Chapter 506: Chen the Wine‑Bearer

"Your Majesty, this matter should not be recorded, right......"

Chen Yan, harboring a faint hope, asked tentatively.

Li Shimin patted his shoulder, gave a meaning‑laden smile, and said, "I can't say for sure, but for now many of your deeds will be recorded by the historians, just as every word and action of mine is noted by them."

"Moreover, verses like this will definitely be recorded; perhaps they will even be carved in your tomb chamber and painted on a mural in the future."

As he spoke, he jabbed his chin toward a nondescript person in the corner.

Chen Yan turned his head and saw the historian staring back at him expressionlessly.

Good, he concluded; this is an unfeeling recording machine.

"Brother Chen, congratulations! Another line worthy of passing down through the ages has been recorded!"

Li Tai roared with laughter; that day he had been lamenting his lack of talent, and now he could only revel in schadenfreude.

"No need to congratulate me. Prince Wei was once blown away by a bomb like a toad; I will also ask the historian to record it so that posterity may admire Prince Wei's bearing and the difficulty and hardship of making bombs," Chen Yan said calmly.

Li Tai's smile stiffened.

"Brother Chen, we are......"

Li Shimin massaged his temples and cut him off: "Enough. You two older brothers, not to mention the second brother, are all disgraceful clowns. Come with me, let's go drink!"

"Alright then," Chen Yan hurriedly followed.

Li Tai muttered curses, but Li Shimin had already spoken, so he said little else.

On the road, Chen Yan seemed to recall something and, full of enthusiasm, said, "Your Majesty, I'm returning to Chang'an now; shouldn't you arrange a position for me?"

"How about you make me a historian directly? I think I'd be quite suitable!"

"... Get out, as far as you can from me!"

Li Shimin cursed, "Damn it, what are you up to? Always thinking of becoming a historian—don't you know I'm fed up with historians?"

"Don't even think about it!"

Having finished, Li Shimin waved his sleeve and strode away, leaving Chen Yan no chance to speak further.

Li Tai squinted conspiratorially and leaned in, "Brother Chen, actually for a while I also wanted to be a historian; I can understand you."

"What the hell do you understand?"

Chen Yan rolled his eyes.

Li Tai was only thinking about it, but he truly wanted to be a historian!

Putting aside everything else, this thing wields a brush; anyone in front of him must straighten his posture.

The thing that Li Shimin is annoyed with—could it be something not bad?

"......"

Arriving at the familiar Lizheng Hall, Chen Yan felt a moment of sighing.

He had come here more often than he had gone to Ganlu Hall.

However, just as he sighed, Sizi sprang down from Li Shimin's side and dashed inside.

"Mother, mother, I've brought Guihua Brother back, come out quickly and see!"

Chen Yan:???

In an instant, his complexion darkened.

After Rhythm Sister and Stubborn Mouth Sister, did he finally get his own nickname from Sizi?

Damn it, Guihua Brother!

At that moment, Empress Changsun was still reminding a maid to prepare thicker clothes for her little daughter; hearing the familiar voice, she instantly became delighted.

But when she heard clearly what her daughter said, she was both amused and exasperated.

Cradling the daughter who had just arrived, Empress Changsun smiled and pinched her chubby cheek, "You, why do you always like giving others nicknames? Your elegant sister even wrote a complaint to mother, saying you called her Rhythm Sister and Gao Yang Stubborn Mouth Sister!"

"Is that really so?"

The little princess shook her head vigorously, saying firmly, "Defamation, mother, sister is definitely slandering me! What Rhythm Sister? It's too ugly; how could I give such a name?"

"But Guihua Brother was indeed my invention; mother, didn't you say the husks were all trampled by wild boars?"

Empress Changsun gave a half‑smile, glanced at the newly arrived Chen Yan, and said to Sizi, "You got it wrong; it should be 'Wine‑Carrying Young Master.'"

Chen Yan: "......"

"Hahaha!" Li Shimin, disregarding everything else, burst into laughter.

"Wine‑Carrying Young Master... quickly record this for me; when he comes of age, I'll call him that."

At those words, everyone present burst into loud laughter.

Only Chen Yan wore a bitter smile; Wine‑Carrying Young Master... Guihua Brother, each one more unbearable than the last!

He felt his lifelong reputation was about to be ruined.

Destroyed by the most unlikely person.

"Your Majesty, I'm a good child, how could you…"

Empress Changsun snorted lightly, "There are two daughters as beautiful as celestial maidens at home, yet you still go to the brothel; what kind of good child are you?"

Moreover, out there almost every poet struggles to obtain a nickname; this is something ninety‑nine percent of poets pursue.

"You went to a brothel, got the nickname 'Chen the Wine‑Bearer'; what more could you possibly want?"

"Is that so?" Chen Yan was startled, his mind beginning to work.

Soon after, his brows relaxed.

Empress Changsun seemed indeed correct; late‑Tang poet Zhao Gu, for the lofty imagery in his line "A few waning stars, geese crossing the frontier, a long flute sounds as a man leans on the tower" from *Autumn View of Chang'an*, was dubbed "Zhao Lean‑on‑the‑Tower" by Du Mu.

It is a nickname, also a compliment.

"Fine," Chen Yan had nothing more to say.

At least to outsiders, being called 'Chen the Wine‑Bearer' is not inappropriate; rather, it is high praise.

"Zi An, Qingque, don't stand there, have a seat." Empress Changsun gestured for the two to sit, then told the palace lady beside her: "Have the Shangshi Bureau prepare food and wine; Zi An never goes to the Three Treasures Hall without cause, and today he only brought back Sizi, so I'm afraid he has quite a bit to discuss with His Majesty."

Chen Yan said embarrassedly, "Your Highness, don't say that; what if I really just simply wanted to send Sizi and Cheng Yang back?"

"Hehe, you know in your own heart whether that's the case."

Empress Changsun hadn't replied yet when Li Shimin gave him a sideways glance, then lifted his chin at him, saying, "What are you waiting for? Sit down; you can say whatever you have to say now."

Chen Yan fell silent, giving Li Tai a look.

The latter understood, immediately clasped his hands and said, "Father Emperor, it's like this: I and Brother Chen Yan have returned to Chang'an, haven't we? But research on gunpowder and cannons still needs to continue; I hope to have a secluded place in Chang'an to build a research institute, so I can continue to contribute to the Tang Dynasty."

"That's not a problem!" Li Shimin waved his hand: "I have quite a few secluded courtyards in Chang'an; later I'll have Wushe tell you about them, you pick a spot, fix it up, and it'll be ready to use."

Li Tai was overjoyed: "I, your son, thank you, Father Emperor."

"No need for excessive courtesy."

Li Shimin wore a look of utter indifference; he had thought it was something major, but it turned out to be such a trivial matter.

"And you? Chen Zai Jiu?"

Chen Yan, that's really a pain.

It always feels like after posting on social media, the next day my dorm buddies make fun of me.

"......"