My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Li Chengan nodded and said to Fang Yi'ai, "Thank you for your hard work. This imperial decree has come at just the right time."

Fang Yi'ai waved his hand and said, "I'm not tired."

However, whether it's arresting you or rescuing you, it's all in accordance with the imperial court's orders.

I was merely following orders; I apologize for any offense I may have caused earlier and hope you won't take it to heart.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan naturally understood that Fang Yi'ai was shirking responsibility, but there was no need to expose him in front of everyone.

Li Chengan smiled slightly: "How could that be?"

You're overthinking it.

Fang Yi'ai felt reassured and much more at ease.

He was also worried that Li Chengan would hold him accountable, after all, Li Chengan was the crown prince and his former superior.

Qin Ying reported his return to Chang'an to Li Chengan: "Your Highness, I am not shirking my responsibility."

originally,

I can easily find Songtsen Gampo and work with him to find a way to support you.

but,

When I got to Chang'an Steamed Bun Shop, my stomach started growling loudly, and I felt like my stomach was about to burst.

then,

I ordered ten bowls of beef and vermicelli soup and ten baskets of steamed buns, and then I started eating.

Li Chengqian laughed, "Your appetite has increased again. You ordered so much, can you even finish it all?"

"I think I just finished eating my eighth basket of steamed buns."

Ashina Jieshe arrived.

He really is a scoundrel; he's here to avenge that brick incident.

Last time, I caught him peeping at Xue'er while she was taking a bath.

I grabbed a brick and threw it at them.

That kid's lucky; he only injured his leg.

Therefore,

He harbored resentment.

originally,

I had a chance to beat him, but I didn't expect Hegan Chengji to come and ambush me.

Then, I got dizzy, and I don't remember anything after that.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan's almond-shaped eyes widened and her willow-leaf eyebrows shot up.

Because Miss Xue'er was her personal maid.

Su Wan asked, "Who peeked at Xue'er while she was bathing? Who is Ashina Jieshe Shuai?"

Qin Ying pointed and said, "Crown Princess, look, it's him!"

To everyone's surprise, Su Wan stood up, walked straight to Ashina Jieshe, and slapped him twice across the face.

Because the incident was sudden, Ashina Jieshe was caught off guard and Su Wan caught him off guard.

Ashina Jieshe was beaten so badly that he saw stars, his cheeks swelled up, and a trickle of blood flowed down the corner of his mouth.

Ashina Jieshe felt a burning pain.

He covered his cheek with his hand, staring at Su Wan: "Crown Princess, did you hit me?"

"Isn't that the one I hit? Did you peep at my maid Xue'er while she was bathing? What did you see?" Su Wan asked, her left hand on her hip and her right finger pointing at Ashina Jieshe's nose.

"I...I didn't see anything."

Ashina Jieshe was somewhat intimidated by Su Wan's prowess.

He thought to himself that he was really wronged.

"You didn't see anything, really?"

"Yeah, because the curtains were drawn inside the window at the time, and I could only see a figure moving around. Before I could even pull the curtains back, that kid Qin Ying arrived and hit me with a brick!"

Su Wan raised her right hand again: "What? You're really disgusting, trying to pull back the curtains. What else do you want to see?"

Ashina Jieshe was so frightened that he took several steps back and quickly begged for mercy: "Your Highness, I will never dare to do it again."

Li Chengan quickly called out to Su Wan, "Wan'er, you mustn't!"

Su Wan replied, "Your Highness, what our Great Tang Dynasty has in abundance is talent. As the saying goes, 'A thousand-mile horse is common, but a discerning eye is rare.'"

Why keep someone like him around?

"Help! Someone, come here!"

Originally, Su Wan did not hold an official position in the army and had no authority to command the soldiers.

However, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard all knew that she was Su Gui's older sister and also the Crown Princess.

Therefore, the soldiers were all willing to obey her commands.

at this time,

Two soldiers rushed in from outside, approached Su Wan, and bowed: "Crown Princess, please give your orders!"

"Drag him out!" Su Wan pointed at Ashina Jieshe.

"promise!"

The two soldiers agreed and, without further ado, grabbed Ashina Jieshe's arm and pushed him out!

Ashina Jieshe was terrified and pleaded, "Your Highness, you can't do this to me! We agreed that if I surrendered, you would forgive and forget everything. Are you going back on your word and lying to me?"

Li Chengan knew Su Wan's temperament; she was very stubborn.

If Su Wan had done as she suggested, Ashina Jieshe would have been killed.

"Wan'er, please forgive him since it's his first offense."

Su Wan crossed her arms over her chest: "Kill one of these flower thieves on sight, kill two on sight."

Not only that, but they also want to gouge out his eyes and feed them to the dogs. How can they keep him alive?

"Take him out and chop his head off!"

"Yes, sir!" the two soldiers replied again.

Ashina Jieshe was truly terrified, thinking that it would be such a great injustice if he were to die like this.

"Your Highness, Crown Princess, please spare me! I promise it will never happen again."

at this time,

Zhang Shizheng quickly stood up and said, "Your Highness, Crown Princess, please allow me to say a few words."

Su Wanyu, still furious, retorted, "What do you have to say?"

"Your Highness, you may not know this, but this matter is my fault."

Because the Crown Prince was a broad-minded person who greatly appreciated talent, he felt that Ashina Jieshe was exceptionally skilled in light-footed martial arts, was a member of the Turkic royal family, and had great influence and appeal within the Turkic community. Furthermore, he had a good relationship with the Crown Prince.

Therefore,

Your Highness has instructed me to persuade Ashina Jieshe to surrender.

Ashina Jieshe was originally unwilling to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

He inherently believed that the surrender of Khagan Jieli and Ashina She'er to the Tang Dynasty was a spineless act.

His only thought was to restore the Turkic kingdom.

I patiently explained to him that His Highness is wise, brave, and promising.

In the future, when Your Highness ascends the throne, under your rule, the Tang Dynasty will surely prosper and become strong, and the people will live in peace and contentment.

In that case, we would become founding fathers.

Stop thinking about restoring the country.

Even Khagan Jieli gave up that idea, so why are you still so fixated on it?

Go back and prepare, gather all your old subordinates, bring them all to Chang'an, and surrender to Your Highness. Wouldn't that be better?

His Highness also promised us a very generous reward.

After much persuasion from this old man, Ashina Jieshe finally agreed to surrender to His Highness.

He has agreed to return to the Turkic Khaganate soon and bring all his men over to serve the Tang Dynasty.

therefore,

"I beg the Crown Princess to calm her anger and spare him."

"What did you say?"

"His Highness promised to give you money, but how much exactly? Tell me!" Su Wan was even angrier.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan inwardly groaned, thinking to himself, "Old Zhang, you've really got someone in trouble!"

I've already given you money, so why did you have to tell everyone about it?

You should know that all this money was earned by Su Wan.

How am I supposed to explain this to her?

Li Chengan steadied himself, but inwardly he was anxious.

Zhang Shizheng continued, "The Crown Princess doesn't have much money either."

Although Ashina Jieshe made a mistake

However, it did not cause any serious consequences.

He went to peek at Xue'er taking a bath, but he didn't see anything, did he?

Please give him another chance to change his ways.

Su Wan persisted, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'A leopard can't change its spots'?"

People like this,

We'd better not use it at all, because he might relapse into his old habits someday.

Although the Turks were very powerful,

But the tide had turned against them.

Even their Khan, Jieli, is now a subject of our Great Tang Dynasty.

Can they really turn the world upside down?

Even without Ashina Jieshe's help, we can still take care of them.

It should be said that Su Wan's words were not an exaggeration.

Because everyone believed that the Tang army had this capability.

"The reason why our Great Tang Dynasty has not launched a war for the time being is because His Majesty cares for the people of the world. The people have suffered from the ravages of war for years and are already in unbearable pain."

but,

This time,

The Emperor ordered Li Daozong to lead troops to garrison Luoyang and annihilate the remaining Turkic forces.

I believe it's only a matter of time before the remaining Turkic forces are completely wiped out.

Su Wan's words were both gentle and firm.

At the same time, she was also indirectly pointing out that Ashina Jieshe's claim of restoring the Turkic state was a pipe dream and an impossible thing.

If, prior to this, Ashina Jieshe led the group to join Li Chenggan because of money,

Now, his psychological defenses have been completely broken down by Su Wan.

Ashina Jieshe felt that although Su Wan was just a woman...

However, it is very assertive.

Even a ruthless assassin like him felt uneasy when he saw Su Wan.

Qin Ying stood up and said, "How about this? Didn't Old Master Zhang just say that Ashina Jieshe is very prestigious among the Turks?"

Let him return to the Turkic Khaganate to settle his old troops and see if he really has the prestige, appeal, and influence that Old Master Zhang claims.

As for the money the Crown Prince promised him, hasn't a deposit already been paid? Don't give him the rest for now; it's not too late to give it to him after he brings the army.

What do you think of my idea?

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself that although everyone said Qin Ying was a rough and uncouth man, his idea at this crucial moment was quite good.

Li Chengan glanced at Ashina Jieshe and asked, "What do you think?"

Ashina Jieshe thought to himself that his head was about to be taken away, so he decided to save his life first, no matter what.

Thinking of this, he quickly said, "Your Highness, Crown Princess, I am willing to return to the Turkic Khaganate to reorganize my old troops."

then,

Lead them to Chang'an to surrender to the Crown Prince.

"Very good. You don't need to surrender to me then. Just surrender to the imperial court, and your father will not treat you unfairly."

Weren't Jieli Khan and Ashina She'er both given important positions?

"Your Highness is right."

Qin Ying then asked, "Ashina Jieshe, what if you return to the Turks and never come back?"

"Please rest assured, I am a man of my word."

"I said I'd come back, and I definitely will," Ashina Jieshe said.

Qin Ying shook her head: "You can't just say it like that; someone has to vouch for you."

If Zhang Shizheng and Hegan Chengji are willing to act as your guarantors...

That's more like it.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan thought to himself that Qin Ying had finally seen the light today, saying things that he himself couldn't say.

Qin Ying's considerations were not without merit. If Ashina Jieshe returned to the Turkic Khaganate and never came again,...

Then, wouldn't his talk of dealing with his old subordinates be just empty words?

Zhang Shizheng and Hegan Chengji discussed it and nodded in agreement.

Zhang Shizheng thumped his chest loudly: "Your Highness, Crown Princess, we are both willing to vouch for him."

"If Ashina Jieshe returns to the Turkic Khaganate and never comes back, then cut off both our heads."

After much persuasion from everyone, Su Wan finally relented.

She waved her hand, and the two soldiers then released Ashina Jieshe and left.

Ashina Jieshe leader breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "That was close!"

Fearing that Su Wan might change her mind and arrest him again would be troublesome, he immediately said, "Your Highness, Crown Princess, there's no time to lose. I'll return to the Turks immediately and leave now!"

"Are you leaving in such a hurry? You can finish your drink first," Li Chenggan said.

"No need, I've already finished drinking."

Li Chengan nodded: "Then be careful on the road."

"No doubt about it."

Ashina Jieshe said this, then turned around and left, one foot high and one foot low.

After dealing with this matter, Li Chenggan felt much better.

Zhang Shizheng saw this and thought to himself, although Su Wan didn't punish him,

but,

He also felt a pang of guilt, after all, he had once made things difficult for Li Chenggan.

No wonder Li Chenggan is so assertive now; it turns out he has a capable wife.

Zhang Shizheng had long heard that Su Wan was the best at making money; she not only knew how to farm, but also how to run a supermarket.

The Su family supermarket was famously popular in Chang'an City.

Since the Su family supermarket opened, it has attracted almost all the residents of Chang'an City.

People all went to Su's supermarket to buy things.

Su Family Supermarket was bustling with customers and doing brisk business.

Also, Su Wan is so stunningly beautiful!

Looking across the entire world, you can hardly find a woman as beautiful as Su Wan.

Using phrases like "fish sink and geese fall from the sky, moon hides and flowers blush" to describe them would be too simplistic.

Su Wan stared intently at Zhang Shizheng and Hegan Chengji, and asked, "Did you two willingly pledge your allegiance to the Crown Prince?"

Zhang Shizheng and Hegan Chengji nodded: "Your Highness, rest assured, we are truly loyal to the Crown Prince and willing to serve him!"

Su Wan put her hands behind her back and slowly said, "I heard that you two used to work for Li Tai. Why did you suddenly switch sides?"

According to the rules of assassins, isn't it said that even if you have to chase someone to the ends of the earth, you must kill them?

This is a pointed question.

Upon hearing this, He Gan Chengji was at a loss for words. He thought to himself that he couldn't very well say it was because Li Chenggan had given him a lot of money, as that would make him seem too unscrupulous.

People often say that older ginger is spicier.

Zhang Shizheng stroked his beard: "Your Highness, you're right. Our original identities were assassins."

but,

Becoming a qualified assassin is not easy.

The profession of assassin has its own unique characteristics.

It is extremely risky, and often carrying out a single mission may involve facing great danger.

The reason we've gained some fame is because we've always kept our promises.

"As long as you take someone's money, you'll definitely achieve your employer's goals."

"So, you two can be considered gentlemen among assassins?" Su Wan was also very curious about the profession of assassin.

She had heard of famous assassins in history such as Zhuan Zhu, Nie Zheng, Yu Rang, and Jing Ke, all of whom were remarkable.

Each of them has a legendary story.

"It's not a matter of being a gentleman or not; we're just taking people's money and doing their bidding."

Before this,

That's how we intend to treat His Highness.

but,

Later, we realized that His Highness was quite extraordinary.

"Oh, how is it different?"

"Here, I'll tell you a story, and perhaps you'll understand how we feel..."

During the Han Dynasty,

There was a famous scholar named Yuan Ang.

Yuan Ang was a generous and upright man who enjoyed associating with chivalrous people. He was very righteous and was deeply loved by the people and respected by his colleagues. He was an elder statesman.

then,

Empress Dowager Dou was very fond of her youngest son, Prince Liu Wu of Liang.

Empress Dowager Dou hoped that after Emperor Jing of Han passed away, Liu Wu would be made crown prince.

On one occasion, Yuan Ang advised Empress Dowager Dou against appointing Liu Wu, the Prince of Liang, as the crown prince in front of Emperor Jing of Han.

Because of this incident, Yuan Ang offended the King of Liang.

Therefore, the King of Liang was determined to put Yuan Ang to death.

then,

Liu Wu spent a large sum of money to hire an assassin to go to Chang'an to assassinate Yuan Ang.

After some investigation, (he/the assassin) learned that Yuan Ang was a remarkable figure, chivalrous and generous, loyal to the court, and extremely kind to the common people.

Therefore,

The assassin ultimately abandoned his plan to assassinate Yuan Ang.

Furthermore, he warned Yuan Ang to be careful of assassins behind them.

Please think about why that assassin did that.

That's because he was captivated by Yuan Ang's personal charm.

To be honest with you,

I received a sum of money from my master, who then ordered me to assassinate His Highness.

At the time, I was also very hesitant.

Why?

"Because I'm already so old, how many more days can I live?"

If one's reputation is ruined in old age and the story spreads throughout the land, wouldn't that make one a laughingstock?

I've also heard that the Crown Prince of our Great Tang Dynasty is different from ordinary Crown Princes; he has the people of the world in his heart.

Wherever he goes or whatever he does, he always puts the people first.

When I thought about it...

I've lived to this age too.

I have never seen a crown prince like this before.

Don't say anything else,

Take Yang Yong and Li Jiancheng for example, I've met both of them.

Yang Yong is too straightforward.

He was a man of true character, living a life of extravagance and debauchery.

He favored Yun Zhaoxun, neglecting his original wife, the Crown Princess Yuan.

In the end, it angered Yuan Shi to death.

Emperor Wen of Sui advocated diligence and frugality, and despite being emperor, he lived a very simple life.

but,

Yang Yong, however, did as he pleased, decorating the Eastern Palace with excessive luxury.

Moreover, Yang Yong is an ambitious and conceited person who doesn't know when to advance or retreat.

One winter solstice, all the civil and military officials went to the Eastern Palace to pay their respects to him.

He accepted the congratulations from the civil and military officials without hesitation, but neglected his father, the emperor.

This matter greatly displeased Emperor Wen of Sui.

finally,

Yang Yong was crippled and died a horrible death.

It should be said that Zhang Shizheng's evaluation of Yang Yong was relatively objective. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Yang Yong brought about his own downfall.

Let's talk about Li Jiancheng again.

At the beginning, Li Jiancheng's performance was quite good.

He and his brother Li Shimin conquered the world together and made some contributions.

but,

Li Yuan was biased.

After the Tang army captured Chang'an, Li Jiancheng, being the eldest son, was made crown prince.

Let him stay and guard Chang'an.

Whenever there was a war, Li Yuan would send Li Shimin to quell it, which gradually made Li Jiancheng more impetuous.

He didn't devote his energy to governing the country, leading the army, or studying.

However, he spent his days plotting how to collude with Li Yuanji to kill Li Shimin.

He's digging his own grave.

However, what was even more unexpected was that Li Jiancheng had an ambiguous relationship with Li Yuan's favorite concubines, Consort Zhang and Consort Yin. Wasn't he just courting death?

He repeatedly framed Li Shimin.

Li Shimin retreated step by step.

In the end, Li Shimin was driven to a dead end.

Under the persuasion of Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji and others, Li Shimin launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident, killing Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.

In conclusion, Yang Yong and Li Jiancheng were both eldest sons and crown princes, and originally had every opportunity to inherit the throne and become emperors.

However, their absurd behavior, simplistic thinking, mediocre abilities, and limited wisdom ultimately led to their own downfall.

Therefore,

I was just thinking...

Could Li Chenggan truly love the people like his own children and respect the elderly and care for the young?

That time,

I went undercover in Yangzhou.

Because I have already learned that the Crown Prince will definitely pass through Yangzhou on his return from the Japanese kingdom.

then,

That night, I disguised myself as a thin, impoverished old man and went to stay at the Jiangdu Inn.

Pretend you have no money for a hotel or food.

I was just joking with the Crown Prince; my purpose was to find out what kind of person he was.

Because only under such circumstances can one truly see what kind of person the Crown Prince really is.

As expected,

The innkeeper at Jiangdu Inn wouldn't let this old man stay there.

Su Wan was also curious and couldn't help but ask, "What's their reason for not letting you stay there?"

He said he was too old.

They said I took off my shoes and socks tonight, wondering if I'd wear them tomorrow, and they complained that I was old, dirty, shabby, and poor.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan chuckled: "Old Zhang, you're quite the actor. What happened next?"

"At that time, the prince was having dinner with Qin Ying and Songtsen Gampo."

The prince noticed that I was arguing with the waiter and came over to mediate.

The Crown Prince not only treated me to dinner and drinks, but also booked me a room.

Moreover,

I pretended to have sprained my ankle and couldn't walk.

He even carried me to the room, and when I got to the room,

I played another joke on him.

I'm pretending to be dead.

Playing dead is a special skill for me; most people can't learn it.

After I pretended to be dead

That would be exactly the same as being truly dead.

When His Highness discovered that I was no longer breathing, he went to the streets of Jiangdu to find a physician to treat me.

then,

I was thinking that the crown prince of our Tang Dynasty was really different from other crown princes. He was kind-hearted and very benevolent.

The fact that he showed such respect to an old man like me shows that he is a remarkable and magnanimous person.

However,

I still want to test his martial arts skills.

Because I know that the current emperor is a warlord who rose to power on horseback.

Our Tang Dynasty was conquered by the Emperor.

Although our Great Tang Dynasty appears calm and peaceful, seemingly stable and prosperous, this is not the case; undercurrents are surging beneath the surface.

The countries surrounding the Tang Dynasty were eyeing it covetously, eager to launch an attack at any moment.

Therefore,

If Your Highness is like Emperor Chen Houzhu, only good at literature and not skilled in martial arts or military affairs, then our Tang Dynasty will have no hope for the future.

Emperor Chen Houzhu's "Yushu Hou Ting Hua" is famous throughout the world.

He spent all his time with Zhang Lihua, even until the very end.

Even after the Southern Chen dynasty had been captured by the Sui army, he still held Zhang Lihua and another concubine in his arms, hiding them under a dry well.

It wasn't until later, when Sui Dynasty general He Ruobi and others discovered it, that Emperor Chen Houzhu was pulled out of the well.

The soldiers on the well thought Emperor Chen Houzhu was so heavy. After they pulled him out, they discovered that he was holding two beauties in his arms.

This caused Inoue's soldiers to laugh so hard they bent over.

People thought to themselves, "How could Emperor Chen Houzhu, who was so incompetent, not bring about the downfall of his country?"

therefore,

Although Emperor Chen Houzhu was a very talented emperor,

However, in the end, he couldn't hold onto his power.

The Southern Chen dynasty was also destroyed by the Sui army.

The same principle applies.

If our prince were merely a person like Emperor Chen Houzhu,

That would be a terrible thing.

Therefore,

I took down my guzheng and started playing it.

To be honest, I have a basic understanding of music, and the guzheng is one of my favorite instruments.

but,

I modified this guzheng, and it looks like this now.

You may have heard the story of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi.

They once collaborated on a piece called "High Mountains and Flowing Water".

That piece of music was truly heavenly; it was absolutely unique in the world.

therefore,

I played this piece for His Highness to hear, to see if he could recognize the meaning.

As expected, His Highness was very clever and recognized the tune in no time.

And my mastery of the Cicada Wing Flying Knife technique will change with the rhythm of the music.

When the zither music plays

I throw knives very slowly.

At first, my throwing knives weren't too hard to dodge.

Of course, my throwing knives are not something that ordinary people can dodge.

As the zither music rises to a higher pitch, I will throw more and more throwing knives, making it extremely difficult to dodge them.

I discovered that the Crown Prince had actually done it.

I have been wandering the martial world for decades, and I have never met anyone who could catch my throwing knife.

I was very unconvinced, so I used my ultimate skill, "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers".

Unexpectedly, Yakushi Eri cast a copper net that collected all my throwing knives.

then,

I was thinking, maybe this is fate.

If it weren't for the appearance of Yakushi Eri, His Highness would probably be fine.

He has mastered the pattern of avoiding the throwing knives.

From that day on, my heart began to change.

I'm torn.

"Why? What are you struggling with?"

"Because I took their money, I naturally have to do things for them."

However, I am also a man of thought, unlike ordinary assassins.

I've discovered that the current crown prince is truly the most remarkable crown prince in history, possessing both literary and martial talents, and extraordinary wisdom and courage.

Therefore,

Outside Xuanwu Gate, when the three of us assassins were besieging His Highness, I showed him mercy.

Because after repeated internal struggles, I could no longer assassinate the crown prince as if I were killing an ordinary person.

I feel like I've spent my whole life as an assassin, but I'm just a bad one. I can't even compare to the famous assassins in history, like Jing Ke or Zhuan Zhu, let alone the assassin who killed Yuan Ang.

later,

His Highness arrived in Luoyang and had a martial arts contest with Zhang Shigui.

but,

Zhang Shigui was skilled in martial arts, but his character was flawed.

Despite having superior numbers, he brought in archers, intending to kill the prince.

His Highness was rescued here by Xue Rengui.

After I understood the situation, I came to offer my advice to Your Highness.

Because I have already decided to serve under Your Highness.

At the same time, we must also persuade Hegan Chengji and Ashina Jieshe to surrender.

The three of us pledge our loyalty to His Highness.

After listening to Zhang Shizheng's story, everyone was deeply moved.

Even thieves have their code of honor.

Li Chengan also felt that when he first came into contact with Zhang Shizheng, he found that Zhang Shizheng was different from ordinary assassins.

Zhang Shizheng has his own behavioral habits and is also very ruthless.

However, Li Chengan felt that Zhang Shizheng could be won over, and as expected, Zhang Shizheng finally joined his ranks.

To Li Chenggan's surprise, Hegan Chengji and Ashina Jieshe also switched their allegiance to his cause.

This greatly increases one's strength, making one even more powerful.

Su Wan placed her hands in front of her stomach and paced back and forth in the hall: "Old Zhang, don't put on such nice words."

Since you keep saying you'll be loyal to His Highness,

So,

"I'll have you carry out a mission right now, is that alright?"

"What mission?" Zhang Shizheng asked.

"Go and kill Qingque!"

"Huh?" Zhang Shizheng grinned upon hearing this. "Your Highness, Princess Consort, logically speaking, we've already pledged allegiance to His Highness the Crown Prince..."

However, it's not that we're refusing.

We can't do this yet.

"Then why?" Su Wan immediately became unhappy.

"Not for any other reason than for the sake of Empress Zhangsun's health."

Also, for the sake of His Highness's reputation.

What does this mean?

"If Li Tai wants to kill His Highness, shouldn't we seek revenge?"

Yes, you're right.

What Li Tai did was indeed a bit excessive.

but,

We understand that Empress Zhangsun has just recovered from her illness and is pregnant.

I can't take any more extreme stimulation.

If we really kill Li Tai, what will happen if Empress Zhangsun finds out?

Do you think Empress Zhangsun can still survive?

If anything were to happen to Empress Zhangsun,

So, is there any chance that the baby in her womb can be saved?

Those are two lives.

In that case, Your Highness's sins would be even more grave.

The Xuanwu Gate Incident saddened countless people; fratricide was, after all, a tragedy.

No one wants to take this step unless absolutely necessary.

We understand that His Highness once promised Empress Zhangsun that even if Li Tai was unrighteous, he would not be unjust.

To protect His Highness's reputation and to ensure the safety of Empress Zhangsun and her unborn child, we cannot assassinate Li Tai.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan sneered, thinking to herself that this old man's reason for not wanting to assassinate Li Tai was quite convincing.

However, upon closer reflection,

What Zhang Shizheng said wasn't entirely without merit.

As Zhang Shizheng said, what if Empress Zhangsun couldn't catch her breath if Li Tai was killed at this time?

Even if Sun Simiao came, he might not be able to save Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun's illness had relapsed many times, and her body was already very weak.

No matter who it was, it was probably impossible to bring Empress Zhangsun back to life.

"Old Zhang, so according to you, we're just letting Li Tai run rampant?"

Zhang Shizheng stroked his beard and laughed heartily: "Your Highness, you don't need to worry. The three of us have left Li Tai's camp."

I think Li Tai must have panicked by now.

"As long as our Highness doesn't make any more serious mistakes, the position of Crown Prince is as solid as a rock. Li Tai, after all, is just a king. It won't be so easy for him to shake the Crown Prince's position."

Su Wan still had reservations after hearing this.

Although Hegan Chengji, Zhang Shizheng, and Ashina Jieshe led the three great assassins away from Li Tai's camp

For Li Tai, this is a significant loss.

but,

Su Wan wasn't that optimistic either.

Because Li Tai's strength was too formidable.

Li Tai ruled over 22 states.

To highlight Li Tai's special status, Li Shimin allowed him to establish a literary academy in his residence.

Furthermore, he was allowed to recruit scholars according to his own preferences, a privilege unprecedented in history.

If it weren't for Empress Zhangsun's intervention, Li Tai would probably have moved into the Wude Hall long ago.

The Wude Hall is too close to the East Palace. Prince Qi, Li Yuanji, once lived in the Wude Hall.

Therefore, Li Yuanji also developed the idea of ​​seizing the position of crown prince.

now,

In the court, a group of ministers led by Fang Xuanling supported Li Tai. Furthermore, Li Tai had already formed an alliance with the imperial harem.

Consort Yan, Princess Yang of Chao, and even Consort Yang Shu all supported Li Tai.

In contrast, Li Chenggan did not seem to have much of an advantage.

Although Li Chengqian made great contributions in the Western Regions,

but,

A group of ministers, led by Fang Xuanling, impeached Li Shimin repeatedly, from the left to the right.

This put Li Chenggan in a very passive position.

This time,

If it weren't for Master Xuanzang rescuing Li Chenggan from Chang'an,

Li Chenggan might be in mortal danger.

To this day, Li Chengqian's freedom remains restricted.

Even Li Shimin did not allow him to leave the Eastern Palace.

Whenever Su Wan thought about these things, it felt like a huge lump was stuck in her throat.

As Su Wan grew older and gained more experience, she read more and more books and learned more and more about things.

The more she felt that the Crown Prince's position was not so secure,

The distance between the crown prince and the emperor's throne may seem like just a step, but in reality, the difference is more than a thousand miles.

Even so,

Su Wan made up her mind that no matter what, she would do everything in her power to protect Li Chengqian's position as crown prince. It wasn't that she particularly wanted Li Chengqian to become emperor.

Instead,

If Li Chengqian were to lose his position as crown prince,

In that case, neither she nor Li Chenggan would likely survive.

Therefore, they can only move forward, not backward.

Simultaneously,

Su Wan also knew that Li Chengqian had a weakness in his personality: he valued brotherly affection too much.

They valued it more than their own lives.

Even though Li Tai has framed him many times, he still can't bring himself to do it and can only passively take the beating. How can this continue?

Su Wan also felt that Li Chengqian lacked capable assistants.

This time,

They originally had the opportunity to bring Chu Suiliang to their side.

but,

That old fellow Changsun Wuji beat him to it and managed to pull Chu Suiliang to his side.

It is clear,

Changsun Wuji did not have a good impression of Li Chengqian.

They did not support Li Chenggan.

in contrast,

However, he favored Li Zhi, repeatedly praising him for possessing the appearance of a dragon and phoenix, and the countenance of the sun and moon.

This written exam,

It's like doing all the work for someone else's benefit.

Fortunately, Xu Hui and Lu Zhaolin tied for third place, which somewhat salvaged the situation.

Next, the martial arts exam on the Lantern Festival will be of paramount importance.

Of course, Su Wan had already discovered Xue Rengui.

Xue Rengui didn't say much.

but,

Su Wan is intolerant of any imperfections and has a very keen eye for detail.

Putting everything else aside, just looking at the halberd Xue Rengui wields reveals his innate superhuman strength.

Su Wan looked Xue Rengui up and down again and found that he was handsome, dignified and upright.

I heard that his family had fallen on hard times and he could only be considered an ordinary person.

but,

Su Wan observed his speech and behavior and realized that he didn't seem like an ordinary person at all.

Su Wan asked, "Xue Rengui, I heard that at Sun Simiao's thatched cottage in Zhongnan Mountain, the Crown Prince was besieged by Hegan Chengji, Zhang Shizheng, and Ashina Jieshe."

"So it was you who helped the Crown Prince out of that predicament?"

Upon hearing this, Xue Rengui quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, it was nothing, just a small favor."

Su Wan nodded slightly: "You were able to repel three assassins all by yourself, which shows that your martial arts skills are outstanding."

"You flatter me, Your Highness. It's not that my martial arts skills are superior to theirs; it's just that the circumstances were different at the time."

on the one hand,

Because Ashina Jieshe had injured his leg,

Therefore,

His martial arts skills were greatly diminished;

On the other hand, at that time, Zhang Shizheng was already biased towards the Crown Prince, so how could he possibly take drastic measures against him?

However, He Gan Chengji also had concerns.

After all, they were trying to assassinate the Crown Prince, who was no ordinary person. If the Emperor found out, their entire family would be executed.

He Ganchengji had to consider this carefully.

That's why that situation arose.

Actually, they didn't lose; they just retreated in a planned manner. Xue Rengui's attitude was respectful.

Xue Rengui's words saved face for Hegan Chengji and Zhang Shizheng.

Although Xue Rengui won the battle, he showed no arrogance or complacency, and appeared very humble and low-key.

Su Wan praised, "I didn't expect you to be so humble despite your outstanding martial arts skills. That's truly rare."

So, what are your thoughts now that you've come to Luoyang?

"Replying to Your Highness, Zhang Shigui is recruiting soldiers in Hedong. I tried to join the army twice, but he refused both times."

"Why? Why won't he let you join the army?" Su Wan was very surprised.

Xue Rengui gave a wry smile: "Speaking of which, those are all things that can't be brought to the table."

Therefore, I decided to come to Chang'an to participate in the martial arts examination.

I also hope to take this opportunity to meet heroes from all over the world.

"Great! It's wonderful that you have such courage and understanding."

Now is the time when the court needs talented people. You have exceptional skills. Wouldn't it be a pity if you just spent your life in the mountains?