Chapter 319 Supervising the Country
Hearing the eunuch's anxious words, Li Chengqian put down the playing cards in his hand, frowned and asked, "Illness? He was fine when we had lunch together at noon, how did he suddenly become ill? Is it serious?"

Li Chengqian obviously didn't take it as a big deal. The man was still alive and kicking at noon. Even if he was sick, what could be the seriousness of it?
Li Xiang's heart was beating fast, because today was May 10th, the 23rd year of Zhenguan, the day when Old Li passed away in history.

Is this historical inertia really inevitable?

He quickly stood up and asked anxiously, "How is it? Is the Saint okay?"

"When His Majesty stood up from his rest at noon, he suddenly fainted. Fortunately, Concubine Yang discovered him in time. Master Sun has already arrived at Hanfeng Palace and is treating the saint." The eunuch answered honestly.

No one expected the situation to be so serious. Li Chengqian immediately said, "Then what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and lead the way!"

When everyone arrived at Hanfeng Palace, Old Li was still lying on the bed with his eyes closed, unconscious.

Li Mingda lay on the bed sobbing, as if he was about to faint at any time.

"Aye?" Li Chengqian felt as if his heart was being pulled up. He rushed forward and couldn't help but feel sad. Tears fell down in an instant.

Li Tai and Li Zhi were not much better off. They crawled to Li Shimin's bed and burst into tears.

Of course, the two people cried for different reasons. Li Zhi simply felt sad. The man who once stood tall and upright was now lying unconscious in bed. He was also his biological father. Of course, he felt very sad.

As for Li Tai... on the one hand, he had the same idea as Li Zhi, both were worried about his father's safety; on the other hand, he also felt uncomfortable, after all, if something happened to old Li, Li Chengqian would take over.

No, we have to think of a way. Let the eldest brother become the emperor emeritus. Wouldn’t it be good for Xianger to ascend the throne directly?
As for Li Ke, he was comforting his mother, Concubine Yang.

Li Xiang walked forward, supported the little aunt who was already crying like a lamp grass in the wind, and asked in a deep voice: "Master, how is my grandfather?"

Sun Simiao had just put away the silver needle. Seeing that it was Li Xiang who was asking, he stroked his beard and said, "It's okay, Your Highness, don't worry. As the saying goes, illness comes like a mountain falling. The saint's disease came suddenly. Although it is serious, I have already taken action to control it. There is no risk of worsening."

Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief after hearing what Sun Simiao said.

"That's fine, that's fine..."

"Then...then when will Aye wake up?" Li Mingda asked with sobs.

"This..." Sun Simiao twisted his beard, thought for a moment and replied, "Princess, don't worry. The saint will wake up tonight at the latest."

The emperor was ill, and even after the acupuncture treatment was completed, Sun Simiao could not just leave.

The old Taoist priest is now more Taoist and more casual in his behavior. It does not matter where he is, he will recite the Huangting Mantra quietly.

Li Xiang walked up to Li Chengqian and whispered to him, "Aye, Aye?"

"Hmm?" Li Chengqian hummed subconsciously.

"The most urgent matter is, isn't there something more important?" Li Xiang tried to remind Li Chengqian. After all, the emperor was not in the capital and was ill, so he, as the crown prince, had to stand up.

"What is it?" Li Chengqian snorted unwillingly, "What could be more important than being with Aye? Whatever you want to do, just do it yourself."

Li Xiang: …

He finally realized that after all this time, this father was actually a filial son.

Hey?

Li Xiang tried to persuade him again: "Father, after all, you are the crown prince. There are some things that need you to step forward."

"Then I authorize you." Li Chengqian waved his hand: "Go away, don't bother me anymore!"

Li Xiang took a deep breath.

Forget it, forget it, my own father, my own father...

He whispered a few words to Li Mingda, and then walked out of Hanfeng Palace.

Outside the Hanfeng Palace, Changsun Wuji, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong were waiting anxiously.

Seeing Li Xiang coming out, the three of them stepped forward and asked in unison, "How is the saint?"

"It's OK. Master Sun has already managed to rescue him. There won't be any problem." Li Xiang said in a deep voice, "But it happened suddenly. My grandfather and three uncles are accompanying Grandfather in the palace. I am here to ask the three elders for help. Thank you very much."

"Don't worry, Your Highness!" Changsun Wuji nodded firmly.

Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong did the same. They nodded at Li Xiang and turned to leave.

Li Xiang sighed. He didn't believe in gods or Buddhas, but he was still praying to them.

He did not return to Hanfeng Hall, but came to the main hall, Cuiwei Hall, and sat in the middle to take charge of the dispatch.

It was not until dinner time that Li Ke came to inform him that Li Shimin had woken up.

Upon hearing that Li Shimin had woken up, Li Xiang immediately dropped the work at hand and ran hurriedly to Hanfeng Palace.

In the Hanfeng Hall, Li Shimin was lying on the bed, surrounded by a group of his children.

"The elephant is coming." Li Tai shouted, and everyone immediately made way for him.

Li Xiang's heart skipped a beat. What was going on? Why did the atmosphere seem like... like something had happened?

No matter how much he thought about it, he still walked obediently to the bed.

You won’t know until you see it. You will be shocked when you see it. Li Shimin’s face is pale and he doesn’t look very well.

"Old Man?" Li Xiang held the hand that Li Shimin extended to him, tears streaming down his face.

He is worthy of being Lao Li’s grandson. When it comes to shedding tears, the two of them are somewhat similar.

Li Shimin did not say anything. The two of them held hands and shed tears together.

Not long after, Changsun Wuji and two veteran generals also arrived at Hanfeng Palace.

Seeing Li Shimin looking sickly, Changsun Wuji felt sad.

Yuchi Gong pounded his chest, feeling a sense of blockage inside.

"Why are you crying? I'm not dead yet." Li Shimin said softly.

He glanced at Li Xiang again, then at Li Chengqian, reached out and grasped Li Xiang's hand, and then said, "Pass on my decree. From now on, the crown prince will be the regent. Jingde, you take people to escort the crown prince back to the capital."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yuchi Gong replied in a deep voice.

With the escort of this number one thug, Li Shimin felt relieved.

"I will recuperate in Cuiwei Palace first, and then return to Chang'an after I am well again." Old Li said again.

"Aye." Li Chengqian raised an objection.

Li Shimin didn't respond, but looked up at him.

Li Chengqian said bravely, "Father, I don't want to go back to the capital to supervise the country. I want to stay in Cuiwei Palace with you. As for the supervision of the country, let Xiang'er go. He is also the crown prince, so he naturally has the power to supervise the country."

"Nonsense!" Li Shimin scolded softly, and then he started coughing violently because of his excessive emotions. Li Xiang hurried forward to calm Old Li down, and glanced at his father.

What I mean is, look at how angry I am?
Li Chengqian took a deep breath. He actually didn't really want to be the regent.

"I have made up my mind, Prince. Please pack your luggage and go back with Jingde tomorrow." Li Shimin said again, his voice was very soft, but his tone was unquestionable.

Li Chengqian had no choice but to respond in a low voice.

"Qingque, Zhinu, and Ke'er." Li Shimin glanced at his other three sons, and then said, "You three, go back with the prince."

Li Chengqian, who was originally a little dejected, stood at attention immediately.

"Aye, you always need someone to serve you." A smile broke out on Li Tai's fat face.

"I really don't know when you learned to serve others?" Li Shimin glanced at him.

Li Tai: No, hehe.

"What about the elephant?" Li Zhi asked a very suicidal question.

Li Shimin looked up at Li Zhi who wanted to take Li Xiang back with him, and said softly: "Xiang'er stay in Cuiwei Palace to take care of me."

Li Zhi didn't laugh either.

After giving a series of orders, Li Shimin looked very tired. After asking everyone to leave, only Li Xiang was left in the room.

"Then, I'll leave too, Aung?" Li Xiang asked tentatively.

Li Shimin did not answer, but just opened his eyes and looked at Li Xiang.

Only when Li Xiang was a little scared did Li Shimin ask softly, "Why, I don't let you go back to supervise the country. Do you blame your father-in-law?"

"How can that be possible?" Li Xiang was happy: "I am actually happy if you don't let me work. I feel so comfortable in Cuiwei Palace..."

Li Shimin also laughed. He knew his grandson well. He had no desire to work at all and was just like a salted fish.

But some things are better said openly. This was the lesson he learned from Li Chengqian.

"Don't blame me, your father is the crown prince after all. I can't let you skip him and let you be the regent." Li Shimin stretched out his hand to tug at the quilt, and said with some tiredness: "I didn't consider his feelings at the beginning, so he and Qingque came to that point. I can't go back to the old path again."

"Hey, Grandfather, you think too much." Li Xiang pulled the quilt over Old Li considerately: "Grandson, I don't really care about these things. If there is anything I really care about, it is that I hope you are healthy and live a long life - I also hope that Grandfather and his brothers live in harmony."

"Are you satisfied with this?" Li Shimin asked with a chuckle, the candlelight dancing in his eyes.

Li Xiang thought about it and said jokingly, "Then we have to let your granddaughter-in-law and her family give birth to more children for our Li family, so that Grandpa can enjoy the happiness of having grandchildren."

"Then don't have too many children." Li Shimin waved his hand: "If there are too many, my father-in-law will be too busy to handle them all."

They both laughed. After a while, Li Shimin said again: "When I was unconscious just now, I had a dream."

"What dream?" Li Xiang asked with a smile.

"I dreamed... I dreamed of a different life." Li Shimin said with emotion: "I dreamed that in the 16th year of Zhenguan, you did not stand up for your father to fight against Zhang Xuansu. Your father gradually went crazy and sent Zhang Sizheng to assassinate Zhang Xuansu and your second uncle. In the end, he was bewitched by Hou Junji and wanted to rebel. Then he was implicated in the rebellion of Li You and was exposed."

"Then Qingque told me to kill my son and pass the throne to my younger brother. I almost had the idea, but fortunately Chu Suiliang advised me against it and I gave up the idea. I then passed the throne to your youngest uncle."

"Your father died prematurely in the 17th year of Zhenguan in the exiled Qianzhou; your younger aunt and older aunt also died in the 17th year of Zhenguan; I also failed in the expedition to Goguryeo, and was too eager to pave the way for your youngest uncle, and finally died in Hanfeng Palace on this day."

Li Xiang's heart was pounding. Damn it, Old Man, have you been reborn?

No, how should I describe this? Go and take a look at the original timeline?
"That's why the older generation says that dreams are the opposite." Li Xiang said with a smile, his face expressionless.

Li Shimin looked at Li Xiang meaningfully.

"Yeah, dreams are always the opposite. Fortunately, fortunately..."

As he spoke, Lao Li yawned.

"Go to bed, I'm tired."

Li Xiang was really confused. Could it be that you, Old Man, kept me here just to tell me this bizarre dream of yours?
Something's wrong, something really isn't right.

But Li Xiang couldn't say much. Could he just say it directly?

He could only suppress the thoughts in his mind, bid farewell to Li Shimin and left Hanfeng Palace.

At the door, the four brothers and Li Mingda were waiting for him.

Seeing him come out, Li Chengqian asked first: "Xiang'er, how is your grandfather?"

"It's nothing. The old man is weird. It's like that when he gets old." Li Xiang waved his hand and asked, "It's windy on the mountain at night. It's okay if Grandpa is here. But Aunt has been crying all day and she's not feeling well. What if something happens to her due to the wind?"

Li Chengqian's face turned red after being interrupted by Li Xiang.

Indeed, it was his mistake that he did not pay attention to the health problems of his little sister.

"Aren't we also concerned about your grandpa?" Li Chengqian said with a smile, "Since your grandpa is fine, your three uncles and I will go back first. We have to travel again tomorrow. You can send your aunt back."

"Okay." Li Xiang replied, "Then I'll take you there tomorrow morning."

"Come on, if you can get up, I will..." Li Chengqian wanted to say something, but when he saw Li Xiang's expectant expression, he changed the subject: "I can't do anything, go back."

Li Xiang spread his hands. He was originally thinking about winning against his father.

"Then we'll go first." Li Xiang turned to Li Mingda and said, "Let's go, aunt. It's cold and dewy at night, so we'd better go back quickly."

"Am I so fragile?" Li Mingda rolled his eyes at him.

Li Xiang spread his hands and said nothing, then asked, "Where are my sister and the others?"

"They went back first. Doudou is alone in the bedroom, and Xueqing is worried." Li Mingda said softly.

"Yeah." Li Xiang nodded. Children should indeed stay out less at night.

There was no serious health problem for Old Li. After getting through the hurdle of May 10th, Li Xiang was truly relieved.

Fortunately, there is no nonsense historical revision.

The next morning, Li Xiang saw off Li Chengqian and his four brothers on behalf of Li Shimin.

Li Xiang waved his handkerchief and laughed, but the four brothers sat in the car without laughing.

It's so nice to be in the mountains. Not only is the climate cool, but you can also have fun every day. It's nothing like going back to supervise the country, where you not only work like an ox or a horse, but the weather is also extremely hot.

You ask why Li Tai and the other two were also upset? Because Li Chengqian must have forced them to help him handle government affairs...

As the saying goes, illness comes like a mountain falling and goes like a thread being pulled out. Old Li is still lying in bed today, still feeling a little sick.

(End of this chapter)