The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 989

Li Er was taken back to his palace, but he was already unconscious, and the imperial physicians were completely helpless.

It was already evening when I finally woke up.

Knowing he was nearing his end, Li Er summoned Xu Tian and Li Zhi to an audience before his death.

Xu Tian and his companions arrived at Li Er's palace, where palace servants and imperial physicians knelt on the ground.

When Li Er saw the two of them, a smile appeared on his face.

Xu Tian could tell from Li Er's face that he was on the verge of death.

He said frankly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Xu Tian will take good care of the Ninth Prince."

Li Er nodded.

He had always trusted Xu Tian.

Hearing Xu Tian say this, he finally let go of his last worry.

Li Er finally closed his eyes, and his raised hand slowly fell down.

Li Zhi was overcome with grief and immediately knelt down beside the bed.

The imperial city was immediately filled with weeping.

Xu Tian looked at Li Er lying on the bed, now at peace, and felt a deep sorrow in his heart.

Li Zhi had already been named Crown Prince, and with Li Er's passing away, he became the first in line to the throne.

Li Er's funeral was also personally supervised by Li Zhi.

The whole nation is in mourning.

At the funeral, although the princes appeared to be in great pain, each of them harbored their own ulterior motives.

They all knew that once Li Er died, Li Zhi would naturally inherit the throne.

This is what they find most intolerable.

Therefore, even at the funeral, they had many complaints about Li Zhi's behavior.

"If you can't even do such a small thing well, how can you shoulder such an important responsibility?"

"Exactly, I think he can only be a leisurely prince, that's fine, but as for anything else, he's simply not up to the task."

Upon hearing the princes' words, Li Zhi could only lower his head slightly.

Li Zhi had no way to refute their criticism.

Everyone believed that Li Zhi was an incompetent person.

None of them were optimistic about Li Zhi.

If any other prince had ascended the throne, there wouldn't have been so much opposition.

Those princes must have had powerful backers, but Li Zhi did not.

All he has is legitimate blood; even his maternal family has no power whatsoever.

This is why he couldn't answer the princes' provocations.

He genuinely couldn't answer.

Xu Tian looked at Li Zhi, who looked embarrassed.

I went straight up there.

"If the princes feel that His Majesty's arrangements are not appropriate, they can now begin to reason with His Majesty."

"After all, this decision was made by His Majesty, not by the Ninth Prince. If you think the Ninth Prince is not up to the task, you can also step forward. Whoever is capable of shouldering this responsibility, please speak up."

Xu Tian looked at the princes; they were nothing more than armchair strategists.

These princes seem to have forgotten that Li Zhi has Xu Tian behind him.

This man was once trusted by the emperor, who even summoned him on his deathbed.

One can imagine how important Xu Tianzai is to him and in his heart.

Upon hearing Xu Tian's words, the princes slunk away.