Chapter 1242: By the Mandate of Heaven, May Your Life Be Long and Prosperous

Zhao Liying's fingers tightened slightly, her gaze falling on the two children playing not far away, and her voice became even softer.

"Husband, ah... no, Your Majesty, please forgive my boldness—if you truly wish to change the Li family's empire to the Lin family, why not seize the throne yourself and become emperor? Why go through such a roundabout way?"

Hearing Zhao Liying's almost blunt words, Lin Lang suddenly chuckled, his laughter carrying a hint of nonchalant clarity.

"I'll become emperor myself?"

Lin Lang looked up at the drifting clouds outside the palace walls, his tone as light as the wind, "Sitting on that dragon throne is prestigious, but every move you make is scrutinized by the history books. You have to find a pretext to kill someone, and you have to watch the faces of the court officials when you take a concubine. Even if you sleep in, there are people kneeling outside the palace gates to 'remonstrate to the death.' Isn't it tiring?"

Zhao Liying tilted her head playfully and said with a smile, "That's true, but the emperor has the power of life and death, and he has three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines."

Lin Lang smiled upon hearing this, "The power of life and death you speak of, do I not possess it now? When an emperor kills a subject, he needs to announce it to the world, shouting 'Take him out of the Meridian Gate for execution.' I can take a life with a single thought, and it doesn't matter who it is."

He suddenly leaned closer to Zhao Liying, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of mockery.

"Besides, if you really become the emperor, having three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines might sound exciting, but each concubine has her own thoughts, and they fight tooth and nail for your favor. Have you ever seen an emperor's harem that is so peaceful?"

Zhao Liying nodded thoughtfully, then shook her head and retorted, "No, darling, can you really resist the temptation of those eight words: 'By the mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous'?"

Lin Lang looked up at the azure sky: "Being an emperor means binding yourself to that dragon throne and having the whole world watching you."

"By doing what I'm doing, I'm holding the world in my hands, but they can't see the ropes. I'm a true underground emperor. The former may seem glamorous, but the latter live a carefree life. If you were in my shoes, what would you choose?"

Zhao Liying stuck out her tongue and smiled: "If it were me, I would choose to be the emperor myself. Even if I can't go down in history, I can still leave my own chapter in the vast river of history."

Lin Lang chuckled and thought to himself: I am an immortal being, sitting on the throne as emperor for thousands of years. Wouldn't I be regarded as a demon emperor by all the people of the world?

After finishing his reading, Lin Lang looked up at Zhao Liying and asked, "Do you know that during the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao held immense power, and even Emperor Xian of Han had to defer to him? Why did he never become emperor before his death, and only became the King of Wei?"

Zhao Liying paused for a moment, then carefully recalled history before hesitatingly saying, "Is it... because the world was not yet settled, and they were afraid of being branded as usurpers of the Han dynasty?"

"After all, when Cao Cao held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, he was using the banner of 'restoring the Han Dynasty.' If he were to declare himself emperor, it would give Liu Bei and Sun Quan a pretext to attack him."

"That hits the nail on the head." Lin Lang nodded, his gaze drifting towards the depths of the palace walls, his tone growing more serious, "But it doesn't stop there."

"If Cao Cao had truly deposed Emperor Xian of Han, he would have certainly gained the throne, but it would have chilled the hearts of those loyal ministers who were devoted to the Han dynasty, and it would have made the world think that he had betrayed his promise. What he wanted was the submission of the entire world, not an empty throne."

He turned back to look at Zhao Liying, his eyes showing a hint of composure.

“Li Zhi is my sworn brother. When I first arrived in the Tang Dynasty, I had nothing. He gave me military power without hesitation, trusted and protected me, and even betrothed me to Helan Minyue, the niece of the emperor’s sister-in-law, as a princess.”

“My brother treats me with true affection and loyalty, the kind of affection that comes from the bottom of his heart.”

"And then there's Li Hong. That kid has been by my side since he was little. He calls me 'godfather' so affectionately. He always gives me the best food first, and he always snuggles into my arms when he's wronged."

“Hong’er relies on me a lot. If I say east, he will never go west. This trust is very heavy.”

"I, Lin Lang, am no saint, but I can vouch for my loyalty. My sworn brother is still alive, and my godson is still here. If I were to seize power while they are still around, how would I be any different from an ingrate?"

Zhao Liying pursed her lips and didn't reply.

“Let’s talk about history books,” Lin Lang continued. “The historians’ pens are incredibly powerful.”

“If I were to personally depose my sworn brother Li Zhi and usurp the throne of the Li Tang dynasty, the history books would surely record that ‘Huang Lin Lang, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, turned against his master and usurped the throne.’ Thousands of years from now, he will have to bear this infamy.”

"At that time, all the descendants of our Lin family will bear the infamy because of me. Why bother?"

Lin Lang looked up at the distant palace, a sharp glint in his eyes.

“But Yi’er is different.”

"She will be Li Hong's lawfully wedded Crown Princess, and the future Empress of the Tang Dynasty."

“After Hong’er passes away, Yi’er, as Empress, will take over the country. That’s called ‘ruling as regent,’ which is ‘continuing the dynasty’. Even if she ascends the throne in the future, she can say that she is ‘inheriting her husband’s will,’ which is much more legitimate.”

"At that time, who will say she usurped power?"

"We can only praise her as 'a woman who is no less capable than men,' who has supported the Tang Dynasty."

Lin Lang smiled and said, "As a father, it's better for me to pave the way for my daughter and let her rightfully sit on the throne than for me to bear the infamy, isn't it?"

Zhao Liying suddenly realized that Lin Lang's plan contained so many considerations—his affection for Li Zhi and his son, his concern for his reputation, and his comprehensive plans for his daughter's future.

Looking at Lin Lang's profile, she suddenly felt that this man's heart contained both the coldness of a tyrant and the warmth of an ordinary person, so complex that it was hard to see through, yet inexplicably convincing.

“Your Majesty’s thinking is… truly far-sighted,” she said softly.

Lin Lang's lips curved into a smile, and he said half-jokingly, "I am a man who aspires to surpass Cao Mengde. How can I not think about the long term?"

Zhao Liying lightly punched Lin Lang's shoulder with her small fist and said coquettishly, "So, are you going to be like Cao Cao and like to monopolize other people's wives?"

Lin Lang grabbed her wrist as she pounded on it, and with a little force, pulled her closer to him. Caught off guard, Zhao Liying leaned against his chest and pouted slightly, acting coquettishly.

"What?" Lin Lang looked down at Zhao Liying, a playful smile in his eyes. His voice was low and deep, like a feather tickling the tip of one's heart. "Are you already in such a hurry to put a label on me?"

"Cao Cao liked other men's wives, but I only like you, is that not allowed?"

The warm breath brushed past her ear, and Zhao Liying's cheeks flushed instantly. She struggled to pull away, but Lin Lang gripped her wrist even tighter.

She could clearly hear Lin Lang's steady heartbeat pounding in his chest, each beat making her feel flustered and uneasy.

"Hmph, you're lying. Who knows how many concubines you kept hidden away in the Tang Dynasty?" Zhao Liying turned her face away, her voice barely audible, and scolded, "Just now you said that Emperor Li Zhi betrothed Helan Minyue to you."

Lin Lang chuckled, gently putting his other arm around Zhao Liying's waist and pulling her closer. "My dear consort, are you... jealous?"

"No way!" Zhao Liying retorted quickly and urgently, her pouting lips almost high enough to hang an oil bottle, but it betrayed her.

Lin Lang's smile deepened as he looked at Zhao Liying's insincere expression.

He deliberately lowered his head, his lips almost touching her earlobe, his voice as ambiguous as honey: "That's good. From now on... in my harem, only you, 'Little Concubine Zhao,' will be the most favored. No one else will catch my eye."

"You're so glib!" Zhao Liying blushed at Lin Lang's words. She raised her hand to cover his mouth, but he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

His palms were warm and dry, carrying a reassuring strength that caused Zhao Liying's struggle to loosen without her realizing it.

The two were so close that they could smell each other's scent.

Zhao Liying shyly looked up and met Lin Lang's deep eyes.

Her reflection was in it, filled with undisguised tenderness and doting, which softened her heart. Her earlier embarrassment vanished instantly, leaving only a sweet aftertaste.

She suddenly tiptoed and quickly kissed Lin Lang on the cheek, like a kitten that had stolen some cream. After the kiss, she tried to pull away, but Lin Lang grabbed the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.

The faint sounds of children's laughter could be heard from not far away. Zhao Liying quickly pushed Lin Lang away, took a step back embarrassedly, and whispered, "Stop fooling around, it won't be good if Tian'er and Yi'er see this."

Seeing Zhao Liying's flushed cheeks and watery eyes, Lin Lang couldn't help but laugh and say, "Alright, alright, stop fooling around, okay?"

Zhao Liying glared at Lin Lang reproachfully: "The children are still here... You're such a frivolous father."

Lin Lang followed her gaze and saw Xiao Haotian holding his sister's hand, looking at them curiously with a blank expression on his face.

He couldn't help but chuckle softly, his tone tinged with a roguish charm, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "What are you afraid of? It's a good opportunity for Tian'er and Yi'er to see that their little Aunt Zhao is the apple of Father's eye."

Zhao Liying was both embarrassed and angry at Lin Lang's words, but she couldn't help but smile, her eyes overflowing with sweetness.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Xiao Zhiyi ran over, holding a piece of candy, and looked up at her, shouting, "Father! Aunt Zhao! What are you talking about? I want to hear too!"

Lin Lang picked up his daughter and kissed her on the cheek: "We're talking about how our Yi'er is going to do great things in the future."

Xiao Zhiyi blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite, and held the candy to his lips: "Then Father, eat the candy, so you'll have the strength to do great things!"

Lin Lang smiled as he put the candy in his mouth. As the sweetness spread, he glanced at Zhao Liying, who was smiling gently beside him, and then looked at Xiao Haotian, who was running over. His eyes were full of tenderness.

This vast land, all the power struggles and schemes, in the end, aren't they all for the sake of protecting our closest family members?

"Father, I want a hug too!" Little Haotian hugged Lin Lang's leg, tilted his head back, and reached out for a hug.

Lin Lang held Xiao Zhiyi in his left arm and bent down to pick up Xiao Haotian with his right hand. His two children's soft little bodies were heavy and warm to the touch, which made him feel very at ease, as if he had the whole world.

Just then, two palace maids came running from the other end of the corridor, panting, their skirts askew. When they got close, they quickly knelt down and bowed, their voices trembling slightly: "Your Majesty, greetings!"

One of the palace maids wiped the sweat from her forehead and said apologetically.

"His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Eldest Princess ran so fast! We servants are slow, and we couldn't catch up with them before they disappeared in the back garden. We've finally found them here, thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty..."

Lin Lang said gently, "It's alright, the children are used to being naughty. Get up."

The two palace maids breathed a sigh of relief, quickly thanked the emperor, stood up, and stood aside with their hands at their sides.

Another palace maid bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's tutor and the princess's tutor are waiting in the Wenhua Hall."

"Today, His Highness the Crown Prince will be studying the 'Strategic Attack' chapter of 'The Art of War,' while His Highness the Princess will be studying the tactical theories and arithmetic of 'The Six Secret Teachings.' The time is almost up."

Upon hearing this, Lin Lang looked down at his two children in his arms; Xiao Haotian was sucking his fingers while holding a candy.

Xiao Zhiyi was playing with the buttons on his shirt. The two little ones looked bewildered, still caught up in their playful antics.