Chapter 7: The Crown Prince "Commits Treason"?

"His Majesty appointed the Prince of Jin as the Crown Prince on his deathbed?"

An elderly official asked in disbelief, his voice ringing out abruptly in the silent imperial court.

"The fourteen-year-old Prince of Jin?"

Another veteran minister repeated the words subconsciously, his tone heavy with profound confusion. Many of the older officials stood in a daze, exchanging bewildered glances filled with shock and incomprehension. Among the Emperor's sons, the Prince of Jin had always been the least conspicuous. At past court banquets, grand sacrifices, and other important occasions, the Prince of Jin would always stand quietly in the corner, never as dazzling or prominent as the other princes. Most knew little of him, save that he was introverted and rarely displayed any sharpness before others.

"Lord Zhangsun, may I trouble you to let me examine the Emperor's handwritten edict?" Chu Suiliang frowned, his gaze fixed intently on Zhangsun Wuji. His hands, accustomed to the brush, trembled slightly, as if he sensed that something was amiss.

Zhangsun Wuji looked at the man who had spoken and saw it was Chu Suiliang. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes. He remained unhurried, stroking his beard as he said slowly, "At that time, His Majesty was hovering between life and death, his vitality like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment. He was no longer able to hold a brush to write the edict himself. He could only speak, and I took it down on his behalf, thus conveying his final command. I swear to the heavens, not a single word is false."

Chu Suiliang nodded. Though he still harbored doubts, the immense prestige of Zhangsun Wuji made it difficult for him to press the matter further.

"In that case, Prince of Wei," Chu Suiliang suddenly turned his head to look at Li Tai. "Is what Lord Zhangsun said the truth?"

Li Tai’s brows knit tightly together, a flash of resentment crossing his eyes. He glared at Zhangsun Wuji with such intensity that it seemed as if he wished to tear the man limb from limb. Yet, Zhangsun Wuji remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged. Under the collective gaze of the court, Li Tai could only bite his teeth and nod, forced to concede, "It is true."

By now, anyone could see that the Prince of Wei was on the verge of an outburst. His fists were clenched, and his body trembled slightly. Everyone present knew exactly what was happening; they were all masters of political intrigue, playing the role of the willfully ignorant. Some matters, if left unweighed, are light, but once placed on the scale, even three thousand pounds would not suffice to hold them down. The atmosphere in the court grew increasingly heavy, as if a dark cloud hung over their heads.

Chu Suiliang intended to ask more, but before he could, other officials crowded him aside.

"Since the new Emperor has been named, why do we not immediately invite the Prince of Jin to ascend the throne before the bier?" an official shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

"Yes! Summon the Prince of Jin!"

"Let us welcome the Prince of Jin!"

Other officials echoed these cries, and for a moment, the court was a cacophony of competing voices.

"You are all completely lawless! Until the Crown Prince himself appears, no one is permitted to violate the rites!" an old conservative minister roared, waving his ceremonial tablet in a desperate attempt to restore order.

"Where is the Crown Prince?" another shouted. The court descended into chaos, a pot of boiling water with everyone speaking at once, their clamor loud enough to lift the roof of the Taiji Palace.

Fang Xuanling remained silent, standing quietly to the side with a profound look in his eyes, lost in thought. Beside him, Li Shimin frowned, his gaze betraying a trace of worry. *Zhinü? Why would Zhangsun Wuji want to elevate Zhinü to the throne?* Li Shimin was no longer concerned with who would ultimately claim the crown; he only felt a sense of deep unease. The image of Li Chengqian kept appearing in his mind—his once lively and adorable eldest son, now trapped in such a perilous situation. He was filled with regret; he had played too dangerous a game, intending for his sons to become better through competition, but never imagining it would lead to this—potentially driving his own eldest son to his ruin. Li Shimin, unaware of Chengqian’s true circumstances, felt his heart in turmoil. Even if the Crown Prince was incompetent, he was still his son.

His intention had been to foster a contest between brothers to find the most capable, not to see them destroy one another. At this thought, Li Shimin’s gaze hardened. This play had gone on long enough! He cast a glance at Yuchi Jingde, conveying a silent message. Yuchi Jingde understood and nodded.

Li Shimin straightened his back and took a step forward, preparing to intervene in the chaos.

"Disaster! Disaster! The Crown Prince has led a great army to surround Chang'an!"

A eunuch rushed in to report, stumbling in his haste. His shrill voice cut through the arguments in the hall like a sharp blade. The crowd fell silent, looking at one another in total confusion. The military generals, in particular, were the focus of attention, eyeing each other with suspicion. They wondered who among them had secretly sided with the Crown Prince, yet as they looked around, all the generals were present. Where had the Crown Prince found an army? This sudden news was like a bolt of lightning, plunging the court into deeper panic.

Li Shimin retreated the step he had taken, his face etched with astonishment.

"The Crown Prince?" an official murmured, his eyes full of shock.

"Zhangsun Wuji! What is the meaning of this? Did you not say the Crown Prince was critically ill?" Wei Zheng, his face flushed with rage, launched a direct attack at Zhangsun Wuji. "And what does this mean now!?" He was trembling with fury. Seeing Zhangsun Wuji’s dark, expressionless face, Wei Zheng’s anger intensified. "Zhangsun Wuji, you old villain!" he shouted.

"Everyone, follow me to welcome the Crown Prince!" With a wave of his sleeves, Wei Zheng prepared to leave the hall, his steps firm and his expression resolute.

Before he reached the door, a row of fully armed Qianniu Guards blocked the entrance to the Taiji Palace, their spears leveled, their expressions cold.

"The final edict has already been read. The Prince of Jin is the legitimate successor. The other is no longer the Crown Prince, but a traitor. Do you still not understand?" Zhangsun Wuji’s words were like a heavy hammer, sealing the matter once and for all.

The officials from the noble clans who supported Zhangsun Wuji spoke up one after another.

"Indeed, the Prince of Jin is the legitimate ruler!"

"We firmly support the Prince of Jin as Emperor!"

"The Prince of Jin is benevolent; he is the wise monarch we should follow!"

They spoke with feigned righteousness, as if they had long pledged their loyalty to the Prince of Jin. Yet, deep in their eyes lay the cold calculation of self-interest. Hearing these officials, Li Shimin finally realized that although Chengqian held the title of Crown Prince, he had no foundation in the court. He had lavished his affection on Qingque, paying him far more attention and bestowing more honors upon him than Chengqian. Qingque appeared glorious and surrounded by supporters, but in truth, those supporting him were merely the clan officials. These officials seemed loyal, but they would shift their allegiance to whoever offered the greatest benefit. Otherwise, there would not be a single person in the hall speaking up for his eldest son. Qingque was naive; he would be the easiest to manipulate once he took the throne. But even then, those officials would only support him as long as the benefits were great enough.

Zhangsun Wuji’s ability to rally these clans to support Zhinü proved that he intended to be the power behind the throne, promising the clans even greater rewards. *The bystanders see clearly what the participants miss.* Only now did Li Shimin understand that these noble families dared to treat the princes as chess pieces in their own game. Did they have no regard for the Li Tang royal family? Did they view imperial dignity as nothing? He looked at Zhangsun Wuji, who was determined to stand with the clans, and felt a profound grief.

"Fujie, we have survived so many years together; how have you become so foolish in your old age?" he sighed silently to himself. When he regained control of the situation, he would have to contend with these clans, even if it meant meeting the same fate as Emperor Yang of Sui.

However, the fact that Chengqian had surrounded Chang'an with an army remained his greatest puzzle. He knew better than anyone that the military power of the Shaanxi region was in his own hands. All those who could mobilize such armies were standing here in the hall. Where, then, had his son raised his forces? Li Shimin decided to wait, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of worry, suspicion, and a glimmer of anticipation.

The atmosphere in the hall grew tense. Zhangsun Wuji looked at the generals. "Which general is willing to lead troops to engage the deposed crown prince?" His voice echoed in the silent hall.

The generals acted as if they had heard nothing; some stared at the ceiling, others at the floor tiles. Cheng Yaojin even began to hum a little tune, the off-key melody sounding particularly jarring in the tense atmosphere. Seeing the generals' behavior, Zhangsun Wuji realized the truth. Even though he had deep ties with these men, in a moment involving royal infighting and the interests of the noble clans, they would simply stand by and watch. Resolving the issue of Li Chengqian would be up to him alone.

"Minister Cui, I am mobilizing three thousand Qianniu Guards to defend the city. You are to immediately order the major clans to send their private armies to join the battle!" Zhangsun Wuji commanded, his eyes filled with resolve.

"Yes! Minister of Works Zhangsun!" Minister Cui accepted the order and hurried away.

After speaking, Zhangsun Wuji gave the people in the hall a blank look and strode out. The noble officials followed closely behind him, their footsteps echoing in the vast, empty hall. In a short while, only a small fraction of the people remained in the Taiji Palace.

Li Jing watched them leave and calmly found a seat, his eyes slightly narrowed as if contemplating something.

"Tell me, with so many generals here, have none of you considered charging out?" Chu Suiliang asked in confusion, unable to understand why the generals were so calm.

Cheng Yaojin looked at Chu Suiliang as if he were an idiot. "Without troops, how the hell are we supposed to fight? Do you expect me to go out there and fight the Qianniu Guards with my bare fists?" He shook his thick, muscular arms. "These clan scions, they all walk with their noses in the air. One day, I’ll settle the score with them!" His words were filled with anger and disdain.

"General Cheng, be careful with your words!" Wang Gui interrupted, casting a warning look at him.

Watching the mass of noble officials leave the court, Li Shimin felt a deep sense of helplessness. Officials were all recommended by these clans; if he were to strike at them, they could simply bring the entire Tang dynasty to a standstill. How could that be easy? This sense of powerlessness washed over him like a tide, leaving him struggling to breathe.