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

Upon noticing the anomaly, Liu Zhi instantly concealed his worry, his body tensed, and he instinctively gripped the horizontal sword at his waist, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, fixed intently on the wall.

A young boy nimbly climbed the tree trunk, using the branches for leverage, and stealthily moved towards the top of the wall. He was tightly wrapped in a quilt, peeking out and looking around like a cat stealing cream, afraid of being caught by the patrolling soldiers.

It was none other than Li Xiang, who was secretly planning to sneak away again, without informing Li Chengqian and Su Shi.

"How can I sleep soundly when the great cause is not yet accomplished?" Li Xiang skillfully tied the bedding to the peach tree branch while crouching on the wall, squinting and scanning the guards on duty in the streets and alleys of the neighborhood. He was completely unaware that Liu Zhi, standing at the base of the wall, had already seen through his every move.

Liu Zhi was stunned—this imperial grandson had been whipped forty times just over ten days ago, yet he hadn't learned a single lesson and was already trying to escape over the wall again.

"Where is the young master going?" Seeing Li Xiang tying up the bedding and about to slide down the wall, Liu Zhi couldn't help but ask softly.

"Hey, brother, it's you again!" Li Xiang was startled at first, but when he saw that it was Liu Zhi, he was not flustered at all. Instead, he greeted him warmly. His eyes swept over Liu Zhi's soldier's uniform, and he brought up the most awkward question: "Hey, brother, why do your clothes look even more shabby than last time?"

Liu Zhi's face darkened, and his tone became more serious as he earnestly advised, "Young Master, you must not come down again. Your whip wounds have not yet healed; please return to your room to rest. Otherwise, it is my duty to report the facts."

"Oh?" Li Xiang raised an eyebrow, reached into his robes, and with a flash of cold light, a short dagger was already held against his neck.

Seeing him pull this stunt again, Liu Zhi's lips twitched violently, but he forced a smile and said in a deep voice, "Even if the young master threatens to kill himself again, this humble servant would never dare to show favoritism or indulge him—I am bound by duty and cannot bear the consequences."

Oh? This trick didn't work? Li Xiang muttered to himself, then chuckled awkwardly, his tone feigning warmth: "Hahaha, brother, we hit it off immediately, how could I possibly force you?"

The words had barely left his mouth when his hand suddenly loosened, and the dagger slipped from his grasp, wobbling with a clang as the blade narrowly grazed his neck. He deliberately cried out in surprise, "Ouch!"

"Young master, be careful!" Liu Zhi's expression changed drastically. He subconsciously took half a step forward, his heart pounding in his throat, his eyes filled with panic—if the imperial grandson were to hurt him right under his nose, he wouldn't be able to pay for it even with ten heads!

The ancestral tablets of the nine generations are swaying again!

"Oh!" Li Xiang had already firmly gripped the dagger and steadied himself. Looking at Liu Zhi's flustered appearance, he deliberately dragged out his words and let out a meaningful sigh. In his eyes, however, there was an undisguised cunning.

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"I knew it! A bug we finally managed to fix couldn't possibly fail so easily!"

Li Xiang patted his chest, a smug look on his face, and swaggered down the street outside Longqingfang, his steps arrogant and light. A dozen steps behind him, Liu Zhi hung his head, looking dejected, but dared not make a move, and could only follow step by step, like a stray dog ​​being grabbed by the scruff of its neck.

Liu Zhi was filled with helplessness. This was the third time he had been "tied up" and dragged out by Li Xiang. With each step he took with this imperial grandson, he became more and more certain that this guy was truly fearless and a complete madman.

He knew perfectly well that he was completely under the thumb of this imperial grandson with that short dagger.

But he dared not gamble, not even a fraction! If the imperial grandson were to make even the slightest mistake under his very nose, not only would his rank be at stake, but the lives of his entire clan would not be enough to compensate for it!

Sigh... Oh well. Let him be demoted if he wants. Anyway, this job as a junior officer in the Imperial Guard has long since lost its appeal.

If I were to lose my military rank, I wouldn't have to watch over this troublemaker anymore, and I wouldn't have to live in constant fear. That would be quite peaceful.

At worst, he can re-enlist and return to the border. With his martial arts skills, he might still have one more chance.

Thinking about it this way, Liu Zhi felt a little more relaxed, and even a bit of a "what's the use" attitude arose in him—perhaps being demoted was actually a good thing.

He consoled himself in this way.

Li Xiang swayed a couple of steps, then suddenly turned around, raised his chin at Liu Zhi behind him, and casually inquired:

"Brother, let me ask you something. Since the commotion at Furong Garden that day, has there been any movement from the palace?"

"I wonder who has become the crown prince again?"

In his view, Liu Zhi was, after all, a member of the Imperial Guard, and often served near the capital. He should have better access to information than he, the imprisoned grandson of the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhi paused, his face still expressionless, and said in a reluctant, muffled voice, "In the past few days, I have not heard His Majesty issue an edict to appoint someone as the crown prince."

Li Xiang suddenly froze, his steps halting. The smugness on his face vanished instantly, and he turned to look at Liu Zhi with a surprised expression. As if he hadn't heard clearly, he asked again:

"What did you say? His Majesty hasn't appointed a crown prince yet?"

Upon receiving Liu Zhi's affirmative response, Li Xiang stroked his chin, beginning to feel somewhat doubtful.

Although he was not an expert in history, he clearly remembered watching a TV series set in a later era.

It clearly states there that historically, only one day passed between Li Zhi being made crown prince and Li Chengqian being deposed.

Because of his own antics, Li Shimin fell ill, and the selection of a crown prince had been delayed for a long time. Everyone believed that Li Shimin would definitely decide on the crown prince at the grand court assembly on the first and fifteenth of each month.

This makes perfect sense. After all, the crown prince is the foundation of the country. If the position of heir apparent is left vacant for too long, the court will inevitably be filled with anxiety, the princes will have their own agendas, and the court officials will also take sides and form factions.

According to the original historical trajectory, Li Chengqian was deposed and Li Zhi was appointed the very next day. This was also the imperial strategy of Li Er: decisive and clean, cutting off all hope.

But now things have turned out badly. His outrageous remarks at Furong Garden have caused Li Shimin to become so angry that he is depressed and heartbroken. He has declared that he will prove that establishing a virtuous ruler can also lead to a long reign, and he even expects Li Xiang to cry and admit his mistake.

But surprisingly, the important matter of establishing an heir was dragged on indefinitely?

Li Xiang stroked his chin, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, muttering to himself: Could it be that I, this little moth, have really swayed the course of history during the Zhenguan era?

These words made it clear that Li Er couldn't decide on the crown prince... So, would the old emperor continue to use Li Zhi and Li Tai as pawns?

Wow... Is your heart really that dark?

Li Xiang never hesitated to consider Li Er, a corrupt and decadent feudal emperor, with the utmost malice.

Or perhaps Li Er genuinely wanted to be more cautious and choose the most suitable successor from among the two princes?

If that's the case, then...

On that day, Lao Deng made a solemn vow, saying that he would definitely choose the most suitable crown prince for the Tang Dynasty.

But if in the end it's still Li Tai or Li Zhi...

That would be too ridiculous. When he gets back, he'll bring some good wine to Li Er's Zhaoling Mausoleum and give him another good laugh.

They laughed at him for his cunning schemes, but in the end, he still failed to choose a suitable successor.