Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The city of Chang'an was shrouded in sweltering heat in June, and even the air in the throne room of the imperial palace seemed frozen.

Li Shiming sat upright on the dragon throne, holding tightly in his hand the handwritten letter from the Han Emperor Liu Che, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Sweat trickled down his temples, but it couldn't cool the rage in his eyes.

"boom!"

A loud bang shook the hall.

Li Shiming suddenly slammed the table and stood up, causing the teacup on the table to jump up. The boiling hot tea splashed onto the gilded table and a wisp of white smoke rose.

"All my princes have died in the Wei Kingdom! We even lost 80,000 troops!"

His voice boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the hall. "Liu Che actually wants me to send troops to aid Wei? He has ill intentions and wants to deplete our dynasty's strength!"

All the ministers in the hall were silent.

The June heat wave poured in through the open temple door, but it could not dispel the suffocating oppression.

Wang Gui, the Minister of Rites, quietly wiped the sweat from his forehead, his Adam's apple rolling up and down.

The Minister of War, Hou Junji, straightened his back, with a cold light flashing in his eyes.

Prime Minister Changsun Wuji stood with his head bowed, his expression difficult to discern.

Li Shiming's sharp eyes swept over the ministers, and saw lowered heads and flickering eyes.

He sneered, the wide cuffs of his dragon robe remaining motionless in the sweltering air. "My dear ministers, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

The silence lasted for several breaths and was finally broken by Hou Junji.

The battle-hardened veteran strode out, his armor making a crisp metallic clang in the silent hall.

"His Majesty!"

His voice was like the clash of swords: "The Chu army has won consecutive battles and is in high spirits. On the other hand, the Wei army has only about 100,000 men left. It is impossible for them to stop the Chu army. The destruction of Wei is a foregone conclusion!"

He looked up at the emperor, his eyes clear of fear. "If we send troops now, there's a very real possibility we won't return. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Li Shiming narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrests of the dragon throne.

Outside the hall, a gust of hot wind brought in the fragrance of locust flowers, but it could not ease the tense atmosphere inside the hall.

"Minister Hou, what you said is wrong!" Wang Gui, the Minister of Rites, suddenly stepped out, his voice a little sharp due to nervousness.

"If we don't send troops, won't our dynasty lose its credibility with the world? And won't the original three-dynasty alliance become a laughing stock?"

A burst of sneers immediately broke out among the generals.

The General of the Left Guard retorted gruffly, "If the Han Dynasty didn't send troops, why should ours?"

"That's right!" echoed the Right Guard General, his burly figure like an iron tower.

"Even if we have broken our promise, it was the Han Dynasty that broke it first! Our dynasty has already sent troops and lost a prince. Isn't this sincerity enough?"

The civil servants looked at each other in bewilderment, and no one dared to refute.

Li Shiming watched the argument coldly, a trace of fatigue flashing in his eyes.

He raised his hand to signal for silence, then turned his gaze to the silent Changsun Wuji: "What is your opinion, Prime Minister?"

Changsun Wuji walked out slowly. This old minister, who was nearly fifty years old, walked steadily, as if the tense atmosphere in the hall had nothing to do with him.

He bowed deeply to Li Shiming before speaking, "My Lords, please do not be anxious. Please listen to my words on this matter."

The hall suddenly became quiet, even the breathing became faint.

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "Our dynasty has already sent out troops, and suffered heavy losses. Even the Fourth Prince has not returned."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone present: "Your Majesty can excuse this matter by saying that he can hold the Fourth Prince's funeral."

As soon as these words were spoken, a low murmur of discussion arose in the hall.

A gleam of light flashed in Li Shiming's eyes, and his body leaned forward slightly.

Changsun Wuji continued, "In this case, since our dynasty has just suffered a defeat and lost a prince, it makes sense not to send troops."

"It not only preserved the face of the alliance with the Han and Wei states, but also avoided further losses of troops."

Li Shiming nodded slightly, his tense face relaxing slightly. "Okay, I'll follow your advice. Please handle this matter!"

He turned to the official from the Ministry of Rites, his voice suddenly trembling with an almost unnoticeable tremor: "How are the arrangements for the Fourth Prince's funeral?"

Wang Gui hurried out, beads of sweat on his forehead glistening in the sunlight. "Your Majesty, the funeral specifications have been finalized, and the invitations have been sent out. The funeral can be held in just two weeks."

Li Shiming closed his eyes, and the image of Li Ge as a teenager emerged in his mind - the intelligent prince who liked to follow him and ask questions, but now he has become a cold corpse.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the pain surging in his chest: "This matter must be handled properly, without any carelessness."

"I obey your order." Wang Gui bowed deeply.

Li Shiming waved his hand, his wide sleeves drawing an arc in the sweltering air. "The Prime Minister will stay, and the rest of you can withdraw!"

"We, the ministers, take our leave." The ministers responded in unison and left the hall one by one.

The footsteps gradually faded away, and only Li Shiming and Changsun Wuji were left in the hall.

There was silence for a moment.

Li Shiming stood up, walked to the window and looked at the palace wall in the distance.

The sunlight stretched his shadow very long, extending all the way to Changsun Wuji's feet.

"How is that matter arranged?" Li Shiming suddenly spoke, his voice so low that it was almost inaudible.

Zhang Sun Wuji took two steps forward and lowered his voice as well: "Your Majesty, everything is ready. We are just waiting for the right opportunity to execute it!"

Li Shiming turned around, his eyes burning with cold anger: "Very good!"

He walked to the desk and ran his fingers over the letter from Liu Che.

"The hatred of killing a son is irreconcilable."

His voice was like a poisoned blade: "Chu Ning, just clean your neck and wait!"

Outside the window, a gust of hot wind suddenly blew up, blowing the curtains in the hall.

A faint bell sound came from the distance. It was the Buddhist bell that was ringing for the fourth prince Li Ge to be reincarnated.

Li Shiming looked in that direction, and the anger in his eyes was gradually replaced by deep sorrow.

"Ge'er is not even thirty years old yet." He murmured in a low voice, almost inaudible.

Changsun Wuji stood quietly by, looking at the emperor who was usually majestic and inviolable, and now showed the grief of an ordinary father.

The June sunlight shines through the window lattice, casting mottled light and shadow on Li Shiming's face, adding a bit of vicissitudes of life.

"His Majesty."

Changsun Wuji said softly, "The Fourth Prince's spirit in heaven will surely see the day when you seek justice for him."

Li Shiming did not answer. He turned and walked towards the dragon throne with heavy steps.

When he sat down again, the fragile and sad father had disappeared, replaced by the majestic and inviolable Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

"Preach my will!"

His voice regained its former dignity: "From now on, the entire nation will observe a three-month mourning period for the Fourth Prince. Border troops must step up their vigilance, but they must not initiate any offensive operations. The Ministry of Rites will be responsible for arranging the funeral, following the standards set for the Crown Prince."

Changsun Wuji bowed deeply and said, "I obey your command."

Li Shiming nodded and waved his hand to signal Changsun Wuji to leave.

The moment the hall door closed, he seemed to have suddenly aged ten years.

He slowly took out a jade pendant from his sleeve - it was given to Li Ge by him personally on his tenth birthday, and the word "peace" was engraved on it.

"Ger..."

Li Shiming's fingers gently stroked the lines on the jade pendant, and a hint of moisture appeared in his eyes.

Outside the window, the June sun was still scorching the earth, but his heart felt like it had fallen into an ice cellar.

The hatred towards Chu Ning also reached its peak at this moment!