Chapter 1, How Did I Become a Prince?

Upon hearing Li Yi's words, the young attendant trembled, causing the entire plate to fall to the ground. She immediately began to shout loudly, and soon a large crowd rushed in from outside, among them a richly dressed woman, who is none other than Li Yi's current mother

The eunuch called out softly a few times, and then they heard Li Yi's stomach rumbling. With a smile, he handed over the plate filled with food.

What is referred to as doing one's best, of course, means that there is no other way! Upon hearing this, the noblewoman began to cry again

Li Yi remains oblivious to these rumors and gossip; having a thick skin is an essential skill for the people of the twenty-first century. Moreover, he knows that he is not a fool.

In the next moment, Li Yi found himself lying on the bed with a head injury

Who am I, where am I, what should I do

To be a dog of the Tang Dynasty is the greatest honor

His current name is still Li Yi, the ninth son of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He looks exactly the same as he did at the age of ten. If it were not for the long hair that only ancient people have, he would even think that he has returned to his youth.

For several days, Li Yi has been adapting to the new environment and repeatedly contemplating three questions

Who did this? Are you trying to kill me? This can't possibly be toxic, can it?

As for Li Yi's mother, who is also known as Princess Zhao Yuan, she was the daughter of Wang Shi, a founding hero of the Tang Dynasty. When she first entered the palace, she was merely a low-ranking consort, but later, due to her son's prominence, she was granted the title of Princess Zhao Yuan. However, the child she bore was somewhat dull-witted, and to put it bluntly, he was considered a fool, mentally deficient. Such a child was certainly not favored by the talented and ambitious Li Shimin. This explains why, even after injuring his head, Li Shimin did not personally come to check on him. Nevertheless, he did not neglect his son entirely; he had the eunuchs who served him send numerous gifts.

The group of eunuchs and palace maids behind her saw the empress crying, and without a second thought, they also burst into loud wails. Those outside, hearing the commotion, were thrown into a panic, mistakenly believing that the young prince Li Yi had passed away, and they rushed about in alarm.

Moreover, he has even more important matters to attend to, and that is today! He intends to cause a commotion at the Imperial Kitchen, showcasing his exceptional skills

Who are you? Where am I? Which production team are you from?

Historically, Li Shimin's ninth son was Li Zhi, who later became Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. However, it now seems that he has been replaced by Li Yi, with Li Zhi becoming the tenth son. Consequently, the subsequent princes have all shifted back one position in the order.

When Shen You awakened, it was already pitch dark outside. The room was lit by lanterns, and beside him stood a young man, no older than twenty, with a fair complexion, dressed in a cap and robe. The man was holding a plate, on which were placed some items, and his face bore an expression of concern.

Thus, it chattered and clamored throughout the night

Li Yi, who had just woken up and still looked bewildered, did not quite understand the woman's rambling later on. He only vaguely sensed that this woman seemed to be his mother

The elderly imperial physician picked up the piece of meat that had fallen on the ground. Although it had been bitten by Li Yi, he did not mind. First, he inserted a silver needle into it; it had not changed color. Then, he grabbed a eunuch and, amidst the eunuch's cries, stuffed the meat into his mouth, swallowing it down without dying.

Let us not mention the television and computer; there are no benches here, and one can only lie down or kneel to sit. It is unbearably uncomfortable to cover oneself with a quilt, which is not at all like the cotton used in later generations. Sleeping is also quite chilly; how wonderful it would be to have a different heated bed.

I reached out to pick up the chopsticks from the plate, selected a piece of meat that looked like it had been boiled, and without thinking much, I stuffed it into my mouth, as I was truly too hungry

The most important thing is that the food is too unpalatable

Li Yi gazed at the empty room, where only a young eunuch was waiting outside, calling out. The room, which had just been filled with people, quickly emptied under the reprimand of a woman whose attire and demeanor clearly indicated her immense nobility, and the surroundings fell silent in an instant

In just a few days, Li Yi set a goal—to save the people of the Tang Dynasty from their dire straits!

Since there is no way back, one can only strive to live splendidly in this world! As a庶子 (illegitimate son) and the Ninth Prince, with a historical halo surrounding the heir apparent Li Zhi, Li Yi is not particularly interested in the throne for the time being. Coming from a business family, Li Yi has been accustomed to a life of luxury since childhood. However, upon arriving in the Tang Dynasty, life suddenly plunged him into the depths of hell. Even as a prince, his life is not as good as that of a moderately well-off family in the 21st century. Apart from having someone to attend to him at all times, there are hardly any other benefits.

The woman spoke for a while, and seeing Li Yi's dazed expression with no reaction, she hugged him and cried for a bit before leaving on her own

He looked completely bewildered, not because his head had been injured, but because—he had traveled through time!

Li Yi was somewhat surprised that he had actually crossed over to become a prince, but he did not know which dynasty he was in. The Han or Tang dynasties would be fine, but if he had crossed over to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms or the Northern and Southern Dynasties, that would truly be a matter of putting his head in a noose.

There are no life monitors, no ventilators, no doctors in white coats, no beautiful nurses... Oh, well, there is actually one, to be precise, a young palace maid.

Go! To the Culinary Bureau!

Li Yi had a plan, and he immediately got out of bed after lying there for several days. The weather was slightly chilly, as autumn was approaching. It was not that he did not want to enjoy the lazy life of a prince, but the food cooked by the chef was simply too unpalatable. He would rather die than continue eating that.

Having understood the first two questions, Li Yi has a third question—what should I do

The elderly physician furrowed his brows, stepped aside, consulted with Li Yi's mother, and then said

External enemies? The neighboring countries have already been dealt with one by one by Li Shimin. Li Jing, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, and others are all renowned generals shining in the annals of history, and there is basically no need for Li Yi to intervene. The nickname of the Tang Dynasty as the "Great Power Annihilator" is not without reason; any neighboring country of considerable size will undoubtedly be subdued or destroyed by the Tang Dynasty.

It is no wonder that my mother occasionally displays the kind of resentful gaze that one would expect from a concubine in a palace drama. Anyone who has been neglected by their own husband for several years would likely harbor feelings of resentment, wouldn't they? Even if he is the emperor

These three questions are of utmost importance to Li Yi. Therefore, over the past few days, Li Yi has not stepped out of his door, instead rotating to bring people in for inquiries, and has finally clarified his current situation

Looking at the Ninth Prince sitting on the bed, his head wrapped in thick burlap, the imperial physician who had exerted tremendous effort to rescue the prince shook his head. The child, who was never particularly bright, is now completely foolish. Alas, what does it matter if he is a prince? What a pity, what a pity.

... ...

This is also the reason why Li Yi has been in a daze until now

Before long, a woman's sigh of relief echoed in the room, accompanied by a youthful voice inquiring and the gasps of the palace maids.

As for the time, specifically the era name, it is the tenth year of the Zhenguan era. Knowing the era name, Li Yi would also know who the emperor is, which means he would know who his esteemed father is, the renowned and illustrious emperor of all time, the Heavenly Khan Li Shimin

With a call, Li Yi, accompanied by a group of subordinates, hurriedly exited the Yuan Zhen Hall. Everyone was greatly intrigued by the fact that the foolish Ninth Prince was actually going out. However, since Li Yi was a prince, it was unrealistic to treat him like an animal in a zoo; at most, they could only watch from a distance, whispering cautiously to one another, merely discussing this foolish prince Li Yi.

On the other side, the eunuch Gao Bao, who was in attendance, saw Li Yi rise and hurriedly followed him with the clothes. The palace maids came in and quickly helped Li Yi put on his garments. Alas, let me bear the burden of feudalism's dross alone

Your Highness, the Ninth Prince

Li Yi was originally on vacation on the West Coast of the United States. As the heir to a family business that has spread across the globe, he was someone who could easily engage in light-hearted banter with two prominent figures. Li Yi's wonderful life was just beginning. After enduring the strict education of his family and finally completing his studies, he was just starting to enjoy life. Having successfully struck up a conversation with a blonde beauty, he planned to hit a home run that night and lose his virginity. However, while basking in the sun on the West Coast, a massive wave suddenly crashed down on him, accompanied by the screams of the crowd.

Upon hearing the words shouted by Li Yi, the young eunuch mistakenly thought that Li Yi's food had been poisoned. He knelt on the ground and explained the situation to the elegantly dressed woman. Everyone immediately became flustered, and Li Yi's mother simply threw herself onto Li Yi, once again bursting into tears.

If possible, Li Yi would like to return to the modern twenty-first century, where various harmful gases, reinforced concrete, polystyrene, and sandstorms await him! However, this is clearly unlikely.

The imperial physician has arrived again, and the Golden Guard responsible for protecting the imperial city has been mobilized

What on earth is this meat? It is both fishy and astringent, leaving an indescribable feeling of disgust, truly so unpalatable that it feels as if it has been poisoned

Writing is only possible with a brush, which is completely unfamiliar. There isn't even a decent notebook available, and the paper is extremely rough, making Li Yi long for the small notebooks that used to cost fifty cents at the corner shop, which felt incredibly comfortable to the touch.

The colorful scene before him was almost like being in a costume drama. Looking at his shrunken hands and body, Li Yi's head buzzed; it was almost certain that he had traveled through time! Following that, a flood of memories from his past life surged in, so vivid that he could even recall the sensation of touching a girl's bottom when he was a child

Your Highness, there is no poison in the meat. It is the Crown Prince who has suffered a severe injury to his head, and the blood clots have not dissipated. I fear he may have lost his sanity. All I can do is... do my utmost.

In the next moment, Li Yi rudely spat out the piece of meat

Step one! Improve the diet! Under no circumstances should I allow the renowned chefs of the Imperial Kitchen to ruin this budding flower of the Tang Dynasty. The cuisine of the Tang Dynasty consists only of steaming and boiling; although there is also roasting, it is not commonly consumed. I do not understand how these chefs managed to enter the palace. Whether it is steaming or boiling, the food they prepare is so unpalatable, it is truly remarkable.

At the entrance, the imperial physician in a crimson robe was issuing orders, and although everyone was in a hurry, they remained orderly.

In the tenth year of the Zhenguan era, within the capital city of Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty, in front of the Yuan Zhen Hall of the Daxing Palace, a large number of palace maids and eunuchs holding various fabrics and bronze vessels were waiting at the entrance, occasionally someone was called inside, while others hurriedly walked out.

Life in the Tang Dynasty is primarily too dull; apart from watching dances, listening to music, and engaging in intimate activities at night, there are no other forms of entertainment. How can this be acceptable? Not to mention, there should at least be animation, films, video games, novels, comics, and musical dramas, right? However, the first step must be to improve the quality of life, which is urgent, starting with the Yuan Zhen Hall where I reside.

Upon seeing this man, Li Yi inexplicably thought of two words—eunuch