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

"Sister Wu, please don't joke." Li Zhi managed to calm the trembling deep inside him, a tremor that he couldn't tell was from excitement or fear. He chuckled dryly, his voice already distorted without him even realizing it.

"I am just my father's youngest son. My father... only sees me as a mediocre prince and has never thought of letting me inherit the throne..."

"Normal times are not like this." Consort Wu reached out and grasped Li Zhi's still slightly trembling right hand.

"But now, the situation is different from before... His Majesty only has three legitimate sons. If the Crown Prince's treason can be confirmed, the position of Crown Prince will inevitably be chosen between you and the Prince of Wei."

"The King of Wei is arrogant and disdainful of others, which has already aroused His Majesty's suspicion."

"If the Crown Prince is deposed, and you, Sanlang, gain His Majesty's favor again, you might just be able to..."

Li Zhi's heart started pounding again, but he still subconsciously shook his head: "Impossible, impossible."

"My father... he has never really looked at me properly. Besides, in the end, he can't bear to face my elder brother..."

"Your Majesty's mind is still wavering. Whether the Crown Prince is convicted or not is no longer up to Your Majesty!" Consort Wu interrupted Li Zhi's hesitation. Her voice was clear and firm, and although she was a frail woman, her brows revealed a sharpness that rivaled that of men.

"How the four chief judges—Situ Changsun Wuji, Sikong Fang Xuanling, Tejin Xiao Yu, and Bingbu Shangshu Li Ji—report to His Majesty is the real key to determining the outcome of this case!"

"In Your Majesty's view, Lord Fang is intelligent and resourceful, capable of discerning right from wrong in cases. However, his son, Fang Yi'ai, is on good terms with the Prince of Wei, and to avoid Your Majesty's suspicion, he will not make hasty judgments."

"Li Ji only holds military power. His entry into this situation is to restrain Hou Junji's remaining forces. He has no bias towards either the Crown Prince or the Prince of Wei..."

"Lord Xiao has always been wise to protect himself, and this is especially true when it comes to matters concerning the succession."

"And Minister Changsun was the maternal uncle of the Crown Prince and the King of Wei, and he always remained impartial between the two."

Consort Wu spoke eloquently, revealing a profound understanding of the political situation and the hearts of the people. Li Zhi listened with growing rapt attention.

"Your Majesty chose these four men because you were certain they were impartial and each had checks and balances, ensuring their impartiality and justice. But Your Majesty overlooked one crucial factor—"

She paused, her gaze fixed intently on Li Zhi:

"If you, Saburo, were to join this game, the situation would be completely different!"

"Me?" Li Zhi was taken aback, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.

"Has Sanlang forgotten that Li Ji, the Minister of War, also serves as the Chief Secretary of the Grand General's Office of Bingzhou!"

Wu Cairen spoke slowly and deliberately, clearing away the confusion.

Li Zhi suddenly realized!

According to the Tang system, princes often held the position of Grand General of various prefectures and counties in the Tang Dynasty, and Prince Li Zhi of Jin was "remotely in charge of the affairs of the Grand General of Bingzhou"!

In terms of official rank, Li Ji was nominally his subordinate, his chief secretary in the princely residence!

This relationship is usually useless, but it becomes completely different when it comes to the struggle for succession.

If Li Zhi intended to compete for the position of crown prince, Li Ji would not openly help him, but he would certainly not obstruct him.

After all, if Li Zhi were to ascend to the throne, Li Ji would naturally become the Crown Prince's chief retainer and the Chief Secretary of the Crown Prince's Palace. It was entirely possible that he would later be appointed one of the Three Dukes, become a prime minister, or even a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor after his death!

"Of the four, Lord Fang will not voice any objections even if His Majesty deposes the heir apparent because of his younger brother; Lord Li, due to his status, will not speak out easily, and if he knew that you had ambitions to seize the throne, he would be even more pleased to see it happen," Consort Wu continued to analyze.

"Of the four who want to depose the crown prince, half have already done so. Only two remain."

"Xiao Yu, the Grand Master of the Palace, and Changsun Wuji, the Grand Minister of Works and Duke of Zhao."

Her voice was slightly deep, and the air in the hall seemed to freeze as well.

"Xiao Yu is wise to protect himself. The struggle for the throne is dangerous, and he is unwilling to take the lead. He will definitely follow the example of Lord Changsun. The only one who can truly decide the fate of the matter and make His Majesty make a firm decision is... Lord Changsun Wuji."

"He is the head of the Guanzhong region, the person His Majesty trusts most. He is also the uncle of all three of you... His allegiance determines the final outcome of this major case of the Crown Prince's rebellion. Even..."

"Whoever he favors will essentially control half of the Crown Prince's power!"

Li Zhi felt a slight tightness in his throat and asked softly, "But my uncle... he has always been neutral, how can I make him side with me?"

Consort Wu smiled gently and lightly tapped the back of Li Zhi's hand with her fingertips.

"It's very simple."

Everyone says that Lord Changsun was respectful, loyal, and devoted to assisting the emperor, but he was not a saint after all; how could he be without any personal desires?

"Crown Prince Chengqian is arrogant and unruly, and Prince Wei, Li Tai, is proud and haughty. Neither of them trusts the powerful Guanzhong clan, the Changsun family… Only if you, the mediocre Third Prince, become emperor can you uphold the old system of the Zhenguan era, perpetuate the wealth and power of the Guanzhong clan, and ensure that the Changsun family continues to control the court and rise to the ranks of the aristocratic families!"

Li Zhi was shocked and looked at Consort Wu in disbelief.

He shook his head again and said to Consort Wu, "Impossible."

"As soon as I reveal my intention to win over my uncle in the struggle for the throne... with Father's methods, he will definitely find out! At that time, he will not let me off!"

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Wu Cairen's voice was tinged with both excitement and seduction, "Sanlang, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you miss it, you'll definitely regret it!"

"Do you intend to spend your entire life as a mediocre prince, watching the Crown Prince ascend the throne, watching the Prince of Wei ascend the throne, and watching the two of us ultimately meet a tragic end, without a proper burial?"

"Don't you really want to...become the emperor?"

Li Zhi's breathing suddenly quickened, and fear and longing clashed fiercely in his eyes. He stared intently at the beauty before him, as if he could see the high and mighty dragon throne through her.

"...I want to." A low, yearning voice rolled out from his throat.

Li Zhi spoke slowly and deliberately, gritting his teeth:

"I want to...I want to be emperor so badly!!"

"Good!" Seeing that Li Zhi had finally expressed his opinion, Wu Cairen's eyes flashed with approval.

She looked up at the window, her expression suddenly becoming urgent. "Sanlang, it's getting late. If I stay away from Ganlu Palace for too long, it will arouse suspicion. I need to go back immediately."

"Remember this: this trip to Zhu Ming Gate to welcome Lord Changsun is the first and most crucial hurdle in our struggle for succession!"

"The most important thing is whether we can persuade Lord Changsun on the way to advocate for the deposition of the Crown Prince!"

"Only by deposing the crown prince can we have a glimmer of hope. If the crown prince isn't deposed, everything is over!"

"But... this matter is extremely difficult." Li Zhi frowned deeply. "From Zhu Ming Gate to Taiji Palace, it's only a short distance. My uncle is always prudent and is not a weak-willed person who is easily persuaded."

"Besides, if Father finds out..."

He had to persuade Changsun Wuji to support his bid for the throne, but he also had to strike a balance, avoiding being too blatant and arousing Li Shimin's suspicion and disgust, which could lead to his demise...

Even with his burning ambition and boundless energy at this moment, Li Zhi felt that the road ahead was thorny, and his brows furrowed into a deep "川" character.

"How to proceed is up to you, Sanlang," said Wu Cairen, hastily lifting her skirt and moving towards the pavilion door, afraid of delaying too long and revealing a flaw.

Seeing Li Zhi still deep in thought, she suddenly stopped, turned back, and leaned down to give him a quick peck on the lips. Her words carried tenderness, but also her confidence and ambition:

"Sanlang, be more confident!"

"I believe that the man I, Wu Mei, have chosen will ultimately ascend the throne and rule the world!"