Chapter 661: The Imperial Master is truly a God
"So it's the Imperial Master. When I ascended the throne, I felt regretful that I didn't get to meet the Imperial Master..."
Li Zhi tried to remain calm and put on a smile.
Li Daoxuan shook his head and said, "Before the late emperor passed away, he told me that you grew up in the deep palace, you are weak and incompetent, so he asked me to take care of you."
Li Zhi was touched and said, "Father, you are so thoughtful. With the Imperial Master here, I have nothing to worry about."
Li Daoxuan looked at him with a smile, carefully sizing up Emperor Gaozong of Tang, who became famous in later generations because of his wife.
He was indeed as the rumors said, with a pale face and a thin body. He did not look like an emperor at all, but rather a gentle and elegant scholar.
"But now it seems that although the late emperor was wise and powerful, he did not understand his son."
Li Zhi asked in confusion: "Master, I don't quite understand what you are saying."
Li Daoxuan put away his smile, stared at him, and said word by word: "How did Changsun Wuji die?"
Zhangsun Wuji was the elder brother of Empress Zhangsun, the uncle of Li Zhi, and the leader of the twenty-four meritorious officials in the Lingyan Pavilion. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, he was so powerful that all officials only knew of the prime ministers but not the emperor.
During his lifetime, Li Shimin praised Zhangsun Wuji, saying that he knew how to avoid suspicion and was humble and low-key.
However, with the death of Li Shimin, perhaps because the emperor was his nephew, Zhangsun Wuji began to become arrogant. He monopolized power and made arbitrary decisions. All the officials in the court were so frightened that he was almost like Zhao Gao, who called a deer a horse.
Later, Li Zhi used the incident of deposing the empress as a breakthrough point to undermine the authority of Zhangsun Wuji, and eventually exiled and executed his uncle.
The Changsun clan was almost wiped out.
This is the original history. However, in the Tang Dynasty, Changsun Wuji had only been in power for a few days when he suddenly died.
Li Zhi showed a sad look and said, "The imperial physician said that my uncle died of a sudden onset of an old illness."
Li Daoxuan smiled slightly and continued to ask: "How did Wei Wang Li Tai die?"
Li Zhi's expression changed slightly, but he concealed it well.
"Let me tell you, he also died of a sudden illness, which is similar to Changsun Wuji's death. Li Zhi, don't you think it's too coincidental?"
Li Daoxuan stared at him, not missing any details.
After Li Zhi ascended the throne, he was protected by dragon energy. His telepathy was not effective, but people's expressions often betray themselves. At that moment just now, he was afraid.
"Is the Imperial Master doubting me?"
Li Daoxuan said calmly: "I didn't doubt you at first, because the death of King Wei might really be just a coincidence, but when I searched the soul of the evil monk, I found something wrong."
"The evil monk was planning to murder the King of Wei in order to help Li Chengqian ascend to the throne, but before he could do anything, the King of Wei fell ill and died."
"If it was just a coincidence, then when Zhangsun Wuji also died of illness suddenly, all this would be inexplicable."
After searching the soul, Li Daoxuan began to suspect Li Zhi because of the death of King Wei. After arriving in Chang'an and hearing about the death of Changsun Wuji, he was certain of it.
Li Zhi has absolutely nothing to do with all this!
The biggest beneficiary of these two coincidences was Li Zhi. One allowed him to become emperor without any fuss, and the other allowed him to naturally consolidate power and establish prestige.
"Since the Imperial Master is so suspicious of me, I have nothing to say. In this case, I am willing to take the initiative to abdicate and pass the throne to other members of the royal family to prove my innocence!"
He looked directly into Li Daoxuan's eyes bravely, and although his voice was trembling, he still said this sentence.
Li Daoxuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, as if he was getting to know Li Shimin's youngest son for the first time. He also had a new impression of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, who had always been known in history for his weakness and incompetence.
"The late emperor was wrong. Among his three legitimate sons, you are the most cunning and the most resourceful. You are amazing."
Li Daoxuan even looked at him with a hint of appreciation.
The other party was retreating in order to advance. He was clearly aware that his greatest reliance was not the imperial power, but Li Shimin's will and the hearts of the people in the world.
It is because he does not contend that no one in the world can contend with him.
Emperor Gaozong of Tang really had a deep study of the "Tao Te Ching". Others all used force, but he used weakness.
When he was a prince, he always looked harmless and kept himself away from the vortex of power, so that Li Chengqian and Li Tai had a good relationship with him and doted on him very much.
The Crown Prince and the King of Wei fought to the death, Li Daoxuan and the Holy Buddha fought till heaven and earth were dark, and finally he ascended the throne with his long sleeves fluttering and reluctant to accept.
When faced with Li Daoxuan's threats and suspicions just now, he did not get angry or resist. Instead, he admitted defeat and gave in as soon as he opened his mouth.
The weak thing turned into a sharp sword in his hands.
"Unfortunately, Li Zhi, you underestimated me too."
Li Daoxuan smiled slightly and said, "I don't care about my reputation before and after my death, because after ten thousand generations, those who cursed me will be dead, but I will still be alive."
Li Zhi clenched his hands quietly under his sleeves and sweat appeared on his face.
"Before you finish this cup of tea, tell me who is helping you behind the scenes. Believe me, this is your only chance."
After saying this, Li Daoxuan glanced sideways at the colorful flowers in the imperial garden, sipped the hot tea in his hand, and no longer looked at Li Zhi.
He was very relaxed, as if this was not a psychological game, but just enjoying the flowers and drinking tea, leisurely and comfortable.
One bite, two bites, three bites...
The cup of tea will soon be empty.
Li Zhi's pale face was covered in sweat. His already weak body became even more unstable, and he trembled as he held on to the pillar of the pavilion.
"Master, I am the emperor after all, do you... have to force me like this?"
Li Daoxuan sipped tea quietly.
Finally, before finishing the tea, Li Zhi could not hold on any longer. No matter how shrewd he was, he was only a young man of 21 years old. Facing Li Daoxuan, whose prestige was no less than that of the late emperor and who was as unfathomable as a god, it was very rare for him to hold on to this point.
"To be honest with you, Master, I did receive help from an extraordinary person."
Li Daoxuan gently put down the teacup and sighed, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, for making the right choice."
He was not joking. If Li Zhi had hesitated just now, the Tang Dynasty would have had an emperor who would have abdicated just after ascending the throne.
Taizong had only three legitimate sons, but not just three sons.
He had promised Li Shimin that he would protect the Tang Dynasty for 300 years. As for who would be the emperor, it didn't make much difference.
If Changle had not already cultivated into a Yang God and was unable to merge with the dragon energy, Li Daoxuan might have wanted to create a female emperor.
As a time traveler, he really doesn't have much respect for the so-called royal authority.
"Master, before I tell you about that strange man, there is one more thing I would like to ask you to explain to me."
Seeing his serious expression, Li Daoxuan became interested and said, "Tell me about it."
Li Zhi took a deep breath and said, "That stranger told me that I have been weak and sick since I was young. Is it because of the Imperial Master?"
Li Daoxuan was startled, then he seemed to remember something and nodded, "I guess so."
He smiled slightly and gestured with his hand, "You were born not long ago, only this big, and I beat you so hard that the house almost collapsed."
Li Zhi: “???”
"But technically, I'm saving you."
Li Daoxuan looked at him and told him how Mara had wreaked havoc on the world and how he possessed his body.
Li Zhi felt lost after hearing this.
"So, if it weren't for the intervention of the Imperial Master, I would have become Moruo's puppet long ago?"
Li Daoxuan nodded and said, "It's a pity that although the demon is dead, he has been lurking in your body for a long time, which has had a bad effect on your body. Therefore, you have been weak and sick since childhood. Even with the magic pill, it is difficult to recover."
Li Zhi smiled bitterly and said, "Forget it, maybe this is my fate."
Then he no longer concealed it and told Li Daoxuan about the strange man.
It turned out that since he was sixteen years old, he often had a dream in which a man whose face he could not see talked to him. The man was knowledgeable about astronomy and geography, and knew everything about the world.
For example, he told Li Zhi that there would be a natural disaster in a certain place, and later a natural disaster really happened in that place, with even the time being exactly right.
For example, he told Li Zhi the truth about Empress Changsun's death, that Li Daoxuan would soon return to the world, that Li Shimin would die in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan, and that Changsun Wuji would support him in ascending the throne, but would then monopolize power and act recklessly.
The man said a lot, and almost everything he said came true.
Li Zhi was very suspicious of him at first, but as time went by, he gradually let down his guard, or rather, he became keenly aware of the value of this man.
"That man helped me do a lot. The deaths of King Wei and my uncle should also be caused by him. However, after I ascended the throne, I have never seen him in my dreams again."
Li Daoxuan glanced at him with a half-smile.
Li Zhi must have contributed to the deaths of Li Tai and Zhangsun Wuji, but he obviously did not want to delve into the topic of parricide.
It is strange to say that since the Xuanwu Gate Incident of Li Shimin, most of the emperors of the Tang Dynasty were not inherited by the eldest son, and the accession of the new emperor was often filled with blood and conspiracy.
Just at the small Xuanwu Gate, there were four military mutinies during the Tang Dynasty.
Li Daoxuan raised his eyes and glanced at him, saying, "I am very curious. That stranger has done so much for Your Majesty. What does he want?"
Li Zhi confessed: "He once asked me to do one thing for him after I ascend the throne."
"What is it?"
"He wants me to promote a Buddhist scripture, preferably one that can be recited frequently by the people of the Tang Dynasty."
Li Daoxuan's eyes flickered, and he asked, "The Thirty-Seven Chapters of the Buddhist Sutra?"
Li Zhi was surprised and asked, "How did the Imperial Master know this?"
Li Daoxuan frowned slightly.
It turned out to be this sutra that was lost during the Southern Dynasties...
Things became confusing in an instant.
The other party spent so much effort to assist Li Zhi in ascending the throne, just to promote a scripture?
What secrets are hidden in this scripture?
"He recited this scripture in his dream, and I wrote it down again after I woke up. However, I have never let down my guard against him, so I have not made up my mind yet. Now that the Imperial Master is here, it is up to you to decide."
Li Zhi took out a thin booklet from his arms and handed it to Li Daoxuan. On the cover were written seven big words: "The Buddhist Sutra of Thirty-Seven Volumes".
Li Daoxuan glanced through it casually. He didn't know much about Buddhism and couldn't see anything special.
"Your Majesty, since you gave me this scripture, aren't you afraid that the stranger will come after you?"
Li Zhi smiled slightly and said, "With the Imperial Master here, I am naturally not afraid."
Li Daoxuan looked at him deeply.
If he guessed correctly, even if he didn't come to see Li Zhi today, Li Zhi would find a way to give him this book.
Li Zhi was a very scheming person. He had never trusted that strange man, so he did not promote this sutra after he came to power. He just wanted to use the other party's power to clear the obstacles for himself to control power.
Of course, he was also worried about the revenge of that alien, so he set his sights on himself, the national teacher.
This book is a hot potato. Li Zhi's real purpose is to fight against the strange man behind the scenes, preferably with both sides suffering losses.
He killed people with borrowed knives silently and established divisions and checks and balances. It must be said that this young emperor was very good at politics.
It’s just a pity that compared with Taizong, he lacked some of the emperor’s broad-mindedness, generosity and heroism.
Li Daoxuan put away the book, looked at him one last time, and asked a question.
"Among the late emperor's concubines, was there one named Wu Meiniang?"
Li Zhi's expression changed instantly and he immediately lowered his head, fearing that he would be discovered by Li Daoxuan. A huge fear and uneasiness arose in his heart.
In a trance, he could even hear his own rapid heartbeat.
This question really scared him.
How did Li Daoxuan know?
How could he possibly know?
"I...I don't remember. Perhaps the Imperial Master can go to Ganye Temple to ask."
Seeing Li Zhi like this, how could Li Daoxuan not know that Wu Ruyi had entered the palace as a concubine, and just like in history, she developed an illicit relationship with Li Zhi.
He once made Wu Ruyi swear that she would never enter the Tang Palace in her lifetime. Now it seems that the tide of history is not so easy to stop.
Staring at Li Zhi who looked guilty, Li Daoxuan shook his head.
In history, Li Shimin was seriously ill in his later years and Li Zhi, the crown prince, served him day and night by his bedside. Li Shimin then allowed him to live next to his bedroom and he did not have to return to the Eastern Palace.
It was during this period that Li Zhi had an affair with Wu Meiniang, a talented woman who also served Li Shimin.
It was really a filial piety, taking care of his seriously ill father. As he was taking care of him, he ended up taking care of his "young mother" on her bed, right next to his father's sickbed, outside the bedroom.
However, in this world, Li Shimin was not seriously ill, and it was Li Daoxuan who personally sent him away, so he did not have to suffer such humiliation.
Li Daoxuan sighed softly and said, "This woman is not a good match. You should take care of yourself."
Hearing this, Li Zhi immediately raised his head and was about to explain, but he saw that the pavilion was empty and there was no imperial teacher.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
The eunuch came forward and asked with concern: "Your Majesty is tired, do you want to go back to the palace to rest?"
Li Zhi frowned and asked, "Did you see the Imperial Master just now?"
The eunuch was surprised and said, "Just now you were sitting here reading a book, and you seemed tired, so you leaned against the railing and fell asleep. We didn't dare to disturb you, so we stood around to block the wind for you, but we didn't see anyone."
Li Zhi reached into his arms, but found that the copy of "The Thirty-Seven Chapters of Buddhist Sutras" had disappeared.
He was silent for a moment, then he sighed.
"The national teacher is truly a god."
