230 Chapter 230
◎Determined. (Li Chengqian chapter ends)◎
After the Fengshan ceremony, Li Chengqian changed out of the crown prince's formal attire and went to ask for an audience with the Khan.
——After Li Chengqian told the group that his father was going to Fengshan, Fusu and Liu Ju only told him to go see his father immediately after that.
—Then he would get the answer he had always wanted.
However, Li Chengqian's request for an audience was not responded to immediately, and Tian Khan made him wait outside for nearly half an hour.
This is the first time Li Chengqian has encountered this situation since returning to this world after the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
An ominous premonition emerged, and Li Chengqian rubbed his fingers, feeling a little uneasy. He had to see Tian Khan first. Was it because the answer to the mystery that would appear after the Fengshan ceremony lay with Tian Khan?
When he finally entered and saw the Heavenly Khan, Li Chengqian met a pair of eyes that revealed a strange expression.
Li Chengqian paused: "Who are you?"
"Cheng Qian..." Li Shimin's voice was a little hoarse, "It's Aye."
Li Chengqian took a while to react: "You are...you are..."
Li Shimin nodded: "I didn't know I would lose my memory. The underworld concealed all this, but sent an intern..."
"Wait a minute... wait a minute." Li Chengqian raised his hand to stop him. "Are you saying that it wasn't the underworld that was plotting against me... Fusu, and Liu Ju, but you... you all?"
"It's not a plot!" Li Shimin hurriedly explained. "You've been trapped in the underworld for too long, holding endless resentment. One day, you'll no longer be able to reincarnate, and can only wait for your souls to dissolve..."
Li Chengqian sneered: "Then I have to thank you for your kindness."
Li Shimin sighed and said, "Cheng Qian, you and I haven't seen each other for many years. Can't we sit down and talk for a while?"
"Okay!" Li Chengqian agreed cheerfully, then sat down and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Li Shimin didn't sit down next to him, but went to the opposite side. His tone was calmer, and he got straight to the point: "Cheng Qian, how can I eliminate your resentment and allow you to be reincarnated after returning to the underworld?"
Li Chengqian said without hesitation: "Kill Li Tai."
Li Shimin said sadly, "Cheng Qian, I admit that I doted on Qingque too much in the past, which is why he wanted to become the heir. But I never intended to depose you and make him the heir."
"You allowed him to establish a literary academy, allowed him not to go to a fiefdom, gave him rewards exceeding those of the Crown Prince, and even wanted him to live in the Wude Hall. You simply love him too much." Li Chengqian laughed. "Well, since you have no intention of making him the crown prince, he still dares to have such an idea. Isn't that even more treasonous?"
"Shouldn't he have died?"
Li Chengqian still had a smile on his face when he asked this question. Li Shimin sighed again and said, "It is true that I fueled his ambition. I cannot deny it, but that was Li Tai in his previous life. He didn't have time to do anything in this life..."
Li Chengqian suddenly interrupted him again: "That's it."
Li Shimin was stunned: "What's this..."
Li Chengqian explained with a smile: "Our problem is solved, that's it."
Li Shimin was stunned again, then realized what he meant and asked how to eliminate his resentment. He said to kill Li Tai, but... but he refused.
Li Shimin closed his eyes and said, "Cheng Qian, I know you don't hate Qingque that much. The person you really hate... is me."
"Of course it's you," Li Chengqian confirmed without hesitation. "I've actually always been curious about one thing. By favoring Li Tai, are you trying to compensate the King of Qin for the injustice he suffered because of your father's favoritism towards the Crown Prince?"
Li Shimin smiled bitterly: "I don't know."
Li Shimin made countless wise decisions in his life, but he made the worst choice when it came to treating his son.
Li Chengqian said, "It's a pity that Li Tai is not the King of Qin. The son is not as worthy of his father. You must be very disappointed."
Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then said, "After that, I have always regretted it."
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "I know, that's why you changed your method when teaching the young slaves."
Li Shimin invited many excellent teachers to teach Li Chengqian. Regardless of whether those people's teaching methods were right or wrong, and regardless of whether Li Chengqian accepted such torturous teaching methods, Li Shimin was indeed very attentive in cultivating Li Chengqian, the prince.
After preparing for a rebellion but being exiled, Li Chengqian regretted it for a while. He reflected on it for a long time and thought that it was because of his lack of ability and poor psychological quality that he could not withstand the pressure. He felt guilty for his father's love and tolerance.
However, after his death, he saw how Li Shimin taught Crown Prince Li Zhi. Li Shimin taught Li Zhi step by step how to be a crown prince and an emperor.
Then, he saw that Li Shimin missed Li Tai very much, so he re-promoted Li Tai to the title of King of Pu.
Perhaps as a father, Li Shimin did love Li Chengqian, but in his heart, Li Chengqian could never compare to his Qingque and Zhinu, so he never cared about Li Chengqian's feelings.
"Cheng Qian," Li Shimin said, "This is my first time being a father too."
Therefore, he inevitably had many shortcomings. It was not until he reached a dead end that Li Shimin realized where he was wrong and could correct it.
Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Yes, this is your first time being a father too. You are just a doting father. What's wrong with that?"
"I'm always the only one wrong."
Li Shimin frowned and said, "Cheng Qian, don't say such angry words."
"That wasn't just an angry remark," Li Chengqian said. "Didn't you draft the decree deposing the Crown Prince? Do you need me to recite it to you?"
"Of course it's all my fault."
Li Shimin had always wanted to hear the words that Li Chengqian had concealed before, but when he finally heard them, he couldn't bear to listen anymore.
Back then, when Li Chengqian needed his father to say some heartfelt words to him, there was a high barrier between them as ruler and subject, father and son. Now that Li Chengqian is able to speak them out, there is an irreparable rift between them.
"My father was also wrong about what happened back then." Li Shimin said bitterly.
Li Chengqian sneered and shouted sternly: "Of course you are wrong!"
"For so many years, everyone has always said that it was my fault. I was the only one who was wrong. You are the Holy Father, Li Tai is innocent, and those people have always been so innocent. They are completely blameless, right?"
"Everything is Li Chengqian's fault. Doesn't Li Shimin have any fault at all?"
"Tian Khan, do you have a clear conscience? Harboring heresy and suspecting my brothers... is this all my intolerance? Li Tai simply wants my throne and my life, right?"
"Why didn't you tolerate Li Jiancheng and the others? Li Yuanji just wanted to kill you. What's the big deal, right?"
Li Chengqian took a deep breath and continued, "Of course, Li Chengqian is not even a hair's breadth away from Heavenly Khan, so he should just wait for death, right? He should just wait for Li Tai to remove him from the throne. After all, he is unworthy of being the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, let alone yours."
"Cheng Qian!" Li Shimin could no longer bear it and shouted back, "I have never regretted making you the heir!"
What Li Shimin always regretted was that he used the wrong methods when educating the prince. However, time cannot be reversed. When it was too late for him to regret, the only way he could make up for his past mistakes was to use another more appropriate way to educate the young slave so that he would not repeat his elder brother's tragedy.
For Li Shimin, he still had a son who could help him make up for his past regrets, but Li Chengqian only had one life, and if he failed, he failed, and he had no chance to start over.
During these years in the underworld, Li Shimin took great pains to form an alliance with Ying Zheng and Liu Che to open up such a parallel time and space, just to allow Li Chengqian to start over again and truly make up for the regrets of his eldest son.
Unexpectedly, the underworld played a trick and it was not Li Chengqian but Li Shimin who lost his memory.
Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Why didn't you let me be buried with you in Zhaoling?"
This was a question that took Li Shimin by surprise. He hesitated for a moment and then answered truthfully, "For the sake of the country's stability, I cannot let the deposed crown prince be buried with me."
Li Chengqian looked up at the roof, thought seriously for a long time, and then said, "I understand one thing, Aye."
Li Shimin was stunned by the address. When he opened his mouth to speak, Li Chengqian spoke again.
"There's no need for me to dwell on not being favored by you, because you're already used to not favoring me." Li Chengqian said, "It's no big deal."
"I don't live to gain your favor."
Perhaps because Li Chengqian had been the crown prince for too many years, Li Shimin always considered the overall situation first when considering matters related to him, whether during his coronation or after his death.
However, were all the favors that Li Tai and Li Zhi received in line with the overall situation?
In the final analysis, it is just because Tian Khan's heart is biased.
These were principles that Li Chengqian had understood long ago, but there was still a hurdle in his heart. In this life, the Khan of Heaven began to favor him, which made Li Chengqian think that he could actually gain the Khan of Heaven's favor, so he got stuck in a dead end again.
But in fact, Tian Khan did not start to favor Li Chengqian, he just used his reason to make the right decision.
That's all.
Because of these words, Li Shimin couldn't recover for a long time. He asked himself, am I really partial? Haven't I ever loved Cheng Qian as much as I loved Qingque and Zhinu?
The answer is of course no.
Li Chengqian was Li Shimin's eldest son, his most cherished child, the person he wanted to hand over the Tang Dynasty to, and the prince to whom he devoted half his life.
"Cheng Qian, you are the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty." Li Shimin said firmly, sitting upright. "You are the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty now, and you will be the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty in the future."
This was the promise of Tian Khan. Maybe Cheng Qian was unwilling to believe his father again, but at least Li Shimin could make him feel at ease.
Li Chengqian smiled, but it was no longer a half-hearted smile. There was also determination in his eyes. It seemed that he and Li Shimin really looked like father and son.
"Of course I will."
Li Chengqian has gradually become determined on the path he wants to take. He is certain of his future and will not be discouraged again.
【Author’s words】
There are also several extra chapters, returning to the underworld and the movie-watching body.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
