Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 67 The Fate of Hou Junji
"There is only one person who can inherit my throne.

"That's the current crown prince, Li Chengqian!"

Li Shimin was only slightly stunned, then answered in a decisive tone.

Chang Sun Wuji then asked:

"Then your majesty, do you know that recently another prince has a hidden unstoppable momentum?"

If we talk about which "prince" can compete with the crown prince, it is naturally the second eldest son, Prince of Wei Li Tai, who is only one year younger than the crown prince.

But if we were to ask which "prince" he was, there was only one among his fourteen sons who had such a special status...

"You said... Li Ming poses a threat to Cheng Qian?"

Li Shimin found it somewhat unbelievable.

Li Shimin knew that Prince of Wei Li Tai was not submissive to the Crown Prince.

Because he had arranged this on purpose.

It can give Li Chengqian some competitive pressure and prevent him from giving up.

It can also instigate the ministers to take sides and fight among themselves, thereby weakening the power of the prime minister and consolidating the imperial power. The principle is similar to instigating the Guanlong Group to fight against the Hebei gentry.

He felt that Li Tai was under his control throughout the whole process, and the fight between the two perfectly implemented the principle of "fighting with words instead of fighting with fists".

However, Li Ming was completely unplanned.

This kid has a poor background, is young, has a bad temper, speaks harshly, and has all kinds of negative qualities.

No matter how Li Shimin plays political games, he can't use him to compete with Li Chengqian.

But that kid was like a wild bamboo in a crack in the rock. After a spring rain, he suddenly pushed aside the huge rock and suddenly appeared in the middle of his sight...

"Your Majesty, in the past six months, His Highness Li Ming's momentum has developed too fast." Zhang Sun Wuji's face was full of worry:
“He has always been on good terms with the sons of noble families, and can call the shots among the people with a piece of ridiculous words.

"Recently, there are rumors that he has gathered many righteous men among the refugees and craftsmen. He is also trying to arrange marriages between sisters and people from Hebei..."

After being reminded by his brother-in-law, Li Shimin suddenly realized that Li Ming had indeed done a lot of extraordinary things quietly.

Reconcile the conflict between the emperor and the crown prince, discover the secret behind Li Xiaogong's death, mobilize public opinion to create momentum out of thin air and overwhelm the court, and instigate the two major aristocratic groups to bite each other.

Plus, just yesterday, he saved my life...

And all this happened in just half a year!
If time passes...

"And that fellow...that prince is indecisive."

Zhang Sun Wuji's tone was somewhat sad and angry, as if he was shocked by Li Ming's shameless behavior:

"The officials of the Eastern Palace all thought that he supported the crown prince, and the military officers thought that he was one of their own. The nobles of Hebei considered him their friend, and even some people in Guanlong thought that they could win him over through Wei Daijia..."

Li Shimin's brows were getting tighter and tighter, as deep as if they were carved with a knife.

"I dare not say that His Highness Li Ming is restless, but his actions are hard not to cause misunderstanding."

Chang Sun Wuji reclaimed the original topic:

"Besides, His Highness Li Ming already has Fang Xuanling as his assistant. If he can get help from Hou Junji, I'm afraid...

"Not only will it make the East Palace uneasy, it may not be a blessing for him either."

Li Shimin understood and his frown suddenly relaxed:

"Assistant, what suggestions do you have? First, tell me how you plan to deal with Hou Junji."

Zhang Sun Wuji said bluntly:

"Your Majesty should strengthen support for the Eastern Palace and appoint Hou Junji as an official of the Eastern Palace to assist the Crown Prince."

Li Shimin glanced at Zhangsun Wuji:
"So you insist on detaining Hou Junji so that Cheng Qian can become the benefactor who releases him and take advantage of Li Ming?"

"I have only learned a little bit of Prime Minister Fang's strategies." Changsun Wuji made a veiled comment on his old rival.

Li Shimin stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.

If it were in the past, he would still feel that Li Chengqian was not experienced enough and needed to be given more challenges, and he couldn't just take over so smoothly.

But after yesterday's incident, he suddenly realized that the world is unpredictable and he might die suddenly at any time.

The crown prince may become the real monarch at any time.

This forced Li Shimin to examine the issue of succession more seriously.

Should we change our parenting strategy from tempering Cheng Qian to paving the way for him?

"But Cheng Qian is like that..."

When he thought of his successor's... voice, appearance and smile, Li Shimin's blood pressure rose again.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is talented enough to govern the country, but his efforts have not received a response from His Majesty, which makes him a little confused." Changsun Wuji carefully chose his words and defended Li Chengqian.

He truly felt sorry for his eldest nephew, who was on the one hand, guarding against his younger brother's bid for the throne, and on the other hand, behaved in a perverse manner, constantly attracting criticism.

Although Changsun Wuji did not know the concept of "schizophrenia", he also survived through mountains of swords and seas of fire.

I have seen soldiers on the front line suffer mental breakdowns under heavy pressure and perform absurd behaviors.

Li Ming was indeed right on this point.

Li Chengqian is almost driven crazy by the pressure...

"Well...you can tell Cheng Qian that he has improved his appearance recently. I have noticed it."

Li Shimin gave a positive evaluation of Li Chengqian's behavior of imitating the Turks.

The temperament of the people in the Tang Dynasty was always compromising. If they said that the prince was a jerk, that would be wrong. But if they said that the prince was a sissy, they would think that there was nothing wrong with wearing Hu clothing and riding and shooting.

"As for the arrangements for the other princes, there is no need for him to meddle in their affairs. Let him first set a good example as the crown prince and the eldest brother."

Li Shimin gave Zhangsun Wuji some encouragement and then let him leave.

After walking out of the hall, Changsun Wuji breathed a sigh of relief.

This basically sentenced Li Ming to political death.

Li Chengqian and Li Tai, as well as his eldest nephew and second nephew from his eldest grandson's family, could compete and fight with each other.

But why are you, the illegitimate son born to Princess Hailing, meddling in other people's affairs?

It happened to cause such a big noise that even Changsun Wuji was frightened.

"However, 'that' prince is indeed a young talent. What a pity, what a pity..." Changsun Wuji couldn't help but sigh with regret.

His murderous intention represented his respect and recognition for that minor political enemy.

…………

"Is there still this matter?
"Your Majesty was almost in an accident. Was it 'that' Highness who summoned a miracle to save him?!"

Hou Junji was holding his eldest grandson in his arms, listening to the crackling noise with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Really~hiss, so sour." Xue Wanche chewed the dried plums with the skin and pits, his face was shaped like a * because of the sourness.

The white-robed scholar Qibi Heli said:

"Heaven and man are one; this is the law of nature. His Highness Li Ming has a heart of his own child and his filial piety moves heaven. Why doesn't the general believe it?" "Him? A heart of his own child?" Hou Junji counted down all his impressions of that prince.

Punch Kong Yingda!
Punch the room and leave the rules!
Punch the Wei family’s lackeys!

Punch the aristocratic clique and all reactionaries!

It’s really punchy...

"Ah, Ah, Ah, Brother Ming is very powerful. All the poor people in Chang'an are saying that Brother Ming has magical powers and can turn sand into rice. The poor can cure all diseases by eating it, while the rich will get stomachaches by eating it!"

Hou Baolin sat in Hou Junji's arms, her two short legs swinging back and forth.

Has the legend of the porridge stall become so distorted... Hou Junji was speechless.

During this period, Li Ming truly demonstrated in front of Hou Junji what it meant to "Brother is no longer in the world, but his legend is still spreading around the world."

At first he was busy improving the printing technology, and later he was imprisoned in Lizheng Hall because of the Zhangsun Wuji Rebellion, so Li Ming never had the opportunity to talk to Hou Junji again.

Fortunately, he had come here frequently enough before and successfully lowered the bottom line of Sun Fujia, the Grand Justice Temple Minister and immortal master, so that his obedient grandson and his subordinates could come and go freely.

"General, you don't know this, do you?" Xue Wanche said carelessly:
"Guess what His Majesty Li Ming asked for after rescuing His Majesty?"

"What request? To make him the King of Qin?" Hou Junji took a sip of tea and felt that this was an answer that fit Li Ming's personality.

"Release you without charge." Qibi Heli took over the conversation.

Hou Junji paused with his hand that had placed the cup in mid-air, then put it back into his mouth and continued sipping.

When he had finished drinking, he muttered nonchalantly:
"have a finger in the pie."

"Brother Ming promised me to rescue Aung, and he will definitely do it." Hou Baolin was very confident.

"I don't want to come out. Isn't it quieter to read a book here than to be the leader of the kids?" Hou Junji snorted.

Xue Wanche said bluntly:
"General, that prince stirred up the people to save you, gave advice to Your Majesty and mobilized the Guanlong nobles to save you, and this time he even rescued the emperor to save you.

"This young master is righteous, so this might be a good place to go!"

This General Xue had quite a sense of chivalry. During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he was a general on Li Jiancheng's side, fighting for his master until his death.

After Li Jiancheng was killed, he fled to Mount Zhongnan (Qinling Mountains). It took Li Shimin repeated attempts to persuade him to come down and become an official.

Qibi Heli nodded in agreement:

"No reward without merit, and reward must be based on merit."

Hou Junji kept silent.

Taking sides has always been a science and one should not act on impulse.

If you stand on the wrong side, you will have to pay the price with power, life, or even the entire family.

In the eyes of outsiders, Hou Junji has already boarded the prince's big ship.

Compared with this, what future does Li Ming's small boat have?

However, he also encountered the same problem as Fang Xuanling -

"What am I in the eyes of the prince?"

He was labeled a "princeling" for nothing, and ended up in jail, but the prince's party was not moved at all.

It's more than just being unmoved.

The prince's uncle even added insult to injury and refused to let His Majesty release the person!

Otherwise, with Li Ming's great reputation, he would be able to regain his freedom anyway.

It is said that adding icing on the cake is not as good as sending charcoal in the snow...

Hou Junji's blood was stirring with speculation and adventure, and he looked at Xue Wanche with amusement:
"Speaking of which, that prince has a history with you——

"His biological mother is the former Princess of Qi."

Xue Wanche's brain wasn't very clear, and he touched his head in confusion:
"Isn't the Prince of Qi Li You? His Majesty has just granted him marriage to Wei as the Princess of Qi, and he already has such a big son?"

"..."Hou Junji suddenly didn't want to talk anymore.

Qibi Heli couldn't help but cover his face and said:

"It's the previous King of Qi, Li Yuanji!"

"Oh!" Xue Wanche suddenly realized.

At the time of the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Xue Wanche was Li Yuanji's subordinate and served as the deputy guard of the Prince of Qi's Palace.

In a sense, Li Ming can indeed be Xue Wanche's young master.

"It's a pity that His Highness Li Ming doesn't have a palace. I can't be the deputy guard of Lizheng Palace, right? Hahaha!"

Xue Wanche laughed heartily.

Hou Junji said thoughtfully:
"There will be, there will be."

…………

After the three visitors left, Hou Junji's thatched cottage returned to peace again.

Hou Junji holds a volume of "Zhenguan Law" in his hand——

After being seen through by Li Ming, he no longer dared to study the topography and geography of the Central Plains under the nose of the Dali Temple.

He didn't read a single word and was absent-minded the whole time.

He was really anxious because he was neither sentencing nor releasing him.

What’s even more infuriating is that the naughty prince who used to chatter and talk about “honesty and dedication” all the time suddenly stopped coming after annoying him for a long time.

The whole thatched cottage seemed a little deserted.

And the most infuriating thing is that that prince has been trying to make his presence felt indirectly through the mouths of others!

Perhaps Xue Wanche and Qibi Heli did not intend to lobby for Li Ming.

But Li Ming has become the hottest topic in the court. Whenever the court affairs are mentioned, he cannot be avoided.

Damn it, if that guy wanted to win over Hou Junji, why didn't he just be direct and explain it to him in person? !
"Damn it, I feel like a lonely little wife."

Hou Junji laughed at himself, took a deep breath to calm his anxious mood, and began to study the laws of the Tang Dynasty again.

At this moment, there was a noise outside the door.

The door opened.

Hou Junji's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He deliberately turned the book upside down on the table, rubbed his temple, and said in a slightly impatient tone:
"The fruits and snacks are placed at the entrance, just help yourself."

"It seems that there are many children visiting you, Duke Chen, recently." said the visitor, an adult's voice.

Hou Junji was startled and looked up suddenly.

The person who came was Changsun Wuji.

(End of this chapter)