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

Chapter 964 Accompanying the king is like accompanying a tiger

Taiji Palace, in the bedroom of Chengqing Hall.

After half a month of rest, Li Shimin's mental state improved slightly. Today, he was able to get up from the dragon bed and walk around a bit.

However, Li Shimin's face was dark, his eyes were cloudy, and he felt an unprecedented emptiness in his body, as if he was carrying a few hundred kilograms of weight on his back, and he was weak all over. After just two steps, he felt a deep sense of fatigue.

After a while, his vision became blurry and he almost fell down again.

With the help of the queen, he quickly lay down on the bed again and gasped for breath. This feeling was really too bad.

He knew that perhaps he had really reached the end of his life.

Thinking of his noble position as the Son of Heaven and his lifetime achievements, he also had plans for the future of the Tang Dynasty in his mind, which could transform the Tang Dynasty completely and lay a solid foundation for its eternal prosperity.

But when I was faced with the ruthless passage of life, I realized that without a healthy body, everything would return to zero.

Li Shimin now regrets that he should not have coveted beauty, and should not have worked so hard for state affairs. In the face of life and health, those so-called desires and achievements are nothing but temporary flashes.

It is extremely beautiful, but its brilliance only lasts for a moment.

Just for this moment of brilliance, he destroyed the foundation that supports all things with his own hands.

Lying on the couch, Li Shimin seemed to have experienced his entire life. He thought about his youthful vigor, the tributes from all nations in his middle age, the expansion of territory and the glory of the world in his later years, and now he was about to lose everything in front of him.

Everything in the past is like a dream. When you wake up, everything is empty.

Suddenly, the appearance of Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty and the late Emperor Li Yuan appeared in his mind. Li Shimin felt that his fate was no different from theirs. He was just a slave to fame and fortune. He thought he was the master of the world, but he could not escape the cycle of fate.

In Jiangdu, Yang Guang was faced with his former subjects rising up in rebellion, which led to the destruction of the country and the fall of its people; his father Li Yuan was faced with fratricide, and the heads of his two sons were chopped off by another son, and he, the founding emperor, was forced to abdicate.

The helplessness and sadness they felt back then are exactly the same as my powerlessness now!
Looking back on the past, Li Shimin looked up at the ceiling of the hall, a tear silently rolled down his eyes, and he smiled bitterly.

Haha, the emperor? Son of God?

It's ridiculous. I once thought I could control the world, but in the end I found out that I couldn't even control my own body.

A white hand, holding a soft Shu brocade handkerchief, gently brushed across Li Shimin's old eyes, wiping away his tears: "Erlang, separation is the most hurtful. The imperial physician has told you to maintain a good attitude, which will help you recover from your illness."

"My body knows that I don't have much time left."

Li Shimin looked at the queen who had accompanied him throughout his life with gentle eyes, and reached out to grab Zhangsun Wugou's wrist, his eyes full of regret: "Young couples are companions in old age, this saying is true! Guanyin maid, I just know now that my old wife is still the best."

Changsun Wugou was also over forty years old, but her body, which had been nursed back by Li Yan, still had a trace of imperial energy full of vigorous vitality. With the nourishment of this energy, Changsun Wugou escaped the fate of being plagued by energy diseases in history.

My physical fitness has improved!
In addition, Li Shimin later took in many concubines and fell in love with them. Zhangsun Wugou was powerless to persuade her, so she had to return to the harem to spend her remaining years. She spent her days playing with her grandchildren, living a life of luxury, and taking good care of her body, looking like a young woman in her thirties.

Living in a place changes your energy and nourishing your body.

Changsun Wugou was in middle age, her figure was no longer as slim as when she was young, and she had gained a little weight, but she looked even more like a model for the whole country.

Her face is like the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival, her complexion is like the flowers in the early spring, her temples are as sharp as a knife, her beauty is like peach petals, her eyes are like autumn waves, and her spirit is bright. Every gesture and movement shows the grace and elegance of the queen, which makes people dare not look directly at her.

Compared with Li Shimin, who has a face full of white hair, they look like father and daughter at first glance.

Looking at the old Li Shimin, Changsun Wugou felt sad and lamented that time was so cruel. It was really sad that Li Erlang, who was once in his prime and had the appearance of a dragon and a phoenix, was now reduced to this state.

Changsun Wugou did not blame Li Shimin anymore, but comforted him: "Your Majesty, don't think too much. The imperial doctors have said that you are just seriously injured. If you rest and take good care of yourself, you will be well in no time."

Li Shimin closed his eyes and shook his head in pain: "Queen, there is no need to say more words of comfort. Now I may leave at any time, and the Tang Dynasty cannot be without an heir. I want to appoint a crown prince. Among these children, who do you think can shoulder the future of the Tang Dynasty?"

"Your Majesty, I am just a woman. Our Tang Dynasty has a clear rule that women in the harem are not allowed to interfere in government affairs."

Zhangsun Wugou was shocked and said with embarrassment: "The selection of a crown prince is related to the eternal future of the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty should discuss it with prime ministers like Prime Minister Fang, Lord Cen, and Lord Xiao. How dare I express my opinion?" The royal family has its own inheritance system. If there is a legitimate son, the eldest son will be the crown prince. If there is no legitimate son, the eldest son will be the crown prince. This is the rule.

Historically, Empress Changsun died early, so it was not possible for Li Ke, the son of Concubine Yang, to take the throne. Not to mention that the Empress is still alive, so it is even more impossible for Li Ke to take the throne.

As the empress, Zhangsun Wugou was honored by her son. In addition, the Zhangsun family was very powerful, so Li Shimin had no choice but to choose among the three legitimate sons. Zhangsun Wugou naturally favored the eldest son, Li Chengqian, but after fifteen years of separation, he was never seen alive or dead.

Changsun Wugou had long given up hope that her eldest son would survive. The eldest grandson, Li Xiang, was young; the second son, Li Tai, had many supporters in the court, but he had no feelings for Changsun Wugou; the third son, Li Zhi, was only three years older than Li Xiang, had just turned eighteen, and was not close to Empress Changsun.

Empress Changsun didn't know who to choose for a moment. She was in a dilemma. No matter who she chose, she would still be the empress dowager. Instead of casually choosing a prince or grandson, wouldn't it be troublesome for her if someone else ascended the throne?
Of course, as the empress dowager, it was no big deal for her to make recommendations casually and offend people, but Zhangsun Wugou was not like that.

No matter who the new emperor is, he dare not do anything to me?
However, the princes and grandchildren proposed by her would inevitably be suspected by the new emperor in the future, which was something Changsun Wugou did not want to see.

The selection of the crown prince has always been the sole decision of the emperor. Anyone who casually expresses his opinion on this issue may cause a catastrophe, even if he is the queen?

Zhangsun Wugou was born into a wealthy family and had been familiar with history books since childhood. Naturally, she knew that if Li Shimin was afraid that in the future there would be a situation where a mother was strong and a son was young, and if he followed the example of Lady Gouyi, Emperor Wu of Han, to prevent external relatives from interfering in politics, that would be a disaster for the world.

Thinking that she had accompanied Li Shimin for her entire life, yet at the end of her life, the emperor was so suspicious, probing and guarding against her, Zhangsun Wugou felt infinite sadness and a little resentment in her heart. She was not so sad about Li Shimin's miserable situation.

Changsun Wugou reminded herself again in her heart that the person in front of her was first the emperor, and then her husband.

Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger.
"Forget it, Queen, I also know your difficulties!"

Li Shimin also knew that after the prince's accident, the queen had devoted all her energy to raising her eldest grandson. In terms of relationship, she naturally had the deepest feelings for her eldest grandson. But the eldest grandson had just grown up, so there was no reason to bypass her son to establish her grandson.

Not to mention that Li Shimin himself was unwilling, he couldn't get past the court officials.

As for the slight temptation in his words, it can be said that it came from the emperor's instinct. Especially when he was weak and had not much time left, Li Shimin was like a wounded beast, even more dangerous, and he could not trust anyone now.

No one looks like a good person.
"Empress, I want to summon all the princes to see me one by one, test their knowledge in person, and select the new crown prince from among them. Starting with the oldest, let's summon Prince Wu Li Ke first."

Changsun Wugou's heart tightened and she looked at Li Shimin worriedly, only to see that Li Shimin had closed his eyes and was resting quietly.

With a silent sigh, he retreated.

In the guest hall of the outer palace, many important officials and princes were waiting here. During this period, the competition for the throne had reached a fever pitch, and the officials had no interest in government affairs. Every time they met Li Shimin, the first thing they reported was about the selection of the crown prince.

Afterwards, people from various factions continued to state the pros and cons and attack each other, making Li Shimin, who was already in poor health, even more confused.

Therefore, starting from three days ago, Li Shimin stopped meeting with his ministers and avoided the situation where court officials gathered together.

However, these ministers did not give up. Although the empress and the imperial physician advised not to disturb the emperor's recuperation, as soon as they entered the palace, they gathered in the reception room outside Chengqing Hall, treating it as if it were the court.

As soon as Zhangsun Wugou came out, Fang Xuanling, Xiao Yu, Zhangsun Wuji, Hou Junji, Cen Wenben, Ma Zhou, Chu Suiliang, Zhang Liang, Wang Gui, Wei Ting and other ministers surrounded her and asked, "Empress, is your Majesty feeling better?"

"I have something to report."

For some reason, Zhangsun Wugou suddenly felt extremely disgusted with these people. It was these people who turned her husband into a cold-blooded emperor. Her most beloved son also died early on the grassland for the so-called country.

The other children, also for the sake of power, gradually drifted away from him, and even brothers fought with each other and killed each other, without any family affection at all.

Now, her husband is about to leave, and these people are desperately urging him to die in the last moments of his life, not allowing him a moment of peace.

Is this the price of turning one’s family into one’s country?
Zhangsun Wugou felt dizzy and said calmly, "The emperor is in poor health and can't stand the noise from the adults. The emperor has ordered that he knows what the adults are most concerned about right now, and he wants to personally test the talents of the princes."

"The third prince, Li Ke, will come in alone. The other princes will wait in the back and come in turn to see the emperor."

"I am not feeling well, so I will leave first." After saying that, Changsun Wugou no longer cared about Li Shimin inside, and left with her maids.

(End of this chapter)