HNYWEF -Chapter 36 Miscalculation

Dusk.

The lamps in Taiji Hall had already been lit. Candlelight glowed through the paper windows, casting a dim yellow haze.

Li Shimin sat behind the desk, holding a memorial in his hand. He had stared at it for quite a while without turning a single page.

He was waiting for someone.

He had sent Li Tai and Li Chengqian together.

Just the two brothers visiting someone, getting acquainted—

Nothing more than that.

Footsteps sounded from outside the hall.

Li Shimin lifted his head.

Li Tai walked in, sweat still hanging on his face, his robes wrinkled all over. One look and it was obvious he had run back the whole way.

Li Shimin glanced behind him.

No one.

Li Chengqian was not with him.

Li Shimin’s brows furrowed.

“Where’s your brother?”

Li Tai lowered his head and said nothing.

Li Shimin waited a moment.

Then he asked again.

“Where’s your brother?”

Li Tai still did not answer.

But he shook his head.

Just once.

Li Shimin slammed the memorial onto the desk.

Bang.

Li Tai’s body trembled.

“Speak.”

Li Tai raised his head, glanced at him once, then lowered it again.

His voice was as soft as a mosquito’s hum.

“He… he didn’t go.”

Li Shimin froze.

“Didn’t go?”

Li Tai nodded.

Li Shimin stood up.

“Then where did he go?”

Li Tai shook his head.

“This son does not know…”

Li Shimin stood there motionless.

He stared at Li Tai.

Li Tai kept his head lowered, not daring to meet his eyes.

The hall suddenly fell silent.

So silent that the crackling of the candle wick could be heard.

Li Shimin slowly turned around.

He looked out the window.

Outside, night had already fallen. Nothing could be seen.

He stood there without moving.

Then suddenly, he raised his hand and smashed a fist into the window frame.

Bang.

The frame shook.

Li Tai jumped back in fright.

Li Shimin did not turn around.

He simply stood there, one hand still pressed against the frame.

After a long while, he spoke.

Then he strode to the hall entrance and roared outside:

“Someone!”

An attendant hurried in. One look at Li Shimin’s expression and his legs nearly gave out.

“Go bring the Crown Prince here! Now!”

The attendant acknowledged the order and ran off at once.

Li Tai stood there, barely daring to breathe.

The silence in the hall was terrifying.

After a while, footsteps approached from afar.

Li Chengqian entered.

He walked steadily.

Every step landed with precision.

When he reached the center of the hall, he stopped and bowed.

“Father Emperor.”

Li Shimin looked at him.

Looked at this thirteen-year-old child.

Standing perfectly straight.

With no expression on his face.

Li Shimin stepped forward.

Li Chengqian did not move.

Li Shimin took another step forward.

Now the two stood very close.

Close enough to see what lay in each other’s eyes.

Li Shimin spoke.

His voice was calm.

So calm it hardly sounded like the same man who had just smashed a window frame.

“Where did I tell you to go today?”

Li Chengqian raised his head and looked at him.

“Replying to Father Emperor, this son was studying at Hongwen Academy.”

For a moment, Li Shimin wondered if his ears were failing him.

“I told you to go with Qingque to the Zhou residence. Did you hear me?”

“I heard.”

“Then why didn’t you go?”

Li Chengqian did not speak.

Li Shimin waited a moment.

Then asked again.

“Why?”

Li Chengqian still said nothing.

But he stood even straighter.

Li Shimin suddenly laughed.

A faint laugh.

Li Chengqian’s brow twitched.

Just once.

Li Shimin saw it.

The smile on his face deepened.

Then he spoke again.

His voice remained calm.

“You think what you did was right?”

Li Chengqian did not answer.

Li Shimin nodded.

“Good.”

He turned around, walked back to the desk, and sat down.

Then he lifted his head to look at Li Chengqian.

“Do you know why I sent you there today?”

Li Chengqian remained silent.

Li Shimin said, “I sent you there to recognize the place and meet some people. That’s all.”

He paused.

“And you? What were you thinking?”

Li Chengqian finally spoke.

His voice was steady.

“This son was thinking about why Father Emperor would send me to that kind of place.”

Li Shimin completely froze.

“That kind of place?”

Li Chengqian replied,

“A blacksmith shop.”

The hall suddenly fell silent.

So silent that the sound of the wind outside could be heard.

Li Shimin sat there motionless.

He stared at Li Chengqian.

For a very long time.

Long enough that Li Chengqian himself began to feel something was wrong.

Then Li Shimin spoke.

This time, he practically shouted.

“Do you know who that is?!”

Li Chengqian answered,

“This son knows. A blacksmith. Someone who once saved Father Emperor’s life.”

Li Shimin rose to his feet and walked directly in front of him.

Smack.

A slap across the face.

“A blacksmith? Someone who saved my life?”

“Do you know that without him, you would not even have the chance to stand here speaking today?!”

Li Chengqian covered his face but said nothing.

Li Shimin stared at him.

For a long time.

Then he waved a hand.

“Leave. Starting tomorrow, you will no longer attend Hongwen Academy. I’ll send you somewhere else.”

Li Chengqian froze.

“Father Emperor?”

Li Shimin did not look at him.

“Go stand outside the Zhou family blacksmith shop! You will come back only when he allows you through the door!”

Li Chengqian’s expression changed.

“Father Emperor—”

Li Shimin cut him off.

His tone was still furious, but his voice was not loud.

Yet every word struck the ground like nails.

“Don’t you think it’s ‘that kind of place’? Then go stay there. Stay until you learn how to speak to people from ‘that kind of place’!”

Li Chengqian stood there motionless.

Li Shimin did not look at him again.

He returned to the desk and sat down.

Picked up the memorial once more.

“Get out!”

Li Chengqian stood there for another breath.

Then he bowed, turned, and walked outside.

At the doorway, he stopped.

Without turning back, he said:

“This son… will remember it.”

Then he pushed the door open and left.

The hall fell silent again.

Li Tai stood below, hardly daring to breathe.

Li Shimin did not look at him.

He stared out at the dark, heavy night beyond the window.

For a long time.

“Before I could even make a move, he already blocked the road for me himself…”