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

Inside the study of the Prince of Wei's residence, the doors and windows were tightly closed, and the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as if water could be wrung out of it.

Li Tai practically stumbled into the study, his face still pale, the cold sweat on his forehead not yet completely dry.

He waved away the maids who came forward to serve him, leaving only his trusted guards to stand watch outside the door.

Upon seeing this, Liu Ji, who had been waiting there, was startled and quickly stood up to greet him:
"Your Highness, you...have you seen the Crown Prince? How did he go?"

Li Tai did not answer immediately. He grabbed the iced tea on the table and gulped down several mouthfuls. The icy tea seemed to slightly calm the fear in his heart.

He was panting heavily when he recounted his encounter with Li Chengqian in the palace, especially Li Chengqian's blatant threat, to Liu Ji.

He said he didn't like his disobedient younger brother!

As Li Tai finished speaking, his voice still trembled slightly. He grabbed Liu Ji's sleeve and asked urgently:
"Prime Minister Liu, what does he mean by this? Does he really dare... dare to attack me?"

"Hasn't he already been stripped of his military power by the Emperor?! How dare he still be so arrogant?!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Ji frowned deeply, his expression becoming even more serious rather than relaxed.

He paced back and forth in the study, pondered for a long time, and then slowly spoke, his voice low:

"Your Highness, this matter... is probably not that simple."

"What kind of person is the Crown Prince? He was decisive in killing in Goguryeo and Japan, often massacring cities and destroying countries. His ruthlessness and cruelty far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people."

"Since he dared to say those words to your face, it's definitely not just a simple threat!"

Liu Ji stopped and looked sharply at Li Tai:

"Your Highness, consider this: the Crown Prince has just experienced such a fierce conflict at the Liangyi Hall, and His Majesty has stripped him of all his real power. Logically, he should either be filled with fear and anxiety or be filled with resentment and resistance. But what is he doing?"

"He was too calm! Terribly calm!"

Liu Ji raised his voice: "He even took the initiative to tell you that he had been stripped of his power and was going to the frontier to herd horses, which is a sign of weakness. This is not in line with the Crown Prince's usual style of doing things!"

After he finished speaking, he looked up at Li Tai and said meaningfully, "Something is definitely amiss!"

"So what exactly does he want to do?!"

Li Tai was even more confused by Liu Ji's analysis, and said irritably, "How can he remain so calm?!"

“This is exactly what I am worried about.”

Liu Ji said in a deep voice, "The Crown Prince's foundation in the army cannot be easily shaken by a single imperial edict."

"Among the army that conquered the east, Xue Rengui, Pei Xingjian, Su Dingfang, and others were all his trusted and loyal confidants!"

"And that mysterious and powerful navy..."

"Can the Dengzhou Governor's Office really control those arrogant and unruly soldiers who only obey the Crown Prince's orders?"

"Furthermore, we cannot ignore the Northwest Army. Although Li Ji has never publicly supported the Crown Prince, the Northwest Army is a battle-hardened force that has followed the Crown Prince in conquering Tuyuhun, Tibet, Xueyantuo, Western Turks, and even the Western Regions!"

"In other words, the Crown Prince's prestige in the army is no less than His Majesty's."

"not to mention!"

Liu Ji lowered his voice: "Dai Zhou's investigation has found some clues that are detrimental to the Crown Prince, but they are all vague and cannot truly shake the Crown Prince's foundation."

"The Crown Prince's words to you today may also be a warning, a warning against delving further into the 'epidemic case'."

Upon hearing this, Li Tai's expression shifted, showing both resentment and fear:
"Then... what should we do now? Are we just going to let it go? He threatened me, are we just going to swallow this insult for nothing?"

"Of course not!"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Liu Ji's eyes:
"But now is not the right time to confront the Crown Prince directly. His Majesty has just stripped the Crown Prince of his power, and he must harbor deep resentment and dissatisfaction towards him. This is our opportunity!"

"But we can't rush to the front ourselves."

"Your Highness's most urgent task is to continue playing the role of the 'benevolent, filial, respectful, and cautious' Prince of Wei, to show filial piety before His Majesty, and to cultivate relationships with the upright officials and powerful families in the court, thereby consolidating our own foundation. At the same time..."

Liu Ji leaned closer to Li Tai, his voice barely audible: "We can secretly push Dai Zhou to 'inadvertently' reveal some of the 'clues' he has found to His Majesty."

“Especially… there are rumors that the Crown Prince has close ties with military generals and may even still have private contact with them.”

Li Tai's eyes lit up: "Does Prime Minister Liu mean... to use someone else to do the dirty work?"

"good."

Liu Ji nodded: "Let His Majesty investigate and seek answers for himself!"

"As long as His Majesty's suspicion of the Crown Prince deepens, there is no need for us to take action; His Majesty will make a decision on his own."

"At that time, Your Highness only needs to observe the situation and act accordingly."

Li Tai carefully considered Liu Ji's words, and the panic on his face was gradually replaced by a hint of ruthlessness.

He nodded: "We'll do as Prime Minister Liu says. However, what about Li Chengqian... his threats..."

Liu Ji reassured him, "Your Highness, rest assured. Within Chang'an City, under His Majesty's very nose, no matter how arrogant the Crown Prince is, he would never dare to openly lay a hand on a prince."

"That would only confirm his disloyalty and hasten his demise."

"His words today were more of a threat, an attempt to throw His Highness into disarray."

"Your Highness only needs to strengthen the guards of the Prince's Palace, stay in seclusion, and temporarily avoid their sharp edge."

Hearing these words of comfort, Li Tai thought about them carefully and agreed wholeheartedly. He then nodded and said, "Then let's do as Prime Minister Liu says and wait and see!"

"Your Highness is wise!"

Liu Ji smiled knowingly. Meanwhile, on the other side...

While Li Tai and Liu Ji were plotting, a completely different scene unfolded inside the Crown Prince's residence.

Li Chengqian removed his heavy court robes and changed into loose casual clothes. He was leisurely leaning on a soft couch, flipping through a book.

The mansion was filled with the gentle fragrance of incense, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere, quite unlike what outsiders imagined the eye of the storm to be.

Pei Xingjian stood to the side, but a trace of worry lingered between his brows.

He hesitated for a long time, but finally asked:
"Your Highness, His Majesty's attitude in reducing power is so resolute. Should we...should we make some preparations? All the generals in the army are waiting for Your Highness's instructions."

Li Chengqian's gaze did not leave the book; he simply said, "Instructions? There are no instructions to give. Didn't Father Emperor issue an edict ordering all departments to return to their original positions? Just do as he says."

"But Your Highness!"

Pei Xingjian grew anxious: "General Xue Rengui sent a secret letter from Pyongyang, inquiring whether we should secretly retain some elite troops... and on the navy side, General Hilde also..."

Li Chengqian finally raised his eyes and glanced at Pei Xingjian. His gaze was calm and unwavering, yet it silenced Pei Xingjian instantly.

"Xingjian, you've been with me for so long, yet you still can't keep your composure."

Li Chengqian put down his book, sat up, and poured himself a cup of tea:

“If Father wants to take back power, let him. Those troops and warships originally belonged to the Tang Dynasty and to Father. I am merely managing them on his behalf.”

He took a sip of tea and continued:

"Tell Rengui to focus on guarding Pyongyang and not to worry about anything else. Tell Admiral Hilde of the Navy to obey the orders of the Dengzhou Governor's Office without fail."

Pei Xingjian opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but Li Chengqian waved his hand to stop him.

"Do you think that what I've given away is all I have?"

A mysterious smile curved at the corners of Li Chengqian's lips: "Some things are imprinted in the mind and engraved in the bones; they cannot be taken away."

He stood up, walked to the window, gazed at the ancient, vigorous pine tree in the East Palace courtyard, and spoke leisurely:
"Qingque and his men must be celebrating right now, thinking that I have lost my claws and fangs, right?"

"Let them be happy for a few days, it won't hurt."

"The higher you jump, the harder you fall."

His voice was soft, yet it carried an all-knowing indifference and a sense of control.

"correct!"

Li Chengqian seemed to suddenly remember something, and turned to Pei Xingjian, instructing him:
"Go to the medical school and ask Sun Simiao how the 'little gadgets' I had them prepare are progressing. Tell them that I... will need them soon."

Although Pei Xingjian didn't understand what the 'trinket' specifically referred to, seeing Li Chengqian's composure, he felt inexplicably at ease and bowed to accept the order:
"Yes, Your Highness! This subordinate will take care of it immediately!"

"Furthermore, please have the Academy of Sciences expedite the construction of my Emperor's Grandfather's Daming Palace!"

"Yes!"

At the same time, in the Liangyi Hall.

Li Shimin sat alone behind his desk. The palace was unlit, and the dim light cast him into shadow.

Before him lay the military tally and seal that Li Chengqian had returned, as well as the memorial agreeing to reduce the number of the six guards of the Eastern Palace and to hand over the firearms.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and military power appeared to have been regained.

But Li Chengqian's calm "I accept the decree" and the emotionless look in his eyes when he left haunted him like a ghost.

He knew his son well; he was not the type to easily admit defeat or be manipulated by others.

Such a decisive handover of military power must be backed by some powerful force!

"What other trump card is he hiding?"

Li Shimin muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the imperial desk.

Were they the border generals who were loyal to him? Or was it that elusive navy that was still secretly loyal to him?
Or... does he possess some kind of power that he doesn't yet know about, a power capable of overturning everything?

A restless feeling of things slipping out of his control and a vague unease gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

"Someone is coming."

He called out in a deep voice.

The commander of the Hundred Cavalry Division, Yun Duan, appeared silently in the hall.

"Keep a close eye on the Eastern Palace, the Prince of Wei's residence, and... the Ministry of War, the Dengzhou Governor's Office, and all movements related to the Crown Prince's former subordinates, no matter how small, and report back daily!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

He received his orders in the cloud and quietly withdrew.

Li Shimin took a deep breath, his gaze becoming sharp and cold once again.

No matter what other tricks Li Chengqian might have up his sleeve, he was still the emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the master of this vast land.

This power struggle between father and son, ruler and subject, has only just begun.

He wanted to see just how much trouble his increasingly powerful and ambitious son could cause.

Night fell silently over Chang'an, amidst the undercurrents of darkness. (End of Chapter)