Chapter 6: Rewards

With Consort Yan escorted away, the gathering assumed that Li Shimin had lost all interest in the outing. Unexpectedly, he commanded, "Inform the Palace Dietary Bureau; we shall dine at the Cloud-Gazing Pavilion."

"As you command, Your Majesty. This old servant shall see to it immediately," replied Wang De, who stood constantly by Li Shimin’s side.

Wang De departed with several eunuchs to oversee the arrangements personally. Because the Emperor would be dining there, the food had to be tasted beforehand—a standard precaution that had protected emperors from poisoning since time immemorial.

The security measures surrounding an emperor within the palace are beyond the imagination of modern people. During the excursion on the lake, Li Shen had observed hundreds of guards patrolling the perimeter hundreds of meters away. Closer in, within a hundred paces of Li Shimin, forty or fifty guards kept watch in every direction, their hands never straying from the hilts of their blades.

Beside Li Shimin, six or seven armored soldiers trailed him constantly, while the commander of the Imperial Guard, Li An, kept exactly half a pace behind the Emperor, scanning the movements of everyone in his vicinity. This was merely a casual excursion from the palace; it was no wonder that whenever the Emperor traveled to distant lands, his ministers would protest, citing the exhaustion of the people and the depletion of the treasury.

Once his orders were given, Li Shimin beckoned the group toward the Cloud-Gazing Pavilion. It was not a small, isolated structure like a typical gazebo; to Li Shen, it resembled a long, covered gallery ending in an expansive pavilion.

The palace maids had already arranged the seating: individual low tables set upon raised platforms, lining both sides of the gallery. According to rank, the seats closest to the pavilion were reserved for princes and princesses, while those further away were assigned to the consorts. Within the pavilion itself, there were only five seats.

At the head sat Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun at a long table. To their left, Crown Prince Li Chengqian and the Crown Princess, Lady Su, occupied another. To the right were the seats for the four high-ranking consorts, though with Consort Yan absent, only three seats were filled.

Li Shen took a seat on a platform next to his sister, Li Mengjiang, which drew surprised glances from the other princesses. As a prince, Li Shen should have been seated among his brothers in the front rows. In ancient times, regardless of favor, a prince remained a prince—the royal bloodline represented the continuity of the dynasty and the foundation of its eternal reign.

Soon, palace maids arrived, each carrying a food box to keep the dishes warm, while eunuchs followed with tea and wine. Given the large number of noblewomen present, tea was served. Younger princes like Li Shen were also given tea. In the Tang Dynasty, tea was boiled with a variety of ingredients depending on personal taste—scallions, ginger, garlic, and even salt. To Li Shen, it tasted more like a savory broth.

Once the food and drink were served, everyone waited for Li Shimin to begin. Such was the protocol.

"Very well. We have wandered all morning and must be famished. Let us dine," Li Shimin said, picking up his chopsticks to sample a dish. Only then did the others begin to eat. Li Shen was not particularly hungry, having hardly exerted himself, and he had already snacked earlier. However, refusing to eat would be impolite, so he slowly picked up a piece of fish and began to nibble on it. While the palace cuisine was undoubtedly exquisite by the standards of the Tang Dynasty, it left much to be desired for someone from the modern era. Tang cooking focused heavily on steaming, boiling, roasting, and frying, and spices were as precious as currency—rare, hard assets.

"Ahem!" Li Shimin cleared his throat. Everyone immediately set down their chopsticks and sat upright, knowing he intended to speak.

"Today’s outing has brought me great joy. Most gratifying is the recovery of Consort Yan. The greatest credit for this belongs to Prince Shen, Li Shen. Were it not for the novel life-saving technique he taught me, the Consort would have been in grave danger. Li Shen, you...?" Li Shimin paused, looking toward the section reserved for the princes.

He meant to continue, but noticed that Li Shen was missing from the princes' seating area. He glanced at Wang De, his eyes questioning where the boy had gone. Wang De was bewildered; this was not an occasion for a prince to be absent. Just as he turned to search, a voice rang out from a distance.

"Father, here! I'm over here!" Li Shen had not expected to be addressed. After Consort Yan had been returned to the palace, Li Shimin had not mentioned the incident again, let alone offered praise. Li Shen had assumed the Emperor wished to let the matter drop, and since he was not a favored son, he had kept to himself. The sudden public mention caught him off guard, leading to a moment of minor embarrassment. Being small of stature, he had no choice but to stand up and wave his arms to be seen.

Li Shimin turned to see Li Shen standing in the area reserved for the princesses, near the back, just ahead of the consorts’ section. The boy was waving frantically, a gesture so earnest and childlike that it was quite endearing.

"Hahahaha!" Li Shimin suddenly burst into laughter. The sight amused him so much that those around him turned to stare. Wang De was particularly stunned; he had not seen his master laugh so genuinely in a long time. Empress Zhangsun looked on in surprise, unsure of what had triggered such mirth.

"Li Shen, why have you run off to that corner? Come forward and speak," Li Shimin commanded after his laughter subsided.

"Yes, Father," Li Shen replied, hurrying forward.

"Li Shen, you saved Consort Yan today with your technique and have performed a great service. You deserve to be rewarded. Tell me, what is it that you desire?"

"To answer you, Father," Li Shen began, bowing his head, "the credit for saving Consort Yan belongs solely to you. I dare not claim it. It was entirely due to the Dragon’s aura that surrounds you and the protection of our Li Tang ancestors. Consort Yan, being your consort, has long been imbued with that same Dragon’s aura, which is why she was able to turn calamity into fortune. This realm was granted to our House of Li by Heaven itself, and you, Father, are the true Son of Heaven. Your Dragon’s aura can dispel all illness and evil in this world. Our imperial clan shall wield long spears, conquer the world, drive back the barbarians, and pacify the four directions. With our iron cavalry flowing like a river, we shall gallop across the land for ten thousand generations, unifying the world under one rule."

Li Shen delivered his sycophancy with a straight face, stopping just short of chanting slogans of eternal, invincible supremacy. Silence descended upon the pavilion. He looked up to find everyone staring at him. *Did I lay it on a bit too thick?* he wondered.

The consorts were busy speculating, wondering how the young Prince Shen had learned to say such flattering things, assuming perhaps that Consort Wei had coached him. The other princes and princesses looked on with a mix of jealousy and newfound curiosity; Li Shen was usually silent and aloof, yet today he had spoken with such calculated charm.

But Li Shimin felt a surge of genuine pride. He had not expected such words from one so young—words that elevated a simple act of rescue into the realm of the divine legitimacy of the Li Tang dynasty. For years, the common folk and the great aristocratic clans had questioned the legitimacy of the Li family, believing they only seized power from the Sui Dynasty through the clans' support. Furthermore, since Li Yuan’s line was considered a branch of the wider Li family, the great clans had often looked down upon them, refusing to intermarry with the royals. Li Shen’s words struck a chord deep within Li Shimin’s heart. Even if it was flattery, it was the kind of flattery he loved to hear.

"Good! Well said! This world was indeed meant for our House of Li. To wield spears, conquer the land, drive back the barbarians, and pacify all corners—that is the spirit that should define the sons of our royal house! Someone, bring wine for Prince Shen!" Li Shimin ordered joyfully. As an emperor who had won his throne on horseback, this resonated deeply.

Hearing Li Shimin address him as "Prince Shen" signaled to everyone that the Emperor was pleased. To be noticed by Li Shimin was the greatest ambition—perhaps even a luxury—of everyone present.

Wang De brought a cup of wine to Li Shen, who noticed it was somewhat cloudy. Li Shimin raised his own cup and said, "Come, Li Shen, let us share a cup."

The onlookers’ estimation of Li Shen instantly rose another level. To drink personally with Li Shimin was an honor of the highest magnitude.

"Thank you, Father!" Li Shen toasted the Emperor and drained the cup. The wine of the era was low in alcohol, barely stronger than beer, with a faint sweetness.

After finishing his own drink, Li Shimin continued, "Regardless, you have performed a service. I grant you fifty thousand coins, five bolts of silk, and three sets of princely robes. Wang De, see that these are delivered to the Daji Hall later."

"As you command, Your Majesty. This old servant will deliver them personally," Wang De replied softly.

"Thank you for your generosity, Father."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty," Consort Wei also stood up, bowing in gratitude for the reward. The surrounding crowd looked on with undisguised envy. From this day forward, Li Shen had firmly secured his place in the Emperor’s sight.

*(Note: "Dajia" is a title of intimacy used by those close to Li Shimin. Ministers are not permitted to use it. Empress Zhangsun refers to him privately as "Er-lang.")*