The night is dark and everything is silent.
Chang'an, this ancient and majestic capital city, is like a tired giant falling into a recuperating sleep in the dark night, and like the Cangshan Mountain towering thousands of feet, it looks strangely beautiful before a storm hits the world. of tranquility.
Recently, the atmosphere in Chang'an has been very unusual. All the reasons are due to a nonsense made by an ignorant and troublesome person at a banquet.
This man was the former Beiting Khan of the Western Turks who had just surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and came to Chang'an.
After returning to the Tang Dynasty, he was named the Prince of Heshan County and enjoyed treatment that was better than that of a Duke, which made him somewhat overjoyed. So he drank a few more drinks at the state banquet hosted by Li Shimin. Because he was not familiar with the principles of Zhongyuan and made a gaffe after drinking, he actually regarded Li Tai, the king of Wei who came to toast, as the "prince" in public, and made lavish tributes to him. Be affectionate in order to gain prosperity and peace in the rest of your life.
But the problem is that the King of Wei is only the King of Wei, not the prince!
So on the spot, many people's expressions changed, and Wei King Li Tai was even more frightened. He almost knelt down to Yugu She and begged him to stop flattering him.
One of the most acute issues in Datang today was finally exposed by an outsider. So some ministers took advantage of the situation to speak to Li Shimin. They used ancient metaphors to describe the present, quoted from other sources, and spoke at length and tirelessly. In fact, they only had one idea - it was time for the Tang Dynasty to establish a crown prince!
The implicit message of the ministers is nothing more than: Emperor, you still haven’t decided on the prince, isn’t it making things difficult for us ministers? —You’re not in a hurry, we are! Now that the war is over, it's time to take care of the internal affairs of the court. Now all the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty are faced with the big question of life and death. No one wants to stand on the wrong side now and be purged in the future!
Li Shimin also knew that paper could not cover up the fire after all, and contradictions and problems could not be covered up blindly. It’s time to solve the biggest hidden danger and crisis since the Zhenguan Dynasty!
"within one year."
Li Shimin expressed his position in public for the first time and gave a deadline for establishing the crown prince.
This year is destined to be the most special and important year since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. It will determine the life and death of many people, as well as the future direction and national destiny of the Tang Dynasty.
For this reason, Li Shimin could not sleep at night. After tossing and turning until late at night, he simply put on his clothes and got up, preparing to sit in the study.
When I arrived at the study, I found there were lights and figures inside. When he went in, he saw that her baby daughter, Xiao Sizi, was drawing something on the table, with two maids waiting beside her.
"Your Majesty!" When Gong E saw Li Shimin, she hurriedly knelt down.
"Father!" Xiao Sizi shouted happily, and threw himself into Li Shimin's arms with a smile.
"It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?" Li Shimin asked, stroking Xiao Sizi's head lovingly.
"Your Majesty can't sleep!" Xiao Sizi blinked her big, lively eyes and said seriously, "Your Majesty misses his mother!"
Li Shimin was stunned and speechless for a moment. He carried Xiao Sizi and walked to the desk to see what she had just painted.
It was originally expected that Xiao Sizi would paint the portrait of Empress Changsun, but unexpectedly, the painting showed a general riding a big horse.
Although Xiao Sizi is only ten years old, he has been very smart and talented since he was a child, especially in painting and calligraphy. As early as two years ago, at the age of eight, she was able to imitate Li Shimin's "Fei Bai Shu" calligraphy so vividly that it was difficult to tell whether it was authentic or not. In the past two years, she began to learn painting from the palace painter, and she has learned a masterful painting technique, which is amazing.
Li Shimin just glanced at it and knew at a glance who Xiao Sizi was painting.
Because she looks so similar. If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, it would be hard to believe that this painting was painted by a ten-year-old girl.
"Nice painting, little Sizi." Li Shimin chuckled, put down little Sizi and said, "Tell me, father, why did you stay up in the middle of the night and go to the study to draw his portrait?"
"Because Huang Er, I also miss the village chief..." Xiao Sizi pouted slightly and said aggrievedly, "Huang Er originally wanted to draw a portrait of his mother, but Huang Er... couldn't remember his mother's appearance. These days, Huang'er has been alone in Penglai Hall, and even Ninth Brother doesn't come to accompany me. At night, Huang'er is lonely and scared, and he misses the village chief. In the past, Huang'er would miss the village chief. My son is not afraid of anything, he can be very happy, listen to his stories, let him take me and Brother Jiu to play... Father, where has the village chief gone? He hasn't come to visit the emperor for a long time! "
These words made Li Shimin feel inexplicably sad. He thought to himself: I have been working hard to be a good emperor and a good father. But in the end, I still lacked care for my children and was a terrible father. Now, Sanlang, Qingque, and Zhinu are brothers who are at odds with each other because of the crown prince's issue; even the innocent little Sizi is left alone...
"Father, why don't you speak?" Xiao Sizi asked softly.
"He... will be back soon." Li Shimin smiled reluctantly and said, "Xiao Sizi, when you get a few years older, your father will choose a good consort for you. Then you won't be lonely or lonely. I’ll be scared.”
The childish little Sizi clapped his hands and laughed: "Okay! Let the village chief be the consort! Your Majesty, I like him the most!"
"..." Li Shimin was startled for a moment, and then he laughed, "How can that be done? He is your consort of Princess Gaoyang!"
"What does that have to do with it?" Xiao Sizi smiled innocently and said happily: "I also like Sister Gaoyang very much, just let me marry the village chief with her!"
"Haha!" Li Shimin was amused and laughed loudly, "When you grow up, you won't think so."
"Father..." Xiao Sizi's expression suddenly changed, and he begged pitifully, "Can you let the village chief be my consort? Do you know that the emperor, except for his father, Ninth Brother and Ninth Brother, doesn't remember his appearance? There is no one I like anymore. Now that the mother is gone, the emperor is busy with state affairs all day long, and the ninth brother has also moved to the palace outside the palace. Little Sizi is alone in Penglai Palace. It is really pitiful. , So pitiful... Only the village chief loves me the most. When I am around him, my heart always feels warm, just like being with my father. "
"Haha..." Li Shimin stroked Xiao Sizi's head and smiled.
There is unspeakable love, shame and sadness in the smile.
"Father, please call the village chief back for you, okay?"
"Okay!" Xiao Sizi clapped his hands happily.
"But..." Li Shimin stood up, walked thoughtfully a few times, and whispered meaningfully, "He may not be willing to come back now..."
The night is getting deeper.
Li Shimin came to Hongwen Hall. The prime minister who stayed on duty today was Fang Xuanling. He was a little surprised to see the emperor visiting the Hongwen Pavilion in the middle of the night and hurriedly greeted him.
"Your Majesty, why have you come to Hongwen Hall so late at night before you go to bed?" Fang Xuanling asked.
"I have a lot of things on my mind and can't sleep, so I just go out for a walk." Li Shimin said easily, "Xuanling, come and chat with me!"
"yes… "
The monarch and his ministers came to sit down in the official office where Fang Xuanling usually took care of official business. Li Shimin looked around and said, "Xuanling, you are already old. From now on, this kind of night shift will be handed over to younger subordinates. do it!"
"It doesn't matter, we all are used to it." Fang Xuanling replied with a smile.
"Well..." Li Shimin seemed to have a thousand things to say, but he didn't know where to start. After a moment of silence, he said, "Is there any news about Xi'an recently?"
"Your Majesty, since Beiting Khan returned to Tang Dynasty in Yugu, there has been no major news in the Western Regions. No major events have happened in Lanzhou and Luoche, and everything is peaceful." Fang Xuanling replied, "On the contrary, there is no major news in Liaodong. , Goguryeo seems to have made some changes, and wants to unite with Baekje to use troops against Silla. The King of Jiangxia, who has just returned to the Youzhou Governor's Office and resumed his duties, sent a memorial to ask the court if it needs to respond? "
"Are the Koreans dishonest again?" Li Shimin snorted in annoyance, "They must have seen that the Tang Dynasty's military fronts have been lengthened in recent years, and they must have no time to look eastward, so they can take the opportunity to annex the Silla Unified Peninsula. In fact, A few years ago, I thought about conquering Goryeo personally and eliminating future troubles for future generations, but there was always something that delayed it. Now, Li Ji has destroyed Xue Yantuo and conquered the northern desert. Tubo conquered the Western Regions and was free to deal with Goguryeo!"
"Your Majesty..." Fang Xuanling hesitated, looking troubled.
Li Shimin smiled and said: "I know what you want to say. Don't worry, within three years, I will not let the Tang Dynasty have another war. The Northern Expedition, the Pingfan and the Western Expedition have already emptied the treasury. The people are suffering from it. If we don’t practice martial arts now, the Tang Dynasty’s wealth will be wiped out, and the world will be in chaos. Even if it has a territory of thousands of miles, it will be weak. "
"Your Majesty is wise!" Fang Xuanling breathed a sigh of relief and said, "When Wu of the Han Dynasty drove the Huns from the north to the Western Regions, the army of the Han Dynasty was booming. However, due to the lack of soldiers all year round, the country's power was empty and the people were miserable. Later, too The one who caused great disaster..."
Li Shimin's eyes lit up and he smiled and said, "Xuanling, do you have something to say to me?"
"Your Majesty, there is no..."
"Haha!" Li Shimin laughed, "What you just said about 'causing great disasters', doesn't it mean the 'disaster of witchcraft' caused by Wu Wu in the later years of Han Dynasty?"
Fang Xuanling's face changed slightly, and she hurriedly handed over her hands to plead guilty, "Wei Chen did not mean this!"
Li Shimin waved his hand and said with an easy-going smile: "The witchcraft disaster in the late Han Dynasty led to the death and suffering of the queen, the prince and countless ministers. You are not wrong to learn from the past and mock the present. The East Palace is the future and foundation of the country, and the East Palace is the future and foundation of the country. If it is not solid, people's hearts will be unstable, which will lead to great disaster for the country. I know that now is the time to choose a prince for Datang."
Fang Xuanling didn't dare to say anything.
"What has King Wei been doing recently? I haven't seen him come to court yet." Li Shimin suddenly asked.
"I don't know, Wei Chen. Recently, Wei Chen has not seen King Wei at the Hongwen Pavilion." Fang Xuanling answered truthfully, "Maybe... he is sick? Otherwise, King Wei will not come to court."
Li Shimin smiled calmly, "He must be suffering from the disease of the East Palace!"
Fang Xuanling smiled bitterly, "Since Your Majesty knows this, why do you want so many people to suffer from the East Palace disease?"
Li Shimin also smiled bitterly, "Why don't I have this disease? This strange disease has been bothering me in the Tang Dynasty for several years, and it has never been cured."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking out. When you are sick, whether it is cured or not is one thing; whether it is cured or not is another matter. In any case, there is always hope if it is cured. If it is not cured..." Fang Xuanling Stop with one word.
"That's the point." Li Shimin nodded in agreement, "Now, I have to work hard to cure this disease. But this disease has been lingering for a long time and is difficult to cure! It has to be cured. Several doses of strong medicine; when it comes to last resort, even... cut the flesh to mend the sore! "
Fang Xuanling's heart suddenly jumped, a look of horror flashed in his eyes, and he asked cautiously, "The strong medicine your Majesty refers to..."
Li Shimin's eyes narrowed, his expression became confused and helpless, he sighed softly and said: "I have always hoped to cure this disease through nursing and comforting, but I didn't expect that it is getting worse and worse, and it has reached the point where it is terminally ill. If this disease is not cured, the Tang Dynasty will be in chaos, and the world will also be in chaos. All the efforts we have made before and everything we have now will be in vain... I have no choice. I’m going to dig up the meat here to patch up the sores of my Tang Dynasty court!”
As he spoke, Li Shimin pointed to his chest.
Fang Xuanling's expression suddenly froze, and her hands and feet felt cold.
At this moment, a terrible thought emerged in Fang Xuanling's mind - His Majesty the Emperor is going to dig out his own flesh and blood... This should mean that there will be at least two of the three of King Wei, King Wu and King Jin. , will suffer great harm!
"What a... cut out the flesh to mend the sores!" Fang Xuanling sighed deeply, "Your Majesty, a humble minister is also a father. To make such a decision... "
Li Shimin waved his hand to signal Fang Xuanling not to continue. He shook his head with a wry smile, "I, do you have any other choice?"