Sky Curtain: The Overlord Charges into Battle, Shocking Emperors of All Dynasties

In the ninth year of the Wude era, Prince Qin, Li Shimin, along with Changsun Wuji, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and others, ambushed Xuanwu Gate.

Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji entered the palace, but upon reaching Linhu Hall, they sensed something amiss and turned to flee east. Li Shimin shouted for them to pursue, and Li Jiancheng was killed with an arrow. Yuchi Jingde then shot and killed Li Yuanji.

The images on the screen surged again; Li Shimin had entered the main hall and was looking at Li Yuan, who was adjusting his clothes.

Li Yuan casually asked, "Why did you arrive so early?"

Li Shimin tore off his outer garment, revealing the armor underneath, and flung it away forcefully.

"Father, today is the day I die."

"What nonsense are you spouting? What exactly do you want to do?!"

Li Yuan was incredulous; everything was fine before.

"Yesterday you showed me a secret report saying that the King of Qin wants to become the crown prince!"

"This means I'm plotting a rebellion!"

Li Shimin raised his voice and shouted:

"Treason is a capital offense!"

"But rebellion is for self-preservation, and self-preservation inevitably offends the root cause!!"

Li Yuan swayed unsteadily, nearly falling to the ground.

"You brothers' relationship has really deteriorated to this point?"

[Yuchi Jingde, clad in armor and carrying a spear, entered the palace and reported to Li Yuan: "The Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi have rebelled and have been executed! I request Your Majesty to issue an edict ordering all armies to be disciplined by the Prince of Qin."]

The entire Xuanwu Gate Incident lasted only two hours, quietly completing the transfer of supreme power.

In the scene, Li Yuan cries out in anguish, supported by those around him, fearing he might faint from overwhelming emotion.

"Of your four sons, you're the only one left."

"Is this the price of gaining the world?!"

Li Yuan waved his hands helplessly in front of him.

"What else do you want?!"

"Aren't you already sitting there?"

Li Yuan ultimately could not withstand such a heavy blow and collapsed into the arms of the person beside him.

Li Shimin, who had been kneeling, staggered to his feet, and the camera focused on his face.

Her eyes were closed, filled with pain; her cheeks were streaked with tears; she bit her lip, struggling to hold back her sobs.

Li Shimin opened his eyes, sniffed, suppressed all his sorrow and pain, and slowly spoke with unyielding regret:

"I want to exercise restraint over all the armies in the land."

Two lines of tears slid down Li Shimin's cheeks. His voice was noticeably louder and more ruthless than before.

"I want! Restraint! Over all the armies of the realm!!!!"

[Li Yuan was placed under house arrest. Three days later, Li Shimin was made crown prince. A month later, Li Yuan abdicated and became the retired emperor, while Li Shimin ascended the throne and changed the era name to Zhenguan.]

Thus, Li Shimin ushered in the prosperous and golden age of the Tang Dynasty, and a brand new chapter began.

History has proven that the outcome was correct; Li Shimin created an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity, providing a model for governance for subsequent dynasties.

Before the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Wen of Han was the benchmark for emperors; after the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of Tang was the benchmark.

The ancients often said, "I want to control the armies of the realm."

The more I ponder these words, the more domineering they seem. How could later generations have come up with such powerful lines?

In some dynasties, however, those powerful ministers would simply glance at him, and this statement perfectly encapsulates my sentiments.

Besides the Nine Bestowments, the privilege of not having to bow when entering the court, the right to be praised without naming one's name, and the right to wear a sword and shoes in the palace, there should also be this sentence.

"Control the armies of the realm!!"

During the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty,

Li Yuan recalled the scene when Erlang took him along, with a burly, dark-faced man beside him. Although Erlang didn't say the exact words from the sky, the meaning was similar.

He was slurring his words, "Of my four sons, only this one survived, and he was even given the title of Emperor Emeritus by his own son."

"How ridiculous, how ridiculous!"

At the same time, Li Shimin closed his eyes in anguish, tears streaming down his face; he couldn't hold back his tears any longer.

Even if later generations portray the Xuanwu Gate Incident with such fervor and passion, it cannot change his reputation for killing his brother and forcing his father to abdicate.

He really didn't want to kill Li Jiancheng; he was his beloved elder brother. But in the end, the two brothers became mortal enemies, irreconcilable.

It's all Li Yuanji's fault!!!

As time passed, Li Shimin's hatred for Li Yuanji grew stronger. He now only hoped that future generations would be less sarcastic towards him.

The Tang Dynasty must never again experience a second Xuanwu Gate Incident!

In the comments section, lines of text flashed by.

Eight hundred people is eight hundred people!!! Xuanwu Gate attack.

Follow-up comment: Huo Qubing: Eight hundred it is eight hundred, let's seal the wolf's lair!

Zhang Liao: Eight hundred it is then, let our might shake Xiaoyao Ford!

Li Shimin: Eight hundred it is, let's go for it at Xuanwu Gate!

Zhu Di: Eight hundred it is. We will quell the rebellion in accordance with the will of Heaven!

My friend: Eight hundred it is, I want the black stockings!

Follow-up comment: Making friends out of thin air??

Wait, is there still something about Wen Yuan on the sky?

Cao Cao looked at Zhang Liao with surprise. Zhang Liao was also completely bewildered, as he hadn't done anything of great importance, including leading eight hundred men.

Xiaoyao Ford, Cao Cao searched his mind for this place.

In Hefei, it seems they are fighting against Eastern Wu.

Sun Quan of Eastern Wu, a coward from Jiangdong.

Previously, the screen mentioned that Sun Quan had killed 100,000 soldiers; could this be what he was referring to?

Cao Cao raised his wine cup and toasted Zhang Liao from afar.

"Congratulations to Wen Yuan!! Your might shakes Xiaoyao Ford!!"

The courtiers, along with Cao Cao, raised their cups in unison to offer their congratulations.

"His might shakes Xiaoyao Ford!!"

That person was truly fortunate; he actually bestowed upon Li Shimin the title of Emperor!

Follow-up comment: Who wouldn't be confused after hearing that?

Follow-up comment: Li Shimin's feelings at the time: Me, me? How could I possibly accept this?

Follow-up comment: Erfeng is lost in the repeated calls to the emperor.

Yuchi Jingde should be considered the most meritorious, as he was the first to charge into battle.

Follow-up comment: Li Shimin: I have always won people over with virtue. Li Jiancheng: What virtue? Li Shimin: Yuchi Jingde.

Follow-up comment: Here's a treasure for you—Qin Shubao

[Just as Li Shimin was about to cast a divination to predict the outcome, Zhang Gongjin kicked him away, shouting, "If it's inauspicious, does that mean we won't do it?!"]

Follow-up comment: Zhang Gongjin: You think you can kill Li Jiancheng by shaking a broken turtle??

Li Yuan: Second Son, I hereby appoint you as the Supreme General of Heavenly Strategy!

Li Shimin: Father is so stingy! I hereby bestow upon you the title of Retired Emperor!

Li Yuan himself was in a dilemma. Li Shimin had conquered most of the Tang Dynasty and made great contributions, so there was no reward to give him. However, Li Jiancheng had not done anything wrong. He couldn't just depose Li Jiancheng and make Li Shimin the crown prince. He was torn between two equally important figures.

Follow-up comment: Later, he didn't want Li Shimin to go to Luoyang and destroy the country to save the family; they should each take half.

Follow-up comment: If Li Shimin had actually gone, the Tang Dynasty would have split apart. Moreover, Li Jiancheng and the others didn't want him to go either; if Li Shimin were to launch a counterattack, they would have had no chance of stopping him.

During the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty,

Li Yuan was moved to tears. Someone understood him! Finally, someone understood his situation back then!

That's a situation he didn't want to see either, okay?

Li Jiancheng was the eldest son of the legitimate wife and had never made any mistakes. If he were to be deposed and installed prematurely, how would the people view him? Wouldn't the succession to the throne of the Tang Dynasty be thrown into chaos in the future?

The primogeniture system is inherently conducive to national stability; if Li Shimin hadn't been his son, things would have been much simpler.

How many times in history have ministers who overshadowed their rulers met their demise?

Unfortunately, Li Shimin was his son, and the second son of the legitimate wife!

If only he were the eldest son!

There would have been no Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Li Yuan could foresee that, with the example of the Xuanwu Gate Incident, future generations might be able to maintain an orderly succession.

However, after several generations of emperors, the succession to the throne in the Tang Dynasty was bound to be accompanied by bloodshed.