooled, so how did Li Yuan know?

"Grandpa, Uncle Qin really..."

"Shut up!"

Li Yuan interrupted him impatiently.

"Do you really think I'm senile? I know Qin Shubao's temper better than you do."

If he were truly dying, he would never hide at home and avoid everyone; he would have made a scene throughout Chang'an long ago, paving the way for his son.

Furthermore, leaving Qin Qiong and Du Ruhui in Liaodong is itself a huge flaw.

Your dad was blinded by his own involvement and got caught up in your elaborate schemes.

I saw everything clearly from the side.

Li Chengqian was completely speechless.

He realized he had seriously underestimated the political wisdom of the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

How come he didn't realize how powerful his imperial grandfather was in his previous life?

"Did you really think you could hide those little tricks you pulled in Liaodong from everyone? If I hadn't cleaned up your mess, the matter of Du Ruhui and Qin Qiong would already be on your father's desk."

Li Yuan stared into Li Chengqian's eyes and asked, word by word.

"Are you leaving yourself a way out? Or are you preparing the resources for a rebellion?"