Chapter 1 Before Crossing Over
The world is in chaos, heroes emerge!
In the late Sui Dynasty, heroes emerged in large numbers! Among them, many became famous in later generations, too numerous to count! However, one of the good guys was someone who was pursued as the number one hero in some evaluations - Li Yuanba!
Li Yuanba is a character in the Qing Dynasty's "The Complete Biography of the Tang Dynasty" and many other evaluations. His historical prototype was Li Xuanba (599-614), also known as Dade, the third son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, and Empress Dou. He died young at the age of 16 in the tenth year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty (614) and was posthumously honored by Emperor Gaozu of Tang as the King of Wei. Later generations changed his name to Li Yuanba due to the taboo on the name of Qing Kangxi Emperor Xuanye.
However, there are many versions of his death, such as falling off a horse and dying, or being surrounded by the enemy and dying in battle, or being killed by Yu Quluo, one of the nine old men of the Sui Dynasty, using a treacherous plan. However, these are all speculations that people have made after recognizing Li Yuanba's later achievements. There is also a legendary story like a myth: In "Shuō Táng", Li Yuanba's most admirable point is that he is simply an "eternal motion machine" and almost does not consume energy. Unlike Yuwen Chengdu, who ranked second, who would be unable to withstand Pei Yuanqing after consuming a lot of energy (fighting against three people: Xiong Kuohai, Wu Yunzhao, and Wu Tianxi); Li Yuanba could defeat all the generals of the eighteen rebel kings with just one horse and two hammers. He kills people as easily as cutting tofu, and you can almost treat him like a paper shredder that uses solar energy. How could such an invincible overlord die? The book "Shuō Táng" also contains a strong sense of fatalism. Li Yuanba's master, Ziyang Zhenren, had warned him that if he ever encountered someone wielding a golden mace in battle, he must not harm them, or else he would surely meet a bad end. However, Li Yuanba initially remembered his master's teachings and spared Yuwen Chengdu; later, when he was rampaging across the land and his desire to kill grew stronger, he no longer followed his master's teachings and began to kill people, including more than one person who wielded golden maces. Wu Tianxi, who wielded a golden mace with a phoenix head, was torn apart by Li Yuanba despite begging for mercy; Yuwen Chengdu, who wielded a golden mace with a jade handle, was spared once but then killed in the same way the second time around. The prophecy of his master still echoed in his ears, and Li Yuanba's fate of "not meeting a good end" had already been sealed.
Li Yuanba returned to Tongguan, and Yuandlei Shengpu Tianzun returned to his position, ordering him to lead the Thunder Department's gods to capture Li Yuanba for his crimes against heaven. Suddenly, wind and clouds arose, fine rain fell, and soon thunder and lightning flashed, with thunderbolts striking. The thunder only sounded above Li Yuanba's head, as if it was about to strike him down. Li Yuanba became enraged, pointing his hammer at the sky and shouting: "You heavens, why are you so cruel? You're even making thunder above my head!" He then swung his hammer into the air, and Tianzun pointed a finger at him. Li Yuanba looked up to see his 400-jin heavy hammer falling down towards him, striking him squarely on the face with a loud crash, causing him to fall off his horse. The great king thus vanished into thin air. This is an absurd ending, but wasn't Li Yuanba himself not from the ordinary world? His horse and hammer were in his hands, and those he struck with his hammer were like flies, unaware of how many lives they had taken. He even delighted in throwing people into the air, grasping their legs and tearing them apart, recalling the scenes of blood and flesh flying everywhere, contrasting with the pale face of a 12-year-old boy - perhaps even the ancient evil gods were no more than this? Maybe only this ending could be worthy of the unparalleled king?!
However, these are just speculations of later generations and cannot be verified. Perhaps the person who flashed by in history was actually an ordinary person. According to that portrait, it is also possible that he really died young due to illness...
However, all of the above causes of death have nothing to do with this book!
In the year 599 AD, in the 19th year of Emperor Wen of Sui's Kaihuang era, inside a Li family mansion in Wugong County, Shaanxi Province, servants and maids were rushing back and forth with anxious faces within the large courtyard.
According to legend, at that time there were two dragons playing and making noise in front of their gate for three whole days before leaving. This was a good omen! Because on the same day, the mistress of the Li family, Duan Shi, gave birth to a dragon son, and three days later, another one! This child was born smoothly after the strange phenomenon disappeared, which is equivalent to catching the last bus of the strange phenomenon! Of course, it's two sons for outsiders... (Ancient people are really shameless! Dragon son? At that time, it wasn't even the emperor, what kind of law is this? These two children were born from the intersection of human and something else? Sweating!)
At this time, the master of the Li family, Li Yuan, was the current governor of Xiangyang (now Zhengzhou, Henan) and Loufan (now Jingyang, Shanxi). Due to his family's influence, he inherited the title of Duke of Tang at the age of seven. His family was prominent and aristocratic. Li Yuan was the nephew of Emperor Wen of Sui's empress, Dugu Qieluo (who was the seventh daughter of Dugu Xin and the wife of Li Hu was the fourth daughter of Dugu Xin). His grandfather, Li Hu, was a general in the Northern Wei dynasty and held the title of Duke of Longxi. He was posthumously honored as Duke of Tang, which later became the origin of the name of the Tang Dynasty established by Li Yuan. Li Yuan's father, Li Bing, inherited the title of Duke of Tang and served as a pillar general in the Northern Zhou dynasty. Li Yuan was born in Chang'an in 566 AD (the first year of the Tianhe era of the Northern Zhou) and inherited the title of Duke of Tang at the age of seven. With his noble birth and his own broad-mindedness, tolerance, and exceptional talent, he enjoyed high prestige.
At that time, two sons were born. The elder brother was ten years old - Li Jiancheng! Also known as Bilishamen. From Longxi, Chengji (now northwest of Qin'an, Gansu). This was when Li Yuan was garrisoned in Honghua Prefecture (now Qingyang County, Gansu).
When Dou Shi successfully gave birth to two sons, ten-year-old Li Jiancheng came into the house and curiously watched his second and third brothers. At this time, Dou Shi was already asleep due to exhaustion after giving birth, while a child was being carefully bathed by two wet nurses. Jiancheng looked for a while and asked strangely: "Nanny, is this my brother?" The nurse who was bathing the second prince hurriedly replied: "Reporting to the eldest prince, yes! This is the third prince, the second prince is sleeping."
Li Jiancheng scratched his head: "But how come my third brother is so different from my second brother? He's thin and small, you see, my second brother is white and chubby?"
"These... these maidservants don't know what to do!" The two wet nurses didn't dare to speak rashly, no matter how you put it, it's wrong! Malnutrition? At that time, there was no such saying or knowledge! Could it be said that the third young master couldn't compete with the second young master in the mistress's belly and went hungry? This involves the old master's family affairs, who dares to speak out of turn among the lower servants?!
The child was restless and had been cooped up in the house for a while, getting bored. Just as he wanted to go out and play, he was called by the teacher invited by Li Yu to study in the study!
Li Yuan arrived on the third day after his son was born and first went to the inner quarters to see Dugu. He found that his wife's body was extremely weak, so he immediately called the imperial physician who was treating Dugu to ask what this situation was.
"Milord, the mistress gave birth successfully only after three days, which in itself was a great strain on her body. Moreover, at that time she also caught a chill, and although there is no serious harm now, she still needs a long period of recuperation!" The doctor said respectfully, bowing his head and clasping his fists.
"Good, that's settled! In the future, you'll have to trouble Langzhong more often. Someone, take Langzhong to the account room to receive six taels of silver." After finishing speaking, after Langzhong was led away, Li Yuan returned to the inner house to see his son again.
Li Yuan furrowed his brow as he walked out: "How can my three sons be so weak? Is the extraordinary phenomenon described by the servants really that amazing?" As he thought about it, he gently stroked his swollen index finger with his left hand, and was shocked again! It turned out that the two older sons looked plump and lovely, but their eyes were still closed, and they were sleeping soundly. But the third son had already opened his eyes and was looking around wildly. Li Yuan's heart was delighted, and he stretched out his index finger to tease the third son, but the consequence was that Li Yuan's index finger was almost pinched off by the third son's small hand! He slowly walked into the main hall, knelt down beside the desk, and summoned the steward to warn the servants not to discuss the extraordinary phenomenon at the time of his sons' birth. Afterwards, he went out to attend to official business again.
At this time, due to the internal strife of the Turks, Tuli Khan fled to the Sui Dynasty and was made the Qimin Khan. He built a city called Dalishan for him to live in. In the imperial court, there was also the mysterious disappearance of Crown Prince Yang Yong, who was replaced by Jin Wang Yang Guang as the new crown prince. It can be said that things were complicated, and one thread pulled would move the entire body! As a result, Li Yuan rushed back home each time, and for a while, two sons did not even have names! The next year, a daughter was born, who later established the "Niangzi Army", Princess Pingyang of the Tang Dynasty, Li Xuanjing. In the fourth year, also 603 AD, the fifth son Li Yuanji was born. (The winning rate of Li Yuan and Empress Dou is really strong!)
For four years, Li Yuan had not named his sons and daughters who were born one after another. He was anxious in his heart. One day, he finally had some free time, so the naming was put on the agenda!
The main hall of the Li Mansion, four wet nurses holding or carrying the children in a line, waiting for Emperor Gaozu to name them. 14-year-old Li Jiancheng looked at his father one moment and then stared at his brothers and sisters. Although his handsome face still looked young, that hint of steadiness also showed that this child was extraordinary!
Li Yuan was racking his brains to think of a name for his second son, but he just couldn't come up with one. Feeling anxious and uneasy, he was about to send the fortune teller away when his naturally kind and open-minded nature took over: "Hmm! Let him see me!" He said, and then let his sons go down. At this time, Li Yuanji, who had just been born, suddenly cried out, and the wet nurse hurriedly walked out first among the other wet nurses. The three-year-old daughter followed closely behind, while the four-year-old third son suddenly developed a strange illness, holding his head with his small hands like chicken claws and shouting in pain! Several strong servants immediately came in and quickly carried the third son away. It seemed that this was not the first time it had happened! Eldest son Li Jiancheng followed closely behind, while second son waited until everyone had left before bowing to Li Yuan: "Father, I bid farewell!" After Li Yuan nodded, he thought about leaving, but didn't expect a fortune teller to come walking in. The fortune teller looked ordinary, but his eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts and immediately fixed on the second son. He bowed to Li Yuan with both hands: "Congratulations, sir! You truly have a noble person!" The second son also stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at Li Yuan. Li Yuan signaled for him to wait there, and he too bowed to the fortune teller, asking doubtfully: "What do you mean by this?" The fortune teller continued to stare at the second son as he replied: "This child will be able to bring peace and stability to the people when he is twenty years old! I bid farewell!"
Li Yuan heard this and was overjoyed in his heart, just wanting to ask more questions, but the fortune teller had already walked far away without a trace! He immediately summoned his servants: "Where is that fortune teller?" But the servant replied that he hadn't seen any fortune teller leave.
Li Yuan thought to himself, "Could it be true that there are divine people?! To save the world and bring peace to the people? Good! Let's name the two sons Shimin then!" Thinking about what the fortune teller said about twenty years later, Li Yuan was both shocked and delighted, and he gave up his idea of finding the fortune teller. He waved goodbye to the two sons and returned to the inner house to find Dou Shi. After seeing Dou Shi, for a moment, his mind was clear, and he thought of names for all the other children - Shimin, Xuanning, Xuanba, Yuange, and only gave Yuange a nickname - Sanhu! Dou Shi also agreed with the name of the four sons, so it was settled.
