A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"I received news that the fourth brother has gathered 3000 assassins and ambushed us outside Xuanwu Gate, waiting for my eldest brother and me to arrive so they can hack us to death."

"Then they colluded with the guards of Xuanwu Gate, killed us, opened Xuanwu Gate, and forced my father to abdicate."

"That's why I led troops to guard the palace, and my elder brother can attest to that."

When Li Shimin saw that the commander of the opposing army was Chai Shao, he breathed a sigh of relief and shouted loudly at Chai Shao.

Chai Shao frowned. "You step back first."

After Li Shimin led his army to retreat, Chai Shao sent people to take over Xuanwu Gate again, and then sent someone to inform Li Yuan of the situation there.

On the other side, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, riding tall horses, looked down at Li Yuanji, who was being pinned down by Cheng Yaojin, and asked:

"Fourth brother, why did it come to this?"

"Hahahaha, why did it have to come to this?"

Li Yuanji laughed heartily. When he saw that the commander of the opposing army was Chai Shao, he knew that he had failed. He looked at Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin with disdain.

"Why did it come to this?"

"This world, this throne, should all belong to me."

"Why are you trying to take it from me?"

"I'm your younger brother, have you ever truly treated me like one?"

"Why do you say that? We've always treated you like a younger brother, and that has never changed."

Li Shimin frowned and said that he had never targeted Li Yuanji and had even given him many rare and precious treasures.

"Hmph, you still have the nerve to say that!"

"You two have made a decision: one of you will inherit the Tang Dynasty, and the other will go out to expand the territory, leaving me only a small Qingzhou!"

"You two are both so good at fighting, why can't you both go out and conquer the world? Why do you have to compete with me for the Tang Dynasty?!"

"Can't you older brothers just give in to your younger brothers?"

"You still have the nerve to say you treat me like a younger brother?!"

Li Yuanji stated his point of view, feeling extremely wronged.

The group of thugs kneeling behind him looked at him as if he were a god, saying such shameless things in such a grand and righteous way, so full of righteous indignation, so pitiful. What a god!

This group of people does nothing productive, idles around, and lives off their families. Even a bunch of hooligans like them wouldn't say such things.

They never expected that these words would come from the mouth of a prince of the current dynasty.

I really learned a lot today.

Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin remained silent, speechless, realizing that Li Yuanji truly believed it.

A brain is a good thing, and they so wished their fourth brother, Li Yuanji, had one.

Conscience is a good thing, and they also hoped that their fourth brother, Li Yuanji, would have it.

Chai Shao, who was on the city wall, also heard Li Shimin and Li Yuanji's conversation and breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that what Li Shimin had just told him was true, which was good.

However, Li Yuanji and Chai Shao didn't know what to say.

He quickly sent another person to inform Li Yuan, who was on his way, of the latest news.

Upon receiving this news, Li Yuan was struck dumb.

It was all for such a ridiculous reason?!

He has truly failed in his parenting!

His two best sons and one daughter were not raised by him.

The only son he had brought to his side, taught him by word and deed, and carefully nurtured, turned out to be such a scoundrel, even trying to kill him and seize the throne.

Li Yuan was greatly shocked and couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Your Majesty! Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician immediately!"

Pei Ji quickly helped Li Yuan up, and Li Yuan grabbed Pei Ji's shoulders, trying to stand up straight.

"No need, I'm fine. Let's go to Xuanwu Gate!"

Li Yuan staggered toward Xuanwu Gate, and Pei Ji followed behind him, watching Li Yuan's back, feeling utterly lonely and desolate.

"Alas, Your Majesty... the royal family... the throne...!"

Pei Ji sighed and quickly followed.

"The traitor!"

The Xuanwu Gate slowly opened, and Pei Ji escorted Li Yuan to the front of the battle formation.

The thugs and soldiers around them had all been driven away by Li Shimin, leaving only a few of them present.

Cheng Yaojin stood firmly beside Li Shimin, watching Li Yuan and the numerous imperial guards slowly approaching.

"Greetings, Father Emperor."

Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin bowed to Li Yuan.

"Rise."

Li Yuan looked at Li Yuanji, who was even unwilling to bow. It seemed that what Chai Shao reported was true, but he still held a sliver of hope.

"Fourth brother, I heard you intend to kill your brother and seize the throne. Is that true?"

There was a hint of pleading in Li Yuan's tone. He was well past the age of fifty and really didn't want to hear such bad news.

Li Yuanji's eyes were filled with hatred as he looked at Li Yuan. He hated Li Yuan more than Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng.

He was the son Li Yuan raised from childhood, and the son Li Yuan loved the most. Why didn't Li Yuan give him the position of crown prince?

If Li Yuan had given him the position of crown prince, would he still have done such a thing?!

So it's all Li Yuan's fault!

Today he will ruin Li Yuan and Li Shimin's reputation!

"Father, it's definitely true!"

"You forced this upon yourself!"

"It was you who single-handedly pushed me to this point!"

"You took me in and raised me, and you always said how much you loved me. You said that your eldest and second eldest sons weren't close to you, and that you would give me the position of Duke of Tang, so that your eldest and second eldest sons could work for it themselves."

"But what about now? You want to make the second son the crown prince and support the eldest son in conquering the Great Xia and establishing another empire."

"Give me a small Qingzhou, and I will become the second-in-command's subject, bowing my head in submission."

"I can't do it!"

"I, Li Yuanji, would rather die standing than live on my knees!"

Li Yuanji now displayed the same fierce spirit as Li Shimin, ignoring the large axe pressing down on his shoulder and stubbornly standing up.

Li Shimin gestured for Cheng Yaojin to step back, and Cheng Yaojin withdrew his axe from Li Yuanji's body. Li Yuanji seized the opportunity and was about to smash his neck into Cheng Yaojin's axe.

Cheng Yaojin quickly withdrew his weapon, and Li Yuanji showed a hint of regret. If he could die at the hands of one of Li Shimin's generals, his plan would be even more perfect.

Li Yuanji took out a pill from his sleeve, put it in his mouth, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, his face immediately turning ashen.

"Today, I, Li Yuanji, will use my death to cement your reputation as the father who forced his son to his death. And you, second son, history will surely record that you murdered your brother to seize the throne, that you were ruthless and unjust, hahahahahaha."

"No matter how brilliant and powerful you become in the future, no matter how great your achievements in both civil and military affairs, the Xuanwu Gate Incident, which forced the death of a prince, will forever be a stain on your record."

Li Yuanji risked his life, wanting to overcome fate, but fate seemed to have always been an imaginary enemy he had created.

Li Yuanji gained nothing but harming his own family.

What he left to the history books was merely a source of amusement, and it did not have the slightest impact on the historical evaluation of Li Yuan and Li Shimin.

Later historical records praised Li Yuanji as the greatest filial piety king of all time! His filial piety was simply beyond measure.