Chapter 1: Li Shen
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The ninth year of the Zhenguan era, spring of 635 AD.
Within a pavilion in the imperial palace, a child of six or seven lay on a long stone bench, eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.
Beside him stood two attendants—a young woman dressed as a court lady, about twenty years old, with delicate features, and a young eunuch, around ten years old, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, quite endearing.
The court lady glanced up at the sky and softly called out, “Prince Shen, it’s time for dinner.”
Prince Shen, Li Shen, the tenth son of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, was seven years old this year. His mother was Consort Wei, the foremost among the four noble consorts, and a legitimate daughter of the Wei family of Jingzhao’s Yun Estate.
“Oh,” Li Shen murmured after a long pause, slowly rising with an air of laziness.
No one knew that beneath this six- or seven-year-old child’s appearance lay the soul of a man from over fourteen hundred years later.
A year ago, he had been an ordinary man in his thirties, born in the 1980s, running a small shop and working tirelessly from dawn till dusk to make a living.
He spent ten hours a day in his shop, often watching videos and reading novels—similar to a homebody, but with the added role of a small business owner.
He had thought he would live an unremarkable life, but unexpectedly, he died from an electric shock while changing the wiring of his fish tank.
What was even more astonishing was that upon awakening, he found himself transported back to the Tang Dynasty, inhabiting the body of Li Shen, Emperor Taizong’s tenth son. While being reborn as a prince was initially a cause for joy, it was frustrating that this Li Shen was only six years old.
A soul of a man in his thirties trapped in the body of a six-year-old child was both awkward and sorrowful.
Fortunately, over the past year, he had worked hard to adapt to his new identity. He vaguely remembered seeing a video saying that Li Shen would be sent to his fiefdom at age eight.
After rising, Li Shen leisurely left the pavilion and headed to the side hall—the Taiji Palace’s Great Auspicious Hall, where his mother, Consort Wei, resided.
As the foremost of the four noble consorts—Consort Wei was ranked just below Empress Zhangsun’s Lizheng Hall—during the early Tang period, imperial princes and princesses underage lived with their mothers.
Except for those whose mothers had passed away and were raised by Empress Zhangsun, the others remained in the palace until adulthood, after which some were sent to their fiefs and others stayed in Chang’an.
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“Greetings, Mother Consort,” Li Shen said as he entered, seeing a graceful, elegant woman kneeling on the couch—Consort Wei herself.
Though thirty-seven, Consort Wei still carried an enchanting charm and dignified grace. No wonder Emperor Taizong had married her, even though she was two years older and a widow. Pah! Pah! Pah! She was his mother now; how could he think such things?
“Hmm, Shen’er, come eat,” Consort Wei softly replied.
“Yes, Mother Consort,” Li Shen responded respectfully, kneeling to dine on the couch.
According to Tang customs, all of Emperor Taizong’s children could only call Empress Zhangsun “Mother” or “A’niang” (mother). Referring to their biological mother as “Ayi” (aunt) was customary, but Li Shen found this awkward and privately called her “Mother Consort,” a term not used publicly in the Tang era. In public, he still called her “Ayi.”
What Li Shen found hardest to accept about the Tang Dynasty was the absence of chairs and tables. People ate sitting on mats, kneeling, with a small table set before each person—reminiscent of kindergarten desks.
Sitting kneeling for long periods was uncomfortable. The Imperial Academy even categorized kneeling into four types: kneeling, sitting cross-legged, lotus sitting, and squatting—each with strict rules about etiquette and discipline.
From Li Shen’s perspective, these were just kneeling, sitting, sitting cross-legged, and squatting. But he had no choice but to conform—better than being scolded.
“Shen’er, have you finished your studies at the Imperial Academy?” Consort Wei asked as he settled down; this was a daily question, as she cared greatly for his education.
“Yes, Mother Consort, I have completed them,” he replied.
“Shen’er, you must study diligently. When you are sent to your fiefdom, you must achieve something worthy. As a prince, you should support the court. You are already seven; these next few years in the palace are for serious learning. Don’t cause trouble,” she continued.
“Yes, Mother Consort. Your child will remember,” Li Shen answered respectfully.
Yet in his heart, he thought that his mother didn’t know that in one year, he would be sent away. He felt a twinge of reluctance—after all, Consort Wei was his birth mother and had been very affectionate this year.
Though he was not the original Li Shen, blood was thicker than water; he could not be without feeling.
Prince heirs sent to their fiefs were not allowed to return to the capital without imperial orders, and they never knew when they might see home again. The deep inner palace was like a great prison.
There, one man—the emperor—was served. Many women entered the palace and went years without seeing the emperor, some never favored in their entire lives.
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Consort Wei bore a son for the royal family and thus perpetuated the bloodline. A mother’s status was elevated through her son, yet Emperor Taizong hardly visited her even once a month.
He favored Empress Zhangsun above all, spending most nights with her. The remaining time was hardly sufficient to be shared among so many women.
Therefore, Li Shen knew that after he left, Consort Wei would have very few opportunities to speak to him. But once inside the palace gates, one was trapped like in the sea, and Li Shen could not change this fate.
Only if Emperor Taizong died would Consort Wei have the chance to retire to their fiefdom with Li Shen—but the emperor still had at least a decade to live.
“Shen’er, tomorrow is a day off. Just now, His Majesty sent word that we are to go boating on the South Sea Pond and have lunch at Wangyun Pavilion at noon,” Consort Wei suddenly said.
“Mother Consort, who else will be going?” Li Shen knew it couldn’t be just the two of them.
Emperor Taizong was no idle man. As a wise ruler, he had worked diligently to dispel the stigma of the Xuanwu Gate Incident since ascending the throne. He had no time to accompany her and Li Shen on a boat trip, nor was Consort Wei so favored.
“I asked the eunuch who delivered the message. All the consorts ranked Talents and above will go, as well as the princes and princesses. I heard it was arranged by the Empress since His Majesty has been overworked recently. She wants to let him rest and relax for a while. Tomorrow you will go with me, or would you prefer to go ahead and play first?” Consort Wei explained.
“So that’s the case. Then tomorrow I will go with you. I’ve finished eating and will return to my quarters now. Please enjoy your meal, Mother Consort,” Li Shen said, setting down his chopsticks and rising with a bow.
“Mm. Go ahead,”
Consort Wei couldn’t understand why there was so little conversation with this son. To her, Li Shen didn’t seem like a child—lacking the liveliness appropriate for his age.
Other princes were lively and active as children, even if some appeared composed, it was always a facade.
Sometimes Consort Wei wondered if Li Shen was naturally flawed in some way. Unlike her daughter, Li Mengjiang, with whom she chatted daily, who often shared amusing stories to amuse her.
Li Shen left the side hall and headed straight to his small courtyard. With one year left before leaving for his fiefdom, the hardships of his previous life were still fresh in his memory. Now, having finally transmigrated as a prince, he must live up to the status of a royal second generation and enjoy his wealth and honor.
As for transmigrating to strive to become emperor? Nonsense.