The Great Tang's King of Provisions

Chapter 31: The Capital of the World, the Number One City Under Heaven

Seated atop the “Chasing Wind Ten Thousand Li Cloud,” Li Xuanba wore a smug expression. With his right hand loosely holding the reins and his left arm cradling Du Shuangshuang and Du Xingxuan, he felt the softness of Mei Hanxue’s arms tightly wrapped around his waist as they galloped forward, a look of excitement in his eyes. In his later life, despite being renowned as the smartest man in the world, he had always been alone, never having had a girlfriend. Now that he had returned to the Tang Dynasty, the first woman he intended to marry was this beautiful woman behind him—with the grace of a proud winter plum blossom—who was clinging tightly to him. How could he not be smug? “With the spring breeze at my back, my horse’s hooves race swiftly; in a single day, I behold all the flowers of Chang’an.” These two lines, totaling fourteen characters, perfectly captured Li Xuanba’s current state of mind. Li Xuanba held Du Xingxuan and Du Shuangshuang tightly in his left arm while his right hand secretly brushed against Mei Hanxue’s delicate hand. With a mischievous grin, he said, “Hanxue, hold on tight—don’t you dare fall off the horse! That would break my heart!” “Mm, I—I know! You—you stop touching me!” Realizing that Li Xuanba had secretly touched her, Mei Hanxue’s face flushed crimson in an instant. She replied shyly, her small hand gently pinching Li Xuanba, yet she continued to cling tightly to him. It wasn’t just to keep him from falling off the horse—it was also so she could breathe in the masculine scent on Li Xuanba’s body a little longer. Feeling Mei Hanxue’s subtle movement, Li Xuanba didn’t even bat an eyelid. With a mischievous grin, he said, “Hehe! I was just testing how tightly you were holding me!” With twenty-odd riders galloping at full speed, even after Li Xuanba had instructed Zhui Feng Wanli Yun to slow down, they still reached Bao Bridge—located outside the eastern main gate of Chang’an, Chunming Gate—within half an hour. Upon reaching Bao Bridge, Li Xuanba had Zhui Feng Wanli Yun slow down. He gazed at the bridge—a symbol of farewell—and remarked with a faint smile, “Others part ways at Bao Bridge, but today I’m returning across it. That’s quite different from the rest, isn’t it?” “Clop, clop! Whoa!” Hearing Li Xuanba’s words, Li Shimin pulled on the reins, glanced at Li Xuanba—who was accompanied by his three beauties—and burst into laughter: “Brother Da De, your name is Xuanba. Since you’re returning, you simply must cross this Bao Bridge; otherwise, wouldn’t it seem as though the bridge’s name doesn’t live up to its reputation?” Li Xuanba’s eyes lit up. He gazed at the river flowing beneath the arch of Baqiao Bridge and nodded in agreement. “Ha! Second Brother is right! Let’s go! I, Xuanba, ought to cross Baqiao Bridge to vindicate its reputation!” No sooner had Li Xuan finished speaking than he tapped his foot lightly, commanding “Chasing Wind Ten Thousand Li Cloud” to slowly carry him across this grand multi-span stone arch bridge—the most magnificent and longest-spanning structure of its kind in the Tang Dynasty. Once they crossed Baqiao Bridge, the smug expression faded from Li Xuanba’s lips, and he stared in utter amazement at Chang’an, the thousand-year-old ancient capital of the Tang Dynasty. Luo Binwang’s “Ode to the Imperial Capital” reads: “A realm of mountains and rivers stretching a thousand li, A city with nine layers of gates; Without beholding the grandeur of the imperial palace, How can one know the majesty of the Son of Heaven?” At this moment, Chang’an was not like the city of later generations, reduced to mere remnants of city walls; it stood complete and intact. The towering city walls were covered in moss that had weathered the passage of time, bearing the scars of blows from swords and spears. Far from damaging the city’s structure, these marks only served to imbue Chang’an with an air of majesty, grandeur, solemnity, and power. It was a presence beyond words—even Li Xuanba, who considered himself the wisest man under heaven, could find no words to describe it. The feeling was simply marvelous! Li Xuanba felt an electric current surge directly from the base of his spine to the back of his head. His whole body shuddered, and then, overcome with excitement, he roared, “What a capital of the world! What a city second to none! This is my Chang’an of the Great Tang—this is my mighty Great Tang!” “The number one city under heaven? Excellent! From now on, my city of Chang’an shall be known as the number one city under heaven!” Shaken by Li Xuanba’s roar, Li Shimin, too, was overcome with excitement. He waved his hand and, echoing Li Xuanba, proclaimed, “The Number One City in the World!” “The Number One City Under Heaven!” Spurred on by Li Xuanba and Li Shimin, Cheng Yaojin, Cheng Huai Mo, and the others joined in with excited roars, startling the people at the eastern main gate of Chang’an—the Chunming Gate. “Clang! Amid the clanging of armor, the soldiers guarding the gate sent men to investigate, eyeing Li Xuanba and his group warily. “Who is making such a commotion here!” “It is I, Cheng Yaojin. You may all stand down!” Before Li Shimin could speak, Cheng Yaojin flashed his token, waved his hand at the soldiers, and glared at them warningly. “We pay our respects to the General! We shall withdraw!” Upon seeing Cheng Yaojin’s token, the soldiers saluted him and cast suspicious glances at Li Xuanba and Li Shimin. The only person of such a young age who would warrant the Grand General’s personal protection could only be the Crown Prince—but who exactly was that boy with the boyish face standing beside him? He actually stood shoulder to shoulder with the Crown Prince, and there were three women seated both in front of and behind him. Could such a womanizing young man truly stand on equal footing with the Crown Prince? Of course, while they had their doubts, the soldiers dared not voice them aloud. They had caught Cheng Yaojin’s warning glance—surely there must be some other taboos at play here! “Second Brother, let’s go inside!” Seeing that the soldiers had already guessed the Crown Prince’s identity as “Second Brother,” Li Xuanba gave a faint smile. He spoke a word to Li Shimin, but without waiting for a reply, he gave his horse a light nudge with both feet and led the way into Chang’an. “All right! Follow me to see Father. I haven’t told him you’re back yet!” Seeing Li Xuanba’s rather impolite behavior, Li Shimin actually burst into laughter. He gave his horse a sharp tug on the reins and galloped after Li Xuanba into Chang’an. “Clop, clop, clop, clop!” A group of more than twenty riders raced along Chunming Gate Street toward Zhuque Gate. Fortunately, the streets of Chang’an were wide enough, and the central lane was reserved for nobles and officials, so they had no fear of colliding with commoners. As for the Jinwu Guards patrolling the streets, none of them dared to intercept the twenty-odd riders galloping past. Upon seeing Li Shimin leading the group, the soldiers all bowed in unison and watched them race away with looks of reverence. “That’s strange! When did the Crown Prince leave the city?” “I don’t know! But with General Cheng accompanying him for protection, and given that the Crown Prince is also a highly skilled martial artist, we needn’t worry about his safety!” “Did you notice that young man flanked by three beauties? He looks so familiar!” “I don’t know if he looks familiar, but that young man sure is a ladies’ man! Riding with three beauties in tow—and the horse he’s riding is quite a fine steed; even carrying four people, it still moves with ease!” Amid the murmurs of the Jinwu Guards and the onlookers, Li Xuanba and Li Shimin arrived at the South Gate of the Imperial City, the Zhuque Gate. “Whoosh! We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!” Once inside the imperial city, things went smoothly. There was no need for Cheng Yaojin to present his token; upon seeing Li Shimin, the Imperial Guards stationed at the gate all simultaneously clasped their fists in salute. The rhythmic clang of armor caught Li Xuanba’s eye, and he couldn’t help but admire them inwardly. “The soldiers of our Great Tang are truly magnificent!” Only such mighty soldiers could have ushered in the golden age of the Tang Dynasty! “You may rise.” Li Shimin waved his hand at the guards clad in Mingguang armor, then turned his head to look at Li Xuanba, who was admiring the Imperial Guards. “Dade, follow me into the palace to pay our respects to Father Emperor!” “Very well, but please lead the way, Second Brother!” To see my stepfather? Li Xuanba narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the radiant palace complex in the distance, wondering if the man there was still the same as the one in his memories. He also wondered if the man would be surprised to learn that he had come back from the dead. “Thump, thump, thump, thump!” Once Li Shimin, Li Xuanba, and the others had disappeared, the Imperial Guards exchanged puzzled glances, pondering the way Li Shimin had addressed Li Xuanba. Da De? Isn’t that the courtesy name of Prince Wei Huai? Could that young man standing beside the Crown Prince be Prince Wei Huai, Li Xuanba—who had supposedly “died” twelve years ago? That “Number One Hero Under Heaven”? “Whoa!” Realizing that the young man they’d just seen was none other than Li Xuanba, the greatest hero under heaven, the Imperial Guards collectively gasped in astonishment, their eyes brimming with delight as four words seemed to leap from their eyes: Risen from the dead!