Li Shimin, one emperor through the ages

Chapter 40 The Heart of the Father (2)
The guard came out in response, and just as he was about to leave, Li Yuan lowered his voice and said, "Slow down, send Prime Minister Pei Ji to see you."

Soon, Pei Ji came in a hurry, Li Yuan shouted back, let Pei Ji come to him, and said angrily:
"The crown prince asked Yang Wengan, the governor of Gyeongju, to secretly recruit soldiers and prepare for rebellion. How do you think this matter should be handled?"

Pei Ji was taken aback when he heard this, thought for a while, and asked:

"Is it necessary for the minister to further investigate this matter?"

Li Yuan shook his head and said, "There's no need for it. It was Tang Jian, the Minister of Internal History, and the two of Nei Shi Ling who found out and sent someone to report. Now that the witness is outside the palace, is there any need to investigate again?"

"It's just a matter of treason, the crown prince is absolutely embarrassing."

"If you don't want to rebel, why do you privately recruit soldiers?" Li Yuan scolded loudly.

Pei Ji has been by Li Yuan's side since he set up an army in Taiyuan. Although he did not make great achievements, he did everything according to Li Yuan's wishes. He relieved Li Yuan of many worries. He was regarded by Li Yuan as his confidant. It's the first time that he yelled at him so loudly without adding any censure.Although Pei Ji was unhappy, but seeing Li Yuan's elegant and calm face in the past, now became so sad and tired, he also understood the root of Li Yuan's anger, and said cautiously:

"The matter has come to an end, and I will go to Chang'an to summon the prince on the grounds of other matters. After His Majesty asks the ins and outs of the matter, then deal with it?"

After hearing this, Li Yuan sighed and nodded.Seeing that Pei Jili was about to leave, he called him again and said:

"Pei Ji, I was just upset and angry at you..."

"Your majesty, I know that, please take care of the dragon's body. These matters can be resolved if you ask them clearly."

"In your opinion, this matter..."

"I think that it is absolutely impossible for the crown prince to rebel, so I'm afraid, I'm afraid it's still..."

"Why are you hesitating, hurry up, or what?"

"Aim at King Qin."

Li Yuan clenched his teeth and let out a rough "Hey".Looking at Pei Ji, he asked nervously after a while: "Could it be that there is such a relationship between them?"

Pei Ji met Li Yuan's gaze calmly, nodded, and said, "Even so, with His Majesty's divine power, this matter can still be resolved."

"I hope so, you go." Li Yuan waved his hand and sent Pei Ji away.

10
On a summer evening, Prince Li Jiancheng sat alone in the viewing pavilion in the mansion, raising his eyes to the west.Seeing the bright mountain light gradually dimming, feeling a little lost in his heart, he turned his head and glanced at his princess.

The smart and beautiful princess has been watching him, very worried that if she makes a mistake, she will offend him.Recently, I don't know why, the prince always gets angry so easily, the princess can only be very careful in everything.Although she is not very clear about many things about the prince, she can still see from the attention just now: the prince was hoping and looking forward to something, and then he was a little disappointed.This made her a little confused.The crown prince is already the most noble among the ministers, and he is destined to take the throne. How could it be like this?The Crown Princess met Li Jiancheng's eyes very carefully, and smiled as gently as possible.Seeing Concubine Tian's affectation, the prince felt a little unhappy, but he still endured, stared at her, and returned a faint smile.

I remember that it was a gloomy noon, and the weather was so gloomy that people didn't have a good mood. Wang Gui and Wei Zheng had left, but their words were stuck in the prince's heart: King Qin grows up day by day, and his ambitions are so great. The fireworks are booming like the wind, if it is not set off in time, I am afraid that this magnificent Tang Dynasty may not necessarily belong to the heir appointed by the emperor.Thinking of this, the prince said bitterly in his heart: Li Shimin, I know you are capable.But your elder brother, Li Jiancheng, and I are by no means incompetent.Everything is arranged by destiny. If you are the prince, I will not think about it.But the fate arranged for me to be the emperor in the future, but you can't keep your duty, stretch out your hand to fight, and go against the will of the heavens.That being the case, I can only stand up and compete with you to the end in order to protect my crown prince's status and my future throne.Go, go, go!To be sure, I will increase my personal armed forces so that I can defeat you, the thief who wants to take over my country.Thinking of this, Li Jiancheng summoned his cronies, Yang Wengan, the governor of Gyeongju whom he single-handedly promoted.

"I want you to secretly recruit strong men in Qingzhou and send them to the East Palace." Li Jian told Yang Wengan word by word.Ever since Yang Wenqian left, Li Jiancheng has been a little distracted and easily angry.

"His Royal Highness, look..." Li Jiancheng fell into the memory of the past, and suddenly heard Concubine Tian shout like a child.Turning to look at Concubine Tian's face, she was indeed smiling brightly, like a blooming lily, so pure that one would be enchanted, and so tender that one would want to hug her chest.

The prince didn't turn his head back, but just stared more intently at Concubine Tian's smiling face showing sincere joy.This is my princess, so beautiful... Alas, there is really no one more beautiful than her in this world.However, this can only be when she is really happy.Now, what made her so happy?I remember that when I first met her, she saw a butterfly, a huge butterfly with an unusually colorful color. He didn’t actually like this butterfly, but he was stunned by the beauty that she showed because of her liking. So I followed her to happily chase the butterfly.As a result, she didn't catch the butterfly, but he caught her.Now, what did she see again?He finally followed her gaze and turned his head away.

Ah, it's a bright moon, a bright moon as white as snowflakes without any sparkles!It is so gentle yet so proudly hanging in the sky, mountains, flowing clouds, and a faint breeze... everything in this world seems to exist only for it, to set off its deserted Beautiful, just came to this world.

"Is it beautiful?" Tian Fei asked excitedly, proud of her discovery.

"Beauty, it's so beautiful." The prince said: "When the setting sun is gone, it, this gentle and proud moon, is the ruler of the earth and the emperor aloft. Although it is not as dazzling and radiant as the sun It shines everywhere, but under its clear and warm light, everything is new, making people feel as if they are guests in Yaotai."

"You speak so well, His Royal Highness, so well! You..." Concubine Tian looked at him with admiration.

The prince saw the heartbeat and the sincerity in her eyes, and couldn't help being a little moved, and was about to speak when he saw Pei Ji walking towards her.

"I see His Royal Highness the Prince."

"Prime Minister, you are not in the Renzhi Palace to accompany the emperor to eliminate the office, why are you here in your spare time?"

Pei Ji didn't say anything, just looked at the prince quietly, and then at Concubine Tian.

"Concubine Tian, ​​you go, the prime minister has something important to discuss with me." After finishing speaking, the crown prince watched Concubine Tian go away, and hurriedly asked Pei Ji: "The prime minister's face is so solemn, could something serious happen."

"I don't know how big this matter is yet, I just want to ask the prince."

"Ask me? What can I do?" the prince asked in surprise.

"Chang Lin Army, has His Highness recruited two thousand Chang Lin Army?"

"Yes." Li Jiancheng breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Father knew about this and accused me a few words, but I told him that King Qin also recruited [-] strong men, and he acquiesced."

"The emperor acquiesced to your Changlin army?"

"Yes, he sighed a long sigh at that time, saying that this matter is over, and no more private recruitment of soldiers should happen."

"I heard that the emperor said the same thing to King Qin."

"You know it all."

"I know, because I know, I am worried about the prince."

"Worried about me?"

"Yes, very worried now."

"worry about what?"

"Worried...Since the emperor has ordered both of your brothers not to recruit soldiers privately, why do you..." Pei Ji paused at this point, looking at the prince solemnly, "Why do you still want to recruit soldiers privately?"

After hearing this, the prince's face changed greatly, he stared at Pei Ji closely, and asked, "Your father knows everything?"

"I know everything."

"It must be the people in Prince Qin's mansion who have informed me. I know that he sent many people to watch the movement of the East Palace. I have told Yang Wengan to be careful in everything, but it's still..."

"I suspect that this may have been a trap set by King Qin from the very beginning."

"Sure enough, this second brother is really too black-hearted. This time, is it the father who ordered you to come?"

"It's the minister himself who asked for his order to come here. I suggest that he ask you to go to Renzhi Palace to ask about it face to face."

"I can't go, the emperor will definitely punish me this time?"

"Yes, definitely." Pei Ji said with certainty: "But, you have no choice, you have to go to the Palace of Renzhi to meet your father."

"The prime minister thinks, will my father abolish my crown prince?"

"There is such a possibility."

"If that's the case, I won't go?"

"As I said, you must go, you have no choice now. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you really want to rebel."

"No, how could I rebel? Do you believe it?"

"If you don't go, your father may believe it."

"I'm just worried that King Qin will take away my crown prince!"

"The emperor sees this very clearly."

"Since he knows this, why did he abolish my crown prince?"

"I'm just saying that there is such a possibility, because the person who reported you has already proved it. Some people say that you are secretly recruiting soldiers to rebel, and the emperor has to give an explanation."

"In this case, I will follow the prime minister's order and go to see my father."

"You figured it out, what should you do?"

"I figured it out, I know what method to use to keep my crown prince."

"Now that you know, please leave immediately, Prince." Pei Ji urged.

10
After Pei Ji left, Li Yuan looked at the flying rain that was spraying out of the rock, and felt a kind of chill that invaded his heart, so he couldn't help but waved his hand and said:
"Let's go back."

The two concubines Zhang and Yin rushed over to join Li Yuan, and the three of them returned to the Yuhua Palace surrounded by the guards.

"Your Majesty, calm down, don't let others gossip. The crown prince is the eldest son of the emperor and the heir to the throne. He is a benevolent and loyal minister. How could he rebel?" Fu Li Yuan leaned on him, and Concubine Yin gently pinched him Said with a shoulder.

"However, he did privately recruit soldiers."

"As the prince, he recruited a few more soldiers..."

"Nonsense, the last time he privately recruited Chief Lin Jun, I have confessed to him face to face. This is not just about his private recruitment of soldiers, but how he treats what I said."

"The concubine deserves to die, please forgive me." Concubine Yin said with trepidation.

"Okay, you are not guilty. You just want to say a few words for him because he is the eldest son. But now, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, as well as the prince, Qin Wang, and Qi Wang, so many follow me to enjoy themselves. There are a few people who are rich and powerful, and they are loyal to me. They, one by one, are respectful and respectful in front of me. Even if I fart, they all say that they are the sounds of nature and respect them like gods. But, in In their hearts, they don't think so at all. Even the crown prince dared to ignore what I said, and it's really sad to think about it." Li Yuan said, looking at Yin and Zhang Erfei with a sad expression.

"Your Majesty, don't be sad, taking care of the dragon's body is more important than anything else." Concubine Yin said, stroking the back of Li Yuan's hand.

"Yes, as long as your Majesty is in good health, no one can cause trouble." Concubine Zhang held Li Yuan's other hand and gently stroked it.

"Does an emperor have to be in good health so that his subjects don't dare to make trouble?" Li Yuan turned his head, stared at Concubine Zhang with his long eyes, shook his head, and said, "No, if this is the case, the emperor must have done a good job." It's so sad. The reason why the emperor makes the officials fear is the imperial power, the supreme imperial power, and whoever dares to despise the imperial power will have to die!"

"The concubine doesn't mean that, the concubine doesn't mean..." Concubine Zhang was so frightened that she couldn't speak coherently, and sweat broke out on her forehead.

Seeing this, Li Yuan laughed loudly and said, "I'm not talking about you."

After hearing this, Concubine Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, looked up at Li Yuan, and said, "The concubine just hopes that your majesty will always be in good health."

Li Yuan knew that what she said was from the bottom of his heart, so he couldn't help being moved, he looked at each other with a smile, and said with emotion: "Nowadays, there are only you two who are loyal to me."

Concubine Yin and Concubine Zhang were very moved when they heard this, leaning close to Li Yuan from left to right, and said tenderly: "Thank you for the reward, Your Majesty, it is a blessing that the concubine can serve the Emperor, and if he can make the Emperor happy, I will never hesitate to die."

Li Yuan listened, smiled slightly, and hugged the second concubine tightly.At this time, a notification came:

"The prince is here!"

After hearing this, the second concubine got up and wanted to evade, Li Yuan grabbed them both and said, "I'm here to serve you, there is no need to evade."

Yin and Zhang Erfei listened and looked at each other.Sit down next to Li Yuan.Prince Li Jiancheng came in and bowed his head, Pei Ji followed behind, looking at the prince sympathetically.

"My son is guilty, please punish my father!" Li Jiancheng raised his head in horror and looked at his father.

"Are you guilty?" Li Yuan stared at the prince with his long eyes wide open. The anger and sentimentality just now had long since disappeared, and exaggerated surprise appeared on his slightly tired face.

"Yang Wenqian privately recruited soldiers in Gyeongju to instigate my son and minister. My son deserves death for his crimes. I beg my father to come down."

"Private soldiers, you ordered them?" Li Yuan said word by word, his voice was not loud, but very heavy, like thunder before the heavy rain.Li Jiancheng listened, startled in his heart, and replied tremblingly:
"It was my son's instigation, my son's crime should be..."

"Is it because the prince's Changlin army is not as numerous as my Yulin army, and you want to compare your strength with me?" Li Yuan asked coldly.

"No, no! How dare the son-in-law compare with the father's strength?"

"Don't dare to compare?!"

"Yes, no!" Li Jiancheng's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and he was trembling all over. Finally, he calmed down: "I have never thought of comparing myself with my father, my son is just a courtier of my father. For the rest of my life, I will always be the courtier of my father."

"This is still like a human saying." Li Yuan stared at his son, and said to himself in his heart, the viciousness in his heart gradually disappeared, and the rest was only anger.After a moment of silence, he suddenly shouted:
"That being the case, why do you want to recruit soldiers privately?"

"My son is worried... worried about losing to King Qin."

"Worried about losing to King Qin?"

"Yes!"

"Could it be possible, Prince, you want to start a war with your younger brother, King Qin? Do you want to play a farce of cannibalism?"

"I don't dare, I dare not!" Li Jiancheng was terrified, knelt down on the ground again, dozing his head again and again.

"In this case, why recruit soldiers privately?"

"Just because...just because my child saw that the Prince Qin's mansion is full of talents, civil servants, military generals, and brave soldiers..."

"However, King Qin only has those 2000 warriors, and your Changlin Army already has [-] men!"

"My son is still worried, worried about his strength!"

"He listened to my words and didn't add another soldier."

"My son, you deserve ten thousand deaths for your sins, you deserve ten thousand deaths for your sins."

"If you don't listen to what I say, he will!"

"My son deserves to die for his crimes, please forgive my father."

"What crime do you deserve for disobeying my will!" Li Yuan roared loudly again.After roaring, he coughed repeatedly.Concubine Yin was busy rubbing his chest, and Concubine Zhang was busy beating his back. The two beauties begged tearfully:
"Your Majesty calm down, your body is important, your body is important."

Seeing this, Pei Ji hurried forward, knelt down on the ground, and said loudly:
"Please appease the emperor and take care of the dragon body."

Li Jiancheng was terrified, kowtowed repeatedly, and hit the ground loudly. After a while, he fell to the ground with a bang.Concubine Yin Gui was the first to see her and shouted loudly:

"Your Majesty, the prince has fallen."

After hearing this, Pei Ji turned her head in a hurry, only to see that the prince was bleeding from the head and passed out.

"Call the imperial doctor!" Pei Ji yelled, and stepped forward to help Li Jiancheng who was unconscious.

Li Yuan opened his eyes to look, then closed his eyes in pain, waved his hands and said:

"Arrest and wait for punishment."

After hearing this, Pei Ji went to look at him beggingly, but Li Yuan turned a blind eye and stared at the guards, watching them take Li Jiancheng down.

10
Li Jiancheng had been escorted away for a while, but Li Yuan's eyes were still on the exit of the main hall.There was a palace lantern there, shining brightly, illuminating the surroundings like daylight.I once remembered that when Li Jiancheng was born, he was also under the lamp.In order to give birth to him, Dou's pain lasted from morning to night. When it was the most uncomfortable, she bit her lip tightly and even bled.

(End of this chapter)