I'm Dreaming of a Journey to the West

Chapter 165: Xuanwu Gate Incident, Emperor Taizong of Tang’s confession!

Amidst laughter and joy, a grand banquet officially entered its final stage!

After everyone finished their meal, Li Shimin waved for everyone to leave. Then he said, "Li Chen, you stay! Everyone else, go! I have something to tell you!"

After hearing this, Li Chen nodded slightly in agreement. He had originally wanted to find Li Shimin after the banquet to find out what had happened, and now was the perfect time to ask him directly.

However, Li Shimin's words aroused the concerns of the guards on the side. Their faces were full of worry, because they knew that Li Shimin had always been reserved in his attitude towards Li Chen, and this private conversation might mean that something important was about to happen.

"Your Majesty..." A guard spoke hesitantly, trying to express his concern.

"All of you, please leave! Don't worry! I'm very relieved that Li Chen is here!" Li Shimin waved his hand, signaling the guards to leave. His tone was firm and confident, indicating that his trust in Li Chen had surpassed his previous level.

"Fairy Hibiscus, please leave!"

Li Chen said this to Fairy Hibiscus and others. When everyone saw that they were going to talk about a secret topic, they all left.

Seeing Li Shimin so determined, the guards had no choice but to retreat, leaving only Li Chen and Li Shimin present.

At this time, Li Shimin stared at Li Chen, his eyes revealing a hint of doubt and thought.

"Can I trust you?" Li Shimin asked softly, his voice uncertain, as if testing Li Chen's reaction.

Li Chen was stunned after hearing this, and doubts arose in his heart. He didn't understand why Li Shimin suddenly said such a thing, but then, Li Shimin's action surprised him greatly - Li Shimin actually knelt down!

Li Chen's eyes widened, unable to believe what was happening before his eyes. Why would this wise emperor, who was famous in history and pioneered the Zhenguan era, show such great courtesy to him?

Li Shimin sighed deeply and spoke slowly, "You should have noticed the chilly wind that blew at the banquet today, right?" Tears glistened in his eyes, as if concealing endless sorrow and helplessness. As the saying goes, men don't shed tears easily, especially not for Li Shimin, the Emperor of the Tang Empire.

Li Chen nodded and responded, "I did notice that gloomy wind!" Then, he asked curiously, "But what does this have to do with you?"

Li Shimin's body trembled slightly, and his voice was choked with sobs: "Li Chen, have you heard of the Seven-Step Poem written by Cao Zhi?"

"'Seven-Step Poem', I know this poem! I vaguely remember it; it's about brothers killing each other!"

Although Li Chen's achievements in reality were not very good, he vaguely remembered that this poem was used to describe the killing of brothers. Since ancient times, it was not uncommon for brothers to kill each other in order to fight for power and interests.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Pi forced his brother Cao Zhi to compose a poem within seven steps or face death. However, Cao Zhi, with his talent, successfully wrote the "Seven-Step Poem", which touched Cao Pi's heart and saved him from death.

"Hahahahahaha!"

When Li Shimin heard Li Chen's words, he couldn't help but laugh out loud. He then resolutely removed the imperial crown, a symbol of the emperor's supreme majesty, and gently placed it on the table. With his hair down, he looked less like an emperor and more like a madman gone mad!

"Do you know? Back then, it was at Xuanwu Gate that I personally shot my own brother to death with a bow and arrow!" Li Shimin wept and spoke with a frantic tone. His voice, like a demon from hell, sent a chill down his spine. His eyes were filled with pain and remorse, as if tormented by an invisible force.

Li Shimin's words were like a sudden storm, completely destroying Li Chen's fond impression of Emperor Taizong of Tang. The image of the wise and powerful ruler who had pioneered the Zhenguan era suddenly became blurred. Instead, he was replaced by the image of a demon who had murdered his own brothers. This image shocked Li Chen immensely, and he began to doubt everything he had heard.

"Your Majesty, what is going on?" Li Chen asked, eyes wide open and filled with disbelief. His knowledge of history was negligible, and he had no idea of ​​the truth behind this historical event. He desperately wanted to know the answer, hoping to understand the emperor's predicament.

Li Shimin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm his inner excitement. He slowly opened his eyes, staring into the distance, and began to recount the past that he could not bear to recall.

"My elder brother, Li Jiancheng, and my younger brother, Li Yuanji, knew their military achievements and prestige were inferior to mine. They grew jealous and joined forces with my younger brother, Prince of Qi, Li Yuanji, to exclude and frame me! Ultimately, to protect myself, I launched a world-shaking mutiny at Xuanwu Gate! There, I forced my father to abdicate and murdered my two brothers!"

Li Shimin told Li Chen about the series of events that happened at Xuanwu Gate, as if he was back to the moment when the mutiny was launched at Xuanwu Gate.

After saying this, Li Shimin walked to the table and slowly picked up the crown tassel decorated with various gemstones. He came to Li Chen and tried to put the crown tassel on his head.

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely impossible!"

Li Chen quickly dodged because he knew he still had a mission to complete and needed to defeat the remaining ancestor witches, so he could not proclaim himself emperor here.

"Li Chen, you must know! I did not get my position right, I killed my father and brother, and I committed treason. Recently, I dreamed that my brother's soul came to claim my life! You are the only person I can trust now! I believe that under your rule, the Tang Empire will become the greatest empire!" Li Shimin was extremely excited, his eyes were full of madness and fear, as if he had seen some terrible scene.

Li Chen quietly gazed at the emperor before him, a wave of pity welling in his heart. However, in Li Shimin's words, Li Chen keenly grasped a key word: Li Jiancheng's soul. In the game Dream Westward Journey IV, a powerful boss, the Ghost of the Prince, did appear.

At this moment, Li Chen finally understood that the deceased prince's spirit was actually Li Shimin's brother, Li Jiancheng! It was because of his appearance that Li Shimin fell into endless panic, believing that his death had arrived. Therefore, he was so eager to pass the throne to Li Chen.

Thinking of this, Li Chen sighed deeply. Who was right and who was wrong in this cycle of cause and effect? ​​Perhaps history could never give a clear answer. And now, facing Li Shimin's request, Li Chen was caught in a dilemma.

On the one hand, he knew very well that accepting the throne meant shouldering the responsibility of the entire Tang Empire; on the other hand, he also knew clearly that once he embarked on this path, there would be no turning back.