I am Li Shen and Li Shimin, the free kings of the Tang Dynasty

Just as the two brothers were pouring their hearts out to each other, Li Shimin, standing to the side, looked exasperated and coughed lightly:

"cough!"

This sound interrupted Li Shen's performance.

"Alright, you don't need to play the victim like this. Duke Zhao won't lay a hand on you again."

Li Shimin looked at Li Shen with disdain. This guy always liked to put on airs, making outsiders believe it.

But he had fought with Li Shen for ten years, so how could he not understand Li Shen?

Li Shenyi could tell how many turds he would poop just by sticking his butt out.

Seeing that his eldest son, the heir to the Tang Dynasty, had been so easily deceived by Li Shen, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel disappointed.

He thought to himself, "It seems I still need to give Li Chengqian more experience in the future."

"How do you know Father doesn't dare to deal with me? He has already made his move several times."

Li Shen refuted this.

Even Li Chengqian looked at his father with doubt. Although he said he would protect Li Shen, he could not guarantee that Changsun Wuji would not take action.

"Because he dares not." Li Shimin took a sip of tea, his expression completely calm.

"You dare not? Why is that?" Li Chengqian couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering him.

"Ask him." Li Shimin didn't explain, but instead raised an eyebrow at Li Shen.

"Ask me? How would I know?" Li Shen was taken aback.

"Hmph, tell me how much dirt you have on Changsun Wuji?" Li Shimin snorted.

“I… I don’t have any leverage over the Duke of Zhao. If I did, why would I be using Yang Hongli’s incriminating information to blackmail him today?”

Li Shen quickly shook his head, though he was somewhat shocked and his expression was a little unnatural.

“Yes, Father. If my tenth brother had any leverage over the Duke of Zhao, he would have used it today instead of taking advantage of Yang Hongli.”

Li Chengqian nodded in agreement; he had watched the entire negotiation between Li Shen and Changsun Wuji.

Li Shimin scoffed.

"Ha! That's because Han Yuan's matter isn't significant enough. Yang Hongli alone is enough. Gao Ming, don't underestimate your younger brother."

Be extra careful in your future actions; don't be deceived by him, and don't agree to anything he asks for. Otherwise, he might sell the entire capital without you even knowing.

"Is it really that exaggerated, Father? You're making my son sound like a great villain. Aren't you trying to ruin my relationship with my older brother?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shen immediately jumped out to express his dissatisfaction, saying, "How can you talk about your own son like that?"

I only cheated you out of a little money, why would you slander me like this in front of the future emperor?

Li Shen was planning to gain some advantage from Li Chengqian in the future, but his own father was always undermining him and damaging his image in Li Chengqian's eyes.

Li Shimin looked at him with disdain and chuckled twice.

"Praise? Ha! You wanted to buy the palace and rent it to me for rent ten years ago, and you even said you wouldn't get it without paying rent?"

He looked up at Wang De, who quickly added:

"Your Majesty, they say they've cut off the water, refused to provide food, and even want to expel Your Majesty from the palace."

"Hey! I didn't say that last sentence. Don't frame me. Besides, it's been ten years. How can you remember it so clearly?"

Upon hearing Wang De's last sentence, Li Shen roared, "Good heavens, this old bastard just spouts whatever comes to mind. Isn't he just asking me to get beaten up?"

It's been ten years already, and I don't even remember it that clearly myself, but this old bastard still remembers it.

"So you're admitting it?" Li Shimin approached the fire, warming his hands.

"Hehe, Father, please forgive me. I was young then, and children say things without thinking. Besides, didn't you scold me back then?"

Ten years have passed, and Father is broad-minded; naturally, he won't hold it against me.

Li Shen smiled apologetically. The trouble from ten years ago could still be brought up again, and it hit him right on the forehead.

"Hmph!" Li Shimin saw Li Shen's smirking face and said nothing more, only letting out a snort.

"Does Father mean that Tenth Brother still has leverage over the Duke of Zhao, but the matter concerning Han Yuan is relatively minor, so he hasn't brought it up?"

Li Chengqian understood his father's meaning and quickly asked.

"Brother, I didn't," Li Shen quickly denied.

"There are no outsiders here, so just tell your older brother. That way, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, he'll have something to rely on."

Li Shimin spoke first.

"Why should I?" Li Shen blurted out. He had finally found some leverage, and his father was actually asking him to share it with the boss.

Isn't this equivalent to making me pay for the eldest brother's house and wedding?

What is a trump card? A trump card is something you hide and use when it's crucial. If you reveal it, it's no good.

Besides, why should it be given to the eldest son? Just because he is the eldest legitimate son?

Li Shen had heard of "brother-supporting demons," but he had never heard of a younger brother supporting his elder brother.

"Hahaha, see, I told you he had it."

Li Shimin immediately laughed and pointed at Li Shen, saying smugly.

"Damn it, I've been tricked!" Li Shen realized then that he had been fooled and had given himself away in his haste.

As expected, he was cunning and treacherous; his own father was full of bad intentions.

"Hehe, tenth brother, if the Duke of Zhao has any dirt on you, you might as well tell me. That way, I can cooperate with you in the future, right?"

Li Chengqian looked at Li Shen with a smile.

Li Shen glanced at Li Chengqian, then at his father. These two were bullying him, using their superior strength to scheme against him.

"I'm not telling you. If I reveal my hand, it's no longer my hand. If you want to know Zhao Guogong's weaknesses, go find out for yourself."

"Or give me 100,000 strings of cash, and I'll tell you one thing." Li Shen looked at Li Chengqian with disdain.

"Ten thousand strings of cash? You really dare to ask for that much. You know what kind of wealth I have, where would I get the money to give you?"

Li Chengqian vomited blood on the spot. This guy only knows money; he talks about money all the time.

"If you don't have money, what trump card do you have to ask me for? Didn't I find this out myself? Do you think Changsun Wuji deliberately let me know?"

Li Shen said dismissively.

“You…” Li Chengqian was speechless.

"Alright, I don't talk to poor people. We're not even on the same level."

Before Li Chengqian could refute, Li Shenyi struck a heavy blow to Li Chengqian's heart, immediately leaving him speechless.

Indeed, the only person in the entire Tang Dynasty who could get along with Li Shen was his father. The father and son were involved in businesses worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of strings of cash.

Seeing Li Chengqian's setback, Li Shimin shook his head helplessly. Before Li Chengqian inherited the throne, he was no match for Li Shen.

At this point, Li Shimin could only explain to Li Chengqian:

“Brilliant! One of the reasons why the Duke of Zhao is afraid of the Tenth Prince is that the Tenth Prince possesses two great weapons.”

The first is steel, the second is salt.

"Iron and salt? Don't aristocratic families also have these?" Li Chengqian asked without hesitation, as many people were qualified to participate in the salt and iron monopoly.

For example, aristocratic families and some noble families.