Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 502 Emperor Jing of Han kills Dou Ying (Part )

Changsun Wuji sat beside Li Shimin, and couldn't help but recall Li Chengqian's reaction when Li Yifu said the four words "Tiansheng Khan".

Amidst the astonishment, there was also a hint of surprise.

The emperor had thought of this problem in an instant.

Tian Khan, the emperor will become Tian Khan in the future, and he will be given the title of Tian Khan.

Heavenly Khan Li Chengqian.

Changsun Wuji could now feel the endless ecstasy in Li Chengqian's heart.

"Although I don't like Li Yifu, you must admit that he is a capable man." Li Shimin looked at Zhangsun Wuji and said, "Wuji, you must be careful. The emperor has many capable young men under his command. Li Yifu is just the most prominent one. The others are all working hard and gaining experience."

Dai Zhide, Zhang Wenguan, Liu Rengui, Su Liangsi, Pei Xingjian, Li Dejian, Xi Junmai...

Changsun Wuji could come up with a lot of names just by thinking about it.

"I understand." Changsun Wuji smiled softly, then said without much worry, "Your Majesty likes quiet young people. This is a good thing. It means they will have a long time to gain experience below. By the time they grow up, I will have retired."

"It's good that you understand this." Li Shimin nodded, then shook his head and said, "But you still have to be careful.

It's fine while I'm here, but once I'm gone, the emperor will push you forward and use you to resist the pressure for him."

"I am your majesty's uncle and the current Shangshu Zuo Pushe. It is my duty to do this." Changsun Wuji smiled easily. The emperor trusted him very much, so it was his duty to repay his loyalty.

"You don't understand." Li Shimin looked at Zhangsun Wuji deeply and said, "Once I die, the Hedong aristocratic families that have been suppressed for these years will rise up again. Their first goal will be to bring you down."

Changsun Wuji's expression became serious.

"They will try every possible means to create conflicts between you and the emperor, and finally find a way to force the emperor to kill you." Li Shimin's words made Changsun Wuji frown.

"But there's no need to worry too much." Li Shimin suddenly smiled again and said, "You know Cheng Qian better than I do. He knows the basics best and won't do anything to you. On the contrary, if he had become a slave back then, I would have been worried."

"Saint." Changsun Wuji looked up with some concern.

Li Shimin waved his hand slightly.

Only then did Changsun Wuji relax and think about what Li Shimin said.

The emperor is not like the King of Jin. He has enough power in his hands. At the same time, he has a deep understanding of the world and is well versed in the ways of power and intrigue. Moreover, he truly trusts Changsun Wuji.

So there is no need to worry too much.

"What you really need to worry about isn't the Shandong noble families. We've suppressed them for so many years. Even if they can cause trouble for a while, it's unlikely they'll cause permanent unrest." After a brief pause, Li Shimin looked at Zhangsun Wuji and said, "On the contrary, what you really need to worry about are the people around you."

"Huh?" Changsun Wuji didn't react for a moment.

"Do you really think that the only people who want to remove you from your position as Shangshu Zuo Pushe are those from the Shandong family?" Li Shimin shook his head and said with some concern, "In fact, there are also those around you, such as Chu Suiliang and Liu Shi. They also want to remove you from your position as Shangshu Zuo Pushe and take up that position themselves."

"Liu Shi, Chu Suiliang." Changsun Wuji looked up in disbelief.

"You're too straightforward." Li Shimin sighed softly and said, "Do you still remember when I asked you to be the Shangshu You Pushe, but Guanyinbi refused?"

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji nodded. It was because of that incident that he became the prime minister of the dynasty for more than ten years.

"You're not lacking in sharpness or tactical skill, but you're too straightforward." Li Shimin sighed softly and said, "Those Hedong noble families will at most slander you in front of the emperor, but the Guanzhong clans, the people around you, will use you as a tool to push you higher, or even completely turn you against the emperor."

Changsun Wuji's expression changed slightly.

He is the emperor's uncle, and the emperor needs him. If he assists the emperor with all his strength, then naturally nothing will happen. But once he stands against the emperor, Changsun Wuji can be sure that he has no chance of winning.

The emperor had been the crown prince for twenty-two years and had fought his way to the top with the King of Jin and the King of Wei.

He has enough men under his command.

In particular, after he ascended the throne, Changsun Wuji had been isolated from the army intentionally or unintentionally.

Although he still has enough manpower in the army, the current structure of the Sixteen Guards in Chang'an is very different from what he remembers.

The emperor re-planned and re-established checks and balances.

A large number of elite guards were transferred to the Sixteen Guards.

Although the sixteen generals of the guards above him were still the ones he was familiar with, all the captains and lieutenants below him had been replaced.

Standing opposite the emperor, Changsun Wuji had no chance of winning.

"You know what kind of person Cheng Qian is, but do you know what kind of people Chu Suiliang and Liu Shi are?" Li Shimin glanced at Zhangsun Wuji, shook his head, and said, "If you hadn't protected him, Liu Shi would have been exiled to the local area as a chief secretary, which would have been his due."

There was something wrong with Liu Shi, or rather, there was something wrong with Liu Shi who was the Minister of Personnel.

Li Shimin's words were very clear.

It was inappropriate for Zhangsun Wuji to recommend Liu Shi as the Minister of Personnel.

"Saint, I..." Changsun Wuji's face looked a little ugly.

Li Shimin shook his head and said, "Wuji, if one day the emperor wants to promote or dismiss you, remember that he is doing it all for your own good."

Zhang Sun Wuji was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what was happening and immediately nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I understand."

Li Shimin smiled gently, and looking at Changsun Wuji's sincere look, he nodded with some relief.

Then he took out a secret letter from under his body and handed it to Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji took it with some doubts, and opened it at Li Shimin's signal.

After taking a look, Changsun Wuji's face changed suddenly.

Li Shimin left a letter, asking him to hand over the secret letter to Li Chengqian at the critical moment, and to execute Chu Suiliang according to the will of the Supreme Emperor.

Yes, kill Chu Suiliang.

"Saint!" Changsun Wuji looked up in disbelief.

"Wuji, don't worry. This is a letter, not a will." Li Shimin shook his head calmly and said, "I won't treat you the way Emperor Jing of Han treated Dou Ying."

The word "Dou Ying" startled Changsun Wuji.

The reason for Dou Ying's death was that Emperor Jing of Han left a will to save his life. However, in the end, because there was no backup in the palace, Dou Ying was executed along with his entire family for forging the will.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly bowed. If the retired emperor hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have noticed this at all. Thinking about it now, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

But he lowered his head and looked at the will, which asked him to give it to the emperor and execute Chu Suiliang.

This was something he had never thought of.

Could it be that Chu Suiliang would really praise himself to such an extent in the future?

Li Shimin glanced at Zhangsun Wuji, sighed softly, and said, "Cheng Qian is a smart man. After seeing this secret order, he will know what to do. Of course, I gave it to you in advance today because I hope you can control it and not let the situation get to that point. In the end, you can never use it for the rest of your life and retire smoothly."

Listening to Li Shimin's rambling, Changsun Wuji suddenly felt a lump in his throat, then bowed his head and said, "Thank you, Saint, for your compassion."

"Okay, that's all." Li Shimin glanced at the memorial on his lap and told Zhangsun Wuji, "Go out and tell the emperor that I agree to Tiansheng Khan's request."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed, then looked up at Li Shimin.

After he finished speaking, Li Shimin's expression became listless again, and he looked extremely tired.

How could Changsun Wuji not know that Li Shimin's death would come in just one or two days?

Maybe even...

He controlled his tears from flowing down, then slowly turned around and left.

When the door closed again, Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes and said, "Go and burn the things."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda on the side bowed slightly, then took out a piece of yellow silk paper from his sleeve, placed it on the candle, and lit it gently.

Li Shimin sighed lightly, looking helpless.

Although he was extremely reluctant to plot against Changsun Wuji, he still had to do what he had to do.

If Changsun Wuji had hesitated even a little when Li Shimin said that Li Chengqian would dismiss him from his official position, then Li Shimin would have used this edict.

Of course, his methods are not that simple.

The necessary records will still be filed, but after filing, he will also leave a will.

Everyone who has read books knows that Emperor Jing of Han murdered Dou Ying, and the same goes for Zhangsun Wuji. He would naturally investigate.

But as long as he could verify that it existed, he would naturally relax...

Fortunately, this trick was not used.

Li Shimin felt a little tired and a little sad.

Because even so, Li Shimin still took action against Changsun Wuji.

He increased his vigilance against the Hongnong Yang family and the entire Shandong aristocratic family, and at the same time made him wary of the Guanlong clans.

Li Shimin's expression gradually calmed down.

Changsun Wuji must be wondering, will the Guanlong clans flatter him to death?
The answer is yes.

Li Shimin knew it best.

When he was there, he was the leader of the entire Guanlong clan.

After his death, this person should have been Li Chengqian, but Li Chengqian had his own ideas and his own way of doing things.

He and the Guanlong clans did not get along well.

To be precise, Li Chengqian's interests were different from those of the Guanlong clans.

Moreover, the Guanlong clans might not necessarily support Li Chengqian wholeheartedly.

After Li Shimin's death, they would inevitably become alienated from Li Chengqian.

Under such circumstances, the Guanlong clans were trying to find a new spokesperson, and Li Chengqian was consciously pushing Changsun Wuji forward.

The combination of the Guanlong clan and Zhangsun Wuji was almost inevitable.

Not to mention, he himself was the most important minister left by Li Shimin to assist Li Chengqian.

There are conflicts of interest between the Guanlong clan and Li Chengqian, which means that their conflicts will inevitably intensify in the future.

They would push Changsun Wuji towards opposition with Li Chengqian.

With Li Chengqian's methods, no, even if it was not Li Chengqian but Li Zhi, Changsun Wuji would definitely fail.

In fact, there were far more people in the court who supported the emperor than those who supported Changsun Wuji.

Especially Li Ji.

So, he needs to point this out in advance.

After he pointed this out, Changsun Wuji and the Guanlong clan would gradually drift apart.

He will become a lone minister.

This is what Li Shimin wanted.

This is also what Li Chengqian wants.

In this way, Changsun Wuji was able to survive in the end.

Only the eldest grandson's family can survive.

Relatives by marriage!
……

As the light and shadows slanted westward, Li Shimin opened his eyes slightly and said, "Send out the rest."

"Here!" Zhang Ananda bowed slightly, then took out five secret letters from a golden box on the side and handed them out one by one.

In the darkness, one black-clad guard after another came out, took the secret letter, and then bowed and left.

One can vaguely see the names of Li Ji, Niu Jinda, and Li Daozon written on the envelope of the secret letter.

There are two names on the letters, but I can't see them clearly.

(End of this chapter)