Chapter 3: What It Means to Kill and Destroy the Heart [Please Bookmark the New Book]

"Well said! Well said indeed!"

After a burst of laughter, Li Shimin looked Li Chengqian up and down with satisfaction, smiling as he said, "I praise you not because you are my son, nor because what you said was truly profound, but because you are the first person since my accession to dare to point out my shortcomings to my face. For that alone, I forgive your earlier act of disrespect!"

He then gestured toward the officials and continued, "I know that many of you wish to speak but dare not. Today, I want you all to know that in the future, you should speak your minds freely in this court without hesitation. Do you understand my meaning?"

"This..." The officials looked at one another and replied in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Li Shimin nodded with a smile and waved his hand to signal the guards to withdraw. Shortly after, an official in charge of court order approached with quick, small steps and led Li Chengqian to the very last seat in the court, where he knelt down.

Seeing that Li Chengqian was safe, Zhangsun Wuji wiped a cold sweat from his brow, preparing to strike while the iron was hot and propose that Li Chengqian be formally named Crown Prince. But just then, another official stepped forward, holding his tablet, and said, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Zhongshan spoke with righteous candor, and I have also had a realization. There is a matter upon which I humbly request Your Majesty’s wise judgment."

"Hmm?" Li Shimin paused, scrutinizing the official. "Who are you? Why have I never seen you before?"

"Uh..." The official’s mouth twitched, and he replied with an embarrassed expression, "I am Sun Fujia, recently transferred to the capital from the provinces."

"Oh..." Li Shimin nodded in realization and waved his hand. "What is it you wish to say? Let us hear it."

"Your Majesty," Sun Fujia bowed and said, "I believe the matter of the former Crown Prince and the former Prince of Qi has not been formally concluded in terms of status. Since Your Majesty wishes to settle the minds of the people, I believe we should bestow proper titles upon them. This would provide a definitive conclusion for the sake of history and the nation."

Li Shimin’s expression darkened for a fleeting moment before he nodded. "That is a reasonable point."

"However," he continued, his tone shifting, "I am not well-versed in the settling of posthumous titles. Although the former Crown Prince and the former Prince of Qi were demoted to commoners by the Retired Emperor, they were, after all, my own brothers born of the same mother. They should still be considered Princes. But who among you understands the protocol for such titles?"

"This..." The officials looked at one another, stunned. It was not that they did not understand; it was that no one dared to step forward to name the former Crown Prince and the former Prince of Qi. The implications were far from simple.

Li Chengqian understood this well and instinctively glanced at Emperor Li Er, wondering how much sincerity lay behind his words about them being "brothers born of the same mother."

Naturally, since Emperor Li Er had asked, someone had to step forward—such as the fearless Wei Zheng.

"In my humble opinion, Your Majesty," Wei Zheng said thoughtfully, "it would be appropriate to bestow the title of Prince of Xi upon the former Crown Prince and the title of Prince of Hailing upon the former Prince of Qi."

Li Shimin neither agreed nor disagreed, but pressed further: "With the titles settled, what of the posthumous names?"

"I believe the posthumous name 'Yin' for the Prince of Xi and 'Ci' for the Prince of Hailing would be suitable."

"Very well!" Li Shimin agreed readily, but then used the opportunity to press the officials: "Now that the titles and posthumous names are decided, it is time to choose an auspicious day for their burial. Some of you were once retainers of the Prince of Xi and the Prince of Hailing. I ask you now: will you attend their funerals?"

"Uh..." The former retainers of the Princes trembled. This was truly the height of ruthlessness—striking at the heart!

Li Chengqian found it somewhat amusing; Emperor Li Er possessed a sharp vengeful streak. He had invited them to speak freely, and now they were being forced to face the most uncomfortable of topics.

But Li Er’s dilemma still required an answer. This time, it was not Wei Zheng, but Sun Fujia himself who stepped forward. Perhaps wishing to avoid being the sole target, he declared his loyalty: "Your Majesty, I was a retainer of the Prince of Xi, but I believe it would be better not to attend."

"Hah!" Li Shimin let out a sharp sound and looked at Wei Zheng. "The Censor-in-Chief was also a retainer of the Prince of Xi, was he not? Will you go?"

Wei Zheng replied calmly, "I was once a subject of Li Mi, then of Dou Jiande, then of the Prince of Xi, and now I am a subject of Your Majesty. I also believe it is best not to go."

"Old fox..." Li Chengqian curled his lip in disdain. People called Wei Zheng the greatest remonstrator in history, loyal and fearless, but in truth, the man was incredibly clever. He knew exactly what the Emperor wanted to hear and played to it.

However, Li Shimin was not entirely satisfied with the answers from Sun Fujia or Wei Zheng. He rose slowly from the throne, hands behind his back.

"Though you were retainers of the Prince of Xi and the Prince of Hailing, you are now subjects of the Great Tang. I am the Emperor of the Great Tang, and I require your loyalty. If you remember old favors, you will not forget new ones. The fact that you were once loyal to the Prince of Xi and the Prince of Hailing shows that you are loyal subjects. If you were to be ungrateful, would I dare to employ you?"

"Your Majesty is wise!" The former retainers hung their heads, faces flushed with shame.

Li Shimin looked at them and said with calm authority, "I trust you will not be ungrateful. Therefore, you must attend the funerals. I want to tell the world: my words remain the same—to be loyal to a former lord and to a new lord is simply to be a loyal subject!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

All the officials stood and bowed to Li Shimin, including Li Chengqian. There was no help for it; this was Emperor Li Er. His breadth of mind, his stature, and his self-confidence were so extraordinary that they sometimes seemed incomprehensible. Yet, history would prove him right. These former retainers of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji did not fail him; they all contributed significantly to the "Prosperity of the Zhenguan Era."

Li Shimin smiled, sat back on his throne, and continued the court session. At that moment, Zhangsun Wuji finally found his opening and said in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, since the court has discussed the former Crown Prince, should we not consider the new one?"

The officials erupted in a buzz of conversation. Some, however, had anticipated this and exchanged knowing smiles. After all, Li Chengqian’s appearance at the court session had been an extraordinary event from the start.

"Oh?" Emperor Li Er feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow. "Is the Minister of Personnel proposing that we appoint a Crown Prince?"

"Precisely!" Zhangsun Wuji bowed. "Appointing a Crown Prince is the foundation of the state; it stabilizes the hearts of the people and secures the nation!"

"I have thought about the matter of the Crown Prince, but whether to appoint the eldest or the most virtuous, I have yet to decide..."

"Your Majesty, they are still young. Whether they are virtuous or foolish cannot yet be judged. With Your Majesty’s brilliance, you will surely rule for a hundred years. Therefore, there is no need to dwell too much on the virtues or shortcomings of a Crown Prince!"

Li Shimin smiled slightly and looked around at the officials. "What do you all think?"

"We have no objections..." the officials replied in unison.

"Since there are no objections, convey my decree: Li Chengqian, the Prince of Zhongshan, is hereby named Crown Prince!"

Emperor Li Er waved his wide sleeves, looking spirited and bold. The officials smiled, content with the outcome.

Just then, a youthful, clear voice suddenly rang out: "Father, I have something to say!"