My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 399 Did Li Ji betray the Prince of Jin?

The following morning, the residence of Prince Wei, Li Tai, was shrouded in tranquility, with only the wind chimes on the eaves swaying gently in the breeze, making soft, tinkling sounds.

Cui Shengyu, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe and holding a gold-embroidered folding fan, strode into the mansion with unhurried steps. The gatekeeper, seeing that he was the eldest son of the Cui family, did not stop him, but respectfully bowed before leading him to the study and then announcing his arrival.

Upon hearing that it was the eldest son of the Cui family of Qinghe who had come, Li Tai naturally rushed over to greet him.

"Young Master Cui, what brings you to this day?"

Li Tai smiled. Recently, his relationship with the Five Surnames and Seven Families had become somewhat distant, and he knew the reasons for it.

Li Tai believes that Cui Shengyu's personal visit this time indicates that the five clans and seven powerful families have come to a realization and want to strengthen their support for him again.

However, Cui Shengyu's expression was serious and solemn as he said, "Your Highness, this matter is of great importance, and I have no choice but to disturb you."

Seeing Cui Shengyu's reaction, Li Tai stopped smiling and became serious.

"Come in and talk."

Inside the room, before even taking a seat, Cui Shengyu took a deep breath and lowered his voice, saying, "King Wei, I have just learned some shocking news. The Crown Prince plans to kill Your Highness and the Prince of Jin during the sacrificial ceremony to eliminate any future troubles. In this way, he can become His Majesty's only legitimate son and secure his position as Crown Prince."

Li Tai shuddered, then slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, splashing ink on the table: "Absurd!"

"How dare the Crown Prince! Where did this news come from? Young Master Cui, do not try to test me with such a joke!"

Although he said he didn't believe it, Li Tai was already somewhat afraid.

If he and Prince Jin were really killed by the Crown Prince, what would the Emperor do?

Just like when his father killed Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji, his grandfather had no choice but to appoint his father as Crown Prince and then abdicate to become the Retired Emperor.

Was it because my grandfather lacked the power to challenge my father?

No, it's for the continuation of the Tang Dynasty.

Now, the Crown Prince is going to follow in his father's footsteps!

This is not surprising, because King Wei himself had thought so too. If he eliminated the Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin, he would be the only legitimate son, but he just didn't have the opportunity.

"How could I dare to deceive the King of Wei? When I heard the news, I was extremely surprised and even disbelieving. If I hadn't inquired from various sources, I really wouldn't have believed it would be like this."

When Cui Shengyu spoke, her eyes showed a hint of panic, worry, and disbelief.

This puzzled Li Tai: "What do you mean by that?"

Cui Shengyu said in a deep voice, "Does the Prince of Wei know how the Crown Prince intends to make his move?"

Li Tai frowned: "At the site of the sacrifice, Father and the Crown Prince each have three thousand troops to maintain a balance of power. Are you going to use those three thousand troops to kill them by force?"

Cui Shengyu shook his head slightly: "Of course not. If that were the case, how could the Crown Prince have succeeded?"

"The people the Crown Prince arranged are ones we never expected."

"Even when I first heard it, I didn't believe it."

After a pause, Cui Shengyu stopped speaking in riddles and said directly, "General of the Left Golden Guard, Li Ji!"

Li Tai was stunned, and subconsciously said, "This is impossible, how could this be!"

Cui Shengyu sighed, "I don't think it's impossible either, but it happens to be the least likely person."

"Who would have thought that Li Ji would be the Crown Prince's man?"

Li Tai fell silent for a moment.

He truly refused to believe that Li Ji could possibly be the Crown Prince's man.

The Prince of Jin is on his side now.

Moreover, Li Ji was once the chief secretary of the Prince of Jin's mansion and had a teacher-student relationship with Li Zhi, so he had always been a member of the Prince of Jin's faction.

How did he end up working for the Crown Prince again?

This is too ridiculous.

But Li Tai felt that Cui Shengyu had no reason to lie to him about such an absurd thing.

"Is there some misunderstanding here?"

Li Taichi asked doubtfully, his eyes fixed on Cui Shengyu, trying to find a flaw in the other's face.

Cui Shengyu stepped forward, his expression sorrowful: "Your Highness, at first I also thought it was a misunderstanding, and I investigated it from many angles. Do you know how many people I contacted in secret, and how much risk I took?"

"If it weren't for His Highness's safety, why would I bother getting involved in this mess?"

As he spoke, he lowered his voice, his tone full of secrecy, "My informants saw with their own eyes that Du He, a confidant of the Crown Prince, was secretly entering and leaving the residence of the Left General of the Golden Guard!"

Li Tai's pupils suddenly contracted: "What did you say? Du He went to Li Ji's residence?"

Cui Shengyu nodded heavily, his eyes filled with worry: "It's absolutely true! Late last night, my men saw Du He sneaking into Li Ji's residence and not coming out until midnight. More importantly, Li Ji personally saw him off and they whispered to each other at the door for a long time. Their expressions clearly indicated that they were plotting something important!"

Li Tai's face instantly turned ashen. He paced back and forth, gritting his teeth as he said, "Du He is the Crown Prince's most trusted confidant. It's no coincidence that he went to see Li Ji late at night! Good, good! Li Ji has actually betrayed the Prince of Jin!"

The reason why Du He and Li Tai believed this was because before the Crown Prince entered the city, it was Du He who contacted Lu Tong, the Right General of the Golden Guard.

As the son of Du Ruhui, Du He inherited his father's connections in both the court and the public sphere.

Of course, the most important thing is Li Tai's trust in Cui Shengyu.

After all, the Cui family of Qinghe had supported him for so many years and spent so much money.

Surely I wouldn't lie to him.

Deception is pointless in matters like this.

Seeing Li Tai's ashen face, Cui Shengyu knew that his heart had been stirred, so he stepped forward and tapped the table heavily with his fingertips: "Does the Prince of Wei still remember the ninth year of Wude? When the Crown Prince set up the 'Kunming Pool Banquet' to eliminate the Prince of Qin, if it weren't for Yuchi Jingde's secret report overnight, what would the court be like today?"

His eyes were churning with turmoil, and his voice suddenly dropped to a low hue: "Prince Jin probably doesn't know about this, but he has already become the Crown Prince's son. Li Ji is in charge of the Left Jinwu Guard, and he has many old troops under his command, all of whom are elites."

"His Majesty will not guard against Li Ji, but only against the Crown Prince's troops, so Li Ji is the Crown Prince's surprise force."

“When the Prince of Jin went to offer sacrifices, Li Ji must have sent troops to protect him, but little did he know that his life was already in the hands of the Crown Prince.”

"At that time, the Crown Prince only needs to forcibly assassinate the King of Wei, and he will have accomplished his mission."

"Even if His Majesty finds out and is furious, the matter is already settled, so what can be done?" Li Tai suddenly sensed that something was very wrong.

If that's the case, how can he withstand the Crown Prince's elite troops?

This sacrificial ceremony was a death sentence.

"Young Master Cui, do you have any guidance for me?"

Li Tai looked at Cui Shengyu and asked.

Cui Shengyu shook his head slightly: "I urge Your Majesty to make a decision as soon as possible. My Cui family is weak in Chang'an. If Your Majesty has any use for us, please feel free to give your orders."

Cui Shengyu knew that Li Tai still had doubts in his heart, so he could not offer Li Tai any advice.

Even if there were a solution, Li Tai might not necessarily do as he says.

Only by mixing truth and falsehood could Li Tai believe that Li Ji had betrayed him.

After saying this, Cui Shengyu took his leave, as if his purpose in coming here was only to inform the King of Wei of this news.

Li Tai did not linger, but immediately sent someone to summon Chai Lingwu.

After Cui Shengyu left, the air in the study seemed to freeze.

The ink on the desk was not yet dry, and the splattered marks were like his chaotic thoughts at this moment.

He paced to the window, where the sound of the wind chimes on the eaves suddenly became a jarring warning, each soft tinkling a reminder of his fear of Li Ji's betrayal.

Why hasn't Chai Lingwu arrived yet?

He turned around abruptly, the hem of his robe brushing against the chair leg with a dull thud.

Hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Chai Lingwu, dressed in a black outfit, pushed the door open and entered without announcing himself. His face was as calm as ever, but his eyes narrowed when he saw Li Tai's ashen face.

"What brings you in such a hurry, Prince Wei?" Chai Lingwu's gaze swept over the messy desk. "Has something happened with the Cui family?"

He had just heard that the eldest son of the Cui family of Qinghe had come.

Li Tai waved his hand, his throat bobbing, his voice slightly hoarse from suppressed emotion: "Cui Shengyu just left. He brought news that the Crown Prince intends to take action against me and the Prince of Jin during the sacrificial ceremony, and the executor... is Li Ji, the Grand General of the Left Golden Guard."

Chai Lingwu's pupils contracted slightly: "Li Ji? That's impossible!"

"This... how is this possible? He was a former official of the Prince of Jin's court and had a teacher-student relationship with the Prince of Jin. How could he side with the Crown Prince?"

Li Tai gently shook his head: "I also say it's absurd!"

"But Cui Shengyu spoke with absolute certainty, saying that his informants personally witnessed Du He entering Li Ji's residence late at night, and the two conversing secretly until midnight. Who is Du He? A confidant of the Crown Prince! He was the one who won over Lu Tong of the Right Jinwu Guard back then, and now he's going to see Li Ji..."

Chai Lingwu remained silent for a moment, then walked to the desk, picked up a paperweight, and stroked it: "Your Highness, what is Cui Shengyu's motive for coming here? The Cui family of Qinghe has gradually distanced themselves from us in recent years, so why would they suddenly send such a 'bombshell' message now? If the message is true, he wants to help Your Highness break the deadlock; if it's false..."

He paused, then looked up at Li Tai, "I'm afraid they want to incite a fight between the Prince of Wei and the Crown Prince so they can reap the benefits."

Chai Lingwu simply did not believe that Li Ji had betrayed him.

They began to suspect that this might be a front for the Cui family of Qinghe.

Many believe that the Cui family of Qinghe had sided with the Crown Prince and were secretly plotting against him.

"How could I not know that!"

Li Tai paced back and forth anxiously: "But the Cui family has supported me for many years and spent countless sums of money. If we betray them now, what will we gain? Will they give them higher positions after the Crown Prince ascends the throne? The Five Clans and Seven Noble Families might even switch their support to the Crown Prince..."

Chai Lingwu thought for a moment: "Li Ji's betrayal is the key."

"King Wei, consider this: if Li Ji truly pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince, what would he be after? He is already the Grand General of the Left Golden Guard, holding the highest position among officials. Could the Crown Prince offer him more than His Majesty could? Moreover, the Prince of Jin is currently secretly colluding with you. If Li Ji were to help the Crown Prince eliminate the Prince of Jin, it would be tantamount to cutting off the future of his 'former master,' which makes no sense from any perspective."

Li Tai pressed further: "Then how do you explain Du He's nighttime visit to Li Ji?"

"Cui Shengyu said that Li Ji personally saw him off, and his expression was mysterious."

Chai Lingwu sneered: "Du He is an ambitious man who is very good at currying favor."

"Perhaps he wanted to win over Li Ji, but he might not succeed. Or perhaps, this was a scheme set up by the Crown Prince, deliberately letting Cui Shengyu's spies see it, and using Cui's words to shake your resolve."

Li Tai frowned and pondered, repeatedly deducing in his mind: if the news was true, the day of the sacrifice would be a dead end; if it was false, if he acted rashly, he would only expose his vigilance and even alert the enemy.

“We must investigate,” Chai Lingwu said in a deep voice. “First, investigate whether Cui Shengyu’s informants are real and whether the information has been altered; second, investigate Du He’s recent whereabouts, whether he has contacted any other generals besides Li Ji’s residence; third, investigate Li Ji—he is in charge of the Left Jinwu Guard, whether the troop movements under his command are unusual, and whether he has had any secret meetings with the Crown Prince recently.”

Li Tai felt his mind was in a mess: "How do I investigate Li Ji?"

“His residence is heavily guarded, and my men cannot get close at all. Moreover, the Left Jinwu Guard is an imperial guard, and the mobilization of troops requires His Majesty’s edict. If he really wants to take action, he will definitely make arrangements in secret and will not make a big show of it.”

After thinking for a moment, Chai Lingwu said, "Then let's start with the 'old subordinates'."

“When Li Ji was in the Prince of Jin’s mansion, he promoted many of his advisors, who are now scattered in various government offices and military camps. I remember one named Wang Cheng, who used to be the military commander in the Prince of Jin’s mansion and is now a lieutenant general in the Left Jinwu Guard. He has an old grudge against Li Ji. Perhaps… we can find a breakthrough with him.”

Li Tai's eyes lit up: "Wang Cheng? I have some recollection of him. Back then, he was impeached by Li Ji for embezzling military funds. Although he wasn't dismissed from his post, he was never given an important position. This man can be useful!"

Chai Lingwu cautioned, "But we must be careful. If Wang Cheng has already been bribed by the Crown Prince, it will expose us. This matter must be carried out in secret. I will go to see him personally."

Li Tai nodded: "Okay!"

He then sighed, "Even if it is confirmed that Li Ji did indeed make unusual moves, during the sacrificial ceremony, Father and the Crown Prince each led three thousand troops, ostensibly to check and balance each other. In reality, if the Crown Prince had the assistance of Li Ji's Left Golden Guard, his military strength would far exceed mine. My private army numbers only a few hundred; how can we possibly resist?"

Chai Lingwu slowly said, "King Wei has forgotten one person, Cheng Zhijie."

"General Cheng Zhijie of the Right Guard has always been at odds with Li Ji, yet he is utterly loyal to His Majesty. If Li Ji were to truly act recklessly, Cheng Zhijie would certainly not stand idly by. Furthermore, the sacrificial ceremony takes place at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the surrounding defenses are jointly managed by the Golden Guard and the Feathered Forest Army. General Yuchi might be able to find a way to make an exception."

Li Tai muttered to himself, "Yuchi Jingde, Cheng Zhijie."

"But how can we convince them that the Crown Prince is going to take action? Without concrete evidence, they might not intervene based solely on Cui Shengyu's one-sided account."

“Therefore, the key to breaking this deadlock lies in whether Cui Shengyu’s information is true or false.” Chai Lingwu walked to the map and pointed to the location of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. “If the information is true, the Crown Prince and Li Ji’s plan must be: during the sacrificial ceremony, Li Ji will use the pretext of ‘protecting the emperor’ to control the area around the Imperial Ancestral Temple, cutting off His Majesty’s contact with the outside world. At the same time, the Crown Prince will use the pretext of ‘purging the court of corrupt officials’ to lead his troops in a surprise attack on you and the Prince of Jin. After the deed is done, they will report to His Majesty on charges of ‘treason’ to force His Majesty to submit—just like His Majesty did back then…”

He didn't say anything more, but Li Tai already understood the deeper meaning. The Xuanwu Gate Incident of the ninth year of the Wude era was a thorn in the side of the Li imperial family forever. If the crown prince followed Li Shimin's example and used bloody means to eliminate his brothers, even if Li Yuan were alive, he would have no choice but to compromise for the sake of the Tang Dynasty's foundation.

“If the news is false,” Chai Lingwu changed the subject, “then the Crown Prince is using Cui’s words to lure you into being on guard during the sacrificial ceremony, or even to take the initiative. At that time, he can then rightfully arrest you on charges of ‘treason’ and completely eliminate this major threat.”

"It's a dead end no matter which way I go!" Li Tai gulped down a cup of cold tea, a bitter taste rising in his throat. "On the day of the sacrifice, I can't go, and I can't not go. If I go, I might fall into an ambush; if I don't go, it would be disobeying the imperial decree and confirming my intention to rebel."

“Not necessarily.” Chai Lingwu’s gaze fell on the “Xuanwu Gate” mark on the map. “His Majesty was able to win back then not because he had more troops, but because he seized the initiative. Now, we can also ‘turn the tables on him.’”

(End of this chapter)