LFHYB -Chapter 15 Earning Money for Rewards Without Shame

Li Xuanba had once “let something slip.”

Li Shimin deliberately looked up the posthumous titles and got so frightened that he ended up eating an extra pastry, lying on the couch groaning, and asking his brother to rub his stomach.

After that, Li Shimin seemed to have forgotten the incident entirely. He never mentioned it to Li Xuanba again, quietly stashed away the pocket money given by his grandmother and mother, and studied both academics and martial arts even harder.

He didn’t doubt Li Xuanba’s “prophecies” at all.

During the Han Wudi era, prophecies were tied to Confucianism, using classics to carry out divinations. By the Guangwu Emperor’s time, the study of prophecies reached its peak, and everyone believed in them.

After the chaos of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the study of prophecies was crushed by warfare, and few people were superstitious. Yet those in power still used prophecies to boost their own prestige.

In times of disorder, a prophet for a rising hero would appear every now and then. Young Li Shimin, after reading history books, naively believed these people could really foresee the future.

So it was completely normal that his own A-Xuan could issue prophecies!

Besides, Li Shimin was too young to question his closest twin brother. Before the Sui dynasty, three hundred sixty years of chaos had made everyone assume the Sui dynasty would not last long.

From the Three Kingdoms to the brief unification under the Western Jin, chaos quickly returned in the form of the Eastern Jin and the Sixteen Kingdoms. After one round of conflict, the North and South dynasties emerged in confrontation.

The Southern Dynasties consisted of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen, while the Northern Dynasties included Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, and Northern Zhou. Many of these dynasties coexisted and constantly fought one another.

The century-long period before the Sui dynasty’s founding was one of the most chaotic in Chinese history.

In such circumstances, the Sui unification was already a miracle.

Previous unifying dynasties were only the Qin and Han, and Qin had fallen by its second emperor. So from top to bottom, the Sui dynasty wasn’t psychologically prepared for lasting peace.

Li Shimin was precocious. Influenced by the social climate and his brother’s prophecies, he guessed that this peaceful life wouldn’t last.

But what could a child do? He could only tell his brother to shut up and be careful not to be noticed by ambitious people in the history books.

Li Shimin also didn’t dare to ask further.

Wasn’t it all written in the books? Accidentally revealing a heavenly secret could be harmless, but actively spilling it could lead to trouble. And although he was still young, he didn’t want to hear too much about the future, which made him feel a bit uneasy, as if someone could lead him around by the nose.

Though usually mild-mannered with his family, Li Shimin harbored a hidden, unyielding streak even he didn’t fully realize.

Li Xuanba shut his mouth. Li Shimin kept the secret in his heart, not even telling their mother.

It was a secret just between the two of them.

—

When the two children drifted off in thought, Yang Guang, who had sharp observation skills, noticed them.

At first, he felt displeased, then shook his head with a faint inner smile.

Having suppressed himself for years to become emperor, Yang Guang was highly attuned to the slightest disturbances in the world, often seeing threats where there were none.

Adding to that, when he nearly failed to secure the throne, with his full brothers rebelling and many accusing him of patricide and usurpation, he became overly concerned about respect and loyalty.

But Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were just six-year-old children.

Even prodigies are still children. They were already answering the emperor’s questions as best they could; a moment of distraction wasn’t worth his suspicion.

Although there were minor ups and downs, Yang Guang had successfully ascended to the throne and was at the height of his confidence. He was lenient toward those who posed no threat.

Seeing the two children frequently drifting off, likely tired, Yang Guang had seats prepared for Li Xuanba and Li Shimin and offered them fruit and honey water, allowing them to eat and drink freely whenever they wished.

“I am your maternal uncle. Feel free to be at ease,” Yang Guang said gently.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba said in unison: “Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Li Xuanba thought to himself: **[Our legs were numb, our backs sore, and only now are we allowed to sit. This is truly comfortable.]**

Li Shimin boldly asked the emperor for a soft cushion and placed it behind Li Xuanba’s back.

Yang Guang kindly let the two children sip honey water to soothe their throats before continuing his questions.

This time, he inquired about the many relatives of the Duke Tang Mansion, focusing on the Dugu family.

The clans were tightly connected; Yang Guang didn’t need to ask about the Tang family’s relatives. Lady Dou’s maternal side only had a young nephew left, and although her family’s power remained, Yang Guang understood that immediate family and extended relatives were different.

Because of Empress Dugu, the Dugu family had been highly favored during Emperor Wen of Sui’s reign. Now, with the matriarch Dugu old lady as the oldest member, she held some influence in the family despite being an outsider by birth, according to residual Xianbei customs.

Moreover, the brothers whom Yang Guang executed or imprisoned were all sons of Empress Dugu. He worried the Dugu family might harbor resentment.

Li Yuan had once been greatly favored by Yang Guang’s father and mother, and was friendly with Emperor Wen’s sons. Yang Guang suspected Li Yuan might ally with the Dugu family against him.

Li Shimin couldn’t think of these matters yet. Li Xuanba only realized them when asked by the emperor.

But he remembered his mother had insisted they memorize the genealogies, especially the Dugu family lineage, and recited it flawlessly when questioned. Had their mother already guessed Yang Guang’s intentions?

The two children continued according to their previous plan, mechanically reciting, one line at a time, the genealogies of the Dugu family and the official positions currently held by the living members.

As they recited, they clasped their hands behind their backs, bobbing their heads slightly, eyes narrowed just a little, looking exactly like old scholars teaching young children to recite the Thousand Character Classic.

Yang Guang couldn’t help but laugh again, pressing a hand to his forehead. “Alright, alright, I know your memory is remarkable. No need to continue.”

Li Xuanba’s eyes widened, sparkling with excitement. “Your Majesty? We don’t have to recite anymore? Brother and I memorized in advance the genealogies of all the prominent families connected to ours by marriage!”

Li Shimin also widened his eyes.

But he was wide-eyed in shock.

“Wha-what… A-Xuan, what’s wrong with you? Did you eat something bad?!”

Ahhh… Li Shimin suddenly remembered. His younger brother had told him beforehand that he should pretend to behave like a normal child to please the emperor.

But this expression, this gesture, this tone… why did it feel so familiar?

Li Shimin fell into thought.

To Yang Guang, however, Li Shimin’s contemplation just looked like a child zoning out from memorizing too much.

This time, Yang Guang didn’t care about the children’s wandering minds. Li Xuanba’s boast was useful, so he followed up on it: “Very well, I see that both of you are intelligent. Reward!”

A beautiful palace maid brought forward a set of ink, brush, paper, and inkstone that had already been prepared.

Li Xuanba’s big eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled repeatedly, thanking the emperor for his generosity.

Li Shimin: “……”

Li Xuanba: **[Brother, why are you just staring? Smile.]**

Hearing his younger brother’s calm and indifferent inner voice, Li Shimin suddenly exhaled in relief.

Thank goodness… A-Xuan didn’t eat anything bad QAQ.

Li Xuanba imitated Li Shimin’s smile, and Li Shimin, just being himself, mirrored it, turning his bright eyes into crescent moons as well.

Yang Guang watched the two children, noticing how their smiles and tones were almost identical, and he found them even more fascinating—like seeing a rare toy.

Initially, he only observed the prodigy twins of the Duke of Tang out of curiosity. But after Li Shimin and Li Xuanba won his favor, he began to regard them with a measure of respect, like talented juniors.

“If Li Yuan is loyal to me, these two clever children will be perfect for the crown prince,” Yang Guang thought.

Like his father Yang Jian, Yang Guang both distrusted and trusted relatives.

Compared to ministers from outside, relatives were naturally more trustworthy.

In his later years, Yang Jian’s excessive suspicion led him to slaughter loyal ministers, trusting only his family and in-laws, which almost destabilized the throne when Yang Guang ascended.

Yang Guang had dealt with a batch of relatives and in-laws and was following Yang Jian’s path, hoping to cultivate loyal relatives to replace external ministers.

Li Yuan was his cousin, with all his brothers deceased, and his wife was also an orphan. Rationally, Yang Guang knew that if he wanted loyal relatives, Li Yuan was the most suitable as a trusted minister. Yet, he still worried Li Yuan might become a second “Yang Jian.”

Torn and tangled, Yang Guang’s mind was filled with contradictions.

It was this very contradiction that made him want to test even two six-year-old children.

After the test, Yang Guang reflected that, as emperor, probing whether a crown princess and Li Yuan were loyal through six-year-old children might have been excessive.

Though Yang Guang wouldn’t self-criticize, he would give rewards to sweeten the deal.

He whispered a few words to the eunuch beside him. The eunuch stepped out, then returned carrying a tray filled with gold.

Yang Guang smiled: “Just now, I rewarded you as emperor. Now, as your elder, here is a gift of money.”

Li Xuanba said sweetly: “Thank you, Uncle! Brother and I are learning to manage our shop with Elder Sister and earn our own money. With Uncle’s reward, we can make the shop stronger and bigger, earn more, and buy gifts for you!”

Li Shimin: “??!”

Next to him, his younger brother seemed possessed… no, rather, he was possessed Li Shimin himself, and he was dumbstruck.

And what’s more… Brother, why are you calling His Majesty “Uncle” directly?!

Li Xuanba: **[Brother, why are you spacing out again today? Quickly thank him.]**

Li Shimin stammered: “Th-thank you, Unc… Uncle Emperor! I’ve never seen so much gold before!”

Yang Guang finally couldn’t hold it in, abandoning his imperial composure, laughing until his stomach hurt: “Uncle Emperor? Just call me Uncle. Is Li Yuan so poor that this little gold has left you dumbfounded?”

Li Xuanba complained: “Father may not be poor, but he’s stingy with me and brother.”

Li Shimin: “……” Stop copying me! Seeing a smaller version of himself is creeping me out!

“Y-yes… yes, he’s not stingy,” Li Shimin stammered. “He treats us very well.”

Li Xuanba tilted his head: “Brother, have you ever seen this much gold?”

Li Shimin shook his head.

Li Xuanba said: “But Uncle said Father is not poor. Yet he never showed us gold! The only gold I’ve seen is in Grandmother’s and Mother’s jewelry!”

Li Shimin, puzzled: “Really? Maybe Father is just frugal?”

Li Xuanba imitated Li Shimin’s confused tone: “So it’s because Father is frugal?”

Yang Guang laughed until tears came to his eyes: “Li Yuan is not frugal. Maybe he spent all his gold on good horses.”

Li Xuanba’s eyes widened: “What? Father bought good horses? He’s never let brother or me ride a good horse. We haven’t even touched them. Uncle, Father is really stingy.”

Sure enough. Li Xuanba felt a pang of disappointment.

Even while Yang Guang kept testing him and his brother, Li Xuanba sensed something was off.

Though the historical records stamp Yang Guang as suspicious by nature, it was the first year of the Daye era—Yang Guang’s most impetuous time. Li Yuan had not yet reached his power at the end of the Daye era, being only the governor of Zhengzhou and prefect of Xingyang, so Yang Guang shouldn’t have been so dissatisfied with him.

Li Xuanba recalled an anecdotal “historical tidbit” about their mother.

It was said that when Li Yuan served as governor of Fufeng, he received several fine horses. Their mother advised him to give them to Emperor Yang of Sui, but Li Yuan was reluctant. Yang Guang was displeased with Li Yuan for this. Later, Li Yuan recovered his composure, gifting Yang Guang hunting falcons and fine horses multiple times, finally earning the rank of general. At that time, he realized that his deceased wife had been right.

Li Yuan’s love for collecting fine horses certainly didn’t start when he became the Governor of Fufeng; Yang Guang’s suspicion and resentment toward Li Yuan were certainly not just because of a few fine horses in Fufeng.

The conflict had been planted long ago.

Li Shimin: “……” That expression—again copying me. Is this what A Xuan calls a ‘copycat genius’?

A Xuan, you’re a “copy-brother genius”!

After being startled a few times by Li Xuanba, the usually bold Li Shimin began to get used to it and even put in earnest effort to cooperate.

Although he didn’t understand why A Xuan suddenly called Father stingy—A Xuan hadn’t mentioned this yesterday—out of trust in his younger brother, Li Shimin still followed along without hesitation.

“Really? No way? Father really treats us well. Though I haven’t touched the good horses myself,” Li Shimin hesitated, “Could it be that Father hasn’t bought good horses yet? That’s why he won’t let us touch them.”

Li Xuanba also showed a hesitant look: “So Father hasn’t bought good horses yet.”

Yang Guang wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes: “It’s not that he hasn’t bought good horses—he’s just stingy. Even his beloved horses, he won’t give them to me, let alone you two.”

Li Xuanba immediately put on a wronged expression: “Father is so stingy.”

Li Shimin, now numb to his ‘copy-brother genius,’ parroting him, said: “Stingy.”

Li Xuanba patted his little chest: “Uncle, Brother and I are generous like Mother, not stingy like Father. Anything good that Brother and I have, we’d immediately give a share to you first!”

Li Xuanba: **[Bro, why are you spacing out so much today? Catch up with me.]**

Li Shimin hurriedly said: “Ah, right, A Xuan and I are not stingy!”

Yang Guang laughed and beckoned to the two children: “Come, come here to me.”

Li Xuanba happily jumped over.

Li Shimin: “……” So this is what I usually look like.

He forced himself to follow, and with Li Xuanba on one side and him on the other, they were both ruffled on the head by Yang Guang.

“You are dutiful and good children. Lady Dou has taught you well,” Yang Guang thought of Lady Dou’s expression, feeling a little tingle in his heart.

But he quickly recalled the Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, and that little tingle disappeared.

Yang Guang’s daughter had married the son of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yong. When young, Yang Guang had accompanied Li Yuan several times to meet Yuwen Yong. The imposing image of Emperor Wu had left a deep impression on Yang Guang.

There were few people Yang Guang truly admired or longed for in his life; Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou was one of them.

Because Lady Dou and Emperor Wu shared similar facial features, Yang Guang’s fanciful thoughts stirred by Lady Dou’s extraordinary beauty vanished.

Thinking of Emperor Wu, he scrutinized Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s features.

For a moment, he seemed to see Emperor Wu’s image again.

There’s a saying among the people: nephews resemble their maternal uncles. Lady Dou, being a daughter, shared some resemblance with Emperor Wu in her features. It wasn’t strange, then, that Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, who resembled Lady Dou, also resembled Emperor Wu.

Involuntarily, Yang Guang’s fondness for Li Shimin and Li Xuanba deepened.

If someone in the Yuwen family’s collateral lines resembled Emperor Wu, Yang Guang would immediately have them executed.

But Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were only distantly related to Emperor Wu and were his own nephews, so he was pleased.

Being pleased, he waved his hand and sent over a box of pearls, tribute from the south, for the children to play with as marbles.

Li Xuanba’s eyes truly curved like crescent moons this time.

Li Shimin kept glancing at his brother’s overly happy face.

Li Xuanba: **[What are you looking at?]**

Li Shimin withdrew his gaze, anxious that he couldn’t converse with his brother with mind-to-mind speech.

But he didn’t answer, and Li Xuanba understood what his expression meant.

Li Xuanba: **[Are you curious why I suddenly started performing?]**

Li Shimin blinked. *Yes, yes, exactly!*

Li Xuanba: **[Look at that pile of gold.]**

Li Shimin looked at the gold.

Li Xuanba: **[Now look at this box of top-quality pearls.]**

Li Shimin looked at the pearls.

Li Xuanba: **[Money is nothing to be ashamed of.]**

Li Shimin: “……”

We are at least the Second and Third sons of the grand Tang Duke’s household. A Xuan, do you have to be so obsessed with money!

Li Xuanba: **[Ha, don’t you love money? Didn’t you want to split the estate with me? Even if the mansion is a reward from the emperor, doesn’t repairing it cost money? New furniture and garden renovations cost money? Clothing, food, shelter, all cost money. And when you go to war, fine horses, armor, weapons, provisions—all cost money. Do you expect Father to pay? Then Big Brother would be furious.]**

Li Shimin’s small body shivered.

Li Xuanba: **[If we have money, we won’t depend on Father or Brother. And as you’ve guessed, chaotic times are coming. No money to recruit soldiers and buy horses—how will you protect me, Mother, and Sister?]**

Li Shimin suddenly lifted his head, his phoenix-shaped eyes forcibly widening into round phoenix eyes.

What are we waiting for? Quickly!

Uncle, look at my eager eyes—give a little more!

“Your nephew isn’t as clever as A-Xuan, but he learns riding and archery quickly!” Li Shimin’s eyes sparkled. “One day, I’ll be Uncle’s Champion Marquis!”

Yang Guang paused, then laughed and patted Li Shimin’s head: “Good, Uncle will wait for you to grow up and be my Champion Marquis.”

Although those who taught Yang Guang history disliked Emperor Wu of Han, thinking him a warmonger, Yang Guang greatly admired his unmatched strength and dominance.

Whatever Emperor Wu achieved, he also wanted to achieve—and better!

Emperor Wu had Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. Li Yuan didn’t seem loyal enough to be his Wei Qing. But perhaps this little nephew could truly be his Huo Qubing?

Yang Guang looked at Li Xuanba: “Then will the Sanlang be my Huo Guang?”

Li Xuanba was stunned.

Using his thick-skinned workplace experience, he had mimicked his older brother, acting like a child to please Emperor Yang—but even that couldn’t compare to his brother simply saying, “Champion Marquis.”

*Is Second Brother’s talent for charming people something he was born with?!*

Li Xuanba said seriously, “Huo Guang is a powerful minister, but your nephew doesn’t want to be Huo Guang. Your nephew wants to be Xiao He and Han Xin to Second Brother!”

Li Shimin was dumbfounded. “But A-Xuan, Han Xin was executed.”

Li Xuanba replied, “Second Brother, Han Xin lived longer than Huo Qubing. If you have to choose, you should be Han Xin.”

Yang Guang watched Li Shimin’s face, full of disbelief, and almost choked from laughing.

Li Shimin pouted in grievance, “Then your nephew will not be Huo Qubing. Your nephew will be Li Shimin. Your nephew is your nephew’s champion marquis Li Shimin, not some Huo Qubing.”

Yang Guang laughed and patted Li Shimin on the head. “Good, good. You are my champion marquis Li Shimin, not Huo Qubing, and not Han Xin either.”

Then Yang Guang waved his hand grandly, and this time he gifted Li Shimin and Li Xuanba each a young horse.

“Li Yuan is stingy and won’t let you touch fine horses, so I will give you good ones!” Yang Guang took the hands of the two children and strode toward the imperial stables in the Western Garden, determined to personally pick horses for Li Shimin and Li Xuanba.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba followed, full of excitement.

Li Shimin’s excitement was genuine; Li Xuanba’s was only for show.

Li Xuanba: **[Brother, I can’t do it anymore. I’m so tired. I just want to lie down and sleep right here. Can he walk a bit slower? I’m struggling to keep up.]**

Li Shimin could only spare a glance of “keep going” to his younger brother amid his excitement.

*Hang in there, little brother! As you said, earning money is nothing to be ashamed of!*