LFHYB -Chapter 217 The Last Night Before Ascension

When Prince Jin Li Xuanba arrived in Luoyang, the citizens quieted down immediately; even the pedestrians on the streets decreased.

Li Xuanba was baffled. I’m just a strategist hiding behind my brother—how could I be more notorious than my brother, who leads troops in battle?

“Notorious?! That’s not the word! I am renowned!” Li Shimin retorted, then nervously coughed, “I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to control them, so I helped spread your fame first.”

Li Xuanba asked curiously, “What fame did you spread for me?”

Li Shimin didn’t answer. Pei Xingyan and Changsun Wuji, like a comedic duo, chimed in:

“Summoning the wind and rain!”

“Turning beans into soldiers!”

“Attracting thunder and lightning!”

“Judging ghosts at night!”

Li Xuanba looked at the two of them.

[One nobleman’s son who died young, another nobleman’s son kicked out early… this life, finally enjoying a good life, and now they’ve become lively and cheerful playboys?]

Li Shimin said, “Lively and cheerful, yes, but not quite playboys.”

Pei Xingyan and Changsun Wuji turned to look at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin said, “I’m talking to A-Xuan, not you two.”

Pei Xingyan and Changsun Wuji exchanged glances, sensing that he was talking badly about them.

Li Xuanba said, “Forget it. The problem you caused yourself, you deal with yourself. When natural disasters strike frequently in the future and the people insist I perform rituals on the altar, you’ll understand what a headache it is.”

Li Shimin first widened his eyes, then clasped his head with both hands: “Right! How did I not think of this!”

Li Xuanba said, “Aren’t you famous? How could you not think of it?”

Li Shimin defended himself: “I’m the invincible one, but you’re the one who plans flawlessly! So, did your flawless planning account for my mistake today?!”

Li Xuanba: “……”

Pei Xingyan and Changsun Wuji stepped back and left the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

They strode out boldly, stopping Luo Shixin and Zong Luohou—today’s “door guardians”—from peeking in.

“Fighting? What are you staring at? Don’t they fight every day?”

“Ah, fighting again?”

It wasn’t particularly novel, so Luo Shixin and Zong Luohou lost interest.

Although Li Shimin had pulled a small trick on Li Xuanba, the consequences for Li Xuanba would only come in the future. For now, Li Xuanba’s fearsome reputation as a “demon strategist” made the remaining arrangements much easier.

At present, the only long-lasting unified dynasty lasting over a century was the Han. By the Wei and Jin periods, the coronation rituals had already changed significantly from the Han.

Back when Liu Bang ascended the throne, a group of his friends had crowded around to help him arrange everything haphazardly, and the emperor would personally come down to scuffle with his ministers during court. Continuing Han Gaozu’s court system now was nearly impossible.

When the famous Li Xuanba spoke of Han Gaozu’s court, the Confucian scholars in Luoyang readily agreed: Li Xuanba’s decision was enough. First, satisfy the people’s urgent desire for the Crown Prince’s coronation, and other matters could wait until returning to Chang’an.

Gao Jiong pressed his hand to his forehead: “You really want your second brother to wear a robe sewn by the people and walk back to Chang’an? And the Crown Prince agreed?”

Li Xuanba said, “Don’t worry, Teacher Gao. This act will surely be praised for all generations to come.”

Gao Jiong sighed: “On the condition that Li Erlang [Li Shimin] becomes a worthy emperor for the people.”

Li Xuanba winked: “My second brother has confidence.”

Gao Jiong said, “I asked Daxiong yesterday. He said he didn’t.”

Li Xuanba nodded vigorously, “He did! Teacher must have heard wrong.”

Gao Jiong exhaled again, then couldn’t help smiling: “Since he agreed, even if he says he didn’t, in his heart, he has this ambition.”

Seeing the youthful ambition of Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, a spark was lit in Gao Jiong’s heart as well.

They had finally endured until the Tang was established, witnessing the predicted wise ruler’s coronation. Old friends did not wish to die quietly at home; each wanted to venture out. Perhaps he, too, should come out again, to rekindle the ambition in his heart.

Besieging Luoyang was hardly “coming out again”; it was just surrounding the city to cultivate fields.

With Gao Jiong’s support, the influential nobles and old ministers in Luoyang were few, and those who had a voice were silenced, leaving Li Xuanba to handle arrangements.

Wei Zheng hurried over, pulling Li Shimin and Li Xuanba aside to advise them on something. The next day, he still helped with work, wearing a sour expression but not insisting on his own opinions.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba whispered to each other:

“What opinions? He didn’t even advise us. He just complained about being left out, and yet he still helped.”

“Sorry, I forgot you again.”

“Hahaha, don’t repeat that. He’s nearly furious. Didn’t you spare him extra work out of kindness because he was already busy and recently fell ill?”

“Yes, but now he’s not angry. Though I did end up adding something, and he calmed down.”

“Hahaha, sooner or later, he’ll be driven mad by you.”

Li Xuanba’s whisper was truly quiet, but Li Shimin’s was so loud it sounded like laughter. Wei Zheng, holding a pile of documents at the door, turned and left, with Xue Shou following to comfort him, saying not to fuss like Li Erlang and Li Sanlang—they had always been like this since childhood and probably wouldn’t change.

With Fang Qiao and Du Ruhui stationed in Chang’an and Wei Zheng and Xue Shou helping in Luoyang, Li Xuanba completed the “coronation” ceremony in Luoyang before the birthdays of these four ministers.

In the twelfth month of the year of Ji-Mao, Prince of Jin, Li Xuanba, brought the imperial edict of Emperor Li Yuan to welcome Crown Prince Li Shimin back to the capital for his coronation.

According to the officials’ discussion, to appease the people, the ceremony was specially modified: the Crown Prince would wear a robe presented by the people in Luoyang and don the imperial crown granted by Emperor Li Yuan in Chang’an.

This unprecedented ceremony sparked intense debate among ministers, but Li Xuanba decisively insisted on it, showing that the Crown Prince’s coronation was not only a mandate of heaven but also the wish of the people.

Thus, in the half-deserted palace of the Eastern Capital Luoyang, the Crown Prince Li Shimin received the robe sewn by the people from their representatives.

The citizens contributed one hundred strips of silk, sewing together a robe in the manner of a “hundred-family garment,” with mismatched details.

It was probably the humblest imperial robe in history. Yet Li Shimin removed his Crown Prince attire, donned the humble robe, let his hair down, and walked out of Luoyang.

The people of Luoyang wanted to follow him, but Li Shimin and Li Xuanba repeatedly persuaded them to return.

Some went back; some continued following. Only by night did the remaining citizens finally return to Luoyang.

Li Shimin left the army in Luoyang, taking only the Xuanjia troops and his trusted ministers. He didn’t ride horses, drank from his water pouch when thirsty, ate rations when hungry, and forbade officials and citizens from hosting him along the way, walking on foot back to Chang’an.

“The people are suffering disasters. How could I let you waste precious grain to feed me?”

“If wealthy households along the way have extra grain, use it for labor relief, giving it to the suffering people so they can help rebuild their homes. I will never fear your fame for righteousness; please feel free to do good deeds.”

“If there are grievances, come and stop me. If there are hardships, come and stop me. If I cannot solve the difficulties of the people along the way, how could I ascend the throne and solve the problems of the world?”

“Even if I truly can’t solve it, I still need to know my own weakness, so I can remind myself to do everything I can to be a good emperor in the future.”

Li Xuanba had written several pages of a script for Li Shimin. After skimming through it and grasping the general idea, Li Shimin improvised freely.

Although Li Xuanba had just recovered from a serious illness, he still leaned on a bamboo cane and followed Li Shimin everywhere. Occasionally, Li Shimin would give him a helping hand. The two brothers still supported and accompanied each other just as they always had.

“Yes, he’s my twin brother. A-Xuan, don’t frown—give the old man a smile.”

“Ah, my brother never liked to smile as a child… Hey! I just said you didn’t like to smile, so why are you smiling now? Are you doing this on purpose?!”

Li Xuanba showed his signature bright smile, and the elder praised the two of them, saying they truly looked alike.

Li Shimin draped an arm around his brother’s shoulders, smiling so broadly that his eyes nearly disappeared.

Among his close entourage, a relative of pure seniority, currently unknown and without any reputation, took note of this scene and that very night sketched a rough draft in his tent.

When the Prince of Jin left Chang’an, he found this relative and asked him to accompany him, to create a long narrative-style scroll commemorating the Crown Prince’s upcoming ascension.

“The Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin are really impressive,” this low-profile relative, the future famous painter Yan Liben, sighed. “Seeing them makes me want to give up painting and learn martial arts… Huh? Your Highness, Prince of Jin? What are you two doing here?!”

Li Xuanba said, “Second Brother heard you were painting, so he dragged me over to see your work. As for why we had to poke our heads in from outside the tent, I don’t know.”

Li Shimin drew back the tent flap: “Learning martial arts is fine, but why give up painting for it? Let me see… It doesn’t look very lifelike.”

Li Xuanba said, “It’s obviously been artistically enhanced. If you just needed a likeness, any painter could do it. Our little maternal uncle is a painter—one who’s gone down in history.”

Li Shimin tilted his head and asked, “How famous?”

Li Xuanba said, “There were only two painters in all of the Tang dynasty who were truly renowned: him and Wu Daozi. Because he turned his attention to officialdom halfway through life, he was only slightly behind Wu Daozi, and in the art world, he fell just short of Wu Daozi’s status, regretfully yielding the title of ‘Sage of Painting’… Hey? Why are you pushing me?”

Yan Liben’s face turned red. “Get out! Get out, don’t disturb my painting!”

What do you mean yield the title of “Sage of Painting”? I could have become the Sage of Painting!

Being revered as a “Sage”—who cares about official posts?!

Yan Liben’s mother was Princess Qingdu, a daughter of the Northern Zhou Emperor Wu. Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s grandmother, Princess Xiangyang, was also a daughter of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. So even though he was a few years younger than Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, his rank was higher—he was their little maternal uncle.

Because of his birth, his career in the Sui dynasty was blocked, but in the Tang dynasty, with his status as an imperial relative, if he wanted a high official post, a little effort would be enough.

So why care about officialdom? Isn’t having the title of “Sage of Painting” more important? If there’s officialdom, aren’t there older brothers to handle it?

Yan Liben thought of his brother Yan Lide, whose painting skill was no less than his own. That’s right, let my brother pursue officialdom—then the title of “Sage of Painting” is mine!

I won’t pursue an official career!

…

“A-Xuan, you’re up to mischief again.”

“Where? I’m just worried he’ll go astray. Don’t you want future generations to say, ‘The Sage of Painting was the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle’?”

“I don’t want that at all. I want future generations to say the Sage of Painting was my maternal nephew.”

Snicker.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba lay side by side on the grass, hands behind their heads, staring at the stars in the sky.

“Tomorrow we enter the capital. This is my last day of leisure. Honestly, I’m a bit afraid. Look at history—no matter how capable, anyone who becomes emperor ends up alienating their own family. You’re so cocky now, but if I change after ascending and start dredging up old grievances against you, you won’t know how many times you’ll wish you were dead.”

“With my health, maybe before you even get to dredge up old grievances, I’ll be gone… Ow!”

On the last night before his brother became emperor, Li Xuanba got a good beating.

When those who came to intervene learned why he was being beaten, they all shook their heads and left—no one tried to stop it.

Yuwen Zhu said, “Brother, don’t hit his face. Tomorrow, officials will see, and it won’t look good. Even if you cripple him, it’s fine—just say he’s tired from the journey.”

Li Xuanba: “…Madam?!!”

Li Shimin grinned, showing his teeth: “Alright!”

Yuwen Zhu’s smile vanished, her face dark: “Serves you right.”

Then she turned and left, sending everyone else away so they wouldn’t interfere with Li Shimin beating Li Xuanba.

Li Shimin clenched his fists.

Li Xuanba lifted his clothes and climbed a tree.