Chapter 42: Li Shimin's Eight Hundred Hidden Agendas

Could it be that he had to admit defeat? Was there really no other choice than to surrender?

Li Tai felt an overwhelming sense of reluctance. He was unwilling to just walk out of the Wude Hall and abandon the core of imperial power.

After all, deep within Li Tai's heart burned a fierce sense of mission. The position of Crown Prince—he, Li Tai, was fully capable of holding it, and he would undoubtedly do a far better job than Li Liichengqian.

This was his current conviction. At his core, he simply refused to acknowledge Li Chenghqian's superiority. Aside from the fact that Li Chenghqian was older than him, in Li Tai's eyes, Li Chenghqian was utterly worthless.

How could their Imperial Father lavish such deep affection on such a useless prince while casting all the other imperial sons aside?

What he failed to realize, however, was that life has never been fair. That much was decided the very moment one emerged from the womb. As a prince, he was already infinitely more fortunate than most; countless commoners lived lives of such desperate penury, reduced to bowing low into the very dust, yet still unable to fill their bellies.

This tragic reality ran through the entire fabric of feudal society.

There had never been a dynasty where the common people lived in true happiness—or at least, such a state remained exceptionally far removed from their ideals.

Li Shimin’s sudden move had caught Li Tai completely off guard. He had fought so hard to secure a foothold in the Wude Hall; to be driven out now would mean all his previous efforts had been in vain.

Naturally, this was an outcome Li Tai refused to accept. He would throw himself into the task with everything he had; come what may, he could not afford to give up.

Originally, he had been full of confidence regarding his future, but that confidence had now taken a severe blow. Not for any other reason, but because at this very moment, his Imperial Father’s trust in him had wavered.

With no other option, Li Tai raised his head, looked directly at Li Shimin, and gave his full agreement.

"Yes, Imperial Father. This son understands. This son will obey your command," Li Tai said, turning around to take his leave.

"Step back. There is one final thing I wish to say, and I give these words to you."

"Please speak, Imperial Father." Li Tai forced a semblance of composure and slowly raised his head.

"Regardless of the outcome this time, my only wish is for you brothers to live in harmony, for the elder to be loving and the younger respectful, and for none of you to do anything that would break my heart."

*Swish—*

These words carried immense weight.

Clever as Li Tai was, he naturally caught the deeper meaning hidden beneath the surface. His father’s intent was crystal clear: he must throw himself into the task with all his might without harboring any inappropriate ambitions, and he must obey his father's commands in everything.

As for Li Chenghqian and the others, Li Shimin’s stance was even more unambiguous. He was ordering Li Tai to halt all so-called underhanded tactics. As long as Li Shimin drew breath, no one was permitted to use illicit means against Li Chenghqian. Li Tai must respect and understand Li Chenghqian, Li Zhi, Li Liike, and the rest, maintaining proper relations with them.

This was the truest desire harbored deep within Li Shimin's heart. He had launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident himself, but he never wanted his sons to emulate it. Anyone who dared to try would certainly not be spared by Li Shimin.

Li Tai clenched his teeth, an overwhelming sense of resentment washing over him. He knew his time was running out. Whether he could secure ultimate victory could not depend solely on Li Chenghqian's so-called steam engine. If that contraption truly possessed the immense power Li Chenghqian claimed, wouldn't he, Li Tai, find himself in a terribly passive position?

Not only would he be beaten like a stray dog, but he might well end up lower than a dog. And for Li Tai, that would be the most fatal blow of all.

Lately, he felt he could no longer read Li Chenghqian. The impulsive, low-IQ Li Chenghqian of the past seemed to have vanished into thin air. Was this truly the Li Chenghqian he had always known?

At this moment, Li Tai sank into profound bewilderment. He needed to investigate this thoroughly; he could not simply let Li Chenghqian reap the benefits so easily.

"Yes, Imperial Father, this son will engrave your words on his heart," Li Tai hastily saluted, though his conscience pricked him, he still gave his compliance.

With supreme authority resting entirely in Li Shimin's hands, he had no choice but to agree.

Li Shimin nodded with satisfaction, believing he had successfully persuaded Li Tai, and waved his hand to signal his dismissal.

Li Tai hurried away; he still had a multitude of matters to attend to.

He quickly returned to the Wude Hall. This place was a veritable hotbed of intrigue, where every move was kept under Li Shimin's watchful surveillance.

Once back, Li Tai immediately summoned his most trusted confidants and began making frantic preparations.

This time, his resolve was absolute. His Imperial Father’s recent behavior had made Li Tai acutely aware of a terrifying crisis.

It was only at this juncture that he truly understood: as an imperial prince, no matter how immense his power or how great the favor he enjoyed, it all originated entirely from Li Shimin.

Once Li Shimin withdrew his favor and trust, he would rapidly descend into a fallen prince.

Should that day ever arrive, the end of Li Tai's days would truly be at hand.

Naturally, Li Tai would never permit such a day to come.

Especially today, Li Shimin's words had felt like a sharp blade piercing directly into his heart.

Li Tai threw himself into a frenzy of activity; for the sake of his future, he was ready to stop at nothing.

***

Initially, Li Shimin had not paid excessive attention to Li Tai, but the current state of affairs had finally aroused his suspicions.

After Li Tai departed, Li Shimin turned and walked back to his study.

Yet once inside, an ominous premonition gnawed at him. Li Tai would never willingly concede defeat.

Li Shimin could no longer afford to lower his guard; he had to take proactive measures, or the Great Tang Empire might well plunge into irrevocable ruin.

Especially at a time like this, when his Crown Prince, Li Chenghqian, was pouring all his energy into manufacturing the steam engine—a project of paramount importance to the shifting destiny of the Great Tang—Li Shimin dared not gamble the nation's future on a whim. All he could do now was halt the reckless schemes of Li Tai, Li Liike, and the others.

With this thought, Li Shimin could no longer remain seated. He slowly stood up.

"Someone come here!"

He suddenly shouted toward the door.

"Your Majesty, this servant is here," a eunuch hurried over with quick steps.

"Go at once and summon Yuchi Gong. I have matters to entrust to him."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Detecting a grave undertone in Li Shimin's gaze, the eunuch dared not delay for even a fraction of a second and turned to hurry away.

Before long, Yuchi Gong arrived, his belly protruding proudly.

"Your Majesty, you summoned me?" Yuchi Gong's voice boomed loudly.

"Take a seat, Duke of E." Li Shimin waved a hand.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yuchi Gong dropped heavily into a chair without ceremony.

Being a rough military man, Yuchi Gong was still entirely in the dark, having no inkling of what medicine Li Shimin was selling in his gourd or why he had been summoned.

"Do you know why I called you here?" Li Shimin asked first.

"This subject is dull-witted, and begs Your Majesty to enlighten me." Yuchi Gong half-rose from his seat and bowed.

"Sit... sit down," Li Shimin motioned with his hand. "When you are with me, there is no need for such rigid etiquette."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." Yuchi Gong slowly settled back down.

Even so, a faint trace of doubt began to creep into his mind.

For upon Li Shimin's face, he could read no clues whatsoever.

"Lately, I have been deeply troubled. My sons are locked in mutual suspicion and severe infighting. I want you to assign men to closely monitor Li Tai, Li Liike, and the others. Should there be the slightest suspicious movement, report it to me immediately."

"Your Majesty, this..." Yuchi Gong found himself in an extremely difficult position.

Though he was a rough man, that did not mean he lacked shrewdness. He saw through Li Shimin's intentions at a glance.

The task Li Shimin was handing him today was by no means a pleasant one.

Far from it—it was thoroughly dangerous, because this assignment could very well end up ruining his own prospects.

"What? You can't even handle a small task like this?" Li Shimin's expression darkened instantly.

A wave of displeasure washed over him. Yuchi Gong had never shown fear when slaughtering enemies on the battlefield; could he possibly cower before such a trivial domestic matter?

"N—No... Your Majesty, this subject... this subject..." Yuchi Gong stammered.

Clever as Li Shimin was, he understood the truth instantly.

Yuchi Gong was gripped by fear because these targets possessed the noble status of imperial princes.

No matter how formidable Yuchi Gong was, his prowess was directed outward against external foes. When it came to internal affairs—especially the emperor's own flesh and blood—he still possessed enough sense to weigh the gravity of the situation.

"Are you saying that because they are princes, you will find your hands tied and lack the courage to strike?" Li Shimin fixed a cold gaze on him.

Before the former Prince of Qin and Heavenly Khagan, Yuchi Gong's subtle thoughts were entirely transparent.

"Your Majesty is wise. They are all imperial princes, the people closest to Your Majesty. You might as well send me back to the battlefield to hack down enemies."

"Is this not a battlefield as well?"

Li Shimin's voice dropped into a heavy register as he stared at Yuchi Gong. "If I can select an upright heir for the Great Tang, will it not benefit the nation's future? Go forth and execute this without hesitation. I trust you; this task falls to you and you alone, for no one else could accomplish it."

In truth, Li Shimin was doing this deliberately.

This matter was entrusted to Yuchi Gong precisely because he was the only one in whom the emperor had full confidence; no one else could pull it off.

Only Yuchi Gong possessed that burning loyalty to strike wherever he was pointed, which was necessary to keep these arrogant princes in check.

Especially Li Tai, Li Chenghqian, and Li Liike—each of these young men possessed more fire and spirit than the last.

Princes with spirit were certainly desirable. Even an emperor required spirit; without it, one would be no different from a walking corpse.

Naturally, Li Shimin was well aware of what his sons were up to, knowing their temperaments and dispositions inside and out.

At this moment, he had resolved to go all out to stabilize the situation.

Yuchi Gong's expression tightened instantly. He understood that with his own skills, dealing with these princes would be child's play. Yet he also grasped a fundamental truth: no matter how formidable his abilities, he remained merely a subject of Li Shimin. If the sovereign commanded a minister to die, the minister had no choice but to perish.

With a look of profound reluctance and grievance, Yuchi Gong slowly raised his head and gazed at Li Shimin. "Since Your Majesty has issued the command, this subject shall obey the imperial decree."

"That's more like it! I knew I could count on my old Big Black. You are the only minister who matches my ideal, and I wouldn't dare entrust this to anyone else." Li Shimin chuckled, a rare smile breaking across his face.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this subject obeys." Yuchi Gong hastily accepted the order.

"Go and make your preparations. Keep a close watch on my sons—primarily Li Liike, Li Tai, and Li Zhi, and of course, my Crown Prince, Li Chenghqian."

Hearing this, Yuchi Gong felt his head swell to twice its size. How was he supposed to conduct this surveillance? Exactly *who* was he supposed to be watching?

"Does Your Majesty mean that *all* of these princes are to be monitored?" Yuchi Gong looked ready to cry, entirely helpless.

"Yes. Conduct it in secret, and make sure no one discovers you." Li Shimin waved a hand and turned his back. "You may withdraw."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yuchi Gong acknowledged the order hastily, turned, and hurried out of the imperial study.

At that moment, he felt utterly trapped and miserable...