In the entire great hall, only the emperor, the empress, and Yun Ye remained. Even Duan Hong had been driven out by the emperor. Yun Ye took out a chart from the box, and the empress helped the emperor unfold one. They continued until the entire bedchamber floor was nearly covered with charts before stopping.
Li Er, wearing socks that who knows who had knitted for him, paced back and forth across the charts with his hands behind his back, as if inspecting his own territory. Though to speak plainly, these were indeed his territories, or rather, his territorial waters.
What a wonderful era! Now no one claimed this expanse of sea as their own, so even if Li Er climbed to the top of Wanmin Palace and proclaimed that all under heaven belonged to the sovereign, others could only pinch their noses and accept it. Those who didn’t accept would get beaten.
“Why is Haizhou only this small?” Li Er finally spotted a familiar place name on the maps and asked Yun Ye.
“Your Majesty, because compared to the great sea, Haizhou is only as big as a football!”
“Hiss!” Li Er drew in a sharp breath. Just as he was about to speak, he discovered another familiar place name. After walking over, he pointed with his foot at an island as large as the entire Lingnan Circuit and said: “Far Island is this big?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Not far from Far Island, there’s an even larger island, much bigger than the entire Central Plains. It hasn’t been named yet. What does Your Majesty think would be a good name?”
Yun Ye and the empress both crouched over the charts, carefully aligning them so the emperor could see more clearly.
Li Er’s brows furrowed tightly. He ignored the Australian region and finally pointed his foot at the North and South American continents that Yun Ye had fabricated out of thin air, tapping them: “Where is the Sun God Nation?”
Yun Ye crawled over and pointed to North and South America, saying: “The Sun God Nation is in the south, but there are people in all these places, though not too many. Most places are still wilderness!”
“Too far!” Li Er measured with his foot.
Yun Ye simply sat on the charts and said to Li Er: “This is precisely the reason! Because it’s so far, only powerful maritime travelers can reach these places. The court’s two fleets sailed north and south. The southern fleet has reportedly reached the ice sea. If there are no losses, they’ll return to Dengzhou this autumn. But the northbound fleet—there’s been no news whatsoever. I fear the worst.”
“The great sea is full of dangers. Troubles can arise at any time. There are some places on the great sea where there’s perpetually no wind. If ships enter there, it becomes extremely difficult. The northbound fleet will certainly encounter such situations.”
“Wuji was clever all his life, but in miscellaneous knowledge he was far inferior to you. Many choices he thought were advantageous were actually wrong. When he initially chose the northern route, it seemed shorter, but was it actually more dangerous?” Li Er felt somewhat melancholic. After all, Zhangsun Wuji had accompanied him his entire life and remained loyal to the death. Speaking of it now made Li Er sigh with emotion.
“When the Duke of Zhou feared rumors, when Wang Mang courteously treated scholars—if death had come in that instant, who through the ages would know loyal from treacherous? Your Majesty, outstanding men in our dynasty are numerous as crucian carp crossing a river. Until the coffin is sealed and conclusions drawn, it’s better not to make judgments lightly.”
Seeing Zhangsun beside him also somewhat saddened, Yun Ye involuntarily recited this poem, giving Zhangsun Wuji a fair accounting. Whether he had been forced by himself and Li Er to be a loyal subject his entire life, or whether he truly was a loyal subject—at least at his death, the Zhangsun family had done right by the Li family dynasty.
“Yes, this poem does have some merit. Fortunately, until now, the Great Tang has only produced one senseless Hou Junji. All other old ministers have lived up to my generous treatment of them. Yun Ye, hearing you speak these words so freely now, completely like a transcendent sage—does this mean that after your mourning period ends, you don’t plan to reenter the court? At your age, this is the perfect time to display great ambitions and fulfill your aspirations. Don’t you feel it’s a pity?”
“You’ve divided the Yun family into three and arranged your own affairs quite properly. But the court is a great dyeing vat. Wanting to jump out clean and tidy probably isn’t so easy, is it?”
Yun Ye looked up at Li Er with a smile and said: “When a person has no desires, he becomes strong. Your subject has already reached the pinnacle for a subject. What more should I seek? What could move your subject’s heartstrings?”
“So now it’s time for your subject to enjoy the fruits of his merit. On ordinary days, teaching at the Academy, during leisure tinkering with Qing Que on miraculous inventions, with a bit more free time laughing with Qing Que at Chengqian’s busyness. When stillness breeds a desire for movement, arranging with Cheng Chumo to hunt in the Qinling Mountains. If I truly tire of the Central Plains, taking the whole family to sea to view overseas scenery.”
“Your subject has built a large ship. When I want to fight, I’ll take this ship to sea—whether playing pirate to rob foreign merchant vessels, or running far away to plunder the Arabs, it’s all fun. There are so many things to do. Always confining myself in government offices isn’t good. With your subject’s current position, as long as I don’t provoke others, who’d be so full they’d come provoke me? Why not live the good life? Why add troubles for myself?”
The more Yun Ye spoke, the happier he became. This time he had truly thought it through and understood clearly. Such days were what he should be living. Burying himself in piles of official documents all day was purely looking for suffering.
Li Er and Zhangsun exchanged glances, then also sat on the charts. Patting the charts on the ground, he said with emotion: “You as Duke of Chu live more comfortably than I as emperor. However, my body truly cannot hold on. Time is probably short. Chengqian is your good friend. Don’t you plan to help him? The transition between old and new is the most difficult time.”
Yun Ye suddenly smiled and said: “Actually, the one who can give Chengqian the greatest help is Your Majesty, not your subject. If you could help Chengqian mount the horse and escort him a distance, just as the late emperor did for Your Majesty, wouldn’t that be excellent?”
“Outrageous!” Li Er was shocked and furious.
Yun Ye helplessly knelt down and said: “Only your subject can say these words, dares say these words. Your health is very poor now. When we ask Daoist Sun, he won’t say a word, but your subject can sense it. Each year I enter the palace to visit you once, and I find you’ve aged too quickly. You’ve already broken your heart for this country. For decades you’ve been cautious and apprehensive, diligently exhausting yourself, fearing to step wrong. Why not give yourself a period of relaxed, happy life?”
“Back then in Taiji Palace, you told your subject that what you most feared was leaving the corpse unattended while armor clashes in combat! If you help Chengqian mount the horse and escort him a distance, making it perpetual precedent, even if the Great Tang wanted turmoil it would be impossible. What an excellent method!”
The expression on Li Er’s face became extremely vivid. He even forgot to ask what sea expansion rights were. Pointing at the bedchamber door, he ordered Yun Ye to get out quickly. If he walked slowly, he planned to enforce family law and punish Yun Ye for great disrespect.
Knowing he was badly frightened, Yun Ye smiled, bowed to the emperor, and quickly walked out of the bedchamber. After leaving, he looked back at the towering palace and couldn’t help shaking his head. Was imperial power really that important? Must one refuse to let go until the King of Hell drags one away? How narrow-minded!
There were some things he didn’t say to Li Er. Just look through history books at how many emperors became muddled and incompetent in old age. If they were willing to hand over power earlier, why would it come to this? Leaving corpses unattended while armor clashes in combat? They all deserved it—brought it on themselves.
Putting on a kindly appearance wanting to hear juniors’ innermost thoughts, then becoming frightened when hearing those thoughts. If you knew Li Chengqian had said “Being Crown Prince for forty years is rare throughout history,” you might as well have your dragon chariot ascend to heaven right now. Living on holds no pleasure. Your body has weakened to where you cannot handle the vast, complicated national affairs. Li Chengqian now only lacks the title of emperor to command the Sixteen Guards. As for the remaining powers, aren’t they all in Li Chengqian’s grasp?
Just controlling the Sixteen Guards probably already exceeds your capacity, right? Not one general of the Sixteen Guards is easy to deal with—including Cheng Chumo, every single one. The old generals of the Strategic Council now have very limited control over the Sixteen Guards. To put it bluntly, if Li Chengqian really wanted to rebel now, if you Li Er don’t want to watch this country fall into chaos, you can only watch helplessly. That Li Chengqian who could say “Being Crown Prince for forty years is rare throughout history” is already filled with resentment toward you, and he already has the confidence to say those words.
Unable to hear either good or harsh words—an excellent idea that could at least eliminate imperial succession disputes in the Great Tang dynasty forever, yet you can’t hear it! Then just embrace your throne and grow decrepit together.
At least it has nothing to do with the Yun family. Exiting the court with dignity, not becoming a stumbling block for Li Chengqian—with no conflict of interests, past friendship returns. After all, people are social animals. Emperors and crown princes are no exception. Beyond extreme luxury, surely one still needs three or five close friends? Yun Ye believed he was absolutely the first choice for being a friend.
Just as he reached the palace gate, he was called back again. When he returned to the bedchamber, he found the charts on the floor had been arranged very neatly, stacked on the low couch beside them. It seemed Li Er planned to look at them regularly.
“Did Chengqian have you say these words?” Upon entering the palace, Li Er asked point-blank.
“If Chengqian dared say such words to your subject, your subject would advise Your Majesty to change crown princes! Your subject said before—only your subject can say these words. Once the Crown Prince has such thoughts, your subject believes he should don armor and guard Wanmin Palace.”
Li Er nodded with relief. Yun Ye’s declaration made his heart very warm. The imperial family’s principle was: ‘What I give you is yours. What I haven’t given you, you cannot seize!’ Yun Ye clearly still pledged loyalty to him as sovereign.
“You may go. I will carefully consider your words!”
Yun Ye once again walked out of the bedchamber, shaking his head. Li Er still had his sense of crisis. Perhaps ever since becoming emperor, such crisis awareness had never left him. Thinking it through carefully was good. Li Er no longer had the possibility of changing crown princes. He wasn’t Emperor Wu of Han, who even in old age could still slaughter on all sides with extreme cruelty. Li Chengqian had been Crown Prince for forty years, cautious and meticulous, never making major errors. His own benevolence had spread in all directions. Not one court minister questioned Li Chengqian becoming the Great Tang’s emperor. Although the emperor’s condition alarmed ministers three times daily, everyone’s hearts were utterly at ease, because everyone knew who the new emperor would be. Just do their own work well—no need to choose sides!
Leading Wang Cai, who had just stolen a palace maid’s flowered garment, he happily walked toward the palace gate. Duan Hong appeared before Yun Ye once more: “His Majesty summons Duke of Chu for questioning!”