The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 653: Court Battle
On this day, a grand court meeting was held in Taiji Hall!

After all the ministers shouted "Long live Li Shimin", the civil and military officials stood in rows and looked up at Li Shimin, who was sitting on the steps wearing a dragon robe and a crown.

Li Shimin looked around majestically, and then his eyes fell on Li Yan who was standing in the front, and he immediately asked: "Prince, it has been more than a month. How is the construction of Yongtong Canal going? When can the canal be irrigated?"

Li Yan stepped forward and reported, "My father, after nearly a month of hard work, the main construction of the Yongtong Canal was completed yesterday. Only the reinforcement of the embankments along the way remains, which can be completed within three to five days."

"Yesterday afternoon, the water level in the canal had already risen. I have ordered the grain ships parked at Fengling Ferry outside Tongguan to sail along the canal to the capital. If everything goes well, the grain ships on the trial voyage will be able to reach Chang'an before sunset today."

"Hahaha!"

Li Shimin was very pleased and said, "Your Highness has been meticulous and diligent in his work. Although the restoration of the Yongtong Canal had many twists and turns, it was finally completed in time, solving the food shortage crisis in the capital."

"Pass on my decree. For your contribution in repairing the canal, the Crown Prince will be given an additional 500 households as a reward. In addition, the officers and soldiers of the 16 guards and the officials of the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau who repaired the Yongtong Canal should also be rewarded according to their merits. The Crown Prince can draw up a list of meritorious personnel, and I can implement it after discussing with the ministers."

"Your son thanks the emperor on behalf of everyone!" Li Yan thanked him.

Even though Li Ke wanted to add 300 households to his fief and the ministers were arguing over it, Li Ke was just an ordinary prince, while Li Yan was the crown prince and the future emperor, half a monarch, so no minister had any objection to whatever the emperor wanted to reward.

First, the prince has a special status. Even if the emperor rewards him with 10,000 households, no one will compete with him. Second, it is meaningless. The world will be his sooner or later. It is just a little bit given in advance. The prince will not take it too seriously and will not develop unreasonable ambitions. He is destined to be the emperor.

Seeing this, the ministers followed suit and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Li Ke, who had been reflecting on his mistakes at home for nearly a month and was just released by the emperor wearing prince's clothes, curled his lips when he saw this, feeling very depressed.

After suffering a series of blows, all the glory and prestige he had gained from the trip to Suizhou some time ago, which he had risked his life for, were destroyed in an instant. Quan Wanji was demoted three levels but retained on the job, Cheng Huailiang was killed by the remnants of Prince Yin, and his job of repairing the Yongtong Canal was also taken away from him. He hid at home for a whole month, watching the prince reaping the rewards, and felt very aggrieved.

"Father, I have something to report!"

"What's the matter, Prince? Tell me." Li Shimin was in a good mood and looked at Li Yan with satisfaction.

Li Yan said calmly, "Father, this Yongtong Canal is not just the work of this son alone. The previous breach was repaired by my third brother. He did not return home for several days and nights, and devoted himself to the construction site. The repaired canal is still as solid as before."

"Then the Zuotun Guard incident happened, and my third brother was misunderstood by the ministers, so he was dismissed from his post. Later it was proved that it was not entirely my third brother's fault. I hope that the emperor will reward my third brother for his diligence and hard work."

As soon as these words came out, the court officials immediately buzzed, and everyone looked at the Crown Prince with approval, praising him softly: "Your Highness has a broad mind, and is indeed kind and honest."

"Who says it's not true? Your Highness is a man of love and loyalty, and he acts like an elder brother."

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince is friendly and caring towards his brothers. This is truly a blessing to the country..."

"."

For a while, the sound of boasting was endless. Even Li Shimin, who was sitting on the dragon throne, had a look of pleasure on his face and nodded with satisfaction.

Li Ke's heart choked and he felt annoyed. He thought that as a prince, he always thought highly of himself and was far superior to the crown prince. How could he accept charity? His neck stiffened and he was ready to step forward and refuse.

Before he could move, a civil servant behind him passed him and bumped into Li Ke because he rushed forward too quickly. Li Ke was startled. It turned out to be Cen Wenben who came forward. It seemed that because he bumped into him, Cen Wenben turned around and apologized slightly, then winked at Li Ke, ignoring Li Ke's ugly face.

He raised his tablet and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is broad-minded, caring for his brothers, and has the demeanor of a benevolent monarch. I admire him very much. I also agree with your words. The Yongtong Canal is the result of the concerted efforts of the Crown Prince and the King of Shu. Your Majesty should commend him."

Li Ke suddenly felt bitter. The prince was so good at seeking favor. He could refuse this favor. If he refused at this moment, everyone would think that he was ungrateful and wanted to go against the prince. Then he would lose more. Li Shimin was very pleased and said, "Okay, Wen Ben said well. In this case, the king of Shu should be rewarded for repairing the canal. I think he should be granted 200 households."

"Your Majesty is wise." The ministers echoed again, and Li Yan and Li Ke also knelt down to thank him.

Seeing that this matter was over, Li Shimin talked about another matter: "All the ministers know that the position of General of the Left Guard cannot be vacant forever. Do you have any suitable candidates that you can recommend? I will consider it as appropriate."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the ministers suddenly fell silent again. Everyone knew that Cheng Huailiang was Li Ke's man, so the Zuotunwei Army was within Li Ke's sphere of influence. Moreover, Cheng Huailiang died in the line of duty. Logically, out of consideration for the feelings of the King of Shu, the King of Shu should be asked to recommend a candidate. So no one spoke, otherwise they would offend the King of Shu.

Li Yan's heart moved. He knew that during this period, Quan Wanji had begun to instigate Li Ke to fight for this position for Chai Zhewei. They had discussed this matter when they were drinking together. Especially when Wu Qing's affairs were exposed, Li Ke felt that it would not be difficult to fight for this position for Chai Zhewei.

Li Ke had already made a promise to Chai Zhewei in private, and asked Chai Zhewei to mobilize his father Chai Shao to find some connections, so that the two could work together. After all, Chai Zhewei's mother Li Xiuning was Li Shimin's biological sister, and Chai Zhewei was also a royal relative.

However, even though he had decided not to fight for this position, it did not prevent him from using this position to do something, nor could he let Li Ke get it too easily.

Seeing Li Ke standing beside him preparing to step forward, Li Yan said first: "Father, I recommend someone who is definitely qualified for this position."

"Oh, who did the prince recommend?" Li Yan came out to argue. Li Shimin was happy to see it happen, so he asked with interest.

"Father, I recommend the son-in-law, Commandant Cheng Huaimo, to take over this position!"

Seeing everyone in the hall looking puzzled, including Cheng Yaojin in the crowd, who looked shocked, Li Yan spoke eloquently: "Father, the former General Cheng Huailiang, the General of the Left Tunwei, died in the line of duty, and General Cheng lost his beloved son. Now General Cheng and his eldest son Cheng Huaimo are both guarding the frontier in Dingxiang, and the Turks have been invading for years, and the border is in danger. I suggest that Cheng Huaimo be transferred back to Chang'an to serve, so that he can accompany his old mother at home and show his filial piety."

"Secondly, Chang'an is safer after all, and General Cheng can serve the country with peace of mind."

"Thirdly, the position vacated by General Cheng Huailiang will be taken up by his brother, which can be regarded as a kind of comfort to the spirit of Major General Huailiang in heaven."

After Li Yan finished speaking, he smiled at Li Ke in a kind manner, as if he was thinking of his elder brother!

Li Ke was immediately kicked in the heart again, and the words that came to his mouth to recommend Chai Zhewei could not be said for a while. Everyone knew that Cheng Huailiang was his die-hard supporter, and the prince's recommendation was obviously to take his feelings into consideration. But Li Ke knew that Cheng Yaojin was quite dissatisfied with him because of Cheng Huailiang's death, and Cheng Huaimo had always followed Cheng Yaojin at the border, and there was no friendship between him and him at all.

Moreover, this time it was the prince who recommended him. If the Zuotunwei was really given to Cheng Huaimo, then they would only remember the prince's favor. Who would remember that they had made a great sacrifice?

But from an open point of view, the prince was indeed thinking about his own interests. If he promoted Chai Zhewei again, it would firstly give everyone the feeling that he was not giving face to the prince. Secondly, it would also make the ministers feel that he was too greedy and his behavior was too ugly, as he actually promoted two of his own people at once to compete for the position of Zuotunwei Army.

Look at the prince, how polite and courteous he is. In comparison, I feel even more like a non-human.

Damn, is the prince really stupid or smart? He has put himself in a difficult position again. When did he have such a brain?
Li Ke waited a little, he wanted to wait for Cheng Yaojin to come out and decline, he knew that Cheng Huaimo was Cheng Yaojin's eldest son, and would inherit the title of Duke of Lu in the future, such a person would generally not participate in the fight for the prince. Nine years after Wude, Li Shimin came to power, Cheng Yaojin took both sons to the frontier, on the one hand to train them, on the other hand to prevent his sons from getting involved in the fight for the throne.

Cheng Huailiang died unexpectedly this time, and Cheng Yaojin would never let his eldest son, whom he had devoted his efforts to training, return to Beijing!
But Li Ke guessed half right. At this time, Cheng Yaojin saw that the prince recommended his eldest son. On the one hand, he was unwilling from the bottom of his heart. Although his son did not die because of the dispute between the prince and the King of Shu, he was involved in the struggle between the remnants of Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, which was also a party struggle from a certain perspective.

He had indeed made up his mind not to let his son come back, and after a month's bereavement leave, he would immediately leave Chang'an, the troubled place, and go to the border.

But on the other hand, Cheng Yaojin is now in a very difficult situation, because of the incident in the ninth year of Wude, he wants to repair his relationship with the prince very much. If the emperor is dissatisfied with the prince, he can ignore it, but the emperor does not have any intention of alienating the prince. In this case, what must he do?
He was not like Yuchi Gong and Zhang Gongjin. Those people never took sides, stayed out of things, and were aloof. No matter who succeeded to the throne, their positions would not be shaken in any way.

But he had done things that offended the prince in private, so unlike others, he had to take sides. Either he should side with the King of Shu and be determined to go against the prince, or he should side with the prince, so that he could perhaps repair the relationship and make up for his mistake.

(End of this chapter)