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

Chapter 166 The Utter Failure of a Father

As the sun began to set, Li Zhi and his entourage, dressed in splendid everyday clothes, returned to Chang'an. The entire group exuded a somber and oppressive atmosphere.

Li Zhi pursed his lips, his face no longer displaying the gentle composure he had shown when he left the palace.

Entering the palace through a side gate, Li Zhi saw Wang De, the chief eunuch of Li Shimin, leading two eunuchs, waiting at the palace gate just outside the Taiji Palace. He quickly changed into his usual gentle demeanor: "Chief Eunuch Wang," he said with a smile, taking two steps forward to greet him: "Why are you waiting here personally?"

"His Majesty misses His Highness Prince Jin and specially sent this old servant to await his arrival. Therefore, this old servant has carefully calculated the time of His Highness's return—His Majesty is currently in the Liangyi Hall. Your Highness Prince Jin, shall we go there now?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi's heart tightened slightly. However, he remained outwardly calm, raised his hand to gently support Wang De, and said softly, "Of course, how could we keep Father waiting?"

Wang De nodded, turned around, and led the way. Li Zhi, preoccupied, followed behind. Before long, the group entered the Liangyi Hall.

As the lights of the Liangyi Hall were just coming on, Li Shimin sat upright behind his desk, which was piled high with documents from various regions.

Although an imperial edict had been issued appointing Li Zhi as regent, for Li Shimin, this edict was more about stabilizing the court and informing the officials that the struggle for the throne had been settled and that the emperor already had a chosen successor. However, it was still too early for Li Zhi to truly engage in political affairs.

Li Zhi was only sixteen years old this year, raised in the palace and never involved in politics. Moreover, Li Zhi didn't have any capable people under his command. After all, he was just a leisurely prince before, unlike Li Chengqian and Li Tai, who had deep roots and their own factions.

If Li Zhi were truly allowed to oversee the country, wouldn't the Tang Dynasty descend into chaos?

Thus, the heavy burden of state affairs has now largely fallen on the shoulders of the forty-six-year-old Li Shimin. He has many old injuries and suffers from headaches, and after a busy day, he is now slightly dizzy.

"Father, please take care of your health." Li Zhi hurriedly stepped forward, took the teacup from the palace maid beside Li Shimin, and handed it to him. Li Shimin lowered his head, blew away the tea foam, took a small sip, then rubbed his temples before saying, "Zhi Nu is back."

"You saw your brother off today; how is he?"

Li Zhi's hand holding the teacup stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered and handed the teacup back to the maidservant, saying, "Fourth Brother only brought two carriages and a dozen guards, which is really—pitiful."

"When I arrived at Ba Bridge, it was deserted and quiet; there wasn't a single person to see my fourth brother off. Apart from the rushing Ba River, there was only the sound of women weeping—"

"Hmph!" Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's gaze suddenly turned cold. He said, "People always fawn over the powerful and trample on the weak. When Qingque is found guilty, they avoid him like the plague!"

Having said that, he looked at Li Zhi and said gently, "It is very good that you were willing to leave the palace to see me off despite what others might say, showing your brotherly affection."

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"Remember, Qingque and Chengqian are both your elder brothers. Although they were confused for a moment and committed a sin."

"But blood relatives are bound by blood, and the imperial family should set an example for the world! They must not be as cold-hearted as others. You must treat your two elder brothers well in the future."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I have remembered." Li Zhi lowered his head, but in his heart he did not think so.

These words would be convincing no matter who said them. Only when Father Emperor says them—

Seeing Li Zhi's submissive demeanor, Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction. If Zhi Nu were to become the crown prince, that would be good; Zhi Nu is kind, benevolent, and filial. Perhaps only by making him crown prince could Chengqian and Qingque be protected.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin hesitated for a moment, then asked again, "Qingque—did he say anything?"

"Do you have any complaints against me?"

After all, he was the son he had loved for more than ten years. Even though Li Tai had made a big mistake and was exiled to a remote wilderness, Li Shimin still harbored a trace of paternal affection in his heart and was still concerned about whether his fourth son had left any words before he left.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation on his face. But he quickly spoke up, "Fourth Brother—indeed, has quite a few complaints about Father."

Therefore, before he left, he deliberately praised Xiang'er, saying that Xiang'er was the most loyal and filial, and that the heavy burden of the Li family should be borne by Xiang'er.

Li Zhi did not want to talk about these things. Apart from the palace eunuchs and guards, the rest of the entourage he brought were mostly literati and scholars he had recruited, as well as aristocratic youths who had recently come to him.

The reason for bringing these people along was that he wanted them to spread the word about today's farewell in the future, so that he could make a name for himself.

He was still young and had no power of his own. The reason he was able to oversee the country was actually because Chengqian and Qingque were both injured, and because of the support of his uncle Changsun Wuji.

However, Li Zhi knew that the reason Changsun Wuji was willing to support him was because his personality was best suited to be a puppet. Changsun Wuji might be unwavering in his support now, but if he were to ascend the throne in the future, Changsun Wuji would undoubtedly become his biggest obstacle.

He wanted power, supreme power that could disregard human ethics. But before he truly secured the position of crown prince and before his father truly passed away, he needed to show weakness. He couldn't reveal too much ability; he needed to show weakness to gain the support of his maternal uncle, the eldest grandson.

However, in order to pave the way for breaking free from the control of the Changsun family in the future, he must accumulate enough prestige before ascending the throne. Only in this way can he quickly win over a group of loyal ministers after ascending the throne and counterbalance his uncle.

Sending off his fourth brother, Li Tai, away from the capital was the best way to gain prestige: his fourth brother wielded great power in the court, and although no one dared to see him off after his sudden demotion, the officials and common people in the court and among the civil and military officials were not necessarily without compassion.

Li Zhi dared to go against the tide, unafraid of being implicated, and personally escorted the guilty to the fiefdom. This not only earned him the reputation of being "benevolent, filial, kind, and fraternal," fulfilling his father's expectations for the crown prince, but also allowed him to quietly win over the hearts of those in the court who sympathized with Li Tai and despised the cold-heartedness of the world.

This was originally a grand spectacle tailor-made for him to make a name for himself.

But then Li Xiang suddenly appeared out of nowhere!

Li Zhi dared not deceive Li Shimin, knowing that with so many followers, Li Shimin would eventually find out the truth. All he could do was try to establish a preconceived notion, linking Li Tai's praise of Li Xiang with Li Tai's resentment towards Li Shimin.

As expected, Li Shimin's expression darkened after hearing this. He asked Li Zhi a few questions about the details, and Li Zhi, while seemingly being fair, secretly amplified Li Tai's resentment and Li Xiang's rebellious words many times over.

He waited expectantly, which enraged Li Shimin.

Li Shimin's expression changed several times, his anger surging to its peak, yet strangely, he did not lash out.

He first recalled Li Tai's past arrogance and overstepping of authority, his plot to seize the throne, and finally, his intention to rebel and defy the emperor, which he truly deserved.

But—that was also the son she had doted on for over a decade, exceptionally intelligent from a young age, and she had given most of her affection to this fourth son.

Now, burdened with guilt, heading to the wilderness, with an uncertain future, his parting words of complaint are nothing less than an outpouring of long-accumulated resentment and extreme grievances.

Then I thought of Li Chengqian.

Back then, the position of Crown Prince was secure, and the young man was kind, upright, and virtuous—a truly impeccable foundation for the nation.

It was his constant checks and balances, his constant warnings, and his constant favoritism towards Li Tai that kept the crown prince living in constant fear of being deposed, step by step...

He was driven to become distorted in temperament and increasingly extreme in his actions.

Now the deposed crown prince is confined to the deep palace, and the disgraced prince has gone to Qianzhou. The two legitimate sons, who have fought for half their lives, do not hate each other at the end. Instead, they both hate him, the emperor and father.

"Li Xiang, go and see Qingque off."

"Chengqian and Qingque, instead of blaming each other, they are both blaming me, their father."

Suddenly, images flashed through Li Shimin's mind: Li Chengqian's resolute departure that day, and Li Tai's roar outside Ganlu Hall after the bloodshed at the palace gates that night.

"If it weren't for Father Emperor, my elder brother and I would be such good brothers!"

Li Shimin closed his eyes, and to Li Zhi's astonishment, two lines of tears streamed down his face.

As a father, I really am—

Utter failure!

"In the end, I have failed those two brothers!"

Li Shimin sighed deeply and said.