I, Am a Living Yama; Empress Advises Me to Stay Calm

Li Chengqian was taken aback, he had not expected such an invitation from Yang Yi. His eyes lit up with excitement.
“Isn’t this a bit inappropriate? Military affairs are state affairs, and it’s not appropriate for an outsider like me to observe…”
Yang Yi smiled. “It’s just a routine training. If Your Highness could give me some pointers, I would be honored.”
…
Half an hour later, at the drill ground.
A group of Great Zhou soldiers, already prepared, stood ready. They were dressed in Turkish garb, with their hair styled to mimic Turkish hairstyles.
There was only this group of soldiers in the huge drill ground. Li Chengqian looked at the soldiers dressed as Turks, first stunned, then overjoyed. He usually enjoyed playing games with his subordinates in the Eastern Palace, pretending to be Turks, but he never dared to do it openly. He hadn’t expected that Yang Yi would have prepared everything for him.
Excited, Li Chengqian exclaimed, “Brother Yang, you really understand me!”
Yang Yi smiled slightly. “Please, Crown Prince, train the troops…”
Li Chengqian took a deep breath and his eyes lit up. He immediately mounted a horse and began to skillfully command the soldiers. Yang Yi stood aside and watched calmly.
With great enthusiasm, Li Chengqian led the soldiers in maneuvers on the training ground until nightfall.
Li Chengqian, still somewhat reluctant, said, “Brother Yang, these soldiers are the elite of Great Zhou, they follow orders precisely and are incredibly easy to command.
Yang Yi smiled slightly. “If the Crown Prince wishes, you can come back tomorrow.”
Li Chengqian was taken aback, then smiled. “Thank you, Brother Yang.”
The next day, Li Chengqian returned to the training ground, assumed the role of a Turkic Khan, and began training the troops. This went on for several days.
In Luoyang, Li Chengqian, reluctant to leave, said, “Brother Yang, I must leave Luoyang now. If I have a chance in the future, I will come back to visit you.
“It’s just a pity that I won’t be able to train the troops here like I have in the past few days.”
Yang Yi raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “Your Highness, as the Crown Prince of the Great Tang, isn’t it easy for you to mobilize some troops?”
Li Chengqian, sitting on his horse and holding the reins, had a shadow on his face as he smiled bitterly. “I am the Crown Prince, not the Emperor. Father does not allow me to have the soldiers wear Turkish clothes…”
Yang Yi smiled. Li Shimin would have to be out of his mind to allow that. He smiled warmly. “Your Highness is the future emperor, it won’t be long now.”
Li Chengqian shook his head, suddenly showing a hint of resentment. “Even though I am the Crown Prince, Father does not favor me alone. He values Prince Wei even more…”
Yang Yi’s lips curled slightly. Even though they were brothers, Li Chengqian couldn’t even bring himself to mention Li Tai’s name. The conflict between them had clearly reached a critical point.
Seemingly off the top of his head, Yang Yi said, “Your Highness is the eldest son, while Prince Wei is not. How could he usurp the crown prince?”
Li Chengqian, who felt offended and had gotten to know Yang Yi over the past few days, couldn’t help but vent. “Father favors him more than me. When I was young, I injured my leg…”
“Father… Father must be dissatisfied with having a cripple as his heir, so he allowed Prince Wei to establish the Academy of Literature, a place where Father once gathered talents.”
“Now Father has put Li Tai in charge of the academy and assigned him to compile the ‘Geography of the Empire’. I don’t have that honor.”
“Who is the Crown Prince, him or me?”
Li Chengqian became more and more agitated. Because of his leg injury, he had always felt deeply insecure. Meanwhile, Prince Wei, Li Tai, had been showered with favors by Li Shimin, even being put in charge of the Academy of Literature, where their father once gathered talents. This only fueled Li Chengqian’s jealousy and resentment.
Having suppressed his feelings for so long, he now poured out all his grievances on Yang Yi. Yang Yi remained calm, seemingly offhandedly remarking, “Has the Crown Prince forgotten how His Majesty the Emperor of Tang ascended to the throne…”
Li Chengqian’s eyes suddenly narrowed as he looked at Yang Yi.
“What… what do you mean?”
Yang Yi smiled.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince is the rightful heir of the Tang Dynasty. There is no doubt about that.”
“And if anyone stands in your way, then simply remove them.”
“The Xuanwu Gate incident is still fresh in our minds. If His Majesty the Emperor could do it, why can’t you, Your Highness?”
Yang Yi’s words seeped into Li Chengqian’s mind like a devil’s whisper, stirring up the dark thoughts within.
Li Chengqian’s breathing quickened and his eyes began to show traces of blood.
Yang Yi’s mouth twitched slightly, his voice calm as if he was talking to a friend.
“Even though the Crown Prince is the eldest son and should rightfully inherit the throne…”
“But back then, the Hidden Crown Prince also thought he was as solid as a mountain. Who could have predicted the Xuanwu Gate incident?”
Li Chengqian’s pupils contracted and his fists clenched.
Yang Yi’s words seemed to have hit the deepest scar in his heart.
Yang Yi smiled.
“Prince Wei’s current power to rival you is all thanks to His Majesty.”
“His Majesty handed over his literary academy to Prince Wei, allowing him to recruit talent at will.”
“Why would a mere vassal prince need so many talents to rule the world?”
Cold sweat dripped from Li Chengqian’s forehead.
He had thought about these things before, but usually buried his head in the sand. Now, with Yang Yi pointing them out directly, a huge wave of anger and hatred surged within him.
Yang Yi looked at the increasingly angry Li Chengqian and suddenly said
“Could it be that His Majesty indulges Prince Wei because he sees his younger self in him?”
This statement hit Li Chengqian like a thunderbolt.
Li Chengqian’s face turned pale and he began to tremble.
Yang Yi’s words instilled great fear in his heart.
Yang Yi seemed to be talking to himself.
“There are only two sons eligible to inherit the throne. Could it be that His Majesty is weighing his options?”
“But if His Highness were to kill Prince Wei…”
“Then there would only be one son left to inherit the throne.”
“Would His Majesty have any other choice?”
Li Chengqian’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and Yang Yi’s words made everything clear to him.
That’s right.
After all, only he and Li Tai were eligible to inherit the throne.
If he killed Li Tai, wouldn’t the vast empire be his alone to inherit?
What would it matter if his father was angry?
He would be the only son!
Yang Yi watched as Li Chengqian’s expression grew darker and suddenly spoke again.
“Your Highness, as the Crown Prince, you can only enjoy yourself secretly in the Eastern Palace.”
“Doesn’t Your Highness want to openly command the army without anyone daring to disobey?”
Li Chengqian suddenly felt his mouth dry up.
The feeling of commanding the army right now and doing whatever he wanted was simply intoxicating.
However, if he returned to the Tang Dynasty now, he would have to endure all kinds of restrictive rules and regulations.
The taste of absolute power was something he could no longer enjoy in the Tang Dynasty.
It’s easy to go from austerity to luxury, but it’s hard to go from luxury back to austerity.
After experiencing the thrill of leading tens of thousands of troops dressed in Turkish robes and acting with impunity, the thought of going back and enduring restrictions was pure torture for him.
“Brother Yang… what do you mean…” Li Chengqian took a deep breath.
Yang Yi smiled.
“When Your Highness becomes the emperor, who would dare to control you?”
Li Chengqian muttered, “But it’s not just Li Tai, it’s also my father. My father is still on the throne.”
Yang Yi’s smile was enigmatic.
“Has Your Highness forgotten how your Imperial Grandfather abdicated?”
Li Chengqian trembled, his pupils contracting as he looked at Yang Yi in astonishment. The Pandora’s box of his lust for power was beginning to stir.