My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 210: Prince: Are you using His Majesty to put pressure on me?

The banquet begins.

Li Dao Zong didn't think much about it.

It is impossible for Li Chengqian to talk about seizing power right away.

If you are going to take away other people's military power, you should at least give them a full meal.

No matter what happens, fill your stomach first.

The generals were all very relaxed, eating meat and drinking wine with big mouthfuls.

Especially the generals brought by Li Daozon, they ate with great pleasure.

"This prince's cook is different."

"It's all lamb, so it tastes much better."

"I'm going to eat my tongue with this pepper."

"Who says it isn't? And this wine is the strongest wine I have ever drunk in my life."

Li Chengqian's cooks were all brought from the Eastern Palace.

People have been using iron pans to cook food for a long time, which is a generation ahead of today's dishes.

There were various carefully prepared sauces, and a small portion of pepper on each general's desk.

Pepper is now a hard currency, more valuable than gold.

The general felt a little distressed while eating.

Li Daozon doesn't care much about pepper, but the taste of this dish is indeed different and unique.

He also often eats royal banquets in the palace, which makes him even better than the chefs around His Majesty.

I thought to myself.

It is said that the King of Wei pays attention to enjoying life, but the Crown Prince is not bad at all.

Li Chengqian drank and ate meat with a faint smile.

This wine is distilled, but the blending degree is not high, and it is clearer and more refreshing than most wines.

It is naturally impossible to arrange any singing and dancing performances in the military camp.

Feeling that he had almost finished eating, Li Chengqian picked up his chopsticks.

As the prince put down his chopsticks, others who showed some interest also put down their chopsticks.

However, there were many ruffians in the army, and there were also a few who continued to eat and drink without any care.

"The attack on Liaodong City is imminent, and the military equipment is basically ready now."

"Although there is no news from Chief Steward Hou yet, we estimate that he should be close to Gaimu City."

"I am preparing to pick an auspicious day in the next few days to march to Liaodong City."

"What do you think, uncle?"

Li Chengqian said to Li Daozon with a smile. It sounded like he was discussing something, but his tone left no room for doubt.

Li Daozon's heart skipped a beat and he felt something was wrong.

It is true that there is no good banquet.

The thing he was most worried about finally happened.

The prince's words did not imply a feint attack, but a forceful attack.

He hesitated and said, "Your Highness, according to His Majesty's arrangement, we should wait for the general manager, General Li's army, to arrive at Gaimu City first."

"We should prepare for a feint attack. This way, we can better contain Liaodong City and make it difficult for them to take care of both ends."

"If we launch a feint attack ahead of time, and the defenders of Liaodong City see the flaw, it will easily lead to major failures."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly: "General Li, are you using His Majesty to pressure me?"

From Imperial Uncle to General Li, such a serious address clearly expressed that the prince was very angry.

Li Daozong quickly said, "I dare not."

Li Chengqian said calmly: "A general is not allowed to obey orders from the king when he is away. That was then, and this is now."

"Now that our army is fully equipped, with sufficient equipment and high morale, how can we not attack the city?"

"If we waste some more time, morale will drop, and something unexpected will happen. Do you want General Li to bear the consequences?"

"A feint attack is still an attack. If we just wave our flags and shout slogans at the foot of the city, then the Liaodong City defenders are not idiots, how can they not see the flaws?"

"True or false, false or true, only by attacking the city immediately can we confuse the Liaodong City defenders, or even make them ask for help, thus sharing the pressure from General Manager Hou."

"Besides, if Liaodong City is just a paper tiger, wouldn't it be better to just take it down?"

The atmosphere in the big tent became a little solemn.

The prince's words sound reasonable, but in fact they go against the military strategic intentions and the imperial edict of His Majesty.

Because before the expedition, Your Majesty ordered a strong attack on Liaodong City to cause unnecessary losses.

Back then, hundreds of thousands of troops of the Sui Dynasty failed to capture Liaodong City. How could tens of thousands of troops here break through?

A few people who were eating and drinking a lot also realized that something was wrong, so they stopped and watched the situation.

Li Daozong gritted his teeth and said, "Please forgive me for not being able to obey your order. Liaodong City is high and thick, and its fortifications are perfect. If we attack it by force, we will inevitably suffer heavy losses."

"Your Highness, please think carefully and follow the previous strategy to use civilians as soldiers to intimidate Liaodong City."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian was not angry. He took a sip from the wine glass and then said, "Let General Li know that I have a sharp weapon in my hand, the Thunderbolt Fire. This Thunderbolt Fire is like thunder in the sky, which can break mountains and rocks and is invincible."

"Everyone knows that I have the skill of freezing water into ice, but they don't know that I also have the skill of five thunderbolts."

"When the army attacks the city, I will use the crossbow and the thunderbolt to smash the gates of Liaodong City, and we can conquer it in one fell swoop."

At this point, Li Chengqian no longer needed to hide anything and spoke it out openly.

By the time the city is attacked, the gunpowder will be exposed.

Does Li Daozon believe this?

Of course I don’t believe it.

But he would not go against the Crown Prince, but said tactfully: "Since His Royal Highness has such a magical weapon, why not use it after the Marquis arrives? By waiting for a while, more soldiers can be saved from life worries, and Liaodong City can be conquered in one fell swoop."

"I advise Your Highness the Crown Prince to think twice before acting."

Li Daozon bowed again.

Anyway, no matter what the prince said, whether it was thunder or five thunders, the correct thing to do was to wait until Hou Junji and Li Ji's army arrived and then join forces to attack Liaodong City.

Li Chengqian sat at the head of the table, waved his sleeves and asked, "General Li, don't you believe me?"

"Do you doubt Gu Xin's words? Without a weapon like Thunderbolt Fire, can you easily break through the gate of Liaodong City?"

Li Dao Zong bowed and said, "Of course I believe it, but I think it would be better to attack the city together."

Li Chengqian raised his eyes and looked at the generals around him.

He had already sent Su Dingfang to Li Daozon's military camp to seize military power.

The reason why we have to go to so much trouble is just for the sake of name.

At least in the army, the rumor that the crown prince had seized Li Daozon's military power could not be spread, as this would be detrimental to the morale of the army.

Instead, Li Daozon disobeyed the orders of the crown prince and was thus deprived of his military power.

The word "name" is of vital importance to a military leader, as it can reduce a lot of unnecessary trouble.

"joke!"

Li Chengqian snorted coldly and said, "Your idea is really ridiculous. What do you mean by I don't care about the lives of the soldiers?"

"What is Liaodong City? It is the gateway to Goryeo. Even a million-strong army of the Sui Dynasty could not conquer it."

"If we can capture Liaodong City first, it will not only shock Goryeo, but also greatly boost the morale of all the armies, making our efforts twice as effective with half the effort."

"Such a delay would give Goryeo a chance to catch its breath, and delaying the opportunity to fight would cause many soldiers to die in vain."

At this point, Li Chengqian was furious and scolded Li Daozong: "General Li, what is your intention? Did you accept the benefits of the Koreans and care about the Koreans like this?"

If you want to add a crime, there is nothing wrong with it.

Li Chengqian directly accused Li Daozon of treason.

In fact, this statement is untenable. After all, Li Daozon is none other than a famous general of the Li Tang royal family, the prince's uncle, and your majesty's cousin.

But this is not the time to be concerned with evidence, just enough momentum will do. Li Dao Zong did not respond to the prince's words, but bowed again: "Please think twice before acting, Prince."

Several of Li Daozon's trusted generals wanted to express their opinions, but were frightened by Li Chengqian's glare.

I was conflicted for a while, but after weighing the pros and cons, I didn't dare to speak.

These are the crown prince and the emperor's uncle.

If they interrupted, it would seem unnecessary.

The prince doesn't dare to do anything to his uncle, but that doesn't mean he won't do anything to them. There's no need to offend the prince at this time.

"I have made up my mind. There is no need to say more, uncle. Just act accordingly."

At this time, Li Chengqian's tone suddenly softened.

That’s the rhythm of the conversation.

At this moment, Li Daozon felt like he was being roasted on a fire.

It seems that if I continue to oppose it, it would be a bit excessive.

At least that's what other generals thought.

However, Li Dao Zong was a famous general, so he was naturally determined. After a brief silence, he gritted his teeth and said, "Please forgive me for not obeying your command."

As soon as these words came out, Li Chengqian's face suddenly turned cold.

Then he looked sinisterly at the generals who came with Li Daozon.

The prince was very arrogant at this time.

A dozen generals didn't dare to look at the prince and lowered their heads silently.

"Then it's not up to the emperor uncle."

"Pass on the order of the Crown Prince. Effective immediately, Li Daozong will be stripped of his post as the Right Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Liaodong Road Army. The troops under his command will be temporarily led by me."

At this moment, Li Chengqian's true intentions were revealed.

Li Daozon also immediately understood that today's banquet was actually the Hongmen Banquet, and the prince was trying to seize power.

Li Daozon reacted and immediately felt something was wrong.

At this point in the banquet, there was still no sign of Su Dingfang, but all the generals under his command came to attend the banquet.

At this moment, it was just like what Li Daozon felt.

The location of Li Daozon’s military camp.

Su Dingfang came with more than 500 Ti cavalry.

"This is a military camp, please stop and tell us your name."

Hundreds of Ti cavalrymen immediately made the soldiers on duty nervous and confronted each other with spears.

Su Dingfang pulled the reins and shouted, "I am Su Dingfang, the commander of a thousand cavalrymen under the crown prince and the general of the Chang'an Left Jinwu Guard."

"I am now under the order of the Crown Prince to enter the camp. Why don't you open the gate quickly?"

Hearing this, the soldier was at a loss as to what to do and had to go in and report first.

Soon, a man dressed as an officer came out and bowed, saying, "General Su, our general has gone to attend the Crown Prince's banquet and has not returned yet. Please come back tomorrow during the day."

Su Dingfang said in a deep voice: "This general came here on the orders of the Crown Prince. Are you going to disobey the Crown Prince's instructions?"

How could the general dare to respond? He could only ask, "General Su said he received the order from the Crown Prince. Do you have a token?"

Su Dingfang took out a jade pendant from his bosom. Unlike in later movies and TV shows where he would take it out to show it, he handed the jade pendant to his dismounted subordinate, who then took it and showed it to the general who came out.

"Look carefully. This is the prince's personal jade pendant, given by the late emperor. If you drop it or bump into it, you'll be in danger of losing your life."

The gatekeeper general took it with both hands, checked it carefully, and returned it after confirming that it was correct.

For a moment, I didn't know what to do.

Even a fool could understand that in the middle of the night, the prince asked the general and others to attend a banquet and sent people to the military camp. His intention was too obvious.

But it was just as Li Chengqian expected.

Li Daozon's subordinates are different from those of other generals.

For example, people like Li Jing, Hou Junji, and Li Ji, the trusted generals in the army, were mostly from the same clan or relatives and were loyal to them.

The kind that will follow you even if you rebel.

But Li Daozon was different. He was a royal family general, and his subordinates were also royal family generals who were loyal to the royal family.

In comparison, the orders from His Majesty and the Crown Prince have priority over Li Daozon.

"Think carefully about the consequences of disobeying the Crown Prince's order."

Seeing that he was hesitant, Su Dingfang already had a plan in mind, so he urged him.

The gatekeeper general thought about it and his mind became more and more blank.

At this time, the narrator's confidant added a word and reminded: "General, the general went to the prince's banquet."

The gatekeeper general reacted immediately.

He quickly shouted, "Hurry and open the door for General Su."

The reason why he suddenly compromised was because of the reminder from his confidant.

The general has already gone to the prince. If the prince has any plan, can the general still come back?

If the general cannot return and they do not open the door, wouldn’t they be offending the prince?

The general was the emperor's uncle, so he was naturally safe and sound in the end, but the same could not be said for people like them.

Besides, even if the general came back and held them accountable, it would not be their fault. They could not be accused of disobeying the prince's orders.

Su Dingfang laughed and said to the gatekeeper, "Yes, a man who knows the current situation is a hero. I will tell the prince a few words from now on."

The gatekeeper general was overjoyed: "Thank you, General Su. Thank you, General Su."

Su Dingfang brought five hundred Ti cavalry into the camp, and things became much easier after that.

The gatekeeper general has now made his choice, and even if it is wrong, it will be wrong to the end.

Su Dingfang sent a message to summon all the brave and resolute commanders in the military camp and the remaining commanders.

Li Daozon's 20,000 infantry and cavalry were organized according to the system of Zhechoufu.

The chief officer of a prefecture was called Zhechou Duwei, who led the troops of the prefecture, about 800 to 1,200 people.

Under the command of the Zhechou Duwei, there was one left and one right Guoyi Duwei.

Now, more than ten Zhechou captains have followed Li Daozon to attend the banquet, leaving only a few to guard the camp.

Su Dingfang's goal now is to control all these captains and then take over their military power, which is equivalent to initially taking control of the 20,000 infantry and cavalry under Li Daozon.

In the absence of Li Daozon, who would dare to disobey the prince's orders?
The captains came to the big tent with confused looks on their faces.

Then Su Dingfang held up the prince's jade pendant and said, "According to the prince's order, from now on, Li Daozong's position as the right deputy commander of the Liaodong Road will be abolished, and the troops under his jurisdiction will be temporarily led by the prince."

The captains looked at each other in bewilderment, but unfortunately, all the people outside the tent were those brought by Su Dingfang.

Forced by the situation, no one dared to take the lead in disobeying the prince's orders.

You looked at me, I looked at you, and finally bowed helplessly: "I will obey the prince's order."

the other side.

In the prince’s military camp.

Li Daozong realized that something was wrong and immediately stood up and said, "I have been appointed as the Right Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Liaodong Road Army by Your Majesty's imperial decree. Your Highness the Crown Prince has no right to dismiss me. Please forgive me for not accepting this."

"Please forgive me for not being able to hold my liquor. I will take my leave first."

Say it, turn around and leave.

A dozen captains also stood up and prepared to leave.

Li Chengqian didn't say anything, but calmly poured himself a glass of wine and picked up the glass.

Li Daozon, who walked to the door, was immediately stopped.

Then rows of guards wearing Ming Guang armor rushed in and surrounded Li Daozon and others.

Li Dao Zong turned around and asked in a deep voice, "Your Highness, what do you mean?"

(End of this chapter)