Li Tai has been in a very bad mood recently. Seeing Li Chengqian's status becoming more and more stable day by day, all his previous efforts have been in vain.
The steward of Prince Wei's Mansion ran in, whispered in Li Tai's ear: "Your Highness, Hou De, the eldest son of Duke Lu, wants to see Your Highness."
"Hou De? Just bring him in." Li Tai said.
The housekeeper whispered: "He asked someone to find the old slave and said he wanted to see His Highness alone."
Li Tai squinted his eyes. He was already fat, but when he squinted his eyes like this, there was only a thin line left.
Li Tai picked up the wine glass, drank the wine in one gulp, and said, "Take him to my study. Be careful not to be seen."
"Yes." The butler nodded and left in a hurry.
Li Tai sat in the main hall for a while, waved to the dancing dancers, and said, "I am drunk, please step aside."
"yes!"
After everyone left, Li Tai hurried to the study.
The housekeeper was waiting at the door of the study. When he saw Li Tai coming, he quickly said: "Your Highness, people are already inside."
Li Tai nodded and said, "You watch from the outside and don't let others get close."
Although Furong Garden is his palace, there are many spies from all sides.
Not to mention anything else, the Chief of the Wei Palace was sent by Li Shimin, and Han Wen was from the aristocratic family.
The only person he can trust is the butler.
"yes."
The housekeeper nodded, waited for Li Tai to enter the study, closed the door, and stood guard at the door.
"I've met King Wei."
When Hou De saw Li Tai coming in, he quickly stood up and saluted.
Li Tai waved his hand and said with a smile: "Sit down."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"You want to see me, what's the matter?" Li Tai asked after sitting down.
Hou De said: "My father is grateful to His Highness for interceding for him, so he asked me to express my gratitude to Your Highness."
Li Tai said with some shame: "Gong Lu has made great contributions to our Tang Dynasty and is the pillar of our Tang Dynasty. I plead for him because I don't want the Tang Dynasty to lose one of its pillars. But I still can't.
I have helped Duke Lu, but I hope Duke Lu will not blame you!"
Hou De said with a grateful face: "What did your Highness say? At that time, my father was imprisoned and no one interceded for him. Your Highness could intercede for my father. The entire Hou family is extremely grateful."
Li Tai waved his hand and said: "Let's not talk about this anymore. I will stay here today. I will host a banquet. You must have a few drinks with me."
"Your Highness, when I came this time, besides asking me to express my gratitude to Your Highness, my father also wanted to tell His Highness something else," Hou De said.
Li Tai asked: "What's the matter?"
Hou De whispered: "Your Highness, the Cui family approached my father and asked my father and the family to support Your Highness."
Li Tai was startled and said, "Are you telling the truth?"
Why didn't anyone notify him if the family made such a move?
Hou De nodded and said: "Of course it is true."
Li Tai digested this shocking news and asked, "What does Duke Lu mean?"
Hou De said: "Your Highness is kind-hearted and talented. My father is naturally willing to support His Highness. It's just not with a noble family."
Li Tai frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Does Your Highness really think that the family sincerely supports His Highness?" Hou De said.
Li Tai smiled and said, "Keep talking."
"The aristocratic family just wants to treat His Highness as a puppet. At first they supported Prince Yin, but later they turned around and supported His Majesty. They support His Highness now for their own interests, and they may support others for their own interests in the future. My father's support of His Highness has nothing to do with the aristocratic family.
"Houde said.
Li Tai sneered in his heart. He was not a fool. He knew more or less what the aristocratic family paid attention to.
But what does it matter?
He needs the support of the family now. Didn't his father do the same thing back then?
If his father could leave his family behind after he succeeded to the throne, he believed he could do the same.
It is said that the aristocratic family supported him for the sake of profit. Could it be that Hou Junji supported him not for the sake of profit?
The hustle and bustle in the world is all for benefit, and the hustle and bustle in the world is for benefit.
If someone helps him for reasons other than profit, he will still doubt the other person's purpose.
Li Tai smiled and said: "I am very happy that Duke Lu is willing to support me. I wonder if Duke Lu can teach me anything?"
Hou De said: "Your Highness, I don't take the teachings seriously. But my father asked me to tell you a few words. My father said that military power is more important than anything else."
Li Tai's eyes flashed and quickly disappeared. He shook his head and said: "Military power has always been a taboo of my father. Most of the princes cannot even control the Six Commands of the East Palace that the prince should have controlled. I am a prince, let alone
It’s a way to get involved in military power.”
Hou De smiled and said: "My father said that he can provide His Highness with a list of generals that can be roped in. How to do this is up to His Highness himself."
Li Tai nodded and said, "I wonder if Lord Lu has anything else to say?"
"My father also said that His Highness has a shallow foundation, and now he can rely more on the power of the aristocratic family to develop his own strength," Hou De said.
Li Tai nodded thoughtfully and said, "Is there anything else?"
"Your Majesty is now in the prime of the Spring and Autumn Period. There is still a long time. Your Highness does not need to worry. As long as the Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince, everything is subject to change. There are many princes who fail to succeed. My father only said this much." Hou De.
said.
Yes, as long as he does not succeed to the throne, the prince is still the prince.
Not to mention, wouldn’t the former Sui Prince Yang Yong be deposed?
His father is not a prince, so he is still an emperor.
"Tell Duke Lu that I will remember his kindness," Li Tai said.
"I will definitely bring your Highness your words. If Your Highness has no other instructions, I will leave first," Hou De said.
Li Tai smiled and said: "What's the rush? I will ask someone to prepare a dinner right now. You can stay and have a few drinks with me."
Hou De was a little moved. Since his father chose to put his treasure on King Wei, he naturally wanted to have a good relationship with Li Tai.
But thinking of Hou Junji's words, Hou De quickly said: "Your Highness, in order not to arouse suspicion, our relationship cannot be exposed. There will be opportunities in the future."
"You must have considered it carefully, Duke Xiaoguo. In this case, I will not keep you," Li Tai said.
Of course he knew what Hou De said. Even if Hou De really stayed, he would only entertain him secretly.
Now that he is unwilling to stay, Li Tai will naturally not persuade him to stay.
"Your Highness, I'll take my leave now." Hou De stood up and said.
"Steward Pan, help me send Duke Hou Xiaoguo off." Li Tai shouted.
Butler Pan pushed the door open, bowed to Li Tai first, and then said to Hou De, "Young Master Hou, please come this way."
Hou De bowed to Li Tai and left with Butler Pan.
"Haha, my opportunity has come." Li Tai was excited.
He saw that Li Chengqian's position was becoming more and more stable, but there was nothing he could do.
Those generals were too sensitive for him to win over.
As for the civil servants, except for people from noble families, they were not of high status and could not help him at all.
A high-ranking civil servant like Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng has a strong sense of order in seniority and seniority, and is simply not someone he can win over.
Now that we have the support of Hou Junji, if we can win over some generals in the army through Hou Junji.
Even if his father has no intention of deposing the crown prince, he can still learn from his father.
In this way, he will no longer be helpless because of Li Chengqian's stable position.
At this moment, the depression in Li Tai's heart for a while completely disappeared.