Chapter 53: Heavenly Questions (5)

Li Longji was momentarily stunned upon hearing this and took some time to understand what Gao Lishi meant.
“Yuan Yi, what did you just say? Chang’an has been recaptured?”
Li Longji stared at Gao Lishi in disbelief and asked sharply.
“Ah, a few days ago, General Guo Ziyi led the imperial army to defeat Cui Qianyou’s rebel forces, and Chang’an has been recaptured!”
Gao Lishi was clearly very excited as well, responding eagerly, “Your Majesty, now that Chang’an has been recovered, the new emperor wants to bring you back to Chang’an. This is truly wonderful news!”
Upon hearing this, Li Longji’s expression darkened instantly.
“I refuse to go back. I don’t want to see that traitor!”
He turned away, breathing heavily, his beard trembling from extreme anger.
If not for that traitor, Yu Huan wouldn’t have died, Lin Er wouldn’t have died, and so many others wouldn’t have died either. It was because of that beast’s unforgivable actions that so many people perished!
“Your Majesty, look, just look…”
Gao Lishi didn’t know what to say for a moment. After sighing deeply, he finally managed to say, “Even among ordinary people, there’s a strong emphasis on the relationship between father and son. Chang’an is your home. Now that it’s been recaptured by the imperial army, how can you not return?”
Li Longji snorted coldly and waved his sleeve. “Home? That place is now that traitor’s home, not mine! Want to bring me back? Perhaps that traitor is uneasy seeing me living alone in Shu.”
As soon as Gao Lishi spoke, he guessed Li Heng’s intentions. Only he himself knew what his son was thinking. Now that the boy had become emperor, he was afraid that people in the court might say he hadn’t ascended to the throne legitimately, so he wanted to bring Li Longji back to Chang’an to keep him under control!
“Your Majesty, think about it. The new emperor is still your son after all. In this world, where is there such a thing as a son who disrespects his father?”
Pressed by Li Longji, Gao Lishi resorted to using simple, common language to reason with the retired emperor.
“Besides, you came to Shu on an inspection tour. Since it’s an inspection tour, you must return eventually. Now that Chang’an has been recaptured, if you don’t go back, how will history record it?”
Li Longji waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t care! It’s that traitor who holds power now. What does history write matter to me?”

Gao Lishi sighed and said, “Your Majesty, even for Prince Yong’s family—his wife and children—you must return to Chang’an. The new emperor has already shown leniency. If you insist on not returning, I’m afraid…”
Li Longji frowned upon hearing this. “Are you saying I should be grateful to that traitor for ending up like this? Hmph! I’ll protect Phin’s wife and children. Who dares touch them? Cough, cough…”
Suddenly overwhelmed with anger, Li Longji’s face turned red as he began to cough violently. Gao Lishi quickly bent down to pat his back.
“Your Majesty, why go to such lengths? If you return to Chang’an, the young prince and princess can live out their days in peace. Isn’t that the best outcome? You must consider the greater good!”
“I refuse! I want to see what more that traitor will try to do! Could he even dare to kill his own father like Emperor Yang did?”
Li Longji was stubborn enough that no one could persuade him. Clearly enraged, he was determined to argue with Li Hen to the end.
As the saying goes, two tigers cannot coexist in one mountain; two rulers cannot rule one country. Since the new emperor ascended the throne in Lingwu, orders from the imperial court were no longer heeded in Shu. Losing power directly affected one’s influence. Unable to grant titles and rewards directly, Li Longji noticed a significant change in the attitude of the officials in Jiannan Province toward him. Though they hesitated to express their opinions openly out of respect for their lord, the quality of offerings they provided had clearly declined.
After ruling the Tang Dynasty for over forty years, Li Longji had encountered all kinds of people and managed all sorts of subjects. How could such subtle schemes escape his notice?
“See what you say! If the new emperor truly harbors such intentions, it’s outright treason—everyone has the right to punish him! Even I will fight for justice on your behalf!”
Knowing Li Longji was in a fit of anger, Gao Lishi realized that saying more would only serve to worsen things, so he offered soothing words instead.
“Hmph, that’s much better!”

When Li Longji heard about Li Heng being harshly scolded by Gao Lishi, he felt slightly relieved. Once his emotions settled, he began to seriously consider what Gao Lishi had said. It was absolutely impossible not to return to Chang’an—firstly, his beloved son would never allow such a thing to happen and would surely find every way to “bring him back.” Secondly, he wasn’t happy in Shu either; after all, Chang’an was the imperial capital, and living there was beneficial to his health. But everything came with conditions, and this matter was no exception. His son could certainly try to bring him back to Chang’an to “show filial piety,” but he had to show some sincerity!

“I can go back if he promises not to harm Phin’s wife and children! If he refuses, I’ll use my old bones to demand an explanation from everyone in the world!”

Li Longji spoke passionately, sitting up straight and coughing a few times.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

“Your Majesty, rest assured on this point. Although Prince Yong had his title taken away, didn’t it also affect the young prince and his wife? In the future, though the young prince won’t be able to inherit the title, it’s still possible to grant him a position as a provincial official according to past traditions.”

Gao Lishi was right. There had been many instances in previous dynasties of fathers and sons fighting each other for power, so there were plenty of examples to draw from. Take Emperor Taizong, for instance—his first crown prince, Chengqian, was demoted to a commoner after failing in a rebellion and exiled to Qianzhou. After his title was taken away, his two sons also became commoners. But since they were still members of the imperial family, Emperor Taizong felt pity for them and assigned them positions as provincial officials as a final act of kindness.

Since there were existing examples from past dynasties, perhaps the new emperor didn’t need to get entangled in such a trivial matter. After all, things were already set in stone—now it was an old man sitting in the Daming Palace. Was he really afraid of a few immature youths trying to rebel and seize power?

“I hope so!”

Li Longji shook his head with a bitter smile, his voice filled with sorrow.……

Crows with white feathers flew above Chang’an’s city walls, circling above the Yanqiu Gate at night. They pecked at the large houses, forcing the officials inside to take cover. Nine horses died from broken whips, preventing their owners from riding together. With green coral jewelry around their waists, the poor princes wept in the streets. The descendants of the Great Emperor all had high cheekbones—being of imperial blood, they were different from ordinary people. Not daring to speak too long at the crossroads, they simply stood there for a moment for the princes.

When asked, he refused to reveal his name, only saying that he was in distress and begged to become a slave. He had been wandering through thorns for a hundred days, with no intact skin on his body. Last night, the east wind carried the scent of blood; camels came from the east and filled the old capital. The brave men of the north were once fierce and valiant, but now they seemed foolish. He had heard that the emperor had already passed the throne, and the emperor’s virtue had subdued both the northern and southern chieftains. People cut their faces at the Flower Gate to atone for their shame; be careful not to speak, lest others exploit you.

After half a month of travel, the retired emperor Li Longji’s carriage finally arrived at the imperial capital of Chang’an.

Entering Chang’an through Mingde Gate and walking along Zhuque Street, Li Longji couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

By now, Chang’an had been recaptured by the imperial troops for a month, and everything seemed to have returned to its pre-war state. The houses destroyed by war had been rebuilt using better materials; the walls once stained with blood had been painted over anew, symbolizing the rebirth of the Tang Dynasty. Everything indicated that the rebellion was about to be quelled and that the Tang Dynasty would thrive again. Yet Li Longji felt that something was missing.

What was it? What exactly was lacking?

It was the people’s hearts!

Li Longji looked down the desolate streets and saw the commoners passing by, huddling together and trying to move as quickly as possible. Their faces no longer showed those bright smiles or the confidence that used to radiate from them.

The people of Chang’an now wore blank expressions, deliberately hiding themselves, fearing being coveted by others. They had been too deeply wounded!

Li Longji shook his head with a bitter smile and let out a long sigh.

He had long heard that when the imperial troops recaptured Chang’an, they borrowed troops from the Uyghurs. The Uyghurs’ condition for sending troops was simple: after the city fell, the land would belong to the Tang Dynasty, while all wealth, goods, and women would go to the Uyghurs. It was said that after Chang’an fell, the Uyghurs looted the city for three days, their actions even more brutal than those of the rebels.

No wonder Chang’an was so deserted, no wonder the people no longer showed any trace of pride.

Li Longji couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He waved to Gao Lishi, who was waiting outside the carriage, signaling him to speed up the journey.……

The retired emperor’s carriage stopped in front of the Danfeng Gate of Daming Palace. The one who came to greet him was a general he had never seen before.

Clearly, in just a few years, the new emperor had purged the imperial guards thoroughly. There was likely no one left there whom Li Longji could recognize.

“Retired Emperor, His Majesty has sent me to escort you into the palace!”
The imperial guard general bowed to Li Longji and spoke respectfully.