Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 141 Xuanwu Gate, Gu Quan's Decision (Part 2, please vote)
Human nature is inherently competitive.

Especially when the conflict involves life and death, everything becomes irreconcilable.

That's exactly what's happening now; this groundbreaking reform has indeed brought benefits to many people.

Li Jiancheng was the crown prince at the time.

He certainly had the advantage over Li Shimin.

Whether it's targeting the officials of the Prince of Qin's mansion or having his own people seize important positions, he naturally has an advantage due to having more supporters.

This situation once put Li Shimin under immense pressure.

After his conversation with Gu Yu, Li Yuan seemed to gradually come to his senses.

He actually came up with an idea at a time like this.

That is, they wanted to send Li Shimin to Luoyang to implement the "Luoyang division" policy.

Although he never gave Li Shimin the title of "Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy," the power associated with it was no less, except that Li Shimin could not become emperor and the throne could not be passed down.

This incident was truly earth-shattering!

This is the first time in a long time that Li Yuan has directly expressed his attitude.

It remains neutral.

He wanted his two sons to stop fighting and return to the previous overall structure where Li Jiancheng was in charge of internal affairs and Li Shimin was in charge of external affairs.

Li Shimin naturally wouldn't refuse.

Although he had gradually developed a desire to seize the throne after such a long struggle, this thought was still rooted in the desire to establish a prosperous era.

For him.

As long as Kyushu can usher in a golden age, and as long as he and those who follow him are safe and sound, that is enough.

But how could Li Jiancheng agree to such a thing?
Not to mention the hidden crisis behind this move.

Given the current situation, he could not allow Li Shimin to leave Chang'an.

As long as Li Shimin doesn't leave Chang'an.

His so-called prestige and influence in the military ultimately proved insufficient to provide him with any significant assistance.

Despite Li Jiancheng's efforts, the matter ultimately came to nothing.

Li Yuan's character was already predetermined.

With his wife and court officials all refusing, he simply couldn't make a decision.

This move undoubtedly brought this series of struggles to a new climax.

The Gu family has never been involved.

Even after the reforms were decided, Gu Yu began to deal with other matters.

He needed to be wary of the Turks.

Gu Yu was certain that a war between the Turks and the Tang Dynasty was inevitable.

Moreover, given the nature of the Turks;

This great battle is very likely to occur before the entire Kyushu region has fully recovered.

He has always firmly believed in a principle that Gu Chen upheld in the past.

Peace is only found under a sharp blade!
The so-called alliance between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks is actually an exchange of interests.

But profit alone can never satisfy a person's ambition.

As time goes by;
These interests will inevitably breed more conflicts.

This is something he can be certain of.

Although Li Yuan was somewhat indecisive, his judgment on the big picture was still quite good.

After hearing Gu Yu say these things, she immediately handed the matter over to Gu Yu.

Gu Yu did nothing but have his disciples secretly train soldiers in preparation for any eventuality.

It is worth mentioning that Gu Yan married Princess Pingyang.

Li Shimin also supported this matter.

He naturally couldn't refuse.

In Gu Yi's view, Li Shimin has changed a lot. Although he is not a member of the Gu family, he strongly agrees with the Gu family's ideals.

If it weren't for him helping Princess Pingyang block Li Yuan, Gu Yan and Princess Pingyang wouldn't be where they are today.

Even so, Gu Yan also got involved.

Apart from Gu Quan.

Although he was nominally among them, Gu Yu did not assign him any tasks; Gu Quan's personality was too obvious.

Not to mention Gu Yu, even the other brothers could sense the recent changes in him.

That kind of tug-of-war between family and brothers.

This has caused him to be in a very bad state, and he locks himself in his mansion almost every day.

The entire Tang Dynasty court.

Under these circumstances, the situation became increasingly unpredictable.

As Gu Yu had expected, upon hearing that reforms were underway throughout the Tang Dynasty, the Turkic Khan would not let this opportunity pass and began leading his army to plunder the areas surrounding the Tang Dynasty.

Although he did not venture deep into the Guanzhong region.

However, this move has caused quite a few problems.

The Turkic Khan could not possibly pass up this opportunity, not only for the sake of profit, but also because plundering could enhance his rule within the Turkic territory.

Moreover, the internal conflicts within the Tang Dynasty were no secret to him either.

He was absolutely certain that the Tang Dynasty wouldn't dare to turn against them.

Li Yuan was also extremely helpless about this.

He did want Li Shimin to lead the army again to confront the Turks head-on, but internal disputes within the court began to delay the matter.

How could Li Jiancheng allow Li Shimin to regain control of the military?
He would rather propose moving the capital than let Li Shimin regain power.

Even Li Yuan had this idea.

With no natural defenses in Guanzhong and constant threats from the Turks, moving the capital was indeed a clear choice.

However, Li Shimin firmly refused the offer.

In his eyes, this move was tantamount to abandoning the people of Guanzhong, and the prosperous era he wanted to create could not be allowed to be done this way.

This incident once again caused a huge uproar throughout the court.

In the end, even Gu Yu got involved, which finally stopped the matter from being brought to a stop.

This incident has further deepened the conflict between the two palaces.

Li Jiancheng believed that Li Shimin's move was simply to secure more control over the military.

This made him even more uneasy.

Even when they were facing Li Yuan, he and Li Yuanji did not give up any opportunity and continued to attack Li Shimin.

The so-called brotherhood was ultimately annihilated by the conflict of interests and ongoing contradictions.

It seems that it was precisely because of Gu Yu's reminder back then.

Li Yuan's attitude towards Li Shimin was not as hostile as it was in the original history; in fact, it was much better than before.

It helped Li Shimin thwart many attacks.

But it was precisely Li Yuan's attitude that made Li Jiancheng even more panicked.

It is under these various factors that...

The relationship between the two palaces has come to a complete end.

Chang'an, the Prince of Qin's residence.

Li Shimin walked shakily towards the mansion. As soon as he entered, he collapsed and began spitting out blood.

"Your Highness!"

The sudden turn of events shattered the silence of the entire Prince Qin's mansion.

Princess Consort Changsun rushed over, urgently sending someone to find a doctor while maintaining martial law in the mansion.

She really wanted to find some of Li Shimin's confidants.

However, all those people in the Qin Prince's mansion have long been forbidden from entering the mansion by imperial decree.

She had no choice.

A strong sense of crisis kept creeping in.

Under these circumstances, Princess Consort Zhangsun stood before Li Shimin's bed, holding her eldest son Li Chengqian's hand and a short sword in her hand.

Li Shimin remained unconscious for the entire night.

He finally woke up slowly at dawn.

"Your Highness!" Princess Consort Changsun immediately dropped the dagger in her hand and rushed forward, asking with tearful eyes, "Weren't you going to the banquet at the Eastern Palace? Why did you have to come here?"

Her face showed obvious panic and exhaustion.

Although it was only one night, it felt like an eternity to her, and she was even prepared to die.

Li Shimin didn't say much, but simply reached out and slowly embraced Empress Zhangsun, his expression utterly calm.

The last glimmer of light in his eyes gradually faded.

Instead, there was absolute coldness and an unprecedented firmness.

There are some things he doesn't want to do—

But this situation is forcing him to make a choice.

This matter had a huge impact throughout the Tang Dynasty court, and even Li Yuan personally came to visit Li Shimin.

After learning the whole story, although Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji acted as if they knew nothing, he still privately scolded them and even demanded that they be forbidden from drinking with the Prince of Qin in the future.

But he could no longer mend the relationship between the brothers.

—People's hearts are in turmoil!
The struggle between the two palaces at this point was no longer just about the two of them and their supporters.

This struggle had a certain impact on the stability of the entire Tang court.

But now that things have come to this, who can we blame?

Is it Li Jiancheng?

Or Li Shimin?
Ultimately, it's just that people's hearts have changed.

Li Shimin's uprising instilled fear in too many people. Neither Li Jiancheng nor Li Yuan made the right decision at the beginning.

Now, nothing can be changed.

Inside Gu Mansion.

Gu Yan and the others who had once followed Li Shimin and fought alongside him were all enraged.

They went straight to find Li Shimin.

Gu Yu did not interfere, but in the end, they were stopped by Gu Quan.

"Brother!" Gu Yan's voice trembled and cracked, "His Highness Prince Qin has been kind to us. Now that even His Highness's life is threatened, how can we sit idly by and wait for our doom?"

Gu Quan stood in the shadows of the porch, his expression unchanged as he blocked the crowd. He calmly surveyed the brothers present, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he only uttered two words: "Go back."

"Brother!!!" Gu Yan took half a step forward, his face full of confusion. "What about the King of Qin?"

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Quan suddenly looked up, a hint of anger on his face.

The other brothers remained silent, and only the sound of the wind howling could be heard in the corridor.

As Gu Quan looked at his brothers who had grown up with him, the righteous indignation burning in their eyes was like a fire that made his chest ache.

But he knew that if he took this step now, the entire Gu family would have no way out.

"go back!"

Gu Quan repeated the sentence again.

The group of brothers fell silent instantly. Although they understood Gu Quan's thoughts, the turmoil brought about by their past relationship was still tormenting them.

But what can they do?

If it were something else that wouldn't affect the family, they might have had a martial arts contest like Gu Quanru did when they were children.

But now, they can't do anything and can only turn back.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Gu Quan beckoned Xue San: "Lock the dead-end gate. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order."

As he turned, the hem of his robe swept past the pillars, shaking off a few withered leaves that were about to fall, before heading straight for the study.

Inside the study, Gu Yu was grinding ink, the wolf-hair brush creating tiny ripples in the inkstone.

"Have you thought about it?"

Hearing the familiar footsteps, Gu Yu didn't even look up, clearly having already seen through his son's thoughts.

Gu Quan knelt on one knee and nodded seriously: "Father."

As he spoke, he drew a three-inch short blade from his sleeve. The scabbard was wrapped with gold thread, one of the rewards bestowed upon him by the King of Qin years ago. "I cannot watch the King of Qin be in danger, but I will not let down my family either."

The scent of ink filled the air. Gu Yu put down his brush, and the candlelight illuminated the deep wrinkles around his eyes.

He looked at his taciturn yet stubborn son and suddenly chuckled softly: "Go."

"It is your honor to meet the King of Qin."

"Thinking back to our ancestors and wise rulers of the past, it was the same."

Gu Quan stood up, the corner of his robe sweeping across the "Border Defense Map" on the table: "If my judgment is correct, the King of Qin will create a golden age."

"At the morning court session, I will submit a memorial to His Majesty, ordering the Gu family's sons to guard the northern frontier. You need not worry about your brothers."

His tone was also not as calm as usual.

How could Gu Yu not have a judgment about Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin?

It's just that he can't say it.

In fact, Li Jiancheng's talent is really not bad. During this period of time, he has gained a lot and made great progress every time he comes to consult Gu Yu.

However, compared to Li Shimin, he was ultimately still somewhat inferior.

This is not because of talent.

It's not about personality.

Even now, Li Shimin has never taken the initiative to meet or summon any of the Gu family members.

Compared to Li Jiancheng.

His chances of winning over the Gu family were far greater, but the fact that he never did so speaks volumes.

He understood the difficulties faced by the Gu family, and he was also trying to preserve talent for the entire world.

Based on this alone.

Gu Yu could see that Li Shimin possessed a benevolent heart, a rare quality in any ruler.

"Father."

Gu Quan's eyes instantly turned red, and his chest heaved more and more noticeably. Looking at Gu Yu, whose hair had already turned white, he nodded again forcefully, but ultimately could not say anything more.

Gu Yi had been silently observing all of this.

In fact, in his opinion, Gu Yu had already guessed the choice his son would make.

I've been preparing for this ever since I took over training the new recruits.

Gu Quan can go and help Li Shimin.

But this does not represent the Gu family.

Whether the Gu family wins or loses this battle, it will not bring them any benefit. What the Gu family needs is not fleeting glory; Gu Yu must, in any case, ensure that the Gu family is completely and publicly distanced from this matter.

And this is the perfect excuse.

This matter did not attract much attention in the court. After all, Gu Yu had been training the new soldiers for some time, and given the repeated invasions by the Turks, it was perfectly reasonable to deploy defenses now.

Li Yuan naturally agreed to the matter.

He is a person who values ​​family matters very much.

Who in the whole world can compare to the Gu family?
Li Yuan was quite at ease entrusting everything to Gu Yu.

He even personally led all the officials to see Gu Yu off.

Li Shimin also came.

His body had not fully recovered, and he had not even attended the morning court these past few days, but he still chose to come and see off Gu Yu and his brothers.

When Gu Yan and the others saw Li Shimin again, their emotions were incredibly complex.

In fact, if they could, each of them would have been willing to help Li Shimin, but unfortunately they could not do so.

Gu Quan was also in the group.

Seeing that Li Shimin's expression was still somewhat off, he frowned, stepped forward, and asked in a deep voice:
"Your Highness, are you well?"

"It's alright." Li Shimin smiled faintly, then stepped forward, placed his hand on Gu Quan's shoulder, and said with burning eyes, "Ziyuan, in this battle, you must show the might of our Great Tang!"

"Just like when we brothers fought side by side back then, let's not let the Turks underestimate the men of the Central Plains!"

His tone grew increasingly somber, a layer of frost settling between his brows:
"The Turks have repeatedly invaded our borders, causing people to be displaced. If even the Grand Tutor and you cannot control the situation..."

"I'm afraid we can no longer stop Father's plan to move the capital."

"At that time, millions of people in Guanzhong will become fish and meat under the Turks' knives."

"We absolutely cannot lose this battle!"

His voice was deep, yet every word was as firm as iron; though his face was pale, his eyes were as sharp as knives.

Gu Quan kept a straight face and remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly, uttering only one word:

"No!"

He looked directly at Li Shimin, his voice hoarse but firm:

"This humble general will wait for Your Highness."

For a moment, Li Shimin was stunned.

Although Gu Quan only said a very simple sentence, based on his understanding of Gu Quan, he still vaguely understood the deeper meaning behind it.

"Ziyuan—"

Li Shimin immediately frowned, just about to say something more.

But Gu Quan had already bowed and left.

Beside Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng watched this scene with an even stronger sense of vigilance in his eyes.

Li Yuan clearly attached great importance to this military campaign. After talking with Gu Yu for a long time, Gu Yu and the others slowly left under the watchful eyes of Li Yuan and his ministers.

The situation in Beijing is becoming increasingly volatile.

Although Li Shimin only chatted casually with Gu Quan in public, his unparalleled prestige in the army still spurred Li Jiancheng.

From that day on, Li Jiancheng's offensive became increasingly fierce.

He even went so far as to spread rumors and use them to secretly report to Li Yuan and Li Shimin that they seemed to have rebellious intentions.

Even if this action does not benefit Li Shimin.

But it was enough for him to keep planting seeds of doubt in Li Yuan's mind.

These doubts would lead Li Yuan to disregard Li Shimin, and eventually, they would erupt completely.

But how could Li Shimin sit idly by and wait for his death?
For him.

In fact, everything was already destined the day he saw his wife's life threatened.

He had no way out but to fight back.

Seeing that Li Yuan still had no intention of completely eliminating Li Shimin, Li Jiancheng, on Li Yuanji's advice, finally decided to kill him once again.

It was right there in the Eastern Palace.

Li Yuanji even declared that he would personally kill Li Shimin.

When Li Shimin received the message from the Crown Prince's spies, the last shred of lingering affection in his heart vanished completely at that moment.

The third day of the sixth month in the ninth year of the Wude era.

Qin Wangfu.

The night water clock drips.

The candlelight flickered in the bronze sparrow lamp, casting Li Shimin's shadow on the wall, swaying uncertainly in the night breeze, much like his wavering yet resolute heart at that moment.

He was waiting for his trusted confidants.

He had just issued a secret order to summon his trusted confidants who had previously held important positions in the Qin Prince's Mansion and the Tian Ce Mansion.

Although many of them had already been won over by Li Jiancheng and kicked out of the Prince of Qin's mansion.

But Li Shimin still believed that they would eventually come.

Time flies by.

In the silent Qin Prince's mansion, figures appeared one after another.

Some of them were dressed in Taoist robes, while others were dressed in ordinary people's clothing; almost everyone made efforts to conceal their identities.

This is understandable, as many of them had already been forbidden by imperial decree from Li Yuan to enter the Prince of Qin's residence again; to do so would be a capital offense.

But they had no choice but to come today.

Because Li Shimin had already made up his mind.

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness!"

The sounds of greetings echoed throughout the hall, but Li Shimin's expression remained solemn throughout, and he did not utter a single word.

Until everyone has arrived—

He then slowly stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone present, and slowly said, "Today I received news that the Crown Prince and Prince Qi have decided to kill me."

"Since things have come to this, there's no point in saying more."

He slowly picked up his sword, drew it in the candlelight, and said calmly, "Brothers, are you willing to die with me, Li Shimin?"

—Follow me, Li Shimin, to the death!

A single sentence, seemingly without any emotional fluctuation, yet it exploded throughout the hall like a thunderclap!

Without the slightest hesitation, everyone present knelt down almost immediately, each with an expression of solemnity.

They had advised Li Shimin on this matter more than once.

But Li Shimin remained hesitant.

Now that Li Shimin has made his decision, what is there to fear?
"The King of Qin holds a bow, and we follow with spears. What can a million men do to us?" Yuchi Jingde shouted again the same words that Li Shimin had said to Dou Jiande years ago.

Everyone looked excited.

Li Shimin's expression grew increasingly serious. He raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, his gaze sweeping over each person in the room, and said in a deep voice, "This operation concerns life and death, as well as the fate of the Tang Dynasty."

"Once you start, there is no turning back."

"."

His expression remained cold as he explained his strategy to everyone present.

His influence in Chang'an is now extremely weak.

He couldn't even compare to Li Yuanji, let alone Li Jiancheng.

The key is--

Li Shimin also needed to consider the Imperial Guards.

However, he still had a way out. Cheng Yaojin was currently outside, so even if things didn't work out, as long as he could break out of the city, he could start another uprising through Cheng Yaojin.

Li Shimin had long been prepared to take up boxing.

Everyone listened very attentively, and occasionally offered some suggestions.

But just then——

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps rang out.

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Shimin immediately stopped speaking, drew his sword, and headed straight for the door: "Who!"

"Your Highness!"

A familiar voice rang out instantly.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Quan's figure emerged directly from the darkness. He was completely different from before; his body was covered in filth and his clothes were very worn.

"Ziyuan!" Li Shimin was completely stunned and extremely shocked. "What is this?"

He said as he spoke.

Without hesitation, they pulled Gu Quan into the room.

The tension vanished instantly.

Everyone present was completely surprised to find that the visitor was Gu Quan.

"Your Highness, this humble general wishes to go to the battlefield with you." Gu Quan said to Li Shimin without any further words.

A simple sentence, yet it revealed his attitude.

It wasn't easy for him to sneak back this time.

To prevent others from discovering it, a lot of preparations were made.

If it weren't for his exceptional skills and Xue San's help, he wouldn't even have been able to scale the walls of the Prince's mansion.

For a moment, everyone was stunned again, followed by ecstasy.

They knew of Gu Quan's bravery.

How could they not be happy?
Only Li Shimin frowned at this moment, immediately grabbed Gu Quan's hand and said seriously, "Ziyuan, how could you..."

He still had some concerns—

Although Li Shimin was very confident in himself.

But at this moment, he also had to consider leaving behind capable people for the whole world.

But before he could finish speaking...

Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Quan took out the short blade right in front of him and slashed it across his own face.

One cut;

Two cuts;

Three cuts;

This scene completely surprised everyone.

Before anyone could react, Gu Quan had already made three cuts.

His martial arts skills were already quite extraordinary.

This was only to scratch his own face; he didn't hit too hard.

But everyone was stunned by the sight of the blood dripping continuously.

"Your Highness, I cannot betray my family, but I cannot stand by and watch you take risks. Today, I will disfigure myself and accompany Your Highness. Whether we win or lose, the Gu Quan of yesteryear has already died on the battlefield."

Gu Quan did not stop, and his tone remained unchanged.

Until this moment.

Li Shimin finally realized what was happening and quickly grabbed Gu Quan, his eyes red and his voice trembling as he said, "Ziyuan, why did you go to this?"

"I haven't gone to see you yet, does Ziyuan not understand my feelings?"

The eyes of the others gradually reddened as well.

As Li Shimin's confidants, they naturally understood how much Li Shimin valued Gu Quan.

It is precisely because of this.

They all had their complaints about this.

After all, Gu Quan did not offer any help to Li Shimin when he was repeatedly threatened.

But now, that feeling has completely disappeared.

Compared to them, Gu Quan's situation is indeed much, much more difficult.

Before Gu Yu came to the capital.

As the eldest son of the Gu family, he represented the entire Gu family.

He also could not abandon his entire family.

"Your Highness need not say more. This humble general believes that Your Highness is the true ruler of this prosperous era!" Gu Quan broke free and then slashed at his face with the blade again.

Drops of blood continued to fall.

Gu Quan had clearly made many preparations for this. After his face was completely disfigured, he took out the medicine he had prepared in advance from his pocket.

Until this moment—

His breathing became a little heavier.

This kind of pain is unimaginable to others.

One scar may not seem like much, but ten or a hundred scars can be quite different.

Everyone had complicated expressions, and Li Shimin even shed tears.

All I know is this moment.

Only then did they truly understand what Gu's loyalty meant.

This family's success today is not due to mere boasting; they have done things that others wouldn't even dare to think of or do, contributing to the family in the process.

Gu Quan is indeed dead.

But as long as the great cause could be accomplished, they dared not imagine what Li Shimin's attitude towards Lady Gu would be like, given his personality.

Isn't this also for the sake of the family?
The Gu family is in constant decline.

Now, as the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Quan is using everything he has to contribute to the family's prosperity, and also for his own peace of mind.

"Whoo~"

Li Shimin took a deep breath, reached out and pulled Gu Quan again, took the medicine bottle from his hand, and personally applied the medicine to Gu Quan.

Everyone watching this scene felt no dissatisfaction whatsoever.

At least--

If they were in Gu Quan's position, they would never have dared to do such a thing.

Because it doesn't matter who wins or loses.

The Gu family's status will not be affected in any way.

------

"The Chinese Dictionary: Nie Mian Cun Du"

—Meaning: It refers to the willingness to disfigure one's appearance and identity in order to protect beliefs that are more important than life itself (such as cultural heritage or national righteousness).

The story originates from the Tang Dynasty story of Gu Shizi disfiguring himself to help Li Shimin. The literal meaning is "to burn one's face to preserve written documents," and it is extended to mean "to sacrifice appearances to protect one's essence."

(End of this chapter)