My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 117 I will kill those whom Your Majesty dares not to kill
Dali Temple Prison.

It is dark here, and darkness and dampness are everywhere.

Only the candlelight on the wall was flickering, emitting a faint glow.

Although the whole place looked rotten, there was no strong odor. At least the cell where Yin Hongzhi was staying was barely clean and tidy, and the bedding and other items were also brand new.

Under Li Shimin's rule, prisoners still had certain human rights. After all, Li Shimin himself cared about this very much.

The interrogations at the Dali Temple were mainly aimed at officials and nobles, which could be considered as retaining the last bit of dignity for them.

"Today is the New Year's Day, but Prime Minister Fang is not at the banquet drinking and chatting with others, but is coming to my prison. What is his intention?"

It was probably because he was about to die and his heart was at peace. Yin Hongzhi understood that everyone could be spared from this case of treason, except him.

At this point, I have finally let it go.

Fang Xuanling sighed and said, "We are colleagues after all. First, I came to see you off, and second, I want to ask for some details. Please tell me the truth, Yin Zhongcheng."

Upon hearing this, Yin Hongzhi chuckled, picked up the wine jug beside him and took a sip.

During the New Year's Day, the prison cells were also rewarded with wine and meat.

"What else can I say? I have already explained everything that needs to be explained."

"The Crown Prince asked once, Sun Fujia asked once, and now you, Prime Minister Fang, ask once again."

"You really think highly of me."

Yin Hongzhi just thought it was ridiculous. When he was an official, he told lies all the time and everyone believed them.

Now that he is a prisoner, even if he tells the truth, no one will believe him and they keep asking him questions.

Fang Xuanling said calmly, "I came here today to ask about the matter between you and Hegan Chengji."

"Please tell me in detail, Yin Zhongcheng."

Upon hearing this, Yin Hongzhi raised his head suddenly and stared at Fang Xuanling, as if he wanted to see something on his face.

Fang Xuanling was not annoyed and let him look at him like this.

After a long time, Yin Hongzhi suddenly burst into laughter.

"I see. I see."

"Haha, you are not here to investigate the case, you are here for the Crown Prince, no, no, you are here for the King of Wei."

"Has the famous Prime Minister Fang also been involved in the dispute between the Crown Prince and the King of Wei? Or is he standing on the side of the King of Wei?"

Yin Hongzhi was of course well aware of the struggle between the Crown Prince and the King of Wei in the court.

His original intention was to take advantage of this struggle to develop himself and become a dark horse to seize the throne.

Unfortunately, the hero died before he could fulfill his mission.

Facing Yin Hongzhi's ridicule, Fang Xuanling's expression remained calm, and he simply said, "The Crown Prince has long known about Hegan Chengji's conspiracy with you to rebel, and you are just his shield."

"Don't you want to know why the prince suddenly took action at this moment?"

Yin Hongzhi's laughter stopped abruptly, and he said gloomily: "Fang Xuanling, what do you mean by this?"

Fang Xuanling continued, "When the prince killed Hegan Chengji, he arranged for another trusted guard to rush to Qizhou overnight and ordered the King of Qi to return to Chang'an in secret."

"When the King of Qi arrives, we will capture all of you in one fell swoop, apparently because we have discovered your rebellion."

"But you don't know that after he killed Hegan Chengji, he asked Hegan Chengji's son Hegan Nuo to surrender to the King of Wei and report him for treason."

Yin Hongzhi looked doubtful and asked, "Are you saying that the crown prince is also planning a rebellion?"

Fang Xuanling elaborated: "The prince matured early, supervised the country at the age of thirteen, led the ministers, and made wise judgments. How could such a prince not make people happy and support him?"

"However, Your Majesty is still in his prime, so there is no way for the Crown Prince to go out. Young people are full of youth and vigor, so how can the Crown Prince be willing to lie dormant for more than ten years, or even decades, to wait for the opportunity?"

"Back then, your Majesty staged the Xuanwu Gate Incident to seize the throne, and now the Crown Prince is plotting a rebellion to succeed to the throne. It's nothing to be surprised about if the son follows his father's lead."

Yin Hongzhi has been in power in the court for so many years, and has been secretly planning rebellion, so he has become a shrewd person.

After listening to this, he sneered and said, "So you, Fang Xuanling, must act like a loyal minister and expose the prince's rebellion."

"How ridiculous! With all your achievements, you were forced by His Majesty to join the King of Wei. I'm sure Prime Minister Fang must be unwilling to accept this."

"I just wanted to enjoy my old age and protect myself, but in the end I ended up participating in the fight for the throne and became a pawn in the hands of His Majesty. One wrong move will bring disaster to my descendants. It's really sad."

"If you are unwilling to give up, then you must prove it to His Majesty, prove your ability, and let the world know how powerful you, Fang Xuanling."

"Even if His Majesty and all the ministers in the court and the public are loyal to the prince, you must bring him down."

Fang Xuanling remained silent.

These words were like a knife stabbing my heart and lungs, almost breaking my defenses.

I have worked hard and devoted myself to this cause for decades, but now I am ruined in my old age.

He is old, now sixty-four, and is dying of old age.

I just wanted to protect the Fang family, but Your Majesty was so aggressive.

Is it his own choice to have come to this point? The truth is, he no longer has any choice.

After a while, Fang Xuanling sighed deeply and said, "If the King of Wei becomes the Crown Prince, he can vindicate Yin Zhongcheng, restore the title of King of Qi, and let Concubine Yin enjoy honor."

"Emperor Yin exiled his sons, but he can also recall them to Chang'an and restore their glory."

The word "vindication" means that if the King of Wei can win, then Yin Hongzhi's case of rebellion will be regarded as a frame-up by the prince.

Yin Hongzhi has several children. He doesn't care about his daughters, but he is most worried about his three sons. They will not be implicated and beheaded, but they will definitely be exiled to Lingnan.

He also has a close relationship with his nephew, the King of Qi, and his sister, Concubine Yin. Being able to be reinstated as a king and enjoy honor is the best ending for Yin Hongzhi.

Let him die and everyone else be happy.

At this point, Yin Hongzhi had no choice but to smile and say, "I usually like to gamble, but it doesn't make sense for me to gamble my entire fortune once I enter a casino."

"The prince is tyrannical and will whip officials at the slightest sign of trouble. This is true of Zhang Xuansu and Lu Yizhong. Famous scholars and aristocratic families are no different from the common people in the eyes of the prince."

"Their ruthlessness in killing is even more frightening. Prime Minister Fang did not leave himself any room for retreat. Didn't he ever think about how to face the Crown Prince's crazy revenge if he failed?"

Fang Xuanling said calmly, "Once is new, twice is familiar. I won the bet with Your Majesty once before, and now it's just another time."

Yin Hongzhi was stunned, and then he remembered that this was not the first time Fang Xuanling had tried to seize the throne, so he was very experienced and was just returning to his old ways.

After a brief silence, Yin Hongzhi asked, "Prime Minister Fang's credibility is well-known, and I believe in it."

"It's just that Prime Minister Fang is old, and as I said before, Your Majesty is still in his prime."

"Even if the King of Wei becomes the Crown Prince, how long will it take to wait? By then, I'm afraid Prime Minister Fang will have passed away. How can I guarantee that the King of Wei will help me redress my wrongdoing?"

Fang Xuanling attracted many talented people to join Li Shimin in those days, and his credibility is impeccable.

But the same cannot be said about King Wei.

Yin Hongzhi's worries are not without reason.

Fang Xuanling said calmly: "The Crown Prince is unwilling to remain dormant and wants to rebel to succeed to the throne. Does that mean that the King of Wei is willing to remain dormant after becoming the Crown Prince?"

"My old bones should be able to hold on for a few more years without any problem."

Yin Hongzhi was speechless. It seemed that no matter who became the crown prince, he would rebel.

If you think about it carefully, this is the same truth.

The situation of Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan in those days was very similar to the current situation. Whether it was the Kunming Lake coup by the hidden crown prince Li Jiancheng or the Xuanwu Gate coup by Li Shimin, whoever succeeded would have Li Yuan abdicate.

It sounds normal that whoever becomes the crown prince would rebel nowadays.

Anyway, the situation can't get any worse, and this is the only option for Yin Hongzhi.

Fang Xuanling finally gave Yin Hongzhi some hope.

"If Yin Zhongcheng cooperates well enough and the King of Qi is also willing to cooperate wholeheartedly, and if he can expose the Crown Prince's rebellion before he is executed in the autumn, it will be considered a meritorious report, and Yin Zhongcheng may not necessarily die."

When Yin Hongzhi heard this, hope suddenly ignited in his heart.

The Tang Dynasty emphasized following the will of nature and believed that spring and summer were the seasons for all things to grow and flourish, representing vitality and hope. It was not appropriate to carry out such a grim act as the death penalty.

Excessive killing goes against the laws of nature and can easily lead to disasters.

In autumn, the grass and trees wither and the air is filled with a bleak and desolate atmosphere; executing an executioner at this time is in accordance with the rhythm of nature.

Therefore, unless under special circumstances, the execution would be carried out in the autumn.

If the prince's rebellion had been exposed before, causing turmoil in the court, it would have been possible for Yin Hongzhi to escape with his life.

Even ants try to survive, even if it's just a lingering breath. Who wants to die as long as they can live?

Thinking of this, Yin Hongzhi said seriously: "I will do whatever Prime Minister Fang wants me to do."
-
At the Taiji Palace banquet.

After Crown Prince Li Chengqian gave his brothers a scolding, they all surrendered.

Of course, this does not include King Wei Li Tai.

To these younger brothers, the eldest brother’s scolding was more terrifying than their father’s.

After all, my father was still tolerant of ministers of remonstrance. Even if they criticized him to his face, he never settled the score with them afterwards.

My eldest brother is different.

Zhang Xuansu, who tried to persuade him, was nearly beaten to death, and Lu Yizhong, who tried to stop him, was also beaten half to death.

If you don't listen to your father, you will just be scolded, which is not a big deal.

Big brother, he really knows how to hit people.

No one thought that what Big Brother said was just a joke.

He had no appetite for food and was only thinking about who was the spy planted by his elder brother in his own house.

When we get back, we must conduct a thorough investigation.

The meal was tasteless and dreadful.

Fortunately, halfway through the banquet, the prince was called away by the emperor, which made everyone relax a lot.

Inside the Tai Chi Hall.

When Li Shimin saw the prince coming, he asked the eunuch to bring a chair.

The dragon table is large and wide enough, so it is not crowded for the father and son to sit on it, and it is also convenient for them to chat.

It can also demonstrate to the ministers the emperor's favor towards the prince, the harmony between father and son, and dispel some rumors.

If the emperor and the crown prince live in peace and stability, there will be less turmoil in the court.

"A year's plan begins with spring. What are Cheng Qian's ideas for this year?"

"The matter of attacking Gaoli has now made some progress. Xiangli Xuanjiang sent a message two days ago saying that the conversation with Gaoli's Molizhi was not very harmonious and they were about to have a falling out."

"A great war is about to begin. Whether victorious or defeated, the people will suffer. This is all government affairs before and after the event."

"As the crown prince, you can't just think about the military, you have to take care of people's livelihood. Otherwise, if people suffer, who will be to blame?"

Li Shimin's words were a test and he was appointing Li Chengqian.

You were the one who started the war. Regardless of who wins or loses, you first have to think about how it will end.

If you only think about attacking this and attacking that, then why are you a crown prince or the successor to the emperor? You might as well be a general.

If you want the throne, you must let me see your ability.

Li Chengqian was not to be outdone and said bluntly: "During the Sui Dynasty, there were about 9 million households in the country. However, by the time of my grandfather, the number of registered households was only 1.8 million, which was nearly 80% less."

"Could it be that during the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, so many people died? There was enough food. When my father was fighting everywhere, I never heard of any massacres."

"Over the past ten years, my father has worked hard to govern the country and has been willing to accept advice, but there are only about 3 million registered households, which is only one-third of the number in the Sui Dynasty."

"So, if I bring these people who were once 'dead' back to life, would it still be a sin?"

You talk to me about the suffering of the people, and I talk to you about the hidden population.

The Tang Dynasty had a population of over 10 million, with a total military force of 700,000 to 80

To attack the small country of Goryeo, it was easy to defend but difficult to attack, and now we had to find a way to win with a smaller force.

The Sui Dynasty was able to mobilize an army of millions, and talked about the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, but in the end it could only mobilize a force of hundreds of thousands.

Goryeo was only a small place, but it had a population of millions and nearly 300,000 troops.

The Tang Dynasty couldn't even reverse the course of history, so what's the point of talking about its prosperity?

"Some things can't be rushed."

Li Shimin understood the prince's intention. He wanted to use the power of victory over Goryeo to intimidate the aristocratic families and conduct a population census.

But what if I lose?

It is probably because the prince was furious and when he came back he swept through the noble families and replenished the population.

One hundred and fifty thousand troops went out to fight, and came back with two or three hundred thousand troops.

So who lost and who won.

"Father is not anxious, but I am."

Li Chengqian said in a stern tone: "My grandfather was wise and suppressed the aristocratic families. My father was wise and also attacked the aristocratic families."

"I am definitely a wise ruler. Xiang'er seems to be a wise ruler as well."

"But later on, the First Emperor carried on the legacy of the Sixth Emperor, but the Second Emperor of Qin died. In history, every dynasty that has wise rulers will always have a few unfilial sons."

"It is wishful thinking to expect future generations to be able to eliminate the cancer that neither my father nor my grandfather could solve."

"Our Li family is bound to have a tyrant, right? We can't let someone else be the tyrant. Father cares about his reputation, but I don't. Everyone knows that I have corrupt personal ethics, so it doesn't matter if I become even worse."

After Li Chengqian finished speaking, he picked up the wine glass on the dragon table and drank it all in one gulp, looking extremely heroic.

The aristocratic families are deeply rooted and complicated.

There are many obstacles in the way for the Tang Dynasty to develop.

Instead of waiting for Huang Chao to come later, it is better to be the Wu Song who fights the tiger yourself.

If you are the emperor but cannot do whatever you want, then you are no different from a puppet.

Li Shimin was silent, looking at the prince in front of him, feeling so strange for the first time.

It turns out that the prince's ambitions are so broad?
Why didn’t I notice it before, or is it that the change only happened in recent years?

(End of this chapter)