Transmigrated into Li Chengqian, he effortlessly ascended the throne and became emperor.

Li Yuan placed Li Chengqian on a chaise longue to the side. Several white-bearded old imperial physicians knelt on the ground, their fingers resting on the white wrist, their brows furrowed more deeply than the last.

Li Yuan sat on the edge of the bed and waved his hand to the eunuch beside him, "Go! Bring me that thousand-year-old Changbai Mountain ginseng from my treasury! Also, bring me the warm jade pillow that was presented as tribute from the Western Regions the other day, and those bolts of Shu brocade!"

"Your Majesty, that old ginseng has been kept..."

"What's the point of keeping them? If my precious grandson can't recover, what use are those inanimate objects!" Li Yuan's eyes widened, his beard trembling. "Go and pick out some more things the child likes—golden melon seeds, silver peanuts—bring me everything Chengqian likes!"

Before long, a stream of rewards filled the table in the side hall.

Li Chengqian had his eyes half-closed, and he could only feel a buzzing in his ears.

Although the high fever made him a little sluggish, he knew perfectly well that Li Yuan had fallen in love.

It seems that the law of "grandparental affection" is an ironclad rule in any dynasty.

"Imperial Physician, how is it?" Li Shimin asked quietly from the side.

The head physician, Zhang, kowtowed tremblingly, his forehead covered in cold sweat: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Highness Prince Qin... Prince Zhongshan... this is... this is cold pathogens entering his body, damaging his lungs and internal organs!"

"What?!" Li Yuan and Li Shimin exclaimed in unison.

Physician Zhang swallowed hard, not daring to look up at the faces of the two noblemen, and said in a trembling voice, "The Prince is already young and weak, and the cold air has rushed straight to his heart along his meridians. If... if this high fever doesn't subside tonight, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it will leave a lasting illness, or even..."

He didn't dare say what came next, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

It might even die young.

Li Yuan slammed his hand hard on the table, making the teacups on it jump around.

"Li Shimin!"

Li Shimin's knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground: "Your subject is here."

"Is this how you raise your son?!" Li Yuan pointed at the small face on the bed, flushed red with fever and barely breathing, his hands trembling with rage. "Chengqian is only five years old! Five years old! How can you be a father? He caught a chill and developed a fever in the Qin Prince's mansion, and there wasn't even a servant to take care of him? You made him drag his body all the way to the palace to find you?!"

Li Yuan grew angrier as he spoke, recalling the child's words, "I'm afraid Father will forget me," and felt as if his heart had been squeezed tightly.

"If anything happens to Chengqian, I think you should resign as Prince of Qin! You can't even manage your own family, how can you talk about governing the country and bringing peace to the world!"

Li Shimin's face turned ashen, and he couldn't even utter a word of explanation.

He was genuinely remorseful.

These days, the Crown Prince's faction and the Prince of Qin's faction are fighting to the death in the court. He has to deal with the swordplay every day, and by the time he gets back to his residence, it is already late at night. Indeed... it has been a long time since he has had a proper hug with Chengqian.

"Your subject... knows his guilt." Li Shimin lowered his head, his voice choked with emotion.

Li Yuan, still not satisfied with his appearance, snorted coldly, "Don't take Chengqian back either. That Prince Qin's residence is cold and impersonal. Just leave Chengqian in the palace, I'll raise him myself!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with alarm.

"Father! Chengqian, he..."

If Chengqian were left in the palace, he would become a hostage in Li Yuan's hands.

Moreover, Li Shimin was truly reluctant to part with it.

When Li Yuan brought this up, Li Chengqian forced himself to stay awake, letting out a broken groan.

"Cough... Father..."

The voice was barely audible, yet it seemed to have triggered something, drawing the attention of both the father and son, who were on the verge of conflict.

Li Chengqian laboriously reached out his hand from under the brocade quilt. His hand was so small that it was almost transparent white against the bright yellow silk, and his fingertips were tinged with an unnatural bluish-purple.

Instead of grabbing Li Yuan, he stubbornly and tremblingly reached out to Li Shimin, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Father...hug me..."

Li Shimin's eyes welled up with tears. Forgetting all etiquette, he crawled two steps to the bedside and carefully took that small hand in his.

"Chengqian, Father is here, Father is here."

Using this force, Li Chengqian turned his head slightly, his peach blossom eyes filled with tears, yet he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Grandpa...don't blame Grandpa."

"Father is a great hero," Li Chengqian said, coughing twice with an air of seriousness. "Father has so many things to do every day, Chengqian... Chengqian can't cause Father any trouble."

"It's Chengqian's own fault; his health is failing him. He wants to see Father, but he's afraid of interfering with Father's important business..."

As she spoke, large tears finally rolled down her cheeks, landing on the back of Li Shimin's hand, where they were scalding hot.

"Grandpa, please don't keep Chengqian here, okay?"

"Chengqian wants to return to the Prince of Qin's residence. Chengqian wants to see his father the moment he returns..."

"If Father comes home and doesn't see Chengqian, Father will be sad."

Upon hearing these words, Li Shimin froze.

Is this still Li Chengqian?

Chengqian, who is usually spoiled, prone to crying, and throws tantrums at the slightest dissatisfaction?

When did he become so sensible and so heartbreaking?

Li Shimin felt as if something was blocking his throat, causing a sharp, astringent sensation.

He grasped Chengqian's small hand and pressed it against his stubble-covered face, his voice hoarse: "Silly child... how could your father think you're causing trouble?"

Li Yuan sighed deeply, and his once straight back seemed to hunch over a bit.

This child is so sensible, so sensible it breaks my heart.

"Erlang," Li Yuan looked at Li Shimin kneeling on the ground, his tone finally softening, the previous gunpowder gone, leaving only the weariness of a father, "You have given birth to a good son."

"Better than you."

Although he was scolding her, he no longer had any murderous intent.

Li Shimin, being extremely clever, immediately seized the opportunity and kowtowed heavily: "Father's admonition is correct. Your son... Your son has indeed been negligent in the past. After hearing Chengqian's words today, your son is filled with shame."

Li Shimin raised his head and looked sincerely at Li Yuan: "Father, today's events were due to my filial impiety, which angered you. But these personnel appointments were indeed made for the sake of the Tang Dynasty..."

Li Yuan waved his hand, interrupting him.

Looking at Li Chengqian, who was delirious with fever but still clinging tightly to Li Shimin's sleeve, Li Yuan sighed, "Enough, enough. Let's not talk about state affairs today."

"Since Chengqian insists on going back with you, then let him have his way." Li Yuan touched Li Chengqian's burning forehead with some reluctance. "This child thinks only of you. If I force him to stay, I will be the bad guy."

"Thank you for your consideration, Father Emperor." Li Shimin was overjoyed.

Li Shimin got up and carefully wrapped Li Chengqian tightly in the snow-white fox fur coat, leaving only his large, wet eyes exposed.

"Someone, prepare the carriage! Bring over the carriage with the hottest fire burning!"

At Li Shimin's command, he turned around and was about to pick up Chengqian.

"Wait a minute," Li Yuan suddenly said.

Li Shimin paused in his steps.

Li Yuan turned around and took a black cloak from the shelf behind him. The cloak was embroidered with golden dragon patterns. Although it was not a dragon robe, it was a favorite item of his when he was the Duke of Tang.

Li Yuan walked over and personally draped the cloak over Li Shimin's shoulders, also covering Li Chengqian, who was in Li Shimin's arms.

"It's windy outside, don't let Chengqian get cold." Li Yuan's tone was indifferent, but his eyes were somewhat complicated. "Also... dress warmly yourself."

Li Shimin's body jolted violently.

He looked at the white hair at his father's temples, and his eyes reddened once again.

"Yes... Your subject obeys the decree."

……

On the carriage back to the Prince of Qin's residence.

The carriage was covered with thick Persian carpets, and silver charcoal burned in the corners, making it warm and cozy.

Li Shimin did not put Li Chengqian down, but held him in his arms as if he were holding a rare treasure that had been lost and found again.

Li Chengqian was truly at his breaking point.

The performance he had just given had exhausted all his energy, and now that the drug was taking effect, drowsiness was washing over him.

But he could feel that Li Shimin's embrace was very tight, so tight that it was almost suffocating.

"Chengqian".

Li Shimin looked down at the exquisite little face in his arms.

Although he still has a fever, this child is growing up so well.

Her eyebrows and eyes resembled Guanyinbi's, but with an added touch of inexplicable charm.

"How come I never noticed before, Father? My Chengqian has such a clever tongue."

Li Shimin gently stroked Li Chengqian's nose, his tone tinged with a helpless yet doting affection.

Li Chengqian opened his eyes groggily and mumbled something as if in a dream:

"Because...because Chengqian didn't want to see his father sad..."

After saying that, his head lolled to the side and he fell into a deep sleep.

Li Shimin was stunned for a long time, then let out a long sigh.

He rested his chin on the top of Li Chengqian's fluffy hair, his eyes filled with an unprecedented tenderness and determination.

"Go to sleep, Chengqian."

"I promise you, I will never let you suffer again."

The carriage rumbled through the lush, verdant landscape of Chang'an, heading towards the Prince of Qin's residence.