Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

He may have mistaken his "appreciation" of his son for "healthy competition".

They thought that giving Li Tai some power would force Li Chengqian to be more ambitious, but they forgot that the struggle for the throne is never "healthy." Once it starts, it's like a runaway horse that can never be pulled back.

Or perhaps it was Li Shimin's "desire for control" that gave him a glimmer of hope.

Having been an emperor for so many years, he was used to having everything under his control, and probably thought, "Even if my two sons have conflicts, as long as I am still here, I can keep them in check."

He saw Li Chengqian's unease and Li Tai's ambition, but he always thought, "Let's wait and see," believing that he could steer the relationship between his two sons back on track, just as he had done with the ministers in the court.

But he forgot that the princes' desire for the throne was more intense and harder to control than the ministers' lust for power.

Just like how he coveted Li Jiancheng's position back then, once he set his sights on it, how could he tolerate "waiting"?
Even noble sons like Cheng Chumo were willing to fawn over him.

Did Li Shimin not realize that the people who had gathered around him could actually have become a force to check Li Tai?

But he didn't do that. Instead, he let Li Tai make a name for himself with his skills, as if he deliberately set up a stage for Li Tai to "show off his talents".

Perhaps Li Shimin had even deeper concerns?
For example, he worried that Li Chengqian's foot ailment would cause criticism from court officials, and wanted Li Tai's "talent" to become a "backup" for the Tang Dynasty.
But no matter how many backups you make, you shouldn't disrupt the foundation of the storage space.

Xiao Ran found it increasingly perplexing—how could an emperor who could see through the risks behind the Wei River Alliance lose his usual clarity when it came to the family disputes he should have been most wary of?

He turned his head to look at Li Chengqian, and seeing that the other was still staring at the pool in a daze, he sighed softly in his heart:
Ultimately, this tragedy may have stemmed from Li Shimin's desire to "have it all."

He wanted to uphold the rule of primogeniture, but he also wanted to protect his talented son.

They wanted to avoid fratricide while also allowing their princes to demonstrate their abilities. But how often can an imperial family achieve both?
He held onto this expectation but hesitated to act, ultimately pushing both of his sons into the abyss.

A chilly evening breeze rippling the water of the pool. Xiao Ran looked at Li Chengqian's tense profile, nodded slightly, and spoke frankly without any beating around the bush:
“Your worries are not unfounded—what Si Lang wants is not just ‘meritorious service,’ but to make Uncle Shi feel that he is more capable of handling things than you, and more worthy of the title ‘future of the Tang Dynasty.’”

These words, though not explicitly stated, hit the nail on the head.

He acknowledged Li Tai's ambition without being too blunt, letting Li Chengqian know that his unease was not just "the Crown Prince being paranoid."

It was a real crisis, and it first dispelled his self-doubt about whether he was being too petty.

Seeing that Li Chengqian's fingertips were still unconsciously rubbing the hem of his clothes, Xiao Ran knew that the weight on his heart hadn't been lifted, so he moved closer to him, softening his voice even more, as if he were saying something that couldn't be more true:

"Don't panic. There's something you need to remember: you are the eldest son of the legitimate wife. The position of heir apparent has been legally recognized since the day you were born. It's not something that anyone can take away just by saying you're 'talented'."

“Even if Uncle loves Silang, he cannot break the rule of ‘establishing the eldest son as heir’ in front of all the civil and military officials.”

"That wouldn't just be a slap in the face to you alone, it would be a slap in the face to the entire Tang Dynasty's etiquette and laws. He wouldn't do that."

"Even the old men of the Wude era dared not start something like deposing the eldest son and establishing a worthy one."

"Si Lang is indeed excellent, but he has not yet reached the level of the King of Qin during the Wude era."

Li Chengqian nodded, and Xiao Ran said that this made sense.

"Young master, your father is not the eldest son of the legitimate wife," Li Chengqian said in a low voice, as if afraid that Li Shimin would hear him.

“My father is not the eldest son, but he now reigns supreme, and even I, the crown prince, am afraid.”

"I don't want to follow in my uncle's footsteps. Going back further, Yang Yong, the eldest son of Emperor Wen of Sui, not only failed to rule the world but also died a tragic death."

Li Chengqian opened the history books and found that the last time the eldest son of the legitimate wife succeeded to the throne without bloodshed was a very, very long time ago.

The matter involving Li Jiancheng and Yang Yong made Li Chengqian extremely uneasy.

Hearing Li Chengqian mention the past events involving Yang Yong and Li Jiancheng, Xiao Ran's voice still carried a hint of lingering fear. Instead of immediately refuting him, Xiao Ran nodded in agreement.
“I know all that you’re talking about. It’s difficult to be the eldest son in history books because you’re either too eager to compete or too afraid. But you’re different from them.”

"Yang Yong panicked and forgot his duty, which allowed Yang Guang to take advantage of the situation."

“Your eldest uncle is actually a good crown prince. He is not bad, and there is no major fault in him. He was just unlucky to meet your uncle.”

"Let's talk about Uncle Shi and Fourth Brother—Uncle Shi was able to succeed back then because he fought for ten years, held the old troops of the Prince of Qin's mansion in his hands, and had nobles supporting him in the court. It was a foundation he built with real swords and spears."

“What does Silang have now? Chongwen Academy was granted by his uncle, and the printing house is just a result of printing technology. He has no soldiers of his own, no old ministers of his own. Even if he wanted to compete, he doesn’t have the capital to ‘overturn the table’.”

"You're afraid he'll follow in his uncle's footsteps, but he doesn't even have half of his uncle's foundation. How can he compare?"

Seeing that Li Chengqian's brows had relaxed a bit, Xiao Ran continued, "What you should be doing now is not thinking about whether you will follow in Yang Yong's footsteps, but about how many craftsmen should be transferred to the salt workshop tomorrow, and which route the salt transport carts should take."

"This is your duty, and it's also your most solid source of confidence."

"When the people eat the fine salt you produce, they will say, 'The Crown Prince has done a good deed.'"

"If the court officials see that you are doing things steadily, they will not make wild guesses that 'the crown prince is unstable'."

“Even if Uncle Shi dotes on Silang, he wouldn’t leave a crown prince who can ‘stabilize the people’s hearts’ unused.”

“He is an emperor, and what he values ​​most is ‘stability in the court and peace for the people.’ If you can safeguard this, it will be more important than anything else.”

Finally, Xiao Ran emphasized, with a hint of caution: "Don't panic, and don't do anything out of line."

“You are the crown prince. As long as you stay in your place and don’t make any big mistakes, even if Si Lang tries to compete, he can only stay within the realm of ‘culture’ and won’t be able to touch your foundation.”

"The current situation is not as bad as you think—you have the 'real things that the people want' in your hands, and that is your biggest support, more effective than any title."

Li Chengqian could tell that Xiao Ran was genuinely thinking of his own interests.

"Young master, please help me."

"I haven't been to the palace yet, and Sizi and Wuniang haven't been back for a long time either. I'd like to go see it tomorrow. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian said, "Thank you!"

The two chatted for a while before returning to the courtyard.

"Young master, it's getting late, I have to go back!" Li Chengqian prepared to leave.

"It's too late now, let's talk about it tomorrow! It's dark and not safe."

“It’s alright, there are many of us, it’s not appropriate for me to stay here.” Li Chengqian insisted on leaving.

"Alright, then I won't stay." Xiao Ran asked Zhang Erya to fetch a flashlight.

This is much better than the Tang Dynasty lantern.

Li Lizhi, Princess Yuzhang, and Li Ke, along with Xiao Ran, saw Li Chengqian off.

"Young master, what's wrong with my brother?" Li Lizhi could tell that Li Chengqian seemed preoccupied when he first arrived, but appeared quite happy when he left.

"It's alright, Fifth Sister. I want to go to the palace to take a look. Sizi, you haven't been back for a while, have you?"

Li Lizhi pondered for a moment, "It's been more than half a year, and I haven't gone back yet."

The excuse they gave before was that the Kaolao Village School needed someone to teach.

Later, many great scholars arrived, and Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang no longer needed to attend classes.

They haven't gone back yet, and the two little princesses are so happy they don't want to leave.

“Going back is fine too. We’ve been out for quite a while this time,” Princess Yuzhang smiled.

"It just so happens that Sizi and the others don't have school tomorrow!" Li Lizhi smiled. The little princess came running over excitedly, hugging Xiao Ran's leg, "Little Nang-jun~ Look at the sheep~"

Xiao Ran picked up the little princess. "Sizi, do you want to go home?"

The little princess looked puzzled. "I'm just at home!"

"Hahaha!" Xiao Ran was very happy to hear this answer.

Li Lizhi gently stroked the little princess's delicate nose. "This is the young master's home. Our home is in Chang'an City. Sizi, have you forgotten?"

The little princess has indeed forgotten that for the past six months, she has been treating Xiao Ran's place as her home.

The food here is delicious, and it's more fun than the palace.

"Hehe~" The little princess just giggled, not arguing, and hugged Xiao Ran's neck, "Little Nangjun~ Look at the sheep~"

"Okay, but you can't watch for too long. We have to get up early tomorrow."

"Hmmmm~"

The next day, after breakfast, Li Wucheng, Tie Huan, and the others helped pack their things, as they were going back to Chang'an City.

The main purpose was to bring some things for Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

Every time they come, they bring supplies, so it's not appropriate for Xiao Ran to go empty-handed.

Xiao Yu had to stay. She was from the Lanling Xiao clan and had been to the palace before, so she wouldn't join in the fun this time.

However, Zhang Erya, Zhang Jinhe, and San Niang have never been there and really want to go see it.

I never dared to imagine that I would be able to go to the palace.

Yan Yao and Di Renjie were also with them; the children went to play together.

Xiao Yu needs to stay at home because someone needs to take care of her family.

The children in the carriage were very excited, and Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya were also looking forward to it.

This is the imperial palace.

As the carriage wheels rolled along the country roads and gradually approached the outskirts of Chang'an, the lively atmosphere inside the carriage was already overflowing.

The little princess was held on Li Lizhi's lap, but she was restless, clinging to the carriage window curtain, her little head sticking out halfway, her soft hair flying wildly in the wind, and she kept muttering "Sheep, see next time," which made Di Renjie and Yan Yao next to her laugh.

Di Renjie leaned closer to the window and whispered to San Niang, guessing what the palace looked like, saying, "It must have palace walls taller than the trees in Kaolao Village."

The murmurs of the two teenagers mingled with the little princess's babbling, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere in the carriage.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya sat on the other side, their hands secretly clutching the hems of their clothes.

Zhang Jinhe couldn't help but secretly lift the corner of the carriage curtain to watch the passing fields gradually transform into neat rows of walls, his eyes shining as if they were filled with stars.

Zhang Erya glanced at Li Lizhi every now and then, and only when she saw Li Lizhi smiling and patting the little princess's head did she secretly breathe a sigh of relief and relax a little.

Princess Yuzhang sorted through the package she had brought. Inside were freshly dried fruits from Kaolao Village for Empress Zhangsun, as well as various seasonings and medicines for treating qi ailments that Xiao Ran had asked her to bring.

Yu Zhang laughed and said to Li Lizhi, "Si Zi has such a good memory, she'll probably still remember to go see the sheep even when she gets to the palace gate."

As the carriage turned onto Zhuque Avenue, the noise inside the carriage intensified.

This widest street in Chang'an truly lived up to its reputation; the road surface was paved with smooth bluestone slabs, wide enough for four carriages to travel side by side.

Pedestrians came and went in an endless stream, with people dressed in coarse cloth carrying baskets into the neighborhood.

A man who looked like an official rode by in a hurry, the fish-shaped pouch at his waist gleaming faintly. Patrolling soldiers marched past in orderly steps, their armor clattering softly but not disturbing anyone.

There was no clamor of shopkeepers hawking their wares; only the sounds of carriages and horses and the laughter of pedestrians could be heard, revealing the unique orderliness and liveliness of the capital city.

Princess Chengyang stared wide-eyed, patting the carriage window with her little hands: "So many people! So many horses!"

I used to occasionally go out of the palace with Li Lizhi and stroll along Zhuque Street. I haven't been here for a long time since that trip to Kaolao Village.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya had been to Chang'an City and Zhuque Street, but not many times.

As the carriage gradually approached the imperial city, the noise slowly subsided.

First, one can see towering red walls in the distance, their glazed tiles gleaming amber in the sunlight, like a heavy, solid barrier.

If you walk further ahead, you will see the Imperial Guards standing on both sides of the palace gate. They are wearing black armor, with their hands on the swords at their waists, standing upright like pine trees, and even their eyes exude majesty.

When the carriage reached the stone bridge in front of the palace gate, even the sound of the wheels rolling over the stone slabs seemed exceptionally soft, and the children in the carriage unconsciously quieted down.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya held their breath as they watched the vermilion palace gate slowly open a crack. The guards at the gate stepped forward to check the credentials, their movements meticulous.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang were of noble status, so there was certainly no problem for them to enter and leave the palace.

The most excited were Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya.

This is my first time visiting the palace.

The little princess just felt very familiar with the place and didn't feel any excitement.

The palace walls outside the carriage stretched endlessly, and the beasts on the eaves stood silently, exuding a solemnity completely different from that of Kaolao Village, proclaiming that they had stepped into the power center of the Tang Dynasty.

Apart from Li Chengqian, no one else knew about it, which was a surprise for Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

"Young master, where should we go first?" Li Lizhi asked Xiao Ran.

"Is Uncle currently in the Taiji Hall?" Xiao Ran asked.

"Yes, that should be true." Li Lizhi nodded.

"We'll disturb Uncle Shi by going to the Taiji Hall now, so let's skip that and go see Madam directly!"

"it is good!"

Li Wu, driving the carriage, headed towards the Lizheng Hall.

The carriage stopped in front of the Rikjeong Hall, and the group of people got off one after another.

Upon seeing Li Lizhi and several princesses, the palace maids of Lizheng Palace felt a little dazed, as they hadn't seen Li Lizhi, Princess Yuzhang, and the others for a long time.

However, she recognized him immediately and quickly bowed, saying, "This servant greets Your Highness."

Li Lizhi nodded slightly, "Yes, Mother is in the Lizheng Hall!"

"Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress is here."

“No need to report, let’s give Mother a surprise,” Princess Yuzhang suggested.

Xiao Ran, Zhang Jinhe, and Zhang Erya looked at Lizheng Hall with curiosity. This feeling was indeed incomparable to the houses in Kaolao Village.

"Mother!" the little princess called out and ran inside. (End of Chapter)