The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

After Li Chengqian and Li Lizhi secretly strolled around the East Palace, they returned home satisfied.

Upon entering, Li Chengqian and Li Lizhi were immediately stunned.

Because a graceful and elegant woman sat in the hall, looking at the two little ones with a half-smile.

They seemed completely unsurprised by their actions.

"Mother!"

Li Lizhi was good at being coquettish. After realizing what was happening, she happily threw herself into Empress Zhangsun's arms: "Mother, I missed you."

"Is that so?" Empress Zhangsun remained noncommittal, gently stroking her daughter's hair without uttering any words of reproach.

He looked up at Li Chengqian and asked, "What? Did you see the tutor your father found for you?"

Li Chengqian chuckled and nodded.

He is young, but that doesn't mean he's stupid.

Upon seeing his mother waiting for them there, Li Chengqian roughly understood that if it weren't for his mother's secret instructions, they probably wouldn't have been able to get out.

Even if they go out, they will be found and brought back quickly.

The mother sensed their intentions but chose to indulge them.

Empress Changsun asked gently, "So, what do you think of this new gentleman?"

"Your father has mentioned this person to me many times. Don't underestimate him just because he's young."

Li Chengqian hesitated for a moment: "He's very young and seems a bit unreliable, but I think he's great."

"Oh?" Empress Zhangsun was somewhat surprised, then smiled and didn't ask any further questions. "Since Chengqian thinks it's good, that's fine. From now on, you must listen carefully to your teacher's teachings, understand?"

"What's so good about him?" Li Lizhi couldn't help but complain. "Mother, this gentleman seems so disrespectful and greedy. He always likes to scare us. After he found out that we had secretly run away, he used this to threaten us to bring him some pastries next time, or he would tell Father."

"They still insist that his brother is questioning him. His brother can't even deny it. They just say he's questioning him."

"Mother, has Father been deceived? I feel that this gentleman is not reliable at all!"

Empress Zhangsun was stunned this time. She looked at her daughter in her arms, then at Li Chengqian, and chuckled softly.

"Silly child, Mr. Chen is someone your father has been trying so hard to win over. How could he possibly lack a few pastries?"

"He's just kidding you guys."

Li Lizhi pouted: "Lizhi knows that gentleman is teasing us, doesn't that just prove that he's not a very proper person?"

"What kind of gentleman enjoys teasing children like that?"

Empress Zhangsun shook her head and chuckled, "But your brother thinks this gentleman is good, doesn't he?"

Li Lizhi was speechless and could not find a rebuttal, so she could only glare at Li Chengqian with her big eyes.

Empress Zhangsun's curiosity grew even stronger, and she asked again, "Chengqian, come and sit here with your mother."

"Can you tell your mother why Mr. Chen said you were questioning him?"

Li Chengqian sat down next to Empress Zhangsun, thought for a moment, and scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly: "Chengqian said that he felt that Master was unreliable, and Master said that I was questioning him."

"I denied it, but the gentleman insisted that I did."

"After several attempts, I had no choice but to admit it."

"I never expected that you would tell me that I was right to question you, because I am my father's eldest son and the future crown prince. I cannot choose to obey you unconditionally just because of his status."

Empress Zhangsun found Li Chengqian's words amusing.

Since ancient times, teachers have always maintained sufficient authority in front of their students, otherwise they would inevitably be difficult to discipline.

This was especially true for students like Li Chengqian, and other sons of high-ranking officials.

But Chen Huai'an didn't follow the usual pattern. He not only teased the child without any airs, but also bluntly said that Li Chengqian was right to question him.

Empress Zhangsun recalled Li Shimin's evaluation of Chen Huai'an yesterday.

"Chen Huai'an is truly an extraordinary man."

She couldn't help but nod.

After a moment of contemplation, Empress Dowager Changsun said softly, "Chengqian, Mr. Chen may be different from other teachers, but his abilities are genuine. So you must listen to his words carefully, understand?"

"Mother, Chengqian understands."

"..."

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

The atmosphere inside and outside the palace remained tense, but this had nothing to do with Li Chengqian and the other children.

Today, inside the Hongwen Hall.

Several children, big and small, gathered together.

"Chengqian, why did you call us here?"

Inside the Hongwen Hall, a boy who looked a little older than Li Chengqian and had somewhat dark skin peeked out and said, "Let me tell you, I recently found a huge cricket, incredibly powerful. I'll bring it over another day so you can see it for yourself."

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up for a moment, and he solemnly agreed: "Okay, but don't let my father and mother find out, or I'll be punished."

"Don't worry," Cheng Chumo assured him, patting his chest. "Don't you know me?"

"Make sure no one finds out."

"Chengqian, what is it that you insisted we come here today?" Li Zhen, the eldest son of Li Shiji, muttered, "You don't know, my mother was overjoyed when she learned I was coming to Hongwen Academy. She kept praying for our ancestors' blessings."

"Do you think I don't know whether my ancestors protected me or not? Even if they did, I still went to the left."

Li Chengqian: "..."

Tang Heshang, the fourth son of Duke Tang Jian of Ju, said indifferently, "Don't worry about what you're here for. Anyway, Chengqian won't let us come to listen to his lectures."

"They must have found something fun."

"No!" Li Chengqian said quietly, "I called you here to teach a class."

The monkeys: ? ? ?

In an instant, everyone, young and old, was stunned. They were all speechless and stared at Li Chengqian with disbelief, unable to believe what they had just heard.

"You called us to come to class?" Cheng Chumo asked incredulously.

"Yes, that's right." Li Chengqian said matter-of-factly, "Father recently found a new teacher, and he asked me to call you all over today. What else could it be but a lesson?"

"Traitor! Traitor!" Tang Heshang cried out in anguish. "Why didn't you tell me the reason? You just said you'd know when you got here."

"You'll find out when you get here, won't you?"

"I was so stupid, really! I actually listened to you and came to this Hongwen Hall. I trusted you so much before."

Li Zhen felt a headache coming on whenever he thought of the classical Chinese phrases his teacher used: "Do you think it's too late for us to run away now?"

"Run? Where do you think you're going?"

Chen Huai'an walked in with a smile, and looking at the group of boys, the oldest of whom was no more than fifteen, his mood improved even more.

"gentlemen."

Li Chengqian stood up and bowed respectfully.

Upon hearing this, the other boys immediately realized that the young man before them was their teacher, and they all hung their heads and reluctantly called him "Teacher."

"Kids, you all seem...reluctant to go to class." Chen Huai'an's smile was enigmatic.

"..."