Chapter 26: Li Shimin Urgently Summons Li Chengqian

At the Wude Palace, Prince Wei, Li Tai, was so enraged he nearly vomited blood.

He felt utterly despondent, unable to believe his own father, the Emperor, had treated him this way. He had expected the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian, to be the one to receive the three lashes. Instead, he had taken two, only to be met with his father’s blade, nearly losing his life to the Emperor’s sword.

In the depths of his heart, Li Tai made a cold resolution. Since his father and the Crown Prince had shown no benevolence, he would no longer be bound by righteousness.

"Come here! Summon all my men, Qingshui and the others, at once. I have a major matter to delegate," Li Tai barked at the guards by the door.

He had decided to gamble everything. This move would determine not only his own fate but the very future of the Li Tang Empire.

***

At the Crown Prince’s East Palace, calm had returned, as if nothing had ever happened.

Li Chengqian finally felt a sense of relief. Now that the Emperor had intervened regarding Li Tai, the latter’s life would certainly not be easy. Even with the Emperor’s indulgence, he would never tolerate Li Tai attempting to assassinate the heir apparent. Li Tai’s actions had been outrageous; it was fortunate that he had secured evidence, or the situation would have been difficult to resolve.

Given the Emperor’s temperament, it would be only a matter of days before Li Tai, currently holed up in the Wude Palace, would be forced to pack his bags and leave. When that happened, the Tang Empire would see a profound shift, one that would fundamentally alter its national destiny.

Li Chengqian felt confident. For the moment, he did not need to resort to a Xuanwu Gate-style coup to prove his worth. He only needed to wait for the tides to turn and focus on the task at hand: not only inventing the steam engine but also developing other technologies to secure his position.

Judging by Emperor Li Shimin’s recent inquiries, their relationship was slowly thawing. While returning to their former closeness would be difficult, maintaining a facade of peace was achievable. This was the time Li Chengqian had fought for, and he desperately needed it to prove his capability.

Everything required time, money, and manpower. For now, the Emperor could provide these, but the Emperor’s patience was finite. He knew his time was running out. He had to handle these current affairs with precision, or the consequences would be dire, potentially leading to his own marginalization. After all, if he and Li Tai continued to clash like the snipe and the clam, the third party to benefit would undoubtedly be Li Zhi.

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian grew composed. He understood that he only needed to prove himself; everything else was secondary. If he could produce the steam engine, his contribution to the Tang Empire would be epoch-making.

With this in mind, he immediately began his preparations. He needed to ensure the safety of the East Palace while racing to complete his masterpiece.

"Yang Jiguang, urge them at once. See how much is still lacking. I have little time left," Li Chengqian commanded, looking toward Yang Jiguang in the main hall.

"Understood, Your Highness. I shall obey," Yang Jiguang replied, turning to leave.

Not long after, Yang Jiguang returned, followed by Lu Liangping and others. They entered and looked at Li Chengqian with smiles, remaining silent.

"What are you smiling about?" Li Chengqian felt a sudden sense of unease.

"Congratulations, Your Highness. We bring you great news," Yang Jiguang and the others knelt down.

"What news? Tell me at once," Li Chengqian said, rising to his feet before slowly sitting back down. "Wait, don't tell me yet. Let me guess."

"Your Highness, I doubt you could guess," they said, still smiling.

"Let me guess: have the materials I ordered arrived and been delivered to the palace?" Li Chengqian asked calmly, his face composed.

"Your Highness..." Yang Jiguang and the others were stunned.

"Am I right?" Li Chengqian asked with a complex smile.

"Congratulations, Your Highness. Everything you requested has arrived. Would you like to go and see for yourself?" Yang Jiguang looked up, giving a thumbs-up.

"Good. Let’s go," Li Chengqian said, his spirits lifting.

It had not been easy. With his three-month deadline approaching, the materials had finally arrived. Assembly would still take time, but everything seemed to be falling into place.

They walked quickly to the East Palace warehouse. Li Chengqian had specifically cleared out this building, which sat beside a fish pond, to serve as his workshop.

Looking at the supplies, Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent, Yang Jiguang. You have done well. Now, go to the Crown Princess and collect the remaining materials I need."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Yang Jiguang stood tall, filled with confidence. They could see from Li Chengqian’s expression that success was within reach.

The items were quickly gathered. "From now on, the craftsmen must follow my instructions exactly. There can be no deviations," Li Chengqian said, his tone turning serious.

The steam engine was a delicate piece of engineering. A mistake could lead to disaster, while a success would yield unimaginable power.

"Understood, Your Highness," they replied, sensing the gravity of the mission.

"This is the blueprint I have painstakingly drafted. Keep it with you. No one else is to know its secrets, or I shall show no mercy," Li Chengqian said, handing over the detailed drawings.

Even so, for Yang Jiguang and the others, this was a daunting challenge. They had no prior experience and were starting from scratch.

"Your Highness, some of this is hard to understand. What should we do?" Yang Jiguang asked, looking at the dense, complex diagrams.

"That is simple. I will be living in this warehouse for the time being. Come to me whenever you are confused," Li Chengqian replied.

"Understood, Your Highness!" Yang Jiguang’s spirits soared. With the Crown Prince’s personal guidance, the work became much simpler.

From that day on, Li Chengqian moved into the warehouse, determined to guard the project day and night.

"Lu Liangping, you must be diligent. Ensure the safety of the East Palace. Keep the inner security tight and the outer perimeter relaxed. Be vigilant," Li Chengqian ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness. I shall make the arrangements at once," Lu Liangping bowed and left.

Li Chengqian knew his true journey had only just begun. No matter what lay ahead, he had to persevere. Until the steam engine was complete, nothing else mattered.

Three or four days passed. Under Li Chengqian’s guidance, the work progressed steadily. There was only one week left until the Emperor’s deadline. According to his calculations, the engine would be finished in three days. If the testing went well, his position as Crown Prince would be as secure as Mount Tai.

A smile finally touched his lips. He was eager to see the engine unveiled; it concerned not only his own interests but the very foundation of the Tang Empire and the stability of his father’s reign.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed outside.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has summoned you to the Taiji Palace with urgency. Please come at once," Li Sijian said, entering the warehouse with a look of great anxiety.

Li Chengqian paused. The deadline was still days away. Why would his father summon him now?

"Did the Emperor say what this was about?" Li Chengqian asked, looking at Li Sijian.

"He said nothing, Your Highness, only that you must arrive at the Taiji Palace immediately," Li Sijian replied, sweat on his forehead and his eyes darting nervously.

Li Chengqian frowned, a bad feeling rising in his chest.

"Very well. I shall go," Li Chengqian said, calling toward the back of the warehouse, "Commander Yang, continue the work. If there are issues, we shall discuss them when I return."

"Understood, Your Highness," Yang Jiguang replied.

"Let’s go," Li Chengqian said, turning to leave with Li Sijian toward the Taiji Palace.