Tang Empire!
The halted war machine began to operate once more.
Wang Ming sat upon a chariot pulled by a mechanical beast, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
He had seen through the scheme of Lord Lao not long ago.
In official history, Li Shimin died in the thirteenth year of Zhenguan.
Yet in Journey to the West, he did not die and lived quite well.
This was because Buddhism had expended a great price to prolong his life.
As stated in the text:
Judge of the Underworld hurriedly rushed to the Hall of Records, inspecting the registers of heavenly blessings for the kings of all nations in the world one by one. He saw that Emperor Taizong of Tang in South Jambudvipa was destined for the thirteenth year of Zhenguan.
Judge of the Underworld was startled, and hurriedly took a thick-haired brush, adding two strokes to the character "one", and thus presented the ledger.
When the Ten Kings looked from the beginning, they saw that under Taizong's name thirty-three years were prescribed.
King Yama asked in shock, "How many years has Your Majesty ascended the throne?"
Taizong replied, "Since We ascended the throne, it has now been thirteen years."
King Yama said, "Your Majesty, set your mind at ease and worry not, there are still twenty years of mortal life remaining. Since this case has now been made clear, please return to your origin and revive."
According to the records in the Book of Life and Death, Li Shimin's lifespan was supposed to come to an abrupt halt at the end of the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, but Judge of the Underworld had added twenty years for him.
Li Shimin lived twenty years longer, and Tang Sanzang took a full fourteen years to fetch scriptures from the Western