When Li Shimin Becomes the Crown Prince of Emperor Wu of Han

My new story, The Sky Screen Reveals I'm a Foolish Ruler, but I Unify the World, is now underway.

Next up: The Sky Screen Reveals I Pretend to Be Emperor Taizong to Save the An Lushan Rebellion; The Sky Screen Reveals I Storm the Imperial City.

Li Shimin died and came back to life, only to be bound by something called the System and sent to the Western Han dynasty. He became Liu Ju, the disgraced crown prince of Emperor Wu of Han, and was tasked with changing Liu Ju's tragic fate of being deposed and earning Emperor Wu's assessment that he was "like me."

Li Shimin was furious. "You want me to be the son of a wastrel who spent more than thirty years at war, exhausting the Central Plains for little gain, and then earn his approval as someone like him? I refuse!"

System: "If you do it, you can return to the Tang dynasty and save your wife and daughter, who died young, and change the tragedy of your sons rebelling against one another for the throne, too!"

Li Shimin: "...I'll put up with it for my family!"

But the proud General of the Heavenly Strategies was never going to put up with it. When he once again saw Emperor Wu emptying the treasury to attack the Xiongnu, Li Shimin couldn't help crying as he pleaded with him.

"The people are suffering. Father, you should wage fewer campaigns and pay more attention to their livelihood!"

Liu Che looked at his crown prince, who had been kindhearted since childhood and often wept at the people's hardship, and sighed.

"It seems the Crown Prince dislikes war. He's not like me!"

System: "It's over! I told you not to try to persuade him! Now you're not like him again!"

But then the guards began arriving one after another with urgent reports.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is missing!"

Liu Che: "Could it be that the Crown Prince disapproves of my campaigns against the Xiongnu and is threatening me by disappearing?"

"Disaster! The Crown Prince has appeared on the battlefield against the Xiongnu alongside Generals Wei and Huo!"

Liu Che: "Has the Crown Prince gone to stop the Han from fighting the Xiongnu? Does he really hate war that much?"

"Disaster! The Crown Prince has led 8,000 soldiers deep into Xiongnu territory to surround their chanyu!"

Liu Che: "Was the Crown Prince so hurt by my saying he wasn't like me that he would do something this dangerous?"

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has captured the great chanyu of the Xiongnu alive. He says he'll bring him back to Chang'an to dance for you. But..."

Liu Che was overjoyed. He had no idea how the Crown Prince had managed it, but he really was his son!

Then he asked, "But what?"

The guard answered, bracing himself. "The Crown Prince asked me to tell Your Majesty, 'What I meant was that Father was too slow in your previous campaigns. The Han should subdue the Xiongnu as quickly as possible, at the lowest possible cost, so peace can reign across the land and the people can recover.'"

Liu Che paused, then burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha! That confidence, that belief that he alone is the greatest, really is like me!"

System: "It can work like that?"

1. This is actually a story about raising children, building infrastructure, and strengthening the nation.

2. Both are feudal emperors, and both have their own flaws. Neither is perfect.

3. Li Shimin judges Emperor Wu of Han by the standards of his own era. He also comes to recognize Emperor Wu's achievements and makes up for his shortcomings in matters of people's livelihoods.

4. The author has no intention of disparaging Emperor Wu. He was indeed a ruler of great talent and vision who laid the foundations of China.

5. "Spent more than thirty years at war, exhausting the Central Plains for little gain" is from Li Shimin's assessment of Emperor Wu in the Zhenguan Zhengyao.

6. This is an alternate world. Don't take it as fact.

Theme: Serve the world and bring peace to the people, while working for the good of all.