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

Renzhi Palace is located on Phoenix Ridge in the northwest of Yijun County, surrounded by mountains and lush greenery.

Compared to the suffocating heat of Chang'an, the air here is so crisp and clear, as if it had been washed by mountain springs.

The mountain breeze rustles through the trees, carrying the fragrance of pine trees and wildflowers, making it a truly excellent place to escape the summer heat.

As soon as the carriage entered the palace, Li Chengqian, who had been drowsy, visibly perked up like a parched seedling that had been watered.

Li Shimin chose Feiyutai as his residence, while Li Chengqian was placed in a side hall. Light blue gauze curtains were hung around the bed to keep out the occasional annoying flying insects from the mountains.

After tidying up his luggage, Li Chengqian changed into a moon-white, narrow-sleeved shirt with a soft belt embroidered with gold thread around his waist. The overly wide hem of the shirt swayed gently with his movements, exuding an indescribable air of elegance and grace.

After several days of recuperation, the sickly look on his face faded, and his skin, which was originally so pale it was almost transparent, now had a warm, lustrous glow, like the jade pendant that Li Shimin had given him.

"Ouch, slow down!"

The maid, Green Bamboo, followed behind, panting, holding a round fan in her hand. "The sun here isn't as harsh as in Chang'an, but the afternoon sun is still scorching. Be careful not to hurt your skin."

"It's nothing." Li Chengqian said without turning his head, "Father said I need to move around, otherwise my bones will all crumble."

At that moment, he was enthusiastically chasing butterflies near the Floating Wine Pavilion in the garden.

As a modern person, he felt that his current behavior was utterly childish and outrageous.

But there's nothing we can do; after all, he's only five years old now, Li Chengqian.

What else can a five-year-old do if he doesn't chase butterflies?

Old Li's family didn't have any water vats for him to smash.

"Ha! Got it!"

Li Chengqian spotted a colorful butterfly perched on the stamen of a peony and pounced on it.

However, he overestimated the body's coordination, tripped over a protruding bluestone, and fell forward uncontrollably.

The expected pain did not come; a pair of arms, not particularly broad but strong, steadily supported him.

Of course, this was accompanied by a malicious sneer.

"Tch—he really is a sickly weakling. He can't even walk steadily and needs help. Aren't he ashamed of himself?"

Li Chengqian steadied himself, slowly patted off non-existent dust from the hem of his robe, and then looked up at the person who had arrived.

The child was indeed robust and sturdy, dressed in a dark red robe with arrow-sleeved sleeves, with an unsharpened small curved knife hanging at his waist, and leading a chestnut-colored foal.

However, the fierce look in his eyes and brows, his chin held high, and the way he looked down at people with his nose in his nose were very much like his always sinister father—Prince Qi, Li Yuanji.

The visitor was Li Yuanji's eldest son, Li Chengye.

Li Chengqian narrowed his beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly, and a smile that was not quite a smile appeared on his lips. Instead of being angry, he showed a hint of surprise as he looked Li Chengye up and down.

"Who do we have here? It's my cousin Chengye."

Li Chengqian's voice was soft and gentle, like a sticky rice ball soaked in honey, without a trace of anger. "Cousin, your outfit is really impressive. If you didn't know better, you'd think you were some lowly stable boy who didn't know his manners and disturbed a distinguished guest."

Li Chengye was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.

He was a troublemaker in the Qi Prince's mansion, who would dare to speak to him like that?

"Li Chengqian! Who are you calling a stable boy?!" Li Chengye loosened the reins, stepped forward, and raised his fist to scare him. "I think you're asking for a beating! You want me to beat you up?"

The surrounding maids and eunuchs turned pale with fright, and Green Bamboo quickly stepped in front of Li Chengqian, saying, "Prince Liang, you mustn't!"

"Get out of my way! You rootless thing, how dare you block my way!" Li Chengye kicked Green Bamboo.

Li Chengqian's eyes turned cold. He gently pushed aside the green bamboo and took a step forward. His delicate, picturesque face showed no fear, but rather a kind of superior compassion.

"Cousin, that's where you're wrong."

Li Chengqian sighed, took out a snow-white silk handkerchief from his sleeve, covered his mouth and nose, and took a half step back in disgust, as if Li Chengye had some unpleasant smell.

"What a heroic figure Fourth Uncle was, how could he raise a son who is like a street thug? He's always shouting for violence, what a barbarian attitude."

At this point, Li Chengqian blinked his big, watery eyes and innocently added, "Didn't Fourth Uncle hire any tutors for my cousin? Or... is my cousin not very bright and unable to learn those principles of propriety and morality?"

"You—you—" Li Chengye's face turned a deep purplish-red with anger, and his finger pointing at Li Chengqian was trembling.

He usually spends his time in the manor riding horses and shooting arrows. Reading? What are those things!

Li Chengqian's refined and literary rebuke made him understand that he was being called stupid and ill-mannered, but he couldn't find the words to refute it, and his face turned red with frustration.

"What do you mean, 'me'?"

Li Chengqian stopped smiling, slightly raised his chin, and said, "In terms of seniority, I am your cousin. You should bow to me when you see me."

Li Chengye was momentarily stunned.

In his memory, Li Chengqian had always been a sickly, soft-spoken good-for-nothing. How could he suddenly become so...so beautiful?

Especially those eyes, they're so beautiful, but why do they look like they're carrying knives when they look at people?

"Hmph! Who...who cares about you!"

Li Chengye was still just a child. He roared fiercely, but then realized he was being cowardly, so he glared at Li Chengqian and said, "All you can do is talk! You're like a woman! Wait until I've mastered martial arts and we're on the battlefield, I'll see if I don't trample you under my feet!"

After saying that, he ignored the little pony and ran off angrily.

"Pfft." Li Chengqian couldn't help but laugh as he watched his retreating figure.

Is that all the fighting power you've got?

"Your Highness..." Green Bamboo looked at her young master with lingering fear, "You scared me to death just now. Prince Liang is extremely tyrannical; what if he had really hurt you..."

"He wouldn't dare."

Li Chengqian casually tossed the round fan in his hand to the little eunuch beside him, the coldness on his face instantly vanishing, and he transformed back into that delicate young master.

He reached up and touched his throat, which was a little dry from talking too much. A sly glint flashed in his eyes.

The first half of the play has been performed, but the second half is not yet finished.

How could you not tell your parents if you've been wronged? This is a great opportunity to strengthen the father-son relationship and, incidentally, sow discord among your political enemies.

"Let's go home." Li Chengqian tidied his slightly disheveled hair, his voice instantly becoming choked with emotion, "I need to find Father..."

……

Feiyu Terrace.

Li Shimin was frowning as he looked at the secret report sent from Chang'an.

Yang Wengan was preparing for war in Qingzhou and was secretly transporting armor. All signs indicated that this confidant of the crown prince could no longer contain himself.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, who was overseeing the country in Chang'an, frequently mobilized the Eastern Palace guards, and the situation was on the verge of erupting.

A storm is brewing.

Just then, a series of light, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, accompanied by a low gasp from a eunuch.

"My ancestors, please slow down..."

Li Shimin's brow relaxed, and just as he raised his head, he saw a small figure rush in like a swallow returning to its nest.

"Ah Ye—"

That call was filled with a thousand twists and turns, so full of grievance that it seemed like it could be wrung out of water.

Li Chengqian buried his head in Li Shimin's arms, completely disregarding the presence of important officials such as Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.

He buried his face in Li Shimin's chest, his shoulders trembling, but he held back his sobs, only his soft whimpers breaking one's heart.

Li Shimin's previously menacing aura vanished instantly.

He quickly put down the secret report in his hand, put his big hand around the little dumpling in his arms, felt the damp heat on his clothes, and frowned with heartache.

"What's wrong?"

Li Shimin gently patted his son's back while glaring at Green Bamboo and the others who followed him in. His voice deepened, "Who wronged Yunu? Speak!"

Green Bamboo was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground with a thud, trembling and not daring to speak.

Li Chengqian, who was in his arms, raised his head.

On that once delicate and beautiful face, her eyes were now red-rimmed, and glistening tears clung to her long eyelashes, threatening to fall, making her look incredibly pitiful.

"Father..." He sniffed, his voice soft and hoarse, trembling with tears, "Am I really that useless?"

"Nonsense!" Li Shimin cupped his small face in his hands and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingertips. "You are your father's eldest son, exceptionally intelligent. Who dares to say you're useless?"

"But...but my cousin Chengye said I'm sickly..."

Li Chengqian sobbed, observing Li Shimin's expression as he intermittently complained, "I was chasing butterflies in the garden, but my cousin led his horse and charged at me, almost hitting me... He even called me a useless thing, saying I... said I was like a woman..."

At the last sentence, Li Chengqian seemed to have suffered a great insult. He buried his head in Li Shimin's neck and refused to lift it. His muffled voice came out: "Father, have I disgraced you? I also want to ride horses, I also want to practice martial arts, but my body is not up to par..."

"Bang!"

Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacups to jump around.

"presumptuous!"

A furious shout startled both Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji.

A fierce rage ignited in Li Shimin's eyes.

What a Li Yuanji!

It's bad enough that they're targeting him at every turn in the court, but now they're not even sparing a child!

Looking at his thoughtful and sensible son in his arms, and then thinking of Li Yuanji, his spoiled and unruly son, Li Shimin's heart was instantly tipped to the extreme.

That little beast that Li Yuanji taught actually dared to offend his son and even dared to insult him.

This isn't just insulting Chengqian; it's a slap in the face to Li Shimin! It's a mockery of the Qin Prince's mansion for having no one to serve him!

"Don't cry, Yu Nu, don't cry."

Li Shimin took a deep breath, suppressing his rage, and gently stroked Li Chengqian's hair. His voice was so gentle it could melt water, but the chill in his words sent a shiver down the spines of everyone present.

"Who dares to say you're a disgrace? You're the best kid in the world."

"As for that unruly brat..." A ruthless glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes, "Father will stand up for you. If Li Yuanji can't teach his son, then I'll teach him a lesson!"

Li Chengqian nestled in his father's arms, raised his head, and looked at Li Shimin with eyes that were even clearer and brighter after being washed. He nodded obediently: "As long as Father doesn't dislike Yunu, that's fine. Yunu only wants Father."

Li Shimin's heart softened, and he hugged his son even tighter. He turned to Changsun Wuji and said coldly, "Fuji, get ready. It's time for my good father to know what his dear crown prince has been up to while he's away!"

Changsun Wuji looked at Li Chengqian, who was nestled in Li Shimin's arms with a face full of filial affection, and a thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes. He then bowed and replied, "Yes."