sbdcsierra Chapter 683 We All Did Our Duties
Chapter 683 We All Did Our Duties
Looking at Li Ji, he was reminded of the era of Li Shimin.
It was an era of war and iron cavalry, and aspirations to conquer the world.
In the court, there were many counselors and their speeches were endless, drawing up a grand blueprint for the country and people of the Tang Dynasty.
On the battlefield, soldiers wearing heavy armor wielded swords to kill the enemy, and the billowing dust raised by their horses' hooves witnessed the heroism and passion of the Tang Dynasty in expanding its territory.
The sunshine at that time seemed brighter than usual, and every inch of land was filled with vitality.
But time is the most ruthless torrent. Those who once walked side by side with us, like withered petals, left one after another as time passed, and there are fewer and fewer of them.
A trace of barely perceptible loneliness flashed across Li Chengqian's eyes, and he thought of the twenty-four heroes in the Lingyan Pavilion.
The twenty-four portraits standing in the Lingyan Pavilion were once the brightest stars in the Tang Dynasty. Their names were engraved on every inch of the mountains and rivers of the Tang Dynasty, and their achievements were praised by the people.
But now, most of the vibrant lives behind these names have turned into a handful of yellow earth, and those once powerful figures only exist in the depths of memory and have been completely lost.
Li Chengqian leaned forward slightly and said softly, "General Li, are you going back to the Xianyang Sanatorium? I will personally take you back."
He paused for a moment, and then his voice became gentler, with a hint of sincerity, "I'd also like to treat you old people to a simple meal."
"For so many years, you have devoted all your energy to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Each of you is a pillar of white jade that supports the sky and a beam of purple gold that spans the sea. This meal is a token of my heartfelt gratitude."
In the midsummer of the seventeenth year of Qianwu, the sun was scorching, and the courtyard of the Xianyang sanatorium was shaded by green trees and filled with the chirping of cicadas.
Li Chengqian personally pushed Li Ji's wheelchair and slowly walked into the gate of the sanatorium.
At that moment, a moving picture came into his eyes.
The originally quiet courtyard suddenly became lively. Old people who had been suffering from illness and lying in bed for many years, with the help of their children and grandchildren, struggled but worked hard to sit on wheelchairs.
They were slowly pushed to the door and waited quietly for His Majesty's arrival.
These old men were once the backbone of the court and the founders of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Some of them had white hair, some looked haggard, and the years had carved deep wrinkles on their faces, but when they looked at Li Chengqian, there was a strange light in their eyes.
It is a respect for Your Majesty, a remembrance of the glorious past, and a cherishment of the friendship between the monarch and his subjects.
At the entrance of the sanatorium, the last organized Jinwu Guard of the Tang Dynasty stood guard with their postures straight.
Under the scorching sun, their clothes were soaked with sweat, but they remained motionless, like sculptures.
When Li Chengqian appeared, the eyes of these men who were usually strong and tough suddenly turned red and hot tears burst out.
They recalled the days when they had followed His Majesty to charge into battle on the battlefield, and the shouts and the sound of horses' hooves seemed still echoing in their ears.
Those scenes of sharing life and death are engraved in their hearts like a knife, and the friendship between the monarch and his subjects has become the most precious memory in their lives.
Ma Zhou was so weak from the pain that he could hardly open his eyes and could only squint slightly.
His son stood behind him, leaning forward slightly, and whispered excitedly in his ear: "Dad, His Majesty is here. His Majesty has come specially to see you."
When Ma Zhou heard the word "Your Majesty," he felt as if he had been injected with strength. After much effort, he slowly opened his eyes. The brilliance in his eyes had dimmed, but now they shone with a faint light at the arrival of His Majesty. He asked weakly, "Is Your Majesty here?"
Wang Gui, who was also old and frail, turned his head with difficulty and looked at Ma Zhou, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Yes, His Majesty and General Li Ji are here. They are here to see us."
Li Chengqian looked at these familiar faces with mixed feelings.
Recalling that when they were in their prime, he was still an ignorant young boy. He followed them, listened to their teachings, and learned how to govern the country and how to protect the Tang Dynasty.
These old ministers are his role models and his guides on the road ahead.
Now that I have entered middle age, my mood has become more stable.
These old men who can't even stand up were once influential figures who held power in the Tang Dynasty.
They maneuvered freely in the court and resolved one political crisis after another. They paid too much for the current prosperous Qianwu era and made immortal contributions.
Cheng Yaojin's mental state was relatively good among these old ministers. He was sitting in a wheelchair and saw Li Ji beside Li Chengqian from a distance. His hands were shaking with excitement.
He never imagined that in his twilight years, he would be able to see this old brother again who had been through life and death with him.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
Cheng Yaojin's voice trembled, almost blurting out the words, with an indescribable joy on his face.
Seeing Cheng Yaojin so excited, Li Chengqian also smiled, with a smile full of relief on his face, and pushed Li Ji to Cheng Yaojin.
"Old Cheng."
"Old Li!"
At this moment, two hands full of wrinkles and calluses were tightly clasped together.
This handshake brought them back to those passionate years, and tears were shining in their eyes.
At night, the lights came on and the banquet hall of Xianyang Sanatorium was brightly lit.
Li Chengqian hosted a banquet to entertain these meritorious officials. The dishes at the banquet were very simple, and most of them were stewed into a mushy mess.
It’s not that Li Chengqian is stingy with these old heroes. These old officials are old, have bad teeth, and their gastrointestinal functions are not as good as before. They can only eat soft and easily digestible food.
He personally served food to each old minister, as if he were treating his own elders.
Cheng Yaojin kept holding Li Ji's hand tightly, as if he was afraid that if he let go, this old brother would leave him again.
Of the twenty-four heroes in the Lingyan Pavilion, only three remain. Li Chengqian glanced at Zhang Liang, the hero who had served as the chief military commander during his campaign against Goguryeo.
In the original historical trajectory, Zhang Liang embarked on the path of rebellion, but now, in this time and space full of variables, everything has changed.
Zhang Liang felt Li Chengqian's gaze. He slowly picked up the wine glass and stood up. Although his movements were a little slow and his body was trembling slightly due to his old age, his posture was extremely solemn. He raised a glass in the direction of Li Chengqian from afar.
Li Chengqian nodded, a gentle smile on his face, and raised his glass to Zhang Liang, smiling back.
History has once again changed because of his choice, and behind this change.
"Old Li, if you don't come back, I, Old Cheng, won't be able to close my eyes. I won't be able to close my eyes until I die."
Cheng Yaojin's voice was choked with sobs, and his eyes were red. "For so many years, the only thought that kept me alive was to see you, an old thing, one more time!"
Li Ji listened to Cheng Yaojin's "complaints" and kept nodding and smiling in response. Tears also flashed in his eyes. Wasn't he the same?
After so many years of separation, the longing in his heart grew like wild weeds. He missed his old brother for countless days and nights.
This time, they finally reunited and would never be separated easily again. Even if their lives were about to come to an end, they would spend their last moments in each other's company.
The next day, the sun shone softly on the earth, and Li Chengqian went to pay homage to Zhaoling.
Before leaving, he asked these old ministers if any of them were willing to go with him.
He thought that these old ministers missed Emperor Taizong, and Zhaoling was a holy place in their hearts, so they would definitely agree happily.
Unexpectedly, these old guys just waved their hands with a calm smile on their faces.
One of the old ministers said slowly: "Your Majesty, we are almost there, why are you so anxious?"
"When the time comes, when we meet Emperor Taizong, we will tell him in person that the Tang Dynasty has become even more prosperous under your rule, and that we old folks have fulfilled our duties."