My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 297 The crown prince has been deposed, who will be the new crown prince?

The eighteenth year of Zhenguan.

The first day of October.

Great dynasty.

Before dawn, the Taiji Hall was already brightly lit.

The imperial guards stood solemnly on both sides like a forest, and the solemn atmosphere seemed to freeze the air.

Civil and military officials, dressed in court robes and with solemn expressions, filed in one after another. The glances they exchanged with each other were filled with uneasiness and anxiety, as they knew that something shocking would happen at the morning court today.

Li Shimin, wearing a dragon robe, walked slowly into the palace. His steps were no longer as steady as before, but a little slow, as if each step was carrying a heavy weight. As he climbed onto the dragon throne, he leaned forward slightly, his face was haggard, his eyes were bloodshot, showing his exhaustion and sadness.

"Everyone loves you."

Li Shimin's voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of fatigue that was difficult to conceal.

All the ministers stood up but remained respectful, not daring to make a sound. The entire hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Anyone who is a little bit more informed about what happened yesterday knows what is going to happen today.

At this time, even if the cough reaches the tip of your throat, you have to swallow it.

Your Majesty is more than just furious.

If anyone were to be the first to take action, it would be really miserable.

Changsun Wuji stood in the front row, looking somewhat emotional.

He tried to persuade the prince that he was the one who ran away, but the prince really didn't give him any chance at all.

Otherwise, how could things have come to this point?

Fang Xuanling lowered his eyebrows and eyes, his expression slightly calm.

From a standpoint, as the party supporting King Wei, we have already achieved a phased victory so far.

It can be said that after the crown prince was deposed, the possibility of the King of Wei being made the crown prince was as high as 80%.

Although the current Prince of Jin is not bad, Your Majesty has always favored the Prince of Wei.

Moreover, the King of Wei has the advantage of seniority over the King of Jin.

In terms of both emotion and etiquette, the King of Wei should be named the Crown Prince.

But Fang Xuanling couldn't feel happy in his heart.

Because he knew very well that under the leadership of the crown prince, the future of the Tang Dynasty could have reached a higher level, even surpassing the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor Wu.

Looking through the history books, there were never any dynasties with such an outstanding prince.

Compared with the Crown Prince, the King of Wei is like a firefly compared to the sun and the moon. There is truly a world of difference between them.

A pity, sigh.

Wei Zheng stood straight, but his back was no longer as stiff as before.

There was a deep sense of helplessness in her eyes. She once held a glimmer of hope for the prince, but now everything has been shattered.

The slightly furrowed brows revealed his inner worry.

After the crown prince was deposed, the civil war in the Tang Dynasty began.

The bloody storm.

It is true that when a country perishes, the people suffer. When a country prospers, the people suffer.

Li Jing stood tall and straight, but could not hide the sadness in his eyes.

He knew very well that the current prince was not so easy to subdue.

It is many times more difficult than attacking the former Goryeo.

The most important thing is that up to now, the imperial court still has no idea about the development of Thunderbolt Fire.

It goes without saying that using a magical weapon like Thunderbolt to defend a city would be a nightmare.

If Your Majesty insists on attacking Luoyang, I don’t know how many lives will be lost in order to take Luoyang under such circumstances.

In addition, there is another most important reason. The eldest son Li Dejian is the prince's confidant. Even if the news came from Luoyang that Li Dejian had been imprisoned by the prince, the prince would rebel and he would not be able to escape the punishment.

Unless the prince wins.

Li Dejian was not guilty and was credited with following the emperor.

Another person who had such concerns was Shangshu Zuocheng Di Xiaoxu.

The fifth son, Di Zhixun, is still an official in the Eastern Palace.

But it is better than Li Jing. After all, he is in the Eastern Palace, so even if he is implicated, it won’t be a serious matter.

What's more, Your Majesty is tolerant and generous.

The comparable one is Chu Suiliang.

Chu Suiliang could not hide the joy in his eyes. He had made a great contribution by deposing the crown prince this time. This contribution was not only to the imperial court, but also to the King of Wei and the Five Surnames and Seven Affiliates.

As long as the King of Wei is appointed as the Crown Prince, his future career will most likely move to a higher level.

The Five Surnames and Seven Families will also give a lot of benefits.

Chu Suiliang has always wanted to move to a bigger house to enjoy himself, and this time he will probably be able to fulfill his wish.

Minister of Justice Zhang Liang had a serious expression and a determined look in his eyes.

He is not a member of the King of Wei's party and is only loyal to Your Majesty.

However, after arriving in Liaodong, the King of Wei always showed goodwill to him.

Zhang Liang felt a bit sorry for the deposed crown prince.

The rest of the civil and military officials had different thoughts, calculations and ideas.

That's when.

Li Shimin slowly stood up and took two steps forward.

The eunuch Zhang Ananda beside him had a complicated expression on his face. He bowed and handed the imperial edict to His Majesty.

Under normal circumstances, the imperial edict would not be read by the emperor himself.

But this time, Li Shimin wanted to read the edict himself.

He glanced at his ministers.

Li Shimin took the imperial edict, closed his eyes slightly, and after a brief silence, he slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were full of sadness and determination.

After a long while, he took a deep breath, unfolded the edict, and began to recite.

"I have received the mandate of heaven and am in power. My ambition is to bring peace to the world and well-being to the people. For decades, I have worked hard and worked day and night to consolidate the country and extend the well-being of the Tang Dynasty."

"I am issuing this decree today with great pain and grief, and it is a last resort."

"Crown Prince Li Chengqian is my eldest son. I have taught him carefully since he was young. I hope he will become a pillar of society, inherit the throne, and protect the people."

"In the beginning, he also had commendable achievements. He invented the curved plow, which benefited agriculture and sericulture, and made the people of the world prosperous. I am very pleased, so I specially conferred him the title of Prince of Agriculture and Wisdom, hoping that he would have a good beginning and a good end, and his virtue would benefit the world forever."

"Later, he led his army to Liaodong, and with his powerful weapon, Thunderbolt Fire, he broke through the strong city of Goryeo. Under the city of Liaodong, the dead souls of the enemy soldiers wailed."

"He also annihilated Silla and Baekje in one fell swoop, expanded the territory of our Great Tang, and spread our power abroad. I have never forgotten the achievements of that time."

"However, if merits do not cover faults and virtues do not match one's position, disaster will surely occur."

"After achieving success, Li Chengqian's ambitions swelled and his selfish desires filled his heart."

"In Chang'an in the past, I actually had the idea of ​​treason. Although I have not succeeded yet, I have violated human ethics, betrayed my kindness in raising me, and violated the principles of loyalty and righteousness in the world."

"I consider that he is young and has made great contributions, so I cannot bear to impose a heavy punishment on him. I hope he will repent and turn over a new leaf."

"I didn't expect that he would persist in his evil ways."

"I ordered him to return to the court to report on his work, to resolve past grievances, to renew family ties, and to discuss state affairs." "However, when he arrived in Luoyang, he led tens of thousands of elite troops from Liaodong and occupied Luoyang by force, attempting to divide the country and establish his own power."

"I have sent envoys to comfort them several times, appealing to their emotions, explaining to them the principles, instructing them on the laws of our ancestors, and showing them the kindness between father and son."

"But he is stubborn and refuses to obey my orders. He regards my kindness as weakness and the laws of the country as nothing."

"I am the ruler of a country. I inherit the legacy of my ancestors and care about the well-being of the people. How can I allow such a rebellious son to disrupt my government and destroy my country?"

"The heir apparent of a country should be benevolent and filial, loyal and righteous. If he behaves like this, how can he be a role model for the world?"

"How can I bear the weight of the country?"

"If I tolerate and support the evil, how can I comfort the spirits of my ancestors in heaven?"

"How can we face the common people of the world?"

"Now, I, in accordance with the laws of our ancestors and the importance of the country, reluctantly abolish the position of Crown Prince Li Chengqian."

"Although I remember his past achievements, the law of the country is clear and does not allow for personal feelings."

"I hope that all my subjects will take this as an example, be loyal to the emperor and love the country, and abide by their duties."

"I should also learn from my mistakes, recruit talented people, and rectify the government to ensure that the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty will continue uninterrupted."

"Once this decree was issued, everyone in the world knew about it."

"From now on, Li Chengqian will be demoted to a commoner and all his titles and salaries will be stripped."

"My heart is like a knife cutting an axe, but for the sake of the country, I have to do it."

"I hope that future generations will remember today's lessons and ensure the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty forever."

After Li Shimin finished reading the imperial edict, the hall was dead silent, with only his heavy breathing echoing in the hall.

After a long time, the depressing atmosphere was broken by a slight sobbing sound. It was unknown which minister could not hold back his tears because of this painful imperial edict.

Anyone who can serve in this court must be an old fox and a veteran actor.

As soon as the cry was heard, all the ministers cried.

At this time, Zhangsun Wuji took a step forward, knelt down and kowtowed, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, now that the prince has been deposed, the most urgent task is to calm people's hearts. Now people inside and outside the court are in a panic, especially the prince's old subordinates, who may be uneasy."

"I am willing to take your orders and appease the Crown Prince's former subordinates, explain the reason to them, appeal to their emotions, and make them understand that Your Majesty's move is a helpless one. I hope Your Majesty will grant your approval."

Li Shimin nodded slightly: "Wuji, I trust you. Go ahead and do it. Make sure they put aside their worries and serve with peace of mind."

The Eastern Palace also has many forces, and now that the crown prince has been deposed, according to the law, everyone will be implicated.

What's more, the prince had great power in Chang'an at that time.

Wei Zheng stepped forward and advised: "Your Majesty, the battle of Luoyang cannot be started lightly. The prince has a large army and is very powerful. A strong attack may result in heavy casualties. I suggest sending an envoy to Luoyang first to persuade him to surrender for the last time. If he still refuses to change his mind, we can make other plans."

Li Shimin frowned and said nothing.

The crown prince has been deposed, and you still expect that rebellious son to surrender?

If he really surrendered, there would be no edict to depose the crown prince.

Chu Suiliang, who had been secretly delighted, took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, now that the crown prince has been deposed, in order to demonstrate your majesty's wisdom and benevolence, I suggest that you grant amnesty to the whole country and reduce taxes to calm the people. At the same time, those innocent people who were implicated in the crown prince's incident should also be given lenient sentences."

Li Shimin nodded slightly: "What Chu Qing said makes sense, I will do as you say. Pass the order down, grant amnesty to the whole country, reduce taxes, and appease the people."
-
After the edict deposing the crown prince was announced to the world, the whole of Chang'an was immersed in a depressing and tense atmosphere.

Inside the East Palace, there was even more panic and deathly silence.

Crown Princess Su Yu'er sat in the bedroom, her face as pale as paper, her eyes full of confusion and helplessness.

She clenched the handkerchief tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, and she felt mixed emotions.

Once upon a time, as the Crown Princess, she enjoyed wealth and honor and was respected by everyone. But now, the Crown Prince has been deposed, and everything has been shattered in an instant like a dream.

She didn't know what to do next. What kind of fate would await her if she stayed in the East Palace?
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shudder.

Just when Su Yuer was full of confusion, the former Chang'an County's bad commander Zuoqiu Ming and Wannian County's bad commander Ji Zhao were hiding in a secret corner outside the palace, whispering and plotting.

Zuo Qiuming's eyes flickered, with a hint of cunning on his face: "Brother Ji, although the crown prince has been deposed, the crown princess has deep feelings for him and will definitely not want to be separated from him. If we can help her reunite with the crown prince, and if the crown prince can make a comeback in the future, we will be great contributors."

Ji Zhao frowned slightly, with a hint of hesitation in his eyes: "Brother Zuo, this matter is extremely risky. Once His Majesty knows about it, we will have committed a serious crime."

Ji Zhao was already a county lieutenant, and was originally worried about being implicated. However, after the imperial edict was issued, His Majesty pardoned all of them, the former prince's gang, which made him feel relieved.

As for the crown prince, even though he had rebelled, Ji Zhao did not dare to have the slightest disrespect in his heart.

But people's words are not taken seriously, and a small figure like him is not even qualified to be a cannon fodder in the fight between His Majesty and the Prince.

Zuo Qiuming patted Ji Zhao on the shoulder and sneered, "Wealth and honor are sought in danger! Although the prince has suffered a great disaster, he still has troops in Liaodong. Luoyang has tens of thousands of elite troops and the city walls are high and thick. It is still unknown who will win."

"The prince is such an intelligent person. You and I have both met him before. I don't believe he would be so reckless."

"Although the decree to depose the crown prince has been issued, what if Your Majesty can't do anything to the crown prince?"

"By then, you and I will both be the dragon's followers."

Zuo Qiuming's tone became more and more excited as he spoke.

For little people like them at the bottom of society, if they don’t have someone to take care of them, their lives will be like this.

And now, a huge opportunity lies before us.

Since ancient times, kings, princes, generals and ministers have all risked their lives and property for a future.

If it were someone else, they wouldn’t even have this chance to fight for a better future.

Hearing Zuo Qiuming say this, Ji Zhao's heart also became hot.

He was already a county lieutenant, but that was the end of his career.

There is no more affection left on the prince's side.

As for the court, it goes without saying that unless he is from an aristocratic family, there is no place for him.

He is a county lieutenant now, and he will probably be one for the rest of his life. It is possible that he may not even be able to hold the position of county lieutenant in peace.

Ji Zhao thought for a moment, gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, let's do it."

"I'll go gather the brothers right away."

"Escort the Crown Princess out of Chang'an."

at the same time.

A carriage entered the East Palace in a grand manner.

The guards of the Eastern Palace stopped him, and a hand stretched out from the curtain of the carriage, holding the prince's order.

See the Prince’s Order inlaid with gold and jade.

The two East Palace guards looked at each other in confusion.

Because according to His Majesty's decree, the Crown Prince has been deposed, so the Crown Prince's Order naturally has no power anymore.

But now, the Prince's Order appeared before them.

However, it was only a brief hesitation before the two made their choice immediately.

He bowed slightly, opened the palace gate and stopped blocking the way.

Your Majesty and the Crown Prince have a father-son conflict. Besides, the Crown Prince treats them very well on weekdays. If you try to make things difficult for them at this time, you would be as guilty as a dog.

Shan Yao, who was in the carriage, was a little nervous.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the guards move aside.

Let the driver go on.

She was the person arranged by Li Chengqian to pick up the Crown Princess and take her to Luoyang.

He didn't do anything sneaky. He just went through the Chang'an gate and then came to the East Palace to pick someone up.

Li Chengqian knew that even though they had fallen out, Li Shimin would not go so far as to embarrass his daughter-in-law and grandson.

(End of this chapter)