amaotonovel Chapter 337 Sit down, sit down!
Chapter 337 Sit down, sit down!
Chapter 337 Sit down, sit down! Hearing Li Chengqian's words, the string deep in Li Shimin's heart instantly tightened, and he was really a little anxious.
Now he leads a leisurely life every day.
Every day when I wake up slowly, what catches my eye is not the mountains of memorials or the court disputes waiting to be dealt with, but the abundant free time that I can squander.
Li Shimin couldn't help but shudder when he thought about the time when he became emperor.
Every day before dawn, he had to start the morning court surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids.
In the court, the ministers were talking to each other, and all kinds of difficult things came one after another.
The floods in the east required funds for disaster relief, the enemy was invading on the western border, and the domestic tax reform had a far-reaching impact. Every single one of these weighed heavily on his mind.
He has to concentrate on weighing the pros and cons and making decisions. Any slight mistake may lead to unpredictable consequences.
Day after day, year after year, those days were like a hard labor with no end in sight.
At this moment, if he were asked to be emperor again, he would know that he could no longer regain his former ambition.
He himself didn't understand how he had managed to persevere in the past.
The long period of leisure made him lazy. His former diligence and self-discipline had long been forgotten, and the feeling of laziness penetrated deep into his bones.
Only Li Chengqian devoted himself to governing the Tang Dynasty and making it prosperous and peaceful.
Only in this way can he, the emperor, immerse himself in his own carefree world without any worries and enjoy this rare leisure time.
Thinking of this, he became extremely anxious. He took a few big steps forward, stretched out his well-maintained hand, and tightly grasped Li Chengqian's sleeve.
Before Li Chengqian could react, Li Shimin gently pulled him back onto the armchair.
"Gao Ming, my good son, please don't utter such absurd words again."
Li Shimin's voice trembled slightly, with a hint of anxiety.
"My father is now old and frail. All the hard work he did day and night has already exhausted him both physically and mentally. Now he truly does not want to be exposed to any more hardship, and he is truly unable to bear it."
"You are still young. Experiencing more ups and downs is good for your growth!"
"When Jingyou grows up and becomes capable of taking charge, you can safely hand over this heavy responsibility to him."
"By then, my father and I will be able to completely throw off our shackles, eat, fish, and wash our feet every day. Isn't such a carefree life a great pleasure in life?"
As Li Shimin spoke, he narrowed his eyes slightly, his face filled with longing.
"So, Gao Ming, just grit your teeth and persevere. Once you get through this period, there will be a bright future ahead."
Seeing Li Shimin's sincere feelings, Li Chengqian's smile became more intense and he sat down obediently.
"Father, please go to the harem to visit Jingyou first. I will go to join you as soon as I finish the complicated matters at hand."
When Li Shimin heard this, the anxiety on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by a relieved smile, and he nodded repeatedly.
He is extremely satisfied with his current life as the emperor.
He no longer had to worry about state affairs and could fully enjoy family happiness and feel the warmth of his family.
Among all these beautiful things, the deep friendship between father and son, which is thicker than blood, is undoubtedly what he cherishes most.
The faces of the children involuntarily appeared in his mind, and they were all a comfort to his heart. In his eyes, they were all his good children, Li Shimin.
His thoughts were like a wild horse running wild, and he couldn't help but think of his father, Emperor Li Yuan.
Comparing the warm treatment that Li Chengqian gave him at the moment, and recalling the so-called "filial piety" he had given to Li Yuan in the past, he suddenly felt a strong sense of guilt.
Back then, he built a majestic and magnificent palace for Li Yuan and carefully selected beautiful women from all over the world to send to the palace, thinking that this would allow Li Yuan to enjoy his old age and that this was fulfilling his filial duty as a son.
But now, after personally experiencing the life of the retired emperor, he suddenly woke up from his dream and realized that those practices back then were not filial piety at all to Li Yuan, but a cruel torture.
The cold palace, though decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, could not bring comfort to Li Yuan's soul.
Although those young and beautiful women could decorate the surface, they could not fill Li Yuan's deep desire for family affection.
Material enjoyment is ultimately nothing but illusory external possessions. No matter how luxurious or eye-catching, it cannot be compared with the blood-thicker-than-water family affection.
If he were in Li Yuan's situation back then, facing a life that seemed prosperous and wealthy but was actually lonely and indifferent, he felt that he would fall into endless despair.
Thinking of this, his eyes gradually turned red, tears of guilt welled up in his eyes, and the regret in his heart hurt him deeply.
Li Chengqian saw Li Shimin's sad face, frowned slightly, and was full of doubts. He thought that he had wronged him because of his previous joke.
That's why my father was so sad.
But his impulsive nature prompted him to speak without hesitation and tease, "Father, why are you doing this? I was just bored and played a little joke with you, saying I would give up my throne to you. Why did you take it so seriously, so upset that you looked like you were about to cry? Could it be that you wanted me to cry with you and stage a tragic drama?"
When Li Shimin heard Li Chengqian's blunt words, the sadness in his heart instantly dissipated like smoke.
"Go away, you stinky boy, stop saying these irritating nonsense here."
"I'm going to visit Jingyou now."
"Just focus on your government affairs. When you're done, don't forget to come here early."
"Tonight our family will have a lively family dinner. I have asked Qingque and Zhinu to go buy the ingredients."
Li Shimin raised his chin slightly, with pride in his eyes.
"Tonight, I'll let you witness my father's culinary skills and taste the delicious food I've carefully prepared for you!"
Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian's smile widened. He nodded and said, "That's great. I will definitely come tonight to taste your cooking and give you some feedback on it, so that you can know the true level of my cooking skills."
As the two were chatting happily, a clear and loud announcement suddenly came from outside: "Commander Zhang requests an audience with His Majesty!"
Li Chengqian sat up straight, cleared his throat, and replied loudly, "Come in."
Then, Zhang Xianhuai walked into the hall and bowed respectfully to Li Chengqian, clasping his hands together and shouting, "Your Majesty."
Then, his eyes accidentally caught sight of Li Shimin standing beside him, and he quickly added, "Greetings to the Supreme Emperor."