Chapter 52: Li You's Matter is Quite Tricky

In Li Shimin's imperial bedchamber, Zhangsun Wuji had come to report a matter of the utmost importance.

"Speak quickly, Lord Zhangsun," Li Shimin said, sitting steadily as he looked at him.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhangsun Wuji knelt to the ground, but before speaking, he glanced at Li Chengqian with a hint of hesitation.

"Rise first. Chengqian is your nephew, and also the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Empire; there is no need to conceal anything from him." Seeing Zhangsun Wuji's reservations, Li Shimin smiled slightly.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this subject obeys." Only then did Zhangsun Wuji stand up. Looking earnestly at Li Shimin, he slowly began, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Qi is nearing the capital. The guards escorting him report that along the way, he remained unrepentant and defiant, relying on his status as an imperial prince..."

"Say no more..." Li Shimin stood up, interrupting Zhangsun Wuji. "This rebellious son is far too audacious. Pass down the order: once the Prince of Qi is brought to the capital, he is to be imprisoned directly and handed over to the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review for preliminary interrogation. I shall go there myself when I have time."

Li Shimin's expression was exceedingly grim. Yet from these mere words, Li Chengqian could already perceive that while Li Shimin could endure almost anything else, this act of treason had completely broken his heart.

At this moment, Li Chengqian could understand Li Shimin to a certain extent. To be an emperor, only to have your own biological son rebel against you—what a profound irony this was.

Furthermore, Li Shimin had been firmly seated on the throne for so many years, and he had always treated Li You, the Prince of Qi, with great kindness. He had exhorted him earnestly on numerous occasions and given him so many chances, yet the youth remained incorrigible.

Even if the Heavenly Khagan, Li Shimin, truly harbored the intent to kill this time, it was entirely understandable.

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian grew detached. He understood that inventions such as the train were his top priority right now; as for the rebellion of the Prince of Qi, it was best left to the Heavenly Khagan to handle.

"Your Majesty, if this is done, what of the imperial dignity..." Zhangsun Wuji fretted with concern.

"Of course I know of imperial dignity, but this rebellious son does not. He has disgraced me utterly. Time and again I gave him chances, yet he remained stubbornly blind, turning a deaf ear to my well-intentioned advice."

Li Shimin was extremely angry, the veins on his face throbbing visibly.

It was evident that Li Shimin was heartbroken over the Prince of Qi's treason, yet he also felt entirely helpless.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this subject understands." Zhangsun Wuji prepared to withdraw.

"Wait. Once he is brought to the capital, have him placed under secret confinement first. There is no need to send him to the Court of Judicial Review." Li Shimin waved his hand in resignation.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhangsun Wuji's anxiety turned to relief as he hastily consented. This was much better, sparing him from a terribly awkward dilemma.

"You may go. Conduct the interrogation in secret; do not let outsiders know of this. Although I am well aware that walls have ears, we must conceal it for as long as possible." Li Shimin spoke as he slowly closed his eyes and sat back down, his expression desolate.

This was entirely normal. Given such an occurrence, Li Shimin bore the dual burden of being the Emperor of the Great Tang and the father of Li You; Li Chengqian could empathize completely with his helplessness.

As a father himself by this point, Li Chengqian recalled the expression on Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan's face after the Xuanwumen Incident, and he finally grasped the hidden hardships of his own father, Li Shimin.

No matter how profound the agony, he could not speak of it. At most, he could mention it to someone as close as Zhangsun Wuji. As for others—let alone speaking of it—even if someone merely hinted at it, Li Shimin would have nowhere to hide his aged face in shame.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this subject will take his leave." Zhangsun Wuji said, turning to depart.

"Go." Li Shimin weakly opened his eyes and waved his hand.

Zhangsun Wuji left the imperial bedchamber and withdrew.

The helplessness Li Shimin felt at this moment defied description; his heart felt as though it were being pierced by knives. His own biological son had openly rebelled, pointing the spearhead directly at him—what an immense irony.

He had to handle this matter properly. Once mishandled, it would leave severe lingering repercussions.

Li Shimin still had several other sons. Should they follow this precedent, the consequences would be unimaginable, yet he could not slaughter all his sons either.

Even a fierce tiger would not devour its cubs, let alone the Heavenly Khagan Li Shimin, who was not only the emperor of the Great Tang but also the father of Li You.

Such conflicting roles made Li Shimin feel utterly unworthy of himself, wishing he could simply find a hole in the ground and crawl into it.

This was the failure of a father, and also the failure of the Heavenly Khagan of the Great Tang—to govern the realm so well, only for his own son to openly oppose him.

This blow was far too heavy for Li Shimin.

Li Shimin, who had once held such great hopes for the future, aged noticeably in an instant, as though half a century had passed him by.

Li Chengqian picked up the teacup from the table, poured a cup of water, and brought it to Li Shimin, his voice gentle. "Father, calm your anger and have a cup of water."

It was this momentary gentleness that gradually pacified Li Shimin's displeasure. He reached out, took the cup, took a light sip, and then set it back upon the table.

"Chengqian, am I, as an emperor and as a father, truly such a failure?"

Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian with a solemn expression.

A jolt ran through Li Chengqian's heart. This was not a question that should be posed to him; after all, he too was his son and his subject.

Yet, if Li Shimin did not ask him, whom else could he ask?

Ask Qingque?

Qingque had just moved out of the Wude Palace, burning with a bellyful of rage; he was quite likely to directly talk back to Li Shimin.

As for the other imperial princes, they were still too young. Thus, the confidants available to Li Shimin were exceedingly few.

And he himself was currently greatly favored, especially regarding the steam engine project, which Li Shimin took to heart and strongly supported. For the time being at least, the two of them remained quite united.

Such was the awkward predicament of the present. Not only was Li Shimin ill at ease, but sons like Li Tai and Li Chengqian also found themselves in an awkward position.

A brand-new Xuanwumen Incident of the Great Tang Empire was beginning to unfold. Although this time it would not cause massive bloodshed, it had thoroughly sickened Li Shimin. Who could comprehend the bitter sorrow in his heart?

With this realization, Li Chengqian understood that he must soothe his father's weather-beaten heart.

"Father, whether as an emperor or as a father, you are the most successful of all. Li You has always been arrogant, domineering, and unruly; this is his own doing, but..."

Li Chengqian trailed off, abruptly closing his mouth as if harboring some unspeakable difficulty.

Hearing these words, Li Shimin felt slightly comforted, but Li Chengqian's dangling word—"but"—instantly piqued his curiosity.

"Chengqian, what is that 'but' you speak of?" Li Shimin hastily pursued the matter.

"Father, this son does not dare to speak..." Li Chengqian hesitated, clamping his mouth shut once more.

"Speak. No matter what you say, I will not blame you. This is not the imperial court; today, you and I are merely father and son."

"Yes, Father. Then this son shall speak candidly." Li Chengqian puckered his lips, deciding to lay everything bare, and looked at Li Shimin with absolute sincerity. "Father, this son believes that the rebellion of the Prince of Qi can be viewed as either a major issue or a minor one."

"What? Such a massive matter as treason, and it can be viewed as either major or minor?" Unable to believe his ears, Li Shimin pressed further.

"Father, please forgive me." Li Chengqian looked at Li Shimin with lingering trepidation.

"Go on. Did I not say that today you and I are father and son, not ruler and subject? Anything may be spoken of."

"Father, you are right. You and Li You are both ruler and subject, and father and son. Viewed from the perspective of ruler and subject, Li You's rebellion is undoubtedly a matter of the highest magnitude, and Li You is guilty of a capital offense."

"Yet viewed from the perspective of father and son, there is still room for maneuver in this matter concerning Li You."

Li Shimin was left bewildered. He picked up the teacup from the table, gulped down several mouthfuls, and widened his eyes. "Chengqian, continue. How is there room for maneuver?"

Li Chengqian smiled slightly, instantly understanding that Li Shimin was looking for a graceful exit, yet the affair was indeed difficult to handle. From the perspective of the ministers, the matter was not complex at all: Li You had rebelled, which was a capital crime, and executing him would naturally silence all dissenting voices.

Yet from the depths of Li Shimin's own heart, he still wished to spare Li You's life. No matter what Li You had done, he was still his son.

Reflecting upon this, Li Chengqian raised his head and looked at Li Shimin to continue his persuasion. "Father, if the ministers or the Court of Judicial Review are allowed to try this case, the nature of the crime will be set in stone: Li You will undoubtedly die, with no room for reversal."

"True, what you say is correct. Have I not refrained from handing this case over to the Court of Judicial Review?" A glimmer of hope sparked within Li Shimin's eyes.

"Father is wise, possessing the discernment to distinguish the finest details, thus leaving a path of retreat for yourself, as well as a path for Li You. Father can entirely issue an imperial pardon for Li You, stripping him of his royal status to become a commoner, and banishing him directly to some desolate frontier to fend for himself, or else confine him permanently within the capital. Of course, to make the ministers shut their mouths, banishment to the desolate frontier is the only way."

Li Shimin argued his case logically, pouring out all his thoughts.

At this moment, Li Chengqian thought of his own historical rebellion, during which his father had acted in precisely this manner.

Only, he had been the Crown Prince, whereas Li You was merely the Prince of Qi; their respective weights in Li Shimin's heart were certainly not on the same level.

Li Shimin slowly closed his eyes in silence, sinking into deep contemplation.

Li Chengqian understood that his father was terribly conflicted at this moment. Even though he was the emperor, it did not necessarily mean he could freely pardon Li You.

Treason was inherently a crime punishable by the extermination of the nine familial branches. Even though Li You was an imperial prince and a vassal lord, there was another principle: a prince who breaks the law is punished the same as a commoner. This single rule alone had already sealed Li You's fate.

After a long moment of reflection, Li Shimin opened his eyes, looked earnestly at Li Chengqian, and murmured, "This rebellious son—had he made any demand of me, I could have granted it. As long as he left me some leeway, I could have considered giving him another chance, even if it meant changing his fief so he could continue being his carefree prince. But he drove things to extremes; how am I to manage this?"

Li Shimin's gaze began to dim, for he truly could not find a single justification to excuse Li You's grave crime.

"Father, this son has a suggestion that can spare Li You's life, though it requires a single decree from you." Seeing Li Shimin's distress, Li Chengqian suddenly raised his head.

Hearing these words, the dim light in Li Shimin's eyes suddenly brightened. He stood up from his seat and eagerly questioned:

"Chengqian, speak quickly! I need a reason that can convince the ministers."