Chapter 188:
Li Er was trembling, his body quivering from this immense surprise.
Seeing Li Er so shocked, Changle wasn’t at all astonished. When she first heard these words from Su Li, her reaction was similar to Li Er’s.
Li Er’s eyes sparkled, and he couldn’t wait to ask, “Su Li, did he say that?”
After uttering this, Li Er suddenly realized he had been too out of control. Upon reflection, it was evident that Changle hadn’t come to the palace just to chat with her father.
Changle’s words undoubtedly reflected Su Li’s intentions. His implication was clear – there was no need to search extensively for immortals anymore.
As long as Li Er didn’t continually cause trouble for Su Li, he could transform the Great Tang into another realm of immortality. Yes, it was a deal!
But would Li Er decline?
Certainly not!
Li Er’s lifelong dream was to become an emperor, which was celebrated by all generations. During his reign, he had already achieved this.
Territorial expansion and improved living conditions flourished with each passing year. Even the Sui Dynasty’s most glorious days paled compared to the achievements of the Great Tang, not to mention more distant dynasties. Li Er believed his accomplishments would undoubtedly be praised in future historical records.
When people spoke of him, they would mention the prosperous reign of Zhenguan.
If he didn’t feel no more pursuits left in the world, why would he be inclined to seek immortality?
However, Changle’s words had ignited a spirit within Li Er that he had never experienced before. Transforming the Great Tang into a realm of earthly immortality? Becoming an emperor of eternity?
No!
If he truly achieved this, what was being the Emperor of eternity?
He would be the most radiant earthly Emperor throughout eternity!
Watching Li Er’s ever-changing expressions – sometimes ecstatic, sometimes remorseful, sometimes apprehensive – Changle sighed inwardly once again.
It had been three years, and Li Er had been obsessively seeking immortality. His intentions towards her husband had been abundantly clear. He had never considered her feelings. Someone as powerful as her husband had ultimately taken a step back for her.
What about her father, though?
This thought left a bitter taste in Changle’s heart.
Therefore, although Li Er appeared ashamed, it didn’t soften Changle’s heart.
After explaining the situation, she rose to take her leave with a cold expression. The words had been spoken, and now they could decide for themselves.
Exiting the grand hall, Changle looked around at the splendidly lit palace. This was where she had grown up. She had always assumed her memories of this place would be warm and cozy. But at some point, this massive palace only gave her a sense of coldness and oppression.
Changle couldn’t help but quicken her steps. Upon reaching the palace gates, she saw Su Li standing by the carriage, smiling at her.
A warmth spread through Changle’s heart.
“Husband…”
The two of them boarded the carriage. In the dimly lit compartment, gently swaying, they held each other’s hands, both silent.
Sensing Changle’s troubled mood, Su Li thought for a moment and then spoke.
“My wife, is it because of my decision that you feel guilty?”
Changle didn’t say anything, but the slight tension in her grip conveyed her true feelings.
Su Li shook his head with a smile. Turning his head, he faced Changle with a gentle smile.
“My wife, you don’t need to think this way. In my previous world, I was just an ordinary person, never imagining that one day I would have someone like you as my wife. But I firmly believed that someone would be patiently waiting for me in some corner of some future world…”
“After I came to the Tang Dynasty, I lived as a peasant. My adoptive parents passed away early, and in the quiet of the night, I couldn’t help but let my thoughts wander. I wondered what my future partner was doing if she also anticipated my appearance. Until I arrived at the Princess’s residence.”
“Do you know? I knew you were the person I had been looking for the moment I saw you. Everyone said we weren’t suitable for each other, but reality proved that my feelings were right.”
“So, you see… both of us have put in all our efforts, endured numerous hardships, and spent many years experiencing difficulties to find each other! Since that’s the case, why must we distinguish between us?”
Su Li squeezed Changle’s hand slightly and spoke earnestly, “I won’t regret anything I do for you. I believe you feel the same way, don’t you?”
In the darkness, Changle was already in tears, nodding incoherently.
…
On the other side, within the palace, after seeing Changle off, Li Er was so excited that he could barely contain himself, exerting immense willpower to restrain his emotions. Then, he began to make plans for the future.
If Su Li took the initiative to extend goodwill, wouldn’t it be unwise for him not to accept?
However, Li Er knew their rift had already formed due to his actions. He still needed to do much to mend the relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law.
The first thing to address was eliminating any factors that might show suspicion towards Su Li. Among these factors, the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian was undoubtedly the most unstable.
In the past three years, Li Er had been immersed in his pursuit of immortality and hadn’t directly spoken much. But in comparison to Li Er, Li Chengqian was far more outspoken. He had expressed dissatisfaction with Su Li on numerous occasions in public settings. He claimed that Su Li was proud of his achievements and excessively self-confident.
The Crown Prince was the heir to the throne, and to some extent, his words represented the Emperor’s intentions. Although Li Er hadn’t personally acknowledged these sentiments, his silence was a form of approval.
As a result, in these years, a constant stream of people sent grievances and complaints to Su Li’s doorstep, leading to a gradually declining popularity. Li Er understood that Su Li might not care about Li Chengqian’s opinions, but he couldn’t ignore the matter.
Summoning a eunuch with a raised hand, Li Er spoke with a stern expression, “Go and summon the Crown Prince.”
The eunuch departed to carry out the order, and soon enough, Li Chengqian, looking perplexed, rushed into the grand hall.
“Father Emperor, why have you summoned your son in the night? What’s the matter?” Li Chengqian asked, appearing bewildered.
“I heard that at the banquet hosted by Zhangsun Chong today, you spoke ill of Su Li again,” Li Er said, his face stern.
Li Chengqian was momentarily stunned.
He was having trouble understanding the situation. He had done this kind of thing multiple times before. He found it hard to believe Li Er had been unaware of it until now.
Why would he suddenly summon him just to inquire about this?
However, considering Li Er’s actions over the past few years, Li Chengqian felt confident.
He didn’t care and said, “At today’s banquet, all the prominent young talents of Changan were present. One scholar praised Su Li, and I couldn’t bear to listen, so I retorted…”
“You foolish child!”
Li Chengqian’s words hadn’t even finished when he saw Li Er’s furious expression.
Li Er pointed at him and began to scold him angrily.
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