Chapter 154: The Curtain Rises, Turmoil is About to Begin (Seeking Monthly Votes)

This campaign, in the end, finally drew to a complete close.

From beginning to end, Li Shimin had never once deployed too many troops, which only served to push the prestige of the entire Li Tang to its absolute peak.

——The world was in awe!

Whether it was the troops of Yuwen Huaji or the troops of Liang Shidu.

Toward this Prince of Qin of the Great Tang.

They were all filled with heartfelt gratitude and respect.

Li Shimin’s actions could be said to have displayed his benevolence to the fullest, causing his prestige to even surpass that of Li Yuan, this so-called Emperor.

And this news was still spreading continuously!

As of now, although the Li Tang had not yet completely unified the entire world.

It was already no different from having unified the world.

Changancheng.

Li Yuan naturally received the news at the first opportunity, and a feeling of intense excitement instantly rose from within his heart.

——Master of the world!

He, Li Yuan, had become the master of the world!

By now, there was no longer any suspense left in all of this!

The entire Tang court instantly became restless, and the voices of the officials shouting "Long live" to Li Yuan almost spread throughout the entire Changancheng.

Excitement, agitation, and all sorts of emotions echoed in the hearts of the officials.

They had bet correctly!

The Li Tang had finally reached the end, standing once again atop the entire Nine Provinces.

But often, beneath the superficial warmth, it is inevitable that turmoil remains hidden.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Qin actually dared to represent our Great Tang to negotiate with the Turks; this is an act of rebellion!"

Once this statement was brought up, an invisible storm instantly blew through the interior of the Great Tang’s imperial court.

As the external threats were wiped out completely.

Internal conflicts were bound to be brought out into the open!

By now, who could fail to see that Li Shimin’s prestige was too high!

Not to mention comparing this kind of prestige to the Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng, even Li Yuan, this so-called Emperor, appeared somewhat dim and lusterless when set against the backdrop of Li Shimin!

Whether it was grace bestowed or martial fame.

Li Shimin had already reached the pinnacle of the Nine Provinces, with no one able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

Even if Li Yuan were as magnanimous as could be.

Yet when he heard the people of the world singing praises of Li Shimin’s virtues and such, it was still inevitable that thoughts would arise in his heart.

This is human nature.

Although everything had not been explicitly stated, the entire interior of the Great Tang was still embroiled in an invisible confrontation centered around the "Ten Directions Conquest Envoy."

The core of it was: would "Father as Sovereign, Son as Ten Directions Conquest Envoy" affect the imperial power?

Actually, Li Yuan did not pay much attention to these things at the beginning.

But as Pei Ji raised another question, this time Li Yuan was finally affected.

"With the Prince of Qin’s prestige, if he serves as the Ten Directions Conquest Envoy, even if he cannot affect Your Majesty, should Your Majesty pass away one day, will future monarchs still hold sovereign power?"

A simple sentence, yet it pointed straight to the core of the problem.

Li Yuan could indeed use his status as a father to impose various restrictions on Li Shimin.

But what about the monarchs of future generations?

Whether comparing prestige or the hearts of the army, in what way does the Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng, currently surpass Li Shimin?

Li Shimin’s status was too sensitive.

He was not of the Gu Shizi, yet he was also a direct second son.

This status was enough to give Li Shimin too many possibilities, and the most critical point was if Li Shimin did not imitate Gu Chen one day by abolishing the Ten Directions Conquest Envoy, but instead chose to pass it down through his lineage.

At that time, with no one left to restrict him, the Emperor of the Great Tang would be destined to become a mere figurehead.

When this question was raised.

Li Yuan was finally affected.

An invisible crisis was finally brewing within the entire Tang court under these circumstances.

Li Shimin did not return to the court directly.

His goal in this battle was to completely sweep across the entire world.

In fact, for Li Shimin, at this point, he no longer even needed to mobilize troops.

The warlords in the four directions who could slightly oppose the Li Tang had long since been annihilated.

As for the rest.

To the current Great Tang, they could not be considered a threat at all.

But for Li Shimin, he still wanted to sweep away everything; he wanted to quickly resolve all troubles to give the people of the world a better time to rest.

Perhaps it was because he truly possessed an invincible heart.

Facing the warlords in the four directions who were still putting up a desperate resistance, he did not even mobilize troops to go after them, but merely sent people to meet with the warlords of the four directions.

Friend or enemy;

Under the current circumstances, this was not a difficult choice.

The power in one's hands is indeed worth clinging to, but how could it compare to one's own life?

——The warlords of the four directions surrendered one after another.

This scene could be described as extremely astonishing.

Under these very circumstances, another kind of rumor gradually emerged throughout the world.

"The Prince of Qin’s envoy arrives at the border, the warlords look at the wind and request surrender, and the four seas are all brought into the territory."

Gu Yi could see it—

Compared to the original history, Li Shimin was now even more dazzling.

Although in terms of military achievements, Li Shimin did not seem to have changed much, the reason for this was that Li Shimin’s original achievements were already too astonishing.

Even if he improved further, how much could he improve?

This change came from his different prestige.

It was precisely because of his several actions that he added too much of a reputation for benevolence to his already extraordinary fame.

The people of the Nine Provinces had suffered for too long.

This reputation of "benevolence" for Li Shimin was one of his main sharp weapons for sweeping across the world.

But Gu Yi also understood very well that as Li Shimin became increasingly dazzling, the pressure placed on others would become greater.

Now even Li Yuan was gradually sensing the clues, let alone Li Jiancheng.

Some things were clearly unavoidable.

However, the current Gu Yi was completely calm about all of this; he had gradually placed his gaze upon the entire Nine Provinces.

What he wanted to know more was—

With the Gu Shizi having already appeared, just how glorious the coming golden age would become.

Gu Yu was still alive today.

Although he had been staying in Julu, he had never been idle.

Gu Yi had seen with his own eyes that he had already set the foundation for the reform of the entire Great Tang, which would absolutely cause unprecedented changes to the entire Great Tang!

He was just waiting for an opportunity now!

——Clouds moving in all four directions.

Li Shimin did not pay attention to those warlords, and subsequently turned his gaze toward Lingnan.

He was going to crusade against the Emperor of Liang, Xiao Xian.

This was the last obstacle for the Great Tang.

However, just before he was about to mobilize his troops, Li Yuan’s imperial decree was suddenly transmitted over, ordering Li Shimin to return to the capital in the "name of missing his offspring," and handing the matter of the crusade against Lingnan to Li Jing.

Although everything was so reasonable, this sudden imperial decree still made many people realize something.

Inside Diaoyin City.

A group of Li Shimin’s confidants gathered here.

"Your Highness, I have something to say, though I do not know if I should say it."

Zhangsun Wuji looked at Li Shimin very seriously and said, bowing his hands.

Li Shimin immediately looked at him and said with an incomparably calm expression: "Fuji, just speak your mind; what is there that cannot be said?"

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on Zhangsun Wuji.

Zhangsun Wuji was not only the brother of Princess Zhangsun by the same mother, but he had also been following Li Shimin since Li Yuan first raised his army; he was now Li Shimin’s absolute confidant.

It was precisely because of this that some things could only be said by him.

"Your Highness’s current prestige is illustrious. Whether for the sake of the Great Tang’s state or for the common people of the world, for this crusade against Lingnan, Your Highness is the only choice."

Zhangsun Wuji paused, took a deep breath, "But His Majesty has suddenly issued a decree, urgently summoning Your Highness back to the capital."

"In my opinion..."

He looked around the hall, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and seeing that they were all Li Shimin’s direct confidants, he lowered his voice and said: "I fear there has been a change within the court!"

Although this was not stated explicitly, everyone knew the deep meaning behind it.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly solidified, and the air seemed to grow viscous, with only the crackling of the bursting candle wicks clearly audible.

Gu Quan, Gu Yan, and other members of the Gu Shizi sat as still as pine trees, yet they unconsciously tightened their grips on the swords at their waists.

"Fujie," Li Shimin rose abruptly, "do not make reckless conjectures. The journey from Lingnan is perilous; it was only because Father Emperor was concerned for my safety that he ordered my return to the capital."

His gaze swept over the crowd like a falcon, and he suddenly smiled, though his eyes concealed a sharp edge: "Perhaps upon this return to the capital, Father Emperor will appoint me as the Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy to command the armies of the world!"

The crowd remained silent.

Although Li Shimin’s face still wore a smile, the impression he gave was no longer as composed as it had been in the past.

How could Li Shimin not feel it himself?

History had already left behind too many examples, making it difficult for one not to harbor other thoughts.

But the promise Li Yuan had made in years past still left him with a sliver of hope.

The crowd remained silent.

No one dared to lay everything out in the open.

The sensitivity of such matters was something no one could afford to bear.

Perhaps Gu Quan could.

Given the high regard Li Shimin held for Gu Quan, combined with the status of the Gu family, he might be able to persuade Li Shimin, and even if everything were laid bare, it might not have any significant impact.

But it was a pity that Gu Quan would never agree to such things.

He was the eldest son of the Gu family, and his character destined him never to participate in matters concerning the foundation of the state.

Regarding this, the generals were also helpless.

The atmosphere throughout the army grew increasingly complex.

Just a few days later, Li Shimin led his subordinate generals and several hundred Black Armor cavalry, hurrying back to Changancheng.

Changancheng.

Li Yuan still held a grand celebration ceremony for Li Shimin, giving the impression that nothing had changed.

This did indeed soothe the hearts of many soldiers who had only seen the surface of the issue.

After all, who did not fear the "discarding of the bow once the birds are gone"?

In truth, Gu Yi could see that Li Shimin still held high expectations for the position of "Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy."

There was nothing wrong with that.

After all, Li Yuan had indeed made him a promise back then.

But in the current situation, such a so-called promise was destined to be in vain.

At the victory banquet.

Under Li Shimin’s gaze filled with expectation, Li Yuan ultimately only gave him three coin-casting furnaces.

Such a reward would be considered a heavy one for anyone else, as the wealth it could generate was unimaginable.

But for Li Shimin alone, it was different!

All the ambitions in his heart were completely shattered in that instant.

Having reached this point, if he still could not become the Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy of the Great Tang, would he have any other opportunities once the world was truly and completely unified?

This was a question that required no thought to answer.

Of course, Li Yuan naturally knew how to appease Li Shimin.

That very night, he summoned Li Shimin again and explained the reasons to him.

It was because Li Shimin had privately reached an alliance with the Turks, and the officials had accused him of having no sovereign or father, leaving Li Yuan with no choice but to shelve the appointment of the Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy.

When speaking these words, Li Yuan’s expression was so earnest.

It was just as it had been years ago when he patted Li Shimin on the shoulder and promised him that he would certainly be appointed as the "Great Tang Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy."

Li Shimin had believed him back then, but this time, he found it hard to believe again.

Yet what could he do?

Perhaps it was precisely because he had held such high expectations for this matter that when everything vanished into thin air, Li Shimin suddenly felt a sense of bewilderment.

But Li Jiancheng would not let this opportunity slip.

He took action one after another, even winning over the Prince of Qi, Li Yuanji, and using various means to send his own people to various regions to win over the remaining rebel kings.

This even included the Northern Frontier.

The Northern Frontier was definitely a piece of fat meat; ever since Gu Ye established the trade routes years ago, this land had effectively been completely integrated into the Nine Provinces.

Although its people still maintained their unique tribes.

Their culture had already been completely assimilated into the Nine Provinces.

Although the effect of their intervention would certainly not be as smooth as Li Shimin’s, everything went relatively smoothly under this rolling tide of events.

Beyond this, Li Jiancheng also began to strike at the Prince of Qin's Mansion.

He wanted to win over Li Shimin’s confidants!

Within ten days, the situation throughout Changancheng changed constantly.

Almost everyone in the court could sense the conflict between the Crown Prince's Donggong and the Prince of Qin's Mansion.

But Li Shimin had shown no reaction from beginning to end, and he even closed his doors to his brothers who came to see him.

In truth, this could not be blamed on Li Shimin.

From childhood to adulthood, his ambition had always been to become the second Gu Chen, and as he grew older, this ambition became increasingly intense.

Now, watching his long-held ambition seem to have no possibility of realization,

the blow it dealt him was unimaginable.

When all was said and done, Li Shimin was only a mere twenty-four years old.

—No one is perfect!

He had not yet fully grown into a state where he could calmly face everything.

He still needed to undergo a transformation.

The Prince of Qin's Mansion.

Princess Consort Zhangsun walked slowly into the courtyard, watching Li Shimin, who stood with his hands behind his back looking at the sky. She walked forward and stood by his side, and after a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke: "How much longer does Your Highness intend to remain silent?"

Li Shimin did not answer.

"Today, the Crown Prince has already submitted a memorial mentioning the marriage between Princess Pingyang and the General of the Left Guard," Princess Consort Zhangsun continued.

The General of the Left Guard was none other than Gu Yan.

Li Jiancheng was already urging Li Yuan to emulate Liu Xiu of the past and marry a princess into the Gu family, naturally intending to win over the Gu family by doing so.

That’s right, he had set his sights on Gu Quan.

As the eldest legitimate son of the Gu family;

if he could win over Gu Quan, it would definitely indirectly influence the judgment of the many Gu family descendants.

The influence of the Gu family in the court was not small.

With the many Gu family descendants skilled in internal affairs emerging one after another, although they could not yet compare to their peak, the significance represented by the Gu family was entirely different from other clans.

Hearing this, Li Shimin finally showed some change in expression, frowning slightly as he looked at Princess Consort Zhangsun.

"Your Highness, I would like to ask you a question."

Princess Consort Zhangsun did not avoid Li Shimin’s gaze in the slightest and spoke softly: "Could it be that Your Highness established such a grand ambition from childhood only because of the empty title of 'Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy'?"

Her voice was not loud, but it left Li Shimin stunned.

In this instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Everything he had seen in Julu;

everything he had seen while charging into battle over the past two years;

the blood and tears of the common people;

the corpses of the soldiers;

In truth, for many people, all that is needed at certain times is a simple point of guidance.

—Li Shimin was currently in such a state.

Gusts of breeze blew past continuously.

Looking at the gentle gaze of Princess Consort Zhangsun before him, Li Shimin remained silent for a long time, and that sense of bewilderment finally dissipated along with the countless thoughts.

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Princess Consort Zhangsun’s wrist, his eyes bright once more, and the corners of his mouth suddenly curled into a long-lost sharpness:

"Send someone to notify my brothers; tell them that I am hosting a banquet and invite them to come for a talk."

(End of chapter)