Speaking of which, was Crown Prince Li Zheng's life good or bad?
In fact, it was very difficult to generalize.
He was the son of the Empress of the Long An's previous Emperor. He was the son of the first wife and not the eldest. He had an ambitious older brother. According to common sense, when he grew up, it was very likely that he would walk the path of fighting for favor with his older brother and fight to the death to protect the crown prince.
The Crown Prince's natural disposition was gentle and quiet. His gentleness came from his grandfather, and his serenity came from his mother. Neither of them were good role models for a ruler. His Empress Mother was worried and sick. Her family did not have much power. She herself was not ambitious and did not have a backbone. She was very similar to the Emperor of the Long An, Li Feng's temperament.
She had been given the title of Empress Dowager. However, after being given the title, she was useless. Compared to Consort Lu and the First Prince's line, no matter how one looked at it, she would be cannon fodder material in the future.
But fate was always unpredictable. When the little Crown Prince Li Zheng was only six or seven years old, peace was broken and the country was in chaos.
As for those difficult years of war, Li Zheng, who was deep in the palace, did not have a direct impression of it. He only remembered that year's rations were exceptionally small. In the early summer of that year, the capital was as hot as a boiler. Purple steam rose from the western sky. Inside and outside the palace walls, people were in a state of panic. The palace maids and eunuchs who went in and out of the palace did not have the slightest trace of a smile. They were all trembling with fear and came and went hurriedly. His Imperial Father had not seen him for several days. The little Crown Prince was detained by his sickly mother's side. When he dreamed in the middle of the night, he could always hear the palace maids lowering their voices to report what was happening outside.
The Crown Prince was too young and did not understand what the adults were saying. However, he remembered that this topic was always accompanied by his Empress Mother's low sobs.
Later, as the young Crown Prince grew up little by little and began to understand the world around him, the situation in Daliang also improved little by little. Later, the situation in the court changed. Consort Lu's clique, which had been eyeing covetously, scattered overnight. Lu was convicted of rebellion. Consort Lu was demoted and banished to the Cold Palace. The First Prince was also unable to recover from this setback.
During that period of time, the Eastern Palace seemed to have suddenly become a piece of delicious cake. For the first time, the Crown Prince unconsciously felt the rise and fall of power like a tide, but he didn't like it. The sage book of the Grand Tutor School didn't have time to talk about these dirty things, and he already felt uneasy beyond his age due to some kind of innate sensitivity. He always felt that the rise and fall of power meant turmoil. One time it was as busy as a marketplace, the next it was deserted.
The Emperor Long An did not have many children. The First Prince's power was weak. The Third Prince's mother's family was lowly, and he was young. Everyone thought that Crown Prince Li Zheng was the noblest heir to the throne in Daliang. Before he had this illusion like everyone else, he saw his father die in the chaos with his own eyes.
That day, the Crown Prince held Fourth Uncle's hand in the chaos. In his heart, he still thought of himself as a child and used the eyes of a child to see the truth of power.
For Daliang, it was the new Emperor ascending the throne. It was the beginning of a new era and new policies.
For the Crown Prince, who was deep in the Palace, the entire world seemed to have changed.
The empress was weak by nature. She always urged him to please Fourth Uncle because the lives of the widow and the orphan were hanging on Fourth Uncle's conscience and promise. The officials could not say for sure how long he would be the Crown Prince and how long he would be able to live in the Palace where he had grown up.
Li Zheng used to like to be close to Fourth Uncle, Li Min. However, at that time, he felt great pressure when facing Fourth Uncle. The originally friendly and knowledgeable Little Uncle had suddenly become the Emperor. For a moment, even the way he addressed him had changed. Every day, the Crown Prince braced himself and listened to government affairs that he only knew a little about. He endured all kinds of thoughtful and meaningful gazes as he braced himself to pay his respects to Third Uncle. Then, he returned to the Eastern Palace and braced himself to listen to his mother's endless worries.
His mother was never as good as Consort Lu. She did not have her own backbone and did not have a clear idea. She only knew how to shift the pressure onto her son. Every day, she would say empty words for him to "work hard."
However, she had no idea what kind of work she wanted him to do or what kind of person she hoped he would grow up to be.
Everyone had their own confusion and predicament when they were young. For example, Gu Yun's predicament was the scattered Black Iron Battalion. Emperor Taishi Li Min's predicament was the terrifying Wu 'er Gu and Gu Yun. The Crown Prince Li Zheng's predicament was his uncertain future.
However, behind Gu Yun were tens of thousands of wind blades and the ancestors of the Gu family hanging high in the hall. At Changgeng's side, there was a little adoptive father who was always watching him and guiding him.
However, Li Zheng's surroundings were filled with endless fear. No one gave him a clear path.
In the autumn of the fourth year of Taishi's reign, after a frost, Li Zheng's Imperial Mother passed away amid endless fear and worry. The Emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to give her a grand funeral.
The fifteen-year-old Crown Prince had already grown into a young man. He was silent day after day.
When the coffin was placed, Changgeng dismissed his attendants and slowly walked in. He gently pressed down on the shoulder of Li Zheng, who was about to get up to pay his respects. Li Zheng did not insist. Under his Imperial Mother's supervision, he racked his brains every day to guess the likes and dislikes of his Fourth Uncle. He knew that he did not like others to be overly courteous in private.
Li Zheng: "Your Majesty."
Changgeng glanced at him. The youth immediately changed his greeting in embarrassment: "Imperial Uncle."
"Restrain your grief."
Changgeng instructed. He courteously paid his respects to his Imperial Sister-In-Law, whom he had not seen twice. Just as he straightened his back, he heard the Crown Prince say in a voice that was somewhat strained from his puberty, "I have no talent and no virtue. I am not of great use. Imperial Uncle, please remove my position as Crown Prince."
Changgeng furrowed his brows and raised his head.
This cheap nephew's appearance was not as upright and dignified as his father's. Instead, it was somewhat too delicate and pretty. The youth's complexion was pale, and his figure was thin. The corners of his eyes and the tips of his brows carried an unchanging melancholy. He really did not look like a noble descendant of the Emperor.
After Li Zheng finished speaking, he seemed to have scared himself. His face was full of anxiety. Somehow, a gust of wind suddenly blew in from outside the tightly closed mourning hall. The trivial decorations under the steam palace lantern suddenly made a few sounds and hit the memorial tablet on the side. The memorial tablet fell to the ground. The young Crown Prince fiercely trembled.
Changgeng calmly stood up and respectfully helped the memorial tablet up. He waved his hand at the eunuchs who had rushed in in fear and trepidation. He turned to his nephew and asked, "I heard from the Grand Tutor that you were very good at studying. Why did you suddenly think this way?"
Li Zheng lowered his head and did not dare to speak.
Changgeng paused and then said, "When you were young, you often chased after me and asked me questions. At that time, I even made grass worms for you. How come now that you are older, you have become estranged from Fourth Uncle?"
Li Zheng had nothing to say in response. He stammered, "There is a difference between ruler and official. I … I …"
Thinking carefully, Li Zheng had never asked for anything from his little uncle in the past. He had simply liked him. Although he had still lived in the Palace these years, he had always felt that he was living under someone else's roof. When he faced his uncle, he couldn't help but be very careful and try to curry favor with him. This had long changed his attitude.
When Li Zheng saw Changgeng's eyes, he knew that this Fourth Uncle, who was on the verge of collapsing, was as clear as a mirror in his heart and knew everything. He could only feel even more ashamed of his own inferiority.
"Deposing the Crown Prince is a major matter," Changgeng replied calmly. "A country has its laws. It is not something that you and I can casually decide because we are capricious."
Li Zheng's face flushed red. It seemed that he had thought too highly of himself.
Changgeng said, "If there are some things that you feel are inconvenient to say to me, why don't you go find the Marquis of Stability and have a chat? Next month, he will leave the capital to patrol the military affairs of the four territories. If you have the heart, you can ask him to take you to see him."
Li Zheng paused.
He heard Changgeng say with a smile, "When Fourth Uncle was your age, he was also filled with confusion. That year, I had a big argument with the adoptive father who had been ordered to look after me … the Marquis of Stability. I insisted on leaving home. I followed Master Liao Ran and General Chung throughout Daliang and went to many places. I saw all living things rushing to make a living, and also saw rebellious people and bandits running amok. The more I saw the joys and sorrows of life and death, the smaller the things I stuffed in my heart."
No matter how immature the little crown prince was, he still knew the importance of the Marquis of Stability who held the Xuan Tie Tiger Tally in court and in the military. When he was young and immature, he had been very curious about this legendary hero and had pestered him to write his calligraphy. Later, he didn't dare. When his mother was alive, she kept him tightly confined in the palace and didn't allow him to go out and make friends with court officials. She was afraid that her son would go too far and become an eyesore to the new emperor. Thus, he never set foot in the manor of the marquis.
"Don't be afraid of him. When you were young, he doted on you very much. Do you still remember?" When Changgeng mentioned Gu Yun, the expression in his eyes involuntarily changed. Very naturally, there was a hint of a gentle smile on his face.
The crown prince didn't react for a moment. "Gu … Marshal Gu?"
Changgeng walked out of the mourning hall. The crown prince was stunned for a moment before he hurriedly followed. The palace attendants on both sides seemed to know that the uncle and nephew had something to say and automatically retreated to the sides. The young new emperor walked in front with his hands behind his back. He spoke to Li Zheng without any reservation, "For the time being, I don't have any other successor in mind. After a few years, I will pass the throne to you. However, that will be a different country. When you sit in this position, you may find that even the Emperor's words don't carry weight. The entire imperial court, and even the world, has its own operating rules. There are laws above the head. The monarch and his subjects, the subjects and the people mutually restrict each other … You may even feel like you are a noble puppet. "
These words were unheard of in the world. Li Zheng was stunned.
Changgeng tilted his head and glanced at him. "I don't know if you can accept it."
Li Zheng: "I …"
"You don't have to reply to me right now." Changgeng smiled and reached out to press the youth's head. "You can go out and see the outside world first. Come back after you have thought it through. If it really doesn't work out, I can think of a way to adopt other heirs from the imperial clan. Don't think too much."
After speaking, Changgeng walked away. He had hurriedly come to visit the tomb and do the morning roll call. He had to return to the palace to live outside.
"Imperial … Fourth Uncle," Li Zheng suddenly called out to him. "Why don't you want your own heirs?"
"I have been to the place where I belong for the rest of my life. I have no regrets in life or in death. There is no need to leave any bloodline." Changgeng paused. He glanced at Li Zheng's confused face and shook his head with a smile. "You won't understand even if I tell you. You will understand when you grow up."
Li Zheng: "…"
Half a month later, Emperor Taishi skillfully stood his ground against the objections of the masses and approved the Crown Prince's request to follow the Marquis of Stability to patrol the four territories. Li Zheng followed Gu Yun for three months. They traveled by air, water, and steam rails across the three mountains and six rivers of the entire territory. Then, as if he was addicted, he often found excuses to leave the capital and wasn't in the palace for half a year.
Another three years later, Li Zheng was 18 years old. He went to the former Yan Wang fu — now the Emperor's private residence — and chatted with Changgeng for an entire night. He persuaded Changgeng to agree that he brought enough bodyguards and boarded the caravan led by Young Master Du to go to a wider area overseas.
Although it was called a caravan, it was actually accompanied by dozens of long and short flood dragons. Other than Young Master Du and the others, there was also a portion of the Daliang Navy's elite troops and the Lingshu Temple's experts led by Cao Chunhua, Liao Ran, and the others. Other than trade goods, they also brought letters of credence and negotiated treaties. They roamed the four seas and returned after five years.
When Li Zheng returned, he mocked himself. With his dull and mediocre aptitude, he wasn't ranked among the Li family's several generations. However, he was definitely the one who went the furthest.
In Taishi's 18th year, Gu Yun returned the Xuan Tie tiger seal and signed it. A few months later, Crown Prince Li Zheng took over the throne from his imperial uncle. He abolished the era name and established a new calendar that could be used everywhere. He continued the new era that his predecessors had steadily raised after stumbling around for 18 years.
At this point, the mountains and rivers remained the same and the four seas were peaceful.
End ~ Thank you very much, everyone. See you in the next chapter. Good night = w =
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