Chapter 480 Sacred Heart
"To appoint a crown prince and bestow imperial physicians—what exactly does Father Emperor intend to do?"
Compared to Li Yuanji, who was pacing around the room in a fit of rage, Li Jiancheng was relatively calm.
"Alright, Yuanji, sit down and talk."
"Brother, how can you sit still like this?"
Li Yuanji gulped down a mouthful of tea, slammed the cup down on the table, and looked at Li Jiancheng with a puzzled expression.
“It’s a done deal, what can we do if we can’t sit still?” A shadow crossed Li Jiancheng’s brow.
"What did the spies from the Taiji Palace say?"
At this moment, there were only the two of them in the room, and Li Yuanji asked the question bluntly.
Li Jiancheng knew his temperament and wasn't angry. However, he couldn't help but frown as he recalled the news reported by the scouts. "Second brother went just in time for Father Emperor's pulse diagnosis and had Imperial Physician Chen examine Chengqian's body. It is said that he looked serious at the time, so Father Emperor took them and Chen Henian into the inner palace alone."
"Hmph, Li Shimin really dotes on his son!" Li Yuanji sneered disdainfully. He didn't believe that his second brother truly loved his son; he was just putting on a show in front of their father.
Li Jiancheng did not refute him, and continued, "Our people could not enter the inner palace and do not know what happened. They only heard Father Emperor angrily call out my second brother's full name."
"If Father is angry, how could Li Shimin possibly gain such a great benefit? He's even sent away the imperial physicians he's used to. Could it be that he genuinely likes Li Chengqian?"
Yes, after Li Yuan issued his decree, no one believed it was a preferential treatment for Li Chengqian; they only felt it showed that the Prince of Qin was highly regarded.
"What exactly does Father mean?" Li Yuanji asked angrily. "Li Shimin has always loved to compete with you, elder brother. Are you going to elevate him now?"
Li Jiancheng lowered his eyes, concealing the sinister look within them. "Perhaps there's something I didn't do well enough."
...
"The truth is always in the hands of a minority."
After seeing off the people who came one after another to inquire about the emperor's intentions, Li Shimin smiled and picked up his beloved son, playing with him affectionately. "Who would have thought that your grandfather simply values you so much?"
He was satisfied with the appointment of Chengqian as the heir apparent. However, the thought of having another person vying for his child made Li Shimin unhappy.
The key issue is that the person in question is his father, the emperor. He can't just throw a spear at him to oppose him; he has to use his brain to find reasons and even sacrifice some of his time alone with his son. The more he thinks about it, the angrier he gets. If the crown prince doesn't let him become the crown prince, he's going to rebel!
Once he becomes emperor, let's see who dares to challenge him!
As Li Shimin was filled with heroic ambition, he suddenly felt a weight on his head as a familiar tail swept down and swayed in front of him.
"Meow--"
“Father.”
Li Shimin, his face dark, shook his head violently, throwing the white tiger down. Watching the white tiger easily leap and land on the table, Li Shimin asked unhappily, "Haven't you taken enough advantage of us, father and son?"
The white tiger ignored him and meowed at Xiao Chengqian again.
"Ah..."
Li Shimin quickly covered Chengqian's mouth and coaxed him softly, "Good boy, your father is here."
Li Shimin buried Chengqian's little face in his arms, looked at the recurring white tiger, and demanded with righteous indignation: "Why are you, a tiger, meowing like a cat? You're not allowed to meow like that anymore!"
Chengqian is developing bad habits; he calls out "Ah Ye" whenever he hears a cat meow. That's going to be terrible.
“m…”
Li Shimin was exceptionally bold. Not only did he cover Chengqian's mouth, but seeing that the white tiger was about to meow, he quickly grabbed it and pinched its mouth shut.
White Tiger: "(O_o)"
Seeing the human-like shock and confusion on Baihu's face, Li Shimin said smugly, "I knew you understood. If you understand, you're not allowed to shout anymore!"
Li Shimin pinched the white tiger's mouth and nodded up and down, "Nodding means you agree. You, a white tiger, must keep your promise."
White Tiger: "?⊙⊙?"
When the white tiger encountered someone even more ruthless than itself for the first time, it was naturally unwilling to give up. As soon as Li Shimin let go, it insisted on meowing, and then Li Shimin pinched its mouth shut again.
Li Shimin was heartbroken: "You tiger, how can you be so untrustworthy? Don't lead our Chengqian astray!"
The white tiger was speechless. It rolled its eyes at him and then began to dissipate.
"?" Li Shimin's hand pierced through the white tiger's body, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Are you really going to disperse it, or did you do it on purpose?"
The white tiger, which transformed into white smoke and drifted into Li Chengqian's arms, quickly gave him the answer.
White smoke squeezed into Xiao Chengqian's arms and quickly transformed back into the shape of a white tiger, only smaller and thinner. It glanced smugly at Li Shimin, and the white tiger opened its mouth to meow, but a small hand pinched its mouth shut.
"Hahaha……"
Seeing Chengqian's actions, Li Shimin burst into laughter, "Well learned! Chengqian is truly clever."
The white tiger, seemingly exasperated, vanished completely in a puff of white smoke. Li Shimin proudly embraced his beloved son, kissing him affectionately, growing happier and happier with each glance, and the happier he became, the more he wanted to show off.
But for Chengqian's safety, this matter cannot be leaked, so...
"Auxiliary machine..."
"Father..."
"Flattery! Too much flattery!"
The Eastern Palace, a familiar scene, and the familiar Li Yuanji cursing, "Li Shimin is too good at climbing the social ladder, isn't he? He carries Li Chengqian to the Taiji Palace every day, doesn't he have anything better to do?"
Li Jiancheng twirled the cup in his hand and said coldly, "Even Father didn't stop it, did he?"
He even had some doubts: could his nephew really be so favored by his father?
"No way!" Li Yuanji slammed his hand on the table. "It's just paying respects, who can't go!"
Li Jiancheng met his gaze and did not refuse. He slowly stood up and said, "Let's go see our beloved nephew."
Li Yuanji suggested, "Let's call Chengzong."
He refused to believe that the Crown Prince's eldest son could be inferior to the Prince of Qin's heir.
...
We really can't compare.
Seeing Li Yuan holding Li Chengqian and gently coaxing him, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji both looked very grim. They truly hadn't expected, or rather, couldn't believe, that their father genuinely liked this nephew.
Compared to Li Chengzong, who only spoke a few gentle words to Li Yuan when he paid his respects, Li Yuan practically showered Li Chengqian with praise.
"Chengqian, call him Grandfather, Grandfather—Grandfather—"
"Ah—"
As soon as Li Chengqian opened his mouth, Li Shimin started to interfere: "Chengqian, call him Father."
"Father." Li Chengqian called out in perfect unison, and Li Shimin immediately beamed with joy, much to the dismay of Li Jiancheng and the other man.
"What are you doing!" Li Yuan scolded Li Shimin in a low voice, mindful of his eldest grandson in his arms.
Li Shimin was not afraid at all and proudly said, "There's nothing I can do. Who told Chengqian to only have me, his father, in his heart?"
“Chengqian was about to call me ‘Grandpa’ just now!” Li Yuan glared at him, thinking that Erlang was just jealous that he had gotten along with Chengqian so quickly.
So Li Yuan carried Li Chengqian into the inner palace, completely ignoring his sons still outside, coaxing him as they walked: "Chengqian, be good, call me Grandfather, Grandfather—"
"Father, why are you still cheating? If you can't win the argument, then fine, just run away. Give Chengqian back to me!"
"Go away, don't disturb me and Chengqian."
"How did I disturb you?"
Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, who were left behind, were speechless. "..." It would have been better if they hadn't come.
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