Chapter 16

"Have you heard? Prince Qin is returning today, everyone should go and see!" Zhang San said to Zhao Si.

"What are we waiting for? I've been eager to see the grandeur of the Black Armor Army." Wang Wu Maizi replied.

Enjoying the spectacle is a natural trait of the Chinese, whether in the information explosion era of the future or the simple Tang Dynasty. Even now, despite the war not yet fading from this land and the people not yet rebuilding their homes from the ruins of war, the news of Prince Qin's return has drawn these commoners to line the streets in welcome, essentially to see the spectacle.

Changsun stood with a group of women and children in front of the Mingde Gate, anxiously awaiting the return of the warrior. At this moment, she was no longer the high and mighty Princess of Qin, but an ordinary woman waiting for her husband. Her anxious expression was no different from that of the village women nearby. In an era where war was fought with human lives, going to battle meant risking one's life. The fate of countless women hung in the balance, hoping that among the victorious songs, there would be the beloved figure they longed for, hoping that their loved ones would return safely from the battlefield, to pour them a cup of yellow wine and gently ask: "Are you well?"

This was the deepest wish of these women, the softest spot in their hearts. Without their husbands at home, they bore the burden of the household. All for the day when their beloved would return, to let their tear-filled eyes smile the brightest smile in the world.

Li Chenggan and Li Ke, the two little boys, each sat on their horses, wearing small Mingguang armor and deer skin boots. Both had longbows and a small spear hanging from their saddles. Their black capes fluttered in the cold wind, and they exchanged glances, then turned away in a show of competitiveness. These two young boys could vaguely sense certain things, so this time both chose to do something to impress their father. However, it seemed they had a tacit understanding, as Li Er was often away leading troops, and in their minds, their father was the one in armor, the one with the spear. The cold light would come first, followed by the spear like a dragon.

Time ticked by, and the crowd waiting at the Mingde Gate grew increasingly anxious. Could the news be wrong? No, the ancients were the most punctual; if it was said to be before noon, it would not be delayed until after noon. Even if there were delays on the road, there would be messengers to send letters.

Li Kuan belched, satisfied, as he came out of the kitchen. Today, Li Er was returning, so the kitchen had many delicacies, at least things Li Kuan had never eaten in the past two months, like roasted whole sheep. No, not roasted whole sheep, but something called 'hunyang mo hu,' a luxury even in today's Tang Dynasty. Li Kuan just watched, his mouth watering, as the fatty sheep, marinated in oil, was placed on a silver platter. The cook, or rather, the butcher, said this was only a semi-finished product, to be roasted three days later at the banquet.

Just as Li Kuan stepped out of the kitchen, he was tailed by a little girl: "Ha... Big Brother, Li Zhi knew Big Brother was sneaking a snack! Those are for Father. Li Zhi is going to tell on you!" A little girl grabbed Li Kuan's sleeve. Although Tang Dynasty traditional clothing, influenced by Hu clothing, was no longer as flowing as in the Wei and Jin periods, the sleeves were still very wide, swinging at the sides as one walked. Li Kuan's sleeves were also wide, making it easy for Li Lizhi to grab him.

"Li Zhi, how did you get out of bed? Are you feeling better? Is your fever gone?" Li Kuan knew who it was the moment he was grabbed, a smile flashing in his eyes. He turned and gently touched Li Lizhi's forehead: "Hmm, not hot anymore!"

"Hehe, Li Zhi has been fine for a long time! Big Brother is so silly!" The little girl's face showed a look of disdain.

"Then, let's go welcome Father now!" Li Kuan, having no resistance to this little girl, changed the subject.

"Okay! Li Zhi wants Father to see us first!" The little girl nodded, her big eyes full of stars, looking at Li Kuan expectantly.

"Alright, alright, Big Brother will try to make Father see our cute little princess first!" Li Kuan was a bit annoyed.

"Big Brother, Li Zhi is not a princess, Li Zhi is a county lady!" The little girl corrected Li Kuan seriously.

"Right! The cute little county lady Li Zhi! Is that better?" Li Kuan took Li Lizhi's small hand and led her out of the mansion. This was the first time the little girl had left the Qin Mansion since winter began.

They got into the carriage and headed towards the Mingde Gate. Pedestrians on the road made way for the carriage, for in this era of turmoil and hardship, a carriage was a luxury. Those who could use a carriage were not ordinary people, and even many distinguished families could not afford to use fine horses, only ox carts.

Horses in this era were mainly used for military purposes, and with Chang'an now stable, horses were rarely seen outside the sixteen military camps around the city. There were no young nobles galloping through the streets, as the early Tang period had not yet produced many such young nobles. The Shandong aristocracy was still guarding their own lands, and although many had taken up positions in the Tang court, their estates were still in their hometowns. The Guanzhong aristocracy, mostly military families, were still busy suppressing rebellions and guarding the borders, deterring the restless barbarians.

Most of the people in Chang'an were artisans and farmers, and the court officials were mostly civil servants, so there had been no instances of galloping through the streets. However, Li Kuan knew that in a few years, the young nobles of Chang'an would grow up and there would be incidents of galloping through the city. The leader would be his sister Princess Pingyang's son, Chai Lingwu, and Li Lizhi's future husband, Changsun Chong, would also be involved. Of course, the sons of the Chaos King, Cheng Chumo, Cheng Chuliang, and Cheng Chubu, would also be part of it.

Chang'an, though large, was built like a military city, square and with straight roads. The carriage went straight from the Anshang Gate, turned a corner, and arrived at the Mingde Gate.

After much thought, Li Kuan finally came up with a way to make Li Er see Li Lizhi as soon as he reached the city gate.

The two little ones got off the carriage and walked to the base of the city wall, where there was a stone staircase leading up. Li Kuan led Li Lizhi up, but they were stopped after a few steps by a soldier: "This is a military area, no entry. If you want to welcome Prince Qin, please go to the city gate."

"Soldier, I am Li Kuan, the second son of Prince Qin. This is my token." Li Kuan reached into his chest and pulled out a copper badge, specially made by Changsun for his convenience. Such tokens were previously only owned by the eldest son, Li Chenggan, who was made Prince of Hengshan by Li Yuan at the age of one. The other brothers did not have this privilege. Speaking of which, this so-called elder brother was only a few months older than Li Kuan.

The soldier carefully examined the token and looked at the two children: "Second Prince, what are you doing here? This is not a place for children. Please go down and wait with Princess Changsun." He returned the token to Li Kuan and made a gesture to invite him to leave.

"Here, my sister and I want Father to see us as soon as he arrives, and we are not well enough to squeeze with the crowd below. Please inform the commander and ask for his permission." Li Kuan bowed and explained to the serious soldier.

"Please wait here, Second Prince. I will go and report." The soldier asked a comrade to take his post and went to the top of the city wall.

A short while later, he returned and said to Li Kuan: "Our commander has agreed to your request. Please follow me, Prince."

Li Kuan led Li Lizhi up the city wall, which was wide enough for three to five carriages to travel side by side. As they walked, Li Kuan saw countless soldiers patrolling the wall, wearing armor and holding spears, showing no signs of slackness. The military discipline was strict, and the soldiers were calm and disciplined, clearly veterans who had seen many battles. Each of them had taken lives, and they were the last line of defense for the Tang Dynasty. If they could not protect the city, the Tang Dynasty would cease to exist.

The soldier led the two to the top of the city gate, where a general in a swallow-winged armor was already waiting. Seeing them, he hurried forward: "It's the Second Prince and the little county lady! I am Chang He, the current commander of the Mingde Gate."

Hearing this name, Li Kuan knew this must be the same Chang He who would guard the Xuanwu Gate three years later, the one who helped Li Er win the struggle with the order "No more than two thousand elite soldiers from the Eastern Palace and Qi Mansion may enter." Without that order, history might have been rewritten. From the commander's attitude towards him and his sister, it seemed he had already reached some kind of understanding with his father.

But this was puzzling! This man had been fighting Liu Heita with Li Jiancheng just last year. When did his father pull him into his camp? Could there be another reason?

Regardless of Li Kuan's speculations, Commander Chang He warmly led Li Kuan and Li Lizhi to the edge of the city wall. From here, they could see farther, and on the distant road, a cloud of dust was rolling towards Chang'an. That must be the main character of this event, Li Er's entourage.

PS: Brothers who are still up at midnight, please give a vote! The contract has been sent, and your support is needed! Votes for the ranking! The update time has been changed to midnight.

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