In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Xuanwu Gate.

"Your Highness, you may leave."

"His Majesty said he will not see him."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang's heart sank to the bottom.

Li Shimin's reply was simply, "I will not see you."

But he had no way out. He said nothing and just knelt in the most conspicuous position at Xuanwu Gate, forcing Li Shimin to meet him in this way.

If he could just meet her once, he would have a chance, at least to release Wu Meiniang.

Time passed second by second, from noon to dusk, and from dusk to night. A complete curfew had been imposed inside and outside the palace, and no one was allowed to enter or leave.

Li Yuanchang ultimately underestimated Li Shimin's iron will. He knelt from day to night, but no summons came from the palace.

His knees were numb and in excruciating pain, but he still wouldn't leave.

Finally, shortly after nightfall, someone from the Imperial Household Department arrived.

Li Yuanchang suddenly looked up and stood up abruptly, but because he had been kneeling on the uneven stone slab for too long, his knees had even lost all feeling, and he stumbled and almost fell.

But he still endured the excruciating pain and rushed forward.

"Lord Chang, did His Majesty send you?"

Seeing this, the eunuch smiled wryly and nodded.

"Your Majesty, if you continue to kneel like this, he will really put you under house arrest."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang's newly ignited hope was instantly extinguished, and a sense of powerlessness arose within him.

"Your Highness, please listen to my advice and go back. Your kneeling here is not a good look."

"You are about to be appointed to your post, why anger His Majesty for the sake of some unimportant people?" the eunuch advised.

"Please leave."

Li Yuanchang glanced at his side, where he had brought many people who were looking at him.

This is the principle of "civil before force." If they continue to kneel and pay their respects like this, they will be forcibly sent back to the Prince's residence.

"All right."

"May I ask, Lord Chang, who is His Majesty with now?"

He found it strange, because Li Shimin had clearly said yesterday that he would see him after he had thought it through.

But today he's denying everything and simply refusing to see her. He clearly didn't say anything; how could Li Shimin be so certain he went to plead for Wu Zetian?

After hesitating for a moment, Eunuch Chang had no choice but to speak in order to get rid of Li Yuanchang.

"Your Highness, His Majesty and Prince Wei are discussing matters concerning the Literary Academy."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang's eyes darkened, and his fist clenched under his sleeve as he silently chanted in his heart.

Lee, Tai! !

He knew someone was interfering, but he didn't say anything. He also knew he couldn't fight city hall, and if he knelt down again, he would not only be unable to see anyone, but he would also lose his freedom.

In that case, there's even less chance of saving anyone.

He turned and left Xuanwu Gate dejectedly.

Emerging from Xuanwu Gate, one is greeted by the city of Chang'an, ablaze with lights. Li Yuanchang, expressionless, wanders aimlessly, lost in thought, pondering his next move.

"Big brother!"

Suddenly, Yuchi Baoqi, Cheng Chuliang, Li Chongzhen, and Tang Meng appeared.

Li Yuanchang looked up, his lips parched, and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Brother, we heard you went to the palace to meet the emperor. We were worried about you, so we came to wait for you. You've been gone for so long, we were so worried about you!" Cheng Chuliang chuckled.

Li Yuanchang felt a warmth in his heart.

Even though they couldn't really help much, it was still some consolation.

"This isn't the place to talk, brother. Let's go somewhere else to drink."

"That's right, I know a brothel that serves delicious wine, it's a special supply from Jiangnan!"

The four spoke in unison, as if they had planned it beforehand.

Li Yuanchang knew they wanted to help him relieve his worries, but he was in no mood to drink, and Wu Meiniang was still under house arrest at Hongfu Temple.

"Chu Liang, you four go ahead, I'll settle the score."

"But I, the King..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Chuliang and Yuchi Baoqi, two burly young men, grabbed him from both sides.

"Brother, you're being too polite!"

"How could we four brothers abandon you and go off to have fun on our own?"

"Let's go have a drink to cheer ourselves up. What's the big deal? We can think about it tomorrow!"

"That's right, let's live for today!"

"Chu Liang, Bao Qi, I really won't go."

"Hey, don't do this! Put me down!"

"..."

Li Fan ultimately couldn't resist the four men and was practically "carried" to a brothel in Chang'an's West Market.

The terms "flower pavilion" and "flower boat" are actually elegant names; in essence, they refer to places of pleasure and entertainment.

Unlike later times, these brothels were not so low-class; they were simply places where one could have sex with a rolled-up curtain.

The courtesans here are not only good-looking, but they are also generally literate and even proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

In the Tang Dynasty, visiting such a place was not only legal, but also a place to indulge in refined tastes.

Famous poets like Li Bai loved visiting these places the most.

The bustling atmosphere in the brothel was terrifying!

Cheng Chuliang and his three companions took out their personal savings and found five of the most outstanding courtesans in the brothel to keep them company.

In particular, the woman they found for Li Yuanchang was the most beautiful of the three courtesans in the area. The four of them spent a lot of money to please Li Yuanchang.

She was seventeen years old, with an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a very refined demeanor. Her skin was as white as milk.

Anyone with experience can tell the value of a piece of gold at a glance.

Moreover, as soon as he entered, Cheng Chuliang made it clear that he had already spoken with the owner of the brothel, and that Li Yuanchang could be taken away tonight to have his head cracked open.

But Li Yuanchang showed no interest whatsoever, and just kept drinking, his mind preoccupied.

Tang Meng and his three companions noticed this and joined him in drinking until they were both drunk.

By the middle of the drinking session, Li Yuanchang was already feeling intoxicated by the atmosphere rather than the alcohol.

Just then, another group of guests arrived at the table next to their room, numbering several dozen including their entourage.

The private rooms here are not enclosed, but semi-enclosed. Although they are classically elegant, they are similar to the private seating areas of later generations.

As soon as this group arrived, they immediately recognized Li Yuanchang and his party.

"Huh!"

"Isn't this His Highness the Prince of Han?"

"What an unexpected encounter! My apologies for not recognizing you here!" A young man in his twenties, dressed in fine clothes and jade belt, approached with a smile.

Li Yuanchang glanced at it but didn't recognize it.

Immediately afterward, the young man walked in with an air of familiarity: "Your Highness, you probably don't recognize me, but I do recognize you. I even sent a congratulatory gift to the Prince's residence yesterday."

"It's a pity I didn't get to attend the wedding."

The tone was somewhat sarcastic.

Li Yuanchang's face immediately darkened.

Cheng Chuliang, already known for his loud and boisterous personality, and now intoxicated, slammed his fist on the table and yelled, "Chai Lingwu, don't you dare cause trouble!"

Li Yuanchang squinted, his body drunk but his mind not; he knew this man.

Chai Lingwu, also known as Chai Shao, the Duke of Qiao, was the second son of Princess Pingyang. His status was almost the same as Cheng Chuliang and the others; they were all top-tier second-generation officials in Chang'an.

However, because he was a few years older and already a prince consort, he was promoted faster than people like Cheng Chuliang.

Cheng Chuliang and his colleagues were mostly young and had not yet entered officialdom.

Chai Lingwu was later a prominent member of the Wei King's faction.

"Oh, look at my mouth! I deserve a beating!"

"Your Highness, I misspoke just now, I misspoke." Chai Lingwu pretended to apologize, slapping his own mouth, but it didn't look like an unintentional mistake at all.

"Get out of here," Li Yuanchang said coldly.