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

Chapter 327 Will the Crown Prince Dare to Kill the King of Yue? [Bonus Chapter]

Goguryeo, Pyongyang.

Go Geon-mu, the 27th ruler of Goguryeo, has been very depressed lately.

Because of Yeon Gaesomun's obstinacy, the Tang Dynasty was already preparing to send troops to Goguryeo.

Left with no other option, he could only send envoys to negotiate with the Tang Dynasty while simultaneously compromising with Yeon Gaesomun.

Logically speaking, after Yeon Gaesomun's father, Yeon Daejo, passed away, it would have been no problem for Yeon Gaesomun, as the Eastern Governor, to assume the position of Grand General of Goguryeo.

However, the reality was that although Yeon Gaesomun served as the Grand General of Goguryeo, he did not receive the support of the people.

As a result, Yeon Gaesomun's power within the country was very fragmented.

He was able to subdue those in power, but had a terrible reputation among the common people.

Even so, Yeon Gaesomun still maintained firm control over Goguryeo.

This made Gao Jianwu grit his teeth with hatred whenever he thought of Yeon Gaesomun's autocratic rule.

In particular, Yeon Gaesomun's strategy towards the Tang Dynasty was decided unilaterally without consulting him at all, showing no regard for him as the king.

At this moment, Gao Jianwu, growing angrier the more he thought about it, smashed his teacup with a 'clatter,' and roared furiously, "I am the king! I am the king!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

Hearing the commotion coming from Gao Jianwu's room, a servant who had been waiting outside rushed in and knelt down to comfort Gao Jianwu, saying, "If Your Majesty has any troubles, you can tell me. I can share Your Majesty's burdens!"

"Ah!"

Gao Jianwu sneered, then said with a self-deprecating tone, "Does this king have no one else by his side? Do I need a palace servant like you to share my burdens? You're also one of Da Dui Lu's men, aren't you!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! This servant is Your Majesty's person, and this servant is utterly loyal to Your Majesty."

"Humph!"

Before the palace attendant could finish speaking, Gao Jianwu interrupted him with a cold snort and said in a deep voice, "Go and fetch Cui Yuzhe. I want to drink and make merry with him!"

"But Your Majesty, Choi Wook-cheol has already been dispatched by Grand General Lu to the west to deal with the disaster, and is currently not in the capital."

"Then bring Brother Bo Yi here! I refuse to believe that no one will drink and make merry with me!"

"Yes, yes, yes, this servant will go and fetch Brother Bo Yi to accompany His Majesty!"

The palace maid nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, then immediately turned and left the room.

Gao Jianwu, who watched him leave, narrowed his eyes slightly.

Cui Yuzhe was one of his confidants and a key figure who often offered him advice and strategies.

Unexpectedly, Yeon Gaesomun's reach extends so far that even his trusted confidants have begun to be affected.

If things continue to develop like this, he fears he will eventually be sidelined by Yeon Gaesomun.

At that time, Yeon Gaesomun's power would completely supersede that of the king.

His life will also be in Yeon Gaesomun's hands, and he will become Yeon Gaesomun's puppet.

This is definitely something he doesn't want to see.

Therefore, he felt it was necessary to find an opportunity to get rid of Yeon Gaesomun.

However, given Yeon Gaesomun's strength, eliminating him would be extremely difficult.

"I wonder how Gao Chengjiu and the others are doing. Have they reached an agreement with the Tang emperor? Huizhen is exceptionally intelligent; she shouldn't disappoint me."

Gao Jianwu murmured.

Although Gao Chengjiu and his daughter are just one of his many pawns, he now has no choice but to place his hopes on them.

Yeon Gaesomun's agreement to send the father and daughter as envoys to the Tang Dynasty was a sign that he placed his hopes on them.

Although the father and daughter may not be the ones who truly place their hopes on each other, they are certainly useful to Yeon Gaesomun's plan.

Otherwise, Yeon Gaesomun would never have agreed to let his pawns make contact with the Tang emperor.

"Your Majesty, Brother Bo Yi has arrived."

Just as Gao Jianwu was deep in thought, a report suddenly came from outside the door.

He immediately straightened his posture and said solemnly, "Please come in, Brother Bo Yi!"

"Yes!"

A voice answered from outside the door, and immediately an elderly man with a white beard walked in slowly, knelt down and said, "This old minister greets Your Majesty!"

"Brother Bo Yi, please don't stand on ceremony! Please have a seat!"

Gao Jianwu smiled and gestured to the old man, then instructed the palace servants to set out cushions and drinks.

However, the palace attendants did not leave after setting out the cushions and drinks.

This displeased Gao Jianwu.

"I wish to drink alone with Brother Bo Yi. You may all leave!"

"But Da said to Lu."

"I order you to step back!"

Before the palace attendants could finish speaking, Gao Jianwu dismissed them.

"Yes!"

After the palace attendants had all retreated in a panic, he said with a calm and unhurried smile, "Brother Bo Yi, how have you been lately?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am well these days!" the old man replied with a calm nod.

Gao Jianwu smiled, then calmly picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and said lightly, "Brother Boyi is in charge of the government. Now, the Tang people are coming in with great force. I hope Brother Boyi will take care of things and make preparations as soon as possible!"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, Da Dui Lu has ordered all cities within Liaodong to close their gates and defend themselves. With the support of natural defenses, the Tang people will not easily breach our cities!"

"Yes, I'm quite confident in our defenses against the Tang Dynasty cities, but I'm worried that the Silla people might take the opportunity to cause trouble."

"this."

The old man hesitated for a moment, then stopped himself from speaking.

Knowing that the old man had remained neutral between him and Yeon Gaesomun, Gao Jianwu casually changed the subject, saying, "I've heard that Li Siyuan is still alive in the Tang Dynasty. He's the son-in-law of Eulji Mundeok. I truly misunderstood him back then."

The old man was deeply moved upon hearing this, but outwardly he feigned ignorance and asked, "What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"

"Hey!"

Gao Jianwu sighed with feigned regret, lamenting, "Back then, I listened to slanderous words, thinking that Minister Li would plot to usurp the throne. As a result, I summoned Grand Marshal Lu to the capital to quell the rebellion. I never expected that I would be inviting a wolf into the house. How pathetic and hateful!"

"This"

Upon hearing this, the old man's pupils constricted sharply, seemingly not expecting Gao Jianwu to say such a thing to him.

You should know that if these words were to reach Yeon Gaesomun's ears, not only would he be in trouble, but even Go Geon-moo would be in considerable trouble.

But just as he was pretending not to hear anything and preparing to brush it off, he suddenly realized that Gao Jianwu was staring straight at him without saying a word.

"Your Majesty."

The old man opened his mouth, but then stopped himself from speaking.

Gao Jianwu narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious: "Uncle, are you a loyal subject of this king?"

"what?"

The old man was terrified.

This was the first time Gao Jianwu had addressed him in this way.

Although he had long forgotten his kinship with Gao Jianwu, he was still somewhat moved when he heard Gao Jianwu address him in that way for the first time.

But then Gao Jianwu continued, seemingly to himself, "Uncle, I know about your relationship with Eulji Deok-mun, and I also know that you have secretly protected many of Eulji Deok-mun's relatives and disciples."

"But I don't blame you, it's all my fault! Can you forgive me?"

"Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, the old man burst into tears, tears streaming down his face.

For a long time, he regarded Gao Jianwu as one of the few wise rulers in Goguryeo. However, in recent years, Gao Jianwu has become increasingly incompetent, to the point that the power of the king has fallen into the wrong hands.

Especially during the reign of Yeon Tae-jo, the people of Goguryeo suffered terribly.

After Yeon Tae-jo passed away, it was thought that Goguryeo would gradually get back on track, but then Yeon Gaesomun came along, causing the people to complain about him.

However, Gao Jianwu insisted on his own way and actually let Yeon Gaesomun take over as Grand Minister of State, which ultimately led to Yeon Gaesomun gradually gaining control of the government and becoming all-powerful.

"I know I have made many mistakes over the years, but I have realized my mistakes. I want Goguryeo to be great again. Can you help me, Uncle?"

"I"

The old man hesitated for a moment, then shook his head helplessly and said, "I am too old, I'm afraid I no longer have the ambition of Your Majesty."

"uncle!"

Before the old man could finish refusing, Gao Jianwu angrily stood up from his seat, then, holding his wine cup, slowly walked to the old man, knelt down with a thud, and kowtowed, saying, "Nephew needs your help!" Boom!

Upon seeing this, the old man was struck dumb. He quickly helped Gao Jianwu up, saying in great fear, "Your Majesty is going to make this old minister suffer!"

"Uncle! I am determined to eliminate the thief. Could you lend me a hand?"

Gao Jianwu remained unmoved and said...

The old man's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but ask, "What does Your Majesty mean?"

"Please, Uncle, help me get rid of Yeon Gaesomun!"

"What!?"

The old man was greatly surprised upon hearing this.

But Gao Jianwu said in a deep voice, "Yeon Gaesomun wants to deceive the Tang Dynasty, but the Tang Dynasty is not so easy to deceive. I believe his plan will never succeed, and we can take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of him!"

"But how did Your Majesty know about Yeon Gaesomun's plan?"

"Ha, if you don't want anyone to know, then don't do it in the first place!"

Gao Jianwu gave a cold laugh, then slowly stood up from the ground and said, "I am the true king of Goguryeo!"

Meanwhile, in Chang'an, inside a tavern in the East Market.

Upon hearing the conversation coming from the high platform, Fang Xuanling immediately advised Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, if Yeon Gaesomun truly intends to conquer Silla, we need not rush into war with Goguryeo. It will not be too late for us to send troops to attack after Silla has weakened Goguryeo's national strength."

Liu Ji, standing nearby, chimed in, "Indeed, Your Majesty. If Yeon Gaesomun intends to attack Silla, he will surely fear that our Great Tang will punish him. If our Great Tang temporarily abandons its attack on Goguryeo, Yeon Gaesomun will surely feel safe and thus focus all his efforts on attacking Silla. At that time, we can reap the benefits of his actions!"

"Your Majesty, what the two gentlemen say is very true. Letting the Goguryeo people and the Silla people fight each other will not only allow us to recuperate, but also win back those Han people from the former Sui Dynasty, thus winning the hearts of the people. It's a win-win situation!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, we only need to be patient for now to reap many rewards. Why not?"

"Your Majesty, I second your opinion!"

As Fang Xuanling and Liu Ji finished speaking, most of the civil officials behind Li Shimin echoed their sentiments.

Li Shimin glanced at them expressionlessly and said calmly, "Silla is a vassal state of our Great Tang, and has always paid tribute. Now you want me to give up my Great Tang's vassal state. What kind of logic is this? If we allow Goguryeo to attack Silla, who will be willing to submit to our Great Tang in the future?"

"in addition."

As he spoke, Li Shimin's gaze grew increasingly cold, making the scalps of the civil officials, including Fang Xuanling, tingle.

But then he continued, "Goguryeo just attacked our Great Tang Dynasty. Do you know how many people died on the border? You think a simple misunderstanding is all it takes to end it? Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, all the civil officials turned pale.

Without saying a word, Li Shimin left the tavern and headed straight for the high platform.

At the same time, Li Taizheng stared directly at Li Chengqian with a serious expression, as if he wanted to overwhelm his elder brother with his aura.

However, Li Chengqian looked back at him calmly and said indifferently, "What did you call me just now?"

"Ok?"

Li Tai paused for a moment, then frowned and remained silent.

Although he knew he shouldn't have addressed Li Chengqian by his given name, he felt that Li Chengqian had done something wrong first, and that he had been impolite in order to warn him.

Therefore, it doesn't amount to much.

But Li Chengqian seized on this matter and insisted, "In the palace, you call me elder brother, and I don't mind your manners. But outside, what should you call me?"

"Li Chengqian! Stop putting on airs. You are the Crown Prince, yet you do not think of serving the country. Don't you know why I don't call you Crown Prince?!"

Li Tai retorted angrily to Li Chengqian, "Furthermore, you are only the Crown Prince, not the Emperor. What right do you have to make decisions for the Emperor? You can refuse on behalf of the Tang Dynasty, but what gives you the right? Are you going to commit treason?"

Wow!
The whole place was in an uproar!

Li Tai's three consecutive questions ignited the entire audience.

Some people were stunned into silence.

Some people instantly felt their thoughts clear.

This is a rare and exciting development in the Tang Dynasty!
Especially Kim Jae-cheon and the others, they were so excited that they almost wanted to clap and befriend each other.

You know, they've always dreamed of seeing internal strife within the Tang Dynasty, and now they've actually witnessed it.

Jin Zaiquan suppressed his overwhelming joy and bowed to Li Tai, saying, "Your Highness, I guarantee with my life that my country will absolutely fulfill all the conditions. In fact, to apologize to the Tang Dynasty, my country has specially transported a batch of gold and silver treasures to the Tang!"

"These are compensations for the losses suffered by the Tang Dynasty due to our previous rash attack."

Hearing this, Li Tai was very excited.

If he can make this happen, it will be a great achievement.

Because Li Shimin had done something similar before.

For example, when the Turks approached the Wei River, Li Shimin, in order to prevent the war from affecting the people of Chang'an, preferred to sign a humiliating peace treaty with Khagan Jieli rather than fight with Jieli in Chang'an.

What does this show? It shows that Li Shimin valued the people above all else!

Now, the Tang Dynasty can make Goguryeo submit without firing a single shot, and even save the people of the Tang Dynasty from war. Why not do it?
He believed that, given Li Shimin's character, he would certainly not be willing to start a war and cause the people to suffer.

So, after a moment's thought, he smiled and said to Kim Jae-cheon, "As the saying goes, no one is perfect. Since your country knows its mistake, admits it, and has a good attitude, my Great Tang does not want to trouble its people with a distant expedition. I can speak to my father on behalf of your esteemed envoy!"

"Hehe, then I'll have to trouble Your Highness, King Yue!"

Kim Jae-cheon smiled and handed over the gold seal and Yeon Gaesomun's letter, then prepared to leave the high platform with the Goguryeo envoys.

However, at this moment, Li Chengqian, who had been silent all along, slowly raised his right hand, and the Jinyiwei guards around him immediately drew their swords, raised their bows and arrows, and aimed them at all the Goguryeo envoys.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Kim Jae-cheon's smile froze, and he hurriedly spoke to Lee Seung-gyun.

But Li Chengqian said in an icy tone, "Tell me your question, and I'll take your bet!"

"But Your Highness, I have already stated our country's conditions. Is there any need to gamble any further?"

"As I just said, the Tang Dynasty rejects all your conditions. Now, you only have one choice: either stump me with a riddle, or die."

"Li Chengqian!"

Before Li Chengqian could finish speaking, Li Tai angrily interrupted him: "What exactly do you want to do?!"

After saying this, he stepped forward to block Jin Zaiquan and the others, glaring at the surrounding Imperial Guards and saying, "Let's see who among you dares to kill them!?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present exchanged bewildered glances.

Even the people at the Yuewen Hall were taken aback by Li Tai's actions.

But then Liu Yuan hurriedly said, "Your Highness, be careful! Arrows and swords have no eyes!"

"Yes, Your Highness! These Imperial Guards are ruthless killers! You mustn't do anything foolish!" Pei Qian echoed.

Although they were all trying to persuade Li Tai, not a single person stood by his side.

Only Zhang Wenguan, who was not far from Li Tai, stood still.

At this moment, Li Chengqian's expression also turned cold: "Is the Prince of Yue determined to protect them?"

“In times of war, envoys are not to be killed! Without my father’s order, you have no right to kill them!” Li Tai said resolutely, “I will bring them to see my father!”

"What if I don't allow it?"

"Why do you refuse?"

“Because I am the Crown Prince, the Emperor, and you are a prince, a subject!” Li Chengqian said calmly.

Li Tai was momentarily speechless, then retorted indignantly, "You are the Crown Prince, so you should serve the country and its people. Everyone knows that the conditions proposed by Goguryeo are beneficial to our Tang Dynasty, yet you have repeatedly obstructed them. Is this the conduct expected of a Crown Prince?"

"Or are you, for your own selfish gain, unable to bear the hard-won peace of our Great Tang Dynasty? Do you want to see countless lives lost?"

Hearing these words, most of the Tang people around were deeply moved.

It was clear that they were all moved by Li Tai's words.

But Li Chengqian gave a cold laugh: "It's been a while since I last saw you, King Yue's eloquence has improved. It seems that you've been studying rhetoric quite a bit during this time!"

"Hmph! I am devoted to the country and its people, and I don't understand what you're saying. If you still know you are the Crown Prince, you should let me and the envoys leave, otherwise..."

At this point, Li Tai stared resolutely at Li Chengqian and said, word by word, "Then kill me too!"

Boom!

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was shocked!

Almost everyone was so shocked by Li Tai's words that their jaws nearly dropped to the ground.

Does this feel familiar?
Back then, Your Majesty looked down on Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han for making such a big mistake in choosing their successors. Now it seems that Your Majesty is about to repeat the same mistake.

If the Crown Prince were to kill the King of Yue here, His Majesty would likely be furious.

It's true what they say, karma is real, and retribution is inevitable!
But would the Crown Prince really dare to kill the King of Yue?
A huge question mark couldn't help but pop into everyone's mind!

(End of this chapter)