novelSusiti Chapter 27 Li Chengqian: Aunt, why did you try to take your own life?
Chapter 27 Li Chengqian: Aunt, why did you try to take your own life?
early morning.
When Li Shimin sobered up, he sat up, rubbing his forehead. He thought to himself that the Empress had warned him not to get drunk and to always keep a clear head. However, yesterday, while hunting, he had caught some game and was in a good mood, so he drank a few more cups and ended up drunk.
At this moment, Chang He entered from outside, knelt on the ground, and said, "Your Majesty, you have finally woken up."
Li Shimin looked at him and asked, "What are you doing here? What happened?"
"Your Majesty, last night, Ashina She'er gathered two thousand elite cavalry at the drill ground and took them away."
"What? As the commander of the Imperial Guards, why did you order him to transfer our troops?"
"No, Your Majesty, since he is already engaged to Princess Hengyang, he is the imperial consort, a man of high status. Moreover, he holds the tiger tally that allows you to mobilize troops. How could I dare to refuse?"
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's head began to buzz: "When did I ever give him the tiger tally to mobilize troops?"
"I verified the tiger tally and confirmed its authenticity before handing over the army to him. If it weren't for His Majesty's tiger tally, I wouldn't have dared to hand over the army to him so casually, even if I had the greatest courage in the world."
Ok?
Li Shimin was also anxious. He dressed neatly, got off the bed, went to the desk, opened the drawer and saw that the box containing the tiger tally was still there, but the tiger tally had disappeared.
How strange!
Li Shimin's expression also changed, wondering if someone had stolen his tiger tally.
So he summoned the two guards who were standing guard outside and asked, "Did anyone come in last night? Who stole my tiger tally?"
The two guards were so frightened that they prostrated themselves on the ground and kowtowed.
One of the guards said, "Your Majesty, I saw a demon come out of there."
"Nonsense! What evil spirits are you talking about?"
Another guard reported, "We saw Princess Hengyang come in from outside, but we didn't see her go out."
"Is that so?"
Li Shimin walked back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back and his head down. He knew Princess Hengyang's temper, and he couldn't blame the guards for not daring to stop him.
But could it be that she really stole the tiger tally?
That's really siding with outsiders!
Li Shimin then thought of Li Chengqian, thinking that this matter was ultimately his fault. If it weren't for his pleading for Ashina She'er and Princess Hengyang, I wouldn't have acquiesced to this marriage. I would have already sent people to arrest Ashina She'er, and none of these things would have happened later.
Thinking of this, he said to the two guards, "Go and summon the Crown Prince to me!"
"promise!"
The two guards breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that the emperor would not hold them accountable.
They scrambled to their feet, trembling, and retreated.
Not long after, Li Chengqian arrived.
He knelt on the ground: "Father, you were looking for me?"
Li Shimin glared at him, his anger flaring, and said, "This is all your doing! Do you even know what happened last night?"
"Your subject does not know." Li Chengqian was a little nervous when he saw his father getting angry, but on the surface he remained calm and composed.
"General Chang, please speak to him."
Chang He then recounted the whole story again.
Li Chengqian was also very surprised when he heard this. He thought to himself that Princess Hengyang was really bold enough to even steal the military tally.
"Could we send someone to bring them back?"
Li Shimin shook his head: "Ashina She'er is very shrewd; he selected only the elite of the Imperial Guards."
They left last night and are probably three or four hundred miles away now. How can we possibly catch up with them?
Besides, since he dared to do that, even if we catch up with him, he won't come back.
Li Chengqian agreed, and thus advised, "Father, since things have come to this point, in my opinion, let it be."
Ashina She'er didn't take away a large number of troops, so the impact on our entire Imperial Guard wasn't too significant.
If he employs his strategies and tactics properly, he could very well defeat Xue Yantuo's tribe. At that time, Ashina She'er will have avenged himself and will be grateful to us. We will then have another powerful neighbor.
This will be of great benefit to our future pacification of the Western Regions.
Li Shimin said dismissively, "You make it sound nice, but I'm afraid he'll squander all of my two thousand elite cavalry. Every soldier in the Imperial Guards is handpicked, the cream of the crop, a treasure. The fighting power of two thousand Imperial Guards is equivalent to more than twenty thousand ordinary soldiers."
As for what happens in the future?
It's hard to say whether Ashina She'er will be able to return alive.
Even if he wins the battle, what can we do if he doesn't return our troops to us?
When people need something from others, they're willing to kneel down and beg, but once they get what they want, they forget all the favor they were owed.
"Father, I have spoken with Ashina She'er. From his words and actions, it is clear that although he is a Turk, he is very interested in the culture of our Central Plains. He is well-read, knows etiquette, and knows how to be grateful. I dare to guarantee with my integrity that Ashina She'er is definitely not that kind of person."
Chang He, standing nearby, also urged, "I have fought against Ashina She'er before. He is brave, resolute, and exceptionally intelligent. I believe he will surely achieve a great victory this time he leads the troops back!"
Li Shimin thought that since things had come to this, he had no choice but to accept it. After all, Ashina She'er and Princess Hengyang were already engaged, and he would be the son-in-law of the Tang Dynasty. He couldn't be too stingy.
"If Ashina She'er is truly as you say, and is able to defeat Xue Yantuo's tribe and return to the capital in triumph, I will not treat him unfairly."
"Father, there is no need to worry. Ashina She'er may be more capable and loyal than we imagine."
Li Shimin's face darkened: "Chengqian, go to Princess Hengyang's residence and ask her if she stole my tiger tally."
Why did she do that?
Is there something she can't tell me openly?"
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
Princess Hengyang's Residence.
When Li Chengqian arrived at the gate of the mansion, he informed the person at the gate. Strangely, Princess Hengyang did not come out to greet him today.
Li Chengqian was puzzled and walked into the courtyard.
He searched high and low, but could not find Princess Hengyang.
Later, Li Chengqian came to Princess Hengyang's boudoir. When he looked up, he saw a person hanging from the roof beam, with disheveled hair.
He looked closely, and realized that the person was not Princess Hengyang, but who was he?
This really terrified Li Chengqian.
He quickly went over and gently put Princess Hengyang down, carrying her to the couch.
Li Chengqian pounded on Princess Hengyang's chest and back, and pinched her philtrum. After a long time of this, Princess Hengyang finally woke up.
She slowly opened her eyes and said weakly, "Chengqian, why are you here? Why did you save me?"
Li Chengqian noticed a deep purple mark on Princess Hengyang's neck: "Aunt, what happened to you? Why did you do this?"
Princess Hengyang sighed and cried, "I know your father opposes my marriage to Ashina She'er. This marriage was my own decision, and I did not receive your father's blessing."
Ashina She'er's heart burned with hatred; he could not sleep at night until he defeated Xue Yantuo's tribe.
So I started thinking about how I could help him achieve his wish.
I heard that you went hunting in Zhongnan Mountain yesterday, and your father got drunk.
So I took the opportunity to sneak into the Ganlu Hall, and while he was asleep, I stole the tiger tally and handed it over to Ashina She'er. Fortunately, Ashina She'er successfully led the army away, and my wish was fulfilled.
I know that stealing the Tiger Tally is a capital offense. If your father finds out, he will be furious and punish me. Therefore, I want to end my life to atone for my sins!
"You've saved me now, but after you leave, I'll have to hang myself again. Wouldn't that mean I'd suffer twice?"
"Oh dear, Aunt, you're overthinking it. Even if you're guilty, you're still Father's sister. How could he bear to treat you like that?"
Princess Hengyang shook her head: "I understand the principle that princes are subject to the same laws as commoners."
"No, you're mistaken. Father has already forgiven you."
"Are you telling the truth?"
"Absolutely true."
Not only that, your father has already agreed to your marriage with Ashina She'er.
In the morning, my father summoned me to the Ganlu Hall and inquired about what had happened. To be honest, my father was a little angry, but he gradually calmed down later.
He's angry because you didn't directly tell him you needed to borrow the tiger tally, but instead stole it.
Princess Hengyang pouted: "When you were hunting in Zhongnan Mountain, didn't you ask your father, the emperor, about borrowing troops from Ashina She'er?"
Didn't your father already refuse?
If he had agreed, why would I have done this? He's just saying things after the fact.
Li Chengqian thought about it and realized that it made sense.
"However, the Emperor also thought highly of Ashina She'er, believing him to be a rare talent."
If he performs well this time, after you two get married, he will become a prince consort of the Tang Dynasty and may even hold a position in the court.
"I dare not even think about those things. I would be grateful if your father could pardon Ashina She'er's death sentence."
At this moment, two palace maids walked in. Upon seeing this scene, they were so frightened that they knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.
It turned out that Princess Hengyang had intended to send the two of them away. Early in the morning, she sent one of them to the pharmacy to get medicine and the other to buy silk.
How could those two maids have imagined that Princess Hengyang would do such a foolish thing?
Princess Hengyang waved her hand and said, "Get up, this matter has nothing to do with you."
The two palace maids breathed a sigh of relief and left.
The aunt and niece chatted for a long time, and Li Chengqian was relieved to see that Princess Hengyang's emotions had gradually stabilized.
After returning, Li Chengqian truthfully reported what had happened to Li Shimin.
Li Shimin was also greatly surprised when he heard this.
He thought to himself that if he forced Princess Hengyang to her death because of this matter, then his sins would be grave, after all, he also loved this younger sister very much.
Li Shimin personally visited Princess Hengyang at her residence and comforted her with kind words, and the two siblings reconciled.
The Eastern Palace.
Li Chengqian sat alone in the document room, deep in thought.
He sensed that his scheme was beginning to take shape.
Yes, he admitted that he was setting up a scheme.
He is preparing to make a grand plan.
He wanted to know how the crown princes in line to the throne successfully inherited the throne, and what the reasons were for those who failed to inherit the throne, or those who inherited the throne but lost it.
At this moment, the screen of the strategy simulator displays:
Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, successfully inherited the throne. The main reasons for his succession were: he had the support of Xiao He, Cao Shen, and the Four Sages of Mount Shang in the court; Empress Lü, as his mother, did her best to protect him; and his uncles Lü Ze and Lü Shizhi provided him with strong support outside the court.
When Empress Lü learned that Liu Bang intended to depose Liu Ying and install Consort Qi's son, Liu Ruyi, as the crown prince, she mobilized all her resources to protect Liu Ying.
She knelt before Fan Kuai, who was originally Empress Lü's brother-in-law, so he naturally sided with her and Liu Ying.
She then sought advice from Zhang Liang, who suggested that she invite the Four Sages of Mount Shang.
Crown Prince Liu Ju failed to inherit the throne and committed suicide after his defeat in the witchcraft saga.
He originally had the support of his teacher Shi De in the court, and it was Shi De who advised him to raise an army to resist and protect himself.
However, this move was a mistake, pushing Liu Ju down a path of no return;
Empress Wei Zifu and General Wei Qing did their best to protect Liu Ju.
However, later, Wei Zifu grew old and lost her beauty, and lost the emperor's favor. Emperor Wu of Han then fell in love with Lady Wang, Lady Li, and Lady Gouyi, among others.
After Wei Qing's death, Liu Ju lost the support of his maternal relatives. It was precisely because of this that Jiang Chong dared to stand against Liu Ju. If Wei Qing were still alive, would Jiang Chong have dared to cause trouble?
For Wei Qing, killing Jiang Chong would be as easy as crushing an ant.
Emperor Shao of Han, Liu Bian, was the eldest son of Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, and Empress He. He had the support of Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, the protection of Empress He, and the strong support of his maternal uncle, General He Jin. Therefore, Liu Bian was able to smoothly inherit the throne.
Later, the general took the opportunity to kill Qian Shuo and conspired with Yuan Shao to kill all the eunuchs, thus offending the eunuch group.
He Jin heeded Yuan Shao's advice and summoned Dong Zhuo to the capital to assist the emperor.
The eunuch clique lured He Jin into the palace and took the opportunity to kill him, thus Liu Bian lost the support of his maternal relatives.
After Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he heard that Yuan Shao had raised an army against him. Enraged, Dong Zhuo had Yuan Wei and his entire family killed, deposed Liu Bian, and installed Liu Xie as Emperor Xian of Han.
The reason why the fourth son of the Qing emperor, Yinzhen, was able to inherit the throne was because he had four powerful generals under his command:
He was assisted by Longkodo, the Nine Gates Admiral;
Outside, there was the Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu, Nian Gengyao, who held considerable military power;
The thirteenth prince, Yinxiang, stood firmly on his side;
He also had a group of advisors led by Dai Duo who offered him advice and strategies.
These four men were skilled in both civil and military affairs, and held real power. Longkodo and Nian Gengyao, in particular, were in charge of internal affairs and external affairs respectively. It was virtually impossible for the other princes to challenge Yinzhen's position.