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

"Of course, this matter has a lot to do with Princess Guantao and Wang Zhi."

However, I believe this is not the most important reason.

Most importantly, Emperor Jing of Han recognized Liu Che's exceptional intelligence and brilliant military prowess.

Moreover, if Liu Che were to succeed to the throne, the other princes could also be spared.

Because Liu Che was broad-minded, he would not easily harm his own brothers.

Emperor Wu of Han (Liu Che) was a man of both literary and military talent. He was not only a skilled writer but also exceptionally brave and capable in governing the country and leading the army.

Therefore, Emperor Jing of Han broke with convention and decided to make Liu Che the crown prince, regardless of the opposition from Zhou Yafu, Dou Ying, and others.

He insisted on doing so.

"Therefore, Your Majesty can learn from Emperor Jing of Han and firmly establish Li Zhi as the Crown Prince," Chu Suiliang suggested.

"But Li Zhi is still too young, how can he be the crown prince?" Li Shimin still hesitated. "I am no longer young, and it's hard to say how many more years I can live."

"Your Majesty, age is not a problem."

When Liu Fuling ascended the throne, he was only eight years old.

He was a renowned wise ruler of the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Zhao of Han was known for his ability to recognize talent and distinguish between loyalty and treachery.

In this respect, even Liu Bang and Emperor Wen of Han probably couldn't compare to him.

When Emperor Wu of Han was on his deathbed, he was worried because Liu Fuling was too young.

Emperor Wu of Han selected four ministers to assist Liu Fuling, namely Huo Guang, Jin Midi, Sang Hongyang, and Shangguan Jie, with Huo Guang being the principal minister.

After Emperor Wu of Han passed away, Liu Fuling succeeded him as Emperor Zhao of Han.

Shangguan Jie and Sang Hongyang believed that Huo Guang wielded too much power in the court and wanted to reduce his authority. They repeatedly tried to promote their relatives to higher ranks and titles, but Huo Guang rejected their requests impartially each time.

Huo Guang said, "Those people have no merit, no reputation, and no talent. Why should they be promoted?"

If that were the case, wouldn't the entire court be thrown into chaos?

Shangguan Jie and Sang Hongyang were secretly furious, harboring resentment towards Huo Guang.

Shangguan Jie, in particular, thought that when Emperor Wu was alive, he was already a high-ranking official among the Nine Ministers, holding the rank of Grand Minister, while Huo Guang was just a Commandant of the Imperial Carriage, whose rank was far lower than that of the Nine Ministers.

However, ever since Liu Fuling ascended the throne and was entrusted with the regency by imperial edict,

Huo Guang's official rank and real power were superior to Shangguan Jie's.

Shangguan Jie was even more furious and resentful.

In terms of military power, Huo Guang was the Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, the highest military commander in the country, in charge of all the troops, and the supreme commander of the imperial guards, holding a position higher than the Three Dukes.

Huo Guang not only managed the army but also oversaw political affairs, effectively controlling the court.

Emperor Wu of Han explicitly appointed Huo Guang as the chief regent and bestowed upon him the "Duke of Zhou Assisting King Cheng" painting, granting him the power to oversee the entire region.

The image itself is secondary; the key is that the image is of extraordinary significance.

Shangguan Jie felt he had been treated unfairly, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he plotted a rebellion.

He and Sang Hongyang conspired with Prince Liu Dan of Yan and the eldest princess to kill Huo Guang, depose Emperor Zhao, and establish themselves as emperor.

On one occasion, while Huo Guang was on leave, the Prince of Yan sent someone to submit a memorial accusing Huo Guang of wielding absolute power and using imperial protocol and etiquette when inspecting the Imperial Guards, thus overstepping his bounds.

They also accused Huo Guang of privately transferring military officers, cultivating his own faction, secretly accumulating power, and plotting a rebellion.

Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang, and others had planned in advance to arrest Huo Guang immediately after Emperor Zhao approved the decree.

The next morning, Huo Guang went to court, feeling extremely apprehensive, because he had learned that someone had accused him of treason.

However, Emperor Zhao of Han publicly reassured Huo Guang, saying that he was innocent.

Emperor Zhao of Han said such things because he saw the flaw in the argument.

There are two flaws in this matter:

First, the timing doesn't make sense: Huo Guang's inspection of the Imperial Guards and the transfer of officers were both recent events.

How did the King of Yan, who was thousands of miles away, know this?

This is obviously fake; it must have been deliberately forged by someone in the capital.

Secondly, the motive is completely illogical. At that time, Huo Guang was already the Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, a position higher than the Three Dukes, wielding immense military and political power.

If he really wanted to rebel, would he need to transfer some kind of captain?

He is fully capable of taking control of the overall situation.

There's absolutely no need to do such petty things.

Therefore, Emperor Zhao of Han immediately declared that General Huo Guang was innocent and that the memorial was a deliberate frame-up. From then on, no one in the court dared to slander Huo Guang.

Li Shimin was also aware of this history; Emperor Zhao of Han was indeed discerning and able to distinguish between loyalty and treachery.

Chu Suiliang continued, "Emperor Zhao of Han judged Huo Guang to be loyal, and he also had his reasons:"

First, Huo Guang was a trusted minister whom Emperor Wu of Han entrusted with the care of his young son on his deathbed. In his later years, Emperor Wu worried that Lady Gouyi, Zhao, would seize power in the court, as it was a great taboo for a young emperor to rule over an adult mother.

Therefore, he made up his mind to kill Zhao, which is the famous historical precedent of killing the mother upon establishing the son as heir.

Then, Huo Guang was appointed as the Grand Secretary, and the young Liu Fuling was entrusted to him.

Therefore, Emperor Zhao of Han knew very well from a young age that Huo Guang was no ordinary person, but the minister appointed by the late emperor to entrust the young emperor with the responsibility of the young emperor, and thus possessed legal legitimacy.

Secondly, Huo Guang was usually cautious and prudent in his actions, and did not overstep his bounds.

Although Huo Guang held absolute power in the court, all his decrees were issued after being approved by Emperor Zhao of Han, and then issued in the emperor's name.

He was fundamentally different from a ruthless warlord like Dong Zhuo.

Huo Guang strictly adhered to the duties of a subject.

Although he commanded a large army, he did not act recklessly;

That time, after Shangguan Jie and Sang Hongyang's false accusation against Huo Guang for treason was exposed...

Shangguan Jie and Sang Hongyang then planned to emulate Sima Yi in eliminating Huo Guang and installing the Prince of Yan as emperor.

However, their plot was quickly exposed.

Emperor Zhao of Han acted decisively and immediately issued an edict to execute Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang, the Princess, Liu Dan, and their accomplices.

Emperor Zhao of Han's ability to judge character was praised by emperors throughout history.

Originally, Li Shimin was worried that Li Zhi was too young and might not be able to shoulder the responsibility of being the crown prince. But now, after hearing what Chu Suiliang said, it seems that the issue of age is not so important anymore.

Chu Suiliang straightened his clothes again: "Back then, Liu Bang suspected that Xiao He wanted to seize his empire,

While he was fighting Xiang Yu at the front, he left Xiao He to guard Guanzhong and put him in charge of all affairs.

Xiao He was dutiful and responsible, constantly supplying Liu Bang with soldiers, provisions, and supplies.

However, Liu Bang was still uneasy about Xiao He, fearing that Xiao He would declare himself emperor or king in Guanzhong. He kept sending people back to investigate, forcing Xiao He to send his sons and nephews to the front lines.

Liu Bang was relieved to see that Xiao He had sent his sons and nephews to the front lines, and his worries turned to joy.

Even so, after Liu Bang became emperor, he still did not trust Xiao He. He even imprisoned Xiao He in jail, but released him only after finding no evidence against him.

Liu Bang's unfounded suspicion of Xiao He is truly unacceptable.

Emperor Wen of Han was also considered a wise and benevolent ruler.

However, talented people like Jia Yi were ignored and not put to use.

Jia Yi was demoted to Changsha, where he spent his days in tears, feeling that his talents were not being recognized. Soon after, he died young.

Although Emperor Zhao of Han was very young, he was no less capable than his ancestors in terms of employing and recognizing talent.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin looked at Changsun Wuji and asked, "What's your opinion?"

Changsun Wuji stroked his beard: "Your Majesty, logically speaking, Li Chengan, Li Tai, and Li Zhi are all my nephews, and I have treated them all equally."

However, even ten fingers can be of different lengths.

"Your Majesty, I am not targeting anyone in particular; I am merely stating the facts and offering an objective evaluation."

Li Shimin nodded slightly: "Speak, whether you are right or wrong, I will not blame you."

"To be honest, Li Chengqian has treated me with considerable courtesy. Some time ago, he personally visited me at my residence."

Now that I no longer hold any official position in the court, the fact that he still treats me this way shows that he is a well-mannered person.

His abilities are also outstanding, as everyone can see.

However, he was too flamboyant in character, dared to defy imperial orders, and privately mobilized local troops, even privately raising an army on the border of Gaochang.

He secretly formed cliques and factions, associating with wicked people like Chengxin and Weilingfu. He was degenerate and unambitious. How could this continue?

How could our great Tang crown prince associate with such lowly people?

This also disqualifies him from being the crown prince.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, he is not even comparable to Liu Rong and Yang Yong.

At least neither of them likes to cause trouble.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was moved. Changsun Wuji's words were a mix of praise and criticism. He first lauded Li Chengqian, then changed the subject and listed Li Chengqian's various "criminal acts".

Then Changsun Wuji continued, "Your humble servant's claim that he formed cliques for personal gain is not unfounded."

Taking advantage of his campaigns in the Western Regions and his mission to the Wa (Japanese) Kingdom, he won over Songtsen Gampo, Murong Shun, Tuoba Chici, King Shanbei, Ashina Simo, and Jindeman.

This made those people obedient to him and willing to serve him.

This shows that Li Chenggan was extremely shrewd and more cunning than his peers.

Did he buy a lot of wine and make a lot of money?

So, did he hand over this money to the national treasury?

He used that money to bribe the three great assassins, Hegan Chengji, Ashina Jieshe, and Zhang Shizheng.

He also secretly established the Lijingmen, and put Chengxin and Wei Lingfu in charge of those people to do things like arresting, investigating and interrogating.

Tell me, what is this if not forming cliques for personal gain?

If someone else had said these words, Li Shimin might not have listened.

However, coming from Changsun Wuji, the weight of the words was entirely different. Changsun Wuji was Li Chengqian's maternal uncle, a relationship comparable to that between Wei Qing and Liu Ju.

In this world, how many uncles don't love their nephews?

Although Changsun Wuji is not currently serving as an official in the court.

However, he still held a very important place in Li Shimin's heart.

If ranked by merit, Changsun Wuji would be first.

In particular, Changsun Wuji's contribution to the Xuanwu Gate Incident was immense. It can be said that without Changsun Wuji, the Xuanwu Gate Incident might not have occurred.

Although Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui proposed the Xuanwu Gate Incident, neither of them dared to persuade Li Shimin to launch it.

In the end, it was Changsun Wuji and Yuchi Gong who strongly urged Li Shimin to make up his mind to launch the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Among them, the most crucial one was Changsun Wuji, because he had been encouraging Li Shimin to take action as soon as possible.

Therefore, Li Shimin was very grateful to Changsun Wuji.

After Li Shimin ascended the throne, he wanted to appoint Changsun Wuji as prime minister. Changsun Wuji declined the position, a noble act rarely seen in history.

This earned him even more respect from Li Shimin, so whenever he faced a major decision, Li Shimin would often invite Changsun Wuji to consult with him.

To be fair, Li Shimin had considered making Li Zhi the crown prince.

He just felt that Li Zhi's personality was somewhat weak, which reminded him of Emperor Xian of Han, Liu Xie.

Objectively speaking, Liu Xie was also a very intelligent emperor.

However, due to his cowardly nature, he was always controlled by others and ultimately lost the Han Dynasty.

Initially, General He Jin planned to eliminate the Ten Attendants and other eunuchs, but Empress He disagreed.

He Jin then thought of recruiting troops from outside the capital to enter the capital.

Dong Zhuo then took this opportunity to enter Luoyang.

However, what was unexpected was that Dong Zhuo was also a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Dong Zhuo entered the capital, deposed Emperor Shao of Han (Liu Bian), and installed Liu Xie as Emperor Xian of Han. From then on, Liu Xie was under Dong Zhuo's control.

Dong Zhuo could do whatever he wanted, and Liu Xie dared not confront him.

Dong Zhuo seized control of the court, defiled the harem, and killed people at will. The civil and military officials dared to be angry but dared not speak out.

Situ Wang Yun devised a scheme to have Diao Chan sow discord between Dong Zhuo and his son Lü Bu.

Enraged, Lü Bu killed Dong Zhuo.

However, not long after, Li Jue and Guo Si led their troops into the capital.

Liu Xie was once again under their control.

Li Jue and Guo Si were both warlords, extremely rude and ruthless, and they bossed Liu Xie around.

Liu Xie couldn't do anything about them.

Soon after, Cao Cao arrived, drove away Li Jue and Guo Si, and welcomed Liu Xie to Xuchang.

On the surface, Cao Cao was very respectful to Emperor Xian of Han, but in reality, Cao Cao still held the real power.

Cao Cao frequently issued edicts favorable to himself in the name of Emperor Xian of Han, and Emperor Xian, powerless to resist, had no choice but to comply.

They finally survived until Cao Cao died and Cao Pi succeeded to the throne.

Ultimately, Emperor Xian of Han was forced to abdicate the throne to Cao Pi.

Therefore, Li Shimin wondered if he would be able to sit firmly on the throne if he made Li Zhi the crown prince and let him inherit the throne in the future, and whether he would be controlled by others.

Which of those civil and military officials was easy to deal with?

For example, civil officials included Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, and Du He;

Among the military generals were Li Jing, Li Ji, Li Xiaogong, Hou Junji, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Gong. Who among them was easy to mess with?

Who can he possibly deal with?

Therefore, Li Shimin hesitated: "I have already promised Li Tai on this matter."

"If he can defeat the combined forces of Goguryeo and Baekje, I will make him crown prince."

"Your Majesty, you must not!" Changsun Wuji quickly waved his hand upon hearing this. "Even if Li Tai returns victorious, he cannot be made crown prince. If Your Majesty wishes to make a crown prince, then make Li Zhi the crown prince."

"Let's put this matter aside for now and discuss it later," Li Shimin said, pausing for a moment. "Currently, my personal attendant has taken sick leave and returned to his hometown to recuperate."

We are currently lacking a personal attendant.

Who do you think would be suitable for this position?

Changsun Wuji said, "Then let Chu Suiliang take on this position. He will certainly record His Majesty's every word and deed fairly and impartially."

Li Shimin looked at Chu Suiliang and asked, "Are you willing?"