Li Shimin is truly aging.
Though he had only a few cups of wine, his body couldn't handle it, and he had to leave the banquet early.
Death is near at hand.
Even Li Shimin could feel it.
Yet he persisted, maintaining his dignity in front of the envoys from all directions.
The celebration was not confined to the palace.
It included the common people of Chang'an.
Likewise, during this grand celebration, they exuberantly proclaimed the current prosperity of the Great Tang.
The entire city of Chang'an was brightly lit, and nearly everyone's face was adorned with a smile; this is the Great Tang capital of today, at the pinnacle of the world.
And it will leave endless legends for posterity.
Yet—
To Li Shimin, after the splendor fades, only solitude remains, eroding the bones.
He did not return to his sleeping quarters.
Instead, he slowly ascended the Lingyan Pavilion alone.
The dim candlelight gradually illuminated.
