Chapter 148: Heaven's Strategist General: Hidden Turmoil (Combined Chapter, Begging for Monthly Votes)

History had indeed changed—Li Shimin had spared Shan Xiongxin.

This also served to illustrate Li Shimin's transformation.

His original nature had always been one that heeded counsel, and now, having gained a far more resolute goal, this trait had likewise been magnified without limit.

Li Shimin's magnanimity moved Shan Xiongxin deeply.

In truth, just as Gu Quan had said.

Shan Xiongxin's desperate fighting had only ever been for the sake of "loyalty." Now that even Wang Shichong had already surrendered, he had all the less need to think on anything further.

As a Grand General under Wang Shichong's command, he still held considerable prestige within the army.

With his help and the influence of the Gu clan.

The absorption of Luoyang's defending troops likewise proceeded with great smoothness.

And Li Shimin's next objective was, of course, to wheel his spear's edge about, return to Tang Tu, and resolve the matter of the four feudal lords!

The situation had utterly transformed.

As this news gradually spread, it likewise exerted an unimaginable influence upon the realm at large.

—The Four Seas boiled over!

For the four feudal lords, this outcome could absolutely be called a bolt from the blue!

Dou Jiande had been captured alive?

Wang Shichong had surrendered?

And who would dare believe any of this?

The Tang army's strength was indeed formidable—especially after gaining the Longxi region. Faced with the present-day Tang army, none of the four feudal lords could muster the heart to claim certain victory.

But this had been a joint force!

Defeated just like that?

To the point that even two Emperors had been captured alive by Li Shimin?

Even Li Yuan, upon first hearing this news, was utterly stunned.

What followed was wild elation.

The significance of this battle was simply too great—he could already see the seat of the common lord of all under heaven placed right before him!

The ministers at court were naturally equally thrilled.

They had bet correctly!

So long as Li Tang could thoroughly sweep the realm, their merits would all become the most essential foundation of their clans!

And in complete contrast to them, for the four feudal lords—no matter how unwilling their hearts, no matter how loath they were to accept reality—the present situation compelled them to make a choice.

Faced with the Tang army that had already begun to return, they simply had not the slightest chance of victory!

That was an army of several hundred thousand!

Li Shimin had now fully absorbed the forces of Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande—a military strength they could not possibly bear.

In truth, for every one of them, dealing with Li Tang now was their only chance.

Because Li Tang had not yet had the opportunity to fully absorb everything.

If they could act in concert, perhaps there might still be that one slender thread of survival.

But such is the nature of human beings.

Rather than choosing to trust those unreliable feudal lords, allying with them to rebel against the Tang and fight for that one thread of survival, the four feudal lords were far more willing to remain content in their corner—even if the Tang army eventually came, they would not forgo the wealth and honors they enjoyed.

This is human nature.

The great host, flowing like water, came in haste and departed in haste.

Li Yuan naturally would not choose to pursue.

Although by all appearances the moment for battle had arrived, before the true elite troops had yet returned, such a move would also entail enormous risk.

Most crucially, for Li Yuan now.

He only needed to wait for Li Shimin to return. Then, whether he chose first to consolidate Luoyang and Hebei, or to press the advantage in pursuit, either would be of little consequence.

Why should Li Yuan take risks?

The situation across the realm could be said to have undergone a tremendous change in the span of mere days.

The Battle of Hulao Pass was as though the heavens had wielded the brush of Lei Ting, thoroughly substantiating a series of prophecies concerning "the Mandate resting upon the Li."

Beyond this, the common folk could think of no other reason.

Were it not the Mandate of Heaven—how could they have gained the aid of the Gu clan?

Were it not the Mandate of Heaven—how could they have subdued two Emperors with so few troops?

Various rumors arose one after another.

As news of the Battle of Hulao Pass spread farther and farther, although Li Tang had not yet unified the realm, it had already fully taken on the air of a great unifying dynasty.

Especially the reputations of Li Shimin and Gu Quan, which rose with the tide.

There were already countless common folk who called the two of them the reincarnations of "Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu" and "Loyal and Wu Hou, Gu Xiao."

Under such circumstances, Li Shimin finally led his army back to Chang'an.

Li Yuan held a ceremony of the highest grandeur to welcome Li Shimin—even going so far as to personally go beyond the city walls to greet Li Shimin and the others, triumphant in their great victory.

The merit of this battle was simply too great.

This single battle had even taken on the feel of one battle settling the realm.

Even the assembled ministers could not but acknowledge Li Shimin's merit.

Going forward, who in the realm could possibly withstand Li Tang?

Such merit was rarely seen throughout the ages.

How could anyone oppose Li Yuan's gesture?

Moreover, Li Yuan's move was also a way of showing his own brilliance before the assembled generals and soldiers.

Beneath the walls of Chang'an.

The sound of drums and music rang out. Under the witness of the ministers and the people of Chang'an, Li Shimin had only just ridden up to the city gates when he hurriedly dismounted to pay his respects to Li Yuan.

"Your son kneels before Father Emperor."

Li Shimin even went so far as to perform the grand salutation.

But Li Yuan stopped him at once, laughing heartily as he said: "My son's merit in this campaign is truly great; he is a founding hero of our Great Tang — there is no need for such ceremony."

As he spoke, he looked toward the many generals behind Li Shimin, his smile broadening. "The same goes for all our generals and men!"

— The whole realm rejoiced as one.

Under the gaze of countless common folk.

Li Yuan took Li Shimin's hand and, accompanied by the ministers and the assembled generals and soldiers, slowly made his way into the city.

Perhaps it really was because he was too excited.

Pulled along by Li Yuan, Li Shimin had even ended up positioned ahead of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, which caused the latter's expression — and that of some of his close confidants — to suddenly turn somewhat unnatural.

But all of this was swept away beneath the celebratory mood that filled the realm.

The victory feast arrived as scheduled.

Li Yuan's extraordinary qualities came through at moments like this; although quite a few of the generals had only surrendered to Li Shimin after this very battle.

Yet once Li Yuan heard of their abilities.

He also bestowed rewards upon them, and even allowed them to attend the victory feast.

This was absolutely an extremely useful means of winning men's hearts.

The ancients said, "A drop of water received in kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring," let alone Li Yuan's present attitude of setting aside past grievances.

On this point alone, these men had already begun to cherish the memory of Li Yuan's sage virtue.

And just before the victory feast began, Li Shimin also brought Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong before him.

By now, the two of them had not a shred of their former high spirits left.

Compared with the days when they wore dragon robes and schemed to dominate the realm, the two of them now looked rather wretched.

"Father Emperor, these two traitors should be dealt with by Father Emperor personally."

Li Shimin slowly rose, walked before the two men, and said to Li Yuan with cupped fists.

— The atmosphere within the hall shifted abruptly.

Li Yuan swept his gaze across those present and slowly began: "What do my beloved ministers think?"

"Your Majesty, this minister urges that the two traitors be executed."

Pei Ji rose at once, walked to the center of the hall, and said to Li Yuan with cupped fists, "Otherwise—"

"The hearts of the realm will be hard to settle, and unrest may breed."

These men naturally wished to leave no risk whatsoever.

Although Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande had already become captives, after all, no matter what, these two had once been hegemon-kings of their own regions, wielding unmatched influence in their territories.

"This minister concurs!"

"This minister concurs!"

"."

The ministers rose one after another.

There was no conflict of interest here; the entire court, high and low, was utterly united.

Li Yuan nodded slightly, then looked toward Li Shimin and asked: "Second Son, what do you think?"

"Father Emperor."

Li Shimin cupped his fists once more, paused for a moment, and then continued: "Your son believes that if Father Emperor could pardon the two men, it would let the realm know of Father Emperor's magnanimity and mercy, and would draw the hearts of the realm toward our Great Tang."

He had actually long since considered this question, and had even discussed it with Gu Quan.

Li Shimin's Original Thought had been to release Wang Shichong and execute Dou Jiande.

Use Wang Shichong to establish benevolence;

Use Dou Jiande to establish might;

In truth, this move also arose from various considerations. Wang Shichong was a greedy man by nature, and Li Shimin had absolutely no use for someone like him.

Dou Jiande, however, was different. Although Dou Jiande had been continuously raising troops.

He was a man of simple tastes, had always maintained strict military discipline, and held an attitude of great respect toward the Gu clan.

All these acts had earned him no small foundation in Hebei.

Killing such a man was naturally the most fitting course.

But Gu Quan had still persuaded him out of it, advising that he should use this occasion to proclaim the benevolent and righteous heart of Li Tang, to show the realm that Li Tang was different from the Yang of Sui.

As for Dou Jiande's foundation in Hebei—

So long as the Gu clan remained, that was no problem at all.

Li Shimin had also considered the matter carefully, and at last settled on an answer.

He now in fact already possessed that invincible heart that Gu Chen had once had in years past.

Namely, that an enemy he had defeated would never again be regarded by him as an opponent.

This was not arrogance.

It was a man's absolute confidence in his own ability.

The moment his words fell, Gu Quan also rose at once, cupped his fists toward Li Yuan, and said: "Your Majesty, this general concurs with the Qin Wang's proposal!"

In truth, Gu Quan was not merely thinking of saving Dou Jiande's life.

The main aim was to bring about the swift unification of the realm.

Just as Gu Yi had once thought, only by swiftly building a golden age could the Gu clan's prestige continue to spread among all under heaven.

He did not wish for any unforeseen incident to impede the progress of unifying the realm.

As the two spoke in turn, most of Tang's military commanders rose one after another to endorse them.

Voices echoed throughout the hall.

Seeing this, many expressions changed.

—Including Crown Prince Li Jiancheng.

Li Shimin's prestige was too high, high enough to force him into vigilance.

As always, anyone's mindset gradually shifts with changes in environment and position.

In those days, they were merely brothers, and the entire Li clan faced constant threat of annihilation.

Back then, he could tell Li Shimin to take care.

But now, he seemed unable to do so anymore.

Li Yuan's expression was also complex; he stared at the two before him, fell silent for a long while, then gave a slight nod.

"My son speaks rightly."

"I approve."

Perhaps the atmosphere had become too strange.

Li Yuan's simple words caused countless faces to change.

Those who supported executing the two mostly backed Li Jiancheng, while the military commanders supported Li Shimin.

And under these circumstances, Li Yuan had actually agreed to Li Shimin's proposal. Though none were certain whether Li Yuan had deeper intent, they could not help but speculate.

"But death may be spared, punishment cannot be avoided."

"Issue my edict."

"Exile these two traitors to Shu."

Li Yuan's expression remained unchanged as he delivered the final verdict for the two amid the growing strangeness.

Wang Shichong was truly terrified to the extreme.

Upon hearing this, he felt as if a great burden had been lifted; he nearly collapsed to his knees at once, thanking Li Yuan for his mercy.

But Dou Jiande was different.

His expression was deeply complex; perhaps accustomed to the threat of death, he now felt only profound calm.

He recalled many things.

He recalled how, over the years, he had repeatedly traveled to Julu, until finally confronting Gu Yu directly, asking why he would not aid him.

After all, in his eyes, he did not believe himself inferior to anyone.

If he could unify all under heaven, he could surely grant the Gu clan absolute trust, just as Liu Bei and Liu Shan once had.

But Gu Yu had simply told him: "He is not that kind of man."

Back then, he had understood nothing.

But now, Dou Jiande seemed to understand a little.

He had indeed changed too much.

It seemed that from the moment the Gu clan first refused him—even before they aided Li Tang—he had already harbored hostility toward them, though the situation had suppressed it.

But once the realm was unified and order stabilized,

he would likely seek to control the Gu clan first.

Only when his ambition for supremacy had finally dimmed did Dou Jiande begin to see himself clearly.

Yet he still did not quite understand.

Could it be that the Li Tang emperor would not change either?

"Lord Gu, let me now see the golden age you desire."

As thoughts surged through him, he murmured softly to himself, then knelt before Li Yuan.

The matter was settled.

Even after the guards led the two away, the atmosphere in the hall was no longer what it had been.

Li Yuan paid no heed to the strange atmosphere within the hall.

Once the guards had taken the two away, he raised his golden goblet high and laughed: "My lords, drink this cup with me!"

Though many hearts were troubled, laughter and merriment returned to the victory banquet.

The military commanders were naturally the happiest.

Who would not desire rewards?

And they knew well that Li Yuan was never a stingy ruler when it came to bestowing honors.

Indeed, after three rounds of wine, Li Yuan finally brought up the matter, beginning the rewards before the assembled ministers.

The hall fell instantly silent.

Not only the soldiers who had marched with Li Shimin, but also the ministers who had defended the city.

It could be said that every level of the Tang court received rewards.

This was one of Li Yuan's traits—he excelled at using such things to win over everyone.

In the original history, it was so.

Now, it is still so.

One by one, names were called by Li Yuan; it seemed he had already planned every detail, showing no hesitation.

Only at last did he reach the soldiers who had gone to war.

Yuchi Gong; Qin Qiong; Li Jing.

One by one, names were called out, including the Gu clan's young men.

Only at the very end did it come to Gu Quan and Li Shimin.

"Ziyuan."

Li Yuan took a sip of wine and called out Gu Quan's courtesy name.

This call caused all ministers in the hall to hold their breath.

For the Emperor to address someone by their courtesy name was a great favor.

Yet such familiarity made it hard for anyone to object—after all, this was a Gu clan youth who had achieved such great merit.

Li Yuan did not immediately speak of rewards; instead, he asked earnestly: "Now that Hebei is secured, I wonder if Lord Gu is willing to emerge from seclusion?"

"If Lord Gu is willing."

"I, the Emperor, shall personally journey to Julu to invite Lord Gu out."

The "Lord Gu" he spoke of—was none other than Gu Yu.

All these years, Li Yuan had never forgotten this matter.

Especially since gaining the Gu clan's aid in recent years, his power had grown rapidly, making him even more aware of the Gu clan's importance.

He had been waiting for an opportunity.

Upon hearing this, Gu Quan immediately bowed deeply and replied earnestly: "Your Majesty's inquiry fills me with awe and dread. Yet my father's intentions—I truly cannot fathom."

Though his own talents were already exceptional.

But he still lacked the insight to fully discern Gu Yu's profound intentions.

Hearing this, Li Yuan's eyes flickered with disappointment, but he quickly masked it; he sighed softly and turned serious: "This great victory—Ziyuan, your merit is paramount."

"Ziyuan—"

"I now appoint you as Grand General of the Piaoqi, and I hope you will emulate the ancient loyal and martial Marquis Xiao Gong, and sweep clean the Six Directions for me."

At these words, the entire court erupted in shock!

Since the Sui dynasty's system was inherited, Grand General of the Piaoqi was the pinnacle of military rank.

Just as the world's rumors had foretold, Gu Quan truly was following in the footsteps of the ancient Gu Xiao, reaching the very summit of a general's career.

The ministers exchanged glances, yet none dared speak against it.

After all, whether judged by Gu Quan's battlefield merits or the Gu clan's prestige, this reward was fitting.

But what truly stirred the hearts of all was the coming reward for the Qin Wang.

"Thank Your Majesty," Gu Quan immediately bowed to Li Yuan, then stepped back respectfully.

As he passed by Li Shimin's side, Li Shimin smiled at him, his eyes brimming with even greater anticipation.

Yes—anticipation.

Li Shimin had long awaited for Li Yuan to fulfill his past promise and appoint him as the Ten Directions Crossing General.

Perhaps because his anticipation ran so deep.

His hands were even trembling slightly.

Finally, under the gaze of all, Li Yuan's voice sounded again.

"Erlang."

In that instant, everyone turned to Li Shimin.

And Li Shimin drew a deep breath, then slowly rose to his feet: "Your servant is here."

The great hall fell utterly silent.

Though it was a time of bestowing rewards, this moment felt suffocating.

Li Yuan paid no heed to others; he looked only at Li Shimin, as if reading the anticipation in his eyes, and spoke slowly: "My son Shimin, since raising arms, you have campaigned south and north, achieving extraordinary feats."

"I have thought long."

"And I find that all former offices are insufficient to match your merit to the state."

At these words, every expression in the hall changed abruptly.

Li Shimin's dream was no secret; nearly every minister knew of it.

Before, it had not seemed so alarming.

But now, as this moment neared realization, an invisible storm had risen.

The Ten Directions Crossing General—could rival imperial authority.

Even now;

This office could surpass imperial authority itself.

Some had already begun to speak out in protest, but Li Yuan suddenly shifted tone: "I hereby establish the Heavenly Strategy Grand General, ranking above princes and dukes."

"He shall hold the post of Minister of Works, Grand Administrator of the Shandong Circuit, and oversee all military campaigns, commanding the entire Grand Secretariat."

As his words ended, the atmosphere in the hall found its release—the heavy tension vanished instantly.

Was Li Yuan's reward high?

Extremely high!

Logically, such authority should never be granted to a royal prince.

But compared to what everyone expected—the Ten Directions Crossing General—it fell far short.

At the very least, he could not restrict imperial authority.

This arrangement surpassed all expectations; many, including Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, suddenly exhaled in relief.

Silence!

Absolute stillness!

Li Shimin was utterly stunned—he never imagined Li Yuan would grant him this office.

Though it could not compare to Gu Chen's Ten Directions Conquest Commissioner.

But "Heavenly Strategy Generalissimo" was likewise a specially created office.

"Could it be that Father Emperor feels I have yet to sweep the world clean?"

The thought arose naturally in Li Shimin's heart. Li Yuan was his own father, so Li Shimin naturally felt nothing out of the ordinary.

The moment this thought took shape, he confirmed it at once. Without further hesitation, he cupped his hands toward Li Yuan and bowed: "Your son thanks Father Emperor for his great grace."

"Your son shall surely not fail Father Emperor's hopes, and will sweep away all the bandits for our Great Tang."

The ringing, forceful words fell in an instant.

Only at this moment did many people finally react.

The joy that the "Ten Directions Conquest Commissioner" had not appeared again vanished in that instant.

Looking at Li Shimin standing firm within the hall, the expressions of many grew ever more complex.

—Heavenly Strategy Generalissimo!

So what if it was not the Ten Directions Conquest Commissioner?

Although it could not check royal authority, Li Shimin's power had now clearly surpassed Crown Prince Li Jiancheng's.

What on earth does Your Majesty mean by this?

Could it be that he means to depose the Crown Prince and establish the Qin Wang?

Even ministers who had chosen no side had already conceived such a thought in their hearts at this moment.

Gu Yi had been silently watching all of this the entire time.

Watching the constantly shifting gazes of the crowd, he knew very well in his heart that many things were destined to be impossible to avoid entirely.

Ten Directions Conquest Commissioner—

In truth, Gu Chen's appearance had already given later generations another path to walk, but for everyone else this path had always been a dead end.

Why was Gu Chen able to reach this position?

It was not only his unparalleled merit, but also the reputation built up over generations by the Gu clan through centuries of effort.

—Loyalty.

It had always been one of the Gu clan's most crucial labels.

Only such a person could successfully tread this path.

And for anyone else to do as he did—how could that possibly be?

The contradictions within Li Tang had already begun to rise.

This was entirely unavoidable.

People were destined to be unable to fully control their various emotions.

Ambition and unease; aspiration and death;

This chain of contradictions would, as Li Shimin's reputation grew ever higher, give rise to more and more conflicts.

This was an inevitability born of human nature—who could possibly stop it?

An invisible storm was being stirred up throughout the entirety of Great Tang.

Although at this moment it had not yet fully erupted, the great tide had long since quietly begun to draw back its curtain.

—With the Gu clan's help, Hebei did not fall into chaos as it had in the original history.

Li Yuan's act of not killing Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong truly won him considerable renown.

A merciful emperor had always won the expectations of the common people.

If Li Yuan could treat even the false emperors who opposed him this way, how much more so the common folk?

Beneath the momentum brought by the great victory at Hulao, this news spread like a tide continuously outward to every corner of the realm.

Li Shimin did not directly send out troops to continue sweeping the world clean.

Instead, he helped Li Yuan consolidate the newly recovered territories, wiping out the small powers within them, including the bandits on all sides.

What was the rush?

Even if the bandits on all four sides would not bow and submit, what of it?

Beneath this rolling great tide, how could their morale possibly hold?

Li Shimin was constantly reminding himself: what he wanted was to forge an era of prosperity like Gu Chen, not mere battlefield slaughter.

Li Yuan still personally sent men to Julu to pay a visit to the Gu clan.

In truth, he had wanted to go himself.

Even if he could not invite Gu Yu out, he could still choose to offer sacrifices to the Gu clan's forebears—this act could bring him far too many benefits.

But in the end he still checked this impulse.

An emperor personally paying a visit would undoubtedly put the entire Gu clan on a pedestal.

Li Yuan was a man who cared about appearances, unwilling to do such a thing.

He merely sent an envoy.

But the final result did not exceed Gu Yi's expectations either: Gu Yu did not personally emerge, only dispatching those within the clan who were talented at governing.

To help Li Tang consolidate its territories, as their first merit upon entering court.

In truth, Gu Yi could understand why Gu Yu had to act this way.

It was simply to preserve the Gu clan's last bottom line—that the clan head would not take part in a chaotic age, just like Gu Ze of old.

He would only step out of Julu when the realm was truly unified.

This was the responsibility every Gu clan head had to face.

What rather surprised Gu Yi was that Gu Yan had actually gotten together with Princess Pingyang, something even Gu Yi himself had never noticed.

History had indeed changed greatly.

But there are also things that cannot be avoided.

Chang'an, the Donggong.

"Mr., what manner of man is the Gu of this age, truly?" Li Jiancheng sat upright before his desk, his gaze solemn as he looked toward Wei Zheng, his voice low and grave.

Wei Zheng heard this, a flicker of complex emotion crossing his brow. He deliberated for a long moment before slowly beginning: "Immeasurably profound."

He drew a deep breath, a hint of reverence surfacing in his eyes, and continued: "In years past, Gu Gong traveled the four seas, personally witnessing the realm pass from decline to prosperity, and from prosperity back to decline. The Way he comprehended is beyond what ordinary men can fathom."

Seeing Li Jiancheng's expression grow ever more solemn, Wei Zheng paused in thought, then added: "If Your Highness could secure Gu Gong's counsel, the position of Crown Prince would be... unassailable."

A sudden light flared in Li Jiancheng's eyes.

Wei Zheng hailed from the great Wei clan of Julu and had always been a man of prudence. If he judged thus, it could naturally be trusted.

Yet Wei Zheng immediately shook his head and sighed: "Alas, the Gu clan has never involved itself, generation after generation, in struggles over the foundation of the realm. Even if Your Highness wished it, it would be hard to summon them."

"Might Mr. serve as my introduction?" Li Jiancheng's brow furrowed slightly, his tone tinged with urgency.

Wei Zheng gave a bitter smile, cupped his hands, and said: "I am a man of the meanest station — how could I sway Gu Gong's will?"

Silence fell within the hall.

Li Jiancheng's gaze dimmed slightly. His knuckles drummed unconsciously against the desk — clearly his heart was far from calm.

These past days, he could not sleep at night. Rumors swirled through court, and Qin Wang Li Shimin's merit grew daily, his renown at its zenith, making Li Jiancheng feel as though needles pricked his back.

The hearts of men are fickle, and Li Jiancheng was no exception.

"Your Highness need not worry." Wei Zheng, seeing this, offered gentle comfort. "Now the scions of the Gu clan are entering court one after another. If Your Highness could bestow kindness and draw them in, you may yet gain their aid. Since Qin Wang has done so, why should Your Highness trouble himself?"

Li Jiancheng gave a slight nod, then sighed softly: "If it cannot be done, perhaps I should grant the position of Commander of the Ten Directions to my second brother. In the end, it is not the throne — when the time comes..."

Before the words had fallen, Wang Gui had already risen sharply and said in solemn tones: "Your Highness, you must not!"

As a Crown Prince's Attendant, Wang Gui was a trusted and weighty minister of Li Jiancheng. His expression now grave, he looked Li Jiancheng straight in the eye and said: "Does Your Highness truly believe that Qin Wang is Marquis Zhaolie Gu Chen of years past?"

Li Jiancheng's gaze sharpened.

Wang Gui continued in a heavy voice: "Qin Wang's ambition is known to all under heaven. If in days to come Your Highness ascends the throne and your views of governance clash, does Your Highness imagine that, given Qin Wang's prestige within the army, he would bow his head and obey?"

A few words, striking straight at the heart of the matter.

Li Shimin is, after all, not Gu Chen. He lacks neither the Gu clan's accumulated pure fame across generations, nor Gu Chen's measured advance and retreat of those years. Even Gu Chen, whose merit overshadowed all beneath heaven, only met a good end because he encountered rulers and ministers such as Liu Bei and Liu Shan.

But now?

Though Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin were brothers born of the same womb, suspicion had already begun to grow between them. What the future held — who could foresee?

Li Jiancheng was silent for a long while, the sound of his knuckles striking the desk growing ever more rapid.

Seeing this, Wang Gui pressed his case once more: "Your Highness's most urgent task, beyond winning over the court officials, is to petition His Majesty — the post of Commander of the Ten Directions must never be re-established!"

"Qin Wang is a son of His Majesty — how could he share authority with His Majesty himself? Moreover, in his final years Marquis Zhaolie himself once said that posterity must never again establish this office!"

The ministers of the Donggong voiced their assent one after another, their words earnest and heartfelt.

They had no path of retreat; only by supporting Li Jiancheng could they preserve their own interests.

Though Li Shimin had only just begun to show his edge, such a wind must on no account be allowed to grow!

This was a struggle to the death.

Any sign of it had to be stamped out!

Li Jiancheng's gaze grew sharp by degrees. When the ministers had finished speaking, he at last nodded slowly and said in a heavy voice: "I... understand."

(PS: A two-in-one chapter. On my knees begging for monthly tickets — please, brothers, give me your support. This month I'm counting on you all to help me hold my spot on the monthly ticket rankings. A thousand thanks. The coming plot of the Great Tang will not disappoint you, brothers!)

(End of chapter)