jdhmnovel Chapter 455 Heart Song
Chapter 455 Heart Song
Li Shimin sat upright on the chair. At this moment, his eyes were filled with complex emotions, including the depth of being an emperor and the worries of being a father.
Li Chengqian had a heroic look between his eyebrows, but at this moment he lowered his head slightly, not daring to look directly at Li Shimin.
Before this, Li Shimin had already spoken earnestly for a long time.
He talked about his youth when he fought in many battles and shed blood for the Tang Dynasty. He talked about the days when he fought side by side with his brothers on the battlefield. The hardships of each battle and the hard-won victory seemed to be vivid in his mind.
In order to overthrow the tyranny of the Sui Dynasty and to bring peace and prosperity to the people of the world, he gave up everything and charged into the front line.
He brushed shoulders with death countless times, but his belief in his heart never wavered, which was to build a country where the people could live and work in peace and contentment.
He then spoke of the days and nights after ascending the throne. As the ruler of a country, he had to deal with a mountain of government affairs every day, from the suffering of the people to the border wars, from the appointment and dismissal of officials to the national finances, every matter required his utmost attention.
He talked about how, in order to govern the country well, he humbly accepted advice, made use of talented people, and strived to make every inch of land in the Tang Dynasty full of vitality.
He told Li Chengqian that the emperor's responsibility is not only to enjoy the glory brought by power, but also to seek welfare for the people of the world.
"Cheng Qian," Li Shimin said in a low voice, "I, your father, have come a long way, overcoming countless hardships and dangers, to establish the Tang Dynasty today."
"This country is hard-earned, we need to cherish it even more." He paused slightly, staring at Li Chengqian closely.
"As the Crown Prince, the future ruler of the Tang Dynasty, you shoulder the fate of the entire country and the hopes of the people of the world."
"Your father has high hopes for you. I hope you can become a wise and virtuous monarch, allowing the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty to continue and the people to live in peace forever."
Li Chengqian remained silent.
There was a storm in his heart, but he could only pretend to be calm on the surface.
Li Shimin became more and more anxious when he saw his son like this, and it felt like a heavy burden on his heart.
Finally, he spoke again.
"Cheng Qian, Aye knows you understand everything, but why do you still do this? No matter what you do, the end result will be the same. What do you want this world to be like, so that you can be satisfied?"
Li Chengqian seemed to be struck by this question at the softest part of his heart. His body trembled slightly and he slowly raised his head.
His eyes were filled with complex emotions, including respect for Li Shimin, inner struggle, and surprise and admiration after being shocked by Li Shimin's realm of thought.
Before this, Li Chengqian always believed that there must be an insurmountable gap between him and Li Shimin due to the huge difference in the times they lived in.
The peaceful times he experienced before his birth, the things he came into contact with, and the concepts he accepted were completely different from the chaotic and turbulent experiences Li Shimin went through in his youth.
He felt that their generation had their own unique ideas and pursuits, which were difficult to reconcile with the thoughts of their parents.
Not to mention the ancients.
But just now, Li Shimin's words were like a flash of lightning, instantly splitting the stubborn wall in his heart.
He suddenly realized that the principles of modern people, tracing back to their roots, are actually the inheritance and continuation of the wisdom of the ancients.
Although the principles of governing a country and dealing with people have been constantly changed and renewed in form over time, their essence has never changed.
Just like the most common straw in life, it seems like a simple little object, but Li Shimin had already used it and even had a straw cup specially made to match it.
This seemingly ordinary little thing actually reflects that there is really nothing new under the sun, and everything in the world is just a constant repetition and cycle.
People often inadvertently repeat the mistakes made by their predecessors, falling into a cycle that repeats itself over and over again.
But Li Chengqian has an innate rebelliousness and unwillingness in his bones.
He was unwilling to just follow the path of his predecessors and proceed step by step.
He wanted to break this cycle and do something truly new and unprecedented in this seemingly unchanging world.
"Father, I have to say, I admire you. I really do."
His eyes sparkled with sincerity, "Father, you are truly the smartest and wisest person I have ever met.
"No wonder you were able to conquer the vast territory of the Tang Dynasty and create such a glorious and prosperous era."
He paused slightly and took a deep breath, as if he was mustering up the courage to say what he had been hiding in his heart for a long time.
"Father, I know your concerns, and I understand them in my heart. Many things in this world are indeed cyclical. Everything we do will most likely be in vain in the end."
Li Chengqian's eyes became firm. He looked directly into Li Shimin's eyes without flinching. "But, I don't want to give up just like that."
When Li Shimin heard this, his brows furrowed slightly, and the doubt in his eyes became more intense.
He didn't understand what Li Chengqian wanted to express and was curious about his son's thoughts.
"Cheng Qian, what are you thinking?"
He asked again, his eyes fixed on Li Chengqian, trying to find the answer from his eyes.
Li Chengqian did not answer immediately, but slowly stood up.
He walked step by step to the window, stretched out his hands, and pushed open the tightly closed window with force.
In an instant, warm and bright sunlight poured into the hall.
"Aye, see, it's sunny outside."
Li Chengqian raised his hand and pointed at the big sun hanging high in the sky outside the window.
"What do you think allowed humans to be passed down from ancient times?"
He narrowed his eyes slightly and then posed a series of questions: "Is it all based on the emperor's rule? On force? On wealth? Or on the court?"
Before Li Shimin could answer, Li Chengqian shook his head and said firmly: "No, Aye, you all got one thing wrong. You are too focused on external things."
"Things that can be seen with the naked eye, such as power, wealth, and force, are nothing."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand and pointed his head with his finger, his expression solemn. "Aye, it's this place that we rely on, this spirit. The reason people can pass on their legacy is because of this spirit."
After saying that, Li Chengqian looked out the window again, squinting his eyes and staring at the sun in the sky.
"Aye, you know about the spring planting plan, right?"
Li Chengqian suddenly changed the subject, a look of nostalgia in his eyes, "When I was still the Crown Prince in Xianyang, I once started this spring planting plan with Mr. Qi and Lin Dafu."
"Our goal is to ensure that the people of the Tang Dynasty will one day be free from illiteracy, so that everyone can read and write, understand reason and justice."
He frowned slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of worry and determination: "Now, on the surface, this plan has ended. But in fact, it has just begun."
"Because it's still far from the goal we set at the beginning."
"In the later stages of the plan, even Mr. Qi and Lin Dafu began to waver. They were no longer optimistic about the plan and believed that we would not be able to achieve our goals."
"But I'm not afraid!"
Li Chengqian's voice became more passionate, "I firmly believe that as long as we persist, we will succeed."
"Spring planting plan?"
Li Shimin couldn't help but ask. He really didn't expect that his son had started planning so early.
Li Chengqian turned around and faced Li Shimin, exuding an aura of confidence.
"I want to spread my thoughts to every corner of my Great Tang."
His voice boomed, "From now on, no matter who it is, no one can change this iron rule I have set."
"The world belongs to the public, long live the people!"
Li Chengqian's voice echoed in the Taiji Hall for a long time. The power contained in that voice seemed to be able to break through all obstacles.
"Even if they really have evil intentions, they wouldn't dare to expose their true colors."
"They only dare to act under the banner of 'the world is for the public, long live the people.'"
"If they do something wrong for the people, all their efforts will be wasted very quickly."
"So, even if you have to endure it, even if you want to indulge yourself, you must hold it back for me."
"This is for the welfare of the people of the world!"
Li Shimin listened to Li Chengqian's words quietly, with a storm in his heart.
He suddenly realized that he might not have really understood his son all along.
Li Chengqian's thoughts had exceeded his imagination.
"Cheng Qian," Li Shimin slowly stood up, "I understand your thoughts, Aye."
"But Aye doesn't know, how do you want to solve the problem of someone monopolizing power in the future?"
Li Shimin looked into Li Chengqian's eyes.
This answer is very important, more important than anything else to Li Shimin.
And he felt that this problem that no one could solve might have an answer!