The rebellious grandson of Emperor Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty: Please, Your Majesty, be called Cro

Chapter 131 Former officials are estranged, and the sons are uneasy.

"If this item were used in border defense camps, scouts would no longer need to climb high places and risk their lives to observe enemy movements and watch for signal fires."

"With just one mirror, one can discern movements near and far, and ascertain the true situation. Its usefulness in military campaigns and border defense is immeasurable."

Li Shimin spent half his life on the battlefield, conquering the country on horseback and ruling over the land for half his life. He saw through the great military and national use of this telescope at a glance.

His words were filled with amazement and deep affection for the treasure.

Inside the hall, Fang Xuanling knelt upright, quietly watching Li Shimin as if he had found a treasure, holding a mirror and looking around, like a child who had obtained a novel toy.

He paused for a moment before speaking slowly, as if in casual conversation: "Your Majesty has discerning eyes. This treasure was made by my son, who specially visited the palace to request that the grandson of the Emperor, Li Xiang, personally instruct him in its creation and painstakingly polish it."

"According to the grandson of the emperor, the wonder of this telescope for viewing distant objects originates from a unique field of knowledge called optics. Even after obtaining this object, Yi'ai was still not satisfied and longed to learn its profound secrets from the grandson of the emperor."

"Oh? It's that brat?"

Li Shimin paused slightly in his grip on the mirror tube, put it down, and looked up at Fang Xuanling below the steps.

Fang Xuanling's seemingly casual conversation and offhand remarks revealed his true intentions to Li Shimin in an instant.

Fang Yi'ai had always been close to Prince Wei, Li Tai, and had served the prince for many years. Everyone in the court and the country regarded the Fang family as the core and entrenched wings of Prince Wei's faction.

This old fox is shrewd and adept at assessing situations. He has clearly sensed the impending change and has already begun to secretly plot.

The gecko, having lost its tail, hurriedly sent its offspring to befriend Li Xiang, hoping to secure a future for the Fang family.

Li Shimin's mind was in turmoil.

He still remembered that in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era, when Chengqian was still the crown prince, he had forcibly appointed Fang Xuanling as the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, a position of great prestige.

At that time, Fang Xuanling repeatedly declined and insisted on accepting the position. Even when forced by the emperor to accept the position, he refused to enter the Eastern Palace to take up a post or accept the ceremony of the crown prince becoming his teacher. He was extremely cautious in avoiding any connection with the crown prince's close ministers.

In the past, in order to avoid the struggle for the throne, he always yielded and protected himself; but now he has changed his behavior and actively asked his son to attach himself to Li Xiang, who is from the line of the deposed crown prince.

This complete 180-degree turn clearly shows that Fang Xuanling saw through the direction of the court situation, knew that the Prince of Wei's power was gone, and was eager to sever ties.

He ordered his son to serve under the deposed crown prince? Ha, perhaps he thought that since Chengqian had already lost power and was unlikely to amount to anything, this was a good way to avoid trouble?

It seems that his recent actions against the Guandong gentry have already alerted the court and the public to some signs that the Prince of Wei is about to lose power. No wonder the usually cautious Fang Qiao has resorted to using the glass alms bowl to find a way out.

Li Shimin didn't expose him, but simply smiled and handed the telescope to Wang De, showing no intention of returning it to Fang Xuanling. Fang Xuanling also lowered his head and looked on meekly, showing no sign of heartache.

"Many court officials have petitioned me to establish the Prince of Wei as the crown prince. What does Xuanling think?" Li Shimin asked with interest as he sat back on his throne.

Fang Xuanling's face stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered and replied calmly, "The Prince of Wei is suspected of vying for the throne, so he should not be made the crown prince."

"Oh? Are you perhaps going to install a young slave as heir?" Li Shimin narrowed his phoenix eyes.

Fang Xuanling remained expressionless and silent for a moment before saying, "As an old minister burdened with guilt, I dare not discuss the establishment of an heir apparent."

"A guilty person? When will you be guilty?" Li Shimin asked.

"This old minister once served as the Crown Prince's tutor. Now that the Crown Prince has been punished, this old minister should also bear the responsibility," Fang Xuanling replied.

"The Crown Prince's tutor, who has never stepped into the Eastern Palace and has never received the Crown Prince's obeisance, should also bear responsibility?" Li Shimin asked with a half-smile.

"Having assumed the post, one has the responsibility. It is the duty of a ruler and his subject, and one dares not overstep or shirk it." Fang Xuanling's tone remained calm and unwavering, neither arguing nor contending.

Li Shimin gazed at him quietly for a long time, scrutinizing this old minister who had accompanied him for half his life.

Fang Xuanling's beard and hair were already white, and his posture was hunched over; he simply hung his head.

After a long pause, Li Shimin suddenly burst into loud laughter, dispelling the stagnant chill in the hall: "Back then, I forcibly bestowed upon you an official position; it was not your fault, so what crime have you committed?"

"You need not worry, go out of the palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."

Fang Xuanling bowed respectfully, then slowly and cautiously rose to his feet, his steps deliberate and his posture respectful, without uttering a single word of explanation.

Li Shimin treated him with great courtesy and ordered Wang De to escort him.

Only after Fang Xuanling's figure disappeared outside the Ganlu Hall did Li Shimin's upright imperial posture suddenly relax.

His once straight back slowly slumped, collapsing heavily onto the soft cushions of the throne. All the probing and laughter vanished, leaving only endless weariness and loneliness enveloping him.

This old codger not only wants to avoid trouble, but he even wants to retire.

Li Shimin raised his eyes and gazed at the leisurely clouds outside the palace, his eyes filled with endless melancholy, his thoughts drifting back to the turbulent years of decades ago.

Thinking back to the Tian Ce Mansion in its heyday, how spirited and full of heroes it was.

With Fang Xuanling as his strategist and Du Ruhui as his decisive advisor, he had a multitude of advisors who came up with brilliant ideas to help him conquer the world and clear the way for his future. With Qin Qiong as his warrior and Yuchi Gong as his protector, he had fierce generals like rain, and with iron horses and golden spears, he swept across the land and established his rule.

At that time, the emperor and his ministers were young, kindred spirits, united in purpose, and willing to share life and death. There was no suspicion, no estrangement, no weighing of options, and no calculations for self-preservation. Everyone was sincere and open, solely dedicated to assisting him in stabilizing the world and restoring peace.

But time flies, and years wear us down.

Du Ruhui died young, Qin Qiong died after a long illness, Yuchi Gong secluded himself to cultivate Taoism, Yu Shinan passed away, and Wei Zheng died —

The grand imperial court, seemingly filled with officials and talented individuals, was in reality a far cry from what it once was. Those who served were nowhere near as useful as they had been in the Tian Ce Mansion.

Even veteran officials like Fang Xuanling kept their distance from him, carefully protecting themselves in everything they did, and never uttering a word. They seemed afraid of bringing trouble upon their families.

Meanwhile, powerful ministers and officials in the court vied to curry favor with Qingque, preparing to welcome the next emperor. They practically disregarded him, the emperor, completely.

Li Er rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, and Li Xiang's words involuntarily came to mind.

Could it be that everyone really thinks I'm too old to listen to advice, that I've lost my edge, and that they're all wondering why I haven't died yet?

Li Shimin felt a surge of anger rising in his chest.

Everyone thought that Li Shimin would never amount to anything again. But Li Shimin was determined to show the world, to show Fang Qiao, and to show that brat.

He is not old yet, and can still wield power and rectify the court!

"The power that Qingque has cultivated in the court must be thoroughly dealt with and eradicated," Li Shimin thought to himself. "Otherwise, the new crown prince will face great difficulties when he ascends the throne. If I want to send Qingque to his fiefdom, I must first subdue the gentry in Guandong and clear away any obstacles."

But when he thought about choosing a crown prince, he couldn't help but feel disheartened.

Prince Li Zhi of Jin was still young, kind-hearted but lacking the decisiveness of an emperor; Prince Li Ke of Wu was brave and resolute, and his temperament was most similar to his own. However, he was not the legitimate son, and the imperial family and powerful clans in the court would never truly support him. Forcibly establishing him as emperor would likely cause great chaos.

He was determined to choose the best crown prince for the Tang Dynasty, but unfortunately, none of his sons were entirely to his liking.

"That's enough." Li Shimin sighed softly. "Let's send Qingque out of the capital and settle him in his fiefdom first, and then we can deal with this most important matter later. We can discuss the rest later."

He reached for the black book on the table that recorded the misdeeds of the aristocratic families, his fingertips tracing the densely written characters, and began to meticulously plan and dismantle, step by step, the powerful families and their cronies who were attached to the Prince of Wei's mansion in the court.

Little did he know that at this very moment, inside the Prince Wei's mansion outside the high walls, Li Tai was also gathering his confidants, secretly plotting a major event that would shake up the court and the country.

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