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

No sooner had Dai Zhou finished speaking than someone stepped forward and loudly proclaimed, "This humble subject objects!"

Everyone glanced at the speaker and saw that it was none other than the Grand Secretary Fang Xuanling.

His face darkened. "Your Majesty, people often say that a prince who breaks the law is subject to the same punishment as a commoner."

Recently, I, your humble servant, have been compiling the "Zhenguan Code" with Changsun Wuji. The code contains strict provisions for disobeying imperial orders, and anyone who does so will be severely punished.

If I may say something I shouldn't, how did the disastrous consequences of the Xuanwu Gate Incident come about?

Does His Majesty really intend to kill Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji?

Your Majesty understands your feelings. Your Majesty is not that kind of person. Your Majesty is also in pain.

The root cause was the lack of unified and chaotic government policies at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty.

At that time, the imperial edicts of the retired emperor, the regulations of the crown prince, and the orders of His Majesty and Prince Qi were all valid. Throughout the early Tang Dynasty, the system was in complete chaos, leaving civil and military officials unsure of whose orders to follow.

Because some commands are consistent, while others are completely opposite.

Therefore, government orders must be consistent, and systems must be upheld. Whoever violates the law must be severely punished, especially for heinous acts like disobeying imperial orders.

Li Chengqian was audacious and lawless, daring to defy imperial orders twice.

Even if he has some merits, his merits and demerits cannot be offset together;

Secondly, Li Chenggan and Luo Cheng had a personal relationship. Luo Cheng's father, Luo Yi, plotted a rebellion and committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

Luo Cheng's title of Duke of Yue has been stripped.

Luo Cheng led his men back to Zhuojun, where they became bandits and established themselves as mountain kings, effectively rebelling against the imperial court.

Being with Li Chenggan is tantamount to harboring a criminal. According to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, harboring a criminal, especially a criminal who commits a serious crime like treason, is considered treason and should be punished with death.

Furthermore, Li Chenggan used his diplomatic missions to bribe and win over key figures in various countries, as well as Queen Seondeok of Silla, attempting to build his own power base. His intentions were clear, and such actions were detrimental to the court.

Therefore, I suggest that Li Chenggan be imprisoned in the Dali Temple jail and punished according to the law, and that men be immediately dispatched to arrest the rebel Luo Cheng.

As soon as Fang Xuanling uttered these words, a great deal of discussion broke out in the hall.

Some people agree, while others disagree.

Originally, everyone came to the banquet with joy, but unexpectedly, it turned into a court scene. Fang Xuanling showed no mercy and impeached the crown prince in public, and the atmosphere immediately became tense.

How can this banquet proceed?

Li Chenggan was also very saddened upon hearing this. He had always regarded Fang Xuanling as his teacher and respected him greatly. However, he did not know why Fang Xuanling had impeached him to his father in public on several occasions, and even wanted to execute him, as if he were a thorn in Fang Xuanling's side.

Li Chenggan thought to himself, "It seems there are still shortcomings in what I've done."

Otherwise, why would such a trusted minister treat himself this way?

Li Chengan then thought of Li Tai.

Because Li Tai was his own brother, Li Chengan was very tolerant and protective of him, shielding him from childhood to adulthood.

However, to his surprise, Li Tai repeatedly framed him, even going so far as to spend a large sum of money to hire assassins to ambush him on the way. If he hadn't been lucky, he would probably have been dead long ago.

Every time Li Chengan thought of this, his heart bled.

Furthermore, Li Chenggan truly couldn't understand why his father, the emperor, harbored so many suspicions about him. Why was he so loyal to the Tang Dynasty and so filial to his father and mother?

However, his father always listened to the ministers and easily issued orders to arrest him, showing no regard for their father-son relationship.

Last time, if it weren't for Master Xuanzang's help, I probably wouldn't have been able to leave Chang'an.

Li Chenggan then thought of Su Wan. When Su Wan tried to stab him with a dagger, Li Chenggan truly felt an urge to die.

If I were to die at Su Wan's hands, wouldn't that be a worthy death?

In that instant, Li Chenggan felt a heavy weight in his heart.

I feel like everyone closest to me is trying to frame me.

What's the point of transmigrating to the Tang Dynasty and becoming this damned crown prince? I'd rather be dead.

Just as Li Chenggan was lost in thought, one of the concubines stepped forward and spoke up: "Your Majesty, may I say a few words?"

Li Shimin was pondering how to deal with Li Chenggan.

He heard that familiar voice, looked up and saw the concubine standing not far away, it was Xu Hui.

"My beloved concubine, what do you have to say? Please speak freely."

For some reason, Li Shimin always felt happy whenever he saw Xu Hui.

Even though she was initially very agitated, she became gentle.

Perhaps this is what love looks like.

Xu Hui said softly, "Your Majesty, do you remember what you promised me?"

"Oh, what did I promise you?"

"You said today is both the Lantern Festival and the day of the martial arts examination, a double celebration. Therefore, tonight's banquet will not discuss politics or state affairs; we will simply drink. Alternatively, we can have a lantern riddle game to demonstrate the peace and prosperity of our Tang Dynasty and the joy between the emperor and his subjects. As for how to deal with the Crown Prince, let's postpone that for now."

Let's talk about it after the martial arts exam is over.

Xu Hui spoke differently from the other concubines.

If it were any other concubine, they might have defended the Crown Prince.

But who can really explain something like that?

It will probably only make things worse by trying to explain it.

At this time, Xu Hui kept the matter of dealing with the crown prince hidden, giving Li Shimin time to calmly consider the situation, and also giving Li Shimin a way out.

Li Shimin blinked, his expression softening slightly. Then, he patted his head and laughed, "That's right, I promised you that we wouldn't discuss state affairs tonight."

In fact, Li Shimin's words were a lenient gesture towards Li Chenggan, as he also felt that Fang Xuanling's impeachment of Li Chenggan at this time was inappropriate.

Even if you want to impeach someone, you can wait until after the banquet to discuss it separately. Why bring it up at the banquet?

However, Fang Xuanling's argument was reasonable and well-founded, and difficult to refute.

Xu Hui continued, "Your Majesty, you're just saying that. That won't do. What if someone brings up impeaching the Crown Prince or arresting Luo Cheng again?"

This will affect everyone's mood.

Therefore, I suggest that Qin Ying stand here, holding your sword. If anyone discusses state affairs again, they will be executed without mercy.

"Very well, I grant your request!" Li Shimin unfastened his sword from his waist and handed it to Qin Ying.

Qin Ying accepted it with both hands and stood in the hall, looking majestic and imposing.

Everyone who saw this felt a chill run down their spine.

Fang Xuanling realized that if Xu Hui hadn't interfered, Li Shimin might have immediately ordered Li Chenggan's arrest. Once Li Chenggan was imprisoned in the Dali Temple's jail, things would have been much easier.

But I never expected this little girl to have so many clever ideas.

After Xu Hui said that, even if he wanted to bring it up, he couldn't anymore.

Fang Xuanling thought to himself, "It seems I underestimated Xu Hui."

Just then, Wang De arrived and whispered in Li Shimin's ear, "Your Majesty, Empress Zhangsun requests your presence; she has important matters to discuss."

Li Shimin also understood that his presence made all the civil and military officials uncomfortable, so it would be better for him to leave.

He nodded, then said to the civil and military officials, "My dear ministers, the banquet is about to begin. Eat and drink as you please, there's no need to be reserved."

"I have urgent matters to attend to, so I will leave for now. We can discuss this further later."

After Li Shimin finished speaking, he left the banquet hall.

"Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty!" the civil and military officials said in unison.

At this moment, Qin Ying saw that Li Shimin had left and said loudly, "Gentlemen, I am here to supervise the army by order of the Emperor. Anyone who dares to discuss state affairs will be killed without mercy!"

You may drink as much as you like, but refrain from discussing state affairs!

Seeing Qin Ying's fierce expression, as if she were a demon, no one dared to speak.

Xu Hui saw that this trick was indeed effective and chuckled to herself.

Seeing that Li Chenggan was temporarily safe, she felt much more at ease.

She smiled sweetly: "Everyone, you don't need to be so nervous."

His Majesty just said that we should eat and drink as we please.

In our Great Tang Dynasty, there is a custom of guessing lantern riddles during the Lantern Festival. Now, I will give you riddles, and if anyone can guess the answer, the Emperor will reward them.

Upon hearing this, everyone thought it was quite interesting. Today, not only would they have wine to drink and meat to eat, but they would also receive a reward if they guessed the riddle correctly.

The banquet began, and everyone toasted and exchanged drinks.

Xu Hui took out the first brocade pouch from her pocket.

She opened the brocade pouch, took out a slip of paper, and read aloud: "What's the next line after 'favorable weather for crops'?"

This question is practically free; it's extremely easy.

Because of what had just happened, some of the people were too afraid to speak, unsure whether Xu Hui's promise of a reward was true or false.

Therefore, many people already have the answer in their hearts, but dare not speak it out.

Because some people are not sure whether the answer he gave can be considered as discussing national affairs. If it is considered as discussing national affairs, and Qin Ying cuts off their heads, wouldn't they die unjustly?

At this moment, Zhang Shizheng laughed heartily: "Xu Jieyu, let this old man guess."

"Okay, take a guess. If you guess wrong, you'll have to drink three cups of wine as a penalty."

"Isn't three cups a bit too little?" Zhang Shizheng said with a smile. "I think the next line after 'favorable weather for crops' is 'national prosperity and peace'."

"Correct answer! One hundred taels of silver as reward."

Immediately, a young eunuch brought a tray with one hundred taels of silver to Zhang Shizheng.

Those gleaming silver coins were quite a sight to behold.

Zhang Shizheng was quite wealthy, and he didn't care about the money.

What I care about is this honor.

He didn't stand on ceremony and accepted the one hundred taels of silver: "Thank you, Consort Xu."

Xu Hui waved her hand: "You don't need to thank me, thank the Emperor instead."

"Thank you for the reward, Your Majesty."

Seeing that Zhang Shizheng had indeed received a reward, everyone was eager to try it themselves.

Just then, someone else said, "Little Wang knows how to do this too!"

Everyone glanced over and saw that the speaker was none other than Li Ke.

Xu Hui looked at Li Ke and asked, "Oh, you can do that too? Then tell me about it."

"Xiao Wang's answer is 'abundant harvest of five grains'."

Xu Hui smiled and said, "You're right, here's a reward of one hundred taels of silver."

"In the new year, our Great Tang Dynasty will surely enjoy favorable weather, national prosperity, and abundant harvests!"

Consort Yang was happy for Li Ke when she saw that he had guessed the riddle.

Of course, neither Consort Yang nor Li Ke cared about the one hundred taels of silver.

Seeing that Zhang Shizheng and Li Ke had both received money, everyone was eager to try their luck.

"Xu Jieyu, are there any more questions?"

"Don't worry, I'll give you another question. Listen carefully," Xu Hui said, taking out a brocade pouch with the words "Zhongni Riyue" written on it. Guess the name of the person in the pouch.

Upon hearing this, the crowd began to whisper among themselves, discussing it amongst themselves, some mentioning Mencius, others Confucius.

Xu Hui shook her head.

At this moment, Xu Hui looked at Li Tai and asked, "Qingque, everyone knows that your calligraphy is first-rate, you are highly talented, and you are very learned. Therefore, your father asked you to compile the 'Kuodi Zhi' (Records of the Land). Do you know the answer to this riddle?"

Li Tai blushed. To be honest, he really didn't know.

He thought to himself that his Li family revered Laozi as their ancestor because Laozi's surname was Li, his given name was Er, and his courtesy name was Dan, also known as Boyang.

Could the answer to this riddle be Lao Tzu?

So Li Tai said, "Xiao Wang thinks it's Laozi."

To everyone's surprise, Xu Hui shook her head: "You answered incorrectly. You'll be punished with three cups of wine!"

At this moment, a young eunuch brought over three cups of wine and handed them to Li Tai.

Li Tai had no choice but to pick up his wine glass and drink it all, looking somewhat unnatural on his face.

Xu Hui then asked Li Chengan, "Your Highness, do you know the answer to this question?"

Li Chengan smiled slightly: "Could it be Kongming?"

"Correct answer, reward: a jade belt."

A burst of enthusiastic applause immediately filled the hall.

At this moment, another eunuch brought over a plate with a jade belt on it. The jade belt was crystal clear and inlaid with various patterns and gemstones, making it look very exquisite.

"Let's skip this jade belt," Li Chenggan declined.

"That won't do, this was a gift from the Emperor."

"Then let's give this jade belt to Murong Shun."

Murong Shun was injured and did not attend the banquet, but this also demonstrated Li Chengqian's care for his ally.

The atmosphere in the hall gradually became lively, and everyone drank and chatted happily.

Xu Hui gently stroked her temples, then took out a brocade pouch, opened it, and read aloud: "Fallen flowers cover the ground, yet I am not startled; guess a person's name."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt that the question was even more difficult, and they all whispered and discussed it quietly.

But nobody knows the answer.

At this moment, Li Lizhi was sitting next to Changsun Chong.

Li Lizhi pinched Changsun Chong's waist with her hand.

Then he raised his hand and said, "Changsun Chong says he knows the answer."

Changsun Chong was in a lot of pain from her pinching and was also confused, thinking to himself, "How would I know the answer?"

However, he couldn't say that in front of everyone.

Xu Hui smiled and said, "Changsun Chong, you are the son-in-law of our Great Tang Dynasty. If you know the answer, please tell me."

Changsun Chong stood up, scratched his head, thought for a long time, and said, "I wonder, could this person be Cao Cao?"

Everyone laughed when they heard that.

Xu Hui then asked, "Why do you think it would be Cao Cao?"

Changsun Chong cleared his throat and replied, "I've heard of a story called 'Discussing Heroes Over Green Plum Wine'..."

It is said that Cao Cao invited Liu Bei to drink wine and admire plum blossoms.

Cao Cao asked Liu Bei, "Who is the hero of the world?"

Liu Bei then said, "What about Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao, Lü Bu, Liu Biao, Zhang Lu, and Liu Zhang, among others?"

Cao Cao rejected them all. Then, Cao Cao pointed to Liu Bei and then to himself, saying that among all the heroes in the world today, only you and I are heroes.

At that time, Liu Bei was keeping a low profile and was staying with Cao Cao. He was so frightened by Cao Cao's words that his hand trembled and he dropped his chopsticks on the ground.

Just then, a thunderclap sounded in the sky, and Cao Cao asked Liu Bei, "Why are you so afraid?"

Liu Bei said it was because he was afraid of thunder from the sky.

Cao Cao laughed heartily, "How could a great man be afraid of thunder?"

Cao Cao remained calm and unmoved even after being struck by lightning. Therefore, I guess this person was Cao Cao.

Xu Hui shook her head: "You told a good story, but the answer to the riddle is not Cao Cao. You'll be punished with three cups of wine."

Changsun Chong blushed upon hearing this and had no choice but to drink the wine as well.

Li Lizhi glared at him: "What a useless piece of trash!"

Changsun Chong was afraid of Li Lizhi and dared not argue.

Some guessed it was Liu Bei, others guessed it was Sun Quan, but Xu Hui shook his head.

Finally, Xu Hui asked Li Chenggan, "Your Highness, can you answer this question?"

Li Chengqian laughed and said, "I guess it's Xie An."

"Correct answer, rewarded with a purple-gold crown."

At this moment, another eunuch came over carrying a tray, on which was a purple-gold crown.

The crown was very beautiful and exquisite. If a military general wore it, he would appear even more noble and majestic.

Li Chenggan then gifted the purple-gold crown to Songtsen Gampo.

Songtsen Gampo was also very pleased. As the king of Tibet, he naturally didn't care about a crown.

However, what he cared about was Li Chengqian's feelings.

Princess Wencheng saw this and felt that Songtsen Gampo had become even more heroic.

However, Changsun Chong disagreed and asked, "Why Xie An?"

Xu Hui explained to him: "Fallen flowers covering the ground, that's the character 'Xie' (谢, meaning thank you); a calm heart, that's 'An' (安, meaning peace); so it's Xie An (谢安, meaning thank you for your peace)."

"What's so great about that old man Xie An? He can't even walk properly; he broke his clogs when he crossed the threshold."

He also has a nasal ailment, which makes his voice hoarse and his pronunciation unclear. "Changsun Chong said this, pinching his nose and imitating Xie An.

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in the hall: "Changsun Chong, you only know one side of the story, not the other."

Xie An was an outstanding politician of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Xie An was famous when he was young, but he was indifferent to fame and fortune and did not want to become an official.

He secluded himself in the Eastern Mountains of Kuaiji, spending his days traveling and educating his children with Wang Xizhi and others. It wasn't until he was over 40 that, due to the gradual decline of his family and the lack of officials, he finally entered officialdom to preserve his family's status.

He first served as Huan Wen's Sima (military advisor), and then gradually rose to the position of prime minister, which is the origin of the idiom "rising again from the ashes".

At that time, Huan Wen wielded immense power in the court, practically controlling everything and monopolizing the government.

Xie An dealt with him, and later cooperated with Huan Chong, thus stabilizing the situation in the court.

In 383, Fu Jian of the Former Qin led a million-strong army south, which greatly shocked the court and the people. Everyone believed that the country was doomed and no one dared to stop the army of the Former Qin.

Later, Xie An took command and appointed his younger brother Xie Shi and nephew Xie Xuan to lead 80,000 Beifu soldiers to meet the enemy. What does it mean to have 80,000 against a million?

Unexpectedly, in the Battle of Fei River, the Eastern Jin army defeated the Former Qin army.

As for what you just mentioned, Xie An breaking his clog teeth, that was actually quite an achievement.

Xie An was playing chess with a guest when news of victory arrived from the front.

After reviewing the report, Xie An simply remarked, "The young ones have defeated the enemy," without showing any particular excitement. Such magnanimity and composure are rare qualities. An ordinary person, upon hearing of such a resounding victory against overwhelming odds, would likely have already cheered with joy.

It was precisely because of Xie An's existence that the Eastern Jin Dynasty lasted for several decades.

Not only that, he was also a calligrapher and a scholar of metaphysics. Therefore, Xie An was a truly remarkable statesman and a pillar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. If all officials of our Tang Dynasty could be like Xie An, the Tang Dynasty would be even more prosperous and powerful, with a wealthy people and a strong nation.

Many civil and military officials were present. Upon hearing Li Chengqian's words, some lowered their heads in shame, for reaching the level of Xie An—remaining calm in the face of adversity, possessing strategic brilliance, planning plans within the tent, and winning battles a thousand miles away—was no easy feat.

Moreover, he was indifferent to fame and fortune, of noble character, and a man of both literary and martial talents, making him truly unparalleled.

……

It was the second watch of the night.

At Qin Qiong's residence.

Qin Qiong was practicing his double maces in the courtyard. His bronze double maces were invincible.

In his youth, he was Lai Huer's subordinate.

He followed Zhang Xutuo.

After Zhang Xutuo died, he returned to Li Mi and Wang Shichong.

Ultimately, they surrendered to Li Yuan.

Li Shimin, then the Prince of Qin, took a liking to Qin Shubao and transferred him to his Prince of Qin's residence to serve him.

Li Shimin had a tactic: if the opposing general was particularly arrogant,

He would send Qin Qiong to fight that person alone, and every time Qin Qiong succeeded, bringing back the other person's head. This made Li Shimin look at Qin Qiong in a new light.

Later, Qin Qiong followed Li Shimin in his campaigns against Song Jingang, Dou Jiande, and Liu Heita, and made outstanding military achievements, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Yi.

At this moment, a bright moon hangs in the sky, its light shining upon the earth.

Qin Qiong's double maces weighed over a hundred pounds, and when he swung them, they created a whooshing sound.

When Qin Qiong got carried away with his dance, he struck a huge rock with his mace, shattering it into eight pieces.

Just then, a loud voice was heard behind them exclaim, "Impressive skill!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Qiong was startled and quickly asked, "Who is it?"

Because Qin Qiong practiced martial arts secretly, he didn't want anyone to know that he was practicing martial arts at home in secret.

At this moment, a person walked towards him, bowed and greeted him: "Cousin, how have you been?"

Your younger brother, Luo Cheng, greets you.

Luo Cheng's mother, Qin Shengzhu, was the younger sister of Qin Qiong's father, Qin Yi, making them cousins.

When Qin Qiong first saw Luo Cheng, he could hardly believe his eyes.

He quickly sheathed his maces and stepped forward to grasp Luo Cheng's hand: "Gongran, is it really you?"

You look great, full of energy and vitality. You don't look sick at all.

"This is a long story, and this is not the place to talk. Let's go inside and discuss it further."

Qin Qiong quickly closed the courtyard gate, led Luo Cheng into the study, and then closed the study door.

The study was lit, and there was a stove nearby, where tea was being brewed.

The two took their seats as host and guest, respectively.

Qin Qiong then asked, "Gongran, where did you come from?"

"I come from Zhuojun."

Luo Cheng then recounted what had happened.

After hearing this, Qin Qiong nodded slightly: "I see. So you've seen the Crown Prince."

"Yes, during the day, I even sat with him watching the martial arts competition."

"What? Such a thing?" Qin Qiong's expression changed slightly upon hearing this. "Oh dear, cousin, you really don't know any better! How could you sit with the Crown Prince?"

"Oh, what's wrong with that?" Luo Cheng said dismissively.

"My uncle Luo Yi was framed by Su Dingfang and eventually died under mysterious circumstances."

Su Dingfang had followed Dou Jiande and also associated with Liu Heita in his early years; his background was not upright.

This man was narrow-minded and vengeful. At some point, his uncle offended him, and he began to try to frame his uncle in every way.

So some people said that the uncle was plotting a rebellion and committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

In this way, you would become a descendant of a traitor to the court.

The emperor can tolerate anything except rebellion.

Even if it were a prince rebelling, he wouldn't tolerate it, let alone you.

"If you sit with Li Chenggan, aren't you harming him?"

I saw that the Crown Prince was very enthusiastic. He took my hand and asked me to sit with him. At the time, I didn't think much of it and just sat down.

I heard that a martial arts examination is being held in Chang'an, so I'm taking this opportunity to come to the capital to visit you, Cheng Yaojin, Wei Zheng, and Li Ji, my old brothers.

They are all doing well now, you don't need to worry about them.

"But I heard you're seriously ill. What happened?" Luo Cheng asked, noticing that Qin Qiong's beard was already white, but he was in good spirits and had a rosy complexion, not looking sick.

Qin Qiong stood up, poured Luo Cheng a cup of tea, and then poured one for himself.

Qin Qiong sighed: "This is a long story. Back then, we went through life and death with the Emperor. I counted, and I fought in more than 200 battles, big and small. I have countless scars on my body. Whenever it rains, my body aches. As you know, whenever the Emperor encountered those brave and difficult enemy generals, he would send me to fight them one-on-one."

You should know that the reason those people are troublemakers is because they are highly skilled in martial arts, right?

So every time, I just grit my teeth and rush in, having long since disregarded life and death.

However, I've been quite lucky; I've managed to kill enemy generals and return safely each time.

Even so, I have been injured before; getting injured is commonplace for me.

During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, I went all out and, together with Yuchi Gong and others, killed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor fell ill after the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

He couldn't sleep every night and always had nightmares, so he made me and Yuchi Gong take turns watching over him.

He will then be able to sleep soundly.

Later, seeing that we were both working so hard, staying up every night, the Emperor invited a painter to paint portraits of both of us, Yuchi Gong and me. These portraits were then pasted on the door to stand guard for the Emperor in our place.

Upon hearing this, Luo Cheng laughed and said, "You and Yuchi Gong have become household names as gods who exorcise demons and evil spirits."

Qin Qiong gave a bitter smile: "What's the use of that?"

I originally thought that after helping the emperor seize the throne, I could finally enjoy life and no longer have to worry about these things.

However, it turns out I was wrong.

Currently, on the surface, the court appears calm and harmonious, but in reality, undercurrents are surging, with various factions forming their own independent groups.

Upon hearing this, Luo Cheng asked, puzzled, "Cousin, what do you mean by that?"

Qin Qiong stroked his beard: "You may have heard that the court is now divided into several factions:"

One faction supports Li Chengqian as the crown prince;

One faction supports Li Tai's bid for the position of crown prince;

One faction supported Li Zhi becoming the crown prince;

Some people also planned to support Li Yuanjing in seizing the position of crown prince.

Think about it, isn't the imperial court already in disarray?

I can't afford to offend anyone. These days, the worst thing is to choose the wrong side. Once you choose the wrong side, you'll die without a burial place.

My death is a minor matter; I fear that not a single member of our entire Qin family and its descendants will survive.

Therefore, I have never advocated that my son Qin Huaiyu and grandson Qin Ying interfere in court affairs; I have told them to mind their own business.

Be careful with your words and actions. When there's nothing to do, go out less, speak less, refrain from discussing matters of the court, and especially avoid any contact with the princes.

Because of court regulations, civil and military officials were not allowed to have overly close relationships with princes.

Since everyone knows I've fought many battles and suffered many injuries, I used that as an excuse to claim I was ill and request sick leave from the Emperor.

Even the court assemblies are no longer necessary for me; the purpose is to avoid getting involved in those conflicts.

Upon hearing this, Luo Cheng understood: "So, you were faking your illness?"

Qin Qiong waved his hand: "It can't be called faking illness, it's more like half-truths."

"Cousin, I have a different opinion from yours."

"Oh, what's your opinion? Tell me about it."

"I feel you've changed. You've become more timid and fearful than before. This isn't like you at all."

You used to be fearless, spending your days crawling and rolling in the military, risking your life, and I never heard you utter a single word of fear. What's wrong with you now? You've become more and more afraid as you get older.

"Cousin, I'm not just thinking about myself; I have to think about the entire Qin family."

Many famous generals in history ultimately had their entire families executed.

Luo Cheng picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Before, I didn't know what kind of person Li Chenggan was, so I took advantage of the opportunity of the martial arts exam to deliberately go to Luoyang to visit Li Chenggan."

My purpose was to test and understand whether Li Chengqian was suitable to be the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty.

However, through these past few days of interaction, I've discovered that Li Chengqian is truly remarkable. Young as he is, he possesses both literary and martial talents, exceptional wisdom, and the demeanor of a great general. Whether in personal martial arts, military command, or governance, he excels significantly. He is the most insightful of all the princes.

Moreover, he was originally the eldest son of the emperor, and also the legitimate son. Having been publicly designated as the crown prince, he was the rightful heir to the Tang Dynasty.

It is wrong for others to covet the position of crown prince.

Therefore, I don't think there's any need to take sides; just support the Crown Prince.

I believe that after the Crown Prince inherits the throne, he will govern the Tang Dynasty even better, and the people of the Tang Dynasty, under Li Chengqian's leadership, will live a life of plenty.

Upon hearing this, Qin Qiong quickly advised him to lower his voice: "Oh dear, cousin, you are still too young. You are oversimplifying the issue."

Li Chengqian is indeed the crown prince, but does that mean he will definitely inherit the throne in the future?

I'm afraid not.

Leaving aside distant examples, let's talk about something closer to home. The original crown prince of the Sui Dynasty was Yang Yong. Wasn't Yang Yong the eldest son of the emperor and born of the legitimate wife?

What was the result?

Yang Yong was deposed as crown prince, and Emperor Wen of Sui appointed Yang Guang as crown prince. Soon after, Yang Yong was killed, and Yang Guang succeeded to the throne.

Wasn't Li Jiancheng the legitimate son? Wasn't he the eldest son of the emperor? And what happened in the end?

In the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Jiancheng was killed, and Li Shimin became the crown prince.

Soon after, Li Shimin forced the old emperor to abdicate.

Li Shimin became emperor.

Moreover, Yang Yong and Li Jiancheng were no ordinary men; they had both made outstanding military achievements, yet they were both killed in the end and failed to become emperors.

Therefore, although Li Chengqian is currently the crown prince, whether he will succeed to the throne in the future remains to be seen.

Did you know? There are many people supporting Li Tai, such as Fang Xuanling, Fang Yi'ai and his son, Cen Wenzi, Wei Ting, and Chai Lingwu, all of whom are Li Tai's faction.

Hearing Qin Qiong's words, Luo Cheng's mood became heavy.

During this time, he was not in Chang'an and was unaware of all the events that had occurred in the court.

Luo Cheng couldn't sit still any longer, so he stood up and paced back and forth in the room.

Suddenly, he felt a dull thud coming from the floor beneath his feet.

He stepped on it again and felt that the ground was hollow.

He turned to Qin Qiong and asked, "Cousin, what's wrong with this floor? It doesn't seem very solid underneath."

Qin Qiong smiled wryly upon hearing this: "Cousin, you are indeed a meticulous person. You are right, the floorboards are indeed hollow underneath."

Luo Cheng was puzzled and asked, "Cousin, why is that?"

At this moment, Qin Qiong squatted down and peeled off the square floorboard in the middle, revealing a hole underneath. Because it was night, it was impossible to see how deep it was.

Qin Qiong explained to Luo Cheng, "To be honest, I'm ready to run away at any time."

"Run away? Why would you do that?" Luo Cheng was very surprised.

"Although I have made many military achievements under the Emperor's command, and the Emperor has treated me well, bestowing upon me the titles of Grand General and Duke of Yi,"

Now that I'm quite old, I've become indifferent to fame and fortune.

I only want to protect the people of our Qin family.

But I always had a feeling of unease, not knowing when the emperor would send the imperial guards to arrest us.

Therefore, after much thought, I decided to dig a tunnel in this study that would lead to Zhongnan Mountain outside Chang'an City.

If that day ever comes and the Imperial Guards arrive, we'll escape through the tunnels.

Luo Cheng listened and exclaimed in amazement.

He gave a thumbs up: "Cousin, you are truly forward-thinking. You even thought of something like this. I really admire you."

However, aren't you overthinking it? Regardless, you've been utterly loyal to the Emperor and rendered so much service to the court. Li Shimin is a wise and benevolent ruler; how could he possibly harm you?

"Oh, brother, if you're going to say Li Shimin was a wise ruler, I admit it. He was indeed a rare and outstanding ruler of his time."

However, precisely because he was a famous ruler, he was even more difficult to please.

If you are too weak, he will look down on you;

If you are too strong, he will become suspicious of you;

Putting aside other things, let's take Emperor Wu of Han as an example. Wasn't Emperor Wu of Han a wise ruler?

Emperor Wu of Han was renowned throughout history for his civil and military achievements.

Emperor Yang of Sui's lifelong ideal and aspiration was to surpass Emperor Wu of Han.

Why did he lead his army on a westward expedition back then? It was because he mocked Emperor Wu of Han for not crossing the Yellow River.

Therefore, everything he did was aimed at competing with Emperor Wu of Han.

But do you know how many people Emperor Wu of Han killed?

Dou Ying deserves much credit.

In terms of kinship, Dou Ying was a member of the imperial family; he was Empress Dowager Dou's nephew, and thus held a noble status.

When the Rebellion of the Seven States broke out, Emperor Jing of Han was terrified and at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Heeding Yuan Ang's advice, he killed his teacher Chao Cuo, hoping the seven kingdoms would withdraw their troops.

However, after he did this foolish thing, the allied forces of the seven nations not only did not retreat, but attacked even more fiercely.

With Chang'an on the verge of collapse, the civil and military officials were at a loss for what to do.

Dou Ying served as Grand General and joined forces with Grand Commandant Zhou Yafu to defeat the Seven Kingdoms Alliance and protect Chang'an.

Furthermore, at a banquet, Empress Dowager Dou requested that after Emperor Jing of Han passed away, the throne should be passed to Liu Wu.

Emperor Jing of Han initially agreed, but Dou Ying immediately and strongly opposed it.

Dou Ying said that succession from father to son is the proper way, while succession from elder brother to younger brother is a method used in special circumstances.

Now that the emperor is in his prime and has many children, how can he appoint Liu Wu as the crown prince?

It was precisely because of Dou Ying's firm opposition that the matter was dropped. Just think about it, if Dou Ying hadn't firmly opposed it at the time, wouldn't Liu Wu have been made crown prince?

Could Emperor Wu of Han still become emperor?

However, Emperor Wu of Han disregarded all of this; his only concern was that Dou Ying's friend, Guan Fu, had angered Empress Dowager Wang by drinking and cursing at Tian Fen's wedding banquet.

Dou Ying merely said a few words of goodwill on behalf of Guan Fu.

Empress Dowager Wang, however, wouldn't let go of Dou Ying. Under pressure from Empress Dowager Wang, Emperor Wu of Han actually issued an edict to kill Dou Ying. Just think about it, wasn't Dou Ying's death unjust?

Then there's the famous general Li Guang, a descendant of Li Xin, who was utterly loyal to the Han Dynasty.

He started from the bottom and rose through the ranks to become a general based on his military achievements.

He fought countless battles against the Xiongnu throughout his life. Those were the iron walls of the Han Dynasty; wherever Li Guang was, the Xiongnu would avoid him.

However, in the end, Emperor Wu of Han considered Li Guang to be unlucky and refused to let him lead troops into battle.

However, Li Guang insisted on joining the battle.

No one expected that before his departure, Emperor Wu of Han summoned Wei Qing to a secret room and told him that if they encountered the main force of the Xiongnu, Li Guang should not be sent into battle.

Because if Li Guang were to go into battle, he would surely achieve great merit, and in that case, he could be ennobled as a marquis.

That is why, when the Han army encountered the main force of the Xiongnu army, Wei Qing transferred Li Guang away.

The Han army divided into several routes to encircle the Xiongnu army, but Li Guang got lost and failed to arrive on time.

Wei Qing sent an envoy to reprimand Li Guang. Li Guang was a famous general, how could he stand being questioned by those petty clerks?

Li Guang committed suicide by drawing his sword.

Whether it was Dou Ying or Li Guang, both were renowned generals, and Emperor Wu of Han was a wise ruler, yet such a tragedy ultimately occurred. Who is to blame?

Luo Cheng fell into deep thought.

Just then, a series of noisy footsteps came from outside the door.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Open the door! Open the door! Otherwise we're going to rush in!"