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

The term "Emperor Zhenguan" was something Li Shimin heard for the first time, yet it resonated deeply with him.

The way they looked at Li Shen was different now. In crucial moments, it was this son who made them proud, and it was always the same.

Of course, there were more embarrassing moments, but none of that mattered. Right now, he was still immersed in Li Shen's boastful words.

All nations paid tribute, he looked down upon the world, and became the greatest emperor of all time.

Every word made him a little happier. What was he working so hard for? Wasn't it all to be a good emperor?

To prove that I was right back then and that my father's choice was wrong.

Now he has succeeded; no one wanted Li Yuan to live more than he did.

Seeing his father's smug expression, Li Shen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Could the matter of his rudeness in front of the emperor be forgotten now?

Li Shen just had a sudden inspiration, which led to his passionate speech.

If you're talking about serious matters, Li Shen is utterly worthless, but if you're talking about flattery, boasting, and deception, Li Shen is truly an expert.

Years of business experience have taught him to be adept at judging people and flattering them with ease. After all, it's always better to be a little more tactful in life.

In the workplace, only two types of people thrive. The first type is those who can bring economic value to their superiors. Even if such people are a bit individualistic, their superiors will tolerate them.

Another type is the person who provides emotional value to the leader; they used to be called a sycophant, but now they are called someone with high emotional intelligence.

Such people can also thrive. The leader is after this emotional value. Do you really think the leader doesn't know how worthless he is?

Why did Li Shimin favor and protect Li Shen so much? Because Li Shen could provide Li Shimin with not only economic value, but also emotional value.

Although Li Shen's tasks came at a price, they were always done better and faster than those of the court officials.

This is Li Shen's value.

So while other princes were severely reprimanded for playing around while hunting and trampling crops, Li Shimin even hoped that Li Shen would make such small mistakes.

"Sigh... Zhinu, you see, this is the difference between us and the Tenth Prince."

Li Tai sighed, took a sip of wine, and said with emotion.

Without Li Shen present, this table was only occupied by the Emperor and his senior ministers, including Changsun Wuji, chatting and laughing. The Crown Prince only occasionally chimed in.

They were all very reserved in front of their emperor father.

But Li Shen immediately became the center of attention upon his arrival, his radiance overshadowing even that of the Crown Prince.

And look at what he said, even his own father would like to hear it.

No wonder the Emperor dotes on Li Shen so much; there's definitely a reason for it.

"Hmph, just flattery." Li Zhi curled his lip, but in his heart he had to admit that Li Shen really had a talent for flattery.

How did he come up with these words? He knew every single word, but he never thought of putting them together.

Seeing how close Li Shen was to his father, Li Zhi's expression changed.

“Zhi Nu, you should change your ways. Although what Lao Shi said was somewhat flattering, if you think about it carefully, which of his words was wrong?”

Indeed, our Emperor has achieved the goal of all nations paying tribute. Our Great Tang Dynasty is now truly unmatched in the world. In every aspect, our Emperor has surpassed his predecessors.

He surpassed even Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, and it is no exaggeration to call him one of the greatest emperors of all time.

It is inevitable that he will be remembered in history; Lao Shi has no intention of exaggerating.

We are both sons, yet we have never said these words to each other.

Seeing Li Zhi's eyes, Li Tai sighed inwardly. Li Zhi wasn't like this before; how could he have become so unwise?

Could it be that Li Shen really did knock Li Zhi out of his mind back then?

Otherwise, why would Li Zhi's temperament change so drastically after that, and why would he be so impulsive every time he faced Li Shen?

"Fourth Brother, Li Shen is nothing but a villain. How can he compare to you and me? He is just a son born out of wedlock. He only got to where he is today by using some tricks to deceive Father."

When have you ever seen your elder brother act like a geisha, striking poses in front of your father like he does?

Doesn't Father also value his eldest brother highly?

Li Zhi was still somewhat resentful; he had always looked down on Li Shen and believed that Li Shen did not deserve his current treatment.

Li Shen was only a son born out of wedlock; they were the legitimate sons.

Li Tai frowned upon hearing Li Zhi's words. This younger brother was truly beyond help; he had explained everything so clearly, yet his brother still couldn't understand.

"Zhi Nu, are you still concerned about the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children? How can you still not understand that Li Shen's success today is due to the value he himself has created?"

Yes, the word "value" is something I learned from the Prince Ji's residence.

The logic is simple: Li Shen's value lies in how much benefit he can bring to his father, the court, and the crown prince.

The value of a certain quantity.

Don't provoke Li Shen anymore. I won't help you deal with him anymore. Lao Shi has grown too powerful; neither of us can handle him.

Didn't your allies betray you last time? When faced with self-interest, they won't hesitate to abandon you; otherwise, why do you think they've survived for millennia?

Li Tai spoke earnestly to Li Zhi, hoping that Li Zhi could change and stop confronting Li Shen head-on.

Li Zhi looked at his fourth brother. They were brothers, and he could see sincerity in Li Tai's eyes. His fourth brother was truly teaching him.

In the last case involving Wang Wencheng, Changsun Wuji and the aristocratic families suddenly turned against him in court, leaving him alone to confront Li Shen. The outcome was predictable; he became a laughingstock.

It's unclear what method Li Shen used to get Changsun Wuji and the aristocratic families to compromise.

That's when he realized that his relationship with these people wasn't that solid, and that they could abandon him at any time.

"Thank you for your guidance, Fourth Brother. I will keep it in mind and will definitely correct my mistakes in the future." Li Zhi lowered his head and thanked Li Tai for his teachings.

Li Tai patted Li Zhi on the shoulder.

“We are brothers, and I don’t want you to be harmed by Li Shen in the end. This man is narrow-minded, vindictive, treacherous, and ruthless.”

If one day he finds an opportunity and gets hold of your weakness, he will definitely try to kill you.

You'd better be careful.

Li Tai had to remind Li Zhi, fearing that he might make a mistake and give Li Shen an opportunity.

"Don't worry, Fourth Brother, I'll be careful. But the outcome is still uncertain." Li Zhi's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He was very unconvinced.

To be fair, he wasn't someone to be trifled with.

Upon seeing this, Li Tai sighed:

"Sigh, just be careful. Also, he's back now. I've already sent someone to inform you about the betting, so you should turn it off. Don't let him take the opportunity to scam you."

This guy is never one to suffer a loss.