Chapter 17: Li Ji Run
Zhangsun Guanyin has been married to Li Shimin for many years and knows him very well. Li Shimin obviously has something else in his words. "What does Erlang want to say?"
Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then looked at Changsun Guanyinbi, "You said, Yuanji recruited Ling Jing, was it for self-protection or for that position?"
Li Shimin didn't care at all whether Li Yuanji's recruiting of Ling Jing would anger Li Yuan or be punished by Li Yuan. All he cared about was the position.
The maidservant of Changsun Guanyin asked thoughtfully, "What is the talent and virtue of Ling Jing?"
Li Shimin recalled and said frankly: "Ling Jing was Dou Jiande's counselor and also Dou Jiande's Imperial College Priest. During the Battle of Hulao Pass, he came up with a brilliant plan for Dou Jiande.
Dou Jiande believed the slander of the villain and did not adopt this brilliant plan.
Otherwise, it would take me more time to defeat Dou Jiande.
After Ling Jing surrendered to me, Li Tang, he quietly worked as a herdsman raising horses, but he was always thinking about Dou Jiande's orphan. "
Changsun Guanyin nodded and said, "He is indeed a man of both talent and virtue."
Although Ling Jing was a minister of the Tang Dynasty and still had feelings for his old master, it was not a good thing for the Tang Dynasty.
But after Dou Jiande fell into trouble, Ling Jingneng still cared about Dou Jiande's orphans.
This shows that Ling Jing is a loyal person.
Anyone who is loyal deserves praise.
Li Shimin said frankly: "I also thought about recruiting Ling Jing, but after Liu Heita rebelled, my father hated Dou Jiande's former subordinates.
In order to avoid being rejected by my father, I had no choice but to give up. ”
The maid of the eldest grandson Guanyin pondered and said, “Yuanji first cleared out the Wude Hall, and then risked being to recruit Ling Jing.
If he was thinking about that position, it would be a loss if he was disliked by his father because of Ling Jing.
If he wanted to protect himself, there are countless talented people in the Tang Dynasty who are worth recruiting. He doesn't need to recruit Ling Jing."
Although the throne of the Li Tang Dynasty should nominally be inherited by Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, the final decision-making power lies in the hands of Li Yuan.
Li Yuan’s attitude is crucial to who becomes the emperor.
If Li Yuanji really wanted that position, and offended Li Yuan in order to recruit Ling Jing, it would obviously be a case of losing the big picture for the small.
Changsun Guanyin looked at Li Shimin and said, "I can't tell whether Yuanji is doing this for self-protection or for that position. But Erlang should have the answer in his mind, right?"
Li Shimin nodded and then shook his head.
Under the suspicious gaze of Changsun Guanyin's maid, Li Shimin sighed, "Pei Ji has done great harm to people..."
Changsun Guanyin's maid asked in confusion: "Where did Erlang get this from?"
Li Shimin sighed, "Father was angry because he failed to punish me in Liangyi Hall before. Pei Ji saw this and deliberately told his father that Yuanji was brave and resourceful, implying that Yuanji could take on great responsibilities.
The father should be moved.
Yuanji should have seen through his father's thoughts, but he had no way to escape his father's control, so he could only recruit talented people to protect himself. "
Changsun Guanyin knew Li Shimin very well. She couldn't help but say, "As long as Yuanji closes the door of his mansion and never asks about worldly affairs, you and the prince should be able to allow Yuanji to be a peaceful prince, right?"
Li Shimin smiled bitterly and said , "The problem lies in what Pei Ji said. He praised Yuanji for his courage and wisdom. Even if Yuanji stays indoors, my father will force him out if he can't control me.
Even if he ignores his father, with Pei Ji's words, even if I know that he is being plotted against by Pei Ji, I will still be on guard against him, and the prince will also be on guard against him."
At this point, Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "Once the fight between the prince and I reaches a critical juncture, in order to prevent Yuanji from taking advantage, we will definitely join forces to get rid of him first."
Li Shimin did not hide the fact that he was on guard against Li Yuanji, and his words were very ruthless.
Li Shimin had been on horseback for many years and knew how to deal with the enemy. He could not take chances, nor could he be merciful.
It is better to kill someone by mistake than to let him go.
If you are soft-hearted for a moment, you may very likely end up on the guillotine.
Changsun Guanyin's maid said with an unpleasant expression: "Pei Ji really did a lot of harm to others..."
Just a simple sentence pushed Li Yuanji into the depths of the vortex and created an enemy for Li Shimin.
The maid of Changsun Guanyin looked at Li Shimin and said, "So it doesn't matter whether Yuanji is thinking about that position or not. It doesn't matter what his intention is in recruiting Ling Jing. He is destined to be your enemy."
Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then said, "Not necessarily. The war in Hebei is very unfavorable. Li Shiji has already been defeated, and the Prince of Huai'an is also in danger.
I have a feeling that the day of my departure is not far away.
As long as my father is willing to fulfill his promise and make me the crown prince.
I will test whether Yuanji is eyeing that position or is just trying to protect himself.
If he covets that position, I will take action to deal with him and drive him to a closed country.
If it is for my own protection, I will let him rest assured."
In Li Shimin's heart, Li Jiancheng will always be his biggest rival, followed by Li Yuan, and then Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji only recruited Ling Jing, but he didn't take him seriously.
He could rub Ling Jing's old master to the ground, and he could also rub Ling Jing's new master to the ground.
The difference is that it takes some effort to deal with the former, but it takes no effort at all to deal with the latter.
Changsun Guanyin's maid was a little confused. Li Shimin talked for a long time, and it seemed that he had said everything, but it also seemed that he had said nothing.
Changsun Guanyin knew Li Shimin well, and she knew that Li Shimin would not talk nonsense to her, so she asked, "Then what are you going to do?"
You can't just wait for the war in Hebei to fail and then lead the troops to war, right?
That's not Li Shimin's style.
Li Shimin smiled and said, "With Yuanji in front, I can recruit Dou Jiande's old subordinates. Even if my father is unhappy, he won't say anything. I have been coveting Dou Jiande's brother-in-law Cao Dan for a long time."
Cao Dan was the brother of Dou Jiande's wife and a general under Dou Jiande.
After Dou Jiande was defeated, Cao Dan, Pei Ju and others led their people back to the Tang Dynasty and presented the eight seals of the country.
Cao Dan was rewarded for his contribution in presenting the Eight Seals of the Empire, so Li Yuan spared his life when he killed Dou Jiande.
But he was a relative of Dou Jiande, and his life was not easy after Dou Jiande's death.
After Liu Heita rebelled, his life became even more miserable.
His official rank was downgraded again and again by Li Yuan, and now he is only a county magistrate.
He hid in his house all day, feeling extremely worried.
Li Shimin had seen Cao Dan's abilities and had long had his eyes on Cao Dan, but due to Li Yuan's attitude, he could only covet him but not recruit him.
Now that Li Yuanji has taken the lead, Li Shimin doesn't mind taking advantage of this favorable situation to recruit Cao Dan into his army.
When Changsun Guanyin heard what Li Shimin said, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "You, you, as an elder brother, actually took advantage of your younger brother."
Li Shimin smiled nonchalantly and said, "He followed me on the expeditions in the past and took advantage of me a lot. It is only right for me to take advantage of him once."
Changsun Guanyin's maid had no temper with Li Shimin and simply ignored him.
…
Wude Hall.
Li Yuanji didn't know yet that his two dear brothers, one was preparing to measure him, and the other was preparing to take advantage of him behind his back.
After Li Yuanji sent away Ling Jing, who had played with Dou Qian for half an hour, it was already dark.
The drum in the Drum Tower has sounded three times.
There was also a curfew in Chang'an City.
Li Yuanji washed up and prepared to go to bed.
Liu Jun hurried into the main hall of Wude Hall.
"Your Highness, everyone is summoned."
Liu Jun didn't even bother to salute and just kept shouting.
When Li Yuanji saw Liu Jun in a hurry, he knew that Li Yuan had already known about Liu Jun's recruitment of Ling Jing and was preparing to deal with him.
Li Yuanji lay straight on the bed, closed his eyes and said, "I'm already asleep, let's talk tomorrow."
Liu Jun was so shocked by Li Yuanji's reaction that he was speechless.
Can we wait for the summons?!
Liu Jun hurriedly urged, "Your Highness, everyone is angry. If you go too late, everyone will kill people!"
Li Yuanji subconsciously wanted to say "kill him if you want", but before he could say it, he immediately realized something.
He made a mistake, and if Li Yuan wanted to kill someone, he would most likely target someone in his house.
The talent in his house had just changed, and he didn't want to change again.
Li Yuanji got up reluctantly, dressed neatly, got on the sedan chair and followed Liu Jun to Ganlu Palace.
The Ganlu Hall is located in the imperial garden behind the Liangyi Hall.
You can go through the Ganlu Gate behind the Liangyi Hall, or you can go through the back door of the Wude Hall.
The back door of Wude Hall leads directly to the Imperial Garden.
Liu Jun took Li Yuanji out of the back door of Wude Hall.
The second time Li Yuanji met Li Yuan was still late at night.
I still couldn't see the magnificence of the Ganlu Temple clearly, I could only see its outline roughly.
Li Yuanji got off the sedan chair and walked up the steps of Ganlu Hall. When he reached the entrance of Ganlu Hall, he saw Li Yuan standing in front of the throne with a sword in his hand and a ferocious look on his face.
Li Yuanji turned around and left without saying a word.
Li Yuan rushed to the door barefoot, holding a sword in hand, and shouted angrily, "Rebellious son! How dare you run!"
A group of eunuchs and maids were worried that Li Yuan would catch a cold, so they hurriedly chased after him.
When Li Yuanji heard Li Yuan's angry shout, he ran even faster.
Li Yuan rushed out of Ganlu Palace. Li Yuanji had already boarded the sedan chair and urged the palace servants who were carrying it to get out of the way quickly.
Seeing that he could not catch up, Li Yuan immediately ordered, "Capture that rebellious son for me!"
The first time Li Yuanji heard Li Yuan call himself "I", he felt very majestic.
The Qianniu Beishen and palace guards in front of Ganlu Palace were all impressed by Li Yuan's majesty and pounced on Li Yuanji fiercely.
Before Li Yuanji's sedan chair had gone ten steps, two Qianniu guards who looked familiar to Li Yuanji had already rushed in front of him.
As Li Yuanji looked astonished, the two Qianniu soldiers bowed to Li Ji and pulled him towards him.
"Your Highness, I'm sorry!"
Li Yuanji dodged and one of the Qianniu guards was thrown out, while the other one held him tightly.
Li Yuanji was still struggling, but more Qianniu soldiers rushed in front of him and held down his limbs.
Li Yuanji was carried in front of Li Yuan with a look of despair on his face.
When the Qianniu guards put him down, he still threatened, "You all wait!"
Li Yuan's hair and beard stood on end, and he was furious. He roared at Li Yuanji, "Rebellious son! Do you still have me in your eyes?!"
