Chapter 132: The Scholar Supreme, Master of Both Pen and Sword

At the beginning of the Shen hour, the twenty-one newly minted scholars concluded their parade through Chang'an and began to enter the Imperial City via the Vermilion Bird Gate. Passing by the Honghu Temple, the Taichang Temple, and the various offices of the Six Ministries, they finally arrived before the Chengtian Gate.

Passing through the Chengtian Gate led into the Palace City, where the Taiji Palace was located. Emperor Li Shimin, the Crown Prince, and numerous imperial concubines resided within these walls.

Led by Li Xiaogong, Lu Xin followed behind his master, Li Chunfeng, curiously observing the residence of the Son of Heaven—the Great Tang Imperial Palace. Having been in Chang'an for some time, this was the first time Lu Xin had truly set foot in the nerve center of the Tang Dynasty.

At this moment, Emperor Li Shimin stood upon the terrace of the Chengtian Gate, gazing at the new scholars filing in, his face glowing with great delight. Standing behind him were many court officials: the Left and Right Vice Directors of the Secretariat, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui; the Minister of Personnel, Zhangsun Wuji; the Secretariat Monitor, Wei Zheng; and various other officials of the Six Ministries and the Nine Courts. Beside these stood a boy of about ten, standing to Li Shimin’s left. He had sharp brows and bright eyes, a handsome appearance, and an imposing aura. Despite his young age, his brow already carried an air of maturity. This was the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian.

"Father, in my view, these twenty-one new scholars each possess a profound talent. Like newborn calves, they are full of vigor and promise; they will surely become the pillars of our Great Tang."

"Hahaha, well said, my son. The heroes of the world are now within my grasp... These men are the cream of the crop among all the scholars in the land. In particular, the top three—the Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua, whom I personally selected—are all masters of exquisite prose and talented in governance. I brought you here today to witness this ceremony so that you might understand: the world does not belong to our Li family alone. If the Great Tang is to enjoy long-lasting peace, we must rely on the people of the world. Do you understand, my son?"

Li Shimin laughed toward the sky, his mood buoyant. Seeing this, Li Chengqian quickly lowered his head and said, "I understand, and I will take Father’s teachings to heart. Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. I keep Father’s words in my heart, reflecting upon them constantly, never daring to be negligent for even a moment."

"Good. Tonight, I shall host a banquet in the Imperial Garden of the West Inner Park for the Turkic princess. I intend to choose one among you, Tai, and Ke to marry her. However, you are the Crown Prince of the Great Tang, holding the dignity of the heir apparent. I do not wish for you to take a Turkic woman as your primary consort. Do you understand?"

"Father, rest assured; I have my own plans."

"That is well. You may go now. Inform Tai and Ke. You three brothers are of similar age and have grown up together. Now that you are the Crown Prince, you must possess the magnanimity of one. Do not be arrogant or unreasonable toward your brothers; you must cherish them."

"I shall strictly follow Father’s teachings and will go inform my two younger brothers now."

After paying his respects, Li Chengqian withdrew. Shortly thereafter, Li Shimin also descended from the terrace to begin receiving the twenty-one scholars in the Taiji Hall. Regardless of what the Emperor said inside the hall, Lu Xin, having entered the Palace City, was sent by Li Xiaogong’s men to wait in the Imperial Garden of the West Inner Park. By now, Li Chunfeng’s complexion had improved significantly. With his cultivation, a single night was enough to refine the Dragon Saliva Herb. Yet, as his disciple, Lu Xin remained deeply concerned.

"Master, how are your injuries?"

"It is of no consequence. The Dragon Saliva Herb is a miraculous healing medicine; you did well, my disciple."

Li Chunfeng nodded with a smile and drank the herbal tea from the stone table in one gulp. The master and disciple sat in the pavilion, attended by palace maids, occasionally observing the scenery of the Imperial Garden, feeling quite at ease.

The West Park was one of the three forests and gardens within the Great Tang palace, covering a vast area, stretching a full li from north to south. It boasted a great variety of flora, over a dozen halls and pavilions, and remained green year-round with flowers blooming in all four seasons. A large number of fruit trees had been planted there, including several dozen cherry trees. To the north of the West Park lay the Hanguang Hall, the location of the inner palace, and further north was the Yongan Canal, which connected to the Taiye Pool.

The entrance through which Lu Xin had entered the West Park was the historically renowned Xuanwu Gate. Only three years had passed since the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Lu Xin could almost still smell the scent of blood emanating from that gate.

The former Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, the Prince of Qi Li Yuanji, and their many subordinates and personal guards had all been slaughtered by Li Shimin. One could only imagine how many lives were lost and how much blood was shed inside and outside the Xuanwu Gate on that day in the ninth year of Wude. Perhaps countless restless souls still wandered beneath the soil of this West Park.

Yet, Lu Xin had read history textbooks and various extracurricular books. Although Li Shimin had killed his brothers and coerced his father, stepping over the bones of many to reach the throne, later generations still viewed him positively. He could even be described as an emperor for the ages. There were countless reasons for this, but in the current Tang Dynasty, those who spoke well of Li Shimin were far fewer than those who sought to kill him.

Looking toward the direction of the Xuanwu Gate, Lu Xin sighed. True history was never found on paper. It was far bloodier, colder, and more complex than the words in those books.

"My disciple seems to have something on his mind?"

Seeing Lu Xin sigh, Li Chunfeng set down his teacup and asked slowly. Lu Xin nodded and withdrew his gaze.

"Master once said that Li Shimin is a good emperor. Although I come from a later age and know how the history books evaluate him, the current Tang is filled with forces resisting the court. The vassal kings and noble families of every province, and the Onmyoji of every major sect, all want to kill Li Shimin. Master, you had never met the Emperor before coming to Chang'an; why insist on helping him? You even risked your life and suffered such heavy injuries."

"I knew you would ask this. In truth, it does not matter who sits on the throne; what matters is who occupies the position of the Supreme Human Sovereign. As I told you before, Li Shimin already has countless masters by his side. You and I need not necessarily cling to him. Even by assisting a young heir, one can achieve the same goal."

"The position of the Supreme Human Sovereign? In later times, we only speak of an 'Emperor.' But here, the words 'Human Sovereign' seem far more significant than 'Emperor.'"

Lu Xin furrowed his brows; Li Chunfeng’s words had cleared his confusion. The term "Emperor" was clearly distinct from "Human Sovereign." Since arriving in the Tang Dynasty, he had heard the term "Human Sovereign" more than once. And the more powerful the Onmyoji, the more they favored that title.

Li Chunfeng looked at Lu Xin and then turned his gaze toward the northwest.

"Ying Zheng unified the six states and boasted that his achievements surpassed the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, styling himself the First Emperor. But unlike the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, after Ying Zheng unified the world, he became extravagant and lustful, ruling with harsh laws and oppressing the people, destroying the foundation of the Great Qin in just over a decade. How could such a man be worthy of the title 'Human Sovereign'? A Human Sovereign represents all the common people. He is a pillar standing between Heaven and Earth; if the pillar bends, the sky bends. If the pillar collapses, the sky falls. When the sky falls and the earth crumbles, the people inevitably suffer. A true Human Sovereign must be able to bear the fate of all living beings under heaven. This is a monumental merit; as long as it is achieved, it can overshadow all private moral failings. The law does not tolerate selfishness, nor does governing the world rely on blood ties. If Li Shimin can hold the position of the Human Sovereign, even if he killed his own brothers, the Heavens will not visit punishment upon him."

"Indeed, governing the world is truly a difficult task. Is it not just the single character 'Human' that stands between Heaven and Earth? Yet this character is truly too heavy."

After listening to Li Chunfeng, Lu Xin let out a long breath and drank the herbal tea in his cup in one draught. Afterward, Li Chunfeng closed his eyes to rest, speaking no more. Lu Xin also entered a state of meditation.

Time flew; the sun set, and day turned to night. The cloak of darkness soon descended, yet the vast city of Chang'an remained shrouded in prosperity. The garden deep within the Imperial City also grew lively under the night sky.

At some unknown moment, numerous eunuchs and palace maids had transformed the Imperial Garden into a banquet hall. Screens, tables, and chairs were set everywhere, and the air was filled with the rich fragrance of fruit and wine. At the third quarter of the Xu hour, Emperor Li Shimin of the Great Tang walked into the garden, accompanied by many ministers. Following them were the new Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua. Additionally, the Crown Prince Li Chengqian, the Third Prince Li Ke, and the Fourth Prince Li Tai followed at Li Shimin’s side.

After the Emperor and the three princes were seated, the officials, led by Zhangsun Wuji, took their assigned places. Zhangsun Wuji and Li Xiaogong occupied the seats of honor for the guests. Empty seats were left behind them; behind Zhangsun Wuji sat Yuan Tiangang and his disciple, while behind Li Xiaogong sat Lu Xin and Li Chunfeng.

Below the seats of honor were the positions for the new Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua, and further down were the seats for the other officials. Not long after Lu Xin sat down, a group of over a dozen people arrived outside the garden, led by a large number of palace maids holding lanterns. At the lead was a woman dressed in white fox fur, her long hair reaching her waist, possessing a beauty that could topple cities. Her appearance immediately drew countless gazes. Even Li Shimin frowned slightly from his seat.

Walking behind the woman were three men dressed as warriors, all wearing Turkic-style attire. Further behind them were civil officials and guards. Lu Xin did not need to guess to know that this group must be the marriage-alliance delegation from the Turkic Khanate.

The Turkic princess bowed to Li Shimin, and the officials below could not help but whisper among themselves. Lu Xin looked toward the high platform, where the Crown Prince Li Chengqian and the other two princes were all staring straight at the Turkic princess, their eyes fixed.

"I have long heard that the Third Princess of Jieli Khan, Ashina Naimi, was exceptionally beautiful. Seeing her today, she is indeed a peerless beauty of legendary grace. I never expected that old thief to be willing to marry her off; I fear there is some ulterior motive here."

Li Xiaogong took a sip of wine, a cunning smile appearing on his face. He then turned his head to look at Lu Xin.

"At your age, young hero Lu, I was already married. Master Li, does your beloved disciple have a betrothal?"

"Hahaha, Prince, your question truly stumps this humble Taoist. Disciple, you should answer for me yourself."