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

The following day, at the Taiji Hall.

The solemn sound of bells and drums during the grand court assembly was dignified, and civil and military officials entered in order, standing on both sides.

However, the atmosphere today is far more somber and oppressive than usual.

An invisible tension seemed to fill the air, and everyone's gaze was drawn, intentionally or unintentionally, to the two vacant positions at the front of the civil service.

Those were the positions of the Crown Prince and the King of Wei.

Neither of the two main characters were present today.

Li Shimin sat high on the dragon throne, his face veiled by his crown, making it impossible to see his expression. But the palpable imperial aura emanating from him made the entire hall so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Everyone is safe."

Li Shimin's voice was calm, revealing no emotion.

After the officials rose, he cut to the chase without any pleasantries, his gaze sweeping over the assembled ministers:

"Today's grand court session will discuss two matters."

"Firstly, Crown Prince Li Chengqian pacified Liaodong, destroyed the Japanese, expanded the territory, and made outstanding military achievements."

"However, his actions have often been presumptuous, and recently he has also... behaved improperly before the Emperor."

"How should merits and demerits be evaluated? Should the officials under the Crown Prince be held responsible for failing to offer effective advice? You may speak freely."

"Secondly, Prince Wei, Li Tai, is highly learned, filial, and benevolent, and has long resided in the capital. Now that the princes are growing up, it is time to put Prince Wei's enfeoffment on the agenda."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into a brief, deathly silence, like the calm before a storm.

"His Majesty!"

Liu Ji was the first to step forward, his voice loud and clear, with a distinctive sharpness:
"Your Highness the Crown Prince's pacification of Liaodong and the annihilation of the Japanese are indeed monumental achievements, which we, your subjects, dare not forget. However, merit is merit, and fault is fault!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming sharp: "His Highness the Crown Prince, when commanding troops in the field, often acts without prior approval, which is no conduct befitting a subject!"

"Recently, I have also heard that Your Highness openly threatened the Prince of Wei in the palace, treating his brothers like dirt in your words. How is such behavior any different from... from the tyrannical crown princes of the past?!"

Wow!
As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar!

Even Li Shimin's face darkened; he hadn't expected Liu Ji to bring up this matter on his own initiative.

Changsun Wuji's eyes flashed with undisguised killing intent.

Fang Xuanling was also annoyed by Liu Ji's words, but he was no longer the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and should keep a low profile.

Otherwise, it would only make Li Shimin more dissatisfied with him.

As for Wei Zheng, as the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, he naturally wouldn't sit idly by.

However, just as he was about to stand up and angrily berate Liu Ji, he was stopped by a look from Li Shimin.

Then Liu Ji continued:
"This is not due to the lack of effective remonstrance from the officials of the Eastern Palace, but rather to His Highness the Crown Prince's temperament; he is stubborn and self-willed, and his subordinates are no longer able to restrain him!"

After saying this, he took a deep breath and stated his core demand:
"I believe that His Highness the Crown Prince has made such an unparalleled contribution, and his reward should be generous, including gold, silver and land."

"However, his power is too great, and he has become arrogant. For the sake of the country and His Highness himself, the structure of the Eastern Palace's officials should be adjusted!"

"Some powers and responsibilities should be returned to the imperial court, or... delegated to other princes to share them, in order to divide their power and temper their nature!"

These words, seemingly fair, are in fact incisive, directly targeting Li Chengqian's Eastern Palace faction.

"Your Majesty! This old minister is a rough man and doesn't understand so many intricacies!"

As soon as Liu Ji finished speaking, Cheng Yaojin strode forward, his voice booming like a bell:

"But this old minister knows that His Highness the Crown Prince and his brothers fought desperately at the front, and the blood they shed was real! The merits they made were also real! How can it be that someone is already dissatisfied with their newfound return and wants to discard them after they've served their purpose?!"

He may seem rough and boorish, but he is actually shrewd and his words are full of barbs.

Yuchi Gong also echoed in a low voice: "His Highness the Crown Prince's military achievements are unmatched."

Their shift to support Li Tai after their son Li Chengqian recklessly killed someone was largely driven by their dissatisfaction with Li Chengqian and considerations of their own interests.

Speaking out at this moment is both a statement of position and an attempt to muddy the waters.

Prince Rencheng, Li Daozong, also stepped forward, his tone relatively mild, but his stance clear:

"The Crown Prince's merits certainly deserve a generous reward. However, what Chancellor Liu said is not without reason."

“It is not good for the country if the crown prince has too much power. Appropriately delegating power so that he can focus on learning and cultivating virtue is also a way to preserve the country.”

He also hated Li Chengqian, but his words were not meant to directly confront Li Chengqian; instead, they were aimed at counterbalancing the Crown Prince.

Following suit, Yu Zhining, Xiao Yu, and other more conservative civil officials, either due to their own beliefs or their friendship with Li Tai, also stepped forward, some citing classical texts and others making indirect remarks, but their core message was similar to Liu Ji's:
The Crown Prince deserves great rewards for his merits, but his power needs to be reduced. Officials in the Eastern Palace should be reassigned, and his 'overbearing' behavior needs to be curbed.

Faced with this fierce offensive, how could the officials of the Eastern Palace sit idly by?
Minister of Revenue Ma Zhou immediately stepped forward; his face was lean and his eyes sharp.
"Your Majesty! I cannot agree with Chancellor Liu's words!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince stepped forward during the nation's time of crisis, embarking on a long expedition to enhance our national prestige and expand our territory by thousands of miles!"

"This is an unparalleled achievement, which cannot be rewarded with mere gold, silver, and land. This merit should be recorded in history and benefit all people!"

He raised his voice, which carried an air of righteous indignation: "As for the so-called overstepping of authority and threats against my brothers, these are all one-sided claims. Is there any evidence to back them up?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince is away, and military matters are urgent. If we consult him on everything, it will delay our battle and who can bear the responsibility?!"

"The officials of the Eastern Palace are assisting the Crown Prince diligently and conscientiously. What wrong have they done?"

"Adjusting subordinate officials and dividing their power is not a reward for merit, but a punishment for wrongdoing!"

"If the hearts of meritorious officials are chilled, who will be willing to serve His Majesty and the Tang Dynasty to the death in the future?!"

Ma Zhou's words were sharp and his logic was clear. He directly characterized the adjustment of subordinate officials as a punishment and labeled it as "chilling the hearts of meritorious officials."

Director of the Information Department, Cen Wenben, followed closely behind; he was even more adept at using gentleness to overcome rigidity.
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is young and impetuous, and may occasionally say or do something inappropriate."

"However, his unwavering loyalty to his country is a testament to heaven and earth!"

"The officials in the Eastern Palace are all carefully selected by His Majesty and the court, with the aim of assisting the Crown Prince and learning the way of governing the country."

"If we make adjustments based on mere rumors, it may shake the foundation of the nation and allow the world to glimpse the imperial family... This is an inappropriate act."

He subtly brought up the sensitive topic of discord between the brothers, implying that this move would expose internal conflicts within the royal family.

Sun Fujia, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, argued based on legal principles:
“Your Majesty, the laws of the Tang Dynasty stipulate the establishment of the Eastern Palace. His Highness the Crown Prince has not clearly violated any regulations. Adjusting the structure of subordinate officials based solely on rumors is without legal basis and may invite criticism!” Although Liu Rengui, the president of the Academy of Sciences, did not speak directly, his calm and firm gaze showed his support for the Crown Prince.

The real influencers on the balance of power were important ministers such as Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, Wei Zheng, and Chu Suiliang.

Fang Xuanling lowered his eyelids, as if he were lost in thought.

Changsun Wuji remained expressionless, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the tablet.

Wei Zheng frowned, as if waiting for an opportunity to act.

Chu Suiliang's gaze darted between the two.

They knew that taking sides rashly before Li Shimin made a statement would only cause greater conflict.

Seeing that the first issue was deadlocked, Li Shimin timely steered the conversation to the second matter.

Regarding the enfeoffment of Prince Wei, Li Tai, Ma Zhou and others who supported the Crown Prince were naturally happy to see it happen, and they couldn't wait for this potential rival to leave the center of power as soon as possible.

Liu Ji, Yu Zhining, and others strongly opposed it.

Some say that the Prince of Wei is filial and fraternal, and should remain in the capital to serve His Majesty.

Some say that the King of Wei was a learned man, and that his presence in the capital would contribute to the flourishing of culture.

Cheng Yaojin even shouted, "King Wei is an honest man. What's wrong with him staying in the capital to keep His Majesty company?"

The two sides then engaged in a heated debate over 'filial piety,' 'learning,' 'ancestral rules,' and 'the duties of a vassal king.'

The entire grand court assembly had become a battleground for the two factions that supported Li Tai and Li Chengqian, while the neutral faction stood silently like a reef in the waves.

Just as the two sides were arguing endlessly and the atmosphere in the hall was about to explode, Li Shimin, who had been listening silently on the dragon throne, finally spoke slowly.

His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly drowned out all the noise:

"enough!"

Just two words, carrying an undeniable authority, silenced everyone, making them hold their breath.

Li Shimin's gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials below, finally settling on the empty space, as if he were weighing his final decision.

"The Crown Prince's achievements are indeed as Ma Zhou and Cen Wenben said, they are recorded in history and deserve to be rewarded."

He first set the tone, which reassured the Crown Prince's side somewhat.

But then he changed the subject: "However, his inappropriate behavior is not without reason. He should be rewarded for his merits, and he should also be wary of his mistakes."

After a moment's thought, he made a decision:

"Therefore, grant Crown Prince Li Chengqian an additional fief of three thousand households, and bestow upon him gold, silk, and a number of servants."

"The specific details of the rewards and honors for the wars in Liaodong and Japan will be drafted by the Secretariat-Chancellery in conjunction with the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, and then submitted to the emperor."

"There is no need to adjust the officials under the Crown Prince's command at the moment."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ji and the others' expressions changed slightly, while Ma Zhou and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Li Shimin's next words made their hearts jump again:

"However, the Crown Prince must stay at home for three months to reflect on his mistakes, study the classics, and examine himself."

"During this period, without my decree, no one may participate in state affairs!"

This is essentially temporary cold storage.

"As for King Tai of Wei..."

Li Shimin turned his gaze to the other side: "His filial piety is commendable, and his learning is also excellent. However, it is an ancestral system that princes should be enfeoffed upon reaching adulthood."

Liu Ji and the others felt a chill run down their spines.

"Here, I hereby appoint Prince Wei Tai as Governor of Yongzhou, to hold the position remotely. As for his enfeoffment... let it be postponed until I have considered it further."

[Suspended!]

Although those who supported Li Tai were unable to stop the emperor from bringing up the matter of Li Tai's enfeoffment, the word "postponed" meant that Li Tai could still stay in Chang'an and still had a chance.

This series of decisions, combining rewards and punishments, balanced all parties involved.

The crown prince was rewarded, but his right to participate in politics was temporarily stripped away.

He proposed that the King of Wei be sent to his fiefdom, but then temporarily kept him in the capital.

It neither fully satisfied the demands of either side, nor did it leave hope or room for maneuver for both, thus highlighting the emperor's ultimate decision-making power.

"My lords, do you have any further matters to report?"

Li Shimin's voice returned to calm, as if the fierce court struggle had never happened.

"We have no foundation."

The officials responded in unison, each with their own thoughts.

"Retreat."

Li Shimin rose, his crown tassels swaying, and turned to leave, leaving behind a hall full of ministers with their own differing thoughts.

The grand assembly has ended, but everyone knows that the storm is far from over.

The Crown Prince was temporarily sidelined, while the Prince of Wei remained in the capital, and the power struggle between the two sides shifted from the open to a deeper, more covert operation.

Li Shimin, sitting high on the dragon throne, saw everything clearly; his two sons were already able to influence the court.

Those who support them, in particular, have become two distinct factions.

As a result, his voice as emperor is being gradually eroded.

This is not a good sign.

[I've only been emperor for a few years... how did things turn out like this?]

Li Shimin felt utterly exhausted. (End of Chapter)