My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 423 I Will Control the Armies of the World
In front of Xuanwu Gate.

Li Chengqian rode over on a white horse.

The guards stood by, protecting him.

Even though we've already won, what if something unexpected happens?

Li Chengqian himself didn't seem to care much. Perhaps the title of Crown Prince was too prestigious, so much so that most people forgot that he himself was a first-rate expert.

The Imperial Guards didn't have any cannons, and besides, he was wearing a modified version of the Bright Light Armor.

Regardless of how many people are killed, even if the Imperial Guards were to suddenly rise up in this situation, they could easily leave.

Of course, even though the Imperial Guards in front had all bowed their heads and made way for him, Li Chengqian wasn't foolish enough to show off and walk over himself.

They simply waited quietly outside Xuanwu Gate.

You can pass through the collapsed Xuanwu Gate, but there are many broken stones, which is unsightly.

Many soldiers have taken off their armor and are now working as porters.

Before long, a group of people came out from inside.

Changsun Wuji scrambled over the pile of rubble in a rather disheveled manner, then bowed and greeted the Crown Prince: "Your subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian was much more polite at this moment, and said with a smile, "Uncle, you are too kind. I wonder if Father Emperor instructed me to come here in this way?"

The closer it gets to this point, the less arrogant he was before.

These words make it sound as if Li Chengqian is Li Shimin's most obedient and well-behaved son.

However, Li Chengqian showed no intention of dismounting.

Changsun Wuji smiled bitterly.

The situation has now been settled, and there haven't been any major upheavals.

He immediately said respectfully, "Your Majesty hopes that the Crown Prince will spare Qingque Zhinu."

Li Chengqian nodded seriously and then said, "I will obey my father's decree."

Changsun Wuji breathed a sigh of relief; these words indicated that the Crown Prince still did not intend to exterminate them all.

Before he came, what he feared most was that the Crown Prince would be reckless and would do what His Majesty did back then, slaughtering everyone without restraint.

However, it's hard to say now, and it's very possible that things could turn sour later.

But at least now his mission is complete.

He then bowed again and said, "Your subject will return to report to Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian nodded, then instructed Su Dingfang: "Dingfang, take three thousand armored soldiers and go with Grand Tutor Changsun. There is some chaos now, and I am worried about the safety of the Emperor."

Changsun Wuji's pupils contracted, but he didn't say anything.

Su Dingfang could not hide the slight upturn of his lips as he bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the Crown Prince's orders."

This is the key point. At this point, His Majesty must be protected 'thoroughly'.

Only after he had completely taken control of the situation and the Imperial Guards were disbanded could Li Chengqian formally step into the Xuanwu Gate.

the other side.

Li Tai and Li Zhi have arrived before Li Shimin.

The broken bricks of Xuanwu Gate were still hot, and Li Tai clutched the hem of Li Shimin's dragon robe as if grasping at the last straw.

His brocade robe was wrinkled with cold sweat, and the moment he saw Li Shimin turn around, he suddenly cried out in a sob, "Father!"

The cry of "Father Emperor" was broken, completely devoid of the arrogance he once displayed when speaking eloquently at the Chongwen Hall.

Li Tai's knees buckled, and he almost knelt on the blood-stained ground. It was only thanks to Li Zhi's help that he was able to stand up.

He looked at the white hair at Li Shimin's temples, the frost that had been added by the cannon fire of the previous night, and suddenly remembered that during the hunt last year, his father could still draw a three-stone bow and personally shoot down a fleeing deer in front of his horse.

"Your Highness... Your Highness isn't really going to kill us, is he?"

Li Tai's voice trembled, with a barely perceptible sob at the end.

He shrank back behind Li Shimin, as if that would allow him to avoid the unseen swords and shadows: "Qingque never competed with him for the throne, really never..."

Li Shimin raised his hand and placed it on Li Tai's trembling shoulder, the roughness of his palm causing Li Tai to flinch. "I know."

His voice was soft and reassuring, “Qingque has never been competitive. Those books are more important to you than swords.”

Li Shimin could tell that Qingque was terrified and was even talking nonsense. Although he felt that Qingque was a disappointment, he was still his favorite son.

Li Tai's tears suddenly fell, dripping onto the back of Li Shimin's hand; they were scalding hot.

He sniffled, like a wronged child, "If I lose my head, what's the point of writing books? Qingque was just telling the scholars yesterday that he wanted to include the customs of Lingnan in the book, but now that I think about it..."

He choked up and couldn't continue, his hand gripping Li Shimin's dragon robe even tighter: "Father, please plead with the Crown Prince. Qingque can go to Lingnan, to Qianzhou, or even to some desolate place. Qingque just wants to live..."

Faced with the terror of death, Li Tai's heart had already completely collapsed.

This journey has been filled with the fear of death.

Born in the third year of the Wude era, he is only twenty-six years old now.

Twenty-six years old—the prime of one's life.

How could I possibly want to die at this time?

Even ants try to survive, let alone him.

"Silly boy."

Li Shimin raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, his fingertip brushing against his trembling eyelashes: "I summoned you here to ensure your survival. Do you think Chengqian would dare to lay a hand on you in front of me?"

"If he imitates my Xuanwu Gate Incident, he must learn from me to retain some dignity."

Li Tai was taken aback, and Li Zhi beside him couldn't help but shrink back.

What dignity did Father Emperor leave behind back then?
Li Shimin was somewhat embarrassed, realizing that he had gone a bit too far in his speech.

It seems I did everything back then except for patricide.

'Ahem. '

Li Shimin immediately skipped the topic and said, "Chengqian cares more about his reputation than anyone else. If he wants to be an emperor who surpasses Zhenguan, he cannot bear the infamy of killing his brother."

After saying this, Li Shimin felt a pang of emotion.

He knew the Crown Prince's excellence, especially his cannons, siege weapons; how could the surrounding countries possibly resist him in the future?

With the aid of muskets, the Tang army will surely be invincible in the future.

Li Shimin was also able to see the potential in governing the country.

Now that Luoyang is in the hands of the Crown Prince, in terms of prosperity, it is no less than Chang'an.

And Liaodong.

As the crown prince, Li Chengqian was undoubtedly an exceptionally outstanding successor, so much so that Li Shimin, after reading through all the historical records, could not find anyone comparable to him.

However, having an overly outstanding successor is not a good thing for him as emperor.

He was at least half a founding emperor, and not even fifty years old yet, but he was forced to retire early by his eldest son.

A coup is one thing, but this was a genuine, forceful victory against overwhelming odds.

Li Shimin was somewhat unwilling, but now, no matter how unwilling he was, he could only accept it.

Li Tai murmured, "Will the Crown Prince really let us go?"

Li Shimin's eyes narrowed, and he said, "I will wait for him right here at Xuanwu Gate. If he dares to commit the crime of killing his brother, I will smash my head against this broken wall and die. I will make him bear the crime of patricide right after he has just won the world!"

His words carried a hint of helplessness; at this point, Li Shimin's only bargaining chip was his own life.

That's what he said, but Li Shimin still had a good idea of ​​what was going on.

Regardless, Li Shimin had a certain understanding of his eldest son; he was a man of integrity and his character was generally sound.

He himself bears some responsibility for how things have turned out this way.

However, judging from the Crown Prince's style of action, he wouldn't be so ruthless. This is also why Li Shimin didn't take the opportunity to leave; after all, this was the Tang Dynasty of the Li family, and he didn't want it to be so fragmented.

The Crown Prince is the eldest son and is the heir apparent. Logically speaking, the throne should be handed over to him sooner or later.

The artillery barrage ceased after the first two rounds, and Li Shimin could sense the significance of this.

There's still that much unspoken understanding between father and son.

"Father!"

Li Tai and Li Zhi exclaimed in surprise at the same time. Li Zhi even knelt down with a thud, his forehead pressed against the cold brick floor: "I am willing to go to Qianzhou and never return to the capital. I beg Father Emperor not to do anything foolish!"

Li Tai also knelt down, his knees slamming into the gravel, making him wince in pain, but he didn't bother to rub them.

"Qingque is willing to go to Lingnan and will never set foot in Chang'an again in this lifetime!"

He grabbed Li Shimin's trouser leg, tears mixed with blood streaming down his dragon robe: "Father, you must live! Only if you live can we live! If you're gone, what does Chengqian have to fear? Those historians can write whatever they want with their pens!"

Faced with the imminent danger of death, Li Tai's mind worked quickly.

With the Emperor absent, Li Chengqian could easily use any means to take their lives.

If the Emperor were alive, things would be completely different. Not only would they not be killed, but Li Chengqian would at least not deliberately kill them, otherwise it would be difficult to explain to the Emperor.

Li Shimin helped his two sons up and said in a deep voice, "I will not die."

"I want to see him sit on the dragon throne and see how he governs this country."

Li Shimin naturally understood this as well.

However, I'm not too worried yet. After all, he's still in his prime. Even if he doesn't live to be a hundred, living to seventy or eighty shouldn't be a problem.

In twenty or thirty years, the Crown Prince's rule will be stable enough that he won't need to cause trouble for his two younger brothers.

That's incredibly narrow-minded.

As for how to arrange things for Qingque Zhinu, or where to exile her, Li Shimin could not make that decision for the time being and could only consult with the Crown Prince.

Although it was said to be Qianzhou in Lingnan, those places of exile were too much. Li Shimin still wanted his two sons to at least be idle princes and maintain their wealth and status.

They are no match for Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.

Although he was responsible for conquering almost half of the Tang Dynasty, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji also made significant contributions.

Most importantly, the two men actually held military power, posing a huge threat; keeping them around would definitely be a disaster.

Compared to Qingque Zhinu, she was far inferior.

Qingque's advantage lay with the Wei King's faction; those civil officials were merely appendages, and they would flee faster than anyone else when the Wei King fell from power.

Needless to say, Zhi Nu was still young and had no power of his own. The only person he could be involved with was Li Ji.

After this, Li Ji's career was essentially over.

Upon closer examination, Qingque Zhinu actually posed almost no threat to the Crown Prince.

Otherwise, how could the two of them still be standing in front of him?

Just then, a sound came from afar.

The Imperial Guards parted the crowd, with Changsun Wuji and Su Dingfang at the front, followed by several thousand elite troops from Liaodong.

"Your subject Su Dingfang greets Your Majesty."

"Your subject, Changsun Wuji, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

The thousands of elite troops from Liaodong behind them all knelt on one knee and said in unison, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Li Shimin was momentarily dazed.

Regardless, the Crown Prince's manners were still impeccable.

This makes it seem like Li Shimin is the real winner.

"Flat body."

Li Shimin maintained the utmost imperial majesty. In retrospect, the dynasty had not changed; it was ultimately his Tang dynasty.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Everyone stood up, and Li Shimin asked Changsun Wuji to come over and speak.

"What instructions have you given the Crown Prince?"

Li Tai and Li Zhi were very nervous, as this concerned their lives.

Changsun Wuji replied with a somewhat complicated tone, "The Crown Prince said he would obey His Majesty's decree."

With just one sentence, Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief, and Li Tai and Li Zhi also relaxed somewhat.

At least for now, they have survived.

Li Shimin then looked at Su Dingfang.

Su Dingfang clasped his hands in a respectful bow: "Your Majesty, we will obey your orders and protect Your Majesty's safety."

Li Shimin was not surprised and calmly nodded: "Then I will trouble General Su."

Su Dingfang hurriedly replied, "Your subject dares not."

His Majesty is still His Majesty. Even if he has lost power, he is still the Crown Prince's biological father. Su Dingfang naturally dared not be disrespectful, even though he was the Crown Prince's most valued general.

Li Shimin pondered for a moment. Since the Crown Prince had shown such goodwill, he naturally had to cooperate as well.

An imperial edict was immediately issued, ordering the Imperial Guards to disperse and handing over the Taiji Palace to the Crown Prince.

Seeing the wounded and disabled imperial guards, Li Shimin actually felt a little guilty.

Ultimately, their sacrifices and injuries stemmed from the conflict between father and son.

However, Li Shimin could not speak now. If he were to offer a higher compensation, it would be too much. The matter of handling the aftermath could only be left to the Crown Prince.

As for how to deal with these imperial guards, given the Crown Prince's methods, he shouldn't go too far.

After all, the future Tang Dynasty would also belong to Chengqian's people.

With Li Shimin speaking, the final result was revealed.

Entrusting the Taiji Palace to the Crown Prince for protection was, in effect, a form of house arrest for Li Shimin.

The Imperial Guards have lost and are now considered a defeated army, causing some unease among the troops.

However, the Crown Prince's decree soon spread that no action would be taken regarding today's events, and that the compensation for the casualties would be tripled.

People's hearts have stabilized somewhat, but Li Chengqian is not entirely trusting them now.

The Imperial Guards gradually dispersed, but Li Chengqian didn't have many troops at his disposal. Apart from the Taiji Palace, the Imperial Guards would still be responsible for guarding Chang'an and the imperial city according to their previous organization.

The rubble at Xuanwu Gate was quickly cleared to create a path.

With many people, there is great strength. Not only the Liaodong soldiers, but also the Imperial Guards were purged.

One moment they were fighting to the death, the next they're all colleagues.

There was no real grudge or hatred between them; it was just that both sides felt a sense of melancholy.

Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Yaojin looked at each other in bewilderment, but could only step forward to pay their respects.

"I have met His Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "You've had a hard day. Take the Imperial Guards and go rest."

These words made the two men somewhat embarrassed, but Li Chengqian didn't have time to pay them any attention.

After the Imperial Guards dispersed, Li Chengqian led over a thousand personal guards forward.

The road wasn't far, and soon they saw Li Shimin, along with Li Tai and Li Zhi, who were hiding in the back, looking somewhat panicked.

Li Chengqian dismounted and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Father Emperor."

(End of this chapter)