novelSusiti Chapter 41 Father, you've finally met your match!
Chapter 41 Father, you've finally met your match!
Chapter 41 Father, you've finally met your match!
A side hall of the Taiji Hall.
Li Shimin sat with his feet dangling at the head of the table. At this moment, only he and Li Chengqian remained in the hall. The weather was unbearably hot. Looking at the bowl of refreshing tea newly developed by the Imperial Kitchen in his hand, he couldn't help but think of the fan that his son had brought back.
"It's a pity that the rare item was given to Xiao Sizi. If only I could have a few more!" Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shake his head and curse himself for being too greedy. After regaining his senses, he looked down at Li Chengqian.
The father and son had a big argument about the disappearance of their younger brother. In the end, Li Shimin had no choice but to tell him the truth. After all, as the Crown Prince of Tang, Li Chengqian had to be told this sooner or later.
Unexpectedly, saying it would have been better if he hadn't said it, because it caused Li Chengqian to stand there for almost half an hour without recovering.
"Ahem, what's wrong? Your Highness, the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty, you've been thinking for so long, and you still haven't figured it out?"
Li Chengqian snapped out of his daze at the noise, his face turning from white to red. His father was good in every way, except that he liked to tease him all the time, often putting the crown prince in an awkward position. Fortunately, there were no outsiders here today.
"Father! What you just said is too unbelievable. I didn't see it with my own eyes, so it's hard for me to believe!"
It's true that Li Chengqian can't be blamed for this. He was just a teenager, and he was indeed somewhat afraid of ghosts and gods. But he was more worried about his younger sister. In his opinion, a mere three-year-old child was too easily bewitched.
"I don't want to believe it either, but the facts are right in front of me. Have you ever seen any of those strange and unusual things that Si Zi brought back? Not to mention you, even I have never seen them before!"
Seeing that Li Chengqian still had some doubts about what he said, Li Shimin felt even more annoyed. As the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he disliked anyone directly challenging his authority, except for a limited number of people, especially the crown prince Li Chengqian!
"Then, is it possible that some outsiders are deliberately trying to mislead Xiao Sizi, since she's still young and can't tell right from wrong...!"
"Snapped!"
"Enough! Do you think I would deliberately harm the prince?"
Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table, startling Li Chengqian. Wu She, who was outside the hall, wanted to enter and offer some advice, but after thinking about it, he stopped and ran off in another direction.
Li Chengqian wanted to continue speaking, but seeing Li Shimin's angry face and heavy breathing, he wisely kept quiet.
However, he really couldn't understand why his father would get so angry when he was just worried about his little sister's safety!
Even when facing other people, whether they were court officials or his other children, he was always very kind. However, when he was with others, he was mostly met with dissatisfaction and blame. Thinking about this, he felt more and more aggrieved, but he could only suppress his emotions and not let Li Shimin find out.
Seeing Li Chengqian's aggrieved and sad face, Li Shimin also felt a little uncomfortable. Although he felt sorry for his loss of composure just now, it was absolutely impossible for him to say anything to express his apology.
"I am the emperor, and he is the crown prince. This is merely a lesson and a test for him! If a ruler cannot even endure this small grievance, how will he govern the country when he becomes emperor?"
Li Shimin could only think this to himself, because in his view, the things Li Chengqian had experienced were the trials he should undergo on his path to becoming emperor!
Seeing that the two were at an impasse, neither willing to take the initiative to break the dull atmosphere in the hall, a voice suddenly rang out from outside the door, which was like heavenly music to Li Chengqian at this moment.
"Eh! It seems I've come at the wrong time. Have I disturbed you and your son?" Despite saying this, the person still walked into the main hall on his own!
"Your subject greets Your Majesty!"
"Grandson greets Grandfather!"
Li Shimin and Li Chengqian quickly bowed, for the person who had come was none other than the retired Emperor Li Yuan!
"Yes, my son, no need for such formalities. Chengqian, you may rise as well!" With that, he walked to the bedside and plopped down.
Upon seeing this, Li Shimin quickly poured Li Yuan a cup of tea and then stood aside.
"I wonder what brings Father Emperor to the Taiji Hall today?"
Li Shimin knew his father very well. He rarely visited the palace unless there was a specific reason for his visit. He usually spent his days drinking and making merry with his concubines in the Da'an Palace.
"What, can't I come to your Taiji Hall if I have nothing to do? Or do you find me an eyesore?"
Upon hearing this, Li Yuan immediately retorted that he rarely went out under normal circumstances, but today a palace attendant was ordered to bring him some food, and specifically said that it was brought back by that little girl, Si Zi.
However, he knew that Xiao Si had lived in the palace since childhood and would not have been able to find such strange things. He figured that they were probably given by Li Shimin in Xiao Si's name. He found it quite interesting and decided to go out for a stroll.
As it happened, they encountered Wu She in a hurry on the road. After some questioning, they learned that the father and son had quarreled again. Wu She originally intended to ask the Empress to intervene, but Li Yuan stopped him. He knew that his daughter-in-law had never been in good health, and since he had nothing else to do, he decided to come and see what was going on.
"You know that's not what I meant!" After all, this was his own father, so Li Shimin didn't dare to lose his temper.
"Oh! When I entered the hall just now, you two looked a bit off. What's wrong? Did you two have another argument?"
Faced with Li Yuan's question, Li Shimin naturally could not choose to tell him the truth. He changed his mind and said, "That's not true. I was just instructing Chengqian. We had a few disagreements along the way. It's nothing to worry about."
"Chengqian, is that so?" Li Yuan didn't look at Li Shimin, but instead looked at Li Chengqian with a puzzled expression.
"This...this...grandson...!"
Li Chengqian wanted to tell Li Yuan about the little ox, but looking at Li Shimin's stern eyes, he didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Hmph! Very well, Shimin, do you think that just because I'm old, you can deceive me at will?"
Li Yuan sensed that something was amiss, and for a moment he began to call Li Shimin by his name, even subconsciously referring to himself as "朕" (Zhen, the imperial "I").
"Father, please forgive me! I dare not!"
Li Shimin could only glare angrily at Li Chengqian before quickly turning around to apologize to Li Yuan.
Seeing Ji Shimin's disheveled appearance, Li Chengqian felt much more at ease and couldn't help but feel a secret sense of satisfaction.
"My dear father, I never thought you'd be like this! You always like to scold me, now you know what it feels like to be scolded, don't you? Actually, I still prefer your defiant look from just now!"
Of course, Li Shimin and Li Yuan could not possibly hear these words.