A black-and-white magpie flapped its wings and flew across the vermilion walls and green tiles.
Li Chengqian unconsciously stopped walking. He raised his head and watched as the magpie, holding a green caterpillar in its beak, landed upon the eaves of the Eastern Palace hall. It took a few graceful steps, then with a slight flutter of wings slipped past the projecting corner of the roof and disappeared into the gap between the eaves and the dougong brackets.
Only after the black and white feathers vanished behind the wooden brackets did Li Chengqian give an instruction to those beside him.
"Do not disturb that magpie's nest."
Turning around again, he saw a group of people just rounding the corner of the palace corridor. Li Chengqian hurried forward and bowed deeply.
"Father. Mother."
Before he could say anything further, the four-year-old Li Zhi, who had just been set down by Empress Zhangsun, waddled forward and patted the faint dust upon Li Chengqian's knee with his little hand.
Looking down and meeting his younger brother's foolish smiling face, Li Chengqian's heart softened immediately. He crouched down and rubbed the soft cheeks before glancing toward the second brother behind his parents.
"Qingque…"
"I know, I know. When elder brother leaves the house, I will be the eldest. I must care for our sisters and younger brothers, pay respects to Father and Mother, and supervise the study of civil and martial learning."
Li Tai spoke with an impatient tone, yet the reluctance upon his face was obvious.
He still added a reminder.
"But elder brother must not forget the matter of compiling the geographical register."
Li Chengqian nodded, but could not resist making a jab.
"Then remember to practice your martial training diligently. Do not let me find you returned to your clumsy and overweight state when I come back."
Li Tai curled his lips. Glancing at their hesitant younger sister beside him, he quietly pushed her forward.
Seeing their parents and elder brother looking at her, the princess of the Great Tang carefully brought out a brocade pouch she had prepared earlier and handed it over.
The pouch was simple yet elegant, carrying a faint lingering fragrance.
Li Chengqian opened it.
Inside was a golden coin with the characters "Yong'an" on its reverse, two willow branches freshly picked that morning still bearing drops of moisture, and a small slip of paper written in delicate handwriting.
He read it aloud.
"May elder brother ride the long wind,
Across a thousand li return in safety.
Depart early without danger,
Send news of peace along the courier road."
When he raised his head again, the quiet sister had already retreated behind their parents. She gently nudged the youngest brother and sister forward.
Li Chengqian quickly crouched down again. Almost instantly the two little children rushed into his arms.
Four-year-old Li Zhi simply cried out honestly.
"Elder brother, come back soon."
The two-year-old Princess Princess Chengyang merely babbled the words "Elder brother."
After squeezing their little faces and softly instructing them to eat fewer sweets and exercise more, Li Chengqian reluctantly returned the two children to their mother.
Empress Zhangsun naturally could not bear the separation. She held his hand and spoke with him for nearly a quarter of an hour before finally giving his shoulder a gentle push.
"Go. Return early."
---
The crown prince's winter inspection tour had been planned since the sixth year of the Zhenguan era.
Originally Li Shimin intended to question his son after observing the light screen in early October before sending him off.
However, at the end of October a report arrived from Su Dingfang stating that the Dangxiang tribes southeast of Qinghai, numbering three hundred and forty thousand people under Tuoba Chici, had submitted a memorial declaring their allegiance to the Tang.
Considering that according to later history Tuoba Chici's descendants would become the ancestors of the Western Xia, and that the Qinghai route established after the destruction of Tuyuhun would sooner or later attract the covetous gaze of Tubo, and that the region controlled the vital throat of the Hehuang region, Li Shimin postponed his son's departure.
He kept him by his side and explained the future history of Qinghai while demonstrating strategies for dividing and drawing in the Dangxiang.
In December the Dali Temple requested review of two hundred and ninety death penalty cases. Li Shimin again felt this would be a valuable lesson for educating the crown prince.
Thus the inspection tour was postponed once more.
After repeated delays, it was Li Chengqian himself who grew impatient.
During the New Year gathering he argued that "the ruler is father to all under Heaven, therefore all under Heaven are the crown prince's brothers and sisters." After receiving permission to depart as soon as possible, he set out even before the festive atmosphere had fully faded.
---
Now father and son walked northward along the imperial road leading out of the palace.
Recalling the patient instruction his father had given him about governance during the past two years, Li Chengqian suddenly felt grateful for the harmony that now existed between them.
"That matter of compiling the geographical register…"
Hearing his father's question, Li Chengqian thought briefly before replying.
"Qingque once mentioned to me that the Book of Han contains geographical records, and the Liang dynasty also had a work called the Treatise on Geography."
"Now that Father has swept away the chaos of the former Sui and unified the nine regions, it is fitting to compile a geographical record describing the vast lands of the Tang. Hence the name 'Register of Lands.'"
Looking up from below, he could see the famous curled beard of the Heavenly Khan twitching slightly.
Li Shimin was clearly smiling, though his voice carried mock anger.
"Qingque loves calligraphy. I have taught him all my collections and knowledge. Yet when he intends to compile a book he says not a single word to me."
Li Chengqian was already accustomed to this reserved yet affectionate temperament of his father.
Compared with the awe that once made him unable even to breathe in his father's presence years earlier, the current situation was incomparably better.
Thus he tactfully changed the subject.
"Father once issued an edict saying that because you cherish elder sister, you will wait three more years until she reaches adulthood before arranging her marriage. Is that also because of the light screen?"
Li Shimin nodded.
"The light screen once said that if women marry too young they often die in childbirth."
"Therefore last year the physician Sun Simiao ordered medical halls across the realm to proclaim that children born after a woman reaches maturity are healthier and wiser. Delaying your elder sister's marriage will set an example for the people."
Li Chengqian wisely did not ask what fate the light screen had recorded for his sister in later history. Just as he avoided thinking about his father's mention that the Li Chengqian in the light screen had repeated the "old case of the Crown Prince Qing."
Some matters were better left blurred.
---
Perhaps sensing his son's sudden gloom, Li Shimin patted his shoulder and changed the subject.
"You will pass through Hedong on your way to Hebei. It would be worthwhile to stay briefly in Jinzhou."
Li Chengqian's curiosity was immediately piqued.
"Father, is it because Xueyantuo intends to encroach upon Xiazhou?"
Li Shimin shook his head.
"Half a month ago Xue Rengui reported that Ashina She'er intends to lead fifty thousand troops to attack Xueyantuo."
Li Chengqian frowned as he recalled who Ashina She'er was.
Years earlier, when Li Shimin wished to watch Illig Qaghan dance, he employed a simple two-step strategy.
First, he pursued distant alliances and attacked nearby enemies, recognizing the leader of Xueyantuo as khagan and presenting him with drums and banners to create division with Illig.
Second, he launched a military campaign. Li Jing carried out a surprise night raid in the snow and achieved victory in a single battle.
At that time one man had clearly seen through the strategy.
That man was Ashina She'er, cousin of Illig Qaghan.
He had urged Illig not to provoke Tang and instead punish the disobedient subordinate Xueyantuo first.
The advice had been ignored.
Ashina She'er then personally led troops against Xueyantuo, was defeated, fled west, and eventually became khagan among the Western Turks.
A capable man indeed.
Li Chengqian had seen earlier reports from the Western Regions mentioning contact with a Turkic leader, yet because of his youth he had not dared confirm his guess.
Li Shimin explained plainly.
"Last spring I ordered Ashina Zhong to write a secret letter and send it through the intelligence bureau to Xue Rengui. That letter was meant for Ashina She'er."
"In October the seven tribes of the Tiele rebelled against Ashina She'er's order to attack Xueyantuo. Xue Rengui led troops to defeat them. Ashina She'er has now sent his son to Chang'an as a hostage."
Li Chengqian shook his head in disbelief.
"Even so, could a single secret letter truly win such trust from Ashina She'er?"
Li Shimin laughed and continued explaining.
Xue Rengui had persuaded a small Tiele tribe near Shazhou to submit, then personally defeated their leader in contests of wrestling, weightlifting, and mounted archery.
The leader's name was Qixin Helu.
Hearing this name delighted Li Shimin greatly.
Among the famous generals recorded by later generations in the "Register of Zhenguan Heroes," Qixin Helu was one of the most prominent yet whose origins were previously unknown.
Now the future seemed to be unfolding before his eyes.
---
Finally they reached the last gate of the palace.
The red pillars glowed beneath the winter sun. Above them hung the characters "Xuanwu."
Li Shimin stopped.
"Go. A true man should travel ten thousand li and understand the mountains and rivers of the world."
Li Chengqian silently bowed.
Looking up, he saw his mother and younger siblings leaning out from the gate tower, clearly intending to watch him depart.
He bowed once more from afar, took the reins, mounted his horse, and rode away.
Leaving the Phoenix Gate, he gazed upon the nine regions.
Driving the cloud carriage, he set forth to soothe the people.