My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 294 If it weren't for filial piety, we would have bombarded Chang'an now

Changan.

Inside Tai Chi Palace.

"Xuan Fang Xuanling came to the palace to meet the emperor."

Li Shimin's low voice sounded.

Fang Mou is arbitrary and decisive.

When it comes to planning, Fang Xuanling is naturally a unique figure in the Tang Dynasty.

There is no one else who can compare to him.

Luoyang was once Li Shimin's back garden, so it was not difficult for Li Shimin to collect information about Luoyang.

In recent days, the prince has been inspecting the military camps frequently, and news of his preparations for war has already been heard.

These news hung like a shadow over Li Shimin's heart.

The prince has his own army and intends to rebel. The situation is tense and a confrontation between father and son has begun.

Soon, Fang Xuanling, dressed in court robes, walked hurriedly into the hall.

"Greetings to Your Majesty."

"Without courtesy, I will give you a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The eunuch Zhang Ananda brought a chair and placed it not far in front of Li Shimin.

There are no more than a handful of long-time ministers in the court who can enjoy such treatment.

"You must have heard about what happened in Luoyang."

"What a great preparation for war! You have no intention of easing the tension with me at all."

Li Shimin said angrily.

Fang Xuanling frowned slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, calm down. The Crown Prince's behavior is indeed treasonous. However, the situation is complicated now. Your Majesty needs to take a long-term view and must not lose your composure because of a momentary anger."

Li Shimin nodded slightly and said, "I wanted to give that rebellious son another month to let him turn back from his wrong path, but now it seems that he is determined to oppose me to the end. I hinted at Li Jing to write that letter. I thought it would shake the people around Li Chengqian, but I didn't expect it would lead to Li Dejian's dilemma."

Fang Xuanling nodded slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Li Jing is the war god of our Tang Dynasty. He has made great military achievements and has a very high prestige. His letters are naturally of great importance to his son Li Dejian."

"The prince was a thoughtful person. Seeing that Li Dejian was wavering between loyalty and filial piety, he was afraid that he might change his mind, so he imprisoned him. This was expected."

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a trace of worry: "As an emperor, I govern the world, but I can't even discipline my own son. Now I have to go to war with him, which is not what I want. But if he insists on rebelling, I will never tolerate it, otherwise, the foundation of the Tang Dynasty will be destroyed."

"Tell me, what should we do next to defeat the enemy without fighting and put an end to this disaster?"

Fang Xuanling cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, although the Crown Prince has been amassing troops in Luoyang and seems to have a huge force, and has siege weapons such as Thunderbolt Fire, the Crown Prince's foundation is still shallow after all."

"Most of the crown prince's confidants were recruited in recent years. Their parents, wives, children, clan elders, are all in Chang'an. They have been favored by your majesty for a long time and are loyal to your majesty."

"I think Your Majesty can continue to use this to divide the people around the Crown Prince."

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows slightly and asked with interest: "How should we do it specifically? Tell me about it."

Fang Xuanling cleared his throat and continued, "Your Majesty can secretly send someone to contact the other family members of the Crown Prince. Explain the pros and cons to them, and tell them that the Crown Prince's rebellion is a heinous act. If they follow the Crown Prince, they will surely suffer disaster for their families and be ruined."

"At the same time, we promised them great benefits and promised that as long as they could persuade their relatives to surrender to Your Majesty, not only would we forgive their past mistakes, but we would also give them generous rewards and ensure their families would be prosperous and wealthy."

"Let these family members write letters to the relatives around the prince, urging them to turn back from their wrong path and turn to the light."

"If this happens, the people around the prince will be in a state of panic. Even if the prince trusts his subordinates, he will inevitably have doubts in the face of his family's admonitions."

"If this continues, there will be no one trustworthy around the prince, and his power will naturally disintegrate gradually."

Li Shimin nodded slightly, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes: "This is a brilliant plan. Using family ties as a bond to divide and disintegrate the prince's power is exactly what I want."

Li Shimin has always been very satisfied with Fang Xuanling.

It was, and it is now.

When there was no solution and the situation seemed difficult, Fang Xuanling could always find a way out of the situation.

For Li Shimin, dividing the forces around the prince was much easier than besieging Luoyang.

The reason why they retreated again and again was not because Li Shimin had a good temper.

But Li Shimin was also worried that if the army failed to siege Luoyang, the price would be unbearable.

Even though he had once conquered half of the Tang Dynasty, he was still very wary of Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt is extremely useful on the battlefield, especially in attacking and defending cities.

It has been more than a year since Liaodong was unified from last year to this year. Who knows how many thunderbolts the prince has secretly created.

The Sui Dynasty's million-strong army failed to conquer Goryeo, but was shattered by a single blow from the Thunderbolt.

When fighting against Goryeo, Li Shimin felt it was a good idea.

But now that I have to face it myself, I feel very unhappy.

Besides, Li Shimin really didn't want to fight with the crown prince. Just as Princess Tong'an said, if there was another civil war to destroy his son, he didn't know how history books would evaluate him in the future.
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With a heavy heart, Changsun Wuji stepped into Luoyang City again.

The city was heavily guarded, and the soldiers watched him warily, as if he were an invading enemy. Under the guidance of the soldiers, Changsun Wuji came to the Luoyang Palace.

Inside the main hall, Li Chengqian was sitting in the main seat, looking at Changsun Wuji calmly as he walked in.

There was no panic in his eyes, but instead a sense of determination.

Zhang Sun Wuji bowed and said, "Your Highness, His Majesty has given you one last chance. The one-month deadline is coming. I hope you can follow me back to Chang'an and admit your mistakes to His Majesty. His Majesty has promised to forgive the past and let you continue to be the crown prince."

He sincerely hoped that the prince would obey His Majesty's will and avoid a tragedy in which father and son would kill each other and countless lives would be lost.

He knew very well that His Majesty loved the Prince, and he also understood the Prince's important position in His Majesty's heart, but the misunderstandings and contradictions made the situation so complicated. Li Chengqian sneered and said, "Uncle, do you think I will believe it? How credible are the words of the emperor? When I went on the Eastern Expedition, he took the opportunity to seize my coal factory. How can he let me go so easily now?"

In the face of imperial power, trust is the most ridiculous thing.

If he really trusted her, how did Li Jing get the letter?

Did Li Jing want to write it himself?

Li Chengqian didn't believe that Li Shimin was not behind this.

Zhang Sun Wuji frowned slightly and said, "Your Highness, Your Majesty sincerely hopes that the Crown Prince can return this time. Your Majesty has been feeling bad these days. After all, Your Majesty is the Crown Prince's father. How could you really want to go to war with the Crown Prince?"

He understood the prince's grievances and reluctance, but he also hoped that the prince could understand His Majesty's difficulties.

As an emperor, His Majesty has too many things to consider, and sometimes the decisions he makes are helpless. He sincerely hopes that the prince can let go of his resentment and reconcile with His Majesty.

This is just like being a parent. When the prince ascends the throne in the future, perhaps he will understand Your Majesty’s current situation.

Li Chengqian stood up, walked slowly, and said, "Uncle, please stop making excuses for our father. I have not been idle during my time in Luoyang. I have made preparations. If our father insists on attacking Luoyang, I will not sit idly by and wait for death."

With artillery in hand, there is really nothing to be afraid of.

In today's battlefield confrontations, artillery, a firearm that crushes the times, cannot be resisted by just a few tens of thousands more soldiers.

This is something more terrifying than throwing a bomb.

Even if there is a mountain in front of us, we can flatten it.

With such means to surrender, it is impossible even if one is crazy or stuck in the door.

The reason why they didn't take direct action was just because of the name.

If Li Shimin took action first, he would kill his son, while if Li Chengqian took action first, he would kill his father.

Whoever strikes first will suffer first.

Nowadays, filial piety is still very important.

If it weren't for this, Li Chengqian would have pulled out the cannons and bombarded Chang'an City.

Zhang Sun Wuji said anxiously: "Your Highness, Crown Prince, do you know that once a war breaks out, all lives will be lost and the foundation of the Tang Dynasty will be shaken. As the crown prince, you are responsible for the lives of the people of the world. How can you be so willful?"

Changsun Wuji was extremely anxious. Seeing the prince so stubborn, he was worried that a war would really be triggered, bringing a huge disaster to the Tang Dynasty.

I hope the prince can put the overall situation first and not ignore the lives of the people of the world because of personal grudges.

Li Chengqian stopped and stared at Changsun Wuji sharply, saying, "Willful? Uncle, do you think I am being willful? I am protecting myself. When I was in the East Palace, I was suppressed everywhere. The King of Wei was watching me covetously, and my father was very kind to the King of Wei. If I don't resist, I will die."

Rebellion is for the purpose of self-salvation.

Zhang Sun Wuji sighed helplessly and said, "Your Highness, the past is the past. Your Majesty has now realized his mistakes, and His Majesty hopes to make up for his debt to the Crown Prince. For the sake of the father-son relationship, the Crown Prince should give His Majesty a chance, and also give himself a chance."

Li Chengqian sneered, "Father-son relationship? Uncle, do you think there is still a father-son relationship between me and my father? If my father really cared about me, how could he treat me like this?"

Zhang Sun Wuji shook his head slightly and said, "Your Highness, you can't just see the faults of His Majesty. His Majesty has fought all his life and conquered the vast land of Tang. Everything His Majesty has done is for the country of Tang. His Majesty's expectations for the Crown Prince have never changed."

Li Chengqian said disdainfully: "Expectations? Father's expectation is for me to be an obedient puppet, at the mercy of father. I have my own ambitions, not a puppet controlled by others."

Seeing Li Chengqian's stubbornness, Changsun Wuji thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, you have won the hearts of the people by implementing the new policies in Liaodong. If you can return to Chang'an and continue to implement the new policies, it will surely benefit the people of the world. Why do you have to confront Your Majesty in Luoyang?"

Changsun Wuji was thinking hard about how to persuade the prince. He knew that the prince had made remarkable achievements in Liaodong, and hoped to use this as a breakthrough to make the prince change his mind.

Of course, in reality, Changsun Wuji had no idea whether the prince's new policies could really be implemented in Chang'an.

Li Chengqian said: "Uncle, do you think I don't want to benefit the people of the world? I am implementing the new policy in Liaodong just to make the people live a good life. But what about my father? He doesn't understand my good intentions at all. He only cares about his own power."

Zhang Sun Wuji said, "Your Highness, it's not that His Majesty doesn't understand you. His Majesty is just worried that your new policy will affect the interests of various forces and cause unrest in the court. If you can communicate well with His Majesty, I believe His Majesty will support you."

Li Chengqian sneered, "Communication? There is no possibility of communication between me and my father. My father now only wants to depose me and make the King of Wei the crown prince. If I go back, wouldn't I be walking into a trap?"

Zhang Sun Wuji said, "Your Highness, please do not presume to guess what His Majesty is thinking. His Majesty's love for the Prince comes from the heart. It's just that in recent years, the forces of various parties in the court have been complicated, and His Majesty needs to balance all parties before he can show favor to the King of Wei. But in His Majesty's heart, the Prince is the real crown prince."

Li Chengqian said, "Uncle, please stop deceiving yourself. I have sent people to investigate my time in Luoyang. Father's favor to the King of Wei far exceeds that to me. The King of Wei is now fully grown, so how could he let me, the crown prince, go?"

Zhang Sun Wuji frowned slightly and said, "If the prince is worried about the king of Wei, your majesty can promise to restrain the king of Wei's behavior. As long as the prince can come back, your majesty will guarantee the prince's safety."

Changsun Wuji felt that his persuasion was becoming increasingly powerless, but he still did not want to give up. He hoped that the prince would believe in his majesty's promise, put aside his worries, and return to Chang'an.

Li Chengqian said, "Uncle, what do you think is the point of such a promise? The King of Wei is ambitious, how could he give up the throne so easily? Besides, I already have my own power in Luoyang, why should I go back and be manipulated by my father?"

This is ridiculous. If Li Shimin really thought this way, he would have directly exiled the King of Wei and the King of Jin.

What conditions are there to discuss?

Zhang Sun Wuji said, "Your Highness, how long can your forces in Luoyang last compared to His Majesty's army? Once His Majesty orders to cut off Luoyang's land and water routes, how long can your food and supplies last?"

Li Chengqian sneered, "Uncle, do you think I haven't thought about this? I have already stored a large amount of food and supplies in Luoyang, enough to sustain for several years. Moreover, I have Thunderbolt Fire in my hands. If the Chang'an army dares to attack, I will make sure they never return."

Zhang Sun Wuji said, "Your Highness, although the Thunderbolt is powerful, it is not omnipotent. Your Majesty's army has been through many battles and is extremely powerful. If you go to war with Your Majesty, the people of the world will suffer in the end. Do you have the heart to watch the people suffer?"

Li Chengqian said: "All this was forced upon me by my father. If it weren't for my father forcing me everywhere, how could I have come to this point today? I have given my father a chance, but he didn't cherish it."

Zhang Sun Wuji said helplessly: "Now that things have come to this, I have nothing more to say. But I still hope that the prince can reconsider and not make an impulsive decision that he will regret."

He felt that he was powerless and knew that the prince's determination was difficult to change, but he still wanted to persuade the prince one last time, hoping that the prince would carefully consider his decision.

Li Chengqian said: "I have made up my mind and will not change it. You can go back and tell my father. If he insists on attacking Luoyang, then come."

Seeing Li Chengqian's determination, Changsun Wuji sighed and said, "Your Highness, since the Crown Prince has made up his mind, I can only go back and report to His Majesty."

"I hope the prince can take good care of himself."

After saying this, Changsun Wuji bowed again, then turned and left.

(End of this chapter)