Chapter 247
On the day of the incident, Li Er had coughed up blood and collapsed, falling ill afterward. He had been running a high fever these past few days and only regained consciousness today. However, upon waking, he had not uttered a word. The eunuchs were surprised and quickly summoned Zhangsun Wu Fei. Li Er, with his eyes wide open, appeared lifeless.
Since childhood, the two had supported each other and had come a long way together. Throughout their journey, no matter how challenging the obstacles were, Li Er always faced them with a smile. However, this recent turn of events had completely crushed him. The man who, in Zhangsun Wu Fei’s eyes, had always been invincible was now at the lowest point in his life. Zhangsun Wu Fei knew Li Chengqian’s death was the most significant blow Li Er could endure. To Li Er, Li Chengqian was more than just a son. He was the crown prince Li Er had nurtured from a young age, representing Li Er’s hopes for the vast empire. Li Er’s effort in Li Chengqian exceeded that of any father. But now, he was dead; worse, he had died due to rebellion.
No one knew whether Li Chengqian had ever contemplated killing Li Er when he was planning this whole affair. As Li Chengqian himself had said, he was the son most like Li Er, and it was precisely because of this resemblance that Li Er felt even more pained.
“Shimin…” Zhangsun Wu Fei gently held Li Er’s hand, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. “Let the past be the past, don’t torment yourself any longer.”
Li Er finally made a move, struggling to tug at the corners of his mouth to smile at Zhangsun Wu Fei, but the expression on his face was more painful than tears. “Empress, you’ve come,” Li Er’s voice was hoarse. He extended his other hand and pressed it on the bed, trying to sit up. However, his weakened body made him dizzy and lightheaded.
“Shi Min, at this point, don’t dwell on it any longer. The affairs of the court are intricate, and everything still depends on you,” Zhangsun Wu Fei urged again, suppressing her grief. Li Er nodded in acknowledgment. His eyes gradually regained their luster as he looked at Zhangsun Wu Fei.
After a moment of hesitation, Li Er finally asked, “What about that rebellious son… what’s the situation with him?” Bringing up the topic caused Zhangsun Wu Fei’s tears to flow again. “Officers from the Ministry of Rites are discussing Chengqian’s posthumous title…”
Li Er snorted and inquired, “What have they come up with?” With a sorrowful expression, Zhangsun Wu Fei replied, “Wang Gui suggested that Chengqian was greedy like a wolf, ruthless like a sheep, and wild and unruly. He proposed using… ‘Yin’ as his posthumous title.”
Upon hearing this, Li Er’s body trembled slightly, and his breathing became rapid. ‘Yin’ was one of the most negative posthumous titles in the land of the Xia Dynasty. What does ‘Yin’ mean? When used in the context of Li Chengqian, it signified that he concealed his evil nature and remained unrepentant even in death. This character had become synonymous with the posthumous title of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Guang. It was safe to say that the Ministry of Rites officers intended to give Li Chengqian this posthumous title, which was highly appropriate.
However, Li Er was somewhat reluctant to agree. It was well known that in his second year as emperor, he had posthumously honored Li Jiancheng, whom he had personally killed, with the title “Prince Xi.” Just two years ago, he reinstated Li Jiancheng’s status as Crown Prince. The posthumous title he had given to Li Jiancheng was ‘Yin.’ His officers wanted to bestow the same title upon his son, which Li Er found difficult to accept.
Seeing Li Er’s demeanor, Zhangsun Wu Fei couldn’t help but say, “Li Er… while Chengqian was at fault, he is still our child.” Li Er sighed and replied, “His position as Crown Prince cannot be retained. I will posthumously honor him as Prince of Hengshan… let his posthumous title be ‘Min’.” Li Chengqian had been granted the title of Prince of Hengshan by Li Yuan when he was born. This posthumous title choice reflected Li Er’s deep sorrow over losing his son.
“In these past few days, Li Zhi has wanted to visit daily, but I have stopped her from entering the palace,” Zhangsun Wu Fei added. Li Er furrowed his brows and asked, “Are you worried I’ll be displeased with Li Zhi?” Zhangsun Wu Fei remained silent. The events of that day were no longer a secret. Although Li Chengqian’s death had been entirely his own doing, there was no denying that he had died at the hands of Su Li.
“I won’t blame Su Li. Instead, I will reward him generously!” Li Er declared angrily. “Even though that rebellious son is dead, I must say, he was well executed!” As she watched the furious Li Er, Zhangsun Wu Fei couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sorrow. She understood Li Er’s helplessness all too well. Zhangsun Wu Fei also understood that if there had been even the slightest chance to save Li Chengqian’s life, Li Er would have done so, even if it meant going against the will of the entire world. But if Li Chengqian had indeed died, Li Er had no choice but to express himself in this manner. It was perhaps the helplessness that came with being an emperor.
Li Er aimed to be a wise ruler, and if his officers had done the right thing, he had to reward them, even if they had taken his son’s life. This was the path an emperor had to follow. Although only a few days had passed, Li Er seemed to have aged more than a decade. The radiance that once adorned his countenance had faded, and his face now exhibited a sense of weariness. After his momentary burst of anger, Li Er felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. He sank softly onto the edge of the bed, his eyes suddenly reddening.
“Empress, I have been thinking all along. That day, did Su Li have no choice but to take a life? I understand him, and if I were in his shoes, I would not have hesitated either. But why did that rebellious son have to act so foolishly?” Zhangsun Wu Fei suppressed her grief as she embraced Li Er, gently patting his back. “It’s all in the past. There’s no need to dwell on it. We must continue living our lives.”
After a while, Li Er fell into an exhausted slumber in Zhangsun Wu Fei’s arms. She gently laid him on the bed and then left the sleeping chamber. As soon as the palace doors closed behind her, she couldn’t hold back and burst into tears. This couple had witnessed countless births and deaths, thinking they had seen everything. But when such a tragedy happened to the person they loved most, it was something they couldn’t easily come to terms with.
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