After waiting for twenty years, when Chen Huai'an heard this system notification in his mind—a notification that was both unfamiliar and anticipated—he was surprisingly calm, and even his heart rate did not increase.
He stood there on the city wall of Jinling, letting the cold wind brush against his cheeks, his eyes fixed firmly on the myriad lights of Jinling city.
"It's snowing!"
A child's joyful shout brought Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, back to his senses.
As he looked up at the sky, illuminated by the colorful fireworks, fluffy snowflakes, accompanied by gusts of biting wind, gently fell on and around Jinling City.
Chen Huai'an reached out and caught a snowflake, watching it melt into a puddle of water on his hand, and murmured to himself, "It's snowing. Another year has passed!"
Then, he instructed Xiao Po, the commander of the Imperial Guard and Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, who was beside him: "Xiao Po, let's return to the palace!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Po immediately accepted the order and turned to command, "Let's set off and return to the palace!"
One night passed.
Even though Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an had already received a system notification and achieved the title of "Emperor of the Ages," he still did not choose to activate the system to see what kind of secrets the "Explore Immortality" permission contained, which made emperors of all dynasties throughout the thousands of years spend their entire lives pursuing the so-called immortality.
At this moment, Chen Huai'an actually began to miss everything he had now;
The authority to "explore immortality" was like the last piece of chocolate in his hand. Just thinking about it made him feel incredibly sweet, but when it came time to actually unwrap it and taste it, he hesitated.
Because Chen Huai'an wasn't sure if the chocolate wrapped in that candy wrapper was the taste he had been fantasizing and longing for for the past twenty years.
The next day.
Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, personally led Crown Prince Chen Chuyan, Tang generals returning from the western expedition, and civil and military officials to Zijin Mountain outside the city to offer sacrifices to Heaven.
We offer sacrifices to our ancestors, and now the Tang Dynasty, under the rule of Emperor Zhaowu, enjoys favorable weather, peace and prosperity, and all within the four seas submit to its rule.
After the sacrificial ceremony concluded, on the way back to the imperial city, Chen Huai'an had Crown Prince Chen Chuyan ride in his imperial carriage.
On the way back, looking at his eldest son, who was brimming with youthful vigor and whose brows already bore the beginnings of an emperor's bearing, he said meaningfully, "Yan'er, from this day forward, your father intends to entrust you with all matters of state."
"Father, prepare to abdicate!"
Buzz—
Almost subconsciously, Crown Prince Chen Chuyan's mind went blank after hearing his father Chen Huai'an's words.
Even inside the dragon carriage, where movement was restricted, Crown Prince Chen Chuyan suddenly knelt down before Chen Huai'an, crying and pleading, "Father, please don't!"
"Your subject is incompetent and lacks experience; I am far from capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility of governing the country!"
Chen Chuyan, his true feelings revealed, pleaded with Chen Huai'an, "Father, you are in good health and in your prime. You can sit on the throne for another ten thousand years."
"Your subject still wishes to stay by Father's side and learn more about Father's ways of governing the country. Please, Father, rescind your decree!"
Eh—
Looking at his eldest son, Chen Chuyan, kneeling before him, Chen Huai'an felt both gratified and worried.
It is gratifying that Chen Chuyan, the eldest son who was born into an imperial family and ruled the country as the crown prince, is not like some crown princes in history who, after tasting the power, were no longer willing to remain in the position of crown prince and there are quite a few examples of them killing their fathers and usurping the throne.
My own son is quite something. When I wanted to pass the throne to him, he actually pushed it away. Is he stupid?
Or perhaps the eight characters "By the mandate of Heaven, may you live a long and prosperous life" were not enough to attract him?
The concern is that Crown Prince Chen Chuyan is too kind and lacks decisiveness, and it is feared that he will not be able to control the court after he truly becomes the ruler of the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty of today is not just a vast empire standing in the East, but a super empire that manages nearly two-thirds of the world's land and population.
Without a decisive and ruthless emperor in charge, it's uncertain how long those foreign tribes who outwardly submitted to the Tang Dynasty would remain subservient.
After a moment of thought, Chen Huai'an seemed to realize that his sudden proposal to abdicate and put Crown Prince Chen Chuyan on the throne was somewhat abrupt.
Perhaps, he really needs to gain more experience as the crown prince.
cough--
It's all because of this sudden system notification sound that it disturbed my mind!
Finally, Chen Huai'an softened his tone and spoke again to Crown Prince Chen Chuyan: "Yan'er, if I remember correctly, it has been ten years since you were named Crown Prince, hasn't it?"
Um!
Chen Chuyan nodded heavily, her eyes red.
Chen Huai'an continued, "In other words, you've been learning how to be a good emperor for the past ten years!"
"Father, I..."
Chen Chuyan was about to say something when Chen Huai'an rudely interrupted him, saying, "Yan'er, listen to me!"
"From the day you were named Crown Prince, you should have known that you would eventually inherit the throne. For the past ten years, you have been diligently learning how to be a good emperor."
"I have seen all of this and I remember it all!"
After a pause, Chen Huai'an continued, "When I was your age, your imperial grandfather had already entrusted me with the overall management of all affairs of the Prince of Jin's residence and the various matters concerning the marching and fighting of the Po Lu Army."
"Within a few years, I had already begun to raise an army to quell the rebellion, and step by step, I conquered the great empire of the Tang Dynasty;"
"Back then, I had no one to guide me at all..."
Chen Chuyan listened quietly to his father's words, seemingly having already guessed his father's intentions.
Chen Huai'an said, "Yan'er, it's time for you to leave your father's protection and stand on your own. This vast country and its people will eventually need you to shoulder the heavy responsibility."
"Father doesn't want you to shrink or even destroy the Tang Dynasty!"
At this point, Chen Huai'an gently wiped away the hot tears streaming down his son's cheeks, saying, "Yan'er, remember this, this is the last time I will wipe away your tears."
"From this day forward, I do not wish to see tears on your face again."
"Father, your son—"
Chen Chuyan choked up and couldn't speak.
Chen Huai'an finally took a step back, saying, "Yan'er, what happened today was my rashness, but consider it a reminder to you to grow up quickly."
"The matter of abdication can be discussed later!"
"but--"
Chen Huai'an then changed the subject, saying in an unquestionable tone, "Your appointment as Crown Prince to oversee the country is hereby settled."
"Next, I plan to travel the country incognito. I've been emperor for twenty years now, and it's time for me to take a long vacation and rest."
"Yan'er, don't you think that makes sense?"
......
The 16th day of the first month of the 21st year of the Zhaowu reign of the Tang Dynasty.
Just after the Lantern Festival, Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an issued an edict at the court meeting, decreeing that Crown Prince Chen Chuyan would oversee the country from that day forward, and that he himself would go to the Huangshan Palace for a year of recuperation (in reality, he was not going to Huangshan, but rather traveling incognito).
Thus began the change of supreme power in the Tang Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty officially entered the era of the "Emperor Yan".
On the fifth day of the third month of the twenty-first year of Zhaowu, the day of Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) arrived.
Accompanied by Xiao Po, the commander of the Imperial Guard, Chen Huai'an secretly left the capital, and his first stop was Longcheng, the birthplace of the Tang Dynasty.
Longcheng, the fiefdom of the Prince of Jin, is now the former residence of the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Due to its geographical location adjacent to the capital Chang'an, it has developed greatly and has become one of the top cities in the north.
However, the old city and the Prince Jin's Mansion within it remain unchanged.
When Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, traveling incognito, ascended the city wall and walked along the official road to Xiguan, the scenes of the bloody battle of Longcheng seemed to reappear before his eyes.
Chen Huai'an said to Xiao Po beside him, "Xiao Po, I remember, the first time I saw you was on the west gate city wall of Dragon City."
"You alone protected the regimental flag of the Eighth Regiment of the Po Lu Army, and you also protected the military spirit of the eight thousand Po Lu Army soldiers in Longcheng!"
Xiao Po, who was already over fifty years old, scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly after hearing the emperor's words and replied shyly, "Your Majesty, you still remember!"
"Yes, I remember!"
Chen Huai'an nodded, and said with deep emotion, "I remember, you killed ninety-three enemy soldiers in the battle of Longcheng!"
"Sir, that's right, it's the Ninety-Third Bandit Chieftain!"
Recalling the glorious past, Xiao Po, whose temples were gray, couldn't help but shed tears. He seemed to see his brothers from the Polu Army who had died on the walls of Longcheng again, all of whom stood in front of him at this moment, grinning as they walked past him.
When Xiao Po tried to reach out and grab them, he found that he couldn't hold onto his brothers at all.
It wasn't until Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an's words brought him back to his senses.
Chen Huai'an said, "Xiao Po, let's go, come with us to Qixia Temple on Fengming Mountain!"
As he gave instructions to Xiao Po, he muttered to himself, "I wonder if that old monk in black is still alive!"
Soon, Chen Huai'an and his party arrived at Qixia Temple on Fengming Mountain outside Longcheng.
Thanks to Chen Huai'an, Qixia Temple is now a well-known temple, with a constant stream of pilgrims and monks coming to offer incense every day, making the temple quite prosperous.
Chen Huai'an, traveling incognito, followed a group of pilgrims who came to offer incense all the way into Qixia Temple.
Unexpectedly, just as they arrived at the temple gate, a middle-aged monk stopped them in their tracks: "Amitabha, please wait, benefactor!"
Um?
Chen Huai'an frowned slightly, looking at the monk blocking his way and feeling that he looked somewhat familiar.
Seeing this, Xiao Po, who was standing next to him, subconsciously took a step forward, protecting Chen Huai'an behind him, assuming a posture that allowed him to attack or retreat as needed.
Seeing this, the monk hurriedly said, "Please don't be nervous, benefactor. I am here to welcome you on my master's orders."
"May I ask, is your surname Chen?"
Faced with the monk's question, Chen Huai'an did not answer him directly, but instead asked in return, "May I ask your Dharma name, Master? Is it Jingxin?"
Um?
This time, it was the monk's turn to be somewhat surprised.
He said, “Benefactor, my Buddhist name is Jingxin!”
Hahaha!
Chen Huai'an suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Master Jingxin, we met more than 20 years ago. Back then, you were just a little monk named Jingxin!"
"Let's go, lead the way, take us to see your master!"
Monk Jingxin's expression visibly froze for a moment, but he didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he gestured for him to come this way and said, "Benefactor, this way please!"
It turns out that the monk in front of them was none other than Chen Huai'an, who was still Prince Jin back then. He had brought his younger brother Chen Longxiang, who had committed massacres during the Battle of Longcheng, to Qixia Temple to have the old monk in black, Dongfang Xiao, perform a ritual to pray for the souls of those who died under Chen Longxiang's golden hammer. The young monk who was guiding them in the temple was Jingxin.
More than twenty years have passed since I last saw him. The mischievous little monk from back then has now become a highly accomplished Buddhist monk.
I wonder what Dongfang Xiao, the black-robed old monk who attained enlightenment back then, will look like now?
A moment later, led by the monk Jingxin, Chen Huai'an arrived at a meditation room in the backyard of the temple, where the monk told him that his master was in seclusion.
Chen Huai'an also instructed Xiao Po to have the accompanying Imperial Guards disperse and not to disturb his meeting with Master Dongfang without his permission.
After giving all these instructions, Chen Huai'an composed himself and pushed open the door to the meditation room with a creak.
Inside the meditation room, an old monk dressed in a black robe sat with his back to the door, chanting sutras. The sound of striking a wooden fish could be heard from time to time, and rows of ever-burning lamps swayed rhythmically from side to side.
“Last night, I observed the celestial phenomena and saw that the Purple Star had moved eastward; this morning, magpies brought good news in the courtyard; I calculated with my fingers and knew that a distinguished guest was coming to visit!”
As they were talking, the old monk in black robes, Dongfang, who had been meditating and chanting sutras with his back to Chen Huai'an, slowly turned around and looked at Chen Huai'an with a smile in his eyes.
When Chen Huai'an saw Dongfang Xiao's face clearly by the light of the ever-burning lamp, he almost instinctively blurted out, "Master Dongfang, so many years have passed, how come you haven't aged at all?"
More than twenty years have passed, and the face of the black-robed old monk Dongfang Xiao is exactly the same as when Chen Huai'an first met him. It seems that he will never age.
The next moment, Dongfang Xiao's answer first made Chen Huai'an's expression freeze, as if struck by lightning; then he suddenly understood!
Then, Dongfang Xiao said with a meaningful smile, "Your Highness, haven't you aged at all?"
(The End)
postscript:
In the twenty-first year of the Zhaowu era of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizu Chen Huai'an passed away during his southern tour. Crown Prince Chen Chuyan ascended the throne before his spirit tablet, and the era name was "Zhenguan".
In accordance with the last will and testament of Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, his remains were not buried in the newly built imperial mausoleum; his tomb at Mount Li is merely a cenotaph.
After Emperor Yan Chen Chuyan ascended the throne, he governed the country with civility, practiced frugality, and encouraged agriculture, achieving a period of recuperation, peace and prosperity for the country, thus creating the "Reign of Zhenguan".
Externally, the foreign policy of Emperor Taizu of Tang, Chen Huai'an, continued to be implemented, and the new policy of "separation of military and political power" was further promoted in foreign territories, with twenty-four regional military governorates established to manage these areas.
Domestically, the Tang Dynasty continued to promote the integration and coexistence of various ethnic groups, establishing a prosperous era of integration between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, laying the foundation for the Tang Dynasty's rule for hundreds of years to come.
The Tang Dynasty, founded by Chen Huai'an and his son, left an extremely brilliant and colorful mark on the long history of Central Plains culture in this world, and has been praised by later generations!
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