Even the Imperial Guards did not obey Li Shimin's orders. Seeing that the two father and son seemed to be at war with each other, the older ministers suddenly recalled the scene seventeen years ago. King Qin, who was heavily armed, led his troops into the Xuanwu Gate and killed the prince. He and the King of Qi were shot and killed in front of the Xuanwu Gate. Now the scene has been replayed, but it has been replaced by a war between the crown prince Li Chengqian and Li Shimin. I don’t know if the original King of Qin and the current emperor still have the changes in the Xuanwu Gate. That kind of domineering attitude. He was so ruthless that he didn’t even care about his flesh and blood relatives for the sake of the world.
He is old. He no longer has the ambition he once had. Or maybe he has begun to regret the wrong things he did in the past. Therefore, now he is extremely unwilling to see his son embark on the same road of no return.
Meng Xinghe, who was sitting next to Li Shimin, saw it clearly. It was not that Li Shimin lacked the majesty of a king, but that he had been suppressing the anger in his heart. Once the anger in his heart was ignited, he was still the master of the world. No one could stop him. He can control the life and death decisions of any person.
Therefore, even if the prince below has been forcing him to abdicate and make way for his successor, Li Shimin's face is worthless in the eyes of all officials. But Li Shimin has no intention of letting him taste the bitter consequences now. He may be giving it to his son An opportunity. He said: "Back off. You made a mistake this time. My father can let it go. But your position as prince has been removed from now on."
The voice sounded as if it had suddenly become much older. Li Shimin's words were filled with a kind of advice that even Li Chengqian was afraid of.
Li Chengqian was obviously taken aback. Now he could be said to have completely broken with his father. He could actually forgive himself. He thought to himself, "If it is true as his father said, he will retreat now. He can still forget the past."
No. We are now pawns who have crossed the river. There is no way out.
Li Chengqian laughed forcefully: "Father, my son has no way out now." Li Chengqian's sigh had blocked Li Shimin's last way out. Now he truly had no way out.
"Ignorance." Li Shimin cursed in a low voice. Meng Xinghe next to him could clearly see the livid color that spread rapidly on his face. He looked at the ministers indifferently. These guys usually said they were willing to do anything for them. The Tang Dynasty died after exhausting their efforts. Now this should be the time for them to be loyal, but no one can stand up and accuse the prince of being ethical.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. These guys who are usually sanctimonious can see their true colors clearly when they get together in a critical moment. Li Shimin laughed at himself for being so wise all his life. Only when he got old did he realize that he only had a few subordinates he could trust.
"Brother Daozong, are you going to force me to abdicate?" Mu Ran. Li Shimin cast his eyes on the old prince in the distance. The old prince came in with Li Chengqian. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance where he was standing. On the one hand, Li Shimin now calls him Emperor Daozong. It is not a respectful title for him, but it reminds Li Daozong that the two are close relatives of the clan. It must not be like the coup in 17 years when everyone was jealous.
Li Daozong understood the meaning of Li Shimin's words. But he no longer had the right to retreat. The reason why Li Chengqian was able to win over the old prince Li Daozong to join the group was simply because Li Chengqian had something in his hands that the old prince urgently needed.
"Your Majesty, I'm ashamed of you. Qianqian, that child, as you know, I'm afraid he won't live long." The old prince said with a depressed expression. At his age, he has no son. His only daughter has been in a state of depression since she was born. While he was sleeping, his daughter contracted such a strange disease. Li Daozhong had lost his pursuit of power. The only thing he urgently needed now was a magic medicine that could bring people back to life.
Because of this, Li Chengqian took advantage of the old prince's weakness and promised that as long as he helped him ascend to the throne, Li Chengqian would give the old prince the elixir of life passed down from ancient times to save Princess Qianqian's life.
He had to seize the only hope of saving Qianqian. Therefore, the old prince Li Daozong finally sided with Li Chengqian, which also gave Li Chengqian the right to mobilize almost all troops around the imperial city.
Therefore, now Li Chengqian not only controls the Forbidden Army, but also has the city guard army stationed as a reserve outside Chang'an City. He also has the right to directly rule. It can be said that now in Chang'an City, Li Chengqian has a heavy army. He wants to If a mosquito cannot fly out of Chang'an, then it will never fly out.
"Father, this is an imperial edict. Please stamp it with a jade seal. Let your son take over your position in a legitimate manner." Li Chengqian took an imperial edict from an attendant that had been drafted long ago. He was just waiting for Li Shimin to stamp it.
Li Shimin suddenly remembered that seventeen years ago, he had appeared in front of his elderly father with an imperial edict, categorically and without caring about his feelings.
Is this what is called retribution?
Li Shimin raised his head slightly, as if he was thinking. After a long time, Li Shimin straightened his eyes and looked at the civil and military officials in front of him. There was a complicated and difficult-to-understand meaning in his eyes. He looked at his son and said: " Since you can’t wait to get what originally belongs to you, then fine, I’ll give it to you.”
"Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, take down this traitor as soon as possible."
A scolding voice came out of Li Shimin's mouth. It seemed that in an instant, he turned into a god standing high and far away, looking down on the people. But at this moment, Li Chengqian, in his eyes, was just a clown.
Li Chengqian wondered if his father was old and confused. Didn't he realize that the Forbidden Army was now under his control, and the gates of the Daming Palace were tightly closed. Even if Qin Qiong and Chen Yaojin had the power to reach heaven, they couldn't. They rushed in with a large number of troops and captured him.
"Father, you are indeed old. Look around you. They are all my people." Li Chengqian smiled proudly. Now that he has broken his skin, he doesn't care about anything anymore. As long as he wins the throne, as long as he can work diligently. Love the people. Who can say more? No. Lao Tzu above is a typical example. Now all the subjects of the Tang Dynasty have forgotten his Xuanwu Gate changes, but remember the Zhenguan era he created.
Facing Jiang Shang, who was within easy reach, Li Chengqian's face couldn't wait to sit on the coveted position. He seemed to want to make a quick decision. He seemed a little eager. He took a step forward alone. All the civil and military officials saw the prince as if he was bleeding. The fierce ghost. No one dared to bite. Li Chengqian was very satisfied with the cooperation of the officials. He slowly pulled out the sword from his waist and pointed at Li Shimin on the dragon throne. He said: "If the father doesn't seal it, don't blame me. Ruthless. This throne was originally my son's, but my father wanted to pass it on to my third brother. My third brother and I are from the same mother. But my father wanted us brothers to kill each other. My son had no choice but to do this. .If my father is still stubborn, I will have no choice but to offend you."
Li Chengqian's words were like knives piercing Li Shimin's heart. He didn't even pay attention to his son walking toward him step by step with a sword. He only thought about what he had done wrong. Maybe what he had done. Everything, not even the smallest details, must be done by the emperor to be worthy of his son and the ancestors of the Li family.
Li Shimin simply closed his eyes, because he knew that Li Chengqian would not be proud for long.
But Li Shimin looked calm. Although others were not worried about his life or death, Li Zhi, as his son, had to stand up at this time.
"Brother."
It had been a long time since he called him eldest brother. Ever since Li Chengqian was made the crown prince and lived in the East Palace, he and Xiao Sizi had rarely seen their eldest brother, who was of the same mother.
"I don't know if you still remember what my father said when he taught you how to ride a horse in the imperial garden. He said that the country of the Tang Dynasty was taken from horseback. How can the men of the Li family I can only dance and write, but I don’t know how to ride a sword. My father will always grow old day by day. From now on, this country will always be in your hands. As a king, you have to work harder than others. Big brother, my father did not say that. I want to destroy you. Please admit your mistake to your father quickly. Maybe he can spare your life."
Li Zhi suddenly rushed out. He looked at his eldest brother who was willing to kill his father for the throne. Li Zhi, who had always been influenced by Confucianism, could no longer understand his eldest brother's behavior. Is there really no family affection in the emperor's family? Is it true that for the throne? Do you want brothers to kill each other and father and son to turn against each other? He just hopes that his words can wake up his eldest brother who has been blinded by power. He doesn't want to see his eldest brother go astray.
"Third brother, actually, the eldest brother doesn't blame you. If we want to blame everything, we have to blame our father. It's him. He forced me to do this." Li Chengqian laughed. Only now did he understand why Chao Zhong There will be so many people supporting Li Zhi as the crown prince. He, the third brother, has a shadow of his mother. He doesn't like fighting with others and is tired of the intrigues. But it is precisely because of this that he can become the most ideal king for those ministers. .
"Ah." Suddenly Li Chengqian yelled: "Kill me." He couldn't bear it anymore. Let everything end tonight. If God is destined to be the emperor, then he will definitely succeed. If it is destined to be the emperor, he will succeed. If you are a loser, you will fail no matter how hard you try.
It is hard to disobey the destiny. It is also the destination of destiny.
When Li Chengqian gave the order "kill", the imperial guards under his control had already launched a fierce attack with their spears on the guards around the emperor who resisted him.
The first stream of blood finally sprayed on the ground of Daming Palace. Then more blood began to spray into the air. Then a smell of blood grew in the air.
The officials were horrified. Li Chengqian would kill whenever he wanted. He showed no mercy at all. They were all undecided about which side to follow. After all, with the current decision, it was very possible that he would become a founding hero or a traitor if he made a mistake.
Seeing that the imperial army led by Li Qiancheng had taken down the guards in the Daming Palace, Li Shimin now had almost no force to contend with him. He finally let go of his previous worries. After all, Li Shimin once said that Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin. These two people If he doesn't show up for a moment, he can't take it lightly.
Fortunately, the Imperial Guards he brought in were all people he trusted. They were all his cronies. Now the Daming Palace is under his control. It can be said that half of the Tang Dynasty is already in his hands.
His eyes turned to Li Shimin, who was sitting on the dragon throne and was calmer than anyone else. Li Chengqian finally walked towards him step by step.
There was the throne. It was the place he had dreamed of.
Li Chengqian longed in his heart. He just hoped to sit in that position as soon as possible. As for the father in front of him, he already felt that he should be called the Supreme Emperor now.
Li Chengqian walked step by step. He walked very slowly. He was like a new emperor ascending the throne. He fantasized about putting on a dragon robe and kneeling down to greet the officials as he passed by. He felt so happy that he had the world in his hands. He didn't even care to spend more time walking there. Next to the dragon chair, drive your father away and sit on it yourself.
He walked proudly to the dragon chair. Who among the officials below dared to say a word. The steel knife was probably cut on his neck in the next second. When Li Chengqian walked about a hundred steps away from Li Shimin, that was his first time. I saw my father's eyes. I was far away just now. I didn't see clearly that those eyes were full of disappointment, regret, heartache, and even a hint of cruelty. But those things didn't matter anymore, because that would soon be a thing of the past.
However, just when Li Chengqian was walking towards the throne leading to the pinnacle of power a hundred steps away.
He had just taken one step. Exactly ninety-nine steps away.
Suddenly, a general with a long bow on his back and a gold mace on his waist appeared from a certain section of the wall of Daming Palace.
Qin Shubao.
Li Chengqian's face turned cold. He had no time to make any preparations for resistance. He heard a deafening sound like spring thunder from the city wall.
"Young man, please let me take my arrow."
Suddenly, a very clear "bang" sound was heard coming from the city wall.
A nine-stone bow is enough to break a stone and pierce the heart.