LFHYB -Chapter 19 Bestowing Three Teachers

Yang Guang had once served as governor of Yangzhou; Jiangdu had been his domain for ten years.

The palace in Jiangdu was already completed. He toured the old place with his ministers on horseback, performing the “Jiangdu Palace Music Song.”

“The old spots of Yangzhou are worth lingering,
The terraces bright and high are good for strolling.
Fragrant pavilions and trees greet early summer,
Long fields of wheat wave farewell to late autumn.
Jade oars float on emerald pools,
Under the fruit trees, golden saddles leap on purple steeds.
Green cups and frothy wine drink the glowing clouds,
Long sleeves and clear songs entertain the prefecture.”

The female musicians held various instruments, sitting sideways on horseback as they played and sang.

As the fine horses moved forward, the musicians’ sleeves fluttered, like fairies in heaven.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were still young and did not attend this horseback garden tour.

They sat with Empress Xiao on a high platform to enjoy the view. From the railing, they could see the emperor and his ministers in their “garden tour” below.

Empress Xiao smiled and said, “Sanlang, you’re good at poetry, and I’ve heard you can compose a poem in five steps. Do you have any inspiration now?”

Li Xuanba replied “honestly,” “Actually, my ‘five-step poem’ is prepared in advance. Before going to the Zheng household, I had already guessed what topic they might assign—probably just describing some scenery. It wouldn’t be too difficult for me. But if you ask me to compose a poem now, I’ll need a moment to think.”

Empress Xiao didn’t look down on Li Xuanba for his “honesty”; on the contrary, she liked his cleverness even more.

“Take your time, think it through. If you can’t come up with one, it’s fine,” Empress Xiao said, rubbing Li Xuanba’s head. “Writing poetry is just a small art.”

Li Xuanba nodded: “Yes.”

Li Shimin leaned close to Li Xuanba and whispered, “Aren’t you able to see the poems of future people? Can’t you really choose a good one?”

Li Xuanba thought: “One must enjoy life to the fullest; never let the golden goblet face the moon empty.”

Li Shimin’s eyes lit up. That was perfect!

Li Xuanba sighed helplessly: “That’s a poem by the immortal poet Li Bai from when he was frustrated in life. Do you think my experiences could produce something like this? Even if I copy a poem, it has to fit my character and progress naturally. Right now, my experience only allows me to copy simple scenery poems. When I’m older, I can try poems with youthful spirit. But I do have one poem I can use now. Once the Emperor returns, I’ll present it to him.”

Li Xuanba fetched paper, ink, and brush, pretending to struggle to squeeze out lines of poetry.

Li Shimin helped grind the ink for him.

Empress Xiao, the concubines, and the princesses all watched the “child prodigy” at work.

When Yang Guang finished playing and returned to invite Empress Xiao and the concubines for a walk by the water, he saw Li Xuanba and Li Shimin’s faces smeared with ink, like little kittens sent as tribute from Chuzhou.

Yang Guang laughed loudly: “Li Erlang, Li Sanlang, what are you doing!”

Li Xuanba lifted his ink-smeared face: “Your Majesty, I am composing a poem.”

Li Shimin lifted his ink-smeared face: “Your Majesty, we are playing with ink and brush.”

Curious, Yang Guang leaned over to see what poem Li Xuanba was writing. Hearing Li Shimin’s words, he laughed and shook his head, tapping Li Shimin lightly on the head.

Yang Guang then read the four lines Li Xuanba had written:

“Boats return over a thousand miles of bustling waters,
Speaking of past towns down to Yangzhou.
May I ask, where is Yangzhou?
To the south of the Huai, north of the river, at the west end of the sea.”

“Not bad,” he said. Of course it was good—it was your own poem!

What Li Xuanba had written was actually Yang Guang’s own “Rowing the Dragon Boat”.

Later generations, seeing the imagery in “Rowing the Dragon Boat”, assumed Yang Guang wrote it while traveling south. But every time he had a poetic inspiration, he would discuss it with Empress Xiao first. Li Xuanba was sure that Yang Guang hadn’t yet composed “Rowing the Dragon Boat”.

Li Xuanba guessed that in this timeline, “Rowing the Dragon Boat” might have been written by Yang Guang later, in Jiangdu, recalling his journey south.

Yang Guang liked his own poetry, and if he already had the “poetic idea” in mind, Li Xuanba could help draw it out.

Yang Guang had once said, “Even if I select scholars and officials, I would still be worthy as the Son of Heaven.” He was proud of his talent and didn’t like others overshadowing him.

If Li Xuanba had suddenly presented a Li Bai poem that amazed everyone, regardless of age or experience, just the shock value alone would ruin him.

Li Xuanba earnestly said, “Your Majesty, I should now express my own feelings. But life on the boat is all noise, sleepiness, and fatigue.”

Yang Guang was first surprised, then laughed: “You complain even when accompanying me?”

Li Shimin explained for his brother: “We are still young. Appreciating songs and dances is too advanced for us.”

Then he clasped his hands behind his back and sighed heavily, like a little old man.

But the ink streaks on his face looked ridiculous, making him appear less mature and more like a playful mischievous child.

The ministers behind Yang Guang watched curiously at these two children, completely unafraid of the Emperor.

It was common for the Emperor to have the children of his maternal relatives stay nearby. For example, Emperor Wu of Han personally trained Huo Qubing, who even resented learning. Huo Qubing’s son Huo Shan also served the emperor at age four.

Ah, both of them died young.

When ministers learned that the Emperor had the twin sons of the Duke of Tang’s household living near the Empress, they privately thought that Duke Li Yuan was probably the only relative the Emperor did not fear.

Seeing Li Erlang and Li Sanlang being so close and comfortable with the Emperor confirmed their suspicions.

Yang Guang was very indulgent toward those he liked. Now that he had affection for Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, he happily played the kind, doting elder.

He had palace maids bring water to clean Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s faces and teased: “I didn’t bring you here to watch song and dance. I wanted you to see the grandeur of the land and broaden your horizons.”

Li Xuanba, carefully having his face wiped by a maid, held the brush with both hands: “Your Majesty, my knowledge is not enough to complete this poem. Please add a few lines for me.”

Before Yang Guang could reply, Empress Xiao shook with laughter: “I ask you to write poetry, and now you want the Emperor to help? Your Majesty, you must not!”

Li Xuanba said, “The dragon boat is magnificent, and a child’s years are young. I truly cannot write a poem that captures its grandeur.”

Yang Guang laughed and took the brush held by Li Xuanba: “Very well, I’ll add a few lines.”

Looking at the four lines, the remaining lines naturally appeared in his mind, as if they had always been there, only brought out by Li Xuanba’s verses.

After a moment’s thought, Yang Guang wrote swiftly:

“With six reins I pause to command a hundred fathoms,
Temporarily halting the mountain songs and paddling chants.”

Li Xuanba’s lips curved slightly in a barely visible smile.

Yang Guang pondered a little more and completed the final two lines:

“How can it compare with Jiangdong’s palm-held land,
Claiming alone to roam within the mirror?”

Li Shimin looked at these last two lines with admiration in his eyes.

Li Xuanba respectfully said, “‘Palm-held land’ and ‘roam within the mirror’—only the Emperor could write such lines. Uncle, by completing this poem for me, I am able to ride on your poetic talent and have it remembered through the ages.”

Li Shimin put away his look of longing and asked curiously, “A-Xuan, so this is what you meant—you go ‘gaga’ and kill wildly, and your uncle is responsible for killing wildly, while you are responsible for the ‘gaga’?”

Li Xuanba: “……”

Brother, your train of thought really doesn’t have to go this far!

Yang Guang heard this and burst out laughing.

With a tone of self-satisfied humility, he said, “It’s not exactly a masterpiece, just something worth looking at. Yu Shinan, your calligraphy is the best—come and help me carefully copy this poem!”

A middle-aged man with a lean face and some white in his temples stepped forward, bowing respectfully: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Li Xuanba blinked. Hm? Didn’t I just hear a very familiar name?

He looked up at Yu Shinan.

Yu Shinan rolled up his sleeves and was about to lay out a fresh sheet of paper. Attentive Li Shimin immediately stretched out his short little hands, helping Yu Shinan lay out the paper and even carefully grinding the ink.

Li Shimin said, “I’ve heard from my father… I’ve heard Father say that Yu Sheren’s calligraphy is extraordinary. A-Xuan, ah Xuan, today we get to see it for ourselves!”

Li Xuanba nodded along with his second brother: “Yes.”

He handed Yu Shinan a new brush.

Yang Guang laughed, “Li Yuan did indeed praise Yu Qing’s calligraphy to me. Pairing Yu Qing’s writing with my poem is… just barely suitable.”

Seeing the two children behaving so well, Yu Shinan’s eyes softened slightly. But after hearing the emperor’s words, he quickly restrained his emotions, returning to a calm, undisturbed expression.

He dipped his brush in ink, and the characters flowed like clouds and water, completed in one smooth motion.

Yang Guang laughed heartily: “Excellent! Frame it for me!”

Yu Shinan set down his brush and respectfully stepped aside.

Li Shimin had loved calligraphy since he was very small. He wandered around Yu Shinan’s work, so excited that he couldn’t stop, making Yang Guang and Empress Xiao laugh heartily.

Li Xuanba stood obediently to the side, watching Yu Shinan out of the corner of his eye.

He finally remembered why the name sounded familiar.

Yu Shinan—one of the “Eighteen Scholars” of the Prince of Qin’s Literary Academy, one of the twenty-four meritorious officials in Lingyan Pavilion, and a trusted minister of my brother.

At this time, Tang Taizong Li Shimin was still just a six-year-old child, while Yu Shinan was a nearly fifty-year-old man, frustrated and unfulfilled.

Yu Shinan stood with his head lowered, his gaze like a frozen ancient well, locking away all his ambition and heroic spirit.

He probably couldn’t imagine that there would one day be a wise ruler who would recognize his talent.

Li Xuanba thought: **[Brother, in the future Yu Shinan will become famous for his integrity and courage in remonstrating, known as the “Five Perfections”: virtue, loyalty and honesty, erudition, literary skill, and calligraphy.]**

Li Shimin’s gaze left Yu Shinan’s calligraphy and turned to the middle-aged man, slightly bowed and appearing very humble.

He didn’t look like a minister famous for integrity and honest remonstration.

Li Xuanba: **[He isn’t that yet.]**

Oh. Li Shimin scratched his head. People really do change.

But Yu Sheren seems to be already middle-aged—did he only suddenly become upright and fearless after turning white-haired?

Yu Shinan noticed Li Shimin’s gaze.

Li Shimin didn’t feel awkward at all; he even smiled at Yu Shinan.

He said to Yang Guang, “Your Majesty, A-Xuan and I have been playing for so long. We should return to our studies. Yu Sheren’s calligraphy is beautiful—can A-Xuan and I learn from him?”

Li Xuanba: “……” Who voluntarily adds homework to themselves?

Yang Guang laughed, “That’s exactly what I intended.”

Yang Guang treated Li Shimin and Li Xuanba as young juniors to educate, so naturally, he would have someone teach them to read and write.

But life on the dragon boat was so enjoyable that Yang Guang had forgotten about this matter.

Empress Xiao, seeing the boys were young and not feeling well on the dragon boat, hadn’t mentioned it either.

Now that they had arrived in Jiangdu, it was time for the children to continue their studies.

No princes or imperial grandchildren were formally attending school in the palace yet. Yang Guang thought he could use Li Erlang and Li Sanlang to test the teaching abilities of his ministers, effectively selecting future tutors for his eventual sons and already-born grandsons.

Yang Guang hadn’t originally considered Yu Shinan as a teacher.

He planned to test the ministers’ teaching skills using Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, choosing teachers for future princes and imperial grandsons.

Although Yu Shinan was talented, he was quiet and timid in front of Yang Guang, only his calligraphy stood out. Yang Guang didn’t think much of him.

Li Shimin liked Yu Shinan’s calligraphy, and since he believed children should first learn to write well, assigning Yu Shinan to teach the princes calligraphy seemed appropriate.

After deciding on Yu Shinan, Yang Guang called for Minister of Justice Yuwen Bi, saying, “Minister Yuwen, you claim to be old and frail, unwilling to travel with me. Then for a time, serve as tutor to Li Erlang and Li Sanlang, teaching them reading and calligraphy. I am taking them on the southern tour—if they neglect their studies, Li Yuan will surely blame me. Minister Yuwen, you are immensely talented; teaching children should be more than sufficient.”

Everyone except Li Shimin detected the subtle sarcasm in the emperor’s tone.

Li Xuanba thought hard. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t recall immediately. Too many important officials surnamed “Yuwen” in the late Sui.

Yuwen Bi calmly bowed, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Seeing Yuwen Bi accept the task so calmly, Yang Guang felt a surge of frustration in his chest, trapped and suffocating.

The Yuwen clan Yuwen Bi belonged to was not related to the Northern Zhou royal family—not a relative.

Yuwen Bi, Duke of Pingchang, had served with distinction under Northern Zhou and Emperor Wen of Sui, gaining great prestige as a three-dynasty veteran minister. He was upright, generous, and principled, often remonstrating with Yang Guang. Yang Guang disliked him intensely but also knew he was indeed talented. So he planned to push Yuwen Bi away, assigning him to assist the crown prince and teach imperial grandsons.

Yang Guang could have formally appointed Yuwen Bi in a gracious manner, but he couldn’t resist inserting a few barbs.

Yet Yuwen Bi maintained the dignity of a senior statesman, ignoring the emperor’s jabs as if Yang Guang were the unreasonable one—and showed not a trace of humiliation on his face.

Yang Guang grew even more annoyed.

But Yuwen Bi obediently followed his orders, so Yang Guang couldn’t blame him for anything and had to suppress his anger. He said, “Grand Master of Ceremonies Gao Jiong, you will teach Li Erlang and Li Sanlang the classics.”

An elder stepped forward and accepted the order: “I will obey, Your Majesty.”

Hmm? Li Xuanba heard a familiar name again but still couldn’t place it immediately.

“A-Xuan, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and pay your respects to your teacher.” Everyone present broke into a cold sweat at the emperor’s choice of the three “teachers.” Even Empress Xiao stopped smiling, but Li Shimin just grinned foolishly. “Disciple Li Shimin pays respects to the teachers! A-Xuan! We are going to study under three world-renowned talents!”

“Ah… disciple Li Xuanba pays respects to the teachers.” Li Xuanba followed, clasping his hands and bowing.

Yuwen Bi said calmly, “The Duke of Tang is elegant, open-minded, and generous. I can teach his children.”

Yang Guang’s face darkened.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Empress Xiao quickly tried to smooth things over. “How can paying respects to a teacher be done without a proper ceremony? Someone, bring the ceremony gifts for Erlang and Sanlang.”

She smiled and said, “Your Majesty, shall we have Erlang and Sanlang kowtow to the three teachers?”

Yang Guang replied gloomily, “Kowtow.”

Li Shimin kept grinning, pulling Li Xuanba along to kowtow to the three teachers.

Yang Guang excused the three men early to prepare lessons, and Empress Xiao, along with the other consorts, praised Yang Guang’s poetry, which finally improved his mood.

Only then did the second round of the garden tour resume.

…

After spending half a day playing with the emperor, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba left early to prepare the items they would need for school the next day.

“The three senior ministers are teaching us? Uncle is really kind,” Li Shimin said.

Li Xuanba replied, “The emperor is likely using this to test the teaching abilities of the three of them in preparation for educating the imperial grandchildren. Once we return to Luoyang, we will leave the palace. We won’t truly be their disciples.”

Li Shimin patted Li Xuanba on the shoulder. “A-Xuan, having the chance to study under Master Yuwen and Master Gao for a while is something anyone in the world would envy. You still want to be their formal disciple? Mother said not to be too greedy—that’s not good.”

Ignoring his second brother, who frequently tried to lecture him to assert his seniority, Li Xuanba changed the topic: “Master Yuwen and Master Gao are very famous?”

Li Shimin said proudly, “A-Xuan, you know past and future events, but why aren’t you paying attention to current affairs? Father always tells us about the great talents in the court. Did you forget?”

Li Xuanba thought to himself that when Li Yuan “taught,” it was too dull, and most of what he said was already known to him. He basically dozed with his eyes open, so he had indeed forgotten.

Li Shimin was delighted that his younger brother truly didn’t know and eagerly began explaining what he knew about the two men.

It was rare to find something A-Xuan didn’t understand! Finally, Li Shimin could teach him! His chest swelled with excitement, almost ready to take flight.

As Li Xuanba listened and compared it with the memories of his previous life, his face grew paler and paler.

Before Li Shimin could finish introducing their achievements, Li Xuanba, who was tidying up the stationery for the next day, trembled and dropped the inkstone onto the table with a loud “clang.”

Li Shimin was startled.

He held his brother’s shoulder. “A-Xuan? What’s wrong? What’s finished? Are you unwell? I’ll call the imperial physician, wait here!”

“Don’t!” Li Xuanba grabbed his brother and said, “It’s nothing. I just slipped.”

Li Shimin studied his brother’s expression and, seeing nothing amiss, went out to ask the wet nurse for a cup of warm water. Once Li Xuanba drank it, he continued tidying up with him.

Later, Li Xuanba went to bed early, citing fatigue, while Li Shimin, still full of energy, went to the courtyard to practice archery.

After Li Shimin left, Li Xuanba opened his eyes and stared at the bed curtain in a daze.

He remembered who Gao Jiong and Yuwen Bi were.

Gao Jiong, in later online stories, is somewhat “popular” due to his connection with Empress Dugu.

In those stories, Empress Dugu is portrayed as a staunch supporter of monogamy. Because Gao Jiong initially mourned his deceased wife and didn’t remarry, then later allowed his concubine to become pregnant, Empress Dugu considered him unfaithful to his late wife. She advised Emperor Wen to distance himself from Gao Jiong, leading to Gao Jiong’s demotion.

These stories praise Empress Dugu for her morality.

In reality, it wasn’t so; it was purely political.

While Empress Dugu tightly controlled Yang Jian, she wouldn’t meddle in others’ private affairs. Her requirements for her son were simply not to favor concubines over wives. In fact, the ministers she relied on had multiple wives and concubines.

Her actions were aimed solely at eliminating supporters of Crown Prince Yang Yong.

Gao Jiong was capable both in civil and military matters, and highly respected. His daughter was a consort of Crown Prince Yang Yong, making him an important supporter. When Emperor Wen considered deposing the crown prince, Gao Jiong advised against it based on propriety, which persuaded the emperor to abandon the idea. Empress Dugu then sought to remove Gao Jiong.

The alleged “disloyalty to his deceased wife” was a distortion: Empress Dugu had Emperor Wen propose a new wife for Gao Jiong; Gao Ying refused due to age. Later, when Gao Jiong’s concubine became pregnant, Empress Dugu argued that Gao Jiong’s refusal to accept the emperor’s wife out of love for a concubine was disloyal, which deepened Emperor Wen’s suspicions of Gao Jiong.

After Yang Guang ascended the throne, he issued edicts claiming he would accept advice widely and recalled senior ministers involved in succession disputes in Emperor Wen’s later years. Gao Jiong was appointed Grand Master of Ceremonies.

Yang Guang loved music and entertainment; Gao Jiong advised against it. Yang Guang built canals and planned to repair the Great Wall; Gao Jiong requested to postpone these projects. Yang Guang overindulged the Khagan of the Turks; Gao Jiong warned caution.

In the third year of the Daye era, Gao Jiong was executed for “slandering court politics,” and his sons were exiled.

Gao Jiong was no “villain”; he was a loyal minister of the Sui Dynasty.

Similarly, Yuwen Bi also incurred Yang Guang’s dislike for repeatedly giving advice and was executed alongside Gao Jiong for “slandering court politics.”

Yang Guang deeply despised Gao Jiong. After Gao Jiong’s death, the famous poet and Censor Xue Daoheng publicly praised his talent, which led Yang Guang to find an excuse to execute him.

Having both himself and Second Brother study under Gao Jiong and Yuwen Bi, he knew that once Gao Jiong and Yuwen Bi continued to remonstrate with Yang Guang—provoking Yang Guang’s hatred and eventual execution—Yang Guang’s petty nature would likely make him resent both himself and Second Brother, possibly even taking out his anger on the Duke Tang Mansion.

Even though the student–teacher relationship had been arranged by Yang Guang himself.

Li Xuanba had no intention of “foretelling” this to Li Shimin too early.

Although he occasionally “slipped up,” anything that might place too much psychological burden on his elder brother, he kept firmly to himself.

No matter how mature Second Brother seemed, he was still just a six-year-old child.

“I have to think of a way to distance ourselves from them, so that Emperor Yang knows that Second Brother and I don’t like them,” Li Xuanba mumbled quietly into the thick fur-lined quilt, psyching himself up. “If it can be done, it can be done.”

He felt very uneasy inside.

Although Li Xuanba often “advised the world” and “criticized society” in front of Li Shimin from the perspective of someone from the future, he knew his own limitations very clearly.

During the late Sui and early Tang periods, the heroes who appeared on history’s stage were all extraordinary. If he could compete alongside them, he wouldn’t be just a minor historical content editor in the modern world.

Yang Guang’s killing of Yuwen Bi and Gao Jiong was inevitable; the ministers of the court couldn’t stop it. What could a child like him do?

All he could do was to try his best to distance Second Brother from these two loyal ministers of the Sui who were doomed to die.

People often say in later times that Li Yuan contributed nothing to the founding of the Tang dynasty—but that wasn’t true.

Tang Taizong Li Shimin may have had military achievements, but the initial capital for raising an army belonged to Duke Tang Li Yuan, and it was Li Yuan whom most people initially followed.

In ancient times, seniority, reputation, and age were extremely important.

Without Li Shimin, Li Yuan might have only become one of the regional powers, possibly swallowed up by forces like Dou Jiande and erased from history; but similarly, Li Shimin, still under twenty, could hardly contend alone with all the contenders, even if his merit in rescuing the emperor wasn’t overlooked.

There were many dukes in the Sui dynasty, but Li Yuan succeeded because he held military power. If Li Yuan hadn’t gained Yang Guang’s trust at the end of the Daye era and acquired control over the Taiyuan troops, the Duke Tang Mansion would not have been able to rise smoothly.

If Yang Guang, wary because of Gao Jiong, had tried to sideline Li Yuan, Li Yuan couldn’t have gained Yang Guang’s trust, and he couldn’t have gone to govern Taiyuan with troops under his command.

Although Li Xuanba knew history wouldn’t be rewritten so easily, and maybe Li Yuan could have raised troops some other way, the ending of Xue Daoheng in the historical records still terrified him.

Who isn’t afraid of death? Though he appeared calm, deep down he feared Yang Guang, who was known for being capricious and cruel.

“I shouldn’t have tried to please Yang Guang,” Li Xuanba muttered. “But he called me and Second Brother in front of him. If we don’t please him, we’re doomed too. So annoying.”

Li Xuanba poked his head out from the quilt and took several deep breaths of fresh air to calm himself.

Refusing the teachers was impossible, and slacking off to make Gao Jiong and Yuwen Bi dislike him was even worse. These teachers were appointed by Yang Guang; if they didn’t respect them and failed to study diligently, it would also be seen as disrespect toward the emperor.

Damn it, so annoying!