Chapter 479 Child Snatching
"How did you teach Chengqian?"
"Are you addicted to vying to be a father?"
Li Yuan's doubts and Li Shimin's shouts overlapped, and the two looked at each other, both feeling speechless.
Li Yuan thought Li Shimin had gone mad as a father, seeing everyone wanting to take Chengqian away from him. Was Chengqian some kind of hot commodity?
Li Shimin felt that Li Yuan was getting old and his mind was not clear. Was that Li Yuan's problem? Was it Chengqian's problem? It was clearly the problem of that white tiger!
"Meow--"
Regardless of the subtle tension between the two, Baihu called out to Xiao Chengqian in an exceptionally sweet tone.
Then, in front of them, it slowly walked into Chengqian's arms and nuzzled its head against Chengqian's hand, making Li Yuan see a hint of flattery on its face.
"What happened?"
Li Yuan, who was able to become the founding emperor, was not lacking in intelligence or courage. He could analyze a lot from his two sons' behavior and tone of voice, and asked them calmly.
Li Shimin grew increasingly displeased with the white tiger in his son's arms. Had he not been afraid of frightening Chengqian, he would have thrown the white tiger away.
Unable to make a move, he kept a close eye on the white tiger's actions while also answering Li Yuan's questions.
"Today, I saw a white tiger suddenly appear in the mansion, and soon after, it turned into a wisp of white smoke and floated onto Chengqian. I was worried, so I specially went to the palace to ask the imperial physician to examine it. I didn't expect it to appear again."
Li Shimin explained it clearly in a few words, and Li Yuan suddenly understood.
At that moment, he suddenly shared a thought with Changsun Wuji, recalling the unusual phenomenon at Chengqian's birth, "Wasn't that a phoenix?"
"You've actually chosen one?" Li Shimin asked speechlessly.
The words were offensive, but Li Yuan didn't have time to get angry. The main reason was that ever since he broke his promise and didn't let his second son become the crown prince, he had been following this path. Li Yuan had become numb to anger and his tolerance had greatly increased.
But more importantly, as soon as Li Shimin finished speaking, the white tiger faded away in Chengqian's arms right in front of them, and finally turned into a wisp of white smoke and disappeared into Chengqian's clothes.
This miraculous scene further solidified Li Yuan's suspicions: this young man is extraordinary!
The thought that Chengqian was his own grandson made Li Yuan even happier. He was so happy that forgiving Li Shimin was not a problem, since he was Chengqian's father and he was allowed to benefit from his father's fame.
"Imperial Physician Chen, examine Chengqian again."
Li Yuan ordered that the young master be observed in silence. The imperial physician, Chen, who was both surprised and worried about his own life, quickly stepped forward and carefully examined the young master.
He then knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am incompetent and have failed to detect anything amiss. The young master is perfectly healthy."
In order to save his own life, Physician Chen's eyes darted around, and he decided to take a desperate gamble, continuing, "But I have some suspicions."
"oh?"
At this moment, Li Yuan and his son Li Shimin became somewhat interested.
"When Princess Qin was eight months pregnant, she went into premature labor due to accidentally consuming a blood-activating substance..."
At this point, Physician Chen felt the tangible pressure emanating from the King of Qin. But he still gritted his teeth and continued, "The Queen Consort's birth was difficult. Normally, both the Queen Consort and the young prince would... suffer considerable damage."
Ultimately, the King of Qin's imposing presence was too overwhelming, so Imperial Physician Chen tried to be a little more tactful with his words. But it was to no avail, and Li Shimin's face darkened as he listened.
"But upon further examination, both noblemen were found to be in good health, which at the time was attributed to their great fortune. Today, when I examined the young master's pulse again, not only was there no sign of premature birth, but he was also much healthier than other children of the same age."
Therefore, this humble servant surmises that it may be related to the sudden appearance of the white tiger spirit. Spiritual beings nourish the body; perhaps this white tiger is nourishing the young master's body and also influencing his blood relatives.”
Physician Chen finished speaking in one breath, then kowtowed to the ground, not daring to lift his head.
"The spirit of the White Tiger..."
Li Yuan seemed to be deep in thought, finding Physician Chen's analysis quite interesting. It appeared to be a physical entity, yet it could actually turn into white smoke and disappear, just like the mythical creatures recorded in myths and legends.
Li Shimin, listening to this, went from anger to doubt to deep thought. He thought of Guanyinbi, who was pregnant again, and how well the imperial physician had diagnosed her recovery; he thought of his own increasingly relaxed body, and how even the old wounds from the battlefield no longer ached on rainy days…
Seeing his pensive expression, Li Yuan understood; it seemed that Physician Chen had guessed correctly by accident.
He understood Physician Chen's thoughts, of course; it was simply a fear of death. But if every person who feared death could come up with such a constructive suggestion in a moment of inspiration, he wouldn't mind letting others die instead.
Getting back to the main point, Li Yuan looked at the kowtowing physician Chen, who was unable to stand up, and saw his slight trembling. He spoke in a deep voice: "Chen Henian, I hereby appoint you to the Prince of Qin's heir. From now on, you will be responsible for treating Chengqian."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey." Chen Henian breathed a sigh of relief and loudly accepted the decree to express his gratitude.
Li Shimin looked at him suspiciously, but Li Yuan said righteously, "Chengqian is your eldest son, so why can't he be the heir apparent? Don't try anything funny. If you can't be a good father, then I'll raise Chengqian!"
"no!"
Li Shimin immediately retorted. He knew Li Yuan had ill intentions. He hadn't said anything, yet Li Yuan deliberately picked a fight with him. Sure enough, Li Yuan had ulterior motives towards Chengqian!
But the more Li Yuan thought about it, the better he felt. Chengqian was born extraordinary, so it was most appropriate for him, the emperor, to raise him! Besides, Erlang had old injuries, so why shouldn't he have them too? He was Chengqian's grandfather, so what was wrong with him benefiting from Chengqian's glory?
Li Yuan declared confidently, "Chengqian is a divine being. You, a mere brute who only knows how to fight, cannot raise him properly. I will take care of him, and I will certainly not mistreat him!"
"A brute?" Li Shimin almost laughed in anger, staring intently at Li Yuan. "I am Father Chengqian."
“I’m still Chengqian’s grandfather! You’ve never raised children, but I’ve raised all of you to adulthood!”
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but make connections. The thought that Chengqian might be raised to become Li Jiancheng or Li Yuanji caused him to frown deeply.
He strode forward, pulled Chengqian from the bed into his arms, and with a forced smile, waved Chengqian's little hand at Li Yuan, "Come on, Chengqian, say goodbye to your grandfather, let's go home."
"Li Shimin!"
Li Yuan was so angry that he called him by his full name, not expecting him to be so bold as to leave without warning.
At this moment, young Chengqian trembled, and large tears fell silently. Li Shimin panicked instantly and quickly hugged him to comfort him: "Don't be afraid, Chengqian, don't be afraid. Your grandfather's loud voice is something he can't change. That's just the kind of person he is. We won't pay attention to him..."
Li Yuan also felt a little guilty and ashamed, but upon hearing Li Shimin's words, he lowered his voice in protest and retorted, "What kind of person am I? Don't try to sow discord between us, grandfather and grandson!"
While comforting his son, Li Shimin bluntly questioned Li Yuan: "Father, Chengqian can't live without me. If I don't comfort him, he'll cry nonstop. What if he cries until he loses his voice? Do you know how to comfort a son? Have you ever comforted your son?"
It sounded like he was showing off, but Li Yuan really couldn't answer it; he had never flattered him.
Li Shimin pressed his advantage: "Furthermore, Chengqian encountered the palace banquet before he was even born, and now he has the White Tiger by his side. The White Tiger obviously doesn't know when and where it appeared. What if word gets out... Father, do you really think the Taiji Palace is so well-managed? Do you really think the Tang Dynasty is secure?"
Li Yuan was speechless, but his son had hit a nerve, and his expression turned grim.
He had learned to give Li Yuan a stick and then a sweet treat after two years of ups and downs, and his tone softened as he kept things within Li Yuan's tolerance.
“Father, it’s not that I’m not filial. I will never forget how you were injured back then. If Chengqian can truly benefit his family, I naturally hope that he can help you alleviate the pain of your old injuries.”
Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's expression softened considerably. He was clearly thinking of the past when he fought alongside his second son. Jiancheng was better at domestic affairs, but when it came to fighting side by side, it had to be Shimin.
"But firstly, we cannot confirm the effect, and secondly, we fear that if the matter gets out, not everyone will be happy to see Father Emperor in good health. Therefore, my idea is that, after Father Emperor's investiture of the heir apparent, I will bring Chengqian to the palace to visit Father Emperor more often. It is better for the world to flatter the Prince of Qin than for the truth to be revealed."
Since Li Shimin had already said so much, what could Li Yuan say? He patted Li Yuan on the shoulder and said with emotion, "You've got heart. Take good care of Chengqian."
“Of course, I am Chengqian’s father.”
Having persuaded Li Yuan, Li Shimin embraced the coaxed Chengqian tightly and left with Physician Chen in a hurry.
Li Yuan watched his retreating figure and shook his head helplessly. Who said the King of Qin was only good at fighting? He's so eloquent; no wonder his subordinates follow him so devotedly.
Li Yuan's feelings became more and more complicated as he thought about it. Had he made the wrong choice back then?
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