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

Exactly! Didn't you, Li Shimin, also rebel back then?

When Li Yuan asked you that question, it seems he was also talking about self-preservation.

Qin Dynasty

"Li Shimin still wanted to maintain a balance of power."

Ying Zheng could see that Li Shimin, besides genuinely disliking Li Chengqian, also harbored the idea of ​​checking and restraining the crown prince.

He worried that the crown prince would seize his power, and that he might become the next Li Yuan, being made the retired emperor by his own son.

This is why Li Tai was supported.

This may also be partly due to genuine affection for Li Tai.

Who can truly understand the emperor's inner thoughts?

Ying Zheng felt refreshed and actually thought Fusu looked quite good.

At least they are filial, unlike in the Tang Dynasty, where rebellion almost became a common practice.

Ying Zheng's curiosity was piqued. He stroked his beard and asked his court officials.

"Do you think that the bad precedent set by Li Yuan and his three generations of rulers will be followed by the later emperors of the Tang Dynasty?"

"It definitely will," Wei Liao said with certainty.

"The crown prince would worry about whether he would suffer the same fate as Li Jiancheng and Li Chengqian, while the other sons would take Li Shimin's Xuanwu Gate Incident as an example."

"They believe the position of Crown Prince was seized, not bestowed by His Majesty."

Ying Zheng turned around and returned to his dragon throne.

"I'm actually quite looking forward to the rest of the story of the Tang Dynasty."

...

Li Shimin's chest heaved violently; he hadn't expected Li Chengan to contradict him like this.

But he simply couldn't argue or explain.

He rebelled to save himself back then, and now Li Chenggan is rebelling to save himself too. So what right do you have to criticize Li Chenggan?

"Kneel down!!!"

"I'll make you kneel down!!"

Li Shimin was furious. Unable to think of any words to reprimand Li Chengqian, he could only rely on his imperial authority and status as his father to force Li Chengqian to bow his head.

Li Chengan is now on the verge of madness, but a sliver of reason still remains in his heart.

He still held a sliver of respect for the father who had given him life and raised him.

His knees buckled and he fell heavily to his knees.

Seeing Li Chengan obediently kneel down, Li Shimin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

His biggest fear was that Li Chengan would no longer acknowledge him as his father and would not even listen to him.

But then, he seemed to gain confidence.

A fiercer rage erupted from the depths of his heart, consuming Li Shimin's mind.

He rebelled, favored treacherous officials, and even defied his father.

How could he possibly be worthy of being a son, or a crown prince?!

Li Shimin reached for the horsewhip, raised it, and lashed it at Li Chenggan.

The whip, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air, lashed heavily across Li Chengqian's back.

"You unfilial son!!"

Li Chengan groaned, biting his lip to endure the pain. Veins throbbed on his forehead, but he remained silent.

Seeing Li Chengqian in this state, Li Shimin's anger intensified, and he swung his whip down again with even greater force than before.

"They actually dared to rebel!!"

"He favors treacherous officials, ignores all advice, and remains completely unchanged!!!"

"What exactly do you want to do?!"

As Li Chenggan listened to Li Shimin's repeated scoldings, identical to those before, his breathing grew heavier and his teeth clenched more tightly.

Just as Li Shimin raised his arm, muttering incessantly, and was about to deliver the third lash,

Li Chengan suddenly turned around.

"Smack!!!"

After a sharp crack, a hideous bloodstain appeared at the corner of Li Chengqian's eye, blood trickling down his brow and staining half his face red.

Li Shimin, visible to the naked eye, began to panic.

"Your Majesty, are you using the riding whip in accordance with national law or family law?"

"If this is a family punishment, is Your Majesty punishing me on behalf of my mother?"

"How dare you mention your mother!"

"I was raised on my mother's milk, why can't I mention her?!"

Li Shimin's words seemed to touch the deepest wound in Li Chengqian's heart. He roared and questioned his father, Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty.

"That morning at Xuanwu Gate, it was my mother who stood guard at my door with a short sword, preventing anyone from harming me!"

"Why can't I mention my mother?!"

The scene in the sky turned gray, revealing a dignified and elegant woman with a hint of strength in her face, solemnly questioning a terrified child before her.

"Tell your mother, do you want to be the crown prince?"

"Is it just like my uncle?"

"Then my uncle's kids won't be able to bully me anymore!"

Hearing his mother's affirmative answer, young Li Chengan's innocent face lit up with a smile.

"Then I'm willing to be the crown prince!"

The screen brightened up again.

Upon hearing Li Shimin mention his mother, Li Chengqian's eyes blazed with even more madness and resentment.

"Father, you killed your brother!"

"Shut up!"

"You shall elevate Princess Yang to the rank of Imperial Consort!!"

"When the mother was extremely depressed, only her son comforted her!!"

"I told you to shut up!!"

Li Shimin growled out those words, and a hint of mockery suddenly appeared on Li Chengqian's face.

"You've forgotten your mother's dying wish: you want to make the Prince of Wei the crown prince!"

"Let him move into the Martial Virtue Hall!!"

"Bear the burden!!"

"Your Majesty, please address me as Crown Prince!!!"

A fully grown tiger roared at a phoenix soaring in the sky.

It revealed its fully grown claws and its awe-inspiring presence.

Standing before Li Shimin at this moment was not his eldest son, Li Chenggan.

He was the crown prince who served as regent for eighteen years in the Tang Dynasty.

My God!

Is Li Chenggan really that brave?

Li Shimin still complained that Li Chengqian didn't resemble him, but how much they resembled each other!

The crowd in front of the canopy were deeply moved by Li Chengqian's words, their hearts pounding with excitement, as if hot blood were gushing from their chests.

This statement, like the one Li Shimin said earlier, is quite inspiring.

Western Han Dynasty

Liu Che himself began to doubt what he had seen.

Li Shimin actually felt that Li Chengqian, who was so courageous, was not like him.

Is he crazy?!

Of course, he wasn't talking about himself.

Crown Prince Liu Ju certainly doesn't resemble him, except for one day when he looks remarkably like him.

Even now, Liu Che feels a little uneasy when he sees Liu Ju, Wei Zifu, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing.

Even though Liu Ju had repeatedly advised him to amend the criminal law and to treat the people more leniently, he had partially agreed to it.

Only a portion!

After all, he was still the emperor of the Han Dynasty, and he was the true master of the Han Dynasty!

As for the issue of Li Chengqian's private morality mentioned by Li Shimin in the sky,

Based on the previous observation of the sky, Liu Che figured it out.

It's ironic that in later generations, the Liu family's tastes and preferences were so unacceptable.

If a man who loves male concubines cannot govern a country, then should he abdicate immediately?

A role model for emperors throughout history, his grandfather, Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, even had male favorites!

Liu Che only thought these words in his heart; he would never dare to say them aloud.

But can private morality govern a country?

Liu Che chuckled inwardly.

In terms of personal morality, Li Chengqian did not kill his brothers.

His personal morality is far better than yours, Li Shimin!

What an emperor needs to govern a country is ability; personal morality isn't that important. You, Li Shimin, have proven that.

Liu Che thought Li Chengqian was quite good.

He possesses all the qualities, abilities, and magnanimity of a crown prince.

If he were emperor, he would definitely be good and able to govern the country well!

It's a pity he didn't have a good father!