Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 314 I heard Li Er was shot out of one eye? [Requesting double monthly votes]

Imperial Palace, Ganlu Hall.

Li Shimin, dressed casually, leaned against the mat and said with a faint smile, "My dear minister, you are truly dedicated. You even came to see me during your day off. If it weren't for you, I would have gone to escape the summer heat!"

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was also unsure of what to do, which is why I came to see you!" Fang Xuanling said apologetically, bowing deeply.

Li Shimin waved his hand dismissively and said, "It's nothing, I was just saying. You go ahead and tell me what's on your mind!"

"Yes!"

Fang Xuanling responded and immediately stated his purpose: "Your Majesty, Goguryeo has sent another envoy to our Great Tang, saying that he wants to have a good talk with Your Majesty. However, he first went to Du Junzhuo, the governor of Liaodong. According to Du Junzhuo's report, he feels that Goguryeo has other plans. Please make a decision, Your Majesty!"

"If I remember correctly, the envoy they sent before was imprisoned by the Crown Prince, wasn't he?" Li Shimin said, frowning.

Fang Xuanling smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, they are currently drawing up a map of Goguryeo according to the Crown Prince's wishes!"

"Ah!"

Li Shimin laughed as well: "What, does he intend to ask for the two envoys back? Then let him go to the Crown Prince and ask for them, and see if he has the ability!"

"However, I heard that he did not come to reclaim the two envoys, but rather expressed some dissatisfaction with our Great Tang's intention to support Silla and Baekje,"

"Hmph, does the Great Tang Dynasty need their permission to support anyone? What a joke!"

Li Shimin snorted disdainfully, then said in a deep voice, "Regardless of what this envoy's purpose is, let the people from the Court of State Ceremonial talk with him first. If the talks go well, I will see him; if not, let him go back!"

"Yes!"

Fang Xuanling responded and was about to leave to receive the order when Li Shimin suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Have you read the imperial edict that I had the Ministry of Rites draft?"

Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "I've seen it."

"So, do you have any objections?"

"No."

"Oh?"

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but chuckle, saying, "Even you have no objections, so it seems I made the right decision this time?"

"Uh, this..."

Fang Xuanling was embarrassed for a moment, then said with a troubled expression, "To be honest, Your Majesty, although I have no objection to this matter, it does not mean that I agree with Your Majesty's decision."

"What do you mean?"

Li Shimin frowned deeply: "If you disagree, why don't you have any objections? Are you perhaps planning to deceive the emperor?"

"Don't dare!"

Fang Xuanling hurriedly bowed in fear: "I have no objection to this matter because the Crown Prince is worthy of Your Majesty's bestowal of titles. The reason I disagree is from the perspective of the nation."

"Your Majesty, consider this: once the Crown Prince receives your additional title, won't his prestige grow even greater? Yet, the current political landscape of the Tang Dynasty is still dominated by Your Majesty. If the Crown Prince's prestige becomes equal to Your Majesty's, I fear there will be deviations in policy decisions!"

"Ah!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but smile again: "I thought you were worried about something else, but it turns out this is what you're worried about!"

"To be honest, I've already considered this. The Crown Prince is capable and has ideas. I'm not the retired emperor, and I won't suppress my son. I want to tell the world that as long as he follows filial piety, I will support him to the fullest extent. This is my deepest paternal love!"

"As for your concern that there might be deviations in the decrees, there is no need to worry about that. I trust the Crown Prince's decisions. If there is a difference between my decisions and his, then his decision shall prevail, and I will no longer interfere with him!"

"what?!"

Fang Xuanling was stunned when he heard this, thinking to himself, "Is this still the same Emperor I know?"
How could he possibly make such a decision?!

impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
The conflict between the Crown Prince and His Majesty has a long history, and nothing major has happened yet. How could His Majesty possibly compromise so completely with the Crown Prince?

Is it...

In just a moment, Fang Xuanling thought of a certain possibility and unconsciously swallowed, thinking to himself, "Could this be a case of flattery to kill?"
His Majesty actually intends to flatter the Crown Prince to his death?!
"This……"

Fang Xuanling was speechless for a moment.

Just then, a report came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, an urgent report from Liaodong!"

"Ok?"

Li Shimin frowned, a bad feeling creeping over him, and immediately ordered towards the outside of the hall: "Bring in the urgent report at once!"

.........

On the other side, the Prince's Mansion.

"Why is the weather so muggy lately? Could something big be about to happen?"

Li Chengqian stood on a pavilion, looking at the bright sunshine outside, and muttered with a frown.

Wang Ji, standing to the side, chuckled and said, "I didn't expect His Highness the Crown Prince to believe in this metaphysical way?"

"It's not that I believe it, it's that I think people should have a sense of awe, because some things are hard to explain."

Li Chengqian shook his head, then turned to Wang Ji and asked, "Mr. Wang, how's the military song I asked you to compose coming along?"

"Hehe, to be honest, Your Highness, this is the first time I've composed such a piece. But with Your Highness's guidance, the music is already being composed, and I believe it should be ready in a few days."

"Yes, the garrison commander made the right recommendation. You are indeed a talented person!"

"Your Highness flatters me. Compared to young friend Wei, I am still somewhat lacking," Wang Ji said modestly.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian looked at him seriously, then slowly walked into the pavilion, picked up a glass of iced tea, took a sip, and said indifferently, "I heard something that you resigned from your post and returned to your hometown because your elder brother Wang Ning offended the court officials, resulting in both of you being sidelined and thus you resigned due to illness. I wonder if this is true?"

"This one……"

Wang Ji was startled and couldn't help but hesitate.

If he answers yes, then he is suspected of deceiving the emperor; if he answers no, he is also suspected of deceiving the emperor.

However, the former might be fatal, while the latter will be abandoned again.

Is one's future more important, or one's life? Under normal circumstances, life would definitely be more important, but it was Li Chengqian who asked this question!

He was the most famous and first crown prince in the history of the Tang Dynasty.

If we miss this opportunity, we may only be able to drink and make merry in the countryside in the future.

Who would want to waste their life in the countryside if they could have a better future?

Thinking of this, Wang Ji finally gritted his teeth, then knelt down before Li Chengqian with a thud, and kowtowed, saying, "Your Highness, it is indeed true!"

"Oh? Tell me!"

"Yes!"

Wang Ji responded and then recounted the events of that year in detail. Li Chengqian frowned deeply as he listened and said in a deep voice, "I never imagined that the Li Tang royal family was so complicated. Fortunately, there are no relatives of the empress interfering in politics now, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable."

"Alas, even though there is no interference from relatives of the empress in politics now, there are still hidden dangers. Nepotism will eventually lead to a major disaster!"

"Indeed, what you said makes a lot of sense. A thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole. I really should think carefully about how to regulate the interference of the empress's relatives in politics!"

Li Chengqian nodded in agreement, then asked curiously, "Where does your elder brother Wang Tong's son, Wang Fuzhi, currently hold a position?"

"This one……"

Wang Ji was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, "Your Highness, I am currently serving as a Doctor of the Imperial Academy."

"Oh, in Chang'an?"

"Here I am!"

"Then you can ask him when you have time if he's interested in working in the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Records Department. I happen to be short of someone to manage it. If he's not interested, then forget it!"

"No, no, no, yes, yes, yes! It would be my nephew's good fortune to be appreciated by His Highness the Crown Prince. He will definitely be willing!" Upon hearing this, Wang Ji quickly made a decision for his nephew.

Li Chengqian smiled faintly, but said nothing more.

He did this simply to make up for the regrets of his past life.

After all, Wang Bo's "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" was so difficult for him that it took him several days to memorize it, so he had to make things difficult for this kid.

Yeah, let's start with his dad.

Just as Li Chengqian's mind was filled with wicked thoughts, a series of thumping sounds of climbing stairs suddenly came from the stairwell.

"Your Highness, a messenger has arrived from the palace with an imperial decree!"

"Just deliver the decree, why are you in such a panic? Has the sky fallen over the palace?"

"Oh, Your Highness, please don't talk nonsense! This is a very important matter! And it concerns you!"

Lai Fu, unusually flustered, hurriedly approached Li Chengqian, glanced at Wang Ji, and then lowered his voice to say, "Now the whole of Chang'an knows that His Majesty has come to deliver an imperial edict to you, and even His Majesty's entourage has left the palace!"

"They said that after you receive the imperial decree, you must immediately go to the palace and the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship Heaven and Earth!"

"Ok?"

Li Chengqian was taken aback, wondering what was going on.
What is Li Er up to now? Why is he making such a big fuss?! "What exactly is going on?"

Li Chengqian abandoned his previous nonchalant attitude and asked seriously.

But Lai Fu shook his head with a bitter face and said, "This servant doesn't know what's going on either. The person who came to deliver the imperial decree this time wasn't from the Directorate of Palace Attendants, but from the Ministry of Personnel!"

"The Ministry of Personnel?"

Li Chengqian frowned.

According to tradition, minor matters were usually read aloud by the eunuchs, while major events were read aloud by the officials of the Ministry of Personnel.

Therefore, from this change in tradition, Li Chengqian realized that this matter was indeed not simple.

Suddenly, Wang Ji, who had been silent all along, asked, "May I ask Steward Lai Fu, is there any music or drums when the imperial edict is read aloud?"

"Ok?"

Laifu paused for a moment, then frowned and said, "So what if I don't have one?"

"If not, it is usually an imperial edict issued directly by the emperor, which is then approved directly by the Secretariat. Such an edict is generally regarded as a decree from heaven. In other words, the Ministry of Rites simply does not have time to prepare the corresponding ceremonial regalia, so His Majesty's regalia is used instead. However, this precisely illustrates one thing."

At this point, Wang Ji bowed to Li Chengqian and continued, "This decree is addressed to His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Oh?"

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes: "You're saying you're here for me? Does that mean you're up to no good?"

"Although they are not here with ill intentions, there should be both advantages and disadvantages for His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Heh, that's interesting. Let's go see what my father is really up to!"

Li Chengqian smiled and then quickly walked towards the stairwell.

Not long after, he arrived at the reception room of the Crown Prince's residence.

At this moment, the reception hall was filled with officials of all ranks from the Crown Prince's residence, as well as officials from the Ministry of Personnel who had come to deliver the imperial edict, and the Imperial Guard.

"I am waiting to see His Highness the Crown Prince!"

As soon as Li Chengqian appeared in the reception room, everyone bowed to him.

But he simply waved his hand dismissively and turned his gaze to the officials from the Ministry of Personnel who had come to deliver the imperial edict.

But then he laughed and said, "Li Xinqi, how did you get transferred to the Ministry of Personnel?"

"To be honest, Your Highness, I was just transferred to the Ministry of Personnel today. I haven't even had a chance to report to you yet, and I've already been assigned to read the imperial edict to you," Li Xinqi said with a wry smile.

Li Chengqian nodded in realization, but didn't pay much attention to it.

After all, if Li Er wanted to scheme against him, there were many ways, and it would be a waste of a lot of energy to consider them one by one.

But then he laughed and said, "In that case, let's announce the decree!"

"Yes!"

Li Xinqi responded and then slowly unfolded the imperial edict.

However, when the contents of the imperial edict came into view, his pupils suddenly contracted.

"This……"

"What's wrong? Is there a problem with the imperial edict?"

"No, no problem..."

Faced with Li Chengqian's questioning, Li Xinqi hurriedly shook his head, then composed himself and said loudly, "The Emperor of the Great Tang decrees: Crown Prince Li Chengqian possesses both virtue and talent, is deeply filial and benevolent, and has set lofty goals since childhood. Therefore, he is concerned about the world's troubles before enjoying its pleasures. I have inherited the great cause and succeeded to the throne, but his prestige is insufficient. Therefore, I have established Chengqian as the Holy Crown Prince to exemplify his loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, to be passed down to his descendants. His saintly character is pure, and I hope that all officials, ministers, and ministers of the royal family, as well as all subjects of the world, will take him as a role model."

Upon reading this, Li Xinqi subconsciously glanced at Li Chengqian and, finding Li Chengqian staring at him expressionlessly, immediately said, "The 28th day of the fifth month of the fourth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty."

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!"

As Li Xinqi finished speaking, all his attendants, including several Imperial Guards, immediately bowed respectfully to Li Chengqian.

The officials of the Crown Prince's Palace present looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

What's going on here?
His Majesty has actually bestowed upon the Crown Prince the title of 'Holy Crown Prince,' isn't that elevating the Crown Prince to a position almost equal to his own?
Doesn't he know the consequences of doing this?

Or is his purpose in doing this to block the Crown Prince's future path?
Once the crown prince reaches the pinnacle of virtue, everyone in the world will be watching him closely. Even the slightest mistake he makes will be magnified tenfold, a hundredfold, or even a thousandfold.

This will likely make things extremely difficult for the Crown Prince in the future.

Thinking of this, all the officials in the Crown Prince's residence couldn't help but turn their gazes to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian remained expressionless as he stared at Li Xinqi until beads of sweat dripped from Li Xinqi's temples. Only then did Li Xinqi cautiously say, "Your Highness, His Majesty's intention is that after you receive the decree, you should accompany us to the palace. What do you think of this..."

"I understand. You may all leave now!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian calmly said something, then looked around at all the officials of the Crown Prince's residence present and said, "You may all leave now!"

"Yes!"

All the officials of the Crown Prince's residence responded in unison and immediately left the reception room one after another.

But Li Xinqi and the others did not leave; instead, they stood there looking troubled.

When Li Chengqian turned his gaze to them again, he frowned and said, "What's wrong? My orders aren't working?"

"No, Your Highness, it's His Majesty..."

Li Xinqi opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

Li Chengqian remained expressionless and said, "I accept this imperial edict. Go back and tell my father that he has achieved his goal and there is no need for him to cause any more trouble. If he wants to cause more trouble, I can accompany him in a big one. Let's see if he can withstand it!"

"Ah? This..."

Li Xinqi was startled; he dared not relay these words on behalf of Li Chengqian.

But he also knew Li Chengqian's temperament very well.

Although Li Chengqian has not lost his temper, it does not mean that he is without anger.

The reason Li Chengqian remained silent was probably because he was one of his men.

Otherwise, Emperor Taizong (Li Er) would not have sent him to deliver the imperial edict.

This clearly shows that Li Chengqian will give him face.

Thinking of this, Li Xinqi sighed helplessly, then glanced at the others behind him, cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, please rest assured, we will take our leave!"

After saying this, he left with his men without another word.

This decree was quickly spread and became known throughout the city.

"Your Highness, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Although this matter has taken us by surprise, it may not necessarily be a bad thing!"

After Li Xinqi and the others left, Li Chengqian stood there motionless. Wang Ji sighed and stepped forward to comfort him.

But Li Chengqian said in a deep voice, "I understand what you mean. Just as you said before, there are advantages and disadvantages!"

"My father was probably too worried that I would follow in his footsteps, which is why he came up with this idea."

"but."

He sneered, then changed the subject: "He underestimates me. People who can be morally blackmailed are the ones with morals!"

"Uh, this..."

Wang Ji's lips twitched, but he still couldn't help but advise, "Although it is said that the victor is king and the loser is villain, which emperor throughout history has not valued morality? This is an open strategy, and I hope Your Highness will think it over!"

"Yes, you're right. I won't do anything rash unless absolutely necessary!"

Li Chengqian nodded humbly, then asked, "How is the situation at the Military Academy?"

Wang Ji thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, as per your request, every student is now studying mathematics. Many of them have already grasped the basics of data warfare, and some have even begun to study the impact of military rations on warfare. In short, this is a completely new concept of warfare, and the entire military academy is very enthusiastic about learning it."

"Hmm, not bad. In addition to data warfare, we need to conduct more practical exercises, otherwise it's all just theoretical talk."

"promise!"

Wang Ji acknowledged and was about to continue speaking.

Suddenly, a hurried report came from outside the door.

"Your Highness, urgent report from Liaodong: Goguryeo has launched a sudden night attack on the border of our Great Tang, capturing three cities in one night!"

"Wherever villages and cities they passed through, they were all looted and slaughtered, with corpses floating everywhere!"

"What!?"

Li Chengqian was greatly surprised when he heard the report.

I thought to myself, are Goguryeo really that brave? They actually dared to launch a preemptive attack on the Tang Dynasty?
Is that Korean historical legend true?
Li Er was blinded in one eye by some ancestor of theirs?!

(End of this chapter)