Chapter 169: Take Zhao Tang Along

"How's it, Retired Emperor, interesting?"

At Da'an Palace, by the lotus‑filled pond, Chen Yan saw Li Yuan reel in another fish and cheerfully asked.

With five days left before he departs for his post in Weinan County, he has not forgotten the promise he made to Li Yuan last time and wants to fulfill it before leaving.

So early this morning he had Xiao Shunzi buy many fish and dump them all into the pond.

Li Yuan was in a good mood, returned the fish he had caught to the pond, and sighed, "That day I thought you were just speaking casually; I even forgot myself, but I didn't expect you still remembered."

"You've got spirit, kid."

Chen Yan helplessly said, "Retired Emperor, why do you always like to call me this kid, that kid?"

"Am I that small?"

"Aren't you small?" Li Yuan laughed, "I'm over sixty, and to me, aren't you just a kid?"

"Fine, fine, call me whatever you like." Chen Yan, too lazy to argue, looked at the pond, now livelier than before, and said:

"Retired Emperor, not to sound presumptuous, but when you have nothing to do, come fish, relax, let the past be the past; what's the point of clinging too tightly?"

"You yourself just said, you're in your sixties, it's the age to enjoy a peaceful old age; why confine yourself here?"

Li Yuan chuckled, "You kid are still as bold as ever, daring to say anything."

"But…" He watched the occasional splashes where fish stirred the lake surface and said, "Some things can't be let go just because you want to."

"These past years, every night when I fall asleep I dream of past events."

"Let go?"

"Easier said than done."

"What's so hard?" Chen Yan bluntly said, "You, you're just too bored, staying all day in this lifeless palace, of course you can't let go."

"After all, you waste day after day; besides reminiscing and deepening your own sorrow, what else can you do?"

"If you ask me, you should find something to do; once a person is busy, they can't afford to overthink anything."

"For example, fishing." He looked at Li Yuan and said, "You came here this morning, and up to now, I see you aren't rather happy, are you?"

Li Yuan was slightly stunned, and after recalling his fishing session with Chen Yan, indeed his mind was full of thoughts about when they'd catch fish, how big, and not being outdone by the younger fellows nearby.

He truly hadn't thought about anything else.

"Hmm… you make a fair point, fishing is indeed quite interesting."

"Besides fishing there are many other fun things." Chen Yan added, "These past years you've rarely gone out, so you probably aren't aware how much the Tang Dynasty has changed, are you?"

"There's even more fun outside; as long as you're willing to step out of Da'an Palace, you can discover the world's beauty."

"If you don't wish to go out, another day we can figure something out—get you a deck of cards, or a full set of Mahjong, and you can call a few people to play Mahjong with you."

"At your age, sighing and moaning all day—what's that about?"

Li Yuan: "…"

"Kid, are you getting cocky?" he said irritably, "These past years my temperament has changed a lot; if it were ten years ago, I would have had to make you suffer."

"You said you would only be like this ten years ago, so I dared to say that," Chen Yan laughed, not caring about Li Yuan's words.

In his view, the current Li Yuan is just a lonely old man.

As long as you keep him happy and chat with him, he definitely won't do anything to you.

Sure enough, Li Yuan ignored Chen Yan, was silent for a moment, then said, "You're young, you don't know much; you should understand it's not that I don't want to go out, but that I can't go out…"

"Why can't you go out?"

Before he could finish, Chen Yan cut him off.

Li Yuan choked, helplessly glancing at Chen Yan.

He couldn't possibly say it's because Li Shimin is wary of him, fearing he'd contact former confidants to retake power, right?

Even though Li Yuan said nothing, Chen Yan still knew what he was thinking and bluntly said, "You, you just think too much; His Majesty never said you couldn't go out, you yourself trapped yourself here."

"Today you can stride away from here, I guarantee His Majesty won't say anything."

"How about this: last month a brother told me a new batch of girls arrived at Pingkang Fang, why don't we, the two of us, go take a look?"

Li Yuan: "…"

Behind them, Li Fushun heard this and looked at Chen Yan in disbelief.

"No, who the hell are you taking to Pingkang Fang?"

"Is this even right?"

Li Yuan frowned, "If I recall correctly, you and my young Zhao Tang have only been married half a month, right?"

"Just a short half month, and you already want to go to that place of wind and moon, and even take me there."

"Do you think that's appropriate?"

"Hmm?" Chen Yan thought briefly, then sneered, "Seems indeed it's not appropriate, ha."

Li Yuan's expression finally relaxed considerably.

His relationship with Li Shimin was indeed strained, but he was very protective of his grandchildren, so naturally he didn't like Chen Yan going to such places.

However, the next sentence from Chen Yan made him lose his composure.

"Since it's not suitable for the two of us to go, why not bring Zhao Tang along as well? What's the problem?"

"Look, look."

"Is this even human speech?"

"Bring Gao Yang too?"

"Taking a newlywed wife and his own grandfather to a brothel—what kind of person is that?"

"Stop calling me Chen Yan, rename me Chen Xiude."

"Who has your 'Xiu'?"

Li Yuan glared at him fiercely, "Get out of my sight!"

If you dare take Zhao Tang to that kind of place, I'll immediately have someone break your legs.

Fine, fine, fine, I won't take her; I'll go myself, okay? Don't be angry. Chen Yan hurriedly said.

…

"... sigh..." Li Yuan remained silent for a long while, finally heaved a long sigh toward the sky: "How did I end up with a grandson-in-law like you?"

Forget it, it's fate.

Chen Yan: "With me as your grandson-in-law, you should secretly be happy. Look, you have so many sons-in-law and grandsons-in-law—who thinks of you as much as I do?"

I went looking for fish and even got you a carp—this will let you eat a hearty meal to spite your anger.

Li Yuan blinked, then realized what Chen Yan was talking about.

Li Shimin once, because the pronunciation of "carp" sounded similar to the Li surname, ordered that the Tang Dynasty forbid eating carp.

Then Chen Yan's words "eat a hearty meal to spite one's anger" made the meaning obvious.

Li Yuan laughed and cried, saying: "You little rascal, you're really interesting."

Alright, Retired Emperor, it's getting late, I should go. Chen Yan clapped his hands, stood up, and said: "You should think carefully about what I said; if you're bored, find something to do; if you really can't, go out for a walk."

When I have free time, I'll get you something fun to play with.

You go ahead and keep fishing.

You're leaving just like that? Li Yuan suddenly frowned: "Lizhi hasn't arrived yet."

Huh? Chen Yan turned his head blankly.

…